I don’t think a wrestling show has ever kicked off my anxiety as much as this one. A lot has happened since Stardom last ran, and while I was delighted to have them back, there is no denying that there is a large shadow over their return to the ring. Hana Kimura’s death is still being processed by many, and the thought of Stardom without her is going to take a long time to get used to.
Continue reading
With wrestling slowly coming back to life, the Throwback reviews have gone on the backburner, but I don’t intend to leave them alone entirely. Plus, I’m inching nearer to Stardom hitting an exciting period, so I need to get to that!
Continue reading
Hana Kimura was extraordinary. I’ve thought a lot about how to describe her, but it’s the word I keep coming back to. She walked into a room, and she owned it, more charisma in one defiantly raised middle finger than most have in their entire bodies. I was lucky enough to see her live in Shinkiba 1st Ring and the Tokyo Dome, two buildings that couldn’t be more different, but she dominated both. At the age of 22, Hana looked like someone who could do whatever she wanted, whether that be a long career in wrestling or the joshi classic of an early retirement and another life. That’s what should have happened.
Continue reading
I’ve decided I’m not quite done with saying goodbye to Arisa Hoshiki. Having already said my thanks, I now want one more chance to sit back and appreciate her, and if I’m going to do that, there is only one match that I’m going to watch. Tam vs Arisa might not be one of Meltzer’s Classics, but it is a Stuart Classic, and while that lacks the SEO benefits, it’s just as big an honour.
Continue reading
There ain’t a huge amount to say up here. We’re still taking a jaunt through Stardom’s history, but we’re a couple of months from things starting to heat up. Still, it’s been an enjoyable wander so far, so let’s find out if that can continue.
Continue reading
I don’t have much to say up here. It’s time for another dive back into Stardom’s past as we continue to wander through the early days of the company. Will it be good? I’ve enjoyed every show so far, so probably.
Continue reading
After their jaunt to Osaka, Stardom returned to the familiar ground of Shinkiba for their next show. This would be their sixth outing and it now feels like they’ve have found their feet, established their early roster and should be looking to push things to the next level. Can they do it? Time to find out.
Continue reading
For the first time in their history Stardom stepped away from Tokyo and Shinkiba to make their way to Osaka, a city that you could probably call their second home. With a small roster, the chance to go on the road and reach new territories was going to be a pretty essential part of their growth, so let’s see how they did in front of a new audience.
Continue reading
I no longer need Stardom as an excuse not to watch hour-long main events, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop making my way through the archive. Diving into their history is proving to be a lot of fun, so let’s keep going!
Continue reading
Yes, I’m still avoiding going back to that Ring of Honor show. However, it’s not all about that. I’m enjoying this dive into the early days of Stardom, as it’s proving to be a breeze to watch. Eventually, I will return to ROH, but I’m going to have a bit more fun in Japan first.
Continue reading