(NOAH) EVENT RECAP: In Memory of our MISAWA
Shinjuku LUMINE, Shibuya, Tokyo
Noah held a memorial to Mitsuharu Misawa today on the 13th anniversary of his tragic passing. In the past Noah have arranged memorial events in the form of events at Korakuen Hall, but with CyberFight Festival held the day before it just wasn't practical and so a fan event was arranged. I think this may be the way forward from now on as to how Misawa memorials are held in the future.
Noah erected a flower altar (memorial altar) for him. They didn't need to advertise it, as fans instinctively knew to bring flowers and gifts such as his favorite beer and brand of cigarettes to leave for him, I think fans may have called by just do to this if they were coming home from work or else didn't have time to come to the event. Misawa's GHC Heavyweight belt was on display, as where his gowns and boots. There was also a life size cardboard cut out which was placed near an entryway hung with a Noah curtain as it is at venues, for fans to pose with. Some also pulled Marufuji's hand pose when posing for pictures, in the hope that Misawa would help him get better quickly and return to the ring. In the exhibition itself (and for the flower altar), photography was forbidden.
As well as Misawa's themes being played in succession, matches were shown in the hall, including Misawa vs Bison Smith at Farringdon in England. Noah really went all out with the video library and didn't just show his most famous matches.
Among the crowd was Go Shiozaki and Shuhei Taniguchi, who both came into the separate area where the two talks were being held to listen. They had gone round the photo exhibition too.
Naomichi Marufuji was meant to take part in the talk, but his knee pain has meant that he has had to have an operation today and so Kaito Kiyomiya took his place. Sadly, Kiyomiya never knew Misawa so he couldn't really tell any stories, but he looked radiantly happy to listen. You can find out about the speakers and their backgrounds here, but basically all three (minus Kaito Kiyomiya) where Misawa's attendants.
- Kotaro became Misawa's second while still a trainee who had not yet debuted, this is unusual because normally at this period all they do is watch and do errands backstage, as it is the debuted trainees who do the more personal tasks. Kotaro's duties at that time where that of a debuted rookie.
- Kotaro tells a different story of how he got the name "Kotaro", he says it was meant to be "Taro Suzuki" (which fits with Misawa wanting him to have the "Taro" name which indicates that he is the firstborn son), but a fortune teller told him that "Kotaro" would be better. Ippei however, was told by Misawa that his name would only be "Ippei".
- Ippei told a story where Misawa asked him to get him Ramen, but he misheard and bought him water. Poor Ippei was scolded by Naomichi Marufuji and Takashi Sugiura. Misawa didn't seem to mind though and said nothing.
- Kotaro was taught the elbow smash by Misawa, the rest of his technique was taught by Ogawa. Kotaro says his style is "Ogawa, not Misawa". Misawa seems to have taught his trainees how to live and how to conduct themselves, and this echoes with Marufuji in "Heir To The Ark". Ogawa would scold Ippei though that "you always come to ask me, but you don't do it as I said", which made Ippei not take anything in.
- Ippei took away from Misawa how to challenge himself in life, which was one of his major factors behind opening a gym and so there is a picture of Misawa in the lounge there, it was given to him by Mayumi, who is Misawa's widow.
- Kotaro said when fighting against Kenta Kobashi in a tag, they shared the chops out. No one wanted to be the only person to get them so he Misawa and Ogawa shared them.
- It was Takashi Sugiura who told Ippei to use the Aeroplane spin, he said it suited him. It was also Sugiura who said that Kaito Kiyomiya should use the Tiger Suplex.
- Asako was both an attendant of Baba and Misawa
- Misawa got very touchy about his clothes and where they were placed (see "The Last Bump") and was angry at Asako for folding his gown three times. But, Misawa was also very generous in a very quiet way and used to buy a round of drinks for everyone in the bar he went to, whether it was his first time there or not. They never even knew that he had paid. Asako teased Kiyomiya that he too had to surpass Misawa in private as well as in the ring. Kiyomiya said he would try his best.
AUTOGRAPH SESSION
As he was in the venue, Go Shiozaki signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans in an impromptu surprise session.
With thanks to: しーしー@ミスターNOAHっコーデ, Shu Nishinaga, Abeshin, Kuroaya16, Tahtaunwa, 東浦和のおおまき整体院, Sato, Oshima-san
Picture credits: Pro Wrestling Noah official Twitter & Noah's Ark official Twitter
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