MIsawa / Tiger Mask II / Tenryu / Kawada AJPW Questions.

[Smack2k]

Couple late 80's - 1990 AJPW Questions:

 

1. If Tenryu doesnt jump ship in late '89, does Misawa take the mask off and get the Mega push that started a few months later? If not, how long till they pull the trigger or does Tenryu get it, with Misawa behind him, and Kawada left behind and instead its Tenryu - Misawa feud?

 

2. Misawa got hurt in early 89, misses most of the year, then comes back and unmasks and the crowd knows its him...Did they already know who was under that mask and the unmasking was more of a "OK, we know you are great and its time to shine" moment?

 

3. What are some must see Tiger Mask II mathes from Misawa's 1980's run under the mask? Did he team with Kawada often then?

 

4. In the unmasking match, Kawada and Misawa are facing Fuyuki and Kobayshi...when and how did Footloose break-up?

[jdw]

Couple late 80's - 1990 AJPW Questions:

 

1. If Tenryu doesnt jump ship in late '89, does Misawa take the mask off and get the Mega push that started a few months later?

 

He jumped in April 1990, Misawa getting the push on opening night of the next series.

 

If Tenryu stayed, would Misawa have taken off the mask at that point and gotten the mega push? No.

 

If not, how long till they pull the trigger or does Tenryu get it, with Misawa behind him, and Kawada left behind and instead its Tenryu - Misawa feud?

 

 

Tenryu and Jumbo were already in a feud that went back to mid-1987, so there's no trigger to pull there: they were feuding in an unending fashion.

 

Misawa eventually would have gotten pushed, but who knows when, how hard, or opposite who. As a total Wild Ass Guess, he likely would have gotten a push when Jumbo went out with the illness at the end of 1992. Tenryu was an old goat by 1993, but stayed an old goat working forever. Would Jumbo-Tenryu still have been going on in 1992? Who knows. Baba basically got repeatedly lucky:

 

* Choshu's Invasion

 

Gave him Native vs Native that he hadn't done well that decade, at a time when it was increasingly popular.

 

* Choshu leaves

 

In the vacuum, he's forced to turn Tenryu opposite Jumbo... or Tenryu asks to go opposite Jumbo... take your pick. Either way, it wasn't going to happen at that time unless Choshu & Co. left

 

* Tenryu leaves

 

Before Jumbo vs Tenryu got totally stale, Tenryu got the offer to leave. That forced Baba to elevate Misawa, give him a group (which ended up being younger guys), and build a new group around Jumbo (which started off old, then got lucky when Kabuki left and over there went Taue). It worked out extremely well.

 

* Jumbo got sick

 

Sad, and we never got what were likely the last two really interesting parts of it: Jumbo taking the TC back, and Misawa eventually beating Jumbo for the TC for the first time. How long would that have taken? The first would have been 2/93 and the second... good lord, who in the heck knows given how slow Baba was.

 

What we got instead was Kawada over with Taue, Kobashi up higher in Misawa's team, and it was good.

 

But... but... but...

 

That's when the tank ran dry. He did move Jun up to be Misawa's partner, and Kobashi kind of over to the side... but while some things were done well (Jun initially as Misawa's #2), a lot of it was rather poor.

 

Which should give us some pause to consider that a lot of that coolness from 1985-1995 was just plain dumb luck caused by Baba being forced to react to a series of events that would take away one of his top two guys.

 

2. Misawa got hurt in early 89, misses most of the year, then comes back and unmasks and the crowd knows its him...Did they already know who was under that mask and the unmasking was more of a "OK, we know you are great and its time to shine" moment?

 

 

They pretty much always knew Misawa = Tiger Mask II, just like they knew Yamada = Liger.

 

 

3. What are some must see Tiger Mask II mathes from Misawa's 1980's run under the mask? Did he team with Kawada often then?

 

 

His Jr. singles matches in 1984-85 are worth seeing to see where he was at. Bit sloppy, really too dangerous trying to live up to the Tiger Mask gimmick.

 

Once he moves up to the heavies in 1986, there isn't really anything that's "must see" specifically for him... as in off the charts stuff. It's mostly checking out where he's at. His Kabuki feud in early 1986 is interesting because it's a quick 180 turn from the juniors, and something of a gateway passage into the heavies. There's the Jumbo singles match that was overrated at the time but is certainly something to see given it's Jumbo and Misawa and a baseline to judge their later matches against.

