Tokyo Joshi now hosts several more extravagant yearly shows than their annual Ittenyon trip to Korakuen Hall, but there is still something special about this one. The combination of the date, that venue, and it being TJPW’s traditional ‘big show’ gives it a magical feel, even if they are now in that old hall nearly every month. Without fail, this is one of my shows of the year, so let’s see if TJPW can keep that run going.
Sadly, Hikari missed this one due to illness, which threw a spanner in the tag title plans. Fingers crossed that she’s doing alright and will be back sooner rather than later. It did mean Uta got to step in for our opening number, as the Up Up Girls wore their idol costumes at a wrestling show for the first time. They’re all poofier than their typical gear (well, apart from Raku), which was a fun contrast to their new song ‘バロバロ ~ It’s a Battle ~’. It’s a rockier number than their standard fare, and while not the instantaneous banger ‘Babyface’ was, I think it has the potential to grow on me. I’ve long believed that Miu’s destiny is to be a ripped hardcore singer, so I’m glad to see them heading in that direction.
Yuki Kamifuku, Mahiro Kiryu & Toga defeated Moka Miyamoto, Juria Nagano & Kaya Toribami
Moka Miyamoto was our first person to debut new gear, and I think it might be my favourite look for her yet. It puts together all the bits I liked from her previous efforts, as it retains a bit of the flappy skirt while also looking like something that will be a bit easier to move about in. Can you tell that fashion is not something I feel confident talking about? I think it looks cool. There, that’s simpler.
As for the match, it was solid, if somewhat unspectacular. No one was taking it easy, what with this being a big show, but minutes were sparse, and they stuck to what you’d expect from an opener. We got a Mahiro apology (for kneeling on people like they’re cushions), Juria doing some karate and a few fancy tricks from Kaya. However, things didn’t pick up until Kamiyu and Moka got together, which signalled a noticeable step up in quality. They haven’t had many singles matches (two, both of which went around seven minutes), and it’s a combo I wouldn’t mind seeing explored. The traditional girl vs the casual beauty could be a winner.
Anyway, beyond my fantasy booking of what would probably be a second-round match in the Princess Cup, this was what you’d expect. You’ll have a nice enough time, but it’s nothing you need to go out of your way to see.
Verdict: A Solid Opener
Team Raku (Raku, Ram Kaicho & Pom Harajuku) defeated HIMAWARI, Runa Okubo & Haru Kazashiro
Is there a more perfect trio than Raku, Ram and Pom? I’ll answer that for you. No. Although Ram having a splash of tartan on her gear better not be hinting at an affair with Pom, I can’t take that kind of drama. Slightly less horrifying, but a little bit sad, is that this was our last time seeing Runa for a while, as she’s off to focus on school stuff, what with being an actual teenager and all.
The match itself was the exact slice of silliness you’d hope it would be. From Team Raku’s opening sleep gambit (which HIMAWARI did a particularly strong job of selling) through Pom and Ram getting in a tither over who got to do double team moves with Raku to poor Ref Matsui getting a bollocking for his poor officiating, it was a lovely wee time. I was also quietly impressed with the next-generation trio, who already have a few well-worked combinations, including HIMAWARI spinning Raku around before launching her into a Runa backdrop, which left her in place for Haru’s low crossbody. This rookie generation seems to have a lovely bond outside the ring, and it’s nice to see it paying off with some fun ideas inside it.
Raku would end up getting the win, earning her a kiss on the cheek from her husband, which, after their troubles last year, is good to see. Let’s hope Ram can keep it in her pants in the months ahead.
Verdict: A Nice Time Was Had By All
Mizuki defeated Nao Kakuta
The side-effect of Hikari Noa’s illness was that Nao Kakuta lost her belt and was left with nothing to do on one of the most important shows of the year, which is a bit of a sickener. Still, if you’re going to have a match thrown together at the last moment, a single with Mizuki is a strong choice.
