Unexpected First Meetings

One of the most interesting parts of my re-watch of "Lucha Underground" has been catching references. I had not yet started watching NJPW while "Lucha Underground" was airing, so occasional mentions by commentary to New Japan wrestlers meant nothing to me. During this re-watch, however, I have more than once quoted Captain America because "I understood that reference!" 

This reminded me, though, of the case of one New Japan wrestler I was aware of before I became a fan, and how that knowledge came from an unexpected source. I like browsing the shelves at a store in Tokyo that has many books in English I often come across some fascinating titles. Back a dozen or so many years ago, the following book caught my eye:

In "Lovesick Japan," author Mark D. West looks at court cases and legal decisions to analyze how love, romance, and all its complications are viewed and dealt with in Japanese society, both generally and in the judicial system. One incident covered by West that occurred in 2002 because it involved a professional wrestler. My first "meeting" with Hiroshi Tanahashi was reading about the incident in which he was stabbed by a TV announcer he was romantically involved with when he tried to break up with her. 

I remember really enjoying "Lovesick Japan" when I read it. It provides a detailed look at love in Japan from a unique lens. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in Japan, modern Japanese society specifically. It also goes to show that pro-wrestling can pop up in the most unexpected of places.