Stardom - STARDOM DREAM QUEENDOM 2024 (12/29/2024)

Saori Anou vs. Mika Iwata

Another fantastic match between these two. Their encounters in Stardom have consistently been top-notch and this one was no exception. Mika Iwata clearly has immense potential but her personality tends to hold her back from fully tapping into it. However, Saori Anou seems to have a special ability to connect with Iwata and bring out her best performance. An excellent display of their chemistry. ****1/4

Wonder of Stardom Championship: Natsupoi (c) vs. Starlight Kid

Starlight Kid had a lot of momentum when she fell into darkness in 2022 but her progress began to wane the following year. However, over the course of this year, she made remarkable strides, and this match was the perfect crystallization of those efforts - one of the finest performances I’ve seen from her. Natsupoi, as the defending champion, also delivered her best work of the year. They exchanged dynamic moves, with detailed limb targeting and joint techniques in between. Not only was the match flawless technically, but the emotional depth was there too. ****1/2

World of Stardom Championship: Tam Nakano (c) vs. Saya Kamitani

How do I even define this match? It was an overwhelming display of charisma - visually compelling and easy to watch, with 21 minutes of lush performances. Tam Nakano's white one-piece bathing suit-style costume gave her a firm, classical feel which stood in contrast to Saya Kamitani’s black attire and carefree attitude. I couldn't help but think about Antonio Inoki vs. Great Muta in Fukuoka while watching it, which also had a sense of generational struggle through dueling philosophies and visuals. ****1/2

Stardom - 5★STAR GP 2024 ~Championship Final~ (8/31/2024)

World of Stardom Championship: Natsuko Tora (c) vs. Tam Nakano
This was a masterpiece that only Tam Nakano and Natsuko Tora could deliver. The physicality and drama were off the charts, with all the gruesome leg attacks. It was really exciting to see them pull off leg lock submissions they don't usually use as part of their leg-work strategies. While last year's match had no ringside seconds, this time both stables were out there, spilling into the ring in a finish that felt like the apotheosis of their feud so far. After everything Tam-chan endured in the tournament, it was deeply cathartic to see her win the belt and celebrate with the rest of Cosmic Angels. ****1/2

5STAR Grand Prix 2024 Finals: Maika vs. Saya Kamitani
Longtime rivals clashed in the grand prix finals. These two have a natural chemistry as opponents, so they meshed and flowed seamlessly. The pacing was steady throughout, with the final stretch delivering high-stakes drama. Despite Maika losing the red belt, she feels completely replenished, and Kamitani shares that sense of renewal after her fall into darkness. Although they’ve faced off many times, the match felt fresh due to the various developments leading up to it. Great match. ****1/4

Saori Anou vs. Natsupoi (Stardom, 7/27/2024)

Stardom - Sapporo World Rendezvous (7/27/2024)

Wonder of Stardom Championship: Saori Anou (c) vs. Natsupoi

Saori Anou's knack for creating thin ice tension in the latter stages of the match was once again in evidence. It felt like one wrong move towards the end could make all the difference. Even knowing the result in advance, the near-falls were convincing and suspenseful. Both Anou and Natsupoi nailed the emotional weight of their rivalry and the high stakes through their facial expressions and body language - just as you’d expect from top-notch actress wrestlers! I still think they have potential for more, in front of a more involved crowd, but this delivered strong in content and outcome. ****

Miu Watanabe vs. Arisu Endo (TJPW, 7/28/2024)

TJPW - Tokyo Princess Cup (7/28/2024)

Tokyo Princess Cup - First Round: Miu Watanabe vs. Arisu Endo

This was a power fight with a sense of dynamic athleticism, fitting for the current Olympic year! It was a pure, orthodox contest with impressive athletic and power feats from both Miu Watanabe and Arisu Endo. At times, there was a lack of physicality/stiffness, which, as someone who enjoys more rugged battles, was a bit jarring. However, it was still a solid main event with impressive moves and an easy flow and structure. ***1/4

Maika vs. Tomoka Inaba (JTO, 7/15/2024)

JTO - JTO 5th Anniversay (7/15/2024)

World of Stardom Championship: Maika (c) vs. Tomoka Inaba
The decision to put the title up for grabs in this match was controversial, but I think it addresses a key shortcoming of past joshi pro-wrestling crossovers: the failure to establish new stars. In some recent Stardom crossover matches, younger wrestlers have been given a spotlight, showing that past mistakes were hopefully learned from. Besides, Tomoka Inaba seized this opportunity brilliantly. Maika was pushed to her limits by her former JTO junior, who was a whirlwind of kicks, before mounting a strong comeback. The early shoot boxing and ground wrestling was quite a treat. Great main event. ****

TJPW - SUMMER SUN PRINCESS'24 (7/20/2024)

Uta Takami vs. Mei Suruga

Sometimes I forget how compelling a singles performer Mei Suruga can be, given that she's mostly confined to mixed-gender tag matches with Baliyan Akki. This was a really intriguing match, with Mei-chan spotlighting her opponent without compromising herself. She was communicating well with her far less experienced opponent and they developed a good rhythm and chemistry. It felt like TJPW's version of Utami Hayashishita vs. IYO SKY from last week, with Mei Suruga enveloping the venue in her worldview much like IYO SKY did. ***3/4

Miyu Yamashita & Maki Ito vs. Mizuki & Emi Sakura

This was a standard special tag match pitting big names against each other, with Emi Sakura working hard to make things interesting. Emi's interactions with Miyu Yamashita and Maki Itoh were somewhat fresh, but the match didn't really reach a high level of interest. ***

Princess of Princess Tag Championship: Suzume & Arisu Endo (c) vs. Yuki Arai & Moka Miyamoto

Another solid defense from Suzume & Arisu Endo. It had a bit of an AJPW All-Asian tag defense vibe, with a sense of freshness and youth. It was interesting to see Yuki Arai working almost as a subtle heel, more aggressive than usual. The second half was mostly them exchanging big moves and counters, with some well-delivered drama. ***1/2

Princess of Princess Championship: Miu Watanabe (c) vs. Rika Tatsumi

Rika Tatsumi's newfound "crazy" gimmick sometimes completely interrupts the flow of the match. This one was rife with such moments but gained momentum towards the end when things finally started to come into focus. Unfortunately, this wasnt the 2021 Rika Tatsumi who mercilessly targeted Yuka Sakazaki's leg and won the title via referee stoppage. Her focus and killer instinct were missing, reducing the tension in the closing moments as Miu Watanabe finally secured a win over her senior tag partner. The wacky antics in the first half of the match made for a unique entry in the annals of PuriPuri title defenses. ***1/2

Mika Iwata vs. Saori Anou (Sendai Girls, 7/15/2024)

Sendai Girls World Championship & Wonder of Stardom Championship: Mika Iwata (c) vs. Saori Anou 

This may have surpassed the Stardom match in terms of emotion and stakes, but content-wise, it wasn't quite as compelling and advanced. Saori Anou spent most of the time working underneath, battered and exhausted, with Mika Iwata controlling much of the match. While Mika Iwata certainly delivered one of her stronger performances, especially with her body language and facial expressions, the overall development felt rather generic. The ending, with Saori Anou's comeback story, was an emotional high and a climactic moment, but as a whole, this didn't reach the brilliance of their Stardom match. ***3/4