Shohin or whatever the smaller one is could be an option with the small leaves. I think the second trunk is a bit high at this size though.
Although the trunk shows promise I don't think it is believable at the moment either. Growing it out in this case would be as much about the movement as it would the size. I am not sure how fast these grow but I am thinking slow.
This is a good example of what I was talking about the other day. Look at where the tree is getting it's energy and use this to shape the trunk and get growth to your advantage.
beech.jpg
If you look at the close up of the first branch you can see that it is exibiting strong growth. You can see how much sugar is traveling through to this branch by the fluting in the trunk. With a close inpection you could work out wich roots are feeding that area too. I see this as the future of the tree.
Now you could lop everything above this off at the moment but I think that being a slow grower a slow aprroach will gain better results over the long period. As I understand it it is too late to do any root work so I think we should use the established root system to get as much growth a spossible for this season. The more leaves you have the more food the tree can make I think only what is needed to be taken off should be taken off at the moment.
The part of the trunk that I don't think fits this tree is the bulge in blue. What I see in the tree this will be going anyway and the branches around this area seem to have lost some vigor. "the tree likes that first branch better as a producer of food" not that they are unhealthy!
So there is little possibility the branches around this area will take of and upset the flow of the trunk we want to encourage meaning we can hold onto them this year just to help increase overall size of the base. I would trim back all the branches and existing trunk lower than the branch that will become the new leader about the hieght of the red cut line on the main trunk. This new leader should be easy to enchorage to grow faster than the other branches and trunk with occasional pruning because you can see the tree wantsto use it.
Then next year sculpt the trunk with the new leader and taking into account which are the stronger roots (by looking at the sugar flow and vigor of the roots as above) start working on balancing the nebari. I see doing the root work and top work at the same time benifical in broadleaf/deciduous in general, hence making use of the extra branches for overall growth while we wait for this step.
Now the scuplted little tree can be potted up left to grow for another couple of years shaping the trunk maybe a couple of times before it needs repotting again.
I think this is the best plan no matter what size you are after. But you or others may see something else in the tree.
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It's too bad your in such a hurry cause the stories I could tell you, Bushels and baskets of stories, hole crates full of stories. But if you can spare a moment I will tell you one story.
