Pro-Wrestling On My Mind

Note: Post is only tangentially related to wrestling today. I am not a fan of horror. I think real life is scary enough as it is, so I have never understood why people want to scare themselves via entertainment. I especially don't like jump scares, so horror movies and games are generally a big no for me. Fortunately, pro-wrestling has never been too terrifying. I always liked the Undertaker, so he never freaked me out, and his storylines with Kane, while creepy, never got too far into the realm of horrifying for me (grossed me out some, but never scared me). Had I been a child when they debuted, I might have found the Wyatt Family scary, but I was already in grad school when they first showed up. While I am not a fan of horror, I am a fan of good storytelling, a necessary element of good pro-wrestling. As such, I am willing to step outside my comfort zone of non-horror entertainment if I think there is a worthy story to experience, like when I read Dracula  as a kid (slept with a ...

I've been MIA recently, but with good reason. I'm on Spring Break! The school year has ended in Japan, so I have about 1.5 to 2 weeks off waiting for it to start again. And yes, one might think that would mean I would have more time for writing. However, I have a rather large backlog of games I need to play, and that has been taking up all my waking moments. Just yesterday I completed Insomniac's "Spiderman 2," which was fantastic. This game continued the great storytelling and characterization from the previous two entries in the series, improved combat and sidequests, and made swinging (and flying!) around NYC even more fun. There are also, of course, lots of references to Spiderman's expansive history. This is one of my favorites that I came across: The Masked Challenger Gaze with Miles at this lovely lucha libre mural. Spiderman's origin is directly tied to pro-wrestling, and I was glad to see the game giving multiple nods to the fact.

"The mistaken use of one word in place of a similar sounding one, often with an amusing effect." This is the Oxford English Dictionary 's definition of a malapropism. What it fails to mention is that said amusing effect could potentially cost you your job (or at least get you a severe reprimand) depending on what sort of slip of the tongue you make in what profession. As a teacher of English as a second language to young kids, malapropisms are a very realistic and dangerous aspect of my career as I can (sometimes intentionally, but mostly unintentionally) make highly inappropriate mistakes in multiple languages. Fortunately, I have managed to go over a decade without a career-ending worthy slip (that anyone heard), but there was one particular period where I had to be VERY careful because of an unexpected threat from the combination of a catchy song and my love of pro-wrestling.  It was the spring of 2018 when the movie "Coco" was released in Japan (though here ...

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 incid...

My heart briefly soared and then dropped back down with a dull thud at the end of the J4G vs. War Dogs match at the New Japan Cup final. When commentary started to get excited about a run-in to aid J4G, my mind immediately went "DOUKI?!" even though I knew it wasn't really realistic. Turns out it was members of Hontai, which makes sense after Tanahashi's post-match overture on 3/17. Tana offered the handshake of alliance/peace after chasing off the War Dogs and it seems like J4G are now a part of Hontai.  I can only assume this means Taka sold his backlog of J4G shirts. Tag Team Partner and I were talking about Tanahashi's initial offer to J4G and he wondered if New Japan is in line for a major stable reset. With Bullet Club fracturing, Hontai getting kind of bloated now that it officially includes Chaos and J4G, and even hints (at least in English commentary) of issues in United Empire regarding leadership, it seems like a possibility. Even LIJ has had a change, ...

Watching the New Japan Cup final, I realized something during Great-O-Khan & TJP's entrance.  If I tried to move any part of my body in the same way he twists and turns his hand, I'd probably end up in the hospital.   The next time there is an Addams Family live action project, O-Khan needs to fire his agent if they do not get him the part of Thing. He's demonstrated again and again that he would be perfect for the part. Although, I never have seen him snap. I'll be sure to ask him if he can if I ever get a photo opp chance with him. He needs a United Empire wristband. Or maybe a miniature towel.

Never thought I would have much in common with EVIL (except a love of Iyo Sky), but the New Japan Cup proved me wrong. GET OUTTA MY FACE! This may look like EVIL is posing majestically with a timely breeze adding to the scene by dramatically blowing his hair. What is actually happening, however, is EVIL is locking in a submission hold while some of his hair is sticking to his face and he can't move it because his hands are otherwise occupied. Thus, he is attempting, and failing, at the age old remedy of blowing it out of the way with his breath. Ugh, the number of times I have been in a similar situation, especially in the sticky and humid Japanese summers. Or when a hair has become weirdly positioned because of my glasses and I cannot figure out how to move it. So I huff and puff like an imitation of the Big Bad Wolf and hope my own damn hair will stop annoying me and fall back into place, but alas, it does not and I am forced to stop whatever I am doing so I can free my hands and...