 

 

4. In the unmasking match, Kawada and Misawa are facing Fuyuki and Kobayshi...when and how did Footloose break-up?

 

 

It's Fuyuki & Yatsu in the match.

 

The Footloose broke up with the rest of Revolution in early 1990. Basically Baba splitting people away from Tenryu since he seemed to know Tenryu was a goner.

[Smack2k]

Fuckin a...thanks man!!

 

So, the people all knew who Misawa was...was he over with them with teh mask on so when it came off, they were ready to jump on and ride with him?

 

How did they come to know him, from his early run before the Mask?

[ohtani's jacket]

These Tiger Mask matches made the DVDVR set:

 

Tiger Mask vs. La Fiera (8/26/84)

Kuniaki Kobayashi vs. Tiger Mask (6/21/85)

Jumbo Tsuruta, Genichiro Tenryu & Tiger Mask vs. Shunji Takano, Hiro Saito & Strong Machine (4/6/86)

Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Giant Baba & Tiger Mask (11/28/86)

Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask (6/11/87)

Stan Hansen & Ted Dibiase vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask (7/11/87)

Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Tiger Mask (1/23/88)

Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Tiger Mask (3/9/88)

Tiger Mask & Isao Takagi vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada (7/16/88)

[jdw]

Fuckin a...thanks man!!

 

So, the people all knew who Misawa was...was he over with them with teh mask on so when it came off, they were ready to jump on and ride with him?

 

Tenryu had just left, the fans were ready for what AJPW was up to next to deal with the departure. Misawa taking off the mask kind hit them. Then when Misawa made it clear that he gunning for Jumbo, the fans were ready for the shit... especially after this:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIuacUvRUeo

 

 

How did they come to know him, from his early run before the Mask?

 

 

He had the same body as Misawa.

 

There's more to it. Misawa had got away to Mexico in the old form of sending wrestlers away to "grow up" and then return with an increased push. There's a new Tiger Mask, and Misawa wasn't on the card. All Japan didn't have a massive roster of natives at the time, so there are a limited number of people it could be. When you start trying to figure who is under the mask, looking at the body, there weren't many folks it could have been.

 

Same shit that people do here in the US if they didn't read the sheets.

[fxnj]

Any reason the 1989 Steamboat match didn't make the 80's set? I always thought that was a great match and way better to set the stage for 90's heavyweight title challenger Misawa than the 1988 Jumbo match.

[Smack2k]

Even if that is the case, why was Misawa so over so fast, from Masked man to beating Jumbo in 2 months.

 

I get the hole left by Tenryu, but to me, and I am still learning Puro, that its a strange push..

 

Or was he popular before? And if popular, why under the mask?

 

Again, this is all from a US understanding of Wrestling, so some of it could be cultural...

[tim]

I wish there were an English book on the history of Japanese wrestling. A lot of the knowledge seems to be there, but very fragmented. I wonder if there are good Japanese language books on the subject.

[jdw]

Even if that is the case, why was Misawa so over so fast, from Masked man to beating Jumbo in 2 months.

 

I get the hole left by Tenryu, but to me, and I am still learning Puro, that its a strange push..

 

Or was he popular before? And if popular, why under the mask?

 

Again, this is all from a US understanding of Wrestling, so some of it could be cultural...

 

A number of things factoring in:

 

* it was a new push

* the hardest of the hardcore AJPW Fans (i.e. Korakuen Hall AJPW Fans) were extremely loyal to the product at this point

* they seemed none-to-please with Tenryu & Co jumping

* Misawa gave them someone to clearly root for as Not Tenryu in Tenryu's Old Spot

* Generational Thing: Misawa & Kawada & Taue & Kobashi opposite Jumbo were all Next Generation

* the promotion fed it: Misawa held his own in the Tag / pinned Jumbo at Budokan

* Next Generation was the rage: Hash/Mutoh/Chono in NJPW, Takada/Funaki in UWF

 

The stars kind of aligned, Baba didn't screw it up but instead pushed it harder than he could have, Misawa & Co. hit their marks, and Jumbo was off the charts in getting Misawa & Co over.

 

He was also helped by the unmasking being in Tokyo to start the series, then the big angle (Misawa elbowing Jumbo and Jumbo losing his shit) was in Tokyo. The second was at Korakuen, in front of a very hot crowd that was deeply invested in it by that point. The tag was on the last TV show that aired heading into Budokan, priming the fans for the singles match... Budokan = Tokyo... fans were really hot for it.

 

Like I say: stars aligned, no one at all screwed up in the less-than-month from unmasking to Budokan, everyone hit their marks, Jumbo was exceptional, and Baba booked it in a surprisingly strong fashion. "Made Man".

