As the year draws to a close, TJPW starts to set the foundations in place for the Ittenyon Korakuen. It might not be their biggest show, but when it comes to symbolic importance, it can’t be beaten. Plus, you always want to start the year off with a bang. Anyway, the ground was broken for that event at All Rise, so let’s have a look at what went down.
As tends to be the case these days, I was at this show and not taking notes, so this is more of a vibes-based review.
Shion Kanzaki & Chieri Sakimori defeated Toga & Yui Musubi
Our first of two debuts saw Yui Musubi kick off her wrestling career in Korakuen Hall. To hit my usual rookie checklist: she didn’t drop anyone on their head, burst into tears or hide under the ring. We have to put that down as a success.
More than that, though, I was impressed. She’s not a giant or a super-heavyweight, but she’s got some power behind her and looked comfortable from the bell. A common issue with debuting wrestlers is that they go a bit dead behind the eyes and forget to sell. It’s understandable – they’re trying to get through the match and hit their beats, but it’s still a flaw. However, there wasn’t a lot of that with Musubi. She remembered to show the damage she was taking and always looked like she was in the room. It was impressive.
Elsewhere, Chieri has already improved a lot. I think it’s a credit to what TJPW are doing that their rookies are getting off to quick starts. She’s still sticking to the basics, but that’s exactly what she should be doing, and she’s already past the point of sticking out as the newbie. TJPW isn’t surrounding them with veteran hands, either. Shion only debuted at the start of the year, and Toga is hardly a grizzled old head. You wouldn’t be shocked if a match like this fell apart at the seams, but it was a solid wee tag. Although we did get a dab of unintentional blood. I don’t know if it was picked up by the cameras, but after tussling with Toga, Sakimori had to take a second to deal with a nosebleed. The TJPW deathmatch division that died with Hikari Noa’s exit is back.
Anyway, strong debut, decent match, no complaints from me. It’s been a productive year for TJPW’s dojo, and if they keep churning them out like this, the future will look even brighter than it already does.
Verdict: Welcome to the Family, Musubi
Hyper Misao & Shino Suzuki defeated Mahiro Kiryu & Kira Summer
I spent a chunk of this match mulling over the idea of Kiryu being forced into a heel turn. I know that friend-of-the-site, Seb, over at Unmanned Local Train, would say Mahiro has already made that move, and I understand their argument. However, I was struck by the idea of it happening by accident because of her apologising shtick growing in popularity. I want to see Mahiro forced into ever escalating heinous acts so she can sate the audience’s desire for her to say sorry. It’s perhaps a bit dark for TJPW, but I feel like if anyone could pull it off, it’s Kiryu. She already feels like she’s on the verge of a breakdown, so being stuck in a nightmare of her own creation isn’t a huge leap.
Anyway, this was a perfectly fine match. Misao set it up as Team Green vs Team Blue, which brought to mind the Colourful World of Marvelous, something I always like to think about. Shino, as always, makes even the most throwaway tag feel important because of her innate Shino-ness, but it mainly hit the beats you’d expect. A touch of Misao nonsense, a wee tour with Suzuki, and we’re all home in time for tea.
On a show with an undercard full of debuting rookies and tournament finals, it was easily the most forgettable part. However, that doesn’t mean it was bad. If nothing else, I got to amuse myself with some pondering.
Verdict: Solid
Miu Watanabe, Rika Tatsumi & Shiori Futuba defeated Mizuki, Mifu Ashida & Wakana Uehara
Our second debut! While Musubi seemed comfortable the second she stepped into the ring, Shiori Futuba looked nervous. She’s got that idol past, but it’s a shift to suddenly be wrestling Mizuki, and you could tell she was feeling it. Then the match started, she slipped into the routines she’s presumably been practising for months, and those nerves turned into a huge smile. Sure, you could argue that’s also a problem. When you smile your way through the action, it’s kind of hard to believe anything is hurting. However, who am I to hold that against her? Futuba’s selling might not have been up to scratch, and it was obvious this was designed to highlight her without asking much of her, but she ticked off all three items on the checklist, so by my personal ranking system, it was a decent debut.
Plus, unlike Musubi, she was surrounded by veterans, so it was perfectly acceptable for the rookie to leave the heavy lifting to others. We got some really good action here. Mifu Ashida has become one of my undercard highlights this year, as while she’s rarely the story of the match, she’s consistently impressive. When you throw in Rika and Miu messing around with Mizuki in there, you kind of know you’re on to something good. Everyone in this match, apart from the rookie, has the experience to go out and entertain in their sleep. And they weren’t sleeping, so it was even better than that.
At this point, I’ve no idea how much Futuba is going to be wrestling. These kind of things tend to go one of two ways. They either catch the bug, and the number of shows slowly rises (Yuki Arai), or they realise it’s not for them and gradually float away (Juria Nagano). I’m not going to guess what Futuba’s future holds based on one match, but I certainly wouldn’t have a problem with seeing her give this a proper go. I’d always rather see someone smiling than looking miserable.
