Japanese stuff for people who like n.a. wrestling

[Guest thebear]

If I'm looking for more North American styled wrestling in Japan, what would I look for? I've watched some AJPW, and it seems too psychological, not enough action going on, and I'm not too big a fan of the head bump "Psychology"

 

If I'm looking for more modern (North American) style wrestling in Japan, what would I look for?

[Guest MrDanger]

FMW circa 95-98 is probably your best bet, kind of like a high quality version of ECW with plenty of brawls, great wrestling and easy to follow storylines.

[Guest Black Tiger]

New Japan from 1993-97 would be your best bet. They often traded talent with WCW and their junior divison was what the Cruiserweight Division was based on.

 

FMW twords the end was using lots of WWE style booking with gimmicks and storylines.

[Guest RickyChosyu]

It's fine if you didn't like All Japan too much, it's your preference, but are you sure you picked the right time frame? AJPW's focus of "head dropping" is generally considered one of the biggest downfalls of the promotion.

 

As for other recomendations, I'm a huge mark for the juniors, and I think they provide the absolute best translation, so I would go with pretty much any NJPW Jr.'s or M Pro from circa '96. Oh, and get the J-Cups, if you haven't seen them.

[Guest wolverine]

If I'm looking for more North American styled wrestling in Japan, what would I look for? I've watched some AJPW, and it seems too psychological, not enough action going on, and I'm not too big a fan of the head bump "Psychology"

 

This really doesn't make any sense, as dropping someone on their head isn't "psychology" as you say, it's something designed to get a pop, at a time when the promotion was dying and fans weren't reacting to anything else (circa 1998-2000).

 

I'm a HUGE fan of AJPW from 1990-1993, because it was wrestling at its absolute best, with some of the hottest crowds I've ever heard.  Up and down the card you had great matches, not just from the main eventers, but from the mid carders on up.  The focus was on stiff, credible wrestling, mixing in entertaining highspots as well.  

 

Just today I was watching the Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta match from 9/1/90, and I couldn't believe my ears how loud the crowd was.  Amazing, off the charts heat with an incredible match to boot.  This shit smokes everything AJPW did in 1998-2000.  If that's all you've seen of AJPW, you're really missing the boat, and you shouldn't generalize what that promotion was based on from that stuff.

[Guest Jubuki]

AJ at its best was U.S. style with more bumping and faster work anyway; watch a large enough sample size from 81-93, and it's easy to see.  If you can watch Flair/Steamboat or Flair/Race or Flair/Funk, you can watch the early 80's AJ, understand it from a similar perspective, and move forward from there to see how it evolved.

 

If you're looking for WWF/ECW-type stuff, though, FMW is the way to go.  Might be why I don't watch FMW hardly at all.

[Guest MRFTW]

I'll say FMW too, though stay away from the latter years when they gor REALLY Americanized.

 

You'll probably like Toryumon as well.

[Guest wolverine]

AJ at its best was U.S. style with more bumping and faster work anyway; watch a large enough sample size from 81-93, and it's easy to see.  If you can watch Flair/Steamboat or Flair/Race or Flair/Funk, you can watch the early 80's AJ, understand it from a similar perspective, and move forward from there to see how it evolved.

And the culmination of this period was on December 3, 1993, with the Misawa/Kobashi vs. Kawada/Taue match, which I feel was the pinnacle of men's wrestling at that point.  In some ways, this is my favorite AJPW tag, and a strong candidate for greatest match of all-time.  Although I don't think so anymore, I did say "this is the greatest match of all-time" when it was over....

[Guest Coffin Surfer]

I agree with All Japan early 90 as a great place to start, because it is the best.  But I would also recommend the match that introduced me to All Japan puro and is a decent place to start: Kobashi/Taue/Akiyama vs. Misawa/Kawada/Hase.  

 

Not sure exact date, Jeff Lynch included it on a comp. he made for me when I first got into puro.  Anyway the match really isn't a classic(at least I don't think so), but its a great intro to the top guys of the mid 90s and doesn't require an   understanding of past storylines to enjoy.  

 

The match goes the distance, but its nonstop action all the way.  Its loaded with stiff ass brawling, and lots of high impact moves(Exploders, Brainbusters, Powerbombs, Chokeslams).  A fan of North American wrestling should love it.

[Guest wolverine]

I agree with All Japan early 90 as a great place to start, because it is the best.  But I would also recommend the match that introduced me to All Japan puro and is a decent place to start: Kobashi/Taue/Akiyama vs. Misawa/Kawada/Hase.  