 

John

[Smack2k]

Cool...thanks a lot for the clarification stuff...VERY VERY good stuff...

 

Did Misawa have a better relationship with Baba that Kawada or Taue? Kawada especially was known, in the same group of guys as Misawa (I think) and was up and coming...but he got passed over for the masked Misawa...

 

Just dumb luck or political or personal issues?

 

Again, thanks for all the info, I have 100's of Questions I hope you dont mind answering..

 

Its great diving fully into Puro and finding something I know little about and get to discover it all like I did with US wrestling...

[dawho5]

I have no true answer to this question, but I do have a guess. Just looking at the direction both went, it can't have been dumb luck that the stoic, always calm guy got the "Ace" spot that required....stoicism and calm. And the guy who was really good at portraying ruthless violence and raw determination got the role of having to chase Misawa down. I mean, given the above, the story practically writes itself, so it seems like really good casting on Baba's part. Can you imagine the Kawada personality being "The Man" and Misawa having to run him down from a character standpoint?

[ohtani's jacket]

Kawada was Misawa's junior. If he'd been his senior, it's possible the roles would have been reversed.

 

Smack2k, throughout the 80s there was a theme of guys rebelling against the system or the establishment. Choshu did it and so did Maeda. The hardcore fan base was mainly made up of "salarymen" (white collar workers) who worked for very hierarchical companies and presumably got a kick out of the rebellious attitudes. In the August training camp in 1990, Misawa & Co formed their own group called Cho Sedai gun, which means Super Generation Army or something similar. Originally, I think it was Misawa, Kawada, Taue, Kobashi, Kikuchi and Ogawa, but Jumbo asked Taue to join his army after Yatsu left. They disbanded in 1998, if I'm not mistaken.

[Childs]

Misawa was always ahead of Kawada, and I don't think just because of age. Baba acquiring the Tiger Mask gimmick and putting the mask on him was also a big, early sign of faith. Misawa's ascent was slowed by injuries, but they treated him as a player way back in '84-'85, a good 3-4 years before Kawada was any kind of presence on TV. Baba saw Misawa as a future star long before 1990.

[jdw]

Did Misawa have a better relationship with Baba that Kawada or Taue?

 

Misawa had a good relationship with Baba. I've never seen anything that Taue had a poor one. Kawada's relationship with the Babas wasn't good in 1996.

 

but he got passed over for the masked Misawa...

 

 

Kawada wasn't passed over. Misawa was always ahead of him, from the start of his career until leaving AJPW.

[jdw]

In the August training camp in 1990, Misawa & Co formed their own group called Cho Sedai gun, which means Super Generation Army or something similar. Originally, I think it was Misawa, Kawada, Taue, Kobashi, Kikuchi and Ogawa, but Jumbo asked Taue to join his army after Yatsu left. They disbanded in 1998, if I'm not mistaken.

 

Taue was part of Misawa's group in Super Power Series (May-Jun) and Summer Action Series (Jul). By the start Summer Action Series II (Aug-Sep), he was over in Jumbo's team.

 

Kawada and Kobashi were part of his group from the start in the Super Power Series, pretty much from the unmasking going forward.

 

Kikuchi evolved over time into the group, largely due to his showings opposite Fuchi in May and the June fan appreciation show. By the start of the Summer Action Series in July, he was firmly the "junior" in the group.

 

Ogawa is a different bird. If I recall correctly, he was out hurt during the transition period. He came back in October, largely preliming. In the Tag League, he was teaming with Fuchi and opposite Kikuchi several times. He farted around in the New Years series, before firmly being in Jumbo's group in the Excite series (Feb-Mar 1991).

[jdw]

Misawa was always ahead of Kawada, and I don't think just because of age. Baba acquiring the Tiger Mask gimmick and putting the mask on him was also a big, early sign of faith. Misawa's ascent was slowed by injuries, but they treated him as a player way back in '84-'85, a good 3-4 years before Kawada was any kind of presence on TV. Baba saw Misawa as a future star long before 1990.

 

Baba's plans for Misawa as the top guy out of that generation are pretty clear when he moved him out of the junior division after just a year and put him in with the heavyweights.

 

The problem in All Japan is that there's a slow elevation to the very top, and usually only when "shit happens" as I walked though above. Jumbo was 34 in 1985, and only really became the ace of the promotion in the late 1983 through mid-1984 period: just the year before. Misawa was just 23 at the end of 1985, with Tenryu well ahead of him as well, Choshu's army in the promotion, and still a strong gaijin crew. Even getting pushed out of the juniors didn't mean he'd be at the top level for a while.

