5-Star BOOK Reviews: Mitsuharu Misawa’s Books, Part XVIII (Final)

This is the final part of my coverage of the many books written by or about Mitsuharu Misawa. I’ve saved this one for last for two reasons. First, it’s by far my favorite of his books and behind only my copy of Ichinose’s Four Kings Bio, it’s the best and most insightful book about wrestling I’ve ever read. Second, everything up to this point has been tied to a specific point in time in Misawa’s life whereas this last book is, like Misawa’s legacy, timeless.

This last book is called IDEALIST in which Misawa wrote his own personal philosophies about professional wrestling. But not just about the in-ring aspect of it; he also covered being a promoter, a booker/matchmaker, a talent scout, a trainer/mentor, and an observer. I don’t think there has ever been a book that has looked at wrestling from so many different angles with one person assuming a level of authority in each one. Maybe Ric Flair’s or Bret Hart’s book could compare since both of them did booking/matchmaking at certain points but I don’t think either of them were as open about it as Misawa is here. For this reason, I don’t think there’s a single book like this anywhere in wrestling which makes it such a rare piece of guidance and insight into how pro-wrestling works.

I’ve mentioned IDEALIST a few times already but now we’re going to take a look in-depth at what Misawa had to say about certain topics and certain people. I’ll try to include as many direct quotes as I can but not too many because I don’t want this to be too long.

Misawa opens IDEALIST by saying that, at the time, he considered professional wrestling incomplete; that is, that a singular complete form had not yet been shown. He states that wrestling must constantly evolve if it is to survive in an uncertain future (APOD: Keep in mind this was published in 2004, during the height of the MMA boom in Japan which led to a downturn in interest in pro-wrestling; as such Misawa’s words are quite timely given his environment). He also vows to answer some logical and reasonable questions fans might have about the inner workings of wrestling without unveiling the curtain too much.

“Professional wrestling is a sport filled with countless attractions. The impact of trained bodies clashing in a six-meter square ring might be overwhelming for someone visiting the venue for the first time. Moreover, for those who have been familiar with professional wrestling for many years, it is a deep and creative sport that the more you know, the more you understand. There is no bottom to professional wrestling. With the flexible thinking and ambition of the wrestlers and their daily training, they can create a world that endlessly fascinates people. If fans raise their expectations for professional wrestling, the wrestlers will desperately try to meet them.” – Mitsuharu Misawa

You can read part 1 here, part 2 here, part 3 here, part 4 here, part 5 here, part 6 here, part 7 here, part 8 here, part 9 here, part 10 here, part 11 here, part 12 here, part 13 here, part 14 here part 15 here, part 16 here, and part 17 here.

Part 1: What is Talent?

Misawa opens by distinguishing between the pro-wrestling in various countries: Japan, the United States, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. He notes how lucha in Mexico is more freeform and traditional wrestling in the UK had rounds similar to boxing. He also distinguishes pro-wrestling from amateur wrestling but does emphasize that pro-wrestling as we know it came to be by gathering various elements from other legitimate martial arts and other endeavors to create something unique that transcends this martial arts framing. However, having experience in amateur wrestling or martial arts, while useful for practical purposes, isn’t the be-all-end-all, especially since there’s a noted shift towards aerial techniques. Using himself as an example, Misawa notes that while he did achieve respectable heights in amateur wrestling, he makes it clear that his amateur background did not give him any major advantage in pro-wrestling.

Misawa notes that just because you can take your opponent’s moves to show your toughness doesn’t mean everything, either. Using KENTA and Marufuji as examples, Misawa highlights the trend of smaller wrestlers chaining together multiple techniques in quick succession which can be just as effective as having a single bit move. However, magnitude of damage doesn’t always correlate with flashiness of techniques. Strike-heavy wrestlers also develop habits which Misawa states is bad since a wrestler settling into a habit can be taken advantage of once someone grasps their pattern (APOD: This is why, even on paper some matches from Misawa in All Japan or NOAH might follow a specific formula on paper he’s always sure to never settle into a pattern in order to keep both him and his audience guessing). Misawa also heavily emphasizes creative thinking as an asset for pro-wrestlers as without this they’ll never become first-rate. He also notes that with creative thinking even someone without a good physique or other physical attributes can overcome limitations and succeed.

