(NOAH) "Trust" and a unique sense of distance; interview with Daisuke Harada and Atsushi Kotoge, ahead of two major title matches (28th October tag and 8th November single)
Noah.co.jp
Daisuke Harada and Atsushi Kotoge revived the Peach of Youth tag for the first time in 3 years and 10 months at the EDION Arena Osaka 1st stadium on October 11th, and took the GHC Junior Heavyweight tag championship from Yoshinari Ogawa & HAYATA. Their first defense match will be held at Korakuen Hall on October 28th against FULL THROTTLE'S YO-HEY & Seiki Yoshioka. In a last minute interview, I asked the men themselves about the title match and their thoughts on the reunion of their tag team.
At that time you extended your right hand
I was surprised too (Harada)
Q: Recently, Kotoge talked on his own for the official program that will be released on the 28th, so I think we will hear more from Harada here, I look forward to it. First of all, please tell everyone of your feelings about the fact that you were able to win the belts for the first time in 3 years and 10 months by your reunion.
HARADA: When we took it, rather than the joy that we had done it, I felt stronger for the future, and from now on the consciousness to increase the value of this belt steadily has become stronger.
Q: Did you have a feeling of nostalgia that reminds you of when you previously took the belt?
HARADA: Not really, there have been so many things in the last three years and ten months, so there was no nostalgia. After all, I am more interested in the future, not in a new Noah, but the future of the new Noah junior. I know that we are not new, so when I say "new", I know its a little different. It's about Noah in the future.
Q: Kotoge?
KOTOGE: It was gained
Q: That was quick
KOTOGE: I was confident, we took a drastic action and I was relieved when we took the belts. Well, okay, if we couldn't take it like that, it's not cool is it?
Q: If you didn't take the belts, would you have returned to your original states?
KOTOGE: I will leave that to your imagination
Q: The moment when Harada extended his right hand at Korakuen on September 23rd, Kotoge thought about many things, but he originally did not understand the meaning of the invitation, so he hesitated. Harada, what was your feeling when you held your hand out?
HARADA: It was a voluntary action. I was a little surprised when I did it. When I put my right hand out and he didn't shake it, I didn't think this was going to work, but it happened naturally.
Q: Because it wasn't an action that was thought about deeply, I think that "naturally" is the best term.
HARADA: I still don't understand it much myself, and mysterious feelings still remain. Why did I extend my hand then? I don't know the answer, but it wasn't for the purpose of teaming up, so from now on we have to look to the future.
Q: I think it wasn't "Thank you for your help" but instead "Lets work together from now on"
HARADA: At first, I didn't feel grateful at all. It was more "Why did you come out?"
KOTOGE: I thought it would be
Q: It's amazing that neither of you intended this.
KOTOGE: It's been like this for many years, not being aware of each other.
HARADA: I don't think it's not being aware of each other, I think it's more we haven't seen each other in the last three years. It is hard to put into words, but no matter what word is applied, it can only be said to be natural. Until this happened, I never thought we would tag again.
Q: I thought it was the natural shape.
HARADA: That's right.
KOTOGE: I thought so too.
Q: It's mutual
HARADA: Three years and ten months ago I couldn't have been convinced, and if I thought that I could do the same thing again I thought I shouldn't.
KOTOGE: It's not just that, I don't always say anything when I do something. I didn't say anything at the time I went to Tokyo.
Q: Really?
KOTOGE: Why should I have said anything?
HARADA: I think it was good to go to the heavyweight division. It is good to act in search of change or something you have to do. However, returning the tag and the single belts made me feel strongly that the value of the juniors was reduced.
KOTOGE: There was a difference in direction.
Q: It didn't happen that there was an explanation about a different path
HARADA: No, I don't think I would have been convinced, even if it had been explained. When I think about it now, I think it would have been better if nothing had been explained.
KOTOGE: As with anything, I don't like postscript explanations. It's not cool? It is nice if we get good results, it's pretty bad if we don't. That's it.
