Gnar precumbens

[Japonicus]

Very nice shapely trunk.
Fits part of the threads title for sure.
Before you remove or jin away any branches, I would bring to better vigour and thin the suggested branches to be removed, down to the bones. Perhaps the branch gone will help but its so thick with foliage that, that alone may be what appears to need to be removed and not the entire branch. Wont know till you try.
My 2 sorce cascade pots are the most difficult pots I own, to handle. I cannot grip with one hand at all.

I was awestruck how dry the foliage looked in some of the early photos and how you were able to pull off such a drastic reduction. I use MiracleGro full strength weekly rotating other ferts in in place of. I get best results using Alaska fish fert 5-1-1 but the yellow jackets are so bad this year and they love the stuff, that I haven't used it since Spring.
Sorry you lost the top apex but you've done pretty good with what it left you. Could always use a 2 inch starter sized potted procumbens and approach graft a new apex if you really wanted one up there.
Best of luck with this one.

 

[bonsaiwood]

Something about this tree tells me it hasn’t decided whether it wants to be a true cascade or semi cascade. Assuming you have wired out the entire tree, I’d say play around with different trunk angles and perhaps try Peter Chan’s paper bag trick to eliminate certain areas of foliage from view without cutting them off. You may find new possibilities that suit the image you are trying to create with this tree.
Great progression so far.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Wow, sorry gang-for sleeping on these thoughtful responses. I really don’t know how I missed them!

@bonsaiwood @Japonicus @bwaynef , @Shogun610 ;
@Orion_metalhead

Thank you for your insight. I will definitely be using your thoughts when considering going forward. -shaping the apex and possible branch elimination.
Some cuts may need to be made.

Pretty excited about the new cascade pot in the works by @Colorado. It’ll give me a chance to tweak the potting angle

Definitely trying to make a semi cascade from this.
The apex is starting to emerge.
Maybe a better angle.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

I like the naturalesque perspective in this angle.