It was also a pairing that promised violence, as both have a mean streak a mile wide. Nao and Mizuki didn’t hold back for a second, exchanging thudding forearms in the opening seconds and then ramping it up from there. People might scoff at the comparison, but it almost had the pacing of one of those great Ishii NJPW NEVER title matches from a few years back, as they went a touch under nine minutes and never stopped for a second, both sprinting forward as they battled to see who could both give and take the most damage. There were no qualms about laying it in here, each blow thudding home with a satisfying noise.
They also found a finish that felt right – a pair of Mizuki stomps (one to the back of a standing Nao’s head followed by a second as she lay face down on the canvas) that Kakuta kicked out of only to eat that fantastic stalling Cuty Special. In a match where everything felt like it hurt, that combo was definitive enough to satisfyingly put Nao away, as she just didn’t have the arsenal to keep up with Mizuki when they got that deep. However, with Hikari potentially out for a while (although we don’t know her status), this match proved that she can be relied on in a singles spot. Kakuta’s had a title shot before, but I still want to see more, so let’s hope TJPW gives it to her.
In the here and now, coming after the light fun of Ram, Raku and Pom, this match felt like a shifting of the mood of the card. Things were ramping up, and these two were the perfect choice to start that.
Verdict: Lasses Rock
Shoko Nakajima defeated Hyper Misao in a New Year, Make Your Dream Come True Like a Dragon, Daruma match
The annual Misao vs Shoko nonsense match is as important to me as Christmas, so I was excited for this one. As usual, we didn’t know the stipulation beforehand, but it turned out to be a classic New Year, Make Your Dream Come True Like a Dragon, Daruma match. We all know how those go, right? The winner was the first wrestler to climb a ladder and ink one of the eyes of said daruma, so the rules weren’t that complicated. It was also the debut of the Hyper Mobile 2, which Misao, in a genius move, had a crowdfunding campaign to construct. She promised Shoko would be its first victim, while Nakajima vowed to break it.
Thankfully, the bike didn’t break, but Misao did ride it down a flight of stairs – a flight of stairs with, it has to be said, fans sitting on either side of it who were very much in danger of having Misao and a bike land in their laps. I applaud her bravery, but fucking hell. Of course, at the bottom was not only Shoko but Mahiro Kiryu, who was wiped out for the second time (she was the actual first person to meet the Hyper Mobile 2), proving that they should just let her stay backstage. Her being ringside never ends well.
That was just one of the many moments of madness in yet another beautiful, nonsensical match between Shoko and Misao. These two have imaginations bigger than the moon, and as they go crashing through chair/kaiju towers and reveal that Misao’s new bike has what appear to be steam guns on the front, I can’t help but love it all. I’m not sure wrestling for the year starts until these two are let loose, and I’m already excited for next year’s edition. If they ever don’t give us this, I will cry.
If there’s a criticism, it’s that the ending was a bit anti-climatic, Shoko’s relatively easy climb of the ladder not quite living up to everything that came before, but who cares! It’s just too much fun for me to want to nitpick at tiny details. If you require a proper review of this, head elsewhere because, as far as I’m concerned, whether teaming or fighting, Misao and Shoko is one of the best pairings in wrestling, and this was another nonsense classic to add to a long line of them.
Verdict: I Love Them
Riho defeated Shino Suzuki
Shino has a hat! It’s green, and I love it.
Of all the matches booked on Ittenyon, this is the one I found the most intriguing. You could argue that Shino has been lagging behind her rookie class in the last few months. It’s nothing major, and I think her innate likeability can make up for any slight weaknesses in the ring, but she does feel like she’s a couple of steps off the pace of Wakana, Toga and HIMAWARI (I don’t force children to race, so Haru and Runa occupy their own space). And yet, she was chosen for this spot, a big match against Riho, who doesn’t wrestle that often in Japan (or anywhere, for that matter). It’s perhaps a sign that those behind the scenes have more faith in her than I might have thought.