Q: What did you think when Kotoge returned to the Juniors?
HARADA: I didn't think anything in particular. I saw it was announced on Noah's Twitter, I thought "huh" and that was the end of it.
Q: The reaction to that was a fight...
HARADA: No it wasn't. At that time, I was only thinking that I wanted to finish (i.e. the fight with Kotoge) only.
FULL THROTTLE
"We will just have a champion like match" (Kotoge)
Q: From a third party perspective, how do you see this strange phenomenon of the two of you teaming up again?
KOTOGE: If it were anyone else, I think it would be strange. But it's unexplainable, right?
HARADA: Isn't there an image that a tag team is on good terms? However, I think it would be interesting to have that kind of relationship. If someone other than yourself did it, then you can see what the two people will show in the future.
Q: You used to say that you usually rarely interact or even talk in the waiting room, are you still not making eye contact?
HARADA: This is just the right distance.
KOTOGE: Why is that? I'm confused by it, but I don't know why. I don't think there are many people who always eat together in a comic dialogue combination. It's the same.
Q: Are there any others who have the same sense of distance?
HARADA: Aren't there?
KOTOGE: It's like I have never met you. Other people will talk, have a chat. We don't say "Hello", "Good Morning" or "Thank you for your hard work".
HARADA: Keeps it smooth
KOTOGE: Isn't it simpler to say that it is divisible as a job? There are emotions in the ring too. So what do you think of the sense of distance in the first place?
HARADA: Well, it's not going to shrink.
Q: But it works so well in the ring
HARADA: There, isn't that it? When you go to the ring you are completely confident. You know what you want to do, and the wavelength hasn't changed.
KOTOGE: There is more "trust" than "trust". I feel relieved. Even if Harada is at a disadvantage, you get the sense that you are going to break that down.
Q: Your first defence match is against FULL THROTTLE?
KOTOGE: It is inevitable that when you win the belt and become champions, a challenger will come. No matter what team comes, we have the same attitude. I don't have any especial feelings towards them.
Q: The other person does I suppose
KOTOGE: He will be. But I will just defend.
Q: Do you think this will be a good place to end the dispute?
KOTOGE: The cause of the dispute? Is it a dispute? There is only a champion-like match.
HARADA: This is the second time YO-HEY has betrayed me. I have to settle it.
Q: The last person from the RATELS break up, were you lonely when you lost the last person?
HARADA: When it happens that you are on your own, you will be better off. Being betrayed is more hurtful than betrayal, which is less painful (rough). I was angry at the time, but now that I have taken action I am going to show you something I think you should see. I will finish it when you don't have enough (rough). No matter who comes, it will be just the three of us including Miyawaki. I want him to leave something that has more impact. If he only looks like he is the second of Harada & Kotoge, then that is the end of it. I want him to assert himself more and more, and say that he is no longer a young person.
KOTOGE: Same. I have said everything. He is no longer a trainee. He should do what he wants.
Q: What are your thoughts on naming the three man unit, other than "The Peach of Youth"?
HARADA: None, we are just a regular unit in the Noah army so to speak. There are a lot of units already, so there isn't really an emphasis on it.
Q: Harada, you will challenge Kotaro Suzuki for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship on the 8th November at Korakuen.
HARADA: From the tag to the single, I think I have to take them both. If we can't catch the momentum in reviving the tag team like this, then we are done. As you can see, Suzuki has been making good defenses in each defense he makes, and I want to break that.
Q: When Suzuki returned to Noah, you fought him for the title, but do you feel that you have improved from then?
HARADA: Rather than improvement, it's a sense that I am showing more depth. I am not conscious of the two belts, I will fight for both carefully and defend them firmly.
KOTOGE: I think the belt is an absolute value, and it raises the wrestler. That is why I am interested in it, and that is something that must be taken care of when creating the Noah juniors, so it is something, no matter if it is a tag or a singles that I am going to aim for, and I am aware of singles.
Picture credits: Noah.co.jp
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