With all their big shows and adventures in America, it feels like a long time since we got a Tokyo Joshi trip to Korakuen Hall. I know they do grander things now, but this company in that room occupies a special place in my heart. So, let’s see what went down.
Namba has a new outfit! If you think I’m unqualified to talk about wrestling, you should hear me try to cover fashion, so I’ll stick to saying she looks lovely. The pre-show bulletins saw Endo hype her homecoming show in September and the announcement of Kamiyu vs Singapore’s Alexis Lee for May. They’ve faced off a few times during Kamiyu’s jaunts around Asia, so it’s cool to see Lee get a chance to come the other way.
Finally, we got a host of extra Up Up Girls, including my favourite: the one who plays the recorder with her nose. Sadly, none of them were Hikari. I believe they were members of Up Up Girls (2) and were there to announce a joint show with TJPW. I didn’t pick up on what that entails, but can the recorder lass wrestle? And if that’s not possible, whose entrance music can she play with her nose?
Shino Suzuki defeated Toga
There was a touch of cockiness to the ghost of the smile on Toga’s face as she made her entrance. She and Shino debuted on the same day, but I don’t think it’s a leap to suggest she has always been a step ahead. Suzuki has struggled to make an impact, repeatedly falling (kayfabe) short when presented with opportunities, so as Toga wandered out for this match, looking at ease, you got the impression she felt like she already had this one won.
The way the action initially played out justified that confidence. Six of Shino’s forearms didn’t make a quarter of the dent that one of Toga’s did, and there was always a sense that she was biding her time, waiting for the moment to put the Up Up Girl away. Even when Suzuki managed to lock on a sleeper, Toga’s escape was almost dismissive, powering up to her feet before shrugging Shino off, sending her spinning through the air. She was giving it her all, but it felt like a matter of when, not if, Toga would take control and put her away.
However, never count scrappiness out. The longer this went on, the more Toga began to look uncomfortable. She hammered on Suzuki’s chest with those forearms, wiping her out, but the former tour guide kept getting up, fighting on regardless of the damage she’d taken. Then, the second time she locked on that sleeper, Toga found herself in trouble, unable to power out like before. While Shino never took control, she was finding openings and, inspired by the yells of the crowd, managed to bundle Toga up and steal out with her first win.
And I’ve been very vocal in saying that Suzuki should have to work for that win. She’s a perfect underdog, and I want my underdogs to bleed buckets before they get a touch of success. However, who am I to deny her that moment? Before the ref had even counted the three, she had burst into floods of tears, looking so happy that she almost went full circle back to being sad. I can’t complain about something that means that much to someone. She’s still not on Toga’s level, but on this day, through sheer scrappy determination, she managed to drag herself up to it, and I’m more than happy to celebrate that.
Verdict: A Feel-Good Opener
Moka Miyamoto, Kaya Toribami & Uta Takami defeated Mahiro Kiryu, Kira Summer & Chika Nanase
Have I talked about how much I love the noises Uta makes? I definitely have, but it won’t stop me from doing it again. She’s a brilliantly screechy wee thing. It’s not just when she’s getting hit, either. When she did her leapfrog into a sunset flip, the soundtrack was a squeak of exertion that had me giggling away. There were multiple points in this match where I rewound to listen to Uta again, and if that isn’t a sign of a job well done, what is?
Outside of Uta’s screeching, this was what you’d expect. I did note with amusement that Chika Nanase’s favourite move is listed as a shoulder tackle. She’s still young in her career, but we can do better than that, can’t we? At least put it down as a dropkick or something. Kira’s is a bodyslam, and while that’s hardly inspiring, it at least gets you past day one of training. We got plenty of examples of both, as this was very second on the card, rookie tag action. That’s not an insult. I enjoy watching them all get a chance to go out and get some minutes under their belt, but under the watchful eye of Moka and Mahiro, they stuck to the basics. Any fancy stuff came from Kaya, and even that was her usual shtick rather than anything of note.
