Yep, Dick. Like Grant observes, the photo angle has to be remembered. The Beni appears to be very good. #30 has a large koi bone structure and a big fish pattern. The white inserts will relieve the monotony when the fish grows.
I got a modestly priced tosai Showa from NKF in 2006. She is about 25" now. Her best feature is the Beni. Very even and solid orange-red. The Beni keeps improving as she grows. She does not have the higher quality Sumi that #30 appears to have. The Sumi on mine is too thin for a show judge to evaluate her highly. But, in the pond swimming a foot down, the Sumi appears as thick as could ever be desired. So, she makes a fine impression on folks. It will have to be a very good Showa to take her place in the pond. That's because of the Beni, not the Sumi. (And, she has a pretty face.
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When I got the group of 5 Showa from Brady in 2005, I asked him to supply different types of Sumi. It was wonderful to watch how they developed. You may remember, however, that what ended up being the real focus was the Beni. There were several types in the mix Brady provided. He supplied a real education with that mix. The better the Beni, the better the overall beauty of the Showa. There are innumerable 'genetic mixes' of Hi around, of course. One is not necessarily better than another. It is the thickness and stability of the pigment that matters most. It takes a while to appreciate that. All the dramatic black markings on Showa create the special atmosphere only Showa have. But that really does not matter unless the red provides the backdrop.
Maybe I'll get another Showa.