Hi Scott.
Just watching a few NJPW matches that you have recomended on YouTube and there have been some fantastic matches this year alone. The Shibata v Ishii match in paticular was incredible. 2 questions for you:
1) Why arn't NPJW on tv in the US? If someone bought the rights to the product and just added an American commentator, im sure the ratings would do well.
2) Do you have a top ten list of NJPW favourite matches, or even just top ten from this year?
Keep up the good work.
1) I dunno, because even if they packaged it with English commentary and put it on Hulu or Netflix I'd watch the SHIT out of it. Many people agree with me.
2) The Shibata-Ishii matches are indeed out of this world, anything with Tanahashi is fantastic (the Okada trilogy are all ***** and he had a ***** match with Minoru Suzuki last year). Really, any combination of the Tanahashi/Okada/Prince Devitt/Karl Anderson crew is going to give you something tremendous. One match I really loved earlier this year was Tanahashi v. Devitt, which was a rare "sports entertainment" style match in the middle of a bunch of hard-hitting mat-based matches, and it made for a GREAT contrast, even if it was only **** instead of Tanahashi's usual ****1/2 and above. Honestly, it's incredibly difficult to go wrong with any of these guys.
I like Anderson, but he seems a little out of his league surrounded by those workrate monsters.
ReplyDeleteGod dammit, why can't WWE have programs that are instant ***** just by plugging certain guys in?
ReplyDeleteHe definitely rose to the occasion in the matches I saw.
ReplyDeleteNJPW in the U.S. would only appeal to a niche audience. Well really - if you consider 'pro wrestling' in general to be a niche, then it would be a niche of a niche. If they get picked up it would be by a relatively small channel and one that is not part of the standard cable packages...kind of like how HDNET briefly had ROH a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteI think some sort of Internet programming - like Scott mentioned would be a a more viable option.
Shinsuke Nakamura.
ReplyDeleteI just don't see Japanese wrestling getting over much here just because of how different the art form is. I don't see most wrestling fans sticking with the angles.
ReplyDeleteI would be rather shocked if NJPW could garner any decent television rating at all when you consider the ratings that mainstream wrestling get, and that NJPW would appeal to only a small portion of that audience, and virtually no one outside of that audience. Some sort of internet deal could potentially work,
ReplyDeleteThis. One of the best pro wrestlers in the world. Can't wait for him to get another main event run.
ReplyDeleteI made this point in another thread, but puro is like F1, except puro companies are smart enough to know that shit just isn't profitable in the U.S. That being said, I don't understand why puro companies don't even try to sell DVDs in the U.S. And if NJPW were to put the Tokyo Dome show on U.S. PPV it would probably do a bigger buyrate than BFG did.
ReplyDeleteIshii vs Tanahashi from...sometime in 2012? Was goddamn amazing. I'll echo the Shibata love, Nakamura too. And yeah, Tanahashi vs Devitt the Prick was awesome, but Devitt challenging Rainmaker at the end of the show made my jaw drop, just awesome stuff. I haven't fan-boy'd over wrestling like this in a loooong time.
ReplyDeleteI was only familiar with him during his rookie years, so to come back and see him as "King of Strong Style" was a nice surprise.
ReplyDeleteHis promo/angle at the end of their last big PPV a couple weeks ago was STRONG!!! Very, very good worker who has really developed an awesome persona on the mic. Bullet Club is a great fit for him.
ReplyDelete1. Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (VI) ***** - 10/14/13
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzrNdUP6tNU
2. Tomohiro Ishii vs. Katsuyori Shibata ***** - 08/04/13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7XNWEmyZLo
3. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Hirooki Goto ***** - 6/22/13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dYgVr7XN7I
4. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kota Ibushi ***** - 08/04/13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4DHIIUS2Ms
5. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Karl Anderson **** ¾ - 02/10/13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2vreY7SdNQ
6. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii **** ¾ - 08/02/13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTxWRNYB7tE
7. Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (IV) **** ¾ - 04/07/13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UClzX0Uo4Fk
8. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada (III) **** ¾ - 01/04/13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aafsutcVl8
9. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada (V) **** ½ - 08/10/13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYKEUe70As4
10. Prince Devitt vs. Gedo **** ½ - 07/20/13
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x11unrj_prince-devitt-vs-gedo-njpw-kizuna-road-2013_sport?search_algo=2
Honorable Mention: Kazuchika Okada vs. Togi Makabe **** ½ - 06/22/13
I really need to stop being lazy.... I've been watching pretty much every single show I can since KOPW last year. It's just far and away the best promotion out there. Also hope this comes out right but no offense Scott but Tanahashi and Okada have met 6 times! None of them were anything less then ****. Also it looks like we're getting Tanahashi vs Ishii at the next ppv on the 9th.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I havent seen all these yet. Are these your star ratings?
