"The Queen of Villains" is a superb, heart-pounding youth drama! A review of all 5 episodes that I binged, got excited about, and cried at the end!

I binged it, got excited, and then cried!

The Queen of Villains was a superb, heart-pounding youth drama!

Please also enjoy it on Voicy audio streaming♪

This article became one of the top popular articles on note.
I am honored to be among such prominent people!

Furthermore, my "The Queen of Villains" review reached the top of Google search results! I'm surprised.

"The Queen of Villains" is a superb, heart-pounding youth drama! A review of all 5 episodes that I binged, got excited about, and cried at the end!

The lead, Yuriyan Retriever, brilliantly embodied Dump Matsumoto!

And the overwhelming intensity of the full-contact wrestling scenes performed by Erika Karata and Ayame Gouriki as the Crush Gals was also incredible!

[Work Overview]

A semi-autobiographical drama depicting the untold story of Dump Matsumoto, who sparked a women's pro-wrestling whirlwind with her charismatic popularity in the 1980s.

Planned, written, and produced by Osamu Suzuki, and directed by Kazuya Shiraishi.

Japan in the 80s, an era where gender inequality and misogyny were taken for granted without being questioned.

It was women's pro-wrestling that fought against such an era, drove the whole country into a frenzy, and created an unprecedented boom.

The story follows Dump Matsumoto (Yuriyan Retriever), who, while longing for success as an orthodox pro-wrestler, was on the verge of being fired, as she turns into a villain. It depicts her friendship and battles with her peers, such as Chigusa Nagayo (Erika Karata) and Lioness Asuka (Ayame Gouriki), who rise to become stars across Japan as the Crush Gals, and her ascent to becoming the most famous "heel" in Japanese history.

[Impressions]

Once I started watching the first episode, I got hooked and binged the whole thing!
The structure and flow of the 5-episode drama were so well-crafted that I couldn't take my eyes off the climax in episodes 4 and 5, just like watching a movie.

I wasn't that interested in pro-wrestling when I was a child, but
I often saw Dump Matsumoto and the Crush Gals on TV.

The passionate performances by the cast are just incredible!
I never imagined there was such a passionate and spectacular drama behind them...

In the first half of the drama, Yuriyan has a soft, dreamy atmosphere as Kaoru Matsumoto, the kind-hearted girl before she became Dump Matsumoto, but...

The fourth episode, where she transforms and awakens into the villainous Queen, Dump Matsumoto, really gave me goosebumps.

At first, Yuriyan's unique cute voice perfectly matched the simplicity of Kaoru Matsumoto, and the transformation where even her voice changes after becoming "Dump Matsumoto" is amazing. Her psychopathic laughter is also chillingly spot-on and superb!

Yuriyan Retriever's style as a comedian always had an unpredictable feel, but I felt there was something in common deep down with the unfathomable terror of Dump Matsumoto. It might be the "madness" that one catches a glimpse of at the bottom.

Meanwhile, the conflict with her family as Kaoru Matsumoto the individual, and the conflict of her rivalry and battle with Chigusa Nagayo (Erika Karata), whom she believed was her best friend, were truly filled with overflowing emotion and tears in her eyes—it was absolutely authentic and wonderful! Actress Yuriyan is brilliant!

She embodied Dump Matsumoto, a person completely different from Yuriyan's usual character, both physically and mentally. The agony she showed while enduring slander from all over Japan and staying true to Dump Matsumoto was pushed to the absolute limit of emotion, and I thought she, too, is a true actor.

She worked hard when she expanded into the American market, and I have no doubt she will continue to be even more successful.

The message Yuriyan sent to Dump Matsumoto on the day of the release. I can cry every time I see it.

The matches after the "birth of Dump Matsumoto" were sometimes so painful to watch that I had to close my eyes, but Erika Karata, who played Chigusa Nagayo of the Crush Gals, was covered in blood—it was painful! Was that really broadcast on terrestrial television back then... come to think of it, it was, and that era was incredible.

The seriousness of the Netflix drama in realistically recreating that scene is also truly amazing!

Among the passionate performances of the All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling members who gave their all,
I was moved by the sheer acting spirit of Erika Karata as Chigusa Nagayo and Ayame Gouriki as Lioness Asuka of the Crush Gals, who confronted Dump Matsumoto with genuine pro-wrestler intensity.

The pro-wrestling scenes, which tested the true worth of the actors, were more amazing than anything else. Almost all of it was performed by the actors themselves, and each cut was not edited strangely; you could clearly see their faces and their whole bodies as they actually lifted their opponents and performed moves.

Ayame Gouriki's giant swing and headspring were brilliant, and Erika Karata's flying knee kick and kip-up were incredibly cool! These originally slender women trained their bodies to be muscular like pro-wrestlers and clashed with each other. It was truly the fruit of their hard work, and all the other women's pro-wrestling members were wonderful too!

However, above all, Erika Karata, who played Chigusa Nagayo, was amazing...

In particular, the attacks using weapons in the matches after the "birth of Dump Matsumoto" were sometimes so painful to watch that I had to close my eyes, but Erika Karata, who played Chigusa Nagayo of the Crush Gals, was covered in blood and it was spectacular.

And the legendary heated battle between Dump Matsumoto and Chigusa Nagayo, with their hair on the line, had such an abnormal level of intensity that I was left stunned, wondering if they would really go that far.

Erika Karata, with her face covered in blood, had a gaze burning with fighting spirit, and even as she was battered, she stood up to her opponent. And that figure was truly beautiful.

Erika Karata also had a long period of misfortune due to various circumstances, but she managed to show such amazing acting in a worldwide Netflix release. Life has its ups and downs, but it's interesting because of these comebacks. That must have been realized by her genuine desire to be an actor. I want to support her from the bottom of my heart.

Ryoka Neya, who played Devil Masami of the other All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling, was also impressive, and the star-like coolness of Jackie Sato and the performer who played Bull Nakano, who appears in the latter half, were excellent in their distinct portrayals.

Also, the three Matsunaga brothers who ran the pro-wrestling organization at the time were all eccentric, and Jun Murakami, Daisuke Kuroda, and Takumi Saitoh who played them were the best! And Takuma Otoo, a regular in director Shiraishi's works who played the promoter, was also funny with his usual over-the-top character! The interplay between the All Japan Women's wrestlers, who were sometimes used by them, sometimes fought alongside them, and sometimes deceived them, was also interesting.

The chief director of "The Queen of Villains" is Kazuya Shiraishi, director of "The Blood of Wolves".

He is now a leading film director in the Japanese film industry who can turn human karma and violence into top-tier entertainment, and he was the perfect choice to depict the youth ensemble of these women who lived with abnormal intensity in the women's pro-wrestling scene of the 80s.

The family relationships that became the origin of Dump Matsumoto's conflict, her charming villain image, the cruelty of the bloody scenes of foul-play beatings using weapons, the intensity of the ringside brawl action, and the addictive charm of the typical sleazy men. Director Shiraishi fully demonstrated his signature style in "The Queen of Villains," allowing us to feel the chaotic and somewhat free atmosphere of the 80s through the visuals.

"The Queen of Villains" is something I want even those who are not interested in pro-wrestling to watch, to see the atmosphere unique to the 80s and the way of life and youth of the women of All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling who lived through it between dreams and adversity.

In the final episode, I couldn't stop crying at Dump Matsumoto's final retirement match. I really want you to see the form of pro-wrestling that she aimed for with Chigusa Nagayo, not as Dump Matsumoto, but as Kaoru Matsumoto.

I think it is one of the best heart-pounding youth dramas of the last few years.

Please, be sure to burn their sincerity into your eyes with "The Queen of Villains" as soon as possible!

[Introduction to Tenmame's Articles and Courses]

I have achieved top search rankings and media features for many of my movie and drama reviews, as well as K-POP concert reports.

Even as someone with ADHD, if you have the know-how and writing skills for note, every day can be enjoyable and your income will never stop.

I have compiled the secrets to this in a complete guide on "How to write note" and an online course, so please take a look if you are interested! ☆彡

[Complete Guide Article]

[UDEMY Online Course]