10 Things WWE Doesn't Want You To Know About NJPW

4. It's Far, Far Cooler

Okada plays the Crystal Maze
NJPW1972.com

WWE isn't cool. The company inspires heated subjective debate on a daily basis, but that's about as objective as opinions go.

This is a company in which bland babyface prospects pelt singing heels with vegetables as if they're in a school cafeteria. This is a company in which the Ace doesn't make it rain from the ceiling; he wears baggy garish clothing, despite slimline jeans being in fashion since the turn of the millennium. This