Tokyo Joshi Professional Wrestling’s 2023 was a historic 12 months and for extra than simply being the tenth anniversary of the corporate. A high 10 record could possibly be created of all the most important tales on the calendar from the princess promotion.
Amongst them being Mizuki lastly grabbing the brass ring, the long-awaited debut in America, and Yuka Sakazaki’s commencement from TJPW.
However whereas the roster might change, what remained regular is the standard of bell-to-bell motion. From the depth of workrate type to the dramatics of emotional storytelling to the weird adventures of interdimensional journey, Tokyo Joshi had many standout bouts.
Ranked by way of this author’s enjoyment, the story of TJPW in 2023 is greatest advised in these 10 matches.
TJPW High 10 Matches of 2023Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 10. Yuki Kamifuku vs Miyu Yamashita (August thirteenth)
Within the finals of the tenth Tokyo Princess Cup, two wrestlers entered the ring defying all of the event odds. Miyu Yamashita, essentially the most embellished of the TJPW roster, had been cursed with early exits in most years and had by no means earlier than received the trophy.
Yuki Kamifuku had upset the presumptive favourite within the second spherical and superior to the final night time on a Cinderella run. For the irresistible Kamiyu, an immovable object stood in her path.
The wonderful trait of this match is how a lot the movement of the match and the viewers believes in Kamiyu. The Informal Magnificence is a denim-clad slacker who’s all the time fast to take a shortcut.
She has been a queen of the decrease card, however she’s additionally a artful veteran who is aware of rise to that higher degree. Miyu breaking her curse was an inevitable consequence, but their ardour had the group in a loud frenzy in hopes of seeing the unattainable occur.
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9. Arisu Endo and Rika Tatsumi vs Mahiro Kiryu and Yuki Aino (Could twenty fifth)
Most marquee matches in Tokyo Joshi will go 15 to twenty minutes, possibly just a little longer solely a handful of occasions a 12 months.
So when the principle occasion of Hyper Misao’s produced present “Hype!” begins with greater than an hour remaining within the broadcast, it’s arduous to think about what that appears like.
Given a clean test to flex her inventive genius, Misao determined to heart an epic cinematic match across the resident unhappy sack wrestler, Mahiro Kiryu.
The context of TJPW historical past is vital, however the occasions occurring on display screen are so bizarre it’s value it. Kiryu is an ungainly undercard wrestler who all the time apologizes for issues she thinks she’s carried out flawed.
When she finds herself within the acquainted place of being on the flawed facet of a submission, normalcy is thrown out the window because the lights flicker, time freezes, and an alternate Hyper Misao invitations her on a dimension-hopping journey to save lots of the world.
Kiryu will get to expertise alternate worldlines the place she could possibly be a singing and dancing idol or a good-looking romantic lead combating off dastardly villains. As a result of isn’t all wrestling simply make-believe?
Like several good film, as soon as the Area/Time Police have our heroes cornered, Kiryu involves an emotional realization about her life, her unhappiness, and her inside power. As a result of isn’t all wrestling only a energy fantasy?
Discover some fan translations as a result of there should all the time be room for the spectacle, ambition, and heartbreak of Hyper Misao.
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8. Mizuki vs Yuka Sakazaki (March 18th)
The most important championship match of the previous few years was additionally one of many strangest. Mizuki final challenged Yuka Sakazaki in November 2020, and, like all the time, she got here up brief.
The notion of her had been that she was lengthy overdue to hitch the hallowed floor of Princess of Princess championship holders. After two and a half years, the epic rematch was major eventing one of many landmark exhibits of the 12 months.
As each opponents entered the ring nearly in tears, the emotional weight was heavy from the beginning. The Magical Sugar Rabbits are extra than simply tag group companions, greater than even greatest mates; they’re wrestling soulmates.
From the primary few moments after the opening bell, it was clear that Yuka didn’t need to struggle Mizuki. It’s a weird jiffy the place the champion both needed to spare her opponent from ache or inflict as a lot injury as attainable rapidly to get this over with.
For a story-based match, it isn’t all simply making faces and vocalizing their emotions. Mizuki and Yuka have interaction in high-flying motion, brutal placing, and dangerous probabilities. The principle occasion title fights of the Massive 4 TJPW occasions are all the time nice, however there’s one thing about these circumstances that made a particular assertion.
Mizuki has been the uncrowned Ace for years. And Yuka, maybe with the information that she would quickly announce her departure from the corporate, is within the bittersweet place of getting to face in entrance of that dream and make Mizuki earn it.
TJPW High 10 Matches of 2023Â
7. Shoko Nakajima vs Miyu Yamashita (August seventeenth)
To rejoice 10 years to the day since their in-ring debut for DDT in Ryogoku Kokugikan, Miyu Yamashita and Shoko Nakajima had a match in a a lot smaller venue on brief discover.
