The big news from Japan this week has been the scandal unfolding from an attack and subsequent hospitalization of wrestler Nobukazu Hirai, aka Super Hate in All Japan Pro Wrestling.
This link has a fair amount of information, and discussion between the two principals involved in bringing this story out:
http://www.puroresuspirit.com/2011/06/03/nobukazu-hirai-hospitalized-and-following-information/
The basic points are, Hirai was hospitalized before he was attacked by fellow Voodoo Murders member Taru...he took a shot to the head, was hospitalized, then continued to wrestle on that tour.
The good news is that Hirai is being moved out of ICU, but there is no idea what his prognosis is going to be.
http://www.cagesideseats.com/2011/6/5/2208226/nobukazu-hirais-brain-bleeding-another-lesson-in-the-dangers-of-head
This article shows the underside of the business...if you thought WWE was bad, this shows how things in Japan are done at times. The whole thing is a scandal that will damage All Japan, an organization that has existed since 1972 and is one of the big three of puro organizations.
Almost two years to the day of the in-ring death of Mitsuharu Misawa, and we have this.
You wonder probably why I'm blogging about this...my interest in Japan goes into a number of areas, and my interest in pro wrestling as a kid seems to go hand in hand.
I think American pro wrestling, apart from Ring of Honor, is garbage. It's not wrestling, it's a show for primarily roided-up creatures, most of whom have little wrestling background or ability.
In Japan there are varying amounts of entertainment, yes. New Japan Pro Wrestling, formed the same year as All Japan is more about the in-ring competition, but there is the entertainment factor, too. I appreciate the athletic and technical aspects more than anything, and the fact these guys (and women in the Joshi promotions) put their fucking bodies on the line more than anyone else.
Watch any New Japan or NOAH stuff on Youtube, and you'll see what I mean. What happened to Hirai is not surprising, but the fact he was permitted to keep on wrestling when he was already injured is suspicious. This is irregardless of what Taru did to him, but that in itself leads me to think criminal charges should be coming down on the guy. Whatever his reasons or motives (and he may have had legit reason to be angry with Hirai), you don't do that.
Again, it goes to my interest in Japan...I had stopped watching and reading about pro wrestling years ago. I just got sick of it; the pretense was gone, and it was just stupid.
I had never seen much from Japan, but I knew it was a different mindset. You can be the most hated wrestler in America, but if you go to Japan and show you can wrestle and give a good match, they'll love you.
From documentary vids, I began to notice the nuances of Japanese society. I saw how people interacted with one another, how they spoke, approached one another and showed respect for one another. Very interesting to me, and I was fascinated by that. It helped form my storylines for the Sweet Dreams Series, and other writings.
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Now about that: I'm into the first edit of Part 2 of "Silk Road Days." It's going smoothly, but it is almost too smooth. I tend to think my mind wandered somewhere, and I'll have to keep editing until I hit on the areas that need to be fully examined.
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A short day at work. Tonight, Dan and I head to Towson to see my old friend Carmen Yates and his new band, Racing Rain perform a house show. The new CD dropped yesterday:
That is tonight!
Carmen is a former member of the Wicomicos, a group that my ex Kaitryth and I became big fans and friends of. Haven't seen Carmen in over a decade, and I am thrilled he is out from behind the board and making music again.
I'll have a full report later...
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