The Max Heart comes to an end, as TJPW managed to find the one team I might not complain about beating Kyoraku Kyomei. It should be Shoko and Misao’s time, but there is no world in which I would get grumpy about a Pompaler win. That Koda is a sneaky bugger. Anyway, you probably already know the result because it was several days ago, so let’s get on with the rambles.
Yoshiko ‘Yoppy’ Hasegawa, Kaya Toribami & Chika Nanase defeated Shino Suzuki, Kira Summer & Ivy Steele
Shino Suzuki has an extraordinary ability to make me care. It would have been so easy for this opening tag to feel throwaway, and at times, it was, but whenever Shino gets in there, I find myself being drawn in. Whether she’s leading her wee team of foreigners in a bus tour spot or battling for a submission hold, she never feels like she’s going through the motions. Every sleeper feels like an ordeal, where she’s clinging on for dear life, trying to choke the air from her opponent’s lungs. Except with Shino, that’s less of a violent thing and more a battle for survival. She knows that if her opponent escapes, there’s a good chance she’ll be in trouble.
She found a good dance partner for that battle in Yoppy. They had some fun back and forths as they fought to get their respective holds on. Their whole encounter screamed first-round of the Princess Cup to me, as I can imagine a nine-minute match between the two hitting that sneaky wee banger realm that TJPW so excel at. It also played into the general sense that Yoppy has fully settled in now, finding a potential long-term tag partner in Toribami and continuing to spark some chemistry into life with other parts of the roster.
The rest of the match was fun enough. I’m still struggling to care all that much about Ivy Steele, as there’s not a lot of personality coming through, but her performance was fine. Nanase and Summer, meanwhile, have gone from being the rookies who were lagging behind everyone to being perfectly capable of filling out these lower card tags. They still need to find their own way of standing out, but I’m sure it will come, and this was a decent opener.
Verdict: Shino vs Yoppy, Please
Yuki Kamifuku defeated Mifu Ashida
In my Ittenyon review, I questioned whether Mifu Ashida was the next great hope or whether this was people getting excited about someone pretty. Well, she’s starting to make me eat those words. We’re only a month into her run in TJPW, and it’s already hard to imagine her anywhere else, as she feels very much at home on that roster. She’s a natural addition to the lower card tag matches and has already had a fun singles showing with Mizuki. While I don’t expect her to rocket up the card, she won’t be hanging around the bottom rungs for too long. If anything, the worry is she gets a bit too ahead of herself, as she’s spoken about wanting to get into those big matches within a year.
Thankfully, TJPW has Kamiyu to make sure that there will be no big-headedness here. Her mean-girl act was a perfect counterpoint to Ashida, as she lured her into doing some fancy gymnastics and then poked her in the eyes. The whole thing had an air of ‘who the fuck are you?’ as she cut Mifu off, bullied her and then sent her flying with a combination of those big boots and deadly dropkicks. She even eye-poked her way out of a submission at one point.
As proven by her chemistry with Kyuri in Ice Ribbon (Ashida got beat up while Kyuri did Kyuri-stuff), Mifu is a natural underdog. She’s easy to root for, and Kamiyu was the perfect person to test how far that goes. In the aftermath, she patted the newbie on the head before booting her out of the ring, making it very clear that this is still Kamiyu’s world. However, in Ashida, they seem to have found someone who could eventually challenge that idea, and while this was just a snippet of what that might look like, there was the potential for it to become a lot more.
Verdict: Ashida Has Won Me Over
Raku & Ram Kaicho defeated Mahiro Kiryu & Haruna Neko
Mahiro will never get the credit she deserves for how her personality has blossomed over the last couple of years. She and the wee cat were almost the heels in this match, out there ruining Raku and Ram’s Valentine’s celebrations, but I don’t think anyone approaches heeling quite like Kiryu. There’s always a sense that she’s not entirely in control of what she’s doing. She’d stolen the chocolates Raku gifted Ram, so she had to eat one. What else could she do? She’s the type of person who starts bluffing and realises they can’t stop even though they know they’ve somehow ended up holding the joker and Pall Mall. The fact that she delivered her apology with a mouthful of chocolate only added to the fun of it all.