I still had a nice enough time with it, but I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t mainly because I was laughing at Uta making funny noises. Outside of that, no one messed up, and they can all go home content with a job solidly done.
Verdict: Fine, But There Were Some Funny Noises
Yuna Manase defeated Runa Okubo
Before leaving to join GanPro, Yuna Manase was the mum of the TJPW roster, ruling the roost over a somewhat chaotic gang of youngsters. She’s been gone long enough that most of her kids have grown up, but it still feels right to have her come in and meet some of the new generation. It’s even more fitting that it’s Runa, who is seemingly leaning towards a style of wrestling that could easily take influence from her. Plus, it’s Yuna! I’m always happy to see her.
Whether she is inspired by the veteran or not, Runa came into this one with some fire in her belly. She seemed determined to show Manase what she could do, charging straight into her with Chika’s favourite move. While the rookie is developing a bit of a reputation as a young powerhouse, it’s safe to say Yuna is still years ahead of her. However, Okubo showed no qualms about picking that fight. If anything, she was too fixated on matching Yuna, hammering into her repeatedly, firing off those stiff forearms, and even succeeding (on the second attempt) at hoisting her off the ground. It was a defiant and brave performance, but it was ultimately playing into the veteran’s hands. She could let Runa tire herself out before picking her off with relative ease at the end.
Not that losing takes away from the effort. Runa picked a fight with someone bigger and badder than her, and while she lost, she made sure that Manase would remember her. In a match like this, she was always going to hit a wall, but she wanted to make sure she made a dent before she did so, which she achieved with perhaps the best singles performance of her career. Next time Mama Manase pops past TJPW, let’s pair these two up again because there is a lot of wisdom she can pass down to Okubo, and judging by this, she’s ready to learn.
Verdict: Runa Picks A Fight
Maki Itoh defeated Haru Kazashiro
Watching Itoh smirk as she beat up Haru, a lot of my issues with her current-day iteration came into focus. I should like this match. Having a cruel veteran put a youngster who idolises them through their paces is good stuff, and Haru followed Runa’s example by putting in a strong underdog performance. You could tell it meant a lot to her, and she was desperate to impress, even daring to headbutt Maki in a showing that matched her pal in fiery determination.
My problem is that I find competent Itoh dull at best and off-putting at worst. She has always been brash and confident, but at her peak, that was based on nothing. Watching her throw herself at impossible challenges with an iron-headed certainty was a joy, and it was part of what made her recent encounter with Minoru Suzuki such a delicious throwback. Now, as she lorded it over Haru, staring down at her with a bored expression, that same arrogance stripped all of her likeability away. I don’t want to see her beating up rookies I care about. I want to see her being beaten up.
All of which is definitely a me-problem. I’m looking for an Itoh that, in all honesty, doesn’t exist any more, certainly not if she’s wrestling Haru. She’s too far above that now, and the idea of her going out and being on the back foot against a teenage rookie would be somewhat ridiculous, but it’s what she does best. It’s what she’s always done best. Itoh is one of life’s underdogs, and while she was striving to be cruel and cold-hearted, it never struck home for me. It felt like someone I like trying to be a dick, which is worse than just being one.
I want to mention again that Kazashiro put in a strong performance and deserves credit for it, but this match didn’t land for me. Was that because I was overthinking it? Almost certainly. Does knowing that change anything? Nope.
Verdict: Good Performance From Haru, But I Struggled With Itoh
After everything I just said, I do have to give Itoh credit for the promo she cut afterwards. She pointed out that Haru is already someone’s hero, just as Itoh was to her, and if that’s the case, her mission should be to grow and crush her. I love that sentiment! I wish I loved the rest of it as much.
Rika Tatsumi & Yuki Aino defeated Raku & Pom Harajuku
Everyone is napping!
Rika and Aino thought they’d figured it out, taking the initiative in this match by heading to the land of nod first. The fools! No one can out-nap Raku and Pom. They not only napped through that nap but also through the attempt to take advantage of their being asleep, only waking up at the ideal moment to fight back. That’s talent!