[Smack2k]

Kawada was Misawa's junior. If he'd been his senior, it's possible the roles would have been reversed.

 

Smack2k, throughout the 80s there was a theme of guys rebelling against the system or the establishment. Choshu did it and so did Maeda. The hardcore fan base was mainly made up of "salarymen" (white collar workers) who worked for very hierarchical companies and presumably got a kick out of the rebellious attitudes. In the August training camp in 1990, Misawa & Co formed their own group called Cho Sedai gun, which means Super Generation Army or something similar. Originally, I think it was Misawa, Kawada, Taue, Kobashi, Kikuchi and Ogawa, but Jumbo asked Taue to join his army after Yatsu left. They disbanded in 1998, if I'm not mistaken.

 

I didnt know Kawada was younger and Misawa's junior at that time, so that explains some of it...The rebellious attitude and the stoic / calm guy also makes sense as the "Ace" and the guy chasing the "Ace"....that info really explained a LOT

 

 

 

Did Misawa have a better relationship with Baba that Kawada or Taue?

 

Misawa had a good relationship with Baba. I've never seen anything that Taue had a poor one. Kawada's relationship with the Babas wasn't good in 1996.

 

but he got passed over for the masked Misawa...

 

 

Kawada wasn't passed over. Misawa was always ahead of him, from the start of his career until leaving AJPW.

 

 

This explains the rest, I had thought (wrongly) that the Mask, even though it was a Tiger Mask, that since it was a second version of it and the guy was under the mask, that he'd be in a lesser position, but that is still my US thinking..

 

I watched TM II and Jumbo from 1988 last night and seeing that really helped nail home how much more ahead Misawa really was...and then the 6-Man where the Jumbo - Misawa rivalry REALLY gets going added to it...

 

Was Kawada a guy they could trust as well? Was there EVER a fear of a guy jumping to NJPW (or vice-versa) with "THE" title from the other group?

[Smack2k]

 

Misawa was always ahead of Kawada, and I don't think just because of age. Baba acquiring the Tiger Mask gimmick and putting the mask on him was also a big, early sign of faith. Misawa's ascent was slowed by injuries, but they treated him as a player way back in '84-'85, a good 3-4 years before Kawada was any kind of presence on TV. Baba saw Misawa as a future star long before 1990.

 

Baba's plans for Misawa as the top guy out of that generation are pretty clear when he moved him out of the junior division after just a year and put him in with the heavyweights.

 

The problem in All Japan is that there's a slow elevation to the very top, and usually only when "shit happens" as I walked though above. Jumbo was 34 in 1985, and only really became the ace of the promotion in the late 1983 through mid-1984 period: just the year before. Misawa was just 23 at the end of 1985, with Tenryu well ahead of him as well, Choshu's army in the promotion, and still a strong gaijin crew. Even getting pushed out of the juniors didn't mean he'd be at the top level for a while.

 

 

So who was the ace pre-83, still Baba?

 

Side question that doesnt apply to my main theme of the 90's AJPW, but how did Jumbo become Ace? Was it the same type of build Misawa got with the big wins building and building over the guys ahead of him?

 

Also, I tend to ask 1000's of questions when I am learning things, so if you dont want me firing them off in one thread, let me know and I can do single threads or somthing else you'd like!

[jdw]

Was Kawada a guy they could trust as well? Was there EVER a fear of a guy jumping to NJPW (or vice-versa) with "THE" title from the other group?

 

 

I don't think either New Japan or All Japan had a fear that one of their guys would jump to the other group with the top title. Even Tenryu went out the door losing to Jumbo one last time.

 

John

[jdw]

 

 

Misawa was always ahead of Kawada, and I don't think just because of age. Baba acquiring the Tiger Mask gimmick and putting the mask on him was also a big, early sign of faith. Misawa's ascent was slowed by injuries, but they treated him as a player way back in '84-'85, a good 3-4 years before Kawada was any kind of presence on TV. Baba saw Misawa as a future star long before 1990.

 

Baba's plans for Misawa as the top guy out of that generation are pretty clear when he moved him out of the junior division after just a year and put him in with the heavyweights.

