Joshi Spotlight: GAEA Japan in May 1998
By Jabroniville on 22 January 2024
GAEA JAPAN IN MAY:
* Here’s a bunch of GAEA matches from May 1998! This one features the usual bunch of disparate, clipped matches, but also has the debut of new rookie Mizuki Ishii! Who… uh-oh. No Cagematch profile! Also Aja Kong comes over from ARSION to form a regular team with Mayumi Ozaki, shaking up the top of the cards. This is also the “Night of a Billion Urakens”, something that’s only going to get more prominent in GAEA as Ozaki, Sugar, Sakura and others start spamming that move like crazy, giving an annoying same-iness to a lot of matches.
GAEA Roster: Chigusa Nagayo, Devil Masami (sorta), Akira Hokuto, Toshiyo Yamada, KAORU, (First Class) Meiko Satomura, Sonoko Kato, Sugar Sato, Chikayo Nagashima, Toshie Uematsu, (Second Class) Meiko Matsumoto, Makie Numao, Sakura Hirota, Hiromi Kato, Rina Ishii
MAY 18th SHOW:
MAYUMI OZAKI vs. TOSHIE UEMATSU:
* GAEA loyalist Toshie, in green, faces the devious Ozaki, in red & black.
We’re JIP with Toshie blasting Ozaki with a chair, and choosing to work the forehead via rope-rakes, boot-scrapes and mat slams. She chairshots Ozaki again, but Oz won’t get off the ropes and uses the delay to dodge a chair-toss and work Toshie over with it, including choking her against the chair’s backing. Toshie fights for a Northern Lights suplex, but ducks an uraken backfist and Germans her twice, then again on the chair. Back to the chair, but she over-relies on it and Ozaki dodges again and powerbombs her on it. But Toshie manages to dodge a charge and hits a running knee smash and a pair of missile dropkicks for two. Ozaki pops up with her horrible urakens, but Toshie weathers them (most miss) and gets a Fujiwara armbar, Pillmanizes the arm, throws a chair at Ozaki’s goon, and tries a cross-armbreaker! Both dodge attacks (including the chair), and Ozaki finally Superduperplexes Toshie onto the chair… pulling her up at two. She pays for that immediately by missing a Flying Cannonball and Toshie pops up with a double-armtrap Northern Lights for two. Toshie, out of ideas, goes for the chair, but Ozaki manages to get it and tries a few shots before getting it dropkicked into her, and Toshie… takes a bunch of terrible urakens and a good Ligerbomb for two. Toshie avoids the Tequila Sunrise (dragon/tiger suplex) but two more urakens set up another Ligerbomb for the pin at (7:45 shown of 12:15)- Ozaki wins.
Actually a fun little house show match, with then working an entire thing around the CHAIR of all things, trying a variety of moves. Both would rely on it for counters, over-rely on it and get caught, etc. Though it’s funny seeing a powerbomb on a chair being used as a minor transition move in 1998, especially as Toshie counters the very next thing. Ozaki eventually becomes way too much for her, Toshie running out of stuff (you can tell her knees are gone already because she’s stopped being the ultra-fast high flier and is instead just another undersized wrestler doing communal offense) and Ozaki being able to reliably counter her. Toshie relying on the chair gets her countered one too many times, and Oz nearly finishes her before getting cocky, and has to hit two Ligerbombs for the pin.
Rating: **1/2 (very fun for what it was- lots of “popping up to hit your own stuff and no-sell” but building a match around chair spots is fun and something different)
TOSHIYO YAMADA & KAORU vs. MEIKO SATOMURA & SONOKO KATO:
* From the same show, we have two of GAEA’s veterans taking on the top two rookies. Yamada’s in white & black, KAORU’s in blue, Meiko’s in red & Kato’s in blue.