And I think she repaid that faith by being a fantastic Riho opponent. Sure, there are people on the roster who could go out and have a better match with her, but this one allowed Riho to do the thing she’s secretly always done brilliantly. Be a bit of a dick. Yes, she’s a beloved babyface in AEW, but like all Emi Sakura pupils, she has an edge. An edge that she then drove into Suzuki multiple times. I already mentioned that Shino is a likeable figure, and they used that here, having Riho hammer away on her before bending her up with a ridiculous single-leg crab for the win. It was about establishing her as a plucky wee rookie, way out of her depth but still desperate to try.
It’s also the role that I think she’s destined to play for the rest of her career. If I had my way, it would be years until she won a singles match, as she should be beaten from pillar to post by another fifty Riho types before she can find it in her to get over the line. When you have an underdog this likeable, they don’t need to win, and sending them out to get beaten up becomes an attraction in itself. I suspect TJPW know that, and if this is the formula for Shino going forward, I’ll be delighted.
Verdict: I Will Cheer Shino To Defeat Forever
Aja Kong defeated Wakana Uehara
Is there anything more Wakana than trying to get the jump on Aja Kong and doing a cartwheel as part of the move? She’s hopefully got a long career ahead of her, but I’m pretty sure we’ve just experienced peak Wakana.
That silliness aside, this match is the most I’ve ever gotten the love for Wakana Uehara. She’s been a bit of an enigma to me so far, as while she’s talented, she’s not someone I can connect with emotionally. Yet, watching her throw herself at Aja Kong, it suddenly clicked. She’s desperate to be a star, but this is the first time I’ve felt that desperation. It didn’t matter that Kong was twice her size and perfectly capable of squashing her like a bug. Wakana was going to unleash every idea she had, even if some of those ideas, like the Sunset Flip, were obviously awful. Yet, she kept going, chipping away, and while the first attempt failed (although she avoided being squashed), she somehow pulled the second one off. It was like she was finding a way through those years of Kong experience through sheer determination alone, and it was hard not to get caught up in that. A simple, overdone spot like Kong having her arm raised three times in a sleeper worked because I was rooting for Wakana to pull off the impossible.
Of course, we have seen this before. Aja Kong plugs most younger wrestlers into her formula, giving up a ‘surprising’ amount of offence before finally taking over and putting them away with aplomb. However, she’s still Aja fucking Kong and can make a formula sing no matter how many times you’ve seen it. Arguably, this is the most offence she’s given up yet, at least in TJPW, as, silly cartwheel or not, that early Wakana attack worked. She was able to get, if not on top, at least a step ahead of Aja, leaping into sleepers and firing away with dropkicks as she tried to keep the legend down. I put quotation marks around surprising above, but honestly, it caught me off-guard. I was shocked to see Aja bump around as much as she did for this precocious young wrestler with huge dreams.
That’s the beauty of great wrestling. It can take something you’ve seen a million times before and make it exciting again. I’m not quite ready to call Wakana a great wrestler yet – she’ll need a few more of these before we get to that stage – but Aja Kong is that and more, and this is yet another example of why she is a legend.
Verdict: Aja Made Wakana Shine
Rina Yamashita defeated Maki Itoh
I hate how little I care about Maki Itoh right now. There was a period when she was the most interesting wrestler in the world, but since she began to spread her wings and fly to America, I’ve found myself caring less and less. I don’t begrudge her success (she deserves it), and I can even forgive how often she misses the build to big shows (although it was a bit frustrating for what should have been a career-defining match with Mizuki). What bothers me is that she’s going to America, picking up a load of bad habits and bringing them back to TJPW. Her last few appearances have all felt like the kind of thing you’d see on a GCW midcard because that’s where she spends most of her time.
And I hoped that Rina Yamashita would be the one to change that. Sure, she’s also spent time in America, but it’s Rina! She’s one of the most consistently brilliant wrestlers in the world. Surely she’d drag Itoh back to earth and remind her what she’s good at? Sadly, no. Instead, they gave us what Itoh has been doing, but more, ramping everything up to eleven and bribing Matsui as they did it. There was some good stuff here – these two are too talented for that not to be the case – but it was shrouded in so much smoke and mirrors that it was hard to see at times. Everything was built around getting that next big pop, and the Japanese fans choosing to start some very American chants (something they typically only do for American performers) tells you everything you need to know about what they delivered.