 

The problem in All Japan is that there's a slow elevation to the very top, and usually only when "shit happens" as I walked though above. Jumbo was 34 in 1985, and only really became the ace of the promotion in the late 1983 through mid-1984 period: just the year before. Misawa was just 23 at the end of 1985, with Tenryu well ahead of him as well, Choshu's army in the promotion, and still a strong gaijin crew. Even getting pushed out of the juniors didn't mean he'd be at the top level for a while.

 

 

So who was the ace pre-83, still Baba?

 

 

Baba. Kind of a transition period in 1983-84, and they kept Baba having his own things going on.

 

 

Side question that doesnt apply to my main theme of the 90's AJPW, but how did Jumbo become Ace?

 

 

Aug-31-1983: wins Int'l Title from Brody

Nov/Dec-1983: teams with Tenryu rather than Baba in Tag League

Feb-22-1984: wins AWA Title from Bockwinkel

May 1984: Baba & Jumbo vacate Int'l Tag Title

Sep-03-1984: Jumbo & Tenryu win Int'l Tag Title

Dec-12-1984: Jumbo & Tenryu win Tag League

 

The first one was winning Rikidozan's Title. Then you had the multi-stage process of moving away from teaming with Baba. Then you have him winning a US version of the World Title, which Rikidozan, Baba and Inoki had done as Ace's of promotions. Then cementing Tenryu as Jumbo's partner in his new dynastic tag team.

 

You could point to the first, or the AWA, or... it really is a series of things. In the same time frame you have Baba regaining the PWF Title from Hansen in July 1984, so it's not like he was put out to pasture.

 

Was it the same type of build Misawa got with the big wins building and building over the guys ahead of him?

 

 

Jumbo was gone, so there is no one thing that can be pointed at. I've always pointed to the May 1993 Triple Crown defense over Hansen as when Misawa became the Ace of the promotion.

 

* Jumbo was still the Ace until he went out prior to the 1992 Tag League.

 

* The promotion was less than forth coming initially that he wasn't coming back.

 

* Misawa jobbed in 1993 to both non-Jumbo people who held the TC since his push began (Gordy and twice to Hansen)

 

* two jobs to Hansen in the 1993 Carny gave the impression that the 1992 Triple Crown win was a fluke

 

So Misawa did what Ace's do: his belt on the line, back to the wall, he beat Hansen in May. Then he went and ran the table into the following year.

[ohtani's jacket]

 

In the August training camp in 1990, Misawa & Co formed their own group called Cho Sedai gun, which means Super Generation Army or something similar. Originally, I think it was Misawa, Kawada, Taue, Kobashi, Kikuchi and Ogawa, but Jumbo asked Taue to join his army after Yatsu left. They disbanded in 1998, if I'm not mistaken.

 

Taue was part of Misawa's group in Super Power Series (May-Jun) and Summer Action Series (Jul). By the start Summer Action Series II (Aug-Sep), he was over in Jumbo's team.

 

Kawada and Kobashi were part of his group from the start in the Super Power Series, pretty much from the unmasking going forward.

 

Kikuchi evolved over time into the group, largely due to his showings opposite Fuchi in May and the June fan appreciation show. By the start of the Summer Action Series in July, he was firmly the "junior" in the group.

 

Ogawa is a different bird. If I recall correctly, he was out hurt during the transition period. He came back in October, largely preliming. In the Tag League, he was teaming with Fuchi and opposite Kikuchi several times. He farted around in the New Years series, before firmly being in Jumbo's group in the Excite series (Feb-Mar 1991).

 

 

Weekly Pro Wrestling says they became a group at a training camp held in Chiba in August 1990. I think Asako, who was still a trainee at the time, was the sixth member and not Ogawa. According to WPW, the purpose of the camp was to strengthen the unity of the remaining young wrestlers after the defections.

[Smack2k]

That is really good booking, looking forward to following this progression....

 

About Misawa and Kawada, was the crowd ever behind Kawada beating Misawa or were they loving every time he lost?

[jdw]

 

 

In the August training camp in 1990, Misawa & Co formed their own group called Cho Sedai gun, which means Super Generation Army or something similar. Originally, I think it was Misawa, Kawada, Taue, Kobashi, Kikuchi and Ogawa, but Jumbo asked Taue to join his army after Yatsu left. They disbanded in 1998, if I'm not mistaken.

 

Taue was part of Misawa's group in Super Power Series (May-Jun) and Summer Action Series (Jul). By the start Summer Action Series II (Aug-Sep), he was over in Jumbo's team.

 

Kawada and Kobashi were part of his group from the start in the Super Power Series, pretty much from the unmasking going forward.