Verdict: We Have So Many Wrestlers Now
Ren Konatsu defeated Momo Sato to win the Next Generation Tournament Final
I’m not sure how I would go about crafting my perfect wrestling match, but if I were to start putting it together, a base of two talented rookies getting the chance to show what they can do would be right up there. Ren and Momo got a shade under ten minutes, and honestly, they smashed it. It’s wild how quickly Sato has improved.
In fact, I think you could say the same about both of them. Yes, Ren has been at it longer, but it’s only in the last few months that things have really clicked. Gone is that tendency to float her way through matches with a smile on her face. Here, at times, she was close to getting mean. Sato had the power and size advantage, but they were smart enough not to give the kid the bulk of the action. It was about Konatsu wrangling her down to the floor, keeping her under control, and showing a degree of veteran savvy. Sure, Sato had her moment, escaping to fire off a few shots, and looking good while doing so, but this was Konatsu’s moment.
And it’s a deserved one. People get obsessed with super rookies. Wrestlers like Senka Akatsuki and Seri Yamaoka get all the attention because it’s exciting to watch someone burst onto the scene seemingly fully formed (although I’d argue neither of them actually were). However, I think the slow and steady approach is just as impressive. Ren arrived with a couple of flashy moves and a big grin on her face. However, since then, she’s been putting the work in, and it’s paying off. The Fancy Sheep looks great! Sato is improving at an incredible rate, and I have a feeling she’s going to be very good, but this was Konatsu’s moment. It was a reward for over a year of improvement, and that was lovely to see.
Verdict: The Fancy Sheep Impresses!
Nagisa Nozaki & Yuki Kamifuku defeated Arisu Endo & Chika Nanase
If you’re one of Kamiyu’s friends and she hasn’t got you booked for a TJPW Korakuen during this retirement run, you might want to reconsider how close you are. She’s seemingly made it her mission to get everyone involved.
Truthfully, Nagisa Nozaki is not someone I’m ever particularly excited about seeing. On her day, when she’s motivated, she can be a good wrestler. I just can’t remember the last time I saw her motivated (with the caveat that I’ve not been keeping up with her career recently). She always tended to seem content to hit her spots and head home.
Thankfully, that was not the case for Chika and Arisu. With an outsider across from them, they were determined to make a mark. From Endo, that’s no surprise. She’s been doing it all year. And while it’s frustrating to see her put in yet another match that she was never going to win, she delivered another good performance. However, this was probably one of Chika’s best. She threw herself into the fight with Nozaki, even when her chest was left red and raw after a series of chops, and she’s starting to find a physicality similar to someone like her tag partner’s. Nanase will never be the hardest hitter in the world, but she plugs away, putting up a fight and refusing to go down. It’s a lot of fun to watch.
They were the highlight of this match as Kamiyu’s retirement tour continues to be a modest success. These almost feel like non-canon celebrations, where Kamiyu gets to hang out with pals and have some fun. They might not make for the most thrilling viewing, but I can’t hold that against her. She deserves to go out in her own way.
Verdict: Another Step On The Retirement Road
Suzume defeated Uta Takami to retain the International Princess Title
Uta has an unfortunate tendency to land on her head while attempting Sunset Flips. There was a scary moment in the match when she came down on her forehead after attempting one in the corner. Thankfully, she’s small and bouncy, so she seemed to be okay, but it momentarily took the air out of the room.
That aside, this match was fantastic. Uta and Suzume kicked things off in full high speed fashion, proving that in another world both would have the potential to become favourites of Natsuki Taiyo. It set us up for a lovely twist on the Suzume formula. Typically, the bee is the one buzzing around opponents, forcing them to find a way to slow her down. Here, however, she was made to grab a submission and wrangle the wee koala down to the mat. Suzume is quick, and there aren’t many people who keep up with her, but Uta is the exception to the rule. With those touches of Surugaism, she almost threatened to frantically scramble her way to victory.
We knew Uta could do that, though. She perhaps took it to another level, but it was what I was expecting from her. What I was more impressed by was her selling in the final act. Alongside landing on her head, she also ate a series of facebusters from Suzume, and Uta sold it brilliantly. She was still pulling herself up, trying to fight on, but she was dead on her feet. It had touches of a drunk trying to prove to the world they’re sober as she stood, wavering from side-to-side, clearly on the brink of going down. Even then, though, she scrambled into some last-minute flash pins, desperately throwing the dice in a final attempt to grab the win.
It was the kind of performance that convinced me it could have been the right call to have Uta win. Suzume is having a great year, and I would have no qualms with her holding that title for a long time, but she’s almost at the point where she’s outgrown it. I want to see her take the step up sooner rather than later. At some point, someone is going to have to take that belt off her, and why shouldn’t it be Uta? Why can’t we see a run of these frantic high speed matches from one of the most purely likeable wrestlers around? She’s brilliant! And while I knew she wasn’t going to win here, if she had, I would have been delighted.
Still, it’s not a real complaint. Suzume’s run still has legs, and I’m even more convinced now that Uta’s day will come. She’s too good for it not to. In the here and now, though, Suzume continued her great year, although on this occasion, she has to share the plaudits with a wee koala.
