Just for fun - pick a showa

[MikeM]

For once, I agree with Brady. (This is a rare occasion! It may be pure happenstance, but I'm hoping it means his many lessons are starting to sink in!) I hope he shares his reasons so I can see if they are similar to mine. Number 4 has best pattern to appeal to my eye today. I'm a sucker for Showa with much white on the face, so #1 and #4 got my attention first. Then I looked for body shape, impression of strength. That's when #3 stood out. Then I looked for motoguro. Again, #3 stood out. I really did not like that result. I wanted more shiroji. Then I tried dissecting parts of the body ... tail tube, shoulder width. Still #3. Looking at the quality of the sumi, can't really tell from pics, but #3 looked as good as any. Then tried to focus on the Hi, and again #3 looked as deep as any, and deeper than some. Then as I kept looking at #3, I started thinking the sumi pattern across the shoulder and around the face are truly powerful ... not as striking as having a Shiro base, but powerful. I then convinced myself that #3 is female ... just something about the body structure. At that point I lost objectivity. I had imagined #3 as a huge, powerful Showa with emblazoned samurai Sumi.

[Doug Ward]

Quote: Originally Posted by MikeM For once, I agree with Brady. (This is a rare occasion! It may be pure happenstance, but I'm hoping it means his many lessons are starting to sink in!) I hope he shares his reasons so I can see if they are similar to mine. Number 4 has best pattern to appeal to my eye today. I'm a sucker for Showa with much white on the face, so #1 and #4 got my attention first. Then I looked for body shape, impression of strength. That's when #3 stood out. Then I looked for motoguro. Again, #3 stood out. I really did not like that result. I wanted more shiroji. Then I tried dissecting parts of the body ... tail tube, shoulder width. Still #3. Looking at the quality of the sumi, can't really tell from pics, but #3 looked as good as any. Then tried to focus on the Hi, and again #3 looked as deep as any, and deeper than some. Then as I kept looking at #3, I started thinking the sumi pattern across the shoulder and around the face are truly powerful ... not as striking as having a Shiro base, but powerful. I then convinced myself that #3 is female ... just something about the body structure. At that point I lost objectivity. I had imagined #3 as a huge, powerful Showa with emblazoned samurai Sumi.

LOL... Mike... When you coming to finish what we started ?
How are YOUR fish doing ?

[Bob Winkler]

4 then 3 for me... I like the more white in the 4th over #3.


Banchard, Isa Showas can be skinny when younger, but I have a 7 year old Isa Showa that has perfect conformation at 84 cm.

[luke frisbee]

Number Five be Number ONE.

Why? Because I only got to see half of the pattern, maybe the other side will save it?
I figure that none of these koi are going to have more than a Wisp of white on them as four year olds. So I'm basing my pic on what I didn't see (the other side) and the shadow of a very strong menware on a red canvas.

[Doug Ward]

Quote: Originally Posted by luke frisbee Number Five be Number ONE. Why? Because I only got to see half of the pattern, maybe the other side will save it? I figure that none of these koi are going to have more than a Wisp of white on them as four year olds. So I'm basing my pic on what I didn't see (the other side) and the shadow of a very strong menware on a red canvas.

Luke... Go lay some block. Would ya ? ;-)

[luke frisbee]

Doug,
three word: go row mow.
GOOD LUCK.

[Brad Koikichi]

4 then 3 but 4 stands out as tatagoi in my untrained eye

[erwinsan]

I must say my choices would be Showa 1 and Showa 3. I like the elegance and balance of number 1, something I look for in a kindai showa and the imposing presence number 3 will have as mature traditional showa.

[Dan Blatt]

Interesting choices guys. I'm interested in why nobody even mentioned number 2. Perhaps a different photo or two might put it in better light and if not why does it seem to be the least desirable one?

[JasonS]

Too much red. With that much red, I'd rather have a Hi Utsuri.

I think I'd rather have a Hi Utsuri than a Showa right now anyhow.