We’re JIP with Yamada’s counter-to-the-whip kick being ducked and Meiko Northern Lights suplexes her for two and Kato throws a flurry of kicks- her bulldog gets countered but Meiko grabs Yamada’s leg on the top rope. Yamada stops the Dragon suplex but gets dumped and takes a cannonball off the middle rope. She counters another Dragon but Meiko assists a Bridging German for two. KAORU flies in to stop Kato’s surge and Yamada hits an enzuigiri and three straight backdrop drivers for two, but Meiko stops The Finisher That Never Hits, but Yamada spinkicks Kato for two. Yamada beats on both kids but Kato resists a German after KAORU’s missile kick, and Yamada gets ANOTHER backdrop for a “Fuck YOU!” bridge. Yamada Germans her to stop a hot tag, but KAORU moonsaults onto knees and Kato sleeperholds her for a near-fall. KAORU lands on her feet from Meiko’s DVD attempt, but gets sleepered AGAIN, and Yamada has to save. Meiko takes a Bridging German, but counters the pin to a Fujiwara armbar, but Kato cannonballs onto Meiko by mistake. Kato stops the Michinoku Driver, Yamada stops the DVD, but Yamada Diving Brain Kicks KAORU and Meiko DVDs YAMADA to stop her from interfering, then goes to finish KAORU- she tries her Death Valley Driver again, but KAORU pops up into a Hurricanrana for the pin at (7:37 of 12:49 shown). The veterans win! They cheer each other on and then bully the kids by bumping into them after the finish.
An all-action “GAEA Sprint” with only big moves and all-out effort shown. Interesting how Kato ate move after move to set up a hot tag as that’s not typically a joshi thing. Everyone had pretty good precision offense and solid counters, and I liked how the double-teams and partner-assists kept threading into the match. A half-dozen times someone stopped a finisher, twice teammate attempts resulted in someone nailing their own partner, and then we had the hot finish with a TON of similar counters leading to Meiko DVDing Yamada to stop that… but KAORU having a clever counter and finishing her.
Rating: **1/2 (again it’s a house show match and we miss 5 minutes of it, but it was good, solid action)
MAY 31st SHOW:
TOSHIE UEMATSU vs. SUGAR SATO:
* Uematsu takes on Sugar, in white. This is pretty clipped. Sugar seems to have been elevated a lot over the last year, so we’ll see if she can still beat her classmate.
We’re JIP with Toshie hitting a Bridging German for two- a tired Sugar resists another, then gets her feet up with Toshie flies off onto her, but gets dumped to the floor and Toshie boots her in the face off the apron and chairshots her. But Sugar comes back out there, wrapping a chair around Toshie’s head. Toshie comes back to the ring with a chair, but Sugar just sits down in the ring and taunts her while the ref has to refuse Toshie entry (cuz I guess they enforce that rule now). Toshie boots her in the head and hauls her up by the hair and it turns into a slapfight, won by Sugar, who pops an uraken. Toshie manages a cradle out of a powerbomb for two, but can’t get her NL suplex and runs into a bad stungun. Sugar misses her run-up back elbow but hits an uraken into a powerbomb attempt but Toshie rolls through in a Manami Roll (Sugar wisely going along when Toshie releases early) for a dramatic two-count. Double-arm Northern Lights suplex- two! She tries another, but Sugar counters, attempting a powerbomb, but Toshie rolls through, Sugar fails powerbomb attempts and Toshie ends up on the top rope, but Sugar urakens her from there and tries a RUNNING powerbomb, but Toshie falls back and hits a straight right to the mouth, Tenryu style, leading the commentator to shout “GOO PUNCH VERSUS URAKEN!” in English- but sadly eats two urakens in a row into the Sit-Out Powerbomb for three at (5:23 shown of 9:59). Sugar wins!
Another hard-fought sprint, this being a hot ending sequence. Nice stuff in parts as they keep gunning for their big finishing holds (all of which end up in pins), and Sugar copies mentor Ozaki’s urakens repeatedly as an insta-transition. Hilariously, hers are already better than Ozaki’s despite Ozaki being a better worker in every other possible way.
Rating: ** (hot stuff for what we got- just over half the match is shown and they’re really fighting out there)
CHIKAYO NAGASHIMA vs. SAKURA HIROTA:
* Chikayo seems quasi-forgotten at times, but the yellow & blue First Class member now takes on goofy Sakura, in pink.
