Kaientai Dojo: 13th April 2008

This is a K-Dojo show at the Korakuen, and given that and the name of the show (ev. 7), I'm assuming this is the anniversary show. PUNQ has it.

Overall, this is a fun show (also known as a K-Dojo show). Let's focus on the longer stuff. The WEW Hardcore tag title Rumble was a bunch of silly nonsense, leading to the return of YOSHIYA and Apple Miyuki (good times), and their crowning as the new champs. Apple's game and takes a bunch of hardcore spots, including a springboard double foot stomp and a moonsault underneath a table top. This is a nice little addition to the show. FMW's old title's get everywhere - Apache Pro has the WEW Heavyweight title, K-Dojo has the WEW Hardcore tag title, and up the Independent Junior Heavyweight title has been through almost all the promotions, though mainly DDT. This is all very interesting (to you).

Osaka Pro's title was on the line in the (heavily clipped) match between Tiger's Mask and Kashiwa. We only got about five minutes of this, so it's hard to form a judgement. Kashiwa seemed a little out of his league here, which was the story the match was built around. Maybe he's being elevated, slowly - this is the first time I've seen a Kashiwa singles match. It didn't leave a particularly strong impression, but I blame the clipping.

The tag title match between Team HANDSOME and Madoka and Boso Boy Raito seemed like a sprint - I think clipping may have STOLEN the early build (though I watched it twice, and that is some smooth editing, because I can't tell where it's clipped). Anyway, this was packed full of fun - JOE posturing, TAKA eye-poking, Raito super-heroing, Madoka being too pretty-for-a-boy. Also, the wrestling was energetic and entertaining. I liked the finish a lot - an imaginative roll-up from TAKA after a series of big moves between he and Madoka. This is worth your time.

I had big expectations from the main event - the eventual dethroning of semi-permanent K-Dojo champion Kengo Mashimo by Yuji Hino. I like both guys, for a number of reasons. I really like the sheer joy on Hino's face as he cheats or flips off the crowd or takes a seat while his stable mates beatdown his opponent or taunts his oppenent with the offer of a handshake (and likely a cheapshot). But I found the match a little lacking. Hino steadfastly refuses to sell his injured arm for any lenghty period, which annoyed me, but at least wasn't the main story of the match.

Therein lies the major problem with this match: it didn't really settle on one particular story. Instead it just moved between different bits of stuff, and between several seperate themes, without sticking with one. I mean, I like each guy's stuff, so I wasn't bored, but it lacked a bit of drama because of it. Hino is obviously dickish heel, to Mashimo's company ace, except Mashimo worked a long heat section in submissions on Hino. Plus, Mashimo can come off a little dickish himself. Then they dropped any face/heel dynamics, and worked a straight finish, with each looking for their finishers. I liked the lack of overkill in this section - K-Dojo generally protects finishers really well. Hino went over cleanly too, which was a pleasing bit of booking. I await the rematch, and see what they do next time around.