12 Ups & 5 Downs From NJPW The New Beginning In Osaka 2019

Downs...

5. The Lack Of Chris Charlton

The best version of NJPW's revolving door announce booth has Kevin Kelly on play-by-play, Don Callis on colour, and Chris Charlton running translation duties while adding important historical context. We got two-thirds of that team last night, and the missing piece left a gaping hole.

Charlton is fantastic. Though he's still sharpening his broadcasting skills, his vast knowledge of all things New Japan Pro Wrestling and translations make him one of the promotion's most important accessibility tools. Boatloads of English-speaking NJPW supporters owe much of their fandom to the work he has put in over the years - whether through his books 'Lion's Pride' and 'Eggshells,' Twitter translations, podcasts, or, more recently, his work in the announce booth - and it's a shame he wasn't there last night.

The young boy NJPW roped in to take his place did a serviceable job, but not like Charlton. Here's hoping he doesn't miss any more major shows going forward.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.