 

Kikuchi evolved over time into the group, largely due to his showings opposite Fuchi in May and the June fan appreciation show. By the start of the Summer Action Series in July, he was firmly the "junior" in the group.

 

Ogawa is a different bird. If I recall correctly, he was out hurt during the transition period. He came back in October, largely preliming. In the Tag League, he was teaming with Fuchi and opposite Kikuchi several times. He farted around in the New Years series, before firmly being in Jumbo's group in the Excite series (Feb-Mar 1991).

 

 

Weekly Pro Wrestling says they became a group at a training camp held in Chiba in August 1990. I think Asako, who was still a trainee at the time, was the sixth member and not Ogawa. According to WPW, the purpose of the camp was to strengthen the unity of the remaining young wrestlers after the defections.

 

 

So they weren't a "group" in the prior to series despite Misawa, Kawada, Taue and Kobashi all teaming with each other all across the prior two series. And then Taue *not* teaming with Misawa, Kawada & Kobashi after the "training camp"? So much for unity.

 

Misawa, Kawada, Taue and Kobashi were a group in the Super Power Series (May-Jun) and Summer Action Series (Jul). Look up the results and watch the weekly TV. If you're too lazy for that, watch the Jumbo-Misawa singles match from June and keep any eye out for who is in Misawa's corner. It's not terribly complex, and it's something we all knew at the time. Right down to Taue working the opening night in the Summer Action Series II in August with Jumbo & Fuchi against Misawa & Kawada & Kikuchi at Korakuen Hall:

 

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/17716-mitsuharu-misawa-toshiaki-kawada-tsuyoshi-kikuchi-vs-jumbo-tsuruta-akira-taue-masa-fuchi-ajpw-summer-action-series-ii-081890

 

John

[jdw]

That is really good booking, looking forward to following this progression....

 

About Misawa and Kawada, was the crowd ever behind Kawada beating Misawa or were they loving every time he lost?

 

There were always Misawa fans, and Kawada always had his share of fans. Misawa had more.

[ohtani's jacket]

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the August training camp in 1990, Misawa & Co formed their own group called Cho Sedai gun, which means Super Generation Army or something similar. Originally, I think it was Misawa, Kawada, Taue, Kobashi, Kikuchi and Ogawa, but Jumbo asked Taue to join his army after Yatsu left. They disbanded in 1998, if I'm not mistaken.

Taue was part of Misawa's group in Super Power Series (May-Jun) and Summer Action Series (Jul). By the start Summer Action Series II (Aug-Sep), he was over in Jumbo's team.

 

Kawada and Kobashi were part of his group from the start in the Super Power Series, pretty much from the unmasking going forward.

 

Kikuchi evolved over time into the group, largely due to his showings opposite Fuchi in May and the June fan appreciation show. By the start of the Summer Action Series in July, he was firmly the "junior" in the group.

 

Ogawa is a different bird. If I recall correctly, he was out hurt during the transition period. He came back in October, largely preliming. In the Tag League, he was teaming with Fuchi and opposite Kikuchi several times. He farted around in the New Years series, before firmly being in Jumbo's group in the Excite series (Feb-Mar 1991).

Weekly Pro Wrestling says they became a group at a training camp held in Chiba in August 1990. I think Asako, who was still a trainee at the time, was the sixth member and not Ogawa. According to WPW, the purpose of the camp was to strengthen the unity of the remaining young wrestlers after the defections.

So they weren't a "group" in the prior to series despite Misawa, Kawada, Taue and Kobashi all teaming with each other all across the prior two series. And then Taue *not* teaming with Misawa, Kawada & Kobashi after the "training camp"? So much for unity.

 

Misawa, Kawada, Taue and Kobashi were a group in the Super Power Series (May-Jun) and Summer Action Series (Jul). Look up the results and watch the weekly TV. If you're too lazy for that, watch the Jumbo-Misawa singles match from June and keep any eye out for who is in Misawa's corner. It's not terribly complex, and it's something we all knew at the time. Right down to Taue working the opening night in the Summer Action Series II in August with Jumbo & Fuchi against Misawa & Kawada & Kikuchi at Korakuen Hall:

 

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/17716-mitsuharu-misawa-toshiaki-kawada-tsuyoshi-kikuchi-vs-jumbo-tsuruta-akira-taue-masa-fuchi-ajpw-summer-action-series-ii-081890

 

John

Perhaps they were not officially a group until August despite having tagged together, or perhaps they simply hadn't been named yet. The WPW timeline makes sense in regard to the opening night of the Summer Action Series.