Then there’s Raku and Ram, whose appearances are always delightful. Is it queer baiting? Yes, probably, but it’s hard to get angry about something that is so bloody charming. Everything about it works, from the bizarre contrast of the wee goth and the train-loving idol to the fact they both seem to be having the time of their lives. Would you tell them to stop? You’d be a monster.
Truthfully, there’s not much to say about this that I haven’t said before. Anyone reading this knows whether these antics are for them. Mahiro and Neko were perfect foils to Ram and Raku’s cute nonsense, and I came out the other side hoping that the next step in their relationship will be adoption. Eternal three-year-old Pom is one option, but I suspect Max would have an issue with that. However, a wee cat could be the perfect in-between. I’m sure Pom could still come to play.
Verdict: Delightful
Arisu Endo defeated Wakana Uehara
At times, when I watch Wakana wrestle, I can already picture her Stardom/Marigold debut. She’s got so many of the things those companies look for that it almost feels like we’d be better getting it over and done with, packing her up and sending her off to the Rossy factory so she can put all that flash to good use. However, there are other times when you can see that TJPW magic infecting her. Yes, she wants to be a star, but she’s come through that system, and for all her superfluous cartwheeling, you also see how she continues to find her way into the Banana Pillow (a mad name for a submission), attacking it in ways you wouldn’t expect. I assume Shoko is the influence behind the younger TJPW wrestlers’ use of submissions, but it shone here. Not only do they find unusual approaches, but they never give them up without a fight.
It also felt like a soft reboot for Endo coming out of the long Daisy Monkey tag reign (backed up by her challenging Suzume later in the show). Wakana is a challenge, a step or two ahead of a typical rookie, and someone you could almost imagine winning this match. It was enough to unsettle Arisu, forcing her to have that moment where she hit the switch and stopped playing around, pushing this through to its conclusion. It’s a small thing, but I think that’s a vital weapon for a big-match wrestler to possess. You’ve got to be able to differentiate between working things through with a rookie and going hard. It not only gets across the idea that you don’t always have to give 100% to get the win but also gives that little treat to your opponent in defeat, as it becomes clear they’ve made you take them seriously.
This was the start of a cool run of singles matches on this card, and while it wasn’t my favourite of the three, it set the bar high for what they could be. There are still people out there who talk about TJPW being weaker in-ring outside of the main event, and while I try not to get annoyed at these things any more, it’s matches like this that make me wonder what the fuck they’re seeing. Sure, this didn’t include 50 superfluous forearm shots (although there were a few too many for my taste) and a head drop, but that’s not the definition of good wrestling. It was a tight, well-fought battle between two wrestlers who don’t often get 10 minutes in the middle of a Korakeun for a singles match. If that doesn’t interest you, well, I’m going to try and pretend I don’t think you’re an idiot.
Verdict: Wakana Can Stay A Bit Longer
Miu Watanabe defeated Uta Takami
When idol-loving Miu Watanabe debuted as the pink Up Up Girl all those years ago, we all knew that she’d eventually be slapping on headlocks to keep a rookie in place, right? It was the natural career path! Uta came into this match ready to burst, struggling to contain her emotion before they’d even got started, and Miu dealt with it like a total pro. Those first few minutes were all about her cutting off the excitable youngster, holding her down and giving her nothing. Not only did that help calm Uta down, but it meant that when she was uncorked, unleashing all that pent-up emotion, the fans were with her. They’d seen her ground to a halt, so now they wanted to watch her fly.
And god is Uta good. I’m not sure if we’ll be seeing her headlocking rookies however many years from now, but she’s more of a wrestler at this stage in her career than Miu was. Not only does she flop around, unleashing all kinds of squeaks and squeals, but she knows how to fight back. There was a brilliant moment when Takami leapt onto Miu, wrapping her legs around her and twisting into a Cobra Clutch. What was great about it was that she came in at an angle, catching Miu with an unusual approach that made the whole thing feel different and alive.
Plus, let’s face it, we all wanted to see how fast Miu could spin her. The answer? Very fast. It wasn’t quite Max hoying Uta across the ring, but there were moments of that, the spin and a big spear into the corner making it look like she’d snapped her wee protege in half. However, the most impactful thing was the finish. When it came time to end this, Miu didn’t feel the need to go big – a simple hammer blow to the chest sending Uta crumpling to the mat. That’s how you put a rookie away, and holy shit, I loved this.
