JerryvonKramer Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 http://placetobenation.com/all-japan-excite-series-1/ Join Parv (Where the Big Boys Play, Titans of Wrestling) and Steven "Grimmas" Graham (Pro Wrestling Super Show) to watch some of the greatest matches ever to grace the squared circle from All Japan Pro Wrestling in the 1990s. Starting in 1990 and moving forward chronologically, they will review four highly-rated AJPW matches once a month. On this first episode: 05/26/90 - Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi & Akira Taue vs Jumbo Tsuruta, Kabuki & Masa Fuchi 06/08/90 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jumbo Tsuruta 09/01/90 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jumbo Tsuruta 09/30/90 - Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue The PWO-PTBN Podcast Network features great shows you can find right here at Place to Be Nation. By subscribing on iTunes or SoundCloud, you’ll have access to new episodes, bonus content, as well as a complete archive of: Where the Big Boys Play, Titans of Wrestling, Pro-Wrestling Super-Show, Good Will Wrestling, and Wrestling With the Past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 This was so much fun to do, I can't wait till the next one. Also Parv's points is the best system ever for reviewing matches on a podcast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Excited to hear these shows. Great name too! Listening now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karl Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Ok, now were talking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Couple running thoughts on this. The analogy of the first part of All Japan 1990 being an after Christmas hangover is spot on. There is still some good stuff there, but it is a drop off from the 1989 run. I dont think Tenryu was ever going to be seen as the "ace", that was Jumbo's spot. The 1989 feud was just to prove that Tenryu could be on his level. My star ratings and overall match ratings in 1990 for the series of matches watched tonight: 05/26/90 - Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi & Akira Taue vs Jumbo Tsuruta, Kabuki & Masa Fuchi ****1/4 and #20 for the year06/08/90 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jumbo Tsuruta ****1/2 and #8 for the year09/01/90 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jumbo Tsuruta ***** and #3 for the year. For comparison, I have rewatched most of the big All Japan 90''s matches again in the past three years and this match has stood up as one of the best ones throughout. Off the top of my head, I think this is the best match the promotion has until 12/3/93.09/30/90 - Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue ****3/4 and #6 for the year. Anyone that watches this and wants to fill in the gaps, I would recommend: Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 6/30/90) Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu (AJPW 7/7/90) Masa Fuchi vs. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (AJPW 7/12/90) Stan Hansen vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (AJPW 7/28/90) Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue & Masa Fuchi (AJPW 8/18/90) Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 8/31/90) I liked the analysis on Taue and was pleased to see you enjoying their budding feud together as it provides a nice contrast to the Jumbo vs. Misawa stuff that is going on. Excited for show #2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted September 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Thanks for comments guys. If anyone else wants to add in their ratings like Chad has done, these threads might be a handy reference point come April 2016. Also, if you haven't watched this 90s All Japan stuff before, now is a great time to do so. I will also keep a track of mine and Steven's ratings, which you'll find below: 05/26/90 - Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi & Akira Taue vs Jumbo Tsuruta, Kabuki & Masa FuchiParv: A- / ****1/2Steven: ****1/406/08/90 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jumbo TsurutaParv: A / ****3/4Steven: ****1/209/01/90 - Mitsuharu Misawa vs Jumbo TsurutaParv: A* / *****Steven: ****3/409/30/90 - Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira TaueParv: A / ****3/4Steven: ****1/2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pol Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 This was a lot of fun to listen to. I love the "elbow heard 'round the world" match. I think seeing the match where Misawa unmasks helps for context here, it's like he's had enough and isn't going to take any shit any more. I believe I've heard before that the knocking the guys off the apron was a standard Jumbo spot in tag matches, but Misawa takes exception even though given his standing as a midcarder he would've been expected to just sit there and take it like any other midcarder. That's what makes it so great. As for what Parv was saying about promos, there's a match where Jumbo does guest commentary and while I don't understand much Japanese I did catch him calling Misawa and crew "punks" (in English) about a dozen times. So yeah I think the idea of him being a veteran disgusted at this young upstarts is pretty much on point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Strange, I was consistently 1/4 star lower than Parv on every single match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteF3 Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 It's weird, because the Jumbo/Tenryu team had sort of a mentor-junior dynamic to it, but Tenryu's a year *older* than Jumbo. It's just that Tsuruta was pushed very quickly (immediately, by Japanese standards) and Tenryu was a late bloomer. By 1989, Tenryu was already 39. It's clear that his departure ended up being a blessing in disguise for forcing Baba's hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 I don't have time to add podcasts to my busy rotation, but I chucked this on. Parv is an entertaining man. Afterwards it flipped over to Titans and man is that entertaining. Anyway, Misawa's actions were the same sort of rebellion Choshu had shown against the hegemony the decade before. Most of the core All Japan fans were salary men (the Japanese name for white collar workers) who were part of the nenko jorestu seniority-wage system, so they automatically got the younger Misawa sticking it to his senior. I suspect there was a bit of a wish fulfillment fantasy going on. Later Kawada would also stick it to his senpai Misawa. Taue crossed over to Jumbo's side when Kabuki left for SWS just weeks after winning the tag titles with Tsuruta. I believe the explanation they gave the fans was that Jumbo asked Taue to join his group. As for pronunciation, it's not really pronounced SUE-ROO-TA, but it's a massively difficult name to pronounce correctly so just go with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 It's weird, because the Jumbo/Tenryu team had sort of a mentor-junior dynamic to it, but Tenryu's a year *older* than Jumbo. It's just that Tsuruta was pushed very quickly (immediately, by Japanese standards) and Tenryu was a late bloomer. By 1989, Tenryu was already 39. It's clear that his departure ended up being a blessing in disguise for forcing Baba's hand. Age doesn't necessarily factor into seniority. Jumbo was Tenryu's senior because he started in AJPW in '73 while Tenryu started in '76. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lust Hogan Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Can't wait to listen to this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmare007 Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 This was a great listen. And man, if you guys want to hear Akira Fukuzawa (IIRC he was the one doing commentary in the early 90's) going batshit insane watch the Misawa vs Terry Gordy 6/1/91 match, aka the FACELOCK match and the best I've seen from Gordy in singles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 Professor Parv's points, and does letter grades. Awesome you guys have good on air chemistry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted September 28, 2014 Report Share Posted September 28, 2014 I'm already backloaded on pods but definitely interested to check this out. Would love to hear someone go through this period for the first time. Just my absolute favorite and wish I could go back and watch it all from scratch not knowing anything about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lust Hogan Posted September 29, 2014 Report Share Posted September 29, 2014 Awesome show!! I'll have plenty to post soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jushin muta liger Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 I really liked the show and I can't wait to listen to the rest of them. I've watched a lot of these matches because I tried to participate in Ditch's All Japan project years ago (and my viewing fell apart cause of life circumstances but that's neither here nor there). This can be a refresher for me in terms of going back and watching for fun. I won't participate in the GWE project cause I've missed out and just haven't watched a lot of stuff to begin with (Memphis, Lucha, WOS, Wrestling from 2009 to 2013, 80s Joshi, Portland and Battlarts) but I will keep an eye on this series of podcasts though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 I loved this show. I love this era of All Japan. Make it happen more. I can always listen to people talking enthusiastically about classics. It made me want to go rewatch all of these which makes it a victory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kronos Posted October 25, 2014 Report Share Posted October 25, 2014 Parv, I have to agree you're going to probably need more letters as you get into the decade. Next time, I'll be sure to watch for the post and view the matches before listening so it's fresh in my mind. Another home run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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