Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
Byolante
Mar 23, 2008

by Cyrano4747
I didn't get why everyone thought Tanahashi was so good until that G1 final and now I understand

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

coconono
Aug 11, 2004

KISS ME KRIS

Byolante posted:

I didn't get why everyone thought Tanahashi was so good until that G1 final and now I understand

Tanahashi is roughly equivalent to Steve Austin that in the twilight of his career, where most guys are doing comedy tags, Tanahashi is turning in his best singles work.

a cyborg mug
Mar 8, 2010



I didn't get Tanahashi either until that Suzuki match at New Beginning. That's when I realized that he is nearly second to none when it comes to match psychology, selling and character work. The Cup solidified my opinion and I started to appreciate his moveset too.

MJeff
Jun 2, 2011

THE LIAR
I appreciated Tanahashi and what a great wrestler he is without being really emotionally invested in him until last year when he defended the IC Title against ZSJ and Ibushi. I thought he was gonna lose the title to Zack without really caring too much about it and then part way through the match I was like dude, I really don't want him to lose this title and then when he won, it was so loving great.

handsome only face
Apr 22, 2010

Cockroach went out of the room in anger. And roach's go to empty room...

Cockroache's Anarchist


tana is njpw's hbk

Rarity
Oct 21, 2010

~*4 LIFE*~
Tana's kinda just been there for me so far since getting into New Japan but because I called him as the winner from the start I was cheering for him loads and I ended up building up quite an attachment, particularly after those two matches with Okada and Ibushi. And now I know that the Ace will never let me down :swoon:

I Before E
Jul 2, 2012

Tana is like John Cena in that if you can move past a reactive distrust of smiling white meat babyfaces he's a world class talent

Chris James 2
Aug 9, 2012


handsome only face posted:

tana is njpw's hbk

I never liked Shawn this much

TriffTshngo
Mar 28, 2010

Don't get it twisted who your enemies are.
Crossposting from the G1 thread:

TriffTshngo posted:

Decided to catch the finals on delay and somehow managed to stay un-spoiled so I'd just like to give my thoughts.

Tanahashi, when I first started watching a couple months ago, seemed like the kind of guy who was excellent in the ring during his prime but was getting on in years so was starting to rely on his even better storytelling and years long connection with the fans. Not necessarily my kind of wrestler but his cheesy dad antics still made me smile pretty easily. Certain matches of the G1 27 I thought "drat Tanahashi's great, I need to at some point go back to when he wasn't nursing a dozen lingering injuries and Okada hadn't taken his position as Ace yet." Even throughout this G1 I was starting to think "Alright Tana's clearly not on his way out, I'll give him his props for still being this good." But after that final match (and this is obviously taking nothing away from Ibushi because holy hell what a performance from him as well) I would like to change my stance officially:

GO! ACE!

I'll occasionally flinch or go "oh poo poo" at a big crazy move or particularly impactful strike in a wrestling match but extremely rarely does watching it like, increase my heart rate or anything. Ibushi vs Tanahashi made me feel like I just spent 35 minutes sprinting with no breaks. I legit think it was better than every Omega/Okada match, except maybe IV. Maybe.

SatoshiMiwa
May 6, 2007


Dave on yesterday's WOR called Tana a mix of Flair, Bret Hart and HBK/Steamboat which is pretty apt.

I remember people being down on Tanahashi back in the early 00's when watching the times he wrestled in NOAH (watch his Dome match for the GHC title with Riko to see this form of Tanahashi). That version wasn't able to show any charisma cause of what New Japan wanted at the time (either MMA or a stoic young lion). So when I came back to watch New Japan when Okasa came back and saw the Modern Tanahashi it was like man, every one was so wrong and if Inoki wasn't forced out Tana could of been wasted.

Byolante
Mar 23, 2008

by Cyrano4747
I have always loved Ibushi but after his Kenny and Tanahashi matches I want him to take over Okada's old spot

Rarity
Oct 21, 2010

~*4 LIFE*~
Tana is like a mix of HBK's ringwork with Cena's goofy earnest nature.

Benne
Sep 2, 2011

STOP DOING HEROIN
I find it funny that they succesfully booked a Tana "one last hurrah" run that got massively over, in the same year that WWE basically threw Cena in the dumpster.

