Wrestle Princess IV marks the climax of the year for Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling and what a year 2023 has been. The 10th anniversary of TJPW has seen a total shakeup of the team, from the largest influx of rookies thus far to major shifts at the top of the card. Some wrestlers are moving up, some are moving around, and one is moving on.
The TJPW calendar is bolstered by four tentpole shows: Ittenyon in January, Grand Princess in March, Summer Sun Princess in July, and Wrestle Princess in October. If Wrestle Princess IV can follow in the tradition of its name, then there ought to be an incredible main event, the payoff to certain stories, and a look ahead to the future.
TJPW Wrestle Princess IV:
Haru Kazashiro vs. Runa Okubo
On March 18th of this year, two fourteen-year-olds made their debut hidden in an 8-person tag. They appeared to have the basics down, even if it was at half-speed. The kids learned on the job and looked up at the lights, but it was over the summer that something more seemed to click. An all-rookie trios match on August 12th made many fans sit up and pay attention to just how fast they were all improving.
The two fifteen-year-olds are remarkably different than how they were 6 months ago. Haru Kazashiro has developed a more agile style of dropkicks and crossbody attacks. Meanwhile, Runa Okubo has been putting more and more sting into her forearm strikes befitting of her jellyfish motif. One of them is going to get that elusive first victory, yet both have bright futures.
TJPW Wrestle Princess IV:
Arisu Endo, Kaya Toribami, Himawari vs. Yoshiko Hasegawa, Harukaze, Riara
It’s inter-promotional warfare as some of the lesser experienced members of the roster defend TJPW against the forces of Ganbare Joshi. Ganbare Pro Wrestling is a sister company under the CyberFight umbrella.
The clans of ToJo and GanJo will, at times, exchange talent when need be, as they did just a week ago. Hasegawa and Harukaze are seasoned pros who have visited before, while Riara is a cabaret hostess who only just debuted back in May.
Arisu Endo and Kaya Toribami are two promising prospects from the 2021 rookie class with flashy, speedy movesets. Though they did team together at Wrestle Princess III, Arisu is without her normal partner Suzume.
For all her significant achievements this year (first victory, first TPC victory, first main event) she has yet to follow her Daisy Monkey ally up the card. Rounding out the team is Himawari, a creative comedic character who may be the most polished rookie in the current class.
TJPW Wrestle Princess IV:
Moka Miyamoto vs. Juria Nagano
They don’t have an official name, but the karate girls have basically been a team for their shared fighting style. They were victorious at last year’s Wrestle Princess and even made the semi-finals of the tag tournament in the beginning of the year.
But an injury put Juria on the shelf for 6 months only to return in July, still looking for that first singles victory in her young career.
Moka Miyamoto has had a good year in her own right. Not only the tag run, but she also scored an upset victory in the Tokyo Princess Cup and held her own against the Ace in the Quarterfinals.
She’s grown consistent in beating on the rookies while her contemporaries seem to be outpacing her. Juria is likewise in danger of falling behind her classmates like Arisu and Kaya, so the punches and kicks are sure to fly as each looks for a statement win.
TJPW Wrestle Princess IV:
Aja Kong, Raku, Shino Suzuki vs Hyper Misao, Wakana Uehara, Toga
The last of the rookies make their appearance on the card in a trios match of dramatic proportions. Aja Kong is a superfan of Raku, who is part of the Up Up Girls with Shino Suzuki, who debuted on March 6th alongside Toga, who is a rookie like Wakana Uehara. And then there’s Hyper Misao, who’s here to spread chaos.
Not a whole lot to preview on this one. Will Toga’s killer elbow strike affect Aja Kong? Is WAKANA the most popular rookie or does She Know? Can Hyper Misao come up with a scheme crazy enough to thwart the sleeping spell of God Raku?
TJPW Wrestle Princess IV:
Ryo Mizunami and Yuki Aino vs. Yuki Arai and Miu Watanabe
Another strange partner’s match closes out the first half of Wrestle Princess IV. Ryo Mizunami is a freelancer who comes in from time to time and beats great performances out of her younger opponents.
Back in May, Mizunami and Yuki Aino had a fun powerhouse battle in a trios match that left you wanting more. If Aino should learn anything about being a bruiser, she couldn’t ask for a better big brother figure.
On the other side is another powerhouse Miu Watanabe teaming with fellow idol Yuki Arai, who is a powerhouse of merch sales. In all actuality, these two are the fastest-rising stars on the verge of breaking into the main event scene.
At Wrestle Princess III, they were victorious in their championship matches. Arai is coming off a run to the semifinals of the Tokyo Princess Cup, similar to Miu’s breakout run to the Finals the prior year.
