4. How To Make A Proper 'Cross-Generational Star'
John Cena, WWEs top man for over a decade, gets a lot of criticism for appealing almost exclusively to younger viewers. In fact, its something that he himself has openly admitted to and is proud of, while at the same time making fun of online critics who wish John Cena would change to cater to them instead. While Cena has certainly brought a lot of success and prosperity for WWE, he still isnt the cross-generational star that WWE would want him (or his possible replacement Roman Reigns) to be. He still lacks the ability to connect with the vocal adult male audience, which is something that New Japans top star, Hiroshi Tanahashi, does very well. Some people might be thinking that it is a stretch to say that Tanahashi is everything that WWE wishes that Cena would be. However, when one considers just how successful New Japan has become thanks to him, then that statement turns out to be very true. First, Tanahashi is widely considered to be the best wrestler alive today. He is a well-rounded athlete, capable of doing virtually everything, and has consistently been putting on Match of the Year-quality performances for years now. His wrestling ability alone is a major factor in his appeal to the diehard wrestling fans out there, who often criticize Cena for lacking this. Second, he has the look and charisma of a champion, which appeals to virtually everyone. He is considered to have massive nationwide appeal in Japan, where men, women, and children alike all find something in Tanahashi that they enjoy (maybe its the abs). This is a man who kisses babies (and they kiss him back) with no detriment to his status. If Cena did that, the WWE Universe would collectively groan in disgust. Third, and most importantly, he had to carry New Japan on his back in the mid-to-late 2000s, which helped catapult the company back into the forefront of Japanese wrestling. But he also had great matches, and wasnt booked as a Superman kind of character. This garnered him the respect of his peers and critical wrestling observers alike, while appealing to virtually all of the different segments of the NJPW audience.