Hey Joshi Fans!

[Guest goodhelmet]

Are there any particular shows I should go out of my way for from 1995-1998? The only show I have from this era is the RAge in the Cage from 9/97. I have most of the great 92-93 shows so don't mention Dreamslam or Dream Rush and the like. Thanks to anyone who can help!

[Guest Crippler15]

I thought the 8/30/95 show was pretty great.

[Guest wolverine]

Go get the AJW TV from 2001, bro. It rules it.

[Guest Jubuki]

Except for the December TV. And the March. And the May. They're all pretty bad.

[Guest wolverine]

"Except for the December TV. And the March. And the May. They're all pretty bad."

 

I didn't bother to get those, but I do have 7/8, 8/17, and 9/15-16. I loved the July and September main events, and the August show in general.

[Guest Jubuki]

Well, telling people to get "the 2001 TV" from a sample size of 25% doesn't exactly work...

[Guest wolverine]

"Well, telling people to get "the 2001 TV" from a sample size of 25% doesn't exactly work..."

 

I should've been more specific. I would definitely recommend the shows that I've seen thus far, and from various reviews, the 6/1 and 7/27 shows sound solid also. But I wouldn't mind seeing the 2/28 for the elimination match, or the 5/4 for the Momoe-Maekawa and Ito-Hotta matches just to see what all the fuss is about, even if they're not that good.

 

Hope that clarifies it a bit.

 

Edit: And getting back to the main question about 1995-1998. I personally don't own any AJW from 1996-1999, so I can't comment, but there are highly regarded TV shows in August '97 that feature a Toyota-Ito and Toyota-Kong match that were rated pretty highly. I do own a good deal of stuff from 1995, and I honestly wouldn't recommend anything except for 6/27/95 and 8/30/95. Lots of highly overrated stuff that year IMO. The Toyota-Kyoko 60 minute draw is worthwhile if you can find it. Sixty minute matches aren't my cup of tea, but this is entertaining. Maybe ****1/4 from my last viewing.

[Guest RickyChosyu]

While there are several helpfull insights in this thread, I had been meaning to ask about something in regards to the Rage in the Cage comercial tape for some time. That is, how good would it be as an introduction to Joshi? I know the usual interpromotional events are heavilly-touted by everyone, but I don't feel like spending the money at triplecrowntapes.com right now, it would be much easier for me to just splice in Rage in the Cage '97 onto a comp instead.

 

I've read Chris's review and Mike Lorefice's, too, but I'm still not sure if it's an adequette intro to the nuances of the style, the major players that influence it, and so on.

[Guest Jubuki]

RitC isn't exactly representative of Joshi in any discernible ways, other than the fact that women are involved. There's little to it that doesn't sprout up in men's matches & feds, so it's not somewhere to start if you want a good feel for it.

 

If you can get a solid copy of the Dump/Chigusa hair v hair rematch, I'd get that. And then keep in mind that the wrestling is one Hell of a lot better now and still plays on the same kinds of emotional chords.

[Guest wolverine]

The Rage in the Cage main event is highly touted, but if there's one Joshi tag team match to start out with, it's Dream Rush (Toyota/Yamada vs. Kansai/Ozaki 11/26/92). Trust me, you won't regret it. I think it's the best match ever, and so do plenty of other people.

[Guest RickyChosyu]

Thanks a bunch for the advice. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble finding a good copy of Dream Rush and any copy at all of Dump/Chigusa on any of the usual sites. Would Lynch be the best person to talk to, or am I looking in the wrong places for Joshi?

[Guest wolverine]

"Would Lynch be the best person to talk to, or am I looking in the wrong places for Joshi?"

 

Yes, Lynch has all the Joshi you could want. You could also try Lorefice, but he's more expensive.

[Guest PlatypusFool]

I want Dream Rush very badly, but living in the UK prevents it

[Guest wolverine]

If you ever get a chance, get the Big Egg Universe show (11/20/94). Nothing remotely close to DR's main event on there, but Aja-Toyota is fucking fantastic and a must-see. I'm in the group that likes it more than Hokuto-Kandori, but that group is very small.

[Guest PlatypusFool]

Eventually I will pick up the big egg show, probly after a bit more recent NJPW and some more 96 Michinoku-Pro... I'm sure you all needed to know that

[Guest RickyChosyu]

If you ever get a chance, get the Big Egg Universe show (11/20/94). Nothing remotely close to DR's main event on there, but Aja-Toyota is fucking fantastic and a must-see. I'm in the group that likes it more than Hokuto-Kandori, but that group is very small.

By Hokuto/Kandori, I'm assuming you mean the one from Dreamslam I. The reason I ask is because while checking around Chris's Joshi reviews, that's the only match I could find (besides Dream Rush, of course) that he gave five stars, which really is something. I'll have to see them both to judge, I guess.

[Guest wolverine]

There are only three Joshi matches that I would give *****:

 

Toyota/Yamada vs. Kansai/Ozaki 11/26/92

Hokuto vs. Kandori 4/2/93

Kong vs. Toyota 11/20/94

 

That's all.

[Guest Jubuki]

Whew...I was starting to wonder if you were one of those "Kandori sucked, so Hokuto/Kandori isn't all that" people. I think what a lot of people don't get about that match is that, had Kandori performed that way against, oh, Kyoko or Yamada first, we'd be saying to ourselves, "Why did Kandori only have that one really awesome match and then never reached that level again?" instead of bowing down at the Altar of Akira. Well, *I* would still bow, but just for different reasons. It's just hard to be impressive when you've got one of the best 2 or 3 performances of all time to compete with...but I was impressed by Kandori the last time I watched.

[Guest PlatypusFool]

I wasn't sure that Kandori / Hokuto was that good when I watched it, possibly just ****, not the classic everyone reckons. Then I went and read Chris' review, learnt about the background to the match and understood why it was so good. I still wouldn't call it *****, just because there isn't enough actual wrestling, and that annoyed me, but it's at least ****1/2.

 

Edit: Granted, I'm not very experienced on Joshi, so if i'm just annoyed with this match because of a stylistic thing rather than anything else then I apolagise, I try to rate all forms of wrestling on the same scale.

[Guest The Son of Sting]

I want Dream Rush very badly, but living in the UK prevents it

 

Im in the UK Platypus and have a copy. E-mail me if your intrested, [email protected]

[Guest wolverine]

"It's just hard to be impressive when you've got one of the best 2 or 3 performances of all time to compete with...but I was impressed by Kandori the last time I watched."

 

If you could tell me what performance(s) were better than Hokuto's that night, I'd like to see it. Since I think her performance was better than Kawada's during the RWTL '93 match.

[Guest Jubuki]

Actually, I was just being judicious, as I thought there'd be a chance you thought Kawada was better on 12/3/93 or 10/25/95...but I should know by now you're wiser than that!

[Guest RickyChosyu]

Sounds like a lot of stuff I need to see. My pay check can't arive fast enough.

[Guest deadbeater]

Damn, I just can't help but think that poor Molly every night watches these joshi tapes for inspiration, then go to the arena locker room, look at the roster she has to now single-handedly carry, and can do nothing but sigh, "After Malia Hosaka, Monster Ripper and Madusa, these divas are a big letdown."

 

I have a 6-hr compilation tape bought from an ECW show featuring great quality joshi puroesu, including the infamous Akira Hokuto-Aja Kong match that almost destroyed a gym. It also features some Manami Toyota goodness. Not dure of the dates, though.

[Guest goodhelmet]

Thanks a bunch for the advice. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble finding a good copy of Dream Rush and any copy at all of Dump/Chigusa on any of the usual sites. Would Lynch be the best person to talk to, or am I looking in the wrong places for Joshi?

I just purchased Dream Rush, Rage In the Cage, Mid-Summer Typhoon and a couple of other Joshi tapes from Lynch last month and they were all excellent quality. Not one complaint. The only tapes I would be hesitant to purchase from Lynch are lucha tapes since those seem to be the only tapes from him with any flaws. I was considerably disappointed in his copy of AAA When Worlds Collide. Other than that, I don't even bother with any of the other sites when purchasing puro or joshi.