ReplyDeleteHe has risen to the occasion. To be fair, it's hardly an insult to say he's not in the same class as Tanahashi/Nakamura/Okada/Devitt. He's really good, not generational talent good.
ReplyDeleteThere's just no way anyone but wwe is going to do decent tv ratings in the US, but as part of a Netflix or Hulu deal, it would be a no-brainer.
ReplyDeleteMay I interest you in all of my likes?
ReplyDeleteYes, they are my star ratings, but I would assume they are pretty consistent with the general public. I think a lot of people gave ***** to the match that I have at #7, but I couldn't go the full monty, being that I never actually thought the winner was in question. I might be the only person who went ***** on Nakamura/Ibushi (Meltzer, for instance, went **** ¾), but I had serious thoughts of putting it in the Top 3. It's that good.
ReplyDeleteI know Bryan Alvarez has Suzuki/Ishii as his MOTY, but I had it at around #12 or so. Just shows you how good of a year they've really had. The only match on this list that someone might consider a reach would be #10, but that match is so amazing. Gedo totally stepping it up and main eventing a PPV and then going out there and having THAT match. Just awesome..
English commentary is the only reason I haven't tried... I just don't think I could handle it otherwise
ReplyDeleteYeah, all of my wrestling fan friends have similar views. I think it's because i'm super interested in Japanese culture that it doesn't bug me, but I did have to do a little reading about the guys and the style before it really clicked.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see english dubs though, more accessibility would be great.
Okada/Makabe had such an awesome crowd behind it.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone recommend where you would start to follow this stuff? I’ve always liked the Japanese style but struggle due to not understanding what the fuck is happening in the storylines. I mean, if something happens in a match that relates to an angle, usually you’ve got a commentator there explaining why ‘such and such’ is significant, but in this case it flies right over my head.
ReplyDeleteI guess classic angles from the past are probably a good idea too (if anyone has any suggestions?) because I can at least get an idea what’s going on by looking at a wrestlers wiki page or whatever.
YouTube has a lot of New Japan shows from around 2011 to present day so you may want to start at that point.
ReplyDeletePiece of advice though: Avoid watching any current All Japan shows. Those extremely tiny crowds will depress the hell out of you, it's even more depressing to discover that Combat Zone Wrestling of all promotions currently sells more tickets than either All Japan or TNA.
I'll have to check it out, thanks. Really it's just a case of knowing a little of the back story. For example, I found this one before which has a little snippet in the 'about' section to tell you wants going on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn3j8iGxbQs
ReplyDeleteAnother thing is that all this stuff is so much more accessible these days, so there is no excuse really not to go back and check it out. Back in the day you'd have to pay a bunch of cash to some tape trader and hope the quality turned out ok.
For the longest time, wrestling in Japan was just two fat guys in black tights chopping and dropping each other on their heads. I guess it's different now?
ReplyDeleteCena/Punk? Punk/Bryan? Cesaro/Punk? Cesaro/Bryan? Cesaro/Cena? Cena/Bryan?
ReplyDeleteThat's six matches.
Wasn't Regal talking up Prince Devitt to WWE's front office in an attempt to get him signed?
ReplyDeleteIt blows my mind that Gedo is now apparently a good-to-great worker at times. All I remember is the Internet FROTHING with rage at him because of his "Best of the Super Junior" Tournament victories and pushes. Someone by 2000 was pointing out that Gedo's only critics "haven't seen a Gedo match since 1992".
ReplyDeleteI'm shocked that apparently they can't get on any American network in any time slot.
ReplyDeleteThey'd find their audience, without a doubt.
NOAH sells DVDs in the US.
ReplyDeleteThey offer English dubs now. You have to actually order the iPPV though.
ReplyDeleteHe's better (IMO) than Okada, and healthier than Tanahashi. He should be holding the IWGP title, but at least he's been IC champion most of the past year.