Verdict: Outstanding
Yuki Aino defeated Haru Kazashiro
The Tokusatsu Club collide!
Haru’s love of Nodoka Tenma is well-established, which has added a lovely sheen to her growing relationship with Aino. It meant that, like Miu vs Uta, there was an undercurrent of protege vs mentor to this one, but they did a good job of not following the same path. Haru’s approach to matches varies wildly from Uta’s, and while there was never any doubt that Aino was the veteran, there was a sense that the rookie had a plan. She’s been crafting an offence that goes after the arm, setting up her wonderful Babaesque armbar.
Aino gave her a decent amount to work with, too. There were a couple of moments in this match when it felt like she was taking control, only for Haru to wriggle away and keep the fight going. However, importantly, despite my wording, it never felt like Aino was offering up those openings. She followed Miu in not showing a hint of sentimentality, which made every Haru escape feel like a little victory. Most impressive of all was the massive suplex that Kazashiro hit, which almost looked like a Cutie Special with the angle and delay in getting it over. Haru is unlikely to develop into a powerhouse any time soon, but it showed a strength that I didn’t know she had.
Eventually, Aino did get it under control, barrelling through Haru for the win, but I think the kid has come further than anyone would have predicted. I know I go on about it all the time, but when you think back to that anxious wee lass who debuted just shy of two years ago, her journey is extraordinary. She’s still quieter than her peers, but over the last few months, you’ve been able to watch that confidence fill her up from the inside, leading to matches like this. She got in the ring with someone she used to idolise and more than held her own. I hope she’s damn proud of herself.
Verdict: Proud of the Kid
Rika Tatsumi & Toga defeated Mizuki & HIMAWARI
I know Korakuen Hall isn’t necessarily the apex of TJPW’s schedule any more, but I still rankle a bit at having build-up tags for bigger shows here. Sure, there’s excitement to be discovered in the grandiosity of arenas where you can go all out in the production, but Korakuen is the perfect wrestling venue. If I had my way, it would be the biggest room run by any company I care about.
Still, regardless of what I think, TJPW is gearing up for Grand Princess, so this was our teaser for Mizuki vs Rika Tatsumi. I almost feel like I don’t need to go into that. They’re great together. They always have been. Rika has spent years aggressively pursuing the rabbit while she alternates between being unsettled by the whole thing and using it to her advantage. Their interactions here were kept to brief flashes, as they’re holding back on the good stuff, but I can’t think of a big Rika Tatsumi main event that has missed, and I doubt she’ll do so against Mizuki. The only sad part is I’d quite like another Tatsumi title run, but I suspect they’ll be looking to keep the belt around Mizupon’s waist.
Elsewhere, I think Toga might have stalled a bit. That’s not the end of the world. She took to wrestling so naturally that her development almost had to slow down at some point, but it feels like she needs something to shake it up. The team with Haru was fun, but I wonder if it’s time for her to get a kicking from Miyu or be squashed by Aja Kong. Not to wish pain on the lass, but sometimes you need to learn how far you are from the top to motivate you to keep climbing. I have fewer worries about HIMAWARI, who lights up the ring every time she appears. She and Mizuki showed some sparks of chemistry, combining the rabbit’s stomps with the sunflower’s power, so I wouldn’t mind seeing her become the champ’s regular rookie companion.
All in all, it was a decent match, but it did feel a bit like shoving a house show main event into Korakuen. There’s no big issue with that, especially with its positioning on the card, but the special stuff is being saved for the big one.
Verdict: It Was A Build-Up Tag
Suzume defeated Jada Stone to retain the International Princess title
In the relatively closed-off world of TJPW, I think it’s perhaps understated how much of a challenge it is for International Princess champions to face off against the latest foreigner of the month. Someone like Suzume has only wrestled outside of TJPW a handful of times in her career, and while she’s now used to facing an Aniki or a Mei Suruga, the majority of her matches have been against the same tight-knit group of people. If she is to continue occupying the upper ends of these cards, the opportunity to figure out how she approaches wrestling someone like Jada is huge. It’s not just an opponent she’s not as comfortable with but a different wrestling education to bounce off and learn from.
