(NOAH) No regrets about the new voyage - interview with Mitsuharu Misawa
(Issue No. 1001)
Mitsuharu Misawa was the first wrestler from the so-called post "Our Era" generation to break away from the major leagues. More than thirty comrades followed his decision, and the new promotion, Noah, was born, setting sail into the turbulent end of the century. Where will "Noah's Ark" be headed? The waves are high, and it's difficult to see what's ahead. Although the situation is not yet clear, Captain Misawa shows no sign of impatience.
Q: To mark its 1000th issue, Weekly Pro Wrestling is starting anew in a larger A4 format. When I thought about who would be the most suitable person to interview to commemorate the renewal, the first person that came to mind was Misawa-san, who left All Japan to start Noah. I feel a considerable amount of sympathy for you, as I see myself relating to you in terms of your position and feelings.
MISAWA: Right (laughs)
Q: When Weekly Pro Wrestling was first published in the summer of 1983, I was still just a fan. Then, the following autumn, when I entered the industry as a reporter for "Big Wrestler", you were just about to transform into Tiger Mask and was on a tour of Mexico with Shiro Koshinaka (now of New Japan). I think you were only in your third year since your debut, right?
MISAWA (does some calculations to do with his salary): Yes, it was exactly three years.
Q: Huh? How is that?
MISAWA: My starting salary was 70,000 yen, it went up to 100,000 yen after a year, and then after three years, when it suddenly became 10,000 yen per match, Baba-san told me to go to Mexico. (laughs)
Q: Oh, really? Well, then you probably don't remember much about the time when it was first published.
MISAWA: No, I was surprised that pro wrestling (as a genre) could be published weekly. Until then, it was all monthly. I was surprised, but at the same time, as a wrestler, I was happy. I was also happy when it started being sold in convenience stores and kiosks. However, back then, there was still an atmosphere where you couldn't openly read it on the train. Now even girls read it without any problem (laughs)
Q: Do you often read Pro Wrestling magazines?
MISAWA: I read them. I have them delivered to my house, but they are also available at the convenience store near my house a day earlier, so I like to buy them there along with some Manga magazines...
Q: Thank you (laughs) So, what you are really interested in is an article about yourself and your promotion, right?
Q: However, once pro-wrestling magazines shifted to a weekly format, they began incorporating the kind of sensationalist elements found in mainstream commercial magazines—even though they remained specialized publications. Frankly, the wrestlers being written about probably don't always enjoy reading them, do they*?
MISAWA: Yeah. Especially back in the days of the previous editor-in-chief, I’d constantly tear up the proofs and toss them straight into the trash (laughs)
Q (wry smile): So, in a nutshell, what would you like to see from the pro wrestling media?
MISAWA: It really comes down to just writing the truth. If what I say is reported accurately, we can build a good relationship with the reporters. After all, I believe the public image of pro-wrestling—for better or worse—is shaped by media coverage. I hope we can cooperate effectively to gain greater public acceptance and recognition for pro-wrestling.
Q: Let's change the subject. It's been about four months since the announcement that Noah was launching in June: has the journey so far unfolded more or less according to your plans and vision?
MISAWA: Well... for instance, regarding the events at Differ, things are going pretty much as I envisioned, but I’m not sure how much we’ll be able to do in terms of production when we take the show to other regions. That said, I do want to keep the lighting over the ring as bright as possible.
Q: I’m all for that. The bright lighting over the ring creates a big-league atmosphere in the venue all on its own.
MISAWA: As for the matches and everything else, I don't yet have that feeling of "this is it"—that sense of having truly found the right path. That said, I’m not panicking, either. It’s only natural for there to be a gap between the ideal and reality, and overall, I believe things are moving in the right direction.
Q: You had said from the very beginning that you wanted to take your time building a solid foundation before the year was out.
MISAWA: As for the in-ring action, I think we’re going to see more development than ever starting with this month’s series.
Q: Objectively speaking, the majority of the wrestlers followed you; even though the "All Japan" banner was left behind, I believe there is a strong sentiment—shared by both fans and the media—that *this* promotion (Noah) is the true successor to the All Japan spirit.