ReplyDeleteOh man. Just watched watched that Okada vs Tananashi that you had at 1 and it was FUCKING AWESOME. Incredible stuff. Even though I couldnt read anything in the screen ir understand anything the announcers said, it had that HUGE sports feel, kinda like a big boxing match, as opposed to the big sports entertainment feel. I miss this.
ReplyDeleteI know I've mentioned this before but Fight Network in Canada has Fighting Spirit Wrestling which compiles matches from CMLL and NJPW with English commentary. Quite good selection.
ReplyDeleteYou really think so?
ReplyDeleteI guess that we'll just have to agree to be shocked at opposite ends of the spectrum then.
Yeah, that's what I'm getting at, I'm not trying to insult Anderson, Tanahashi and company are just awe-inspiring in their consistency
ReplyDeleteBullet Club might be my favorite heel stable ever. They also prove how interference, when used very infrequently, can add a lot of drama.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else remember how ridiculous Gedo used to look? So funny he's now a phenomenal booker
ReplyDeleteFor the longest time, wrestling in America was just two steroid-filled monsters punching each other. I guess it's different now?
ReplyDeleteHopefully you can plug some Zayn match ups in there before too long, basically anytime the Shield gets plugged into a tag match and given time it's close to at least 4 stars, and really, Ambrose and Rollins seem like they'll be doing some really impressive matches for a while to come.
ReplyDeleteI love the Shield, but I'm also really looking forward to Ambrose establishing his own identity. I really hope he gets near the tippy top before Punk's long alluded to early retirement kicks in, so the two of them can go crazy at each other in a feud.
I dunno, I think the 'E has a ton of guys who can go out and do a four snowflake affair when given time. They've got enough young, impressive guys that I don't even really feel that strongly that Ziggler's being wasted.
Bullet Club's wiki says they get massive heat because almost no one else interferes as regularly as they do in the history of Japenese wrestling (which is still LESS then the amount done be anyone in wwe)
ReplyDeleteis that at all acurate?
For the longest time, wrestling in general was based off racism and zenophobia while two guys hugged each other for 30 minutes.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's different now?
David Ditch over at InsidePulse. As much as I hate that site, his Puro coverage is immaculate.
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about the history of Japanese wrestling, but they do interfere in their matches and it seems like that's the worst possible thing in Japanese wrestling. I like it because the interference isn't some over the top, blatant thing. It's usually something sort of minor that's still bullshit.
ReplyDeleteIt fits well with their gimmick because Devitt is like this super arrogant American and not only is that a global stereotype, it's sort of the epitome of American wrestling. The drama in the Tanahashi match was Tanahashi is fighting the "right" way and you're worried he can't overcome the interference, but you really want to see him kick Devitt's ass.
Bullet Club is sort of like the original DX only they're arrogant gaijin instead of obnoxious man children.
Good comparison. It would be a total dream match to see KES (or Demolition for that matter) against the Steiners (when they were in their prime).
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't seen it yet, you should check out the DBS Jr. vs. Archer match from the G1 Climax tournament. It might be the best partner vs. partner match I've ever seen. From the bell they decide there will be no hard feelings and then proceed to beat the hell out of each other for the duration of the contest.
We are becoming Herb Kuntze in the 90's
ReplyDeleteHe couldn't have been a whiny, lying misogynist. Maybe his promos weren't written by him, but he's the guy who said them. They made him across to be a TOTAL douchebag.
ReplyDeleteI get your point and I agree. Ziggler is talented, but he's nowhere near as good as Zayn, Cesaro or the SHIELD.
He dicked himself over. He had quite possibly the worst face turn I've ever seen. He already has a punchable face, no need to play up the dudebro coolness.
ReplyDeleteSome sports channels have stuff like snooker and darts on in the wee hours in the morning, along with women's sports that nobody watches. You guys have like 200 sports channels, and none of them can carry Japanese wrestling?
ReplyDeleteMaybe. But there's a lot of American indies that aren't on those channels, and there's no culture gap with those.
ReplyDeleteAnd even if they did find a slot, I doubt that it would draw darts numbers.
Fair point. But then again, after over a decade, I'm surprised ROH didn't find a place on 2:00 AM sports TV.
ReplyDeleteI'm out of the loop!
So, I realize Puro isn't as gimmick based... but Okado's a sort of new age Ric Flair, right? or is that off base?
ReplyDeletejust gonna reply to this again so I can find it without scanning a month back.
ReplyDelete