Noah's Arkive! Weekly Pro & Book Archive

PRO WRESTLING NOAH

JULY 4TH, 2000

Regular board meeting ends in just 10 minutes; Misawa, Momota, Taue and Kobashi resign! 

"I can't throw away the name of All Japan" - Kawada announces that he will remain

Motoko Baba's letter to the Japanese Sports Press regarding Mitsuharu Misawa's resignation from All Japan

Mitsuharu Misawa declares launch of business. The name of the promotion is "Noah" 

The determination of the departed! Comments from each wrestler.

A major split in All Japan and a fight between the parties should be avoided, and when we look at the future of both factions, we cannot help but look forward to new developments. (Kämpfer Column)

Misawa establishes a new group, All Japan in crisis! 

JULY 11TH, 2000

OPENING FEATURE: The essence of All Japan-ness and the goodwill of All Japan

Yoshida Nanase's Weekly TV Commentary: Check out all professional wrestling broadcasts & programs featuring wrestlers.

The July 2000 Super Action Series Cards 

BOYS ARE BOYS by Fumihiko Saito

Interviews with two people in the middle of turmoil: (1) Mitsuharu Misawa

"The best thing for me, is to be able to do whatever I want under the All Japan name..." Long interview with two people in the middle of the turmoil (2) Toshiaki Kawada

AUGUST 15TH, 2000 (Issue 990)

Finally decided! 5th August Ariake Card!

President Misawa visits our company!
Public Practice, Saturday July 29th - Noah dojo, Koto Ward, Tokyo

August 5th is Kenta Memorial Day

Issue Blurbs

AUGUST 22ND, 2000 (Issue 991)

Martial arts or entertainment? Which is Noah's direction?

Pro Wrestling Land (cartoon strip)

Yoshida Nanase's Weekly TV Commentary: Check out all professional wrestling broadcasts & programs featuring wrestlers.

"I'm the type that likes to have fun!" He gave me an innocent smile a few hours before the launch... Why am I so curious about Naomichi Marufuji?

Shiga's rise cannot not be achieved without breaking away from the "Give it your best!"

DEPARTURE - 5th August, Differ Ariake. Get on track with Jun Akiyama! The main star of the two consecutive matches at Noah's launch, is this guy!

DEPARTURE - Post match promos (5th August)

The culmination of All Japan's history, the dream All-Star game comes true!

"In this day and age, there are a lot of young people in leadership positions" (Momota) ~ And he won by a landslide victory over the WEW champion.

THIS IS NOAH! (Night 2: Main event, Kobashi vs Akiyama) ~ Tonight the one chosen for this new era is...

"This promotion is not suitable for people with old fashioned mindsets" ~ Jun Akiyama post match promo

Asasko and Kakihara make their comeback at the launch. Now, let's let off some steam!

Jealousy explodes! Izumida erupts! Defeats Omori, and then the "Izumida" chants begin.

A few hours later, the man who challenged Akiyama to a fight, Noah's young super heavyweight wrestler, Rikio! There is a glimpse of a giant killer here! 

"I will do my best to aim for the top". The one who opened the door to Noah was Takeshi Morishima. 

Issue Blurbs

AUGUST 29th, 2000 (Issue 992)

Mitsuharu Misawa's, "All Night Nippon" - he did this for two hours alone.

The match cards for the 19th August have been decided. The theme is stop Jun Akiyama! Rikio and Kobashi team up to clash with him!
Issue Blurbs

SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2000 (Issue 993)

Renaissance
Post-match comments - Jun Akiyama & Kenta Kobashi
"PRIDE? I don't have time for that" Misawa Pro Wrestling is evolving!
Mitsuharu Misawa's post match comments ("DEPARTURE" 19th August 2000, Differ Ariake)
Kakihara leaves! And as a freelancer... "It's like going on a journey," says Misawa. The next ring Kakihara will step into is...
Shiga, who was trashed by Akiyama and dumped by Kobashi, found a ship in Noah to escape the depths of despair
"Keep your eyes on me": Morishima loses to Asako, but his declaration doesn't end there.

"If you want to see some action, come to Noah!" Ikeda's "BattleArts" match 
To all the Pro Wrestling Noah wrestlers - I wish you the best of luck in the remaining heat of summer. 

NOAH FROM NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024 ONWARDS

4TH DECEMBER 2024, (Issue 2329)

Taichi Ozawa betrays Kiyomiya and makes a series of prohibited statements! Demands a GHC Heavyweight Challenge on January 1st at the Nippon Budokan. Expose type pro wrestler is born!

The day the cross was taken down 

Because this is a title match with a independent theme, it will attract attention with pure technique!

"With that fake Nakamura, I don't feel pro wrestling at all" ~ Morris is worked up, and with Ulka's victory, he's even more worked up

Going deeper: Kikuchi fought hard in the RATELS title match, but the champions successfully defended their titles...

Kondo was chosen as Soya's challenger, but..."I've lost interest, start over"

A new heroine is born! The first GHC Women's Champion is Kouki Amarei.
Direct import of West Coast fights! Titus wins WCP World Heavyweight
Shinsuke Nakamura asks Ulka Sasaki at the 1st January Noah Nippon Budokan, "Are you going to step on the gas or just go with the flow?"
"Follow Me You Bastards!" Kenoh's Weekly Pro Column

"I'm grateful to Nagayo-san" ~ Assistant Director Rongai's summary of MONDAY MAGIC'S 11th November Shinjuku show 
The Man Who Saved The Ark. Theme: Akitoshi Saito's retirement

11TH DECEMBER 2024, (Issue 2330)

HARDCORE MAGIC! MONDAY MAGIC brings to life the powerful hardcore match between Ishikawa and Tanaka!