We had a collection of TJPW midcard nonsense masters here. Raku and Pom go without saying, but Aino has been hanging out with them for long enough to have picked up some tips, and Rika coming down to this level to play is always a delight. She throws herself into the silliness with violent abandon, strangling and tormenting opponents in her unique way. They all know how to deliver at this spot in the card, never striving to take attention away from the more important stuff but offering a lovely wee palate cleanser before the action gets serious.
And it wasn’t classic nonsense. It would have needed even more napping, perhaps a giant panda and at least one moment where Raku ran away to do some mischief for that, but it was fun, easy to watch and comforting. These matches are one of the reasons I love TJPW. I can put them on and relax, safe in the knowledge that they’ll make me smile. They’re not challenging, and you don’t need to think about them a lot, but they involve Raku whacking Rika with a pillow, and that’s all I need.
Verdict: A Nice Time
Yuki Kamifuku & Yuki Arai defeated Mizuki & Nao Kakuta
As gutting as it is not to have Hikari be part of Nao’s retirement road, I have enjoyed this semi-regular pairing with Mizuki. Kakuta is rarely the put-upon partner, but the rabbit consistently gets the better of her. No matter what she does, she somehow comes out of every interaction holding the shitty end of the stick. Still, it’s good for her. Mizuki is ensuring she ends her wrestling career by getting as much hard work done in that ring as possible.
Plus, when they’re on the same page, Mizuki and Nao have the potential to be a scary team. Arai got the worst of it, eating some mean offence as they put her through the wringer. She and Kamiyu love to dish out those big boots, but Mizuki and Nao are vicious, giving everything in this match a sharper edge. While Arai would eventually put Kakuta away with Finally, she was on the back foot for most of it, falling back on those boots to try and create some distance between her and Nao. It had me hoping we were setting up one final title shot for Kakuta, giving her a chance to go out on a big singles match against the champ.
Sadly, that wasn’t to be, and this felt like it had more to give. It was good, but with only ten minutes, we skimmed the surface of what these four could do together, as Mizuki and Kamiyu almost took a backseat for the last few. Three of the nastier members of the roster being placed with the rather more innocent idol sounds like a lot of fun, and while we got a taste, I came out the other side wanting more.
Verdict: Good, But Needed More Time
Daisy Monkey (Suzume & Arisu Endo) defeated Wakana Uehara & HIMAWARI to retain the Princess Tag Titles
The question hanging over this match was how Daisy Monkey would react to being champions and favourites. They’ve spent most of their career in the position occupied by HIMAWakana – the exciting and plucky underdogs challenging an established team. Now, they’re no longer the new kids in town.
Smartly, they did it by not ditching everything that brought them to the dance. They didn’t go out and bully Wakana and HIMAWARI or even try to dominate the action. Instead, the switch in dynamic came on a more individual level. When up against Mizunami and Aino, Daisy Monkey were reliant on their work as a team, using their speed to dance around their opponents and open up opportunities. That teamwork will never stop being vital, but in the ring with two rookies, they could trust themselves in the one-on-ones. When Arisu ate the combination suplex that HIMAWakana debuted in the build to this match, it didn’t matter that Suzume couldn’t come to the rescue because Endo was strong enough to kick out. Being left alone with Aniki would have spelt certain death, but that wasn’t the case here.
The rookies also deserve a tonne of credit. For all I just said about Arisu surviving that move, I did bite on it, thinking we were about to see a huge upset. However, that wasn’t all. Right from the start, HIMAWARI and Wakana were busy. They nipped away at Daisy Monkey, nibbling at the edges in an attempt to catch them off guard. When HIMAWARI got in the ring with Suzume for the first time, she went straight to bundling her up, looking to steal away before things got serious. It felt like they’d studied the champions, learning from their approach and using it against them. At vital moments, they flooded the ring, using their growing chemistry as a team to fashion chances. They never quite made it work, but if they are going to stick around as a pairing (and if that’s the case, they need to come up with a ridiculous team name), you can picture a situation where it pays off somewhere down the line.
In the end, Daisy Monkey simply had too much, a combination of their teamwork and Arisu’s burgeoning status as a mini powerhouse paying off. At this point, HIMAWARI and Wakana are lacking the weapons required to put a match like this to bed. When Arisu kicked out of that suplex, there was no backup plan, whereas Daisy Monkey had barely started working through everything they had to offer. Maybe one day, the rookies can return and get their hands on those belts, but for now, they’re staying with the champs.
Verdict: A Great Start To The Daisy Monkey Era
Miu Watanabe defeated Shoko Nakajima to retain the Princess of Princess Title
For all her many talents, wrestling Miyu Yamashita isn’t complicated. She’s going to hit you – hard. If you want to win, you simply have to survive that abuse before returning the favour twice over. I’m not saying it’s easy, but it’s straightforward. When Miu Watanabe won the title, there was no problem to solve or game plan to deploy. She gritted her teeth, battered her way through Miyu’s offence and grabbed the opportunities when they presented themselves. Shoko Nakajima is a whole other proposition. Where Yamashita is power, Shoko is speed and precision, able to slip under your guard and beat you before you even notice. It’s why Nakajima was, for years, the only person able to wrest that title from around Miyu’s waist, and it’s why she was such a significant challenge for Miu to overcome in her first defence.
And right from the start, Shoko was asking questions that Miu struggled to answer. So often, Watanabe can brute force her way through situations. Even in more technical pursuits, like grappling, her power lets her escape and use holds others couldn’t. That wasn’t working against Shoko. She couldn’t even hold on to something as simple as a waistlock as Nakajima leaned back against her leg, causing it to crumple from underneath her. Shoko was the one leading this dance, preventing Miu’s muscle from ever coming into the equation, as she always seemed a step or two ahead. On top of that, she was slowly loosening Watanabe up, working over her neck and hoping to crack a gap big enough that she could wiggle through.
It forced Miu to become even more aggressive than usual, pushing herself to leap onto the apron between a pair of Shoko dives to power her way into a counter before Nakajima could react. Even then, though, she couldn’t sustain her offence. She’d hit hard for a move or two, but Shoko always found a way to scamper free, opening up the distance again and continuing to chip away. The attacks worked, but to keep Nakajima down, she needed to go harder and quicker, forcing through the victory before Shoko could have a chance to react.
That’s exactly what happened. Miu never really took control of this match, but she got an opening and smashed her way through it. A counter of a double-arm DDT and a huge spade-like blow to the chest was her chance, stunning Nakajima for long enough that Miu could hoist her up and drop her with the Teardrop before she could respond. It was definitive in the sense that it was a 1-2-3 in the centre of the ring, but on the other hand, it felt closer to a flash pin. She hadn’t solved the puzzle. She’d thrown it off the table, stamped on the bits and broken them before anyone could complain.
Not to start mixing my metaphors, but there is an old footballing cliche that the best teams figure out how to win even when they’re not playing well, and this match felt a bit like that. For so much of it, Miu was outwrestled, but she found a way through, deployed her biggest weapon and got out of there in one piece. On a different day, Shoko would have left with that belt, but this wasn’t a different day. As it stands, Miu is still the champ, and that’s two of the old guard down. Can she complete the set?
Verdict: Best TJPW Main Event Of The Year
Overall Show
An outstanding closing double bill, a heart-warming opener and some fun in-between. There wasn’t much of note in the midcard, as most of it was fairly disposable, but the big-picture stuff was so good that it doesn’t matter. The champs who won the titles at Grand Princess solidified their status, proving why they’ve been trusted with that opportunity. The future is here, and it’s getting very exciting.
Watch Tokyo Joshi Pro: https://www.wrestle-universe.com/en/videos?labels=-tjpw.
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