Similarly, Misawa also believes that wrestlers have to be able to adapt to unexpected injuries. For example, in one of his matches, Jun Akiyama’s knee came up by accident and it collided with Misawa’s groin. He had to pretend like nothing happened but the pain lasted him a whole week. He notes that internal injuries cannot always be noticed by fans and how a wrestler chooses to address a sudden and less perceptible injury is important. Misawa also notes that boxers and kickboxers wear cups to protect the groin area while wrestlers apparently do not. The long and short of this lesson is that a wrestler must be able to stay calm when a sudden and unexpected crisis occurs.

Misawa then takes the opportunity to address what is perhaps his most commonly asked question: “Why do you continue to wrestle even though your body is in bad shape?”, to which Misawa answers, “because I love pro wrestling.”

This love is something Misawa stresses as well. If you love something but don’t possess the physical qualities to become a professional in that thing, other avenues might open up on the side. For example, a highschooler who dreams of becoming a professional baseball player but isn’t physical built for that kind of job can become, instead, a baseball journalist, a manufacturer of baseball equipment, a referee, etc. Misawa circles back to himself and notes that if he didn’t love wrestling he would’ve quit a long time ago.

Another important attribute talented individuals must possess is stamina: the ability to go on both offense and defense along with being able to wrestle for 60 minutes if necessary. Additionally, Misawa thinks that to be in the main-event spot you have to be able to go the distance without just having the mindset of simply winning.

“A top-notch professional wrestler is not satisfied with merely winning. They have the temperament to aim for complete victory by fully unleashing both their own and their opponent’s fighting spirit and skills, and by drawing out the opponent’s characteristics and strengths. Without the tough physical and mental resilience to deliberately take on the opponent’s signature moves and still seize victory, one cannot possibly headline the main event.” – Misawa

Misawa shifts to the physical and mental nature of wrestling and how an outsider might not understand deliberately receiving an attack. He notes that if someone loses offensive momentum and becomes anxious their match becomes monotonous which Misawa finds extremely boring. To overcome this, a wrestler, especially a new or inexperienced one, should rely on their instincts since this can lead to unexpected displays of power. He also compared a match to a machine with multiple gears and an inexperienced wrestler’s confusion can spread to others causing gears to become misaligned and the match falling apart. Because he is in a veteran position, Misawa makes an important statement on how difficult it is to think about himself, think of his opponent, the progression of the match, and what the audience is observing, all at once. Having to take multiple viewpoints in at once while in the moment and while moving one’s body is perhaps the toughest aspect of being a professional wrestler.

When it comes to training Misawa suggests that each individual focus on a style suited for that person. He doesn’t want everyone to look the same in terms of physique or style because that reduces individuality. Misawa strives for wrestling to be interesting and for that to work, there needs to be variety.

As part of this variety, Misawa recognizes a growing fan demand for flashy movements. This demand causes more traditional techniques like join locks to become less significant in live matches. However, Misawa notes that joint locks should absolutely be used in training/sparring because they help build stamina and can serve as useful tools to bridge between segments in a match.

Part 2: What is Serious Competition?

Misawa introduces this section by straight up admitting that pro-wrestling is not a serious contest, i.e. not a shoot. Shocker, I know. This is in relation to MMA which, at the time, was overtaking pro-wrestling as the premier combat sport in Japan. Misawa acknowledges that it isn’t his place to determine whether pro-wrestling can be considered “serious”, but the fans’. If the audience doesn’t take it seriously or if wrestling matches don’t resonate with the audience then it’s merely “self-satisfaction” (APOD: In other words, it’s the “the marks are in the ring” argument).

At the same time, Misawa believes that pro-wrestling focuses on showing a physical and mental strength unimaginable to ordinary people which is often expressed as anything from damage-minimizing techniques to near-fatal high-risk attacks. Part of this comes from the pride of being a wrestler: a wrestler must give their all in every match (at least in Misawa’s NOAH) and if they end up in a crosspromotional encounter – as was the case with wrestlers entering MMA – they showcased their bravery and fighting spirit by giving their all even in unwinnable situations.