Verdict: Brilliant
Shunrai Rekka!! Prism Greed (Yuki Aino & Haru Kazashiro) defeated Raku & Pom Harajuku to retain the Princess Tag Titles
I don’t think anyone will be surprised to learn that I adored this match. My love of Pom and Raku has been well documented over the years, and this felt like a celebration of everything they’ve achieved. It was the title challenge only they could make.
That said, there is precedent for this nonsense. The structure here was reminiscent of how Kyoraku Kyomei’s big matches tend to play out. You start by diving into the nonsense. There were naps, ripped signs and a Raku storytime. Pom and God tried to bamboozle the Nerd Squad, and while Aino is very used to their antics, Haru was struggling to keep up. They might not have the pace of Uta, but they will bombard you with nonsense until you don’t know whether you’re coming or going. It was funny and charming and everything I was hoping for from this match.
However, that wasn’t all there was to it. As previous readers will know, I strongly believe that, a long time ago now, Pom and Raku became good wrestlers. The kind who might not need to prove that every week, but who, when the time comes, know how to play the game. That’s what we saw in the latter stages of this match. They might approach it in a different way – not many serious wrestlers are making the shape of a P before attacking their opponents – but it doesn’t mean it’s not there. The final act was convincing enough that for a second or two, as unlikely as it may seem, I was convinced they were going to do that. I mean, did you see that double slingblade? It was a thing of beauty.
Of course, Pom and Raku don’t need these belts. I hope, one day, they get a chance to hold them, not as a pat on the back, but as something they’ve earned through consistent greatness. However, right now, they’re fine. They’ll go back to messing around, causing havoc, and the world will be a better place for it. I will never be sad to see a Pom and Raku match. Haru and Aino, meanwhile, have a lot more to do with those titles, and I’m sure they’ll go on to have some bangers with them. I’m also pretty sure they won’t have a match like this one, and that’s what makes Pom and Raku so special.
Verdict: An Utter Delight
Shoko Nakajima defeated Yuki Arai to win the Princess of Princess Title
The golden girl is dead; long live the Big Kaiju!
God, I was glad when Shoko flew through the air, crashing down with that giant senton. I am, somewhat, joking about the golden girl. Now that I step back and view her first run with the belt from a slight distance, Arai did a decent job. Her ability to sell tickets is undeniable, and while I think there were flaws in her defences, the original win vs Miu, the Yamashita match and the Suzume match were all good to great. It’s just Shoko’s time. In fact, it’s been Shoko’s time for a while now. She might be part of the old guard, but I think there is an argument that Nakajima’s last few years have been the best of her career, and she shows no sign of dropping off (she’s only 35 and seemingly in good shape, so that’s hardly surprising). The Big Kaiju deserves another run with that belt.
As for the match, it worked, with caveats. This felt like a Nakajima outing. A slower, more grounded affair where she challenged Arai to step into her world. It’s something Shoko has done to great effect in the past. The outstanding series with Miu is practically built on Watanabe’s ability to adapt to Nakaijma technicality. However, Arai is not yet Miu. She did alright in those opening phases, showing some decent work on the ground and adjusting to that more methodical pacing, but it’s not where she’s at home. Arai didn’t really come to life in this match until the final act, when she was free to start throwing out some bombs.
That’s where this match 100% worked for me, and for two very different reasons. One is that I adore watching how Nakajima deals with stuff like that. Some of the counters she threw out here, from her setting up of the 619 to her block of Finally, were inspired, and I could watch her do that stuff up all day. I don’t want to suggest Shoko was wrestling herself; Arai was a key part of it all. However, I think I’ve watched enough of both of these people to see the Nakajima behind everything. Shoko excels at making other people look great, and it’s no surprise that the final act ended up being one of the better performances of Arai’s career.
The second way it worked for me was somewhat more personal. I really wanted Shoko to win here. Thanks to that, there were multiple moments when Arai countered at the last second or powered through a piece of Nakajima offence that caused my heart to sink. I could just feel it all happening again: another Arai title defence, another month where I was left questioning whether she was ready for this run. Maybe I’m a pessimist, but I was waiting for defeat, so when it didn’t come, the elation was that much stronger. Was that on purpose? Probably not. Arai is one of the most popular people in the company. It worked, though. I don’t particularly care whether the artists intended it or not.
Ultimately, though, this joins the others I mentioned in the good-to-great Arai match category. For Shoko, though, it was kinda just another day at the office. Another great performance nestled in a sea of them. Now, if those cowards over at TJPW don’t give us Nakajima vs Misao on Ittenyon, I am going to throw my toys out of the pram (aka, still go to the show and grumble about it… I kinda already bought my ticket).
Verdict: Big Kaiju Power
Overall Show
On the holy week of a new Godzilla film, balance was restored to TJPW. This was a really good show. Very little on the card felt throwaway, as we had three incredibly different and interesting title matches, not to mention the new kids taking their first steps on the road to whatever their wrestling careers will be. Is it one of TJPW’s best Korakuen’s of the year? I’d have to go back through and refresh my mind, but I’m willing to put it in the conversation.
Watch Tokyo Joshi: https://www.wrestle-universe.com/en/videos?labels=-tjpw.
Leave a Reply