Tim Cooke Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 I'm very excited for the 1991 Yearbook as a follow up to 1990 and because 1991 is one of my more neglected years in terms of viewing footage. Over the past couple of weeks, I have went back to re-evaluate and see some some matches for the first time from New Japan heavyweights. The 1991 G-1 was really eye opening in terms of the career matches several wrestlers put on and is in the running for the best tournament ever. Choshu did a great job handling the booking and worked against Hashimoto in my second favorite match between the two of them. Vader and Scott Norton had an excellent big man's match, with a cleverly booked finish. Muto and Norton had their best singles match against each other, though the 1995 G-1 semi-final comes close. Hashimoto and Chono's 30 minute draw is really good and better than their semi-final match. Muto and Vader work the prototype for the Sting series, which even borrows the Starrcade 1992 finish from this match. And then Muto and Chono have a top NJPW match of the decade candidate. In terms of G-1 finals, it is either this or the 8/15/95 Muto vs. Hashimoto match that stand out as head and shoulders above the rest. The big disappointment was the first Pillman vs. Liger match, which like their Superbrawl 1992 match, doesn't hold up and is a big step down from what Benoit and Liger were doing in singles competition in New Japan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditch Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 I'm left wondering what the hell happened to the footage from the next-to-last show (with Vader vs Mutoh and Choshu vs Hash). I've seen a couple things to suggest they had cameras rolling, but clearly NJ would have released that show at some point in the '90s if they had it on tape. The concept of an un-taped event at Sumo Hall is mindboggling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdw Posted December 28, 2012 Report Share Posted December 28, 2012 A heads up for Loss and Will if you don't already have it: Dan put out a "complete G-1 '91" set a year or so ago. This pulled in all the TV, commercial an handheld material to put together the most complete version of the 1991 G-1 series that's possible. He had some new and fresh stuff in it that hadn't previously been available. You guys probably want to use that as your source rather than older materials. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted December 28, 2012 Report Share Posted December 28, 2012 Something happened to my dvd recorder where whatever is converted for the 1991 yearbook is what goes on. The project is essentially finished right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Childs Posted January 3, 2013 Report Share Posted January 3, 2013 Tim, this ended up bumming me out, because several of the matches you praised aren't on the set, and now I feel like I have to get the Ginnetty set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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