TJPW Live Tour In Spring '23 (26/3/23) Review
TJPW Warm-Up For America
Front Matter
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With WrestleMania weekend just around the corner, TJPW will finally be making their US debut. It was a trip that they were supposed to take in 2020, but, well, we all know what happened there, so it’s taken them a bit longer than planned. However, before they hop on that plane, they had equally important matters to take care of in KFC Hall, as this card had a few potential gems. Let’s see if they shone.
Before we started, Namba announced that Sawyer Wreck will be the latest foreigner to nip to Japan. She’s coming over for a tour that will include a deathmatch with Hikari Noa and her challenging the winner of Mizuki vs Nao Kakuta (so, let’s be honest, Mizuki). I don’t think I’ve ever seen Wreck wrestle, but I know she’s really tall and a deathmatch regular, so that should be fun.
Wakana Uehara defeated Toga
The opener was a lowkey big moment for both of these wrestlers. For Wakana, it was her first chance to lead a match against a less (admittedly not by much) experienced wrestler. While for Toga, it was an opportunity to get a few extra minutes to show what she could do, a step up from being kicked around by Miyu Yamashita or having a slither of a tag in which to impress.
It also helps that at this early stage in their careers, Wakana and Toga are almost opposites. Uehara looks comfortable in the ring, moving around it naturally and showing a bit of a knack for the more technical stuff. Toga, meanwhile, looks a tad awkward, like she’s thinking about everything she does. Where she excels, though, is throwing strikes, an area where Wakana still appears scared of hurting someone. It makes them a natural fit, as they can help hide each other’s weaknesses.
Despite all that, this was a straightforward match, but you’d be mad to expect anything else. These two are young in their careers, but if they are already trusted to go out without adult supervision, TJPW must have a degree of faith in what they can become. It will be a while before any Toga and Wakana match reaches the sneaky banger level, but they managed a solid rookie showing, which counts as a job well done.
Verdict: Solid Rookie Action
Raku defeated Shino Suzuki
I’m willing to accept that my feelings towards this match are heavily influenced by how much I adore Raku, but I loved it. This was cosy wrestling, the kind I want to watch on a Sunday evening while wearing my dressing gown and eating ice cream (I am neither confirming nor denying whether that was how I spent my Sunday). There was no striving towards grandeur but rather a fun wrestler walking a rookie through the basics in a way that delighted me.
A big part of that is that it still makes me so happy to see Raku reach this point in her career. In fact, she’s not only reached it but flourished in it. You get the impression (and obviously, I can’t say for sure) that Raku is perfectly content in her role of midcard antic machine, happy to be tasked with showing a rookie the ropes and occasionally getting a wee bump up the card but never really striving to reach the top. While some people will be sniffy about that, what’s wrong with knowing what you’re good at and sticking to it? Not everyone can be a main eventer, and Raku has found her niche.
Plus, when you give her a match against the Shinos of the world, she can be relied on to make it fun. Whether it was Good Night Expresses or unleashing a series of chops (culminating in one to the brain), Raku was a delight while also making sure to give Shino the space to show what she could do. It was basic and to the point, but that’s what I wanted from it, and it made me a lot happier than any number of so-called classics. Will everyone get that same feeling from it? Maybe not, but then you should probably try loving Raku a bit more. She is a God, you know?
Verdict: It Made Me Feel All Warm And Fuzzy
Yuka Sakazaki, Moka Miyamoto & Kaya Toribami defeated Yuki Kamifuku, Runa Okubo & Haru Kazeshiro
It was Kamiyu’s turn to take the children out for the day, as she is definitely the cool aunt of the locker room. Aunty Kamiyu’s house is where you play with the dogs and maybe even get your first sip of booze (as long as you don’t tell Mum and Dad).
Unfortunately, Aunt Kamiyu’s crazy pal Yuka was also there, and when she’s had a few drinks, she gets mean. I can’t remember the last time I saw Sakazaki as happy as she was when she realised there was fresh blood to bully in this match. Yuka gloried in drawing the boos from the crowd as she set to work tormenting the kids, grinding her boot into the top of poor Runa’s head and attempting to decapitate Haru with a spinning forearm.
And considering they were in the ring with someone as brutal as Sakazaki, I thought the kids did well. TJPW is easing them into things, keeping them as a pairing and making sure they stick to the basics, but they look a little more comfortable with every show, which has got to be the aim at this point in their career. Once that comes, the rest will follow. Outside of that, this was perfectly fine, but there wasn’t much to say about it. The focus was all on Haru and Runa trying to survive their first encounter with Yuka Sakazaki.
