TJPW City Circuit '23 Nagoya (18/9/23) Review
Reiwa AA Cannon Sing Their Swansong In SKE48 Territory
Front Matter
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We’ve been somewhat deprived of live TJPW recently, with a lot of shows airing on delay. However, with Yuki Arai returning to Nagoya to team with Saki Akai for the last time, Wrestle Universe blessed us with a livestream. Would Reiwa AA Cannon go out on a high? Probably, but let’s find out.
Suzume defeated Shino Suzuki
Suzume figuring out how to wrestle like a veteran has been an entertaining watch. It’s not just that she’s had a host of rookies to work with, giving her time to figure out how to control a match (although that’s undeniably part of it), but also how she’s starting to sell facing off with them. It’s the look of almost bored disdain as she dictates the action on the mat and the slightly condescending smile when Shino kicks out of a series of pins, like Suzuki is a pet that’s finally mastered a trick. So much of being a convincing veteran comes from acting like one, and she’s starting to get that.
On the other side of the ring, I adore Shino’s approach to her sleeper hold. It’s become her lifeline, the thing she leaps into in a desperate attempt to try and survive or even eke out a win. Sure, it hasn’t worked yet, but she’s determined to use it to get over the line, and once it’s on, she’s not letting go unless you make her. As I’ve observed before, too many wrestlers give up on submissions at the drop of a hat, lamely letting go after the bare minimum resistance, but Suzuki clings to that thing like her life depends on it.
Those things came together to make this a solid wee opener. Shino sometimes loses track of herself, leading to awkward moments, but that’s forgivable at this stage. They also fell back on trading forearms, which neither excels at, but they’re hardly alone in that particular foible. All in all, it was an impressive showing from two talented young wrestlers, and with Shino continuing to show a lot of potential, it feels like we could see this one a lot in the years to come.
Verdict: One That Will Keep Getting Better
Arisu Endo & Haru Kazashiro defeated Kaya Toribami & Runa Okubo
Perhaps this speaks to me being a big old softie, but the main thing I took from this tag was how nice it was to see Runa and Haru having fun. It’s easy to forget when you’re watching them wrestle every week that these two are kids who have found themselves travelling around the country with a group of adults. That could be a daunting scenario, and I think it’s to the TJPW roster’s credit (and to every other joshi company that has done similar in the past) that they not only seem comfortable around their seniors but appear to have genuine affection for them, joking around during entrances and so on.
It also helps that they’ve both improved a lot. At one point, it looked like Haru was pulling away from Runa, but then Runa found her confidence and discovered thumping people, which has seen her come roaring back into contention. Seriously, that lass throws forearms like she has a grudge, and unlike Suzume and Shino, I have no issues with her falling back on them. It doesn’t matter who you are because Runa will lay those bad boys in, and it is a hell of a lot of fun to watch.
Runa beating the shit out of folk aside, this was all fairly standard stuff, but it was an enjoyable standard, as Arisu and Kaya also had some strong interactions. It’s nothing you need to go out of your way to see, but if, like me, you enjoy watching the kids have a lovely time, you won’t want to miss it.
Verdict: Good Clean Fun With Added Thumping
With the show being in Nagayo, it was time for our now traditional SKE48 break. They remain a band I have no interest in listening to outside of these appearances, but I’m always impressed by the performances. They’re a sleek unit, and the fan response is rabid, so I suspect TJPW does well off them. Also, bless them for always finding time to shout out Miu and make her day.
Daydream (Miu Watanabe & Rika Tatsumi) & HIMAWARI defeated Hyper Misao, Raku & Pom Harajuku
It all started so well for SKE48’s Shiori Aoki (aka Oshirin), who was making her second appearance as a referee. She dealt with Pom’s beautiful screeching, successfully confiscated the array of contraband hidden on Misao’s person and even dared to lay down the law on Rika, stopping the three-person elbow drop and getting in the way of her strangling time. If anything, she was proving herself to be a more officious referee than we’re used to. Unfortunately for her, the TJPW wrestlers are masters of shenanigans, and she had some of the worst offenders to deal with.
As a general rule, referees are figures you don’t want to be paying attention to. Whether wrestling or football, they should fade into the background, quietly and efficiently going about their job until they’re needed. However, I think it’s safe to say Oshirin is an exception to that rule. It’s not only the cleverly designed comedy spots (they repeated the great two-count spot from her last match) but also how she wanders around the ring, taking everything deadly seriously and trying as hard as possible. When she accidentally sprayed Miu with Misao’s cold spray, she looked genuinely disappointed in herself, like someone who has just clipped a car on their driving test and knows they’ve fucked it. Thankfully, that disappointment is hilarious, and I would happily watch a supercut of her dealing with various refereeing dilemmas.
Credit also has to go to the wrestlers, who were in the rare position of building a match designed to highlight the woman in black and white. A lot of that is drawing on their usual shtick, but usually the ref is something to be worked around rather than included, and they all did a cracking job of making sure Oshirin always ended up at the centre of the action. If anything, it’s the opposite of their instincts, and that they pulled it off so well is a credit to their talents.
Verdict: A Delight
Toyo Mates (Yuki Kamifuku & Mahiro Kiryu) & Toga defeated Free WiFi (Hikari Noa & Nao Kakuta) & Wakana Uehara
Why is Shino’s favourite move listed as a dropkick while Wakana’s is a sleeper? Shino is so much better at sleepers than Wakana! It’s an anti-bus guide conspiracy.