It also tells you that whatever I think, the people in Korakuen had a blast. Christ, I’m sure if I’d been there, I would have, too. Itoh might be moving further away from what I want, but she’s a crowdpleaser, and the reactions in Japan have, if anything, gotten bigger. I think I have to accept that whether I like it or not, this stuff isn’t for me. While I love nonsense (see above), Itoh has picked a nonsense path that I’m not going to follow, and at least for the moment, she’s doing something that doesn’t align with what I want from her. Not everything can be (or should be) for everyone, and I’m sure many will like this more than I did. While it made me sad as one of my favourite wrestlers moves further and further from what I think she’s best at, that’s my problem, and if it’s what she wants, I’m still happy to support her from afar.
Verdict: I Didn’t Like It
Yuki Arai defeated Max the Impaler to win the International Princess Title
A beautiful, young and talented idol wrestler taking on a terrifying monster is a story that tells itself. Max and Arai didn’t have to work to establish the narrative of this match – they just had to stand in the same ring. The only problem? It was a story we already saw in that excellent Wakana vs Aja match. Max and Arai were in danger of playing in the same pool, so they needed to find something to make this different.
Thankfully, it was a task they proved more than up to. Where Wakana tried to overwhelm Kong, throwing herself heroically at the task, this was all about whether Arai could survive. Max was dominant early on, launching her across the ring and even dragging her to the outside so that her SKE48 pal (who was on commentary) got a good view of her being slammed on the hard Korakuen floor. Arai spent this match picking at scraps, doing everything she could to stay in it, but also chasing after the dominant monster that seemed ready to have her for dinner.
At least, that was the case right up until she wasn’t. Arai has done a fantastic job of establishing Finally over the last couple of years and getting it over as a potential kill shot. It may not have knocked Aja Kong out, but it’s put a lot of other people down, and even Aja was struggling after that boot came down on her head. She builds her matches around trying to find an opening to hit that move, and when she does, it feels like a game-changer. That’s what it was here, a single crack leaving Max vulnerable to being clunked on the head, and the question of who can take that belt from around their waist was answered. Arai stepped into the ring with the monster and came out victorious.
Honestly, this is one I should have seen coming. It’s a wee peak behind the curtain, but I wrote that first paragraph before the match, setting up the question I wanted to answer in my review, and as I talked about that natural story, you’d think I would have realised it was the perfect one with which to crown Arai as a singles champion for the first time. Thankfully, I didn’t, so not only did I get a good match, but I got the surprise result at the end. Since day one, TJPW has put a lot of trust in Yuki Arai, and she’s answered every question they’ve thrown at her. This is a new one, though, and I’m intrigued to see if she can figure it out. At least it’s off to a good start.
Verdict: It Still Wasn’t As Good As Wakana vs Kong
Ryo Mizunami & Yuki Aino defeated Daydream (Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe) and Daisy Monkey (Arisu Endo & Suzume) in a three-way-tag-match to win the Princess Tag Titles
A last-minute thrown-together match filled with teams that don’t have much, if any, history together, this had the potential to struggle. However, I think they approached it in the exact right way. After a long card full of interesting and cool bouts, they decided to slam their foot on the accelerator and go-go-go, throwing as many exciting pairings together as possible and seeing what stuck.
And, perhaps unsurprisingly, the one I came out most wanting to see was Aniki vs Rika. The veteran powerhouse vs TJPW’s monster was an easy win on paper, and it proved to be the same in-ring. When they first met, Mizunami seemed to have all the advantages, but you can never count Rika out, and she eventually wrapped her hands around Aniki’s throat, finding a way to even the odds. It was a response that almost seemed to catch the veteran off-guard and kicked off a stretch that made me want to see them get fifteen minutes on a big show at some point this year.