Super No Vacancy
Jul 26, 2012

this match hosed me up man. when kota went into murder mode and tana just steeled himself and trucked forward with pure will that unlocked something about tanahashi for me

SatoshiMiwa
May 6, 2007


Benne posted:

I find it funny that they succesfully booked a Tana "one last hurrah" run that got massively over, in the same year that WWE basically threw Cena in the dumpster.

This the textbook blueprint on how to book Cena breaking the Flair record so ofc WWE will either not do it or so it out of the blue on a random PPV or TV

Gumball Gumption
Jan 7, 2012

Super No Vacancy posted:

this match hosed me up man. when kota went into murder mode and tana just steeled himself and trucked forward with pure will that unlocked something about tanahashi for me

Same. Kota going from throwing those strikes with rage to throwing them in terror was amazing.

Demtor
Apr 23, 2008

"...you won't be able to walk, if you're always worried about crushing the ants beneath you..."
I got to meet Tanahashi in Vegas during an ROH taping a while back. He signed my NJPW shirt I was wearing (he loved it, of course) and said I was "Ace number 1 fan." I was smiling ear to ear the whole time my friend took pictures of us. Looking back now after watching this G1 and following his career over the years... and wow. I got to meet a true legend. Once in a lifetime, man. I still haven't washed that shirt.

remusclaw
Dec 8, 2009

I was full on Tanahashi converted years ago, but I honestly thought that post arm injury, he just wasn't able to hit those highs anymore. Goddamn was I wrong.

Also, Tanahashi has the best open hand slap in wrestling. It is perfect in form and timing.

Also also, Tanahashi's in the ropes dragon screw has to be the most devastating looking safest move in the world.

coconono
Aug 11, 2004

KISS ME KRIS

I wasn’t super sold on Tanahashi until like Okada/Tanahashi 2 that had a finishing stretch so exiting I was jumping up and down like a little kid. At 6am.

Pinche Rudo
Feb 8, 2005

Tana has amazing charisma in person. His hair is also magical

Ganso Bomb
Oct 24, 2005

turn it all around

I'm totally baffled that so many people were down on Tanahashi! Granted, I just came into NJPW when NJPW World launched so maybe I missed some rocky Tana years but since that time he's always been someone I've enjoyed. Not the flashiest, not doing the craziest stuff, not the hardest striker or any of that - but always really solid, can tell a story in a match, and has always just made me buy into everything happening. GO ACE

Coaaab
Aug 6, 2006

Wish I was there...

Super No Vacancy posted:

this match hosed me up man. when kota went into murder mode and tana just steeled himself and trucked forward with pure will that unlocked something about tanahashi for me
There is no other wrestler in the world who could've done a more perfectly timed head tuck like Tanahashi did in the G1 Final to save himself from a neck botch.

Pinwiz11
Jan 26, 2009

I'm becom-, I'm becom-,
I'm becoming
Tana in, Tana in my mind.



Jenkem Delivery posted:

Tana has amazing charisma in person. His hair is also magical

He had to remove the hair and grow it back to regain his power.

Also, I can't wait to see his movie. :allears:

Super No Vacancy
Jul 26, 2012

Phenix Rising posted:

I'm totally baffled that so many people were down on Tanahashi! Granted, I just came into NJPW when NJPW World launched so maybe I missed some rocky Tana years but since that time he's always been someone I've enjoyed. Not the flashiest, not doing the craziest stuff, not the hardest striker or any of that - but always really solid, can tell a story in a match, and has always just made me buy into everything happening. GO ACE

I’ve always liked and been uhhh fascinated by him and enjoyed his matches but only recently am I like emotionally invested

Jerusalem
May 20, 2004

Would you be my new best friends?

extradite THIS! posted:

I didn't get Tanahashi either until that Suzuki match at New Beginning. That's when I realized that he is nearly second to none when it comes to match psychology, selling and character work.

That match was loving incredible, until Okada/Omega IV came along it was my personal MOTY.

Gumball Gumption posted:

Same. Kota going from throwing those strikes with rage to throwing them in terror was amazing.

This was also amazing: Tanahashi didn't do a single move in that entire exchange and yet it was Ibushi backing up and looking more and more terrified the entire way. So loving good.

The Cameo
Jan 20, 2005


Gumball Gumption posted:

Same. Kota going from throwing those strikes with rage to throwing them in terror was amazing.



