Sakura Hirota and Jun Kasai commit to “No Death”
Jun Kasai vs. Kyusei Sakura Hirota (Ranmaru Festa Vol. 31, Mar. 21 2022)
- Sakura Hirota and Jun Kasai commit to “No Death” - November 18, 2024
- A Perfect Time and Place: Strong vs. Tanahashi - October 15, 2024
- Remembering the Master and Ruler of the World - August 28, 2024
One of the greatest things about the artform of professional wrestling is that feeling when you get so caught up in the suspension of disbelief that you are able to cast aside everything you know about the mechanics of how it works. Moments when what goes into the construction of a match, a show, or even a company doesn’t matter and you can just be present in the moment with the action that is laid before your eyes. It’s a beautiful, childlike wonder that can take you back to times when your imagination went wandering to places that the cold, harsh reality of time abandons to bygone years. As one grows deeper and deeper into their wrestling fandom, these become so much more fleeting but evermore appreciable.
It is perhaps fitting that one term that the subsect of the fandom that I inhabit has colloquialized into describing matches that elicit moments like these is “the real”. Because that is how it can feel, it can transport you back to a time when you were able to believe with that child-like wonder that wrestling was real. One of the key contributors to that feeling of “the real” is a complete, unabashed commitment to whatever needs to be done for the match to succeed in its aims. As such, it’s not uncommon in matches dubbed in this way to contain competitors wildly swinging in spirited brawls that may or may not also feature a bit of crimson in their colour palette – think Joe and Necro, Sasaki and Nagata, Aja and KAORU, Dump and Chigusa, etc.. It’s pretty easy to be sucked into believing what you’re seeing is real when the combatants are viscerally beating the hell out of each other.
However, wrestling isn’t such a one trick pony that those moments are all it can offer. It’s like a prism, ready when the lights are shining bright to burst into a vast spectrum. To varying degrees every shade on the spectrum of wrestling requires some commitment. For my money, the one that requires a degree perhaps even greater than the greatest of slugfests is comedy wrestling. In terms of the level of commitment oftentimes required for success, I would estimate that comedy in wrestling requires a level of commitment akin to that of improv. Not just because of the litany of moving parts and unknowns that can make up a wrestling match, but also for the fact that even the most gracious and accepting audience can see right through a noncommittal worker. It’s very easy to tell when someone’s heart isn’t in it 100%, and it can even derail the best of performers, leaving their jokes to go over like a wet fart in church and potentially at the mercy of a revolting crowd who are desperate for a palette cleanser.
One person you never have to worry about their level of commitment to the bit, and my favourite “comedy wrestler” of all time, is Sakura Hirota. The Queen of Cosplay herself is never one to back down from the challenge of impersonation, rising above and beyond with remarkably charming outfits and mannerisms of a strong majority of notable names from the female wrestling scene in Japan, (as well as a fair few from the male side too), throughout her career. It’s a testament to her wit, charm, and excellent timing that she manages to break pretty much every partner and opponent she has ever teamed with at one point or another. The joy and love of it all is infectious, though it wouldn’t be nearly as infectious if she didn’t throw herself into it as much as she does. The degree to which she does go all is such that people often overlook just how solid of a wrestler she really is.
Someone who is similarly overlooked is Jun Kasai. An undeniable legend of the Japanese Deathmatch scene. If you’ve seen even just as much as one clip or photo of a Japanese Deathmatch, there is an extremely high chance that it involves Kasai in some form or fashion. Why Deathmatches require full commitment shouldn’t need any explanation to those familiar with the concept, though Kasai’s body – scored with countless scars that serve as a reminder of all the mats he has painted with his blood – serves as a tapestry that visualises the lengths taken for the uninitiated. Beneath all that, lies an extremely strong wrestler fundamentally trained in the same Big Japan dojo that produced greats like Yoshihiro Tajiri and Daisuke Sekimoto. Despite being eager to engage in the dance of death, he didn’t even have his first Deathmatch until a year and a half into his career, a practice common in Japan, and a reason that scene has produced the majority of greats in the genre.
As with the spectrum of colours, when two varying places on the spectrum of pro-wrestling cross over they have the potential to create something new that is as beautiful as it is previously unknown. Such has always been the case when Hirota dipped her toes into the more violent and bloody side of professional wrestling, like her feud alongside Chigusa Nagayo with Mayumi Ozaki and KAORU, or when Kasai has dipped his in the more comedic elements, like his Cream Puff Deathmatch with Hyper Misao. However, there is an element that is particularly poignant about this specific meeting point of the 2 that is magical.
That element is the moment where it becomes real.
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This match, from Ranmaru’s 31st Ranmaru Festa produce show in 2022, is branded as a “Thumbtacks!? Fluorescent Light Tubes!? Barbed Wire!? No Death Match”.
If the environment of a Ranmaru Festa show, which specialises in comedy match types, or the match type name didn’t give it away that Hirota hijinks were afoot, then one look at the ring will. Whilst the left side of the ring appears at first glance to be hanging the aforementioned light tubes, the right hand side is patently obvious in its lack of barbed wire. In its place is an impressively long strand of silver christmas tinsel cosplaying as the skin tearing cattle prevention wire wrestling fans are all too familiar with.
Regardless, Jun Kasai marches out to his familiar chorus of “woah”s prepared as if it is any other war he is going into. And Hirota follows to the same tune, sporting a very impressive Kasai cosplay, complete with homedrawn scars and scuba goggles. Following this, via the referee confirming the various weapons to Kasai, is where we find out that the “barbed wire” is “explosive” to add extra danger to the proceedings.