What I found even more interesting, though, was that while most of these pairings ended up being one-on-one, the exception to the rule was often Daisy Monkey. The other teams are stars coming together, but those two make each other better, and they nearly always swarmed the ring as a pair, trying to overwhelm an opponent to get the win. It almost worked for them, too, as they built up a head of steam against Aino, and only a last-ditch effort from Aniki stopped them getting the belts. On another day, they would have been theirs, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I was fully convinced it was the way they were going.
Sadly for them, it wasn’t to be, but I have no problem with the actual result. Since their first match, I’ve been calling for an Aniki and Aino tag run, and we’re getting it. Aino has come a long way since her days teaming with her sister, and I still think she has potential as a singles wrestler, but this is her bread and butter, and a veteran (and brilliant) figure like Aniki alongside her can only create good stuff. Not long ago, they weren’t even in this match, but now they’ve got the belts, and I’m excited to see what they do with them.
As for this as a whole, it felt like one of the more throwaway parts of the card, as it lacked a bit of narrative bite, but it was a lot of fun, and there were still a few chunks to get your teeth into.
Verdict: Daisy Monkey’s Day Will Come
Miyu Yamashita defeated Masha Slamovich to retain the Princess of Princess title
When they announced this match, I was disappointed. In my head, the Ittenyon main event is special, so to give it to someone with no history with the company (at least in Japan) felt a bit, as silly as it sounds, sacrilegious. You should earn that spot, and as talented as Masha is (she is a Marvelous lass, after all), she had skipped the line. Thankfully, it turns out I was wrong.
What I hadn’t considered was that Masha could bring a level of physicality and aggression that few people in TJPW can match. For years, Miyu’s dominance has been built on the idea that in a big title situation, alongside all her other talents, she can boot the shit out of folk. Sure, I’m simplifying it, but that is what she falls back on time after time. The only moment in recent memory where it’s arguably failed for her is last year’s Ittenyon main event, in which Yuka Sakazaki matched her blow-for-blow. More often than not (and there are a few other notable exceptions), Miyu’s weakness is being caught by a wrestler more skilful than her, not someone who can out-hit her. However, when Masha Powerbombed her on the apron in the opening minutes of this match, it felt like that was about to change.
And it does appear we’re establishing an Ittenyon tradition of the main event being one where two people lay it on thick. Everything here felt impactful and vicious, as there was a feeling that Masha was about to bulldoze her way to victory. When she connected with a running knee towards the end, I genuinely thought that was it, and by the time she was teeing off on Miyu with head kicks of her own, seemingly taunting TJPW’s Ace, I had done a 180 and convinced myself that she had to be the winner. She felt too strong and too violent for even Yamashita to combat. I know I spend thousands of words picking apart wrestling matches, so it might be daft for me to say this, but these two gave me what I wanted. They turned off the part of my brain that tries to analyse this stuff and had me simply riding the waves of the match, desperate for Miyu to come back against this vicious outsider threat.
All of which made what I said at the start feel a bit ridiculous. Of course, Masha should be in this match. She walked into a company for the first time, beat the shit out of the Ace and convinced me that despite everything, she was about to walk out with that title. Sure, it didn’t happen, as no matter how tough you are, you have to be two times tougher to beat Miyu Yamashita for that belt, but the fact she even managed to raise the spectre of it is incredibly impressive. I still think you have to earn that Ittenyon spot, but it turns out Masha had done so in her way, and if she fancies back for a few more matches, she’s more than welcome.
Verdict: Outstanding
Overall Show
TJPW, Korakuen Hall and Ittenyon, it just works. This was a long old show, especially when you keep pausing to write a few hundred words about each match, but it was worth it. We make the joke every year, but if you’re watching any other show on January 4th, you’re making a mistake because it wasn’t better than this (no, I haven’t watched any of it yet, but I’m sticking with that conclusion). That’s how you start the year hot!
Watch Tokyo Joshi Pro: https://www.wrestle-universe.com/en/videos?labels=-tjpw.
Ramblings About Wrestling 