MISAWA: I suppose so.
Q: On the other hand, compared to you—who should have become unencumbered after stepping away from the long-established stable—it is the remaining wrestler, Kawada, who leaves a more striking impression.
MISAWA: I suppose the current Kawada is carefree.
Q: That’s just my impression, of course (laughs). Anyway, All Japan launched a series of inter-promotional battles against New Japan in order to survive. That development happened faster than we anticipated, but as expected, All Japan—left with only Kawada and Fuchi, —was likely to stay ahead of Noah in terms of generating buzz, at least for the time being. As for you, Misawa-san, are you concerned about the moves your old promotion is making?
MISAWA: Honestly, I don't really think of it as my old promotion anymore. If it were still just Kawada, Fuchi, and the foreign wrestlers holding things down, I might actually be curious—but that’s not the case. I view it as a completely different promotion from the All Japan I was a part of, so I pay it no mind. As for a rivalry with New Japan? I say, go right ahead—that’s how I feel about it.
Q: So, you didn't watch the match against Chono at Budokan on September 2nd either?
MISAWA: Huh? They did that on TV?
Q: Yes. On TV Asahi's "World Pro Wrestling".
MISAWA: I haven't seen it.
Q: I see. Also, All Japan has announced that it will hold a memorial event for the third anniversary of Giant Baba's passing at the Tokyo Dome on January 28 of next year. Regarding this, Tenryu—who has returned to All Japan—has stated, "If it's the third memorial service for Baba-san, then Noah have an obligation to appear as well..."
MISAWA (sarcastic laugh): If I were to step into a ring where things Baba-san detested were taking place, I’d get a scolding from him too. In fact, if we held a vote in Noah, I doubt a single wrestler would raise their hand to say they wanted to go there.
Q: I see. So, holding the responsible position of president of a new company with a large staff, you simply don't have the time to concern yourself with other promotions?
MISAWA: That’s true. Honestly, back when I was president of All Japan, time felt like it was dragging, but now it just flies by. Still, I don’t feel stressed. Even when things come up, ultimately the decisions are mine to make—so if I do fail, I can accept it. Of course, since the responsibility rests on my shoulders, I can’t afford to fail easily (laugh)
Q: Even so, just a year ago, I never would have imagined things would turn out this way.
MISAWA: I feel the same way myself
Q: You are thirty eight years old now. In terms of age when they struck out on their own, legends like Inoki, Baba, and Choshu were all much younger. While Tenryu is older than you, and considering the lack of corporate sponsors, I sense tremendous energy behind your decision this time as well.
MISAWA: Well, I suppose I had no other choice—and I feel I did everything I possibly could within the All-Japan circuit.
MISAWA: It’s not as if I personally recruited them all or anything*; it just so happened that a group of like-minded people gathered with the shared goal of moving forward together. Everyone is genuinely committed to making the Noah ring better and more exciting. However, right now, our collective will hasn't quite synchronized into a single, unified wave yet; there is a fear that if one person gets too far ahead of the others, the gears could start slipping out of alignment.
Q: In that respect, I suppose the focus is still heavily on your duties as the President. And it seems as if you are doing a lot of TV appearances and interviews lately...
MISAWA: Well, the shows until now have been one off events, so it's inevitable that these kinds of jobs will come up during the long off-season. But once the series starts, I'll actually have more time to focus on being a wrestler (laughs).
Q: I’ve only seen Noah live twice—the inaugural event on August 5 and the Ariake show on August 19TH - but judging by CS broadcasts and professional photos, it strikes me that you are still a long way off from being in top form.
MISAWA: It certainly isn't good.
Q: But then again, you're the type who rounds into form for the big match by actually competing...
MISAWA: I agree. Well, we’ll be gradually ramping things up from here on out. Noah has only just begun, after all, and the promotion is really just starting to develop its own unique identity. It’s frustrating, though, because there are people—both among the fans and the media—who watch a show once or twice and immediately jump to the conclusion: "Oh, so nothing has changed at all (since the All Japan days)."
