Here we are with the second half of 2002 GAEA. If you're new to this project, I am cherry picking what looks to be the very best that GAEA has to offer. This is based on reviews others have given and now that I've watched a good chunk, some personal preferences.

Meiko Satomura vs. Chikayo Nagashima (06/02): Who the fuck is clapping when they trade finishers and no sell them? Do they actually believe it would be a pin? Talk about killing their moves off and not thinking. It makes no damn sense. And its a shame because they were doing so well but they cannot go longer than 15 minutes in singles...They sell the pain, they sell the desire to win but fuck its Death Valley Driver and Fisherman Buster every three moves or so it seems. Fuck...for real...I nearly gave up on this...it's stupid at this point...but it was over a minute later. Although it sounds like I absolutely hated it, the selling and intensity were fantastic but they repeated way too much for me to say this was anything beyond an OK match...like *** stars would be generous..it's just more of what I didn't like about the 04/14 match. If you're gonna pick, watch the 04/14 one.

KAORU vs Meiko Satomura (06/30): This was suggested to me and I thought 'why not?I haven't seen enough KAORU for '02.' And whoa this was a great small show ace baby face vs heel (and her seconds) match. Lots of shenanigans but everything was really well timed with fun spots. It's not trying to look epic and therefore feels more organic... and it a better match. Satomura looks badass as ace in this one.

Meiko Satomura & Ayako Hamada vs LCO (07/14/02): Oh yeah, about 15 minutes long, this is all killer! LCO still has it and Hamada & Satomura put on a near classic match. I dug the intensity and scrappy nature of the bout. I also liked all of the strikes here. It was a good example of Satomura using her strikes later in the match instead of repeating the Death Valley Driver. You know they didn't pull out everything and maybe why I reserve considering this a classic bout but damn it is awesome. The finishing stretch was phenomenal and the ending felt perfectly timed and fitting. 

Manami Toyota & Aja Kong vs. Meiko Satomura & Ayako Hamada (08/30/02): 20 of 22 minutes shown and this was a classic GAEA tag match! Everything looked and worked great - perhaps since there's so much familiarity? But this is a relatively fresh match up with Toyota and Hamada. What I really liked were the cut-offs. There were a few occasions where it looked like one move was going to happen and an opponent would cut it off. So, this had that that element of surprise that is so important in making a bout feel like a competition. 

Carlos Amano vs. Ran YuYu (10/20): Saw this recommended on the match discussion archives and am glad I checked it out! Jetlag created the entry. Man! This was great stuff. It's way more creative and fresh than Satomura vs Nagashima... I don't know how these two (who are curtain jerking this big show) understand some of the basics better than your top two homegrown wrestlers. This was full of surprises. I definitely recommend it to anyone interested. I'm glad that I took the time to watch this one!

Mayumi Ozaki & KAORU vs. Meiko Satomura & Ayako Hamada (10/20): This was a blast! Maybe chalk it up to me watching TNA & ECW lately but I dug the shenanigans with KAORU & Oz (Police too) cheating - sneaking in weapons, fighting with the ref etc. None of it hurt the match but that possibility was always there...that the heels would get a cheap win. Instead we get an action packed match with weapons, fun tag spots and a good heel vs baby face battle. Satomura and Hamada are a great team and seeing them against Ozaki and KAORU was great. They brought out the best of each other. I thought this was a classic match but only if you can enjoy a bit of cheating and ref distractions etc. in the name of fun ECW & FMW fans would want to see this.

Chikayo Nagashima vs. Manami Toyota (10/20): Very good title match for Nagashima vs the veteran Toyota. Lots of good moves and appreciated the mat wrestling. I don't really like the onslaught of nearfalls for the finishing segment. Anymore, I like to be surprised and I think that 'trading near falls' trope is played out. And that's not a criticism of this match alone...I think 2000's and beyond wrestling falls into that...without offering genuine surprise. GAEA benefits from 15 minute or less matches and I think this goes longer than they needed and padded with near falls. Toyota and Kyoko are the progenitors of this style with their 05/07/95 being the start of it. Still I think this was a very good match and an good showing from both wrestlers. Nagashima is tremendously limited as a singles wrestler though... she only does 5 moves when she gets into the final stretch and that hurts her. **Spoiler** I'm glad to see the strap off her waist...hopefully 2003 will get her back in tag matches.

Manami Toyota & Aja Kong vs. Meiko Satomura & Ayako Hamada (11/10/02): 18 of 27 minutes shown. This isn't as top of the line as their other match as Aja gets hurt on a brutal STO onto a metal can. But damn they feel like they are fighting... it's not the big time epic in terms of moves since there's a couple strikes that don't hit (and I'm guessing other flubs may have been clipped out). All that said, this was a hard fought tag team battle. Everyone was beat up by the end of this. Gritty joshi tag match. I dug it.

Chigusa Nagayo & Toshie Uematsu vs Mayumi Ozaki & KAORU (12/15): Awesome super intense 5 minute match. Chigusa and Toshie (who I haven't seen in awhile) have buzz cuts. I am pretty sure Chigusa got buzzed from losing a match with Ozaki. Perhaps the same is true with Toshie. I clearly haven't seen enough of this feud in 2002 but I want to. The brawling element is always a component of GAEA which must be from Chigusa vs Dump. And this really taps into that, especially the hair buzzing. I hope they do more of these teams feuding in 2003 or I might have to go back to this in '02. Post match interview with Ozaki and KAORU talking shit and acting bitchy with dried streams of blood on their face is absolutely badass! 

Devil Masami & Aja Kong vs. Meiko Satomura & Carlos Amano (12/15): Had to include this since Carlos Amano was impressive above. Satomura vs Kong in tag matches is always good. Plus, I've got to see some Devil Masami. 11 of 13 minutes and this did not disappoint! Action from bell to bell with Carlos fitting in just fine at this level. Her work with Devil was really enjoyable as it was reminiscent of Legolas fighting the Oliphant in 'Return of the King' Aja vs Meiko was top notch as ever although I do wish it wasn't so expected. I suppose I'm the one cherry picking the matches so I'm probably skipping over a dozen other tag matches they had throughout 2002. It's like if Tanaka and Mike Awesome face each other, they are going to do some nod to their feud. It's a silly comment for me to make but, I really dug Carlos vs Devil Very good to great work. I'm hoping to see more Carlos Amano in 2003.

Ayako Hamada seemed like the MVP of 2002 GAEA from what I watched. She brought a freshness to the tag division, and really kept Meiko Satomura in good standing with me. Their tag bouts were outstanding and I might have a hard time remembering in December, their tag matches are the best stuff of 2002 GAEA. Carlos Amano is someone else who was a standout for the year. I watched a couple of her matches earlier in my GAEA journey but, I may have been ignoring her too much. Aja Kong is the rock of GAEA though. I dug her team with Toyota. It's a dream team come true. Anyhow, I really dug 2002 GAEA. This second post was longer than the first as I just kept finding different matches to watch.

Thanks for reading!!