Chikayo dominates to start, largely amusing the crowd as she comically ties up the dork. Sakura makes a brief comeback, again making the crowd laugh when she bow & arrows Chikayo straight into the ropes. Sakura keeps doing clutches and front-facelocks- Chikayo stomps on her when Sakura flies onto the mat, but Sakura USES THE ASS to come back. Chikayo finally kicks her in the chest to stop that, but Sakura actually turtles up to avoid a German and completely curls into a ball and the ref has to snap her out of it. Chikayo gets her sunset flip but gets popped by an uraken and a Flying Ass knocks her down, but Sakura tries a slingshot one and Chikayo casually Germans her in mid-air. Flying Stomp gets two, but Sakura urakens her and gets her Rings of Saturn submission for a near-fall- she tries another uraken but Chikayo keeps blocking her and hits a Bridging German for the pin at (9:09).
Rating: * (Long and boring match, mostly with “HEE HEE SO FUNNY” comedy spots and Sakura badly missing moves)
BEST TWO OF THREE FALLS:
MEIKO SATOMURA & MAIKO MATSUMOTO vs. SONOKO KATO & MAKIE NUMAO:
* This is an interesting one, as the top two of Class 1 team up with two from Class 2- powerhouse Matsumoto & kicker Numao. Meiko’s in red, Matsumoto’s in yellow/brown/bright blue, Kato’s in dark blue and Numao’s in a black singlet with yellow & red stripes. This match horrifyingly has a Meiko, Maiko & Makie in it, so last names only!
First Fall: We’re JIP with a Satomura/Kato kickfight, but Matsumoto comes in and holds Kato down for a frog splash. Satomura directs traffic and Matsumoto mountain bombs Numao onto Kato, and Matsumoto hits atomic drop spam on Kato, who no-sells and Matsumoto is left bombing Numao again while Satomura grabs at Kato’s knee. They actually hit a Doomsday Device on Kato for two, Numao saving, and then a double-team atomic drop with Satomura flipping Kato from fireman’s position ass-first onto Maiko’s knee. Okay, that’s pretty clever. Numao finally drops a knee to stop it and tags in, scrapping with Satomura, who no-sells Matsumoto accidentally missile kicking her and everyone starts interfering in each other’s stuff, Kato failing her super fireman’s roll & Matsumoto gutwrench suplexing Kato for two. Kato finally manages a long sleeper spot to bring Matsumoto down, then cannonballs Satomura off the apron and Maiko from the top for two. Matsumoto takes a Bridging German for a close two as Satomura runs in, then Kato has Numao wrap up Satomura so she can hit another for the pin at (6:03 shown).
Second Fall: Kato beats up Matsumoto again and Numao adds a flying knee smash for two- Satomura saves. Matsumoto mountain bombs out and escapes, but Kato scraps with Satomura and tries to drag Matsumoto back in for some reason. Satomura ultimately shreds Kato’s arm with a move, then hits a super cross-armbreaker on Numao for a near-tap. Numao manages to pepper Satomura with knees but gets ass-dropped on the mat by an interfering Matsumoto and Satomura gets a NL suplex for two. We get a sweet bit as Satomura, Kato & Numao alternate throwing high kicks into each other’s heads, then Kato Germans Satomura onto her head but she no-sells and her DVD is reversed but she manages a pin attempt for two, but Kato rolls out and wraps up the leg for three at (3:09)- Kato & Numao win two straight!
A pretty disjointed match, though with some effort from three of the four- Maiko Matsumoto seemed to want to prove she could hang, going through all her stuff and trying really hard. Numao was oddly cut out of this ENTIRELY from what was shown- she barely gets into the ring except to interfere, making it look like a Matsumoto showcase for the first fall. Except Meiko & Kato just kept attacking each other at every opportunity. They were evenly matched enough that nobody could take the lead, however. The finish was a bit funny, as it wasn’t even really a flash pin but just an amateur-style “hook the leg” lean.
Rating: **1/4 (what we saw was fine, but only part of a basic match- mostly Kato getting worked over and pulling out a last minute win on two separate occasions)
CHIGUSA NAGAYO vs. MIYUKI ISHII:
* Oh damn- NEW ROOKIE ALERT! Mizuki is the second Ishii after Rina earlier in the year, and she’s set up to be killed by the boss. Mizuki’s a short, stocky kid with fuzzy hair and a black Rookie Swimsuit. Aaaaaaaaaand I checked out Cagematch and she has no page there, nor any other televised matches. I think she must have retired immediately, haha. She jobs to the First Class wrestlers in June and that’s about it for her.