Q: I think it’s better to change gradually and deliberately, if possible. It’s funny how things work: when your excitement spikes suddenly, it tends to drop just as fast (laughs). That said, what impresses me most—or perhaps what gives me the greatest sense of reassurance—when reading your recent book or observing your words and actions, is that you remain steadfastly committed to "pro-wrestling" itself, regardless of the trends and fads sweeping the wrestling world.
MISAWA: I certainly have confidence. That said, if pro-wrestling had remained exactly as it was when I first started out, I probably wouldn't feel the kind of confidence I do now...
Q: So, that mean's its...
MISAWA: It is a self built upon everything I have experienced and the path I have walked up to this point.
Q: The so-called "Four Heavenly Kings" style of pro-wrestling during the All Japan era was, honestly, a constant succession of astonishment and concern—thinking, "Are they really going this far?" and "Just how far will they take this?"
MISAWA: It’s fun precisely because even the person doing it doesn’t know just how far they can go (laugh). hat applies to any job, not just pro wrestling: if you decide, "I've done enough," that’s where you stop growing, right?
Q: That’s true, I suppose (laughs). Certainly, in any sport, the top athletes are the type who constantly hunger for more and are willing to take risks to reach the next level.
MISAWA: I suppose life is much the same way; once you give up, that’s the end of it. In pro wrestling, too—as long as there’s a possibility of making a match even more entertaining, I believe you should keep striving for that. Of course, since not everyone can pull off the same things in the ring, I do constantly feel a sense of frustration wondering if the audience truly understands what I’m trying to do.
Q: I read this in the book, too: apparently, back when you were in junior high and first encountered professional wrestling on TV, you immediately decided you wanted to become a pro wrestler.
MISAWA: Yeah (laughs)
Q: Professional wrestling is a world of superhumans—the kind where one would normally think, "Wow, that's incredible; there's no way I could ever do that." To decide without hesitation to step over into the performance side and then seamlessly make it a reality, thanks to the physical ability to back it up—that is something I find truly enviable.
MISAWA: It was probably because I was young (laughs). I was already 171 centimetres tall back then and thought I’d get even bigger, so I was convinced I’d definitely become a wrestler. It wasn't exactly confidence—I just knew it was going to happen.
Q: At the same time, however, you have consistently expressed a keen desire to cultivate new fans, stating that you want even first-time viewers to enjoy the matches. This is likely why Noah has focused so heavily on enhancing the production aspects—such as staging and equipment—and that effort has paid off; indeed, the venue for the inaugural event was packed with young female fans.
MISAWA: That's right (smile).
Q: That is another reason why I have high hopes for Misawa-san’s Noah. While it is undoubtedly the so-called "hardcore fans" who form the bedrock of this genre, it is my firm belief that a genre will never grow if those fans put up unnecessary barriers against the general public. So, with the new Weekly Pro, I want to play a role in turning the beginners who attend Noah events into loyal, repeat fans.
MISAWA: Okay...
Q: Finally, we are about to enter the next century. Not just in the context of Noah, but what kind of direction do you think the pro wrestling world will take from here on out?
MISAWA: Next year will be a big change. I think we have to change as we move from one end of the century to the new one...and in that context, I think Noah is in a very favourable position to move forward right now.
Q: I agree
MISAWA: In that sense, I want to actively work to make professional wrestling even more appealing to the general public.
Q: That concludes this interview. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to speak with us today.
Notes
*Wrestlers not enjoying reading about themselves: Baba once became so angry with Weekly Pro, that he stopped them covering All Japan for a few months by refusing to let their journalists attend shows.
*"It is not as if I personally recruited them or anything": Kyohei Wada recalls telling Misawa to not discuss this with him. Yoshihiro Takayama was taken out to dinner to discuss leaving All Japan. Takashi Sugiura recalls Misawa approaching him about it, while Naomichi Marufuji recalls that he was expected to leave with Misawa, no one had discussed it with him.
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