One of sumo¡¯s two present yokozuna (grand champions) may have last weekend, but far fewer people were watching than just a decade earlier. Could playing cards help rekindle interest?

The traditional Japanese sport has been simultaneously battling two nebulous forces: controversy and apathy. Not only are , but at the same time a number of scandals continue to fester. There was the , the recent accusations of in Nagoya and an by a tokoyama (sumo hair stylists). And, of course, few have forgotten .

Long before these pratfalls, many of Japan¡¯s purist (and arguably nationalist) fans were already decrying the influx of non-Japanese grapplers ¨C including the two present yokozuna, both? Mongolians ¨C and their lack of deference to the sport¡¯s rigid and time-honored traditions. Asashoryu, last week¡¯s victor and 24-time winner of the Imperial Cup, has been , which may seem tame when compared to Western athletes but is considered barbaric by sumo¡¯s strict standards.

Controversy generates attention, so one could argue that such , but certainly not enough. Interest in sumo among younger generations has been waning for some time, overtaken by video games and J. League soccer, the youth¡¯s pro sport of choice.

What to do? One proven method of garnering attention in Japan is by developing your own line of adorable character goods. Enter . The name for these chicken littles is a play on the word (évÈ¡, top-ranked wrestler) and the kanji for bird (øB) which also has the sound ¡°tori¡°. The characters are packaged as playing cards similar to the and brands ¨C with strength, endurance and other fighting characteristics mapped out ¨C and then handed out to kids at tournaments.

Is the pre-teen demographic what they¡¯re aiming for? That would explain the recent ¨C I¡¯m imagining Asashoryu-shaped Happy Meal toys at McDonald¡¯s by 2010. If Japanese kids buy enough of them ¨C and eat enough of those hamburgers ¨C then sumo may form its next generation sooner than expected.