Miyuki has her ineffectual strikes laughed off to start, but when Chigusa tries to slam her, she rolls up the boss for two! Chigusa promptly hits three rookie-slaying bodyslams in a row and dramatically locks up her arm and has Miyuki scrambling for the ropes. Chigusa boots the kid around at will for a while until Miyuki fires up and actually makes her sell a bit, but charges right into a big kick and is dead. She barely gets up at “7” and Chigusa swats her down with a spinkick, then catches her charge with an elbow… but Miyuki “Fuck YOU!” bridges out! Chigusa laughs at this with admiration as I am horrified at Miyuki’s dental care (she’s HOW old and half her teeth are gold or black?), then lariats Miyuki to death at (3:46). Not a bad way to put over rookie spirit when they have no chance. Chigusa’s “HEY, how about that?” at the kickouts was fun.
Rating: 1/2* (about as good as a rookie easily being slaughtered is gonna be)
AJA KONG & MAYUMI OZAKI (ARSION & Freelance) vs. TOSHIYO YAMADA & KAORU (GAEA):
* It’s a veteran fight, as ARSION’s Aja joins formerly JWP Ozaki against Chigusa’s big two loyalists! Yamada’s in purple & white, KAORU’s in blue, Aja’s in white & black and Ozaki’s in red & black.
Team GAEA pounces right away to start, KAORU looking weird as she hits these slow springboards as her only offense against Ozaki. Ozaki gets double-brainbustered and Yamada pulls the SWINGING STRETCH MUFFLER out of the mothballs since Ozaki’s a midget and easy to carry. She holds that move as Aja actually has to climb up and over the top rope with KAORU on her back to finally interfere with an elbowdrop. KAORU actually Germans her and tries using Aja’s own oil can, but Aja keeps no-selling cuz she’s immune to her own weapon. Yamada fires off backdrop drivers in the ring while this is going on. Yamada hits a Diving Brain Kick but Aja drivers her after chairing KAORU.
KAORU springboard kicks Aja to set up Yamada’s enzuigiri for two and hits her Springboard Moonsault, but messes up her brainbuster, only to actually plant Aja with it afterwards to a good reaction. But Aja does the same move to her- Ozaki misses a powerbomb & uraken, but Ligerbombs KAORU for two, then tricks Yamada into assisting her Tequila Sunrise (tiger/dragon suplex) for two. Yamada finally interferes properly, then spinkicks Aja down with her typical good timing, then ACTUALLY HITS HER FINISHER, Gory Bombing Ozaki! Aja saves and Ozaki hits a victory roll & uraken on KAORU and escapes. Aja hits a backdrop driver on KAORU, but misses an Uraken, hits Yamada with it, but gets rana’d by KAORU for two. But Ozaki accidentally urakens AJA, who is good enough to sell that and KAORU hits the world’s worst Michinoku Driver for two, Oz pulling her off. Aja is selling absolute DEATH, as KAORU is unable to even budge her, but her Moonsault hits feet and Aja hits an Uraken with a really bad sell by KAORU for three at (7:13).
Well that was a disappointment- adequately wrestled but they were obviously in “not gonna work too hard” mode, just tossing out moves left and right and sprinting for a 7-minute finish. KAORU in particularly ONLY did her spots. As in, no transitions or weardown stuff or anything- she just took her movelist of 10 or so recurring moves and did only those, to the point of doing springboard kicks as her opening-match offense.
Rating: **1/4 (another okay enough match, but just a collection of their big spots and nothing more. Aja was selling unrealistically so after such little work and Ozaki barely did anything)
So all in all, GAEA seems to be increasing its roster with a new rookie and Aja Kong being a regular thing from this point on, BUT we’re leading to a disappointing same-iness in matches thanks to all the uraken spam going on, plus a billion Ozaki matches and very little of the rookies who never panned out (spoiler on Matsumoto & Numao).