Misawa also addresses another common criticism: because wrestlers practice taking moves then the ones they take during matches either hurt less or don’t hurt at all. This is blatantly untrue: many techniques still hurt no matter how much the attacker hones his skill and how much the receiver steels himself. Using Kenta Kobashi’s fabled chops as an example, Misawa explains how wrestlers still hit each other hard and, in the case of main-event matches, don’t hold back:

“The chop delivered from his powerful arm feels like a tremendous pain even from just one hit, but usually, you end up taking dozens of consecutive chops, making you instinctively want to clutch your chest due to the impact. The skin becomes bright red and swollen, leading to bruising, and in severe cases, it can even tear. The opinion that it doesn’t hurt because it’s the palm of the hand is quite naive.
Pain can resonate in the bones and organs, or come from superficial damage like cuts and welts. Generally, superficial pain is often underestimated, and Kobashi’s chop falls into that category, but once you take an opponent’s attack, there is no such thing as light pain.” – Misawa

Misawa also notes that it’s difficult for ordinary people to understand wrestling bumps; after all, in what other context besides wrestling would a person, a) ignore basic self-preservation instincts and fall backwards at the risk of serious injury; and b) go into a venture knowing that they will 100% experience high levels of pain and run the risk of severe injury. Because wrestling involves so many experiences that an ordinary person cannot understand and therefore, these skeptics presume that wrestling isn’t serious. But again, it is to Misawa: the training and mental fortitude it takes to pull this off is meant to be the attraction of professional wrestling.

Keeping with this mindset focus, Misawa also notes that a key feature of pro-wrestling is the balance of trying to win the match with satisfying the audience. Balancing these two aspects is no easy task, he says, and in some cases the audience can be perceived as “the enemy”. No other martial art contains this dual aspect which makes pro-wrestling more difficult. Wrestling emphasizes taking hits while most if not all others – and especially MMA – hinges on hitting without being hit.

Misawa also understands why some wrestlers come back from retirement. To him, getting cheers from the audience and winning a match the crowd loves produce an “indescribable satisfaction”. However, Misawa discourages retired wrestler from coming back, if for no other reason than because audiences can easily be construed as coming back solely for money (APOD: This is, of course, a big part of why many wrestlers keep coming back, but in Japan retirement is meant to be permanent because fans REALLY don’t like being swindled into paying big money for fake retirements).

Looking back at his own career, Misawa states that his biggest accomplishment is not titles or glory but how he persevered through so many challenges without losing to himself. He recalls moments of intense personal struggle, humiliation, frustration and, of course, pain and injury. But because he never gave up even during intensely challenging moments of self-doubt and questioning of his life choices, he stuck through. On one hand he admits he has never approached a match with the intention of giving people courage or energy (APOD: which comes across as a subtle but friendly jab at Kobashi); on the other hand that just by wrestling how he did others have found benefit or excitement.

Misawa briefly pivots to booker mode noting that he hates dealing with cases of a newcomer being called a “promising new star” by fans and media. Creative choices for this person become much harder: said person fails in their debut the results can be disastrous (APOD: see: Steveson, Gable). At the same time if said person also fails against an obviously inferior opponent they will be branded a ‘disappointment’. As a booker/matchmaker/manager Misawa knows firsthand the struggle of thinking about talent from this lens against the lens of a fellow wrestler. While he appreciates each individuals’ hard work, he notes some people fail to draw fans to venues. It is for this reason Misawa wishes wrestling fans and media would view wrestlers “with a bit more warmth”.

Misawa ponders the future of wrestling and notes that without an audience it will decline. If it’s less popular fewer people will pursue it which will lead to an inevitable drop in quality. To this end Misawa approaches his job with the intention of stopping that from happening, though he puts a significant power on the audience to make or break wrestling’s future. He also makes sure to regularly pass this onto those around him so that they, too, can pique fan’s interest and keep them engaged.

Part 3: What is Technique?

