rhutton

Hana Kimura Hana is often remembered (and sometimes exploited) for her tragic death, but I think it's worth celebrating what a natural and charismatic wrestler she was. Her Oedo Tai tag team with Kagetsu was one of the highlights of 2010s STARDOM. Her hard-hitting feud with Giulia pre-COVID also helped establish the style that would lead STARDOM to big success in the following decade, and I have no doubt she would have been a huge star in modern wrestling. Matches: vs. Giulia - STARDOM, 12/24/2019 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS4iJiDkTjs w/Kagetsu vs. HZK & Momo Watanabe, 01/05/2018 vs. ASUKA - 09/02/2018 vs. Kagetsu - 09/10/2017

Shoko Nakajima Shoko is another pillar of TJPW who was one of the company’s focal points in the 2010s and helped to build it into a major joshi promotion. As a wrestler, Nakajima represents the combination of humour and serious wrestling ability that defines Tokyo Joshi. She’s equally at home in the annual Wacky Races-type match against Hyper Misao and a fluid technical battle with Miu Watanabe. Shoko has also had success wrestling overseas in promotions like DPW, MLW and CMLL. Matches: vs. Yuu – TJPW Jan. 4, 2017 vs. Miu Watanabe – TJPW May 5, 2024 w/Hyper Misao vs. Miu Watananbe & Rika Tatsumi – TJPW July 21, 2025 vs. Alex Windsor – EVE Apr. 23, 2022

Miyu Yamashita Miyu was the standard-bearer for Tokyo Joshi Pro throughout the 2010s and into the 2020s, helping it grow from a DDT side project into one of the biggest modern joshi companies. She’s a great worker, best known for her stiff kicks but also with a great sense of timing and presence. She did a lot to build up talent like Miu Watanabe, Mizuki, and Maki Itoh, both in the ring and out of it. Yamashita has also toured around the indies in both the US and Europe and had appearances in AEW, ROH, TNA and MLW. Matches: vs. Maki Itoh – TJPW, Oct. 9 2020 vs. Yuka Sakazaki – TJPW, Jan. 4 2023 vs. Miu Watanabe – TJPW, Aug. 13 2022 vs. Mizuki Takase – DPW, June 5 2022 vs. Athena – ROH, Apr. 5 2023