Of course, the flip side of that is you’ve got to hope Suzume only takes the good stuff from Stone. I’ve been relatively impressed by her on this run, but she does have some unfortunate American indie habits. Every reaction is big and over the top, as she was wide-mouthed in shock after Suzume kicked out of a fairly basic move early on. On top of that, there were times when it felt like she was running through all the cool shit she can do. Now, don’t get me wrong, if you’re going to do that, you better be able to do stuff worth watching, and Jada can, but it was noticeable that Suzume got a bigger reaction for cutting her off with a simple dropkick than she did for some impressive feats of athleticism. She’s got a lot going for her but perhaps needs to learn when to unleash it.
Still, Suzume didn’t get that reaction by herself. Stone felt like a mountain for the bee to climb, bigger and stronger while also able to match Suzume for speed. I’ve talked before about her ability as a counter wrestler, someone who waits for that perfect moment to strike and turn the tide, and Jada played into that brilliantly. She controlled the bulk of the action but didn’t get the job done, and as she got more comfortable in control, Suzume began to find her openings. The crowd reacted to that dropkick because it felt like Suzume had achieved something. Finding a way to level the field against the impressive American.
It made for one of the better examples of the foreigner of the month showdown. Part of that comes from the buildup. Jada coming over earlier meant they got a chance to work together beforehand rather than being thrown in at the deep end, but that shouldn’t diminish what they pulled off here. They figured out how to make something fun, which counts as a first success for champ Suzume and may have earned Jada an invite back. I’ll certainly not complain if that’s the case.
Verdict: Impressive
Kyoraku Kyomei (Hyper Misao & Shoko Nakajima) defeated PomPaler (Max the Impaler & Pom Harajuku) to win the Max Heart Tournament
Both these teams could easily have been confined to serving purely as comedic foils to the more serious aspects of Tokyo Joshi’s tag division. Misa and Shoko’s pairing was born from their annual nonsense bowl matches at Ittenyon, while Max and Pom are a classic odd-couple gag. If they’d both existed for a few months, had some fun, and then vanished, never to be seen again, there probably wouldn’t have been many complaints. However, TJPW stuck with them, letting them move past the stage of being a punchline and giving them the freedom to figure out how this shit works.
And while I think the development of Kyoraku Kyomei has been significantly larger than that of Pom and Max (there is only really one way for Pom and Max to work, which is Pom getting beaten up before getting Max to do some beating of their own), this match was still a triumph of letting creative weirdos be creative and weird. Yes, it hit the beats you’d expect, with Shoko and Misao doing everything to try and take Max out, including burying them under the Hyper Mobile, but these four are good enough to put some fantastic set dressing on an old idea. There were brawls through the crowd, a dangerous flight down some stairs and even a couple of Max shin kicks in there. Of course, there was no need to tweak Mahiro being hit by Misao’s first attempt to use the Hyper Mobile. Some gags never grow old.
As much as I love Pompaler, this was ultimately Shoko and Misao’s match. They’re so good together. In Nakajima, you have the best all-rounder in the company, one who can anchor a match in control or by eating shit, and she did a bit of both here. She’s so good at everything and yet also has a vulnerability that posed the question of whether Max and Pom could do it. I think everyone knew this was Kyoraku Kyomei’s tournament, and that was the right call, but there was always a slither of doubt. A sense that Max could beat anyone put across from them and that if Shoko or Misao found themselves left alone for too long, they’d suffer for it.
Thankfully, that wasn’t how it went. After years of falling short and being the ones to make others look good, Shoko and Misao got their moment, taking Max out of the action for long enough to put Pom away. It was expected, but that doesn’t make it any less exciting. Kyoraku Kyomei earned this, and while I generally stick to the principle that moaning about booking is dull, I’ll have to ditch my ideals if they don’t go on to beat 121000000. It’s their year, and as they proved here, they’re more than ready to make it a great one.
Verdict: Go Get Those Belts
Overall Show
I enjoyed that show a lot. The trio of singles matches (and Kamiyu vs Ashida) gave it a fresh feeling. They’re the kind of matches you’d normally expect to be opening a smaller show, but when you gift them a bit of time in the middle of a Korakuen, they have more weight. It’s a chance for the kids to show where they are. Throw in some Raku and Ram love, a fun International Princess match and a main event that finally crowned Kyoraku Kyomei, and I came away happy from TJPW’s second Korakuen of the year.
Watch Tokyo Joshi Pro: https://www.wrestle-universe.com/en/videos?labels=-tjpw.
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