Misawa opens with an explanation into his use of elbow, noting that it was a product of chance and how his opponent took much more damage from it than initially expected (APOD: the match between Super Generation Army and Tsuruta’s Army on May 26, 1990 is often seen as the moment Misawa’s elbow became, for lack of a better term, GOD). Apparently attacks with the tip of the elbow are prohibited so Misawa uses either the forearm blade or the upper arm from the shoulder to elbow for impact. He uses both because he often finds himself trying to strike a moving target so using both became very practical. Speaking of practicality, Misawa explains the reason for his facelock finisher: that it pinches the nose with both hands and works on most people since, after all, “you can’t train your face”. But since later opponents have learned to either reverse or resist it long enough for him to lose stamina with its application, he stopped finishing matches with it. That leads to another generalization that applies to all wrestlers: over time ways to defend and evade techniques are studied which shortens the lifespan of moves, which in turn leads to wrestlers studying new moves. To Misawa there’s no such thing as an evergreen or immortal technique since audiences get bored of seeing the same moves all the time (APOD: The Stunner, RKO, and Tombstone, for example, might be lost on him…or maybe he doesn’t understand the staying power these moves have specifically with American audiences).

Misawa uses his Emerald Flowsion as an example of this ‘evolution of technique’. When he first used it on Akiyama in 1998 there was a delay due to how he shifted his hands to execute it. To avoid this window of escape Misawa fine-tuned it to make it more quick and fluid so that, by 1999 when he used it next, it was done in one quick motion without room to escape. Misawa explains that he has always had more than one finisher because over time his opponents would adapt to his finishers and reverse them.

Technique isn’t limited to moves; it also applies to defensive movements and ‘selling’. Misawa looks at Harley Race and how he would use exaggerated actions and over-action when taking moves. When a wrestler makes exaggerated movements yet still keeps going it frustrates the attacker and causes them to lose focus. The same applies to Ric Flair whom Misawa calls “a genius of defense” because he keeps going, which causes his opponents to get drawn into his pace, leading to exhaustion. (APOD: Apparently Flair was also at once called ‘The Mad Nobleman’ in Japan according to Misawa).

Misawa also emphasizes breakfall technique, reminiscent of Giant Baba’s training methods, as a means of protecting one’s self and overcoming natural protective instincts that could get in the way of wrestling or, worse, cause injury. Misawa recalls having many such training sessions with Jumbo Tsuruta who would throw less-experienced wrestler endlessly and they – himself included – would learn better falling technique through trial-and-error. He also notes that, with the exception of a handful of special cases like Richard Slinger and 2 Cold Scorpio, most American wrestlers don’t have this skill since, to Misawa, American wrestling schools see their trainees as ‘customers’ and therefore don’t train them as strictly as Japanese dojos.

But even with breakfall training some moves simply cannot be fully protected against. Moves like the Tiger Suplex and the Burning Hammer are two such cases so one the person taking the move is being thrown they must brace and try and absorb it as safely as possible. Taking such moves requires not just training and refinement from the attacker; the user must also be mentally strong enough to avoid hesitation or instinctive fidgeting which could get in the way of taking the move as intended. As a simpler example Misawa recalls a match with Akira Taue in which he gave Taue a tomoe nage (a monkey flip/stomach throw, a simple enough technique that’s taught in many martial arts that even children can learn) and Taue landed badly on his back which made it hard for him to walk the next day.

Another question that gets asked often is “Why do they wait for their opponent to climb the corner post and jump off?” To which Misawa responds that moving clumsily can result in getting hit instead. You can’t always predict what kind of technique a person will execute from the corner or top rope so you have to wait there and adjust in a split-second timeframe. Since the goal of professional wrestling is to NOT injure yourself or your opponent, Misawa states that attacks from the corner usually have to be dealt with quickly. This is why, for example, guys like Misawa, Tsuruta, and Kawada would answer corner or diving attacks with a strike that would do damage without causing injury while also looking somewhat “stylish”.

Yet another question is “Why does a wrestler who is sent into the ropes come back so obediently?”, to which Misawa answers that the person hitting the ropes has momentum from being sent into the ropes and is using momentum. Stopping that momentum is difficult so in some cases it’s easier to maximize offensive power running off the ropes than it is to stop that and hold onto the ropes. Misawa explains that ropework was first done by Buddy Rogers decades ago and came from a desire to maximize use of the entire ring including the ropes. He also notes that sometimes bouncing off the ropes conserves stamina compared to walking or running purely with one’s own energy. More questions along this train of thought include “Is it not possible to stop at the opposite rope?” and “What is the point of going back?”. Misawa addresses these by noting that no wrestler wants to be trapped between their opponent and the ropes because this space gives less room for taking a proper fall and increases risk of falling out of the ring. And when it comes to charging forward from the ropes, Misawa notes that it’s safer to move forward than backwards, and since both wrestlers are often thinking about several factors at once, this split-second decision-making often leads to forward attacks since the person coming off the ropes can usually anticipate what their target will do.

At the same time, Misawa notes that even running the ropes requires training because you have to hit the ropes with specific parts of the body otherwise you risk falling out of the ring (APOD: There are also many videos out there these days showing amateurs or wrestling hopefuls leaving a training session bruised up and down from hitting the ropes and not being accustomed to how hard and unforgiving they are). Based on his observation of trainees in NOAH, Misawa notes that it usually takes 3-6 months of training before one can truly master basic ropework. He also warns against hitting the ropes without property physical fitness: a TV announcer once came by NOAH’s dojo and attempted to run the ropes, only to break a rib by hitting them without proper technique.

When it comes to creating new moves, Misawa suggests thinking like this: one must assume the opponent is skilled in taking falls but still doesn’t want to, yet the attacker should still strike from a position that this trained opponent would find difficult to withstand while also not injuring them. This has led to an era of many high-risk techniques that were unheard of in previous eras but Misawa’s confident in the wrestlers in his NOAH to showcase these impressive moves professionally.

Part 4: What is Evolution?

Misawa opens with a discussion on TV ratings and how wrestling, like baseball, soccer, and other combat sports, both survived and in some cases maintained their popularity despite losing primetime TV broadcasting slots. However, Misawa doesn’t put a premium on TV broadcasting as a heavy emphasis for wrestling and is a bit dismissive of the fact that NOAH’s timeslot at the time was well past midnight (APOD: I wouldn’t put much stock into TV significance either since, from my experience, cable TV in Japan is horribly unreliable and unpredictable). He also notes that wrestling that looks good on TV and live wrestling are very different, with Misawa choosing the latter as the better of the two (APOD: if the matches we’ve seen from Misawa on YouTube and elsewhere on the internet were so great based on what was televised then the live experience must’ve been even more outstanding). Misawa also grumbles about how the “extraordinary” perception about wrestlers and dreams of them being treated as actual sportsmen when engaging with the media. Misawa doesn’t see wrestlers as entertainers and thus doesn’t want the media to create this image when showcasing wrestlers in non-wrestling settings on TV. This, coupled with his tendency to appear bruised and cut up on TV, has caused Misawa to be more comfortable doing radio than appearing on TV programs during the off-season. He further notes that revenue from broadcasting rights cannot be relied on to keep a promotion afloat which is why he takes every opportunity to encourage attending live events.

Misawa shifts to recruitment and training tests. In 2003, 500 people attended an entrance test and only 30 made it through. After a month or so only six remained. By the six month mark only three remained. Misawa forced one of those three to quit because he was complaining about headaches after taking one errant fall and Misawa couldn’t guarantee his health if he was already experiencing headache issues. Because of this Misawa has a warning for those seeking wrestling looking at only the glamorous side without taking the whole picture into consideration:

“There is no such thing as a world where success can be achieved effortlessly or by just being clever. If you only chase illusions, all that remains afterward is emptiness and despair. One must not forget that success is a reward brought about by the accumulation of hardships.” – Misawa

Next, Misawa goes into the mechanics of what makes a great match and one of his first key points is that matches shouldn’t go long just for the sake of it:

“However, just because a match is long doesn’t mean it’s good. That’s the difficulty of professional wrestling. If a match drags on aimlessly, the audience quickly gets bored, and as a wrestler, you’d want to end a match where you can’t fight at full force as soon as possible, even if it’s just by a minute.” – Misawa

(APOD: This is a BIG problem in wrestling today and has been for the better part of ten years. Countless big names all over the world seem to be hypnotized by this notion that going long automatically makes a match better, as if more condensed matches somehow don’t reach those same heights. This is patently untrue: I’ve seen many matches from WWE, AEW, and especially modern-day NJPW that go way too long or just feature so much dead air that they make the older stuff better by comparison thanks to better pacing and use of time and space).