Former WWE wrestler Brian Kendrick makes a surprise appearance to challenge for the GHC Heavyweight title
Amazing! Strong arm vs Giant
Aoki vs Kenoh - the battle begins!

Establishing the 2024 GP! Introducing the top candidates for the Pro Wrestling Grand Prix 2024

"Reality was not so sweet" for the failed return attempt: Assistant Director NOSAWA Rongai's 18th November Shinjuku summary
The Man Who Saved The Ark: Akitoshi Saito's Retirement ~ Narihiro Takeda's column

12TH DECEMBER 2024 (Special Issue 2331)
Weekly Pro Wrestler Directory - Noah Roster December 2024

18TH DECEMBER 2024 (Issue 2332)

"You're a cancer to Noah. I'll crush you completely. I'll do the GHC. But you can't lie in the ring!" (Kaito Kiyomiya)
Goal achieved! Harutoki joins ALL REBELLION!

NOAH BOOKS

"Donmai! Donmai!" Mitsuharu Misawa's diary (in progress)

NOAH'S ROOTS & PRE-HISTORY

GIANT BABA 

AUGUST 1972 

Giant Baba Weekly Pro Profile 

Pro Wrestling Review (network dispute)

SEPTEMBER 1972

Japan Pro shaken by Baba's independence declaration 

EMERGENCY NEWS! Japanese wrestling shaken by TV rollback - what does the future hold? (Baba quits JWA)

Baba's resignation and Japan Pro Wrestling

Basic strength training - New Japan and TV broadcast

OCTOBER 1972

The hopes and fears of Baba's independence for the development of Japanese professional wrestling, which is just a month away

NOVEMBER 1972

Baba undergoes intense training
"The Baba Family" Finally Sets Out

SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2000 (Issue 993)

SAMURAI! This weeks recommended program - the heroic figure of Giant Baba returns, the legendary battle against Tiger Jeet Singh

NOAH'S ROOTS & PRE HISTORY

 MITSUHARU MISAWA & THE FOUR PILLARS ERA

(At the time of writing, Weekly Pro do not have any issues from 1981 available, which was when Misawa made his debut, so the story picks up from June 1983. This section will include articles on Kenta Kobashi, Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada)

JUNE 1983 

This month's issue: Ringside Interview with ring announcer Nakata, Mitsuharu Misawa 

SEPTEMBER 1983

Weekly Focus: Brad Rheingans' "Amateur Wrestling Class" ~ Student, Mitsuharu Misawa 

FEBRUARY 1984

Dressing Room News (probably the earliest mention of Misawa being a future threat to Jumbo Tsuruta)

MARCH 1984

Dressing Room News (Mitsuharu Misawa and Shiro Koshinaka head off on excursion)

APRIL 1984

Lucha Libre Latest News! All Japan duo Koshinaka and Misawa are aiming for the National Tag Titles

MAY 1984

Lucha Libre Latest News! Misawa challenges middleweight champion Satanico for the first time, but narrowly loses

This picture (taken by a fan in June 1984) appeared in issue no 46 of Weekly Pro. As Misawa had been in Mexico since March 1984 at least, this indicates that at some point between March and May, he returned to Japan. He was only out there for about five months, as Baba called him back in July/August to be Tiger Mask II. Misawa had been enjoying being on excursion and was sorry to leave. The Tiger Mask II era (an era Misawa would become increasingly frustrated with as the mask got in the way of his moves, and he would later ask Baba for how long he had to do this) began in August 1984. You can tell there was a lot of pressure on Misawa to pull this off, which I think gave him a lot of the confidence and the experience of launching Noah and making it work. 

21ST AUGUST 1984 (Issue No.55)

This will make the Denen Coliseum final fight ten times easier! The much anticipated Tiger Mask finally arrives! These are the highlights!
Baba's enthusiasm as a self-proclaimed manager
Can the second Tiger Mask surpass the first?

The big deal, Tiger Mask, is coming to the All Japan Pro ring! Keep an eye on his debut match at Denen Coliseum on August 26th

28TH AUGUST 1984 (Issue No.56)
The wild warrior La Fiera has arrived, aiming to unmask Tiger Mask!
Shoichi Suzuki's Weekly Review
"I can hear the debut gong"
Exclusive interview with Ikki Kajiwara, creator of Tiger Mask
Tiger Mask now goes for top-secret training in Hawaii! Baba also gives one-on-one instruction

PURORESU DEEP ROOTS: RIKIDOZAN

September 15th 1955

From a city booming with pro wrestling (Weekly Pro, Autumn 1955 - Special Issue 2)

Powerful Friendship: The story of friendship between Rikidozan and Azumafuji
Rikidozan's Victory Whirlwind

OTHER ARTICLES 

(RELATED TO PRO WRESTLING, BUT NOT SPECIFICALLY NOAH, ALL JAPAN OR RIKIDOZAN, REQUESTS ETC)

1993

ESSAY STREET: I know the moves, but I don't know the names of the wrestlers, the children of the Famicon Generation.  (Article from Weekly Pro on the wrestling video game boom of 1993)

1996

Samurai TV launches (July 1996)

2025

"I only know fighting" ~ Interview with Katsuhiko Nakajima

PURO HISTORY ARTICLES

The other battle on The Sumida: All Japan, New Japan, Weekly Pro and the evolution of merchandising and home entertainment from 1972 to 2000

WORLD WAR 2 - THE BACKGROUND TO PURORESU

Chronology of WW2 in Japan ~ Rikidozan, Baba and Inoki, the experience of everyday life and how the war shaped them (1938 - 1952)