I'm glad my first pro-wrestling experience was on 8/31

*The photos posted in this article are from the photo account @Shy_Snow_flake

A lot of time has passed already, but... I really wanted to write this down.

Why did I go to watch it?

Ever since I was briefly involved in a New Japan Pro-Wrestling project for work over 10 years ago, I've always been curious about Tanahashi-senshu.
Well, I suppose you'd say, 'If you want to see Tanahashi, just go to New Japan.'
When I saw Sanshiro Takagi's post on X saying 'Tanahashi vs. Dino, confirmed!', it's a fact that I thought, 'I absolutely want to go see that!' Desperately looking up how to get tickets is a good memory.
Dino-senshu is also a wrestler whose column I've read on 4Gamer. I also vaguely knew about his fighting style.
As a complete pro-wrestling novice, I could feel that 'the fact that these two are fighting means something incredibly amazing,' so I decided to dive in without any prior knowledge.

As a result, it was incredibly fun.
To the point where I'm still following past and recent matches on WRESTLE UNIVERSE (a video site specializing in pro-wrestling), laughing and enjoying learning about the relationships between the wrestlers.
I thought about 'what was so fun about it?', and I was able to come up with reasons quite easily.

What was interesting about your first pro-wrestling experience?

1. Because I could immediately grasp their names and personalities

This. I recently realized that I'm bad at connecting names and faces for people I don't have much of a relationship with. Especially with baseball players, they all look the same in their uniforms and caps, and there are many times when I can't tell who is who from a distance.
Since DDT has banners with visuals + full names posted in the venue, I was able to remember them immediately without having to buy a pamphlet. Even watching the match progression, I could immediately tell things like, 'Oh, this person is an interesting wrestler,' or 'This guy is clearly a heel.'
I'm surprised myself. Hairstyles and costumes are important.

2. Because it was something that naturally made me want to 'watch' future battles as well

I felt it was packed with 'things boys like.'
Shonen manga, fighting games, finishing moves, rivalries. Many of the moves were things I had seen in 'SaGa Frontier.' ...Was I brainwashed with pro-wrestling moves through playing games?
From gag sequences to gradually becoming serious, with easy-to-understand finishing blows.
Challengers appear one after another for the wrestler who defended the belt. With match cards arranged by mutual consent, I naturally felt, 'I think I'll watch the matches on this day too.'
On this day, an unbelievable giant killing happened at the end.
I felt sorry for laughing at the commentator's remark, 'What is this, is today the final episode of Kazuki Hirata?', but it's also a fact that it was a truly beautiful ending. If I had known about O-washi-san beforehand, I might have laughed even harder.

3. Because I could take photos comfortably

I'm sorry if this sounds like baseball criticism, but I was truly disappointed regarding the photo-taking situation. (Although the posting rules were relaxed on the same day...)
If they put up rules that say photo-taking is welcome, you'd be happy to take them, right?
Then you end up taking 3,000 photos, right?
My inner Chinah-sama let out a scream.
'Who is that idiot who went to pro-wrestling for the first time and got excited and took 3,000 photos... It's me!!'

Regarding how to take them:
・It was surprisingly bright
・The seats at Korakuen were easy to shoot from
・The way of thinking about entrances and wrestlers standing by is roughly the same as sumo, the great justice of the south side
・The movements are easy to read, and you can handle it with a slightly slower shutter speed than other sports (it's better to be fast for aerial moves or flying kicks)
So, it was very easy to shoot even for the first time.

I like the color of the venue atmosphere remaining, so I made it quite red, but looking at other people's photos, my reflection is that I could have adjusted the white balance a little more.

4. Because it was contained within a viewing time of around 2 hours

It ends up being a story similar to 1.
I believe the TEAM NACS rule that 'a play should be kept to two hours' applies to all entertainment. No matter how perfect your physical condition is, I think it gets a bit dull if it exceeds 2 hours.
In that respect, I think the progression, tempo, and pacing of the 8/31 match were perfect.
I thought they were keeping time properly so as not to bore the audience by announcing '10 minutes have passed in the match,' and when I was revising this article, MIKAMI-san posted something to that effect, so I thought, 'I guess I wasn't wrong after all.'

5. Because there were many wonderful wrestlers

My personal MVP is Hirata-senshu. He took everything at the end. You wouldn't think that the person who was dancing in the second match would win the Openweight belt. I'm weak against giant killings.
It's a good memory that I was able to say 'Congratulations!' to Hirata-senshu as he passed through the merchandise space while buying his portrait. It was a warm space.
Thanks to this person, I've become a body that laughs when I see Alfort and Haribo.
(...I was able to tell him this in a very summarized way later. Thanks for the autograph session!)

Tanahashi-senshu was also cool, of course. It was my first time seeing him, and I cried a lot while clicking the shutter.
His comment, 'Dino-senshu. We've met, haven't we,' was truly wonderful. I was surprised by the 'Itsuzai' (Talent) panties. The Dragon Screw was cool. W-wait, that's something I've seen in SaGa Frontier!! I want to see him again before he retires.

And Dino-senshu, who put strong feelings into this battle. I was surprised by the 'Danshoku' (erotic) tactics I saw live for the first time, but I felt that he must be a serious and passionate person from his tears before the match. After watching the 'Wakuwaku Ojisan Channel,' I liked him even more.

I also like the two members of The Apex; they are cool. Naya-senshu has presence, charisma, and is cool. I love Iino-senshu's "I am 'The Apex'!!" \Yeah!!/ x2 (the long setup leading to the missed elbow is a classic routine). Two days later, seeing him stuffing his cheeks with Alfort at the Ueno Beer Pro was super cute. "So yummy."

Speaking of charisma, there's Ueno-senshu. His stylish entrance music, his prince-like entrance gown, his agile aerial moves, and his offensive style known as 'Demon Ueno.' Seeing him praise his opponent, Higuchi-senshu, was also truly wonderful. And yet, there's a touch of madness in him too.
Hirata-senshu's giant killing was fun, but I also had a feeling that I wanted Ueno-senshu to stand up head-on and take it back, so I think the result of the 9.28 match was truly great.

We must not forget the absolutely strong Minoru Suzuki-senshu. When he entered, I felt the atmosphere of the venue change in an instant, and it was very scary. The way he executes his finishing Gotch-style Piledriver is just too clean. Even to an amateur's eyes, I just felt it was 'amazing.' It's scary, but amazing. I've watched a few videos from the past, and the way he sinks his opponents with the Gotch-style after fully acknowledging them is just overwhelming.

Even those I didn't mention by name were all unique and wonderful wrestlers.

"Fun."

Two months later.
I went to the Ueno Onshi Park Beer Garden Pro-Wrestling.
I had the opportunity to talk to a certain wrestler, and in the flow of the conversation, this topic came up.

"Is pro-wrestling fun?"

Of course, I answered "Yes."

There have been many things happening to me and others this year, and it made me realize once again that it is a happy thing to encounter something you can honestly call 'fun.'
Come to think of it, there were little triggers along the path I've taken.
It took a very long time before I went to watch it for the first time, but I am truly glad that my 'first time' was on 8.31.