Verdict: Don’t Kill The Kids, Yuka
Daydream (Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe) defeated Pom Harajuku & HIMAWARI
I question HIKAWARI and Pom’s decision to shake the ropes during Rika’s entrance, but I love them for trying it. Someone has to experiment with what happens when you anger the beast. Actually, I love everything about them as a pairing. If The Dream Team are ever looking to expand, the Powerful Cheeky Chap might be the perfect candidate. She has all the right vibes.
This tag would make a perfect double-bill with Raku vs Shino for your Sunday night cosy wrestling watch, as everything about it made me happy. Whether it was Rika and Miu chasing Pom and HIMAWARI around the ring, HIMAWARI tiring on the continuous dropdown spot before Miu or the very fun extended Figure Four, it was an absolute joy to watch these four personalities bounce off each other. I’m not even sure they needed to wrestle, just shove them in a room and see what happens.
In the same way that Raku knew what her job was against Shino, this was an example of four people knowing the perfect atmosphere to bring to this point of the show. Yes, they delivered a touch of decent wrestling, but giving us a few laughs and some memorable spots was just as important. It made me smile, and I suspect I won’t be alone in that.
Verdict: More Pom And HIMAWARI, Please
Kyoraku Kyomei (Shoko Nakajima & Hyper Misao) defeated Yuki Aino & Haruna Neko
With Hyper Misao jetting off to America, she needs someone to keep an eye on Japan in her absence. Thankfully (although also a little sadly), Neko isn’t making the trip, so Misao decided to use this match to test if the wee cat is ready to stand in her stead.
Of course, that was all part of a ploy in which Misao bestowed her cape upon Neko, only to later cruelly take it away, the damn villain. However, it gave us the moment where the wee cat proudly stood in the centre of the ring, wearing her new cape, and that was lovely, so I’m willing to forgive everyone’s favourite superhero. Plus, it meant this was a Neko-heavy match, which I’ll always be quietly into. When she does get these chances, she rarely lets you down, and it’s a pleasure to see her show what she can do.
Outside of that, the highlights came from the snippets of Shoko vs Aino, as that speed vs power matchup is always guaranteed to be good. Then, to put the cherry on top, Misao actually did hand over her cape to Neko afterwards, trusting her to keep things ticking over smoothly in her absence. I would 100% watch a TV show about Super Wee Cat defending her local neighbourhood. Anyway, not to get too repetitive, but this was another enjoyable match. This show has been a very easy watch so far.
Verdict: Super Neko!
Mizuki, Suzume & Arisu Endo defated Hikari Noa, Nao Kakuta & Mahiro Kiryu
Mahiro felt like she'd been dragged out for the day by the rebel kids, occasionally giving in to them tempting her with the idea of smoking (aka throwing Suzume across the ring by the hair) but then remembering that’s not her and instantly starting to apologise. I’m not going to suggest that she could benefit from letting Free WiFi lead her down that path, but I’m also not saying she should completely avoid it. (By the way, if you haven't read George's fantastic article about Mahiro, mahjong and rookies, you really should).
The main focus of the main event wasn’t Mashiro, however, as it was all about Mizuki vs Nao, who continued to hint that their match could be a banger. They have a streak of meanness a mile wide, which, coincidentally, brings the best out of both of them, adding some real spice to their interactions. We also saw Mizuki go after Kakuta's leg, delivering a double stomp as it was trapped in the ropes, perhaps hinting at her plans to negate those boots to the face.
In the end, Kiryu’s walk on the wild side ended in defeat, and we learnt that Arisu still hasn’t bought a suitcase for her first trip overseas. Fingers crossed that she’s not been quite so relaxed about her passport. Anyway, this was another good match. Nao vs Mizuki was the highlight, but the whole thing was a decent watch, and I can’t imagine not having a nice time with it.
Verdict: Don’t Make Mahiro Smoke
Overall Show
I had a lovely time watching that show. Are there any matches that I think you desperately need to see? Probably not. However, if you're looking for some gentle, easy-watching wrestling that will make you smile, it will tick all those boxes.
Watch Tokyo Joshi Pro: https://www.wrestle-universe.com/en/videos?labels=-tjpw.