‘Sanctuary’ Ending Explained: Does Oze Become a Yokozuna?

Welcome to the Ending Explained for Sanctuary, Season 1. Sanctuary is a new TV series on Netflix that explores the world of Sumo Wrestling and all the mysterious details of this ancient tradition. The series is directed by Kan Eguchi and developed by Netflix. The show stars Wataru Ichinose, Shota Sometani, Shiori Kutsuna, Pierre Taki, and Tomorowo Taguchi. The series tells the story of Oze, a new Sumo Wrestler who looks to rise to fame and fortune in the world of Sumo for his own reasons. But of course, reaching the top won’t be so easy.

Sanctuary is one of those shows you don’t expect to grab you, but when it does, it doesn’t let go. The show goes inside the mysterious world of Sumo and tells a classic story of redemption and overcoming challenges. Throughout the entire first season, we follow several characters as they get to know this world, and the result is quite satisfying. Production values are very solid; the pacing has a nice balance between the action and character moments, and in general, it is a fine example of what makes sports stories from Japan so great.

The following paragraphs contain spoilers for Sanctuary, Season 1. Read at your own risk.

Why Is Oze Going Into Sumo Wrestling?

Sanctuary functions as a classic underdog story. These types of stories get their big moments from watching the main characters reach milestones that seemed impossible at many points. The Queen’s Gambit, for example, is another show quite similar to Sanctuary, even when they seem completely different. Oze, our main character, comes from the bottom and must overcome many challenges to become a Yokozuna, the highest rank a Sumo Wrestler can reach.

Oze, or as he is later known in the fight ring, Enno, has his own reason for being part of Sumo. At the start of the show, we see him as a delinquent. He uses his physical superiority to bully other criminals into submission and steal their money. We also see that Oze has some truly awful family issues. His parents used to run a sushi shop, but when his father used his wife’s money to cover a debt, everything fell apart. Now, Oze’s family status is quite disturbing. His mother became a whore who goes around with men, and his father became a recluse.

Trying to make his father proud and defend him from his mother, Oze enters Sumo when an old acquaintance recruits him. You see, when he was a kid, Oze used to practice Judo and was very good at it. However, after his family fell apart, Oze also abandoned the sport. Oze is a very interesting character. He is harsh, has zero respect for authority, and is quite violent. At first, we see him having a hard time getting used to the World of Sumo, and he gets bullied by other wrestlers.

There is a turning point in the series when Oze decides to actually get serious with his training. That moment is when his father falls ill. To pay the cost of his medical attention, Oze decides that winning and reaching the top are the only options. He meets several characters that will help him reach the top in several ways, which is when things get exciting in the show. Oze changes throughout the season and becomes more serious about his wants. Interestingly, he never becomes fully likable.

Does Oze Become A Yokozuna?

To reach the rank of Yokozuna is the highest accomplishment a Sumo Wrestler can reach. However, as you expected, achieving it is not easy. For a tradition with more than 1,500 recorded history, only less than 100 Sumo Wrestlers have achieved such a title. It is quite a steep climb. Oze, who receives the name of Enno to fight, thankfully has a group of allies who will get behind his back and support him as much as they can. It is what makes the story special.

He meets a fallen journalist named Kunishima. Before covering Sumo, Kunishima covered politics, but she got herself in a scandal and she was basically demoted. However, thanks to Tokitsu, a veteran expert Sumo reporter, Kunishima begins to love the sport, and she begins supporting Enno in his journey. There are many more characters than that. Once Oze begins to train properly, his physical strength stops being the only thing he can rely on in a match. However, there is a big obstacle on Enno’s journey. Another Sumo Wrestler named Shizuuchi.

Shizuuchi is quite the monster, and during their first fight, Enno is utterly defeated, even losing one of his ears in the process. This defeat humbles Enno, who had been going on a winning streak before it. The defeat strengthens Oze’s resolve and prepares them day and night to improve his technique. He trains with another Sumo from his dojo, a man named Eyna. Eyna is quite talented, but an injury has pushed him to go on early retirement. It is sad, but Eyna’s will lives on in Enno’s.

The season culminates, surprisingly. Eyna takes part in his retirement ceremony, which is quite sad, and the rest of the stable moves on. Enno is now their star member, and they all get behind him as a new season of matches begins. Enno’s first match in this new season, funny enough, is against Shizuuchi. Everybody expects a hellish match between the two, but many people support Enno this time. The episode cuts back as the match begins, and the two clash their bodies. Making us wait for a second season where we will see the journey continue.