This video is a little overview of the notable personalities and events of Japanese pro-wrestling called "puroresu". When TV was young in post-war Japan, Rikidozan built the sport from the ground up by conquering foreigners. After his controversial death, puroresu nearly died out. It survived and eventually expanded under Shohei "Giant" Baba and Antonio Inoki. These two Rikidozan disciples formed new companies, All Japan and New Japan, respectively. Through the 1970s, puroresu took on new dimensions. Baba adopted a more American-influenced style dubbed "King's Road", Inoki pioneered the mixed martial arts form which he called "Strong Style." A third company, the IWE, innovated death matches in Japan, which were taken to new heights by Atsushi Onita's FMW and other so-called "garbage wrestling" companies. The 1980s saw a rise in popularity of a shoot-style, which boomed in the 90s and peaked with the development of Pride FC. Another popular innovation was the lucha style, which was introduced by Mil Mascaras, developed by Tiger Mask and made it a sensation all around Japan. Puroresu's roots were grounded in blurring the lines between reality and entertainment in way very different than anywhere else in the world. It has risen and fallen in its popularity, but it continues to this day. Opening Reel - Rikidozan KO's Masahiko Kimura; Opening features audio from the Korean Rikidozan movie, post-war photography by Ihee Kimura and three shots of Rikidozan (one as a sumo); Inoki's catchphrase Ich-Ni-San-Daa with pictures of him with Giant Baba and Tiger Mask; The Great Sasuke, Kaientai Deluxe's reunion (L to R: Funaki, "Shiryu" Kaz Hayashi, Dick Togo, MEN's Teioh, TAKA Michinoku); Rusher Kimura x2, Great Kusatsu in a chain match; ~Atsushi Onita x3, Hayabusa, Mitsuhiro Matsunaga clip; Toshiaki Kawada invades New Japan to battle Kensuke Sasaki, Giant Baba, Shiro Koshinaka's hip attack on Gotoh; Billy Robinson and Thunder Sugiyama; Tatsumi Fujinami; Masahiro Chono & Great Muta x2, New Japan's Three Muskateers: Shinya Hashimoto, Masahiro Chono and Keiji Muto "Dragon's Heartbeat" Segment: Strong Kobayashi; Kintaro Oki headbutts Killer Karl Krupp; Mitsuharu Misawa's Tiger Driver on Big Van Vader; Jushin Liger's Liger Bomb on Tiger Mask IV, Keiji Muto's Shining Wizard on Shinsuke Nakamura; Hashimoto's Dangerous DDT on Nobuhiko Takada in 3 shots; Akira Taue's Dynamic Bomb on Kenta Kobashi, Riki Choshu's Riki Lariat on Tiger Jeet Singh; Kobashi-Sasaki Chop Montage: audio and 1st shot is Kobashi vs. disciple Jun Akiyama, Sasaki vs. KENTA (KK student), Kobashi vs. disciple Go Shiosaki, Kobashi-Sasaki dream match, Kobashi-watermelon and on close-up); Chavo Guerrero's German Suplex on Mighty Inoue; Tsuyoshi Kikuchi and Mitsuo Momota (audio is Momota talking about leaving All Japan with Misawa); NOAH's debut card in 2000; Jumbo Tsuruta's jumping knee on Bruiser Brody, Steve Williams' Dangerous Backdrop on Kobashi, Hiromichi Fuyuki with the WEW belt, Toryumon's Crazy MAX (Big Fujii, TARU, SUWA and CIMA); Genichiro Tenryu x2 (one lariating Jumbo), the Great Kabuki, bloody Great Muta clip and collage (Gary Hart provides audio); Tiger Mask manga, Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama) vs. Black Tiger (Mark Rocco); Tiger Mask III (Koji Kanemoto) vs. Ultimo Dragon, Misawa (the recently unmasked Tiger Mask II) and Yoshiaki Yatsu; Fireman's Carry Montage (The Destroyer, Toyonobori, Animal Hamaguchi, audio is from Animal's retirement); Gaijin section: Stan Hansen lariats Andre the Giant; Hansen and Bruiser Brody in samurai garb; Volk Han leglocking Kiyoshi Tamura in RINGS; Hulk Hogan's Axe Bomber; Inoki-Brody, Brody kneedropping Seiji Sakaguchi, Brody in manga form; Abdullah the Butcher and Dory Funk Jr. in a nailed board death match; "Vampire" Freddie Blassie; Dick Murdoch's calf-branding; Johnny Powers vs. Sakaguchi; the Funks battle; Funks vs. Sheik & Abby; Funk disciple Cactus Jack; Wahoo battering Kusatsu; Harley Race's backbreaker on Jumbo; Miracle Violence Combination (Steve Williams and Terry Gordy); Dynamite Kid chinlocks Isamu Teranishi; Mil Mascaras bodypresses Dory Funk Jr.; Big Van Vader's lariat, Vader vs. Takada in UWFi; Takada with Lou Thesz, Danny Hodge and Billy Robinson; Generalissmo Takada from HUSTLE, Kiyoshi Tamura necklocks Takada; Super Tiger kicking Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Naoya Ogawa STO's Kawada; Akira Maeda celebrates with Takada; Maeda and Masakatsu Funaki; Yoshihiro Takayama vs. Don Frye; Kazushi Sakuraba's win over Royce Gracie in 5 shots; Hiro Matsuda; Yoshimura; Karl Gotch and Masahiko Kimura; Rikidozan's gravesite Tech Used: iDVD, iMovie HD, GarageBand, Youtube, Zamzar, MPEG Streamclip

• published: 17 Aug 2009
• views: 45939