It’s that first slap that seems to shake Kota, and then Tana just keeps coming at him and he’s like “why won’t he go down oh no”

MJeff
Jun 2, 2011

THE LIAR

Phenix Rising posted:

I'm totally baffled that so many people were down on Tanahashi! Granted, I just came into NJPW when NJPW World launched so maybe I missed some rocky Tana years but since that time he's always been someone I've enjoyed. Not the flashiest, not doing the craziest stuff, not the hardest striker or any of that - but always really solid, can tell a story in a match, and has always just made me buy into everything happening. GO ACE

I think it's less being down on him and more the fact that people saw him and understood that he's a great wrestler but didn't have the emotional investment that all the native fans have had for years until X thing happened and it all clicked. The fact that it looked like he was on his way down the card last year and into this year probably also had something to do with it.

SatoshiMiwa
May 6, 2007


That whole spot is now my favorite fighting spirit/no sell spot of all time. Just the whole sequence is so amazing and I don't see how anything can top it

Jerusalem
May 20, 2004

Would you be my new best friends?


:emptyquote:

MassRafTer
May 26, 2001

BAEST MODE!!!

The_Rob posted:

Yeah 2000's new Japan had some great work in ring wise. It all came down to booking and not being sure how to market themselves.

There were good matches but overall it was a huge step down from the 90s and what NOAH was presenting at the same time. Even the junior division suffered as they pushed some complete turds from time to time.

Gaz-L
Jan 28, 2009

Jenkem Delivery posted:

Tana has amazing charisma in person. His hair is also magical

Can confirm both.

coconono
Aug 11, 2004

KISS ME KRIS

Speaking of Tanahashi, I found what I believe to be his acting debut, as Gouki in Garo: Ashura. It was a NJPW x Garo collab. It also has Makabe as well. Tana's a dude that turns into a gold night to wreck monsters and Makabe's a badass monster. There's a lot of grunting and scowling.

thoughts summarized on twitter:

https://twitter.com/coconono/status/1028788231297540096

I'm not entirely sure what its legal status is, otherwise I'd upload it for your enjoyment. Its worth looking for if you're curious. I'm trying to keep an eye out for his latest movie.

coconono fucked around with this message at 01:19 on Aug 14, 2018

Price Check
Oct 9, 2012
I'm sure the Tanahashi vs Mike Bennett match I saw on an ROH show wasn't much on tape but live I was high-fiving the strangers next to me and going nuts. That's when Tanahashi clicked for me.

El Gallinero Gros
Mar 17, 2010
I wonder if Ibushi doesn't get a shot at an upcoming big show, wins the belt, then defends against Tana at WK and wins this time.

That said, I also wouldn't be surprised if Tana was the first to lose the briefcase, just because they figure he can afford to lose it.

SatoshiMiwa
May 6, 2007


Speaking of maybe losing the briefcase

https://twitter.com/STRIGGA/status/1028893259190476800

if they do Okada/Tanahashi and Ibushi/Omega at KOPW it sure would mean that the Dome main event would be up in the air

MassRafTer
May 26, 2001

BAEST MODE!!!
Hiroshi is winning.

TriffTshngo
Mar 28, 2010

Don't get it twisted who your enemies are.
i want ishii to win the belt

triplexpac
Mar 24, 2007

Suck it
Two tears in a bucket
And then another thing
I'm not the one they'll try their luck with
Hit hard like brass knuckles
See your face through the turnbuckle dude
I got no love for you

Phenix Rising posted:

I'm totally baffled that so many people were down on Tanahashi! Granted, I just came into NJPW when NJPW World launched so maybe I missed some rocky Tana years but since that time he's always been someone I've enjoyed. Not the flashiest, not doing the craziest stuff, not the hardest striker or any of that - but always really solid, can tell a story in a match, and has always just made me buy into everything happening. GO ACE

When I started watching NJPW it was during the rise of Okada. I think a lot of people saw him as a bigger deal, or liked Nakamura more. I felt Tana would generally get less hype around here than the other top guys in the mix at any given time.

SatoshiMiwa
May 6, 2007


https://twitter.com/reasonjp/status/1028960348383010822

That pretty amazing and a great instinct by Hall

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Gaz-L
Jan 28, 2009

MassRafTer posted:

Hiroshi is winning.

I'm with you on this. I do think there's a decent chance they give Ibushi the title at KOPW, though. Tana/Omega has the novelty of not having happened for years, and avenging Ibushi, but Ibushi finally once and for all proving he's better, at WK, for the belt, is a pitch-perfect story.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply