(NOAH) "Donmai, Donmai" (Mitsuharu Misawa's diary - 26th January 2007)

Cheers! Everyone, I know you're worried, but I'll start with cheers as usual. 

Well, it's like this. 

I'm sure the course of events has been covered in the press and on this website, but since this is my diary, I'll add a little bit of extra information. I barely remember, or should I say remember, up to the Tiger Driver. I think the moment I lost my memory was during the power bomb outside the ring. I've lost my memory a couple of times in the past, but this is the first time I've lost my memory at all on such a big stage*. Even though I don't like ambulances, I have to ride in them, and even though I don't like hospitals, I still go. Before I knew it, I was having a match, and the next thing I knew I was sitting backstage. After the match, there was a member (Vice President, Akiyama) who isn't usually in the locker room, and he asked me if I was okay. That made me think, "Oh, I guess I hit my head". At that time (and I didn't know who it was), I overheard someone saying, "An ambulance is waiting", and it's strange how people are, but I suddenly became calm. (well, maybe I wasn't really calm) and said, "If I'm going to the hospital, I have to take a shower", so I took a shower despite everyone's concerns. By the way, I was turned away from one hospital because I was waiting for a shower during that time. 

This is the second time that I have been to hospital in an ambulance after a match. I wonder how long ago it was, but my nose was broken in a match against Tsuruta-san*, and I had to take an ambulance straight to the hospital from the venue in Osaka. But, I had a match at Korakuen the next day, so I rushed back to Tokyo with an ice pack hanging from the seat of the bus*. I didn't get much sleep that day, but I also didn't get any swelling, but after the match at Korakuen, the next morning my nose suddenly swelled up and I was in a "Pierre State*" (<---<---This is what we call swollen noses. It's like having a foreign nose*, so you can kind of imagine it). The next day while the others headed to Kanazawa by bus, I believe I took a plane to Komatsu Airport. The topic has veered off to the side a bit, but trainer Asako accompanied me from The Budokan to the hospital. When I came out after the tests, I saw Ogawa, Kotaro, Ippei and Ricky* all looking worried (they came to the hospital because they were worried). This week, I will monitor the condition of my neck and prepare for the next navigation. Thank you to everyone who has expressed concern. Anyway, it's been years since I haven't had a drink after the final show, and since everyone was worried about me, I couldn't even go out for a drink, and Asako had to escort me home. Well, I appreciate your concern, but Ippei forgot to give me a jumper, so I went home in only short sleeves in cold weather. This is Ippei. My current attendant, who is missing a few screws. 

Now, I would like to answer a question from Shio. I'll preface this by saying that there are a lot of things I can't write about...I think the stories of my past attendants are more interesting than the stories of my failures. I don't think you can go wrong with alcohol. It's true that I haven't always been a strong drinker. I started drinking after I got back from Mexico, so I guess I was around 23 years old. Back then, I would go out drinking in the evening, come home in the morning, take a break before practice, and then go back to drinking again. Every day I would go out in the evening. I would vomit and think, "I should stop drinking." Back then, I used to go to Ginza a lot and to the people working in the stores, a 23 year old is like a child. They didn't even know that I was the guy wearing the Tiger Mask. When I was told to do my best, I replied, "I'll do my best," in a somewhat deliberate manner. 

Now, let's talk about my past attendants. First up, Asako*. Asako is a bad drinker. When he gets drunk, he breathes through his nose, and sometimes his nose is runny. Asako, who was so drunk that he wouldn't go home, even if I told him to, is now a great trainer. Time makes people grow. It's good to see that is the case, right, Asasko-chan? 

Next is Morishima. Morishima is my phantom attendant. Marufuji came in soon after as my attendance, but since I was asked to take care of Marufuji by my wrestling teacher, he quickly became my attendant and Morishima was replaced in the blink of an eye, but it's not as if I hated Morishima and replaced him. By the way, Morishima was not my attendant, and we ended up hanging out at a drinking party afterwards, but although he got pretty drunk he didn't make trouble. He often becomes reckless, but I don't think he ever gets violent*. 

When Marufuji first joined the company, he said things like, ``I'm a strong drinker,'' but that was just because he wasn't drinking beyond his limit. One day, after hard drinking, I suddenly got up from my seat and in a flash, he had moved into it. 

Kotaro is funny when he's drunk, and if anything he laughs a lot. He didn't have many failures, but if I had to guess, I'd say it was when he did the "execution pose" (by Gaki Deka* <---sorry to those who don't get it) to me and said, "President, sing!". 

Currently, I'm enjoying myself with Ippei. Unless you enjoy yourself with him, Ippei is a man who is uninteresting, and he doesn't shine unless he is messed with. Moreover, as he himself admits, he is an "M*". I guess I can end this by covering up my own shame and dodging Shio's question. Finally, a question for the next person, Hirayanagi: When was your first love? Even if it's unrequited love, it's still your first love.

It's about three weeks until the next Navi, so I would like to recover and be in the best possible condition. 

Finally, congratulations to Kotaro and Ricky* \(@^o^)/

Notes

Misawa losing his memory: After one match in All Japan, Misawa got back into the dressing room, took off his boots and then put them back on as he thought the match was starting. 

Tsuruta-san: Jumbo Tsuruta (AJPW era)

Ice pack: Presumably he rigged it to hang on his face, meaning his arms were free and he could sleep, read etc. According to The Patriot, the All Japan bus (compared to the bus for the foreign wrestlers), was very quiet. No one spoke much, and everyone laughed if someone farted.  

Pierre State: This seems to be an expression unique to either All Japan, Noah or else Puroresu at that time. I cannot find any mention of it as slang, as a tagline from an advert etc. Misawa said that it gives you a nose like a foreigner, so I wonder with the use of the word "Pierre" (a French name), this had its roots in the big nosed Cyrano de Bergerac, or else Charles de Gaulle.  

Ricky: Ricky Marvin 

Asako: Ironically when this was translated, Takashi Sugiura had been drinking with Asako, and posted a picture of him drunk. 

Takeshi Morishima: Morishima being reckless kind of chimes in with KENTA saying that Morishima was (or could be) a mean drunk, but Misawa did not live to see how out of control and violent Morishima could be when drinking. See "Traces to Nowhere" for the full sad story. 

Naomichi Marufuji: Ironically, when this was translated, Sanshiro Takagi made the comment that Marufuji never came to the office, but he always seemed to come to drinking parties. 

Gaki Deka: Manga about a kid who is an elementary school student, but is also a cop. Sometimes it is known as "Kid Cop". Kotaro's pose would have been this! 

M: I don't know about Ippei, but Naomichi Marufuji did say that Misawa was an honorary member of the "M's alliance".  

Kotaro Suzuki and Ricky Marvin: First Japanese/foreign wrestler team to win the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship