Tokyo Joshi returned to Korakuen Hall with a show that, on paper, is one of their weaker big efforts this year. There were some intriguing combos scattered through the undercard, but with the title matches involving foreign talent I either know nothing about or have little investment in, it’s hard to get too excited about it. Still, you never know when the next Max the Impaler might turn up, and there is every chance someone will blow me away.
Daisy Monkey (Arisu Endo & Suzume) defeated Runa Okubo & Haru Kazashiro
When I mentioned intriguing combos, our opener came to mind. There was no doubt about who would win this match, as the tag champs came down to play with the kids, but there didn’t need to be. Haru and Runa are a likeable pairing who have come a long way in their short careers, so seeing them test themselves against the consistently excellent Daisy Monkey was enough of a hook. When you throw in that Suzume and Arisu have worked with them a lot, it felt like they were in a position to impress.
It was one they took advantage of. What’s exciting about Haru and Runa is that you’re starting to see them think about the bigger picture. When they began, it was all about doing the standard spots right, repeating the drills they’d presumably worked till they were exhausted. Now, they’re comfortable enough to improvise. You saw that in Runa clinging to a waistlock as Suzume tried to throw her off or Haru faking out on one flash pin, only to slip into another. Confidence is making their wrestling more playful and loose.
Those attributes are things Daisy Monkey have in abundance. I love their approach to double-team moves. They both take off and, like a wrestling Rube Goldberg machine, you’re never quite sure where they’ll finish. It’s a thrill to watch. We’re also seeing them grow comfortable in their position as champions. They never felt the need to give Haru and Runa those big, near misses towards the end because they’re not at that level. The teens’ prize wasn’t in nearly winning. It was in hanging for long enough that Arisu and Suzume were compelled to go a step further to get the win than they would have six months ago. That was all this opener needed, and it made for an enjoyable watch.
Verdict: A Fun Opener
Chika Nanase defeated Uta Takami
TJPW have found a bit of a golden formula with these first-win matches. It not only means one of the rookies will tick off that huge milestone, but it gives them the chance to go out and fight for something. No one wants to be the wrestler left behind by their peers, so while things may seem friendly, these have a habit of stoking the flames.
Sadly, all of that also highlighted Nanase’s weaknesses. She’s a solid wrestler, rarely making mistakes and always looking like she knows what she’s doing. Unfortunately, she’s struggling to tap into the emotional side of it. In a match with stakes, that stands out. She was too calm, almost feeling like she was playing the veteran to Uta’s scrappy underdog. Everything I’ve seen of her outside the ring suggests that her personality is there. It’s just not shining yet. Although she did fire up a bit towards the end, letting out a yell as she locked on her new submission before punching the air when she won. There’s a chance it’s starting to unfurl itself.
It also didn’t help that she was in there with Uta, who approaches wrestling with the same energy as an excited puppy. She’s all screeching and flailing limbs, throwing herself into the fray. I could have used less of the two of them exchanging forearms, especially in a five-minute match, but Uta adds to it. She is incredibly dynamic, never standing still as she stumbles and bounces around the ring. It made for a nice clash of styles, and while Chika’s win didn’t quite have the emotional release that Shino’s recent success did, I thought they both got something from it. The formula is still golden, and there were hints of the next evolution of Chika as a wrestler.
Nao Kakuta & SAKI defeated Pom Harajuku & Raku
Not that there was any doubt, but SAKI is a natural fit for TJPW. She has wandered through the fires of AWG and Gatoh Move, which, outside of a Tokyo Joshi education, is about as perfect a combination to prepare you for Pom and Raku as possible. SAKI couldn’t resist joining their nonsense, as she settled in for a nap at the start before Pom later kicked off a comeback by playing off those ChocoPro instincts with a surprise game of janken. Her previous TJPW appearances have all been in Inspiration or America, but she instantly felt at home.
And I think that surprise game of janken speaks to Pom’s brilliance as a comic wrestler. So much comedic wrestling revolves around repetition, and there is no doubt that Pom leans into that, but she also excels at throwing something unexpected into the action. Unless I missed a bit, Pom didn’t play any seeds to set up her plan. It was just a desperate throw of the dice from one of life’s chaotic geniuses. There is comfort in jokes you know, but there is hilarity in those that catch you unaware.
That chaos was one of the many things that made this a fun match. It was one of the more laid back moments on Nao’s retirement tour, as she got to hang out with her pal and mess around with two of the great nonsense merchants in a lovely old time. She and SAKI did bring a bit of violence when needed, delivering those forceful boots, but it was mainly about having a laugh, and I will always be up for that, especially when it’s this lot. They’re a delight.
Verdict: A Nice Time
Aja Kong, Yuki Kamifuku & Kira Summer defeated Maki Itoh, Mahiro Kiryu & Kaya Toribami
I know it’s been going on for a while now, but I don’t think I will ever tire of Aja Kong having a lovely time in Tokyo Joshi. Kamiyu and Kira had both donned her face paint for this match, and she looked delighted by it. She kept pulling them in for photo opportunities, seemingly overjoyed by having these two young wrestlers embrace her legacy.
And it pays off in how hard she works for them. Sure, she can’t do the stuff she was doing twenty years ago, but she knows when to make it count. Judging by this, she and Itoh have their eyes on a match. It’s one I would be happy to watch, as Aja is powerful enough to force Itoh into the roles she excels at. Not that Kong went out and ran roughshod over her here. They played into Itoh’s granite head, and while she ate a bit of shit at the end (as is only right), Aja also came off her feet for one of those headbutts, doing more to sell that comedy spot than she has countless other moves. With Maki staring her down afterwards with a raised middle finger, I expect we’ll see them together sooner rather than later.
Outside of that showdown, the rest of it was a lot of fun. Mahiro and Kaya had also dressed up, Kiryu donning an Itoh bow and Toribami wearing her hair in twin tails (which looked great with her mask). Unfortunately, their attempt at mimicking Itoh’s offence didn’t work as well as Kamiyu’s Uraken eye poke. Kokeshis are painful if you have a normal head. Kira also gave an impressive account of herself, seemingly emboldened by that makeup to lean into her powerhouse potential.
Honestly, from a mechanical point of view, this match didn’t do much different from the rest of the undercard. It was well-worked, but while the Itoh vs Kong stuff brought something a bit different, none of it was spectacular. However, it felt like it belonged on a big show. From Aja’s appearance to everyone dressing up as their team captains, there was a sprinkle of special dust over the top that the rest of this card (so far) was perhaps lacking. It’s not a huge difference, but it was enough to make this feel a little bit magic.
Verdict: A Touch of Stardust
If Itoh vs Kong is planned, it will have to wait. Shoko is getting a crack at her first, as Nakajima vs Aja Kong was announced for Summer Sun Princess. That could be incredible.
Hikaru Shida defeated Moka Miyamoto
I was going to say Shida hasn’t been in TJPW for ages, but it seems that’s not unique to Tokyo Joshi. She’s only wrestled five times this year, the last coming back in April. I don’t know if she had an injury or if it’s a result of Tony Khanism, but it feels like she should be doing more than that. While I’m typically a bit of a Shida agnostic (by which I mean I think she’s good rather than brilliant), her star power is obvious.
A feeling they were presumably hoping would rub off on Moka, as they played off their previous work as a team by pairing them up here. Unfortunately, I’m not sure that worked. That’s not to say Miyamoto wasn’t good. She was, but she was good in the way she is always good. Moka is an incredibly flexible worker, able to be slotted into any role in the card with any wrestler. It’s why when people like Shida come in, she’s often the one paired up with them. Unfortunately, that flexibility has kept her rooted to the spot she’s in. When you can be thrown into title shots, openers or relied upon to team with big names, you will tend to hover around the midcard, ready to be called upon when needed. Moka needs something to help her stand out beyond that, and I don’t think this match was it.
And that’s because it felt like more of the same. It hit every beat you’d expect, Moka getting a few hope spots in, but Shida ultimately winning comfortably. You’ve seen it a million times before, and while that formula can be exciting, Miyamoto has graduated beyond that. She’s proven to be more than an exciting rookie, and I now want her to be someone with a chance to beat Shida. That doesn’t mean she has to win, but it shouldn’t feel like a foregone conclusion that she’ll lose. Shida had one or two too many answers to the questions Moka posed, which killed off some of the sense of challenge.
On the flip side, being in the ring with a big outside name certainly didn’t do Miyamoto any harm. A win would have been huge, but a loss rolls off her back, and she still gets a bit of the rub for facing off against Shida. Could it have been more? Probably. If I had my way, she would have won, but there is a reason I don’t run a wrestling company. As it was, this was still a decent showcase, even if it ended up being a conservative one.
Verdict: A Good Moka Performance
Shoko Nakajima, Mizuki, Rika Tatsumi & Yuki Aino defeated Wakana Uehara, HIMAWARI, Toga & Shino Suzuki
Generational battles are at the core of everything TJPW is doing right now, and while this big tag match didn’t reach the level of the one they had towards the end of last year, it did prove that this is a formula they will be able to return to regularly. Much like those first-win rookie bouts, these showdowns bring a touch of grit to the action as the juniors scrape to rise up the ladder as their seniors kick them back down. Even Yuki Aino, whose own generation is between these groups, was fired up to keep them in their place. Early on, she was no-selling the youngster’s offence, powering up as she showed HIMAWARI she had a long way to go before matching her in a hoss battle.
Then you have Rika Tatsumi. While all that was happening, Rika had other things on her mind, mainly revolving around trying to get some alone time with Mizuki. She only succeeded in turning her whole team against her, which is nothing new. If anything, Tatsumi getting along with people would be the bigger surprise. However, even with an ulterior motive, she still found herself as the match’s workhorse, delivering greatness against everyone. I don’t know how many ways I’ve screamed about how brilliant Tatsumi is, but let me do it again. Her final act against Wakana was everything Shida’s performance against Moka wasn’t. Rika has a magic touch for giving someone the exact right amount of offence, never making herself look weak but always elevating her opponents in defeat. It’s not about loading them down with close calls, but instead making it feel like they’ve pushed themselves to get as close as they can to this mad woman across from them. That she does it so regularly is a testament to her talents.
Elsewhere, Shino’s win has pushed her a step or two forward as she was fired up towards the end. I love how she fights for her sleeper hold, always battling to keep it locked on. It summed up a spirited performance from the youngsters. As you’d imagine, they did eventually fall to the combined experience of their opponents, but they came out of it looking great, and I hope we get a whole bunch of these tags over the next few years.
Verdict: TJPW Generational Battles Never Miss
Yuki Arai defeated LA Taylor to retain the International Princess Title
I’ve never even heard of LA Taylor. That’s no slight on her. Instead, it’s more proof of how ignorant I am of anything outside my bubble. She appears to be a regular in most big Britwres promotions, which isn’t always a sign of quality. While some good wrestlers have come from these shores, there have been a lot more bad ones. Still, with a nickname like Demolition Woman, she looked like a good pairing for Yuki Arai.
It also proved the case in the ring. Taylor towered over Arai, heaping even more sympathy on the already beloved idol. It forced Yuki to try and blitz her, going straight to those big boots before clambering to the top rope. Of course, when she leapt off with a crossbody, there was only way it would end. Taylor caught her out of the air, and I prepared for a section of human shot put. It seemed only natural, right?
Unfortunately, it never quite came. There was some decent offence from Taylor, including a weird WWE 2K create-a-finisher full of spins and weird repositionings, but she was almost too generous here. Arai is a natural babyface, so there is nothing wrong with making her work for this win. Instead, it always felt like she was dancing just out of Taylor’s reach, wriggling and lashing out as she tried to find the opening for a killer move. Then, when Taylor did get in control, she didn’t go to the big stuff enough. Is it too much to ask her to try and slam an idol through the ring? More of that and less neck cranks, please.
And I don’t want it to sound like I hated this. It burst through my expectations, as I enjoyed watching Arai trying to figure out how to take this powerhouse down. I just wanted to see her made to work for it that little bit more. They never made me feel like Taylor was a physical threat who could have her number. Still, they kept it short, threw a few cool spots in there (including Arai grapevining Taylor’s leg to set up a Sharpshooter and a fun flurry towards the end), and got their message across. It might not have been perfect, but it could have been a lot worse.
Verdict: Much Better Than Expected
Miu Watanabe defeated VertVixen to retain the Princess of Princess Title
VertVixen’s previous TJPW appearances have been fine. Honestly, beyond the gamer gimmick, I would have struggled to tell you much about her before watching this match. She neither stood out for being bad or good. However, she’s wrestled a lot since then, including popping up in AEW, so I was hopeful we would see a patched version this time around (see, I can do gamer chat, too).
And we did. This was a different challenge to Miu than her showdown with Shoko Nakajima. Where Shoko relied on technical mastery, Vixen brought power, as she was able to match the strength that is Watanabe’s bread and butter. She was much more physical than I remember her being on her last appearance, combining strength with speed to catch Miu off guard at times. On top of that, her heat section never once grew dull, as she kept it varied and interesting, using that size advantage to wear the champ down. Again, I never really believed Miu was in trouble here (it would be a hell of a gamble if TJPW made that switch), but I did start to wonder how she would turn the tables.
She ended up going about as route one as you can go, repeatedly driving those clenched hammer fists into Vixen to force her opening. It may have been simple, but it worked. Watanabe captured that combination of aggression and desperation, digging deep to find something to get the win and turning to the simplest of ideas when she did so. Hit them until they’re stunned enough to haul them up onto your shoulder and drop them on their face. It’s not clever or tricky, but it doesn’t need to be. Miu doesn’t need do be fancy. She knows what she’s good at, and the people love her for it.
Having beaten a couple of her seniors, this felt like another notch in Watanabe’s belt. It’s not the first time she’s wrestled a foreigner, but to do it in a Korakuen main event and deliver something worthy of the name is a challenge, and she pulled it off. If I were nitpicking, they could have shaved some time off it, but only a minute or two. On the whole, this was a damn good performance from both wrestlers and the next time VertVixen turns up, I’m pretty sure I’ll remember her.
Verdict: Exceeded My Expectations
As Miu celebrated, her next opponent entered the ring: her Daydream partner, Rika Tatsumi. I have arguments for why both should win, but fuck that. Let’s just get excited about what could be an incredible match.
Overall Show
When we sit down to think of the best TJPW shows of the year, this won’t make the list. There was nothing mind blowing or spectacular on this card. However, it did exceed my expectations. The two foreigners did well, and the undercard was a lot of fun. Can you skip it if you’re busy? Probably, but you’ll miss some good stuff, and I think it’s worth the two hours it needs.
Watch Tokyo Joshi Pro: https://www.wrestle-universe.com/en/videos?labels=-tjpw.
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