There’s also an important discussion on venue selection. Bigger venues affect the audience experience because many viewers find it difficult to watch matwork or joint locks from far away or, worse, on a giant TV screen (APOD: Because what’s the point of attending a live event if you’re going to end up watching a giant screen anyway?). This in turn also affects wrestlers’ techniques and stylistic choices: if wrestlers find themselves in big venues in which smaller movements cannot be as easily seen, wrestlers have to adapt to bigger motion, aerial techniques, and more movement, necessary and unnecessary, to reach viewers farther back.

To address these drawbacks Misawa acknowledges different wrestlers trying new things. One of these alternatives is verbal appeals (i.e. promos). Misawa doesn’t particularly like it when a wrestler attempts to create an artificial persona just for the sake of drumming up interest but understands that there’s a place for them; that said, he thinks that if you’re going to cut a promo then it should be genuine and plausible and not completely phony. To Misawa wrestling is a regulated combat sport and cutting a scathing promo on someone with whom you have good relations just for artificial drama is something straight out of “a childish brawl”. For example, Misawa respects Kobashi and the two of them get along outside the ring as well, yet in the ring they’re formidable opponents. This is enough for Misawa; there’s no need for either man to go on the mic and cut a useless promo on one another with artificial statements.

“Forcing unnatural performances can instead make the audience uncomfortable and leave a trite impression. I believe that the audience is deeply moved by the sight of athletes sweating earnestly and showcasing all their skills.” – Misawa

Misawa also takes the time to address something many people, especially some of you reading this, have asked him about, that being his stoicism and lack of in-ring expression. Misawa explains that he does this so that his opponent cannot read him, thus making him harder to predict and to frustrate them into thinking their efforts to wear him down aren’t working; however when meeting people on the street Misawa is actually far more expressive.

When it comes to building intrigue and interest, Misawa believes that the champion should be the main focus. To him this person is the one who best exemplifies the image of a refined champion. The position of champion is the easiest for audiences to understand, especially new ones, because it reflects the human desire to achieve a clear, singular goal in a visible, understandable way. Conversely, creating storylines out of things like grudges or romance risks losing audiences’ focus and hampering their ability to enjoy the wrestling. Misawa also rebukes the notion of rankings in wrestling because there are factors influencing a wrestler’s position that in many ways cannot be expressed with a numerical value:

“The world rankings are set, making it easier for fans to predict who will challenge next, but in professional wrestling, the right to challenge is determined by factors that cannot be expressed in such numbers. If rankings were established in professional wrestling, things might become somewhat clearer, but with so many matches, the rankings would change after every single match, causing unnecessary confusion.” – Misawa

In NOAH, for example, Misawa notes that determining title contenders requires multiple perspectives, not just his own as company owner. When booking title bouts Misawa considered the challenger’s position, the fans’ opinions, the management committee’s views, and most importantly, the champion’s opinion. Misawa doesn’t sway the decision; instead he puts the responsibility on the champion to choose challengers that will lead to the best matches that fans will enjoy the most.

On the subject of enjoyment, Misawa understands and respects fans who enjoy different things. He notes the growth of ground-based wrestling in the UK at the time and how such a thing might not led to loud reactions from the crowd. However, Misawa has an appreciation for this style and wishes he got the chance to train in Europe. At the same time, he once again highlights how matwork and chain grappling features so many small movements that audiences in a big venue might not see it and would therefore find such a thing boring (APOD: Thankfully this specific style of wrestling has benefitted immensely from the availability of smartphones and of big screens in larger-sized venues). Misawa himself doesn’t dislike mat-based wrestling but he abhors the silence that it might create.

There’s also a discussion on whether or not it’s okay for a wrestler to have a finishing move. Some consider this “markish” but Misawa argues that having a finisher that has proven results via match wins provides those wrestlers with mental relief because it can turn a match around in a single instant. Meanwhile, a wrestler lacking an established finisher provides mental ease to their opponent since they don’t have to worry about the execution of a proven match-ender. Misawa recognizes that today’s wrestlers have multiple finishers with the wrestler choosing which to use depending to a wrestler’s judgment during a match, which reveals that wrestler’s level of skill (APOD: There is a flipside to this argument as it can lead to an arm’s race of finishers that are established too quickly and don’t get over to the same degree. Marufuji is a great example of this with his, like six or seven finishers used in over a decade. While him wining with different moves was creative, he didn’t get any of them over to the same degree as Misawa and those of his generation and earlier). Misawa recalls his time as Tiger Mask II and again expresses his dislike for that period. He couldn’t promote the style of wrestling he aspired to and notes he struggled with living up to that gimmick’s style and the standard set by the original.

Misawa recalls his switch from TM2 to wrestling as himself which led to a long period of coming up with new techniques. He fine-tuned the Tiger Suplex to make it his own, created the standard Tiger Driver and then in 1991 created the Tiger Driver ’91 as his most dangerous technique (he states he feels bad for Taue for putting him through such dangerous moves and notes that the move was more powerful than he intended, yet he notes Taue is the perfect opponent on which to practice moves). He’s also reluctant to “release” versions of holds and prefers bridging variations since the release versions are far more dangerous and are thus reserved for the most desperate of situations.

Part 5: What is a Serious Organization?

This is the management side of Misawa. He talks about his wrestlers being paid a guaranteed annual salary and not on a per-appearance basis. Even if his wrestlers have certain guarantees, many of them still work through colds, fevers, and injuries, out of habit and mental toughness. At the time of this book’s publishing, Misawa notes not having experienced major complaints; however, that doesn’t mean Misawa was satisfied of the state of things because the moment he reaches satisfaction the company will peak.

Misawa strives to impose as few restrictions as possible on young wrestlers because stifling them during growth is a wasteful endeavor. In wrestling there are some moves that can only be done when you’re young and Misawa doesn’t want to squander this opportunity for the young wrestlers he had on the roster at the time. In his NOAH, as long as one masters the basics and fundamentals he is free to wrestle as he pleases. Misawa doesn’t care about people stealing his moves (in an earlier section he states that he still possesses unique changes on his moves that still make his execution different from someone else’s) as long as it isn’t done halfway. Misawa is proud of NOAH breaking away of old conventions and strict customs held by older promotions while noting that preserving certain fundamentals is likewise necessary as well.

Misawa has some examples of different ideas that were worth experimenting with throughout the year. One of them was a special event for Halloween 2002 in which all the wrestlers would wrestle under a masked persona different from their usual self. Everyone was free to create a create whatever persona they were comfortable with but one person, Akira Taue, couldn’t come up with a gimmick in time. Misawa randomly suggested “The Tall Old Clock” and had a costume made hurriedly. Though the costume wasn’t that good, the audience loved the gimmick. Another was an East versus West gimmick with tag matches booked based on whether a wrestler was from eastern or western Japan. In another, the company’s annual Christmas show featured cards decided entirely by fans and having matching themed attires. These are meant to be special situations that allow wrestlers to toy with new ideas that would otherwise fall outside of the wrestlers’ usual styles and personalities.

Misawa shifts to the importance of the referee, who has to not only count the pins and call the match decision but also pay attention to wrestlers’ conditions. If a serious injury occurs the wrestler has to notify the referee. Thus referees have to undergo rigorous training as well so that their judgments in the ring aren’t called out. Misawa notes that it’s possible for a referee’s cadence to be slow or for a three-count to be mistaken. As such, immense pressure it put on referees to make sure they don’t make such critical errors. Even with training with a stopwatch there are still individual differences between individual officials.

When it comes to wrestlers’ personal lives, Misawa again doesn’t enforce any lifestyle habits on anyone, namely the old custom of drinking with the boss. Wrestling is stressful enough as it is and Misawa doesn’t want to mandate anything on his juniors where is isn’t needed.