If not for the obviously fake “barbed wire” adorning the right side of the ring, you wouldn’t know this wasn’t your run of the mill tubes and barbed wire deathmatch in terms of how Hirota and Kasai work around the stipulation in the opening moments of the match. The trepidation and the struggle in the opening lockups, as each tries to force the other towards the implements on their respective side of the ring, matches the respect paid in any other deathmatch. Even a touch as small as the referee holding a welding shield up to his face as Kasai nears the ropes on his side adds to the full commitment of the matter. With everyone in the ring playing their part so well, I let out a hearty chuckle at Kasai threatening the crowd that if they also didn’t play their part that they would end the match. I suppose sometimes you just have to be a bit blunt about the matter.
Eventually, after a bit of standard wrestling which included Kasai failing at Hirota’s rope walk, we have our first weapon usage of the day when Kasai goes crashing into the light tubes adorning the red corner side of the ring ropes. Only they’re not light tubes, of course they’re not, they’re actually styrofoam tubes dressed up to look like light tubes. Full transparency, these had me fooled as I watched this the first time, and even now as I watch it for a second time to review it I’m marvelling at the execution on these. Full commitment once again extends even outside of the ring.
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It appears as though even Kasai was fooled by the construction of the light tube substitutes. After being thrown into them he is left confused questioning what is going on. This extends to a minor existential crisis as Hirota confides that she wanted to inspire child-like wonder. Apparently it’s a cause that seems to reignite Kasai’s spirit of commitment as, after a brief moment of confusion at the party popper sounds that simulate the explosion, he is fully into selling the faux exploding barbed wire like he’s Cactus in Kawasaki. Hirota needs no such inspiration when she flies into the tubes, mimicking Kasai’s signature scraping of the chest with a broken piece after doing so to channel his spirit. It particularly speaks to her brilliance how, when getting up off a double down, she grabs at a tube when reaching for the ropes and sells it like it nicked her hand enough to affect her grip. At this point all that was remaining to be revealed was the advertised “thumbtacks”. Surprise, they’re coins. Because of course they are.
Remember how I pointed to a moment when this match becomes “real” when introducing it. Well in the wake of the interaction with the thumbtacks, and the subsequent forearm exchange which concluded with Kasai breaking one of the faux tubes over his head, Jun Kasai decided playtime was coming to an end.
He fucking headbutts her.
Skull-on-skull. Full force. With a thud that could make Shibata squeamish.
JUN KASAI SHOOT HEADBUTTS SAKURA HIROTA. AND SHE FUCKING FIRES UP OFF IT AND HEADBUTTS HIM RIGHT BACK.
This was one of those moments where your eyes widen, partly in disbelief at what you’ve just seen and partly in anticipation of what is coming next. Surely that moment is it? Kasai will slam her, hit the Pearl Harbour Splash and win, right? Great punctuation point on the match, right?
Wrong, wrong, wrong. Because Kasai brought his own bag of goodies to the party, and he hasn’t had his chance to play. In Kasai’s small bag were skewers. At this point I’m still feeling whiplash from the skull-on-skull that took place a couple of minutes prior, but even then I could appreciate how all bets were now off. There was a genuine chance I could be about to see Sakura Hirota take the skewers to the head.
And that feeling is all thanks to that one huge moment, it transforms the affair from a fun little romp with a nice crossover of people and gimmicks into an “oh shit, anything can happen here” affair. We’ve transformed from a typical Hirota match into a Kasai one, and all it took was one move. Deathmatch Sakura Hirota, your time is now. It’s an incredibly effective and impressive tonal shift, and one that wouldn’t have been nearly as effective if all involved parties didn’t throw themselves into the affair completely. Lesser wrestlers would have chosen a different means of providing the shift, maybe having the thumbtacks be actual tacks or something with less danger. But, because both competitors are fully committed to the mood and story of this match, they went with something as dangerous as a skull-on-skull headbutt as that transition point.
RANMARU PRO WRESTLING CHANNEL / YOUTUBE
To emphasise the shift, Hirota does take the skewers. As she is one to do, she manages to use the shock of the moment to counter a Kasai running lariat into a pin by shoving her entire body weight on top of him. It’s a very typical Hirota desperation play, but one that matches the moment very gracefully. She also hits an honest-to-god half-and-half suplex through tears before trying to hit her own tribute Pearl Harbour Splash, only to get stopped by the difficulty of putting on her scuba goggles with skewers sticking out of her head. She does eventually succumb to Kasai’s own Pearl Harbour Splash. Though it’s not before Kasai does his own version of the tube chest scrape with the remaining faux tubes, committing to the unwritten rule of “break every lighttube in the match before the finish” even with fake weaponry. Fully committed, right to the finish.
I love this match. I knew what I was expecting going into it, and was getting it in spades with the first portion of affairs. But, as ever, Sakura Hirota continues to surprise me every single time I see her wrestle. I’ve seen Hirota take lots of crazy ass beatings, and engage in a fair few dangerous scenarios in my time watching her. Never would I have thought that she would take a shoot headbutt, and skewers, especially this late in her career. Kasai, for his part, was also fantastic. His emotions and reactions told a great story of their own throughout the match, and were the driving force of the entire affair. Going from someone who was confused at the concept of a “No Death” match at the start to fully embracing it and thanking Hirota for a spirited affair at its conclusion.
This is worth a watch just to feel that emotion shift in real time yourself, and to hear just how sickening of a thud that headbutt truly is. It’s really helped by being in a 176Box that goes silent at just the right time to fully hear and comprehend the impact. It’s been uploaded on Ranmaru’s YouTube channel, so there’s no excuse not to give it your time. There’s definitely much worse ways to spend half an hour.
