Best of Ayako Hamada Vol 1

I've been a little hesitant to review this disc, which I bought from IVP Videos for the princely sum of $3, due to my relative ignorance of all things Joshi. My fear was that I would come across as ignorant or, worse still, patronizing. The fact is I wanted to expand my horizons wrestling-wise, and decided the easiest way to get into it was to check out some of the best matches by someone whose work I'm already familiar with. So if this is a naive review then I apologise. Just wait until I start on Lucha...

Ayako Hamada vs Mika Akino
The first thing that's notable, and I apologise for possibly stating the obvious, is just how fluid everything is. Both Hamada and Akino make everything look effortless, while at the same time really looking like they're in a fight, with Akino getting some nasty bootscrapes in the corner from the get-go. Hamada's matwork is terrific, tying up her smaller opponent with various leglocks and, while she switches swiftly from hold to hold, each one concentrates on her opponents legs. Akino seems equally adept on the mat, and ends one sequence with a nicely applied crossface. The story of the match seems to be that Hamada is the dominant figure, largely due to her size and strength advantage, but that Akino is pluckier and keeps catching Hamada unawares. Akino gets to hit an insane tope con hilo on Hamada at one point, but Hamada shows that she is also able to fly by hitting a sweet Asai moonsault to the floor shortly after. Hamada continues to press her advantage, nearly getting the win following a top rope cutter, but charges into three backdrop suplexes and only survives by putting her foot on the rope. However, we get no upset win, with Hamada picking up the win following three spinkicks to the head of Akino. Great, easy to follow match.

Ayako Hamada vs Azumi Hyuga
Different structure this match round, with Hyuga being the veteran and Hamada the relatively inexperienced champion. They're quite even on the mat, with Hamada ramming some fierce knees into Hyuga's back during a deathlock, but when both are standing up, Hyuga manages to remain one step ahead of Hamada and reverses most attempts at offence. She even avoids Hamada's Asai moonsault to the floor, sending Hamada to a crash landing. Hamada gets in some token offence, hitting a nice sunset flip powerbomb for two, before getting caught again with a knee to the midsection. Hamada does get to hit a spiral powerbomb for two, but Hyuga has the best of the offence, hitting a swank German suplex from the top rope followed by a missile dropkick for two. She then hits 8 or 9 rolling German suplexes for another two. Hamada has this awesome way of selling the offence like she's out on her feet, hitting strikes but falling down during them due to the punishment taken. They exchange some offence in a brief flurry, before Hamada is able to nail a top rope Hamada Cutter for the win. Slightly surprised that was the finish, as the same move only got two on a more beaten-down Akino, but it was an effective change of pace.

Ayako Hamada & Miko Akino vs Mima Shimoda & Etsuko Mita
This is for the ARSION tag titles and I'm going to be honest straight away: I didn't really enjoy this. Far too much seems to happen without actually having any effect. Case in point: at the start of the match Hamada's left shoulder is bandaged, and Shimoda and Mita focus their attack on it straight away, twisting it round the ropes and the ringpost. However, Hamada soon tags out and the shoulder is never focused on again. Another prime example comes midway through the match when Mita and Hamada are brawling outside: Mita drags Hamada far from the ring and piledrives her through a table. Theoretically, this should take her out for a while and leave the smaller Akino alone in the ring with the two tag champions, but within a minute Hamada is back in the ring. Weapons shots and potential finishers are kicked out of pretty easily, with a Doomsday Device chairshot followed by a top rope legdrop to the back of Akino's neck only getting two. Likewise a Death Valley Driver preceded with a boot to the head only gets two. You just feel that better structure would really help the match as things are fine moveswise- Akino still goes for crazy tope con hilos, Hamada is still really crisp and fluid (a nice double team sees her swing Akino into place for a swinging DDT) and the team of Shimoda and Mita gel well together, but the match doesn't really work. A Tiger Suplex on Akino gets the win.

Ayako Hamada vs Michiko Ohmukai
No messing about here, Ohmukai attacks Hamada straight from the get-go, but gets sent out of the ring. Hamada tries an Asai moonsault, but gets met by a chairshot on the way down. Hamada is still awesome on the mat, tying Ohmukai up and driving knees into her back. Hamada blades early following a series of kicks to the head, and Ohmukai drags her to the ropes for the ringside photographers in rather a dick move. Hamada blitzes her opponent with a series of headbutts, leaving both of them out on her feet and Ohmukai also bust open. The blading comes into play for the rest of the match, as both try and and just make the other unable to continue. Both are out of their feet, both are coated in blood and then both battle to make the other pass out with a succession of holds. At one point, Ohmukai has Hamada tied up in a triangle choke and it feels like the referee could stop the match at any second. Hamada gets free and builds up enough adrenaline to hit a spiral powerbomb for two. A spin kick to the head gets the win for Hamada in a real war. Despite my misgiving when it comes to female wrestlers blading, I have to admit it really was important to the match and was pivotal in getting the story across. By the end, you really felt that both had given the match their all. Great match.

Everyday Is Like Tom Zenk: Z-Man & Brian Pillman vs Cactus Jack & Abdullah The Butcher

So, I was watching WWE Vintage Collection, when all of a sudden up comes a Z-Man match. Seeing as how I've got 10 minutes to kill, and we've not had a Zenk update for a while, I thought it'd make sense to give it some attention. It's a simple enough story for a tag match: the faces are quick and full of energy, whilst the heels are brawlers who just want to hurt people. Z-Man fights out of the opposition corner early and takes over on Cactus with some nice high flying offence. He does get caught in an Abby nerve hold, which he then breaks out of before hitting a nice enzuigiri. Pillman is in and full of gusto, which is why I always like face teams who are smaller and more explosive, where the fans' excitement at the hot tag is matched by the fire of the incoming face. It's certainly the case here, with Pillman ripping into Abby, including hitting the Butcher with an impressive slam. Pillman slips on a springboard attempt and immediately starts selling knee, which was either planned or some very quick improvisation from him. Pillman bumps like a pinball for Abby, which makes some average offence look deadly. Z-Man comes back in and hits a nice pair of superkicks on the Butcher, which Abby sells with an ace glazed expression. Zenk locks on a sleeper, but the referee is distracted by Pillman brawling with Jack, which allows Cactus to hit Z-Man with the Butcher's staff for the win. Great formula tag match, it allowed both teams to look good and highlight their strengths.