Slayer 0 Report post Posted October 9, 2003 For supposedly being among NJPW's big three heavys in the 90's (with Mutoh and Chono), I can't find any matches of him from the usual suspects for d/ling. I have seen that he held the NJ title three times in the mid-90's for long periods at a time, included the longest reign time-wise (though not a lot of defenses), but I've heard mixed reviews about him and his wrestling ability. What can you tell me about him? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Maccam16 Report post Posted October 9, 2003 I can't speak for his entire career, but from what I've seen of him he's ok. He uses a lot of strikes and DDT variants. I was never really surprised by any of his matches, he never really switched it up. He's one of those guys like Inoki, they love him over there because of his status, not necessarily his wrestling ability. And he's a little overweight, meaning not everyone can get a good offense in on him. Personally I find many of his matches boring and long-winded. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dangerous A 0 Report post Posted October 9, 2003 Hash's strengths are his fire and his ability to make a match look like a fight. Yeah, he wasn't the most agile guy on the roster, but he hit hard and had an intensity that could be felt through his work. He was really good at making matches look like they were breaking out into shoots and he conveys anger as well as anyone in the industry. He is an aquired taste though. I'd suggest watching more NJ heavies work and slowly ease yourself into Hashimoto matches. You may end up liking him or hating him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EL DANDY~! 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2003 He isn't called Asskicking Elvis for nothing. Hash is a hard kicker who is very good when it comes to mixing it up with somebody. He can also drop you on your head really hard. I think that if you wanna see what Hash embodies, that you start with his match with Tenryu in 98, which is just an asswhooping on both sides, with Tenryu being a young and spry 48 years young in that match. But Hash isn't what the NJ style is all about, so like Dangerous A said, it's much better to start with people like Chono and Mutoh, and kinda pick and choose your Hash matches. You might find some diamonds in the rough if you look hard enough. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Black Tiger Report post Posted October 10, 2003 The Hashimoto tag match from the 1/4/00 Tokyo Dome show is a deffinate one to check out. Hashimoto is a lot like Chono, he mostly just strikes and does his big moves, but he can still use that to create a great match. Hashimoto not only had the longest reign, he also at one point held the record for the most defenses (broken by Yuji Nagata in April of this year) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coffin Surfer 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2003 (edited) I'm not a big fan of the New Japan Heavies, and my viewing is very limited. Still, by simply browsing the JDW's New Japan ballot on Death Valley Driver, I spotted a shit load of Hash on the list. Counting the just missed list, there's more Hash single matches than even Mutoh or Chono. That defiantly says that there is something special about him. So maybe you should swing that way and check out some of the guy's more acclaimed matches. And the not everyone can get a good offense on him comment may be true now(I don't know, I'm just guessing something lead you to make that comment), but I've seen Hash properly take powerbombs from guys as small as Jushin Lyger so it evidently wasn't always true. I bring it up, because seeing a 300 pound man take a 200 pound man's powerbomb really caught my eye, and impressed me. So I wouldn't be surprised if this is like people taking a couple of quick looks at Taue, and proclaiming he can't take people's big moves, when if one was to look at his more acclaimed performances they will see him taking the Tiger Suplex 85, Sheer drop Germans, and Backdrop Drivers. Edited October 10, 2003 by Coffin Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest RickyChosyu Report post Posted October 10, 2003 If you look at the Matches to Check Out thread pinned at the top of this very board, you'll find plenty of Hash pimping. From Chris Coey's top 20 NJPW matches: 9. Keiji Mutoh vs. Shin'ya Hashimoto, G1 Climax Final, 8/15/95 - ****1/4 13. Riki Choshu vs. Shin'ya Hashimoto, G1 Climax, 8/2/96 - **** 18. Hiroshi Hase vs. Shin'ya Hashimoto, IWGP Title, 12/13/94 - ***3/4 20. Shin'ya Hashimoto vs. Nobuhiko Takada, IWGP Title, 4/29/96 - ***3/4 From xdojimex's list: Hashimoto vs. Tenryu 2/24/94 ****1/4 Hashimoto vs. Liger 3/05/94 ***3/4 Hashimoto/Hirata vs. Chono/Tenzan 12/23/95 **** Not all of those are widely discussed (especially the last two from xdojimex) but several are highly regarded with just about everyone who follows all of New Japan and not just the juniors. The thing that probably limits Hash the most is that, out of the Three Musqueteers, he took the longest to be recognized as a very good worker. While Mutoh and Chono had the fantastic G1 Final in '91 and the great tags against Hase/Sasaki in '90-91 to put them on the map, Hash doesn't really show up on any "Great Matches" lists until 1994. It's unfortunate, because with Mutoh being careless and lazy as often as he was, and with Chono's work falling off due to injuries, Hash was far better than them for a good while and a great draw before the Ogowa feud killed his popularity. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest TheGame2705 Report post Posted October 10, 2003 Hashimoto was one of my favorites on the puro tapes I bought. Someone hit the nail on the head when they said he makes matches look like they're degenerating into shoots. That's what I loved. It looked like he was so pissed when he was fighting that I cheered like crazy when he beat Takada in one of the matches. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
