club

Jim Breaks is a God-tier shithouse. Tying his laces to break the other guy's momentum, talking smack, breaking just slightly late, getting one in after the bell, whining to the ref at the slightest infraction; he's the Sergio Ramos of wrestling.

Clunky yes, but I thought the pair had chemistry. The matches had such emotion. That sense it could all go off at any minute. Particularly the tag with Iizuka & Murakami and the last singles match. I'd put a lot of this on Hash in the way he held himself, and his style could fit in well with guys like this.

I'm interested in why you dislike the Hash/Ogawa feud. From a booking standpoint the way it finished is to me emblematic of everything wrong with 00s New Japan. The matches themselves though, those were some of Hashimoto's best performances.

That context is very useful, thanks both. The differing opinions of her in GAEA are interesting. What matches would you recommend - half a dozen or so - as an overview of GAEA Chigusa?

Thanks for the match recommendations all. Mid 80s Chigusa is amongst the best babyfaces I’ve ever seen. Such a great blend of vulnerability and kick-ass. That glassy eyed stagger about sell she does in the Dump matches, oh my god. Her connection to her fans - living and dying on her every move - is incredible and make for an amazing atmosphere. Her arc from this era, her setbacks and eventual climb to the top is incredible. l As far as a project like this, she sets an incredibly high bar, and when I put together a list there’s no doubt she’ll rank very highly. The post retirement bit of her career I find tricky. My first exposure to joshi was the big 90s shows, the Dream Slams and what have you. WIthout the 80s context she never stood out as an obvious star. One look at Bull and you know she’s a star, you see how Kandori carries herself and you know she’s a star. I never got that from Chigusa back then. Delving into 80s AJW over the past year or so, I understand why she’d be a big deal in the 90s. To me though star power seems rooted in what she was in the 80s rather than what she brought in the 90s. A special living legend type, equivalent to say 90s Tatsumi Fujinami. I like some of her matches - the singles matches with Ozaki and Bull, the GAEA debut show, some rookie squashes. But still she offers a lot less than the top tier 90s contemporaries or her 80s high point.

Fascinating thread to read through. For me Savage was one of my favourites as a WWF watching kid, and unlike many (sorry Papa Shango) he still resonates with me today. This is mostly due to the brilliant stuff with Liz that encompasses most of his WWF run, whether he’s the hot-tempered rising star, the envious deluded champ or the redeemed living legend. It keeps even the most cartoonish stuff grounded in some kind of relatable reality. The key is that he’s a guy who is amongst the best at projecting this awesome character and emotions in-ring. The matches were compelling because you could believe in Savage and thus told a great story.

She's is a definite top 10 contender for me. Her best is the best. She's such a compelling wrestler to watch during that period. Also she's a GREAT smack-talker. Was watching her vs Ozaki from November 93 the other day, and Hokuto getting on the mic mid-match telling Oz her moves didn't hurt, it really added to the match.