Misawa also notes that times have changed and the old notion of watching wrestling just for physical appearances is long gone. From his perspective a good look doesn’t make up for poor skill or sluggish movements. Fans don’t want to be bored and bad match content is far worse than a wrestler with a crappy look. Misawa cites Hulk Hogan as a rare example of a “macho man” type who succeeds in drawing in people with his look alone but notes that when discussing this body type the unfortunate topic of anabolic steroids inevitably comes up. Not just because steroid use brings up accusations of unfairness in competition, but also because their use has serious side effects. For what it’s worth Misawa has never taken steroids and swears up and down that no wrestler at the time tested positive for their use. Misawa attributes Japanese fans’ distaste for steroid use to national character and the audience being more discerning.

When it comes to body training Misawa isn’t the biggest fan of weight training alone because doing this type of training alone can lead to stiff muscles and a loss of stamina. Instead, Misawa emphasizes flexibility and stamina-enhancing exercises like push-ups and squats. He also discourages weight training for younger fans like elementary and junior high students, noting that these individuals should focus on naturally building muscle strength through ordinary play and sports. And like Baba, Misawa dislikes muscles made for appearance purposes and prefers functional bodies instead. To achieve this, Misawa recommends “road work” which involves running at variations in pace to improve stamina. Misawa also notes that muscular body types are more prone to injuries stemming from muscle tightening and tendin tearing. As a result, Misawa thinks it’s okay to have a “moderate” amount of body fat to absorb stress that would otherwise be put on muscles.

There’s also an important need for wrestlers to unwind mentally. Misawa believes that wrestlers should have hobbies outside of wrestling so that they can de-stress and resume their touring schedules as stress-free as possible. Then there’s Kobashi whom even Misawa notes is a bit too serious and too dedicated to training (though this is presented as a joke). Misawa himself unwinds by drinking either at a bar or at gatherings arranged by friends or colleagues, and in the case of these latter situations he uses these opportunities to learn more about other industries and other people’s lives.

As a manager, Misawa admits he’s completely self-taught, having never so much as opened a management textbook. He states that he was overwhelmed when he first founded NOAH and found the schedule so taxing he thought he’d collapse at any moment. As a result, he used alcohol to distract himself since he doesn’t feel comfortable confiding his troubles to others. That said, he notes that he has an ideal company in which there is no hierarchy and everyone works together to achieve mutual/collective success.

In Conclusion

Misawa concludes this book that, despite him presenting his ideals, there is still no completed form for a professional wrestler. He still maintains his pride as a wrestler and vows to keep fighting with all his might. HeHe doesn’t want to have regrets and refuses to have an “if only” mindset about events. Lastly Misawa states this final mission statement for whosoever reads this book:

“If you read this book and develop even a slight interest in professional wrestling, I want you to watch a match from start to finish at the venue without missing anything. Professional wrestling is filled with joy, anger, sadness, and happiness. There must be something that nurtures the joy, excitement, and vitality for tomorrow that you seek. And at that moment, I want to hear you say, ‘Isn’t professional wrestling amazing?’” – Misawa

APOD: This is without doubt a ***** wrestling book. This was a lot to get through and doesn’t even include everything Misawa had to say. He provided immense knowledge about wrestling based on both firsthand experience and various critical observations based on a wealth of experience. Misawa offers a balanced view of so many different aspects of wrestling and understands that the business is changing and everyone is forced to adapt. Some might retreat to classical wrestling theory while others might tread new ground with innovative ideas. Misawa doesn’t enforce or suggest either, noting that there is room for a wide variety of perspectives, looks, styles, and philosophies. This freedom serves as NOAH’s foundation and it bleeds into everything he discusses, which makes this one of the most fascinating wrestling books I’ve ever read.

So after all of this we’re finally done the books (and the magazine) covering Mitsuharu Misawa. After all’s said and done here’s how they rank:

Departure (Misawa’s Autobiography): ****
Idealist: *****
DONMAI: ***3/4
Gaiden: ****
Misawa and the Creation of NOAH: ***1/2
6.13.2009: Misawa’s Last Message (which focuses almost exclusively on his death): ****
Supreme Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa: *****
How Misawa Became A Legend: ***1/2
Last Bump: ****
Weekly Pro Wrestling’s Misawa Career Retrospective: ***

I know this has been a long journey so thank you for your patience through all of this. The next topic will be much easier as we cover the one and only book by one of Misawa’s most important seniors, Masanobu Fuchi.