Anyway, the mainstream media’s pushing of big Wakana aside, the main focus here was on Toyo Mates vs Free WiFi, who will be competing for the vacant tag titles at Wrestle Princess. It’s a match that feels somewhat familiar, as Kamiyu has quite an extensive history with Noa and Nao. We can picture how that part of the action will come together, and you can almost guarantee it will be great. However, the wildcard element is Mahiro, who is in the midst of a breakout year and is challenging for the titles for the first time since she really figured out who she is as a wrestler.
The hints we got here of how Mahiro will approach that match were intriguing, as she settled into something approaching a powerhouse role. She still bustles around the ring in that signature Kiryu way, managing to look awkward even when she’s not, but it was when she started pulling out spinebusters that she proved most effective. It’s not a role I’ve ever really imagined for her, but there’s maybe something to it, and if Toyo Mates are going to win the belts, it might come down to Mahiro turning the tide.
Elsewhere, Hikari kept up her streak of selling Toga’s elbows like she’s been whacked with a baseball bat before Kakuta and Kamiyu continued their history of everything between them getting that little bit spicier than you might expect. In fact, I believe Kamiyu used the post-match interview to vow to stop using WiFi until she’d defeated them, which is a pretty massive claim in this day and age, so you’ve got to assume things will get serious. Either way, this was a solid buildup tag.
Verdict: A Job Well Done
Mizuki & Shoko Nakajima defeated 121000000 (Miyu Yamashita & Maki Itoh)
While Mizuki lost her Princess Cup match to Miyu, it still felt like a breakthrough for her battles against The Ace. For the first time, she was fighting Yamashita as an equal, with no hint of the fear she showed when she once challenged her with tears in her eyes. It was a feeling that continued into this match where not only did Mizuki stand her ground, matching Miyu throughout, but she pinned her, a result that, despite her being the champion, still feels like an upset. Traditionally, something like that might suggest the title will be changing hands, but I don’t think that’s the case here. Mizuki winning was proof that these two are going into Wrestle Princess on an equal footing, and it honestly feels like that match could veer in either direction.
Outside of that, I can’t imagine anyone needs me to tell them that this was good. If you throw these four out there and give them enough time, the results will always be great. When you add Miyu and Mizuki getting serious about stuff towards the end, it’s going to be worth anyone’s time. It speaks to the talent involved that Itoh stood out a bit, not because she’s not good, but because she almost felt like the odd one out. Everyone else involved is still a vital part of TJPW (even with Miyu spending part of the year abroad), but Itoh’s appearances increasingly feel like she’s dropping by to play the hits between trips to America. They’re entertaining hits, and the crowd still loves her, but there’s not much to get your teeth into.
Anyway, that’s a digression for another day, as this was a cracking semi-main. I had a great time and came out the other side even more excited for Miyu vs Mizuki than I was already. Job done.
Verdict: Mizuki Is Ready
Reiwa AA Cannon (Saki Akai & Yuki Arai) defeated Yuki Aino & Moka Miyamoto
I’m going to miss Saki Akai’s TJPW cameos. It’s a comparison I’ve made before, so apologies for repeating myself, but she’s always felt like the roster’s cool, mysterious cousin, popping over to dish out wisdom and head pats. You only have to look at Arai to see how important those things are. She was already figuring things out before being paired up with Saki, but it undoubtedly accelerated her development when she got to work with someone who could guide her through matches. Even here, in an outing focused on Reiwa AA Cannon, Akai gave Aino and Moka their moments, ensuring they didn’t fade into the background.
Before we return to that, though, I wanted to devote some time to another key person in Arai’s career: Moka Miyamoto. Since their mini-feud, I think it’s safe to say that the idol has left Moka in the dust, but those matches and their subsequent run as a tag team were vital for both their careers. It felt like the moment Moka started to put things together, her confidence rising as she did so, and the spark between them was still on display here. I don’t think they’re close enough on the totem pole to be seen as eternal rivals or anything of that ilk, but I’ll always enjoy watching them wrestle.
Ultimately, though, this was about Saki and Arai, and it was a fitting ending for their pairing. When it started, Akai was the power in that team, and while she’s still a considerable distance ahead of Arai, the gap has closed in that time. Arai’s run in the Princess Cup proved that, and one can only hope she’ll go on to prove it many times over in the future. Perhaps more importantly, the idol’s tears in the aftermath suggest this is more than just a business relationship, as they appear to have bonded during their run together. It’s fitting then that they also agreed to have one last match, this time against each other, at the October 27th Korakuen. That has the potential to be an emotional one, so get the tissues ready.
Anyway, I realise I haven’t got into whether the match was good, but it was! They had a tough act to follow but pulled it off, even if the result was never in doubt. It also left me wanting to see Aino vs Akai, as Yuki’s power served as a nice contrast to Saki’s skillset, but sadly, any hope of that is probably gone. Oh well, at least we got a taste.
Verdict: Cheerio Reiwa AA Cannon
Overall Show
These Nagoya outings have become halfway-house events for TJPW. I wouldn’t classify them as big shows, but they’re a step up from your Shinkibas of this world. Obviously, a big part of that is Yuki Arai, who rightfully took her spot in a strong main event, but this whole thing was a lot of fun. We had good rookie performances, some intriguing build for Wrestle Princess and an entertaining referee. You can’t ask for anything more than that!
Watch Tokyo Joshi Pro: https://www.wrestle-universe.com/en/videos?labels=-tjpw.