TJPW Wrestle Princess IV:
Sakisama, Mei Saint-Michel, Martha, Yukio Saint Laurent vs Shoko Nakajima, Suzume, Pom Harajuku, Antonio Honda
Sakisama’s Neo Biishiki-gun has been a thorn in TJPW’s side for most of the company’s existence. In some fashion or another, just about half of the total Princess Tag Team title reigns belong to her.
Sakisama has had many great matches and unforgettable moments over the years, but the curtains are set to close on this act in November. At Wrestle Princess IV, the troupe gathers for one final performance.
Perhaps there is no one more apt to face NBG than Shoko Nakajima. The Big Kaiju defeated the first iteration back in 2015 and has remained close to Sakisama for all this time.
Beside her are Suzume, a young up-and-comer, and Pom Harajuku, the noisy wildcard. And rounding out the team is DDT’s Antonio Honda, who has history with all the aristocrats.
TJPW Wrestle Princess IV:
Nyla Rose vs Maki Itoh
In 2023, Maki Itoh has spent many months working in North America, practically a third of her year or more. Her fame has exploded thanks to her gang affiliation with GCW and Nick Gage, as well as her own efforts in every corner of the West.
Not only that, but she’s also been successful in TJPW: winning the tag tournament in February, main-eventing the first show in the US, and challenging for the Princess of Princess championship in July.
Nyla Rose made her first appearance with the company this summer, getting a dominant win over Miu Watanabe. Nyla has her hands full with an upgrade in competition, hoping to derail Maki’s stellar year.
Itoh has voiced her hopes of getting a big-money contract with a company like AEW, so perhaps she can make her case known with a signature win.
TJPW Wrestle Princess IV:
Yuki Kamifuku and Mahiro Kiryu vs Nao Kakuta and Hikari Noa
In June, it was announced that the Princess Tag Team titles were vacated due to the indefinite injury of Yuka Sakazaki.
With the Tokyo Princess Cup taking up the rest of the summer, it is now time to crown new champions between two teams who have never before held these belts.
In one corner is Toyo Mate. Yuki Kamifuku is a former International Princess champion, an unlikely finalist of this year’s TPC, and the Casual Beauty.
Mahiro Kiryu is an exasperated doormat who, because they went to the same university, has formed a strange but meaningful friendship with Kamiyu. If Yuki pokes you in the eye, Mahiro will apologize.
In the other corner is Free Wi-Fi. Hikari Noa is a former IP champion, a former person-without-deathmatch-scars, and a former member of two other tag teams.
Nao Kakuta had been a bit of a stray cat coming over from another promotion, but somehow they found each other and became close friends. They will cheat and pull hair, and neither will apologize.
TJPW Wrestle Princess IV:
Rika Tatsumi vs. Max the Impaler
Last Wrestle Princess, they were victorious on the same trios team. This year it’s title for title. Rika Tatsumi has had a great year, winning the IP belt at Grand Princess in a MOTYC and being a true workhorse of TJPW. Max the Impaler won the newly created NWA World Women’s TV title at the 75th Anniversary show in August.
It’s hard to see how Max doesn’t win. They have been undefeated in singles competition in Japan and looks like an unstoppable force to anyone who stands in their way. After all, the International title was intended to be a cross-cultural exchange.
Still, it would be incredible to see a Joshi wrestler win the women’s secondary title of an American promotion. Her title defenses are always exciting bouts.
TJPW Wrestle Princess IV:
Mizuki vs. Miyu Yamashita
With 2023 being the Year of the Rabbit, Mizuki started off strong by finally winning the Princess of Princess championship at Grand Princess. She’s had many great defenses since then and even held the Tag Team titles at the same time until her partner’s injury forced them to vacate.
A few more bumps in the road came with Yuka Sakazaki announcing her graduation from TJPW at the end of the year and Miyu Yamashita beating Mizuki in the first round of the Tokyo Princess Cup.
Yamashita has done everything she can in this company for 10 years, culminating in breaking her own curse of never winning the TPC. She and her partner Maki Itoh won the tag titles earlier in the year.
Perhaps one of the last items on her checklist would be to pass the torch to the Ace of the next generation. She has been broadening her schedule more towards working in America, and she already started the year with a failed challenge for the PoP title.
But if, for whatever reason, the powers that be decide to give Miyu Yamashita a record-setting 4th reign or they just want her to have the belt for the 10th Anniversary show in December, her winning isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility. It’s just that Mizuki winning in what is sure to be an incredible match would say a lot about the future of TJPW.
TJPW Wrestle Princess IV Preview
The major shows of Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling are always a good time. It’s more about entertaining the crowd than the seriousness within pro wrestling. It’s about hanging out with the English commentary team like they’re old friends and laughing at comedic characters. Nothing gets overbooked or too busy. And there’s bound to be at least one fantastic match. All for a low, low price on Wrestle Universe.