 

Not sure exact date, Jeff Lynch included it on a comp. he made for me when I first got into puro.  Anyway the match really isn't a classic(at least I don't think so), but its a great intro to the top guys of the mid 90s and doesn't require an   understanding of past storylines to enjoy.  

 

The match goes the distance, but its nonstop action all the way.  Its loaded with stiff ass brawling, and lots of high impact moves(Exploders, Brainbusters, Powerbombs, Chokeslams).  A fan of North American wrestling should love it.

It's 9/15/97.  Here's what Lorefice (quebrada.net) said:

 

"Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada & Hiroshi Hase vs. Akira Taue & Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama. Hase does a 30-rep giant swing to Taue. Jun KO’s Kawada with his own suichoku rakka shiki brainbuster, and Kawada does some of the best selling of his career to put it over. Hase didn’t really seem to fit in, and he was in too much with Taue. Final 10 minutes were excellent with everyone going all out, but overall it should have been a lot better and much more intense. ****"

[Guest Coffin Surfer]

Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada & Hiroshi Hase vs. Akira Taue & Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama. Hase does a 30-rep giant swing to Taue. Jun KO’s Kawada with his own suichoku rakka shiki brainbuster, and Kawada does some of the best selling of his career to put it over. Hase didn’t really seem to fit in, and he was in too much with Taue. Final 10 minutes were excellent with everyone going all out, but overall it should have been a lot better and much more intense. ****"

 

Yep thats the one.  **** sounds about right, I always saw it as ***1/2 or ***3/4. The match wasn't so much storytelling, as it was everybody showing off.  Which is why I think it's a  great place for an American fan to start.  

 

I agree with Kawada doing some of his best selling.  He looked like he was dead after taking the Sheer Drop Brainbuster.  But I would say Jen actually did the best Brainbuster selling of the night.  After Jun gets killed by the Brainbuster, Kobashi runs in, and clears the ring.  He than drags Jun's lifeless corpse to the corner and tags himself in.   Jun lays passed out in the corner for like 10 mins.  Now that's putting a move over.

[Guest wolverine]

I really liked Jun back then.  Showed lots of fire and energy.  It disappoints me to see what he's become now.  There's no reason why he shouldn't be The Man in Japan right now, but he just doesn't have "it" in him.

[Guest gusmahler]

If you want NA-style wrestling, try UPN on Thursdays and TNN on Mondays.  :-)

 

Don't mean to be rude, but I thought Japanese wrestling is an alternative.  If it is the same as American wrestling, why watch (you won't understand the promos unless you speak Japanese)?  I thought most who watched Lucha or AJPW or NJPW, etc., watched precisely because it was different.  If they wanted the same, WWE has a huge tape library.

[Guest PlatypusFool]

That is a rediculously good point Mr. Mahler - unless this guy has everything the WWE / WWF, WCW and ECW have ever done, why would he want to go into puroresu?

[Guest wolverine]

I somewhat disagree with that.  I don't know if he was talking about the U.S. style as far as promos etc, or the style of wrestling.  If he was talking about promos, then yes, stick with WWF.  But as far as wrestling style, early 90's AJ is like U.S. style from the 80's but at a faster pace.  It's something that a U.S. fan will be able to get into, as opposed to 2001-2002 New Japan with all of the crappy shoot stuff.

[Guest thebear]

Exactly, I'm looking to expand my horizions... I have a shitload of WWF PPV's (80) and other North American promotions and indy shows (40-50)...

 

I hear alot of good things about puro, but I want to transition myself into it, because I hear japanese wrestling has a farther spectrum of styles than north american wrestling

[Guest J*ingus]

I'm just waiting for someone to suggest Go Gundam or "Mayhem in the Atrium" to some poor unsuspecting sucker.

[Guest wolverine]

Like everyone says, the 1994 and 1995 Super J Cups are the way to go.  They have lots of people who you'd be familiar with like Benoit, Jericho, Guerrero, Taka, Rey Jr., Ultimo Dragon, etc in different environments.  Lots of good stuff to be found there.

[Guest PlatypusFool]

"Exactly, I'm looking to expand my horizions..."

 

All we're saying is that if you are looking to expand your horizons, why do you want things that are like the WWF / WWE? If you want to experience new styles of wrestling, then ask for that, not new versions of the same stuff.

 

If you want to expand your horizons, do go for some mid-90's FMW, but also the Super J Cups from 94 and 95, and Toryumon Comes To Japan is also a good door in I find. Sorry to misunderstand you, but you probly should have been a bit more clear