The TJPW Inspiration model has been used to placed on stand-alone exhibits of bouts that wouldn’t ordinarily occur. Gimmick guidelines. Outsider friends. A random high 10 match of the 12 months.
A decade-old rivalry, constructed upon major occasion title fights on the grandest of phases, was being contested as a celebration.
With out a lot of a gift narrative, that is simply pro-wrestling as a pure artwork type. Grappling maintain for maintain. Dancing by reversal after reversal. All for the enjoyable of it. If Miyu Yamashita is the Ace, Shoko Nakajima is her second in command.
As a result of typically you want two of the most effective wrestlers on the scene to have a 20-minute, all the way down to the wire banger simply to flex. Their final match made the highest 10 final 12 months, and the rematch may be higher.
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6. Rika Tatsumi vs Miu Watanabe (March 18th)
The third match from the highest at Grand Princess was all the things you could possibly need in a workhorse title match and extra. The tag group of Daydream collided with Rika Tatsumi, difficult her associate Miu Watanabe for the Worldwide Princess championship.
It was a conflict of types each comparable and distinct, because the vicious, unpredictable Rika held nothing again towards the highly effective and modern Miu.
Miu Watanabe received the blue belt in direction of the tip of final 12 months after a breakout season in her younger profession. She’s robust, she’s energetic, and he or she is aware of work the group.
Whether or not it’s an enormous muscular maneuver or a small facial tic, her babyface hearth is like no different. And to not be outdone by her junior on the rise, Rika most likely has essentially the most aggressive vitality on the roster.
Put them collectively, they usually movement as solely tag companions can. A number of the counters are so clean and spellbinding that if there have been a listing of high reversals for the 12 months, this match could be in competition.
Two wrestlers going maintain for maintain, strike for strike, for extra than simply the victory at hand. Miu has been seeking to break into the higher echelon and Rika was on the verge of turning into the primary TJPW member to finish the grand slam of titles.
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5. Miyu Yamashita vs Yuka Sakazaki (January 4th)
Predominant occasion of Ittenyon. The Princess of Princess championship. Two of the 4 Cornerstones. Any certainly one of these parts is more likely to make a memorable match for end-of-the-year competition, not to mention all three.
On the normal January 4th present from Korakuen Corridor, Miyu Yamashita and Yuka Sakazaki reignited their decade-long rivalry to kick off the 10-year anniversary celebrations with a bang.Â
Like Okada/Naito or Misawa/Kawada, these two have wrestled one another sufficient occasions the place their chemistry is simple. And to boost the method a bit, Miyu and Yuka determined to knock one another’s heads off.
Miyu tumbled to the surface early on and appeared to undergo the concussion she could be recognized with afterward. If plans modified as they usually do in that case, then the standard of the ultimate product is much more spectacular.
There’s nothing too fairly or technical right here, simply haymaker after haymaker. It’s about as ugly because the thunking headbutt between the 2 that individuals appear to hate however all the time stirs a response.
The match is nice by itself, however the later context paints it in a unique mild. By the summer season, Yuka could be injured and saying her departure from TJPW on the finish of the 12 months: so if this was their final time to go away all of it on the dance ground, then that they had one hell of a goodbye.
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4. Shoko Nakajima and Hyper Misao vs Miyu Yamashita and Maki Itoh (February eleventh)
Within the finals of the third annual Max Coronary heart tag group event have been two duos who had by no means earlier than held the pink belts. Kyoraku Kyomei (Shoko Nakajima and Hyper Misao) towards 121000000 (Maki Itoh and Miyu Yamashita).
Each items had solidified prior to now two years and have already made it previous two different groups to get nearer to a title shot.
This major occasion had all of it. The psychology of working over physique elements. Creativity in working with the house inside and outdoors of the ring. Attention-grabbing dynamics relating to tag group wrestling and trusting in your associate.
For all of the reversal spots and combo maneuvers to speak about, on the finish of the day it’s all about one group dominating the opposite till the ability of friendship evens the percentages in a climactic showdown.
2023 was not a stellar 12 months for tag group wrestling in TJPW. Whereas the tag titles did major occasion the debut present in Los Angeles over Wrestlemania weekend and have been featured on the joint present Fight Princess in December, the division was additionally placed on pause for a number of months.
The belts have been vacated in the course of the summer season as a result of Yuka Sakazaki’s harm and different components delayed the crowning of latest champions till October. There have been quite a lot of nice duos, simply not a complete lot of marquee matches.
However nonetheless, the finals of the Max Coronary heart event was the most effective of them and made an announcement for doubles wrestling.
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3. Miyu Yamashita, Yuka Sakazaki, Shoko Nakajima, Rika Tatsumi, and Mizuki vs Miu Watanabe, Yuki Arai, Arisu Endo, Suzume, and Moka Miyamoto (December 1st)
For the tenth Anniversary present, the previous guard was pitted towards the following technology. One facet was the one 5 members on the lively roster to have held the Princess of Princess title.
The 4 Cornerstones who have been about to see the departure of Yuka Sakazaki within the coming days, with Mizuki becoming a member of their ranks on this 12 months and on this present.
Within the reverse nook have been the celebrities hoping to take the reigns within the subsequent few years, if not a lot sooner. On this 2 out of three falls match, many dynamics and tales have been at play. A comedic first act.
A dramatic second act. A younger prospect defeating a veteran and the group going wild. It’s the moments between the juniors and seniors that make it a motion and allow you to know that the youth are alright.
It’s nice wrestling, sensible storytelling, and a preview of the close to future all rolled into one, particularly when Miyu Yamashita and Miu Watanabe face off in direction of the tip. The Ace and Princess of Princess champion towards the wrestler probably poised to be a breakout star, but once more, in 2024.
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2. Miyu Yamashita vs Mizuki (October ninth)
Whereas Mizuki had been Princess of Princess champion for a lot of the 12 months, Miyu Yamashita has been the Ace of TJPW for a lot of the firm’s existence. The transition of energy between Aces has by no means been straightforward.
It usually have to be firmly taken from the incumbent, proving that the successor is worthy. Miyu went on an tour for just a few months this spring, leaving the home she constructed to the children. She returned and ran by the Tokyo Princess Cup, together with Mizuki, and set her sights on a record-setting 4th PoP title reign.
The principle occasion of Wrestle Princess IV is 2 of the most effective at their greatest. It’s cautious work at first, measured and significant. And as soon as they up the tempo, it’s all out warfare. Hitting big strikes, kicking out of close to falls, and combating like hell feels excellent for the climactic end-of-year present.
From an ongoing fan perspective, the reserving across the match leaves one thing to be desired. However relating to strikes and crisp motion, it’s near excellent.
Predominant eventing the Wrestle Princess present has traditionally been a surefire contender for the highest spot of any given 12 months. Miyu and Mizuki made the record final 12 months, however there’s a singular high quality to laying all of it on the road when the world feels at stake.
This isn’t only a standout bout of 2023; it’s considered the most effective TJPW matches ever.
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1. Maki Itoh vs Mizuki (July eighth)
The rivalry between former companions Maki Itoh and Mizuki has been a staple of Tokyo Joshi for the higher a part of 5 years and was reignited in 2023. Kicking off the Yr of the Rabbit, Mizuki defeated Itoh at Ittenyon to win a shot on the Princess of Princess title.
She did certainly win the belt, reaching a dream they each had been racing in direction of. At Summer season Solar Princess, they went face to face once more for the number one spot in TJPW.
The most effective second of the match, maybe of the 12 months, occurred quarter-hour into this emotional major occasion. After knocking one another down in a stalemate, each wrestlers tumbled to the surface on reverse sides of the ring.
Exhausted, they crawled alongside the ground to search out each other. They met across the nook and, after a staredown, began throwing bombs. Because the referee’s countout bought nearer and nearer to twenty, Maki and Mizuki grabbed one another’s hand and rolled into the ring to proceed their struggle.
Numbers 1 and a couple of on this record could possibly be exchanged, because the Miyu match feels prefer it appeals to the mind, whereas this appeals to the center. The Mizuki and Maki Itoh story is what hooked this author into watching TJPW.
The tears are sure to fall, and never simply between these wrestlers. They’re each deserving of the highlight and have earned all of the flowers.Â
TJPW in 2023: Honorable Mentions
Shoko Nakajima and Hyper Misao vs Andreza Large Panda and Haruna Neko (March 18)
Nao Kakuta vs Mizuki (April 15)
Sawyer Wreck vs Mizuki (Could 5)
Yuki Aino vs Rika Tatsumi (July 8)
Rika Tatsumi vs Shoko Nakajima (July 29)
Wakana Uehara/Toga/Runa Okubo vs Shino Suzuki/Himawari/Haru Kazashiro (August 12)
Yuki Arai vs Miyu Yamashita (August 12)
Yuki Kamifuku/Mahiro Kiryu vs Arisu Endo/Suzume vs Rika Tatsumi/Miu Watanabe (September 10)
Nao Kakuta and Hikari Noa vs Yuki Kamifuku and Mahiro Kiryu (October 9)
Shoko Nakajima vs Miyu Yamashita vs Yuka Sakazaki (December 6)
The honorable point out record has been curated to supply to a variety of supplementary materials. One might simply as effectively go to Cagematch and take a look at the matches rated 7 and above.
However that tends to favor a lot of the identical faces. These all could possibly be Miyu Yamashita matches fairly actually. TJPW is exclusive, comedic, younger, skilled, heart-stirring, and awe-inspiring all of sudden.