Watch: Wrestle Universe
Unofficial however licensed translation thread. (Linked with permission, thanks @misterhakusan!)
After a number of months stuffed with hospice, hospitals, and household medical depart, April has arrived and with it, a touch of normalcy. Work has resumed, new duties have turn out to be routine, assist has been enlisted and the time has come to begin caring for my very own (psychological) well being.
A part of that self-care routine is Tokyo Joshi Professional Wrestling, watching which has performed extra for my private despair than any of the six drugs I’ve tried. Fortunately for me, I return because it appears TJPW is experimenting with a pair totally different concepts to develop their fan base, with a twice-weekly one-match present in English being announced, along with the Inspiration idea, which appears the right level to leap again into the promotion. Inspiration is a brand new kind of present from Tokyo Joshi Professional that may run in between their common reveals. Inspiration reveals will function a restricted variety of wrestlers and matches with a corresponding discount in ticket value. Consider it like a snack-sized portion of TJPW that hopefully exposes extra individuals to the product whereas getting the employees extra reps and permitting them to usher in expertise/work matches that don’t precisely match into the traditional tour reveals. The inaugural Inspiration options the Up Up Ladies in varied singles matches, together with a Tokyo Josh Professional hardcore match with freelancer Rina Yamashita! Now that I’m impressed, let’s watch the primary Inspiration.
Up Up Ladies Efficiency
Three singles matches and a J-Pop efficiency?!? These tickets had been a steal! I’m truly if future Inspiration reveals (one is introduced for July 1) will embrace an Up Up Ladies efficiency. This one was apparent since all three members had been booked in matches, however with the restricted wrestler idea of those reveals, do they carry a member alongside simply for the efficiency? Whereas we’ll discover out in July a minimum of, the considered a TJPW present not beginning with a J-Pop efficiency simply appears flawed. As for this present, it positively wasn’t their finest routine, however as every of the women had a featured singles match upcoming I can forgive them for being barely distracted. The practice of the day is the Pink Arrow if you happen to had been questioning. If you happen to simply can’t be bothered with this, the ring introductions for the primary match begin at 21:16 on the VOD. Music hater.
Mizuki def. Miu Watanabe
The primary match of the night time was additionally my most anticipated. Miu Watanabe is recent off her unsuccessful problem for the Princess of Princess title, and Mizuki is the spotlight of the promotion to me, only a blur of sugar-powered charismatic vitality. Sadly, this was not the 4 plus star match these two will sometime wrestle. It wasn’t that this match was dangerous, it was only a match, and with the expertise concerned they’ve to think about this a disappointment. At occasions they didn’t appear on the identical web page, with Mizuki at one level ready approach too lengthy for Watanabe to stand up for a strike alternate. In a becoming image for this match, Mizuki broke out her spinning cross physique press however solely received midway there on the spin. These two are too good to have an precise dangerous match, however one thing was off with this one. Mizuki received with the highest rope diving foot stomp. **1/2
Rika Tatsumi def. Raku
When this match started with Rika Tatsumi looking for a hiding Raku, I admit that I used to be about to take a look at. However then Raku appeared behind Tatsumi and attacked her, knocking her down so she may tape a teddy bear pillow to Tatsumi’s rear. Effectively performed. I think about the missile hips ridiculous so combating it in a ridiculous approach is sensible to me. After Raku no offered a number of pillow-protected missile hip assaults Tatsumi was capable of free her rear from its pillowy confines. I’m barely disenchanted that Tatsumi didn’t have a ridiculous counter to the Goodnight Specific. This match had a tough ceiling for me as a result of regardless that each of those girls can work, particularly Tatsumi, their offensive assaults usually appear like they might give a 5 12 months previous the giggle matches. At one level, Raku hits an honest facebuster on a hung-up within the ropes Tatsumi, solely to comply with up with a prime rope chop to the pinnacle that made Pom Harajuku’s shin kicks look devastating. For her half, Tatsumi set Raku up within the tree of woe, with Raku’s skirt falling as much as cowl her face, leaving her blind to the upcoming offensive assault. However as a substitute of a dropkick to the face or any variety of different assaults The White Dragon may have unleashed, she as a substitute went with the missile hips, launching her rear into Raku’s crotch in an offensive maneuver that despatched a minimum of one baby watching into instant puberty.
This was a enjoyable match, and when going up towards Raku I can tolerate Tatsumi’s missile hip assault a bit extra. Raku is so cheerful she’s virtually unimaginable to hate, however her future in TJPW is within the enjoyable multi-woman tag matches that function Pom’s shin kicks and Haruna Neko’s claw assaults. That’s the place her head chop and Goodnight Specific slot in, not in “critical” wrestling matches. Tatsumi ought to save the missile hips for these matches, and provides it a relaxation in her title defenses. After all Tatsumi picks up the win right here with the highest rope missile hips, and to contradict my complete level the missile hips she hit Raku with to finish the match legitimately appeared devastating. If solely she would use it simply as a end as a substitute of peppering all of it by her matches. **3/4
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Hardcore Match
Rina Yamashita def. Hikari Noa
So every little thing is authorized on this match except the referee deems it significantly life-threatening. Wanting on the varied weapons/objects within the ring, together with a picket board hilariously embellished with a cross in glow sticks, this appears the least TJPW factor ever to occur in a TJPW ring. The primary a part of the match had me a bit frightened, as after beginning off with some primary grappling, Noa introduced out the primary weapon which was… a bunch of music CDs that she poured out over the ring. After rolling round on them for a bit, together with a rolling cradle, Rina broke a number of CD’s, hilariously popping the group with every snap. Rina’s momentum was used towards her as Hikari despatched her by the board within the nook, permitting Hikari to deliver the ladder into the match, placing her head by it and spinning round wildly. I’m positive this made excellent sense to Hikari, however it was not efficient, as as soon as Rina dodged the preliminary spin, she was free to look at the ladder woman spin, selecting the right spot to hit the ladder with a chair, rudely interrupting Hikari’s impression of a prime.
With Rina in management now issues picked up a bit, with a physique slam on the concrete flooring and the introduction of a desk. That they had a strike alternate on the apron, with every of them working for place. This will have been the primary time I’ve ever watched a TJPW match considering “please don’t die,” as I puzzled what they had been going to do with the desk arrange on the ground. A sluggish movement headbutt from Rina briefly took me out of the match right here. If you happen to can’t work a handsome headbutt, perhaps don’t do a headbutt? This thought rapidly was changed with “PLEASE DON’T DIE” as Rina picked Hikari up and eyed the desk from the apron, placing Hikari by the desk with Fireplace Thunder! From this level on I used to be invested, although this crowd appeared in a shocked silence till Rina bodyslammed Hikari on the ladder, which appeared to wake them up a bit. Noa’s desperation, struggling to combat again towards her greater, stronger opponent after the Fireplace Thunder was inspiring, getting the followers utterly concerned. Her kickouts on the finish, particularly after Rina’s pumping bomber, had been cussed refusals to confess defeat. Rina hit Splash Mountain onto a pile of chairs and it was over. Welcome to hardcore matches, Hikari Noa. ****
Remaining Ideas
This was a one-match present, however that match positively made the cardboard worthwhile. I’m nonetheless unsure on the Inspiration idea, as I feel it has some pacing points that have an effect on the matches. Whereas a 6 lady tag to begin issues off would most likely defeat the “much less time, inexpensive, much less staff” concept, a two vs two tag match would most likely kick the exhibit a bit higher and permit a extra pure construct to the principle occasion. That being stated, something that brings extra eyes to the product is an efficient factor, and if you happen to skip the J-Pop efficiency you may simply watch this in below an hour.
