rhutton

All right, time to throw in my last few TJPW/modern joshi noms. Yuka Sakazaki Yuka is another pivotal wrestler to TJPW's early years and growth, being a multi-time Princess of Princess champion and a reliable big show headliner. Her immediately charming and comedic persona paired with a willingness to be intense and fearless in the ring helped to define the promotion. You don't see her as much since she's moved to the US *cough cough* but every time she shows up I'm still happy to see her. Matches: vs. Mizuki - TJPW, Nov 7, 2020 vs. Miyu Yamashita - TJPW, January 4, 2023 vs. Shoko Nakajima - TJPW, Oct 9, 2022 vs. Emi Sakura - AEW, Feb. 22, 2021 Rika Tatsumi Rika was more of a transitional main eventer for TJPW, but is still in her prime and carries herself like a big deal. I love her combination of the classic Fujinami dragon system moves, DDT-style comedy, and willingness to just murderize the opponent and/or herself. I just think she's neat! Matches: vs. Miyu Yamashita - TJPW, May 4, 2021 w/Miu Watanabe vs. Hyper Misao & Shoko Nakajima - TJPW, July 21, 2025 vs. Ryo Mizunami - TJPW August 10, 2024 w/Miu Watanabe vs. Billie Starkz & Janai Kai - GCW, April 6 2024 Lulu Pencil This is my #100, and I think it's a great cheeky #100. Lulu Pencil was a freelance writer with no real athletic ability who wrestled exclusively in a converted dentist's office, mostly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of the ChocoPro web show. But she also showcased how much of the art of wrestling is nonphysical: getting a gimmick over, variating on a theme, crafting a match, etc. Lulu was so good at these elements that she became the focus of the entire promotion for a time, making herself the ultimate underdog wrestler. Matches: vs. Chris Brookes - Choco Pro, July 22, 2021 w/Emi Sakura vs. Chris Brookes & Yuna Mizumori - Choco Pro, November 11, 2020 vs. Antonio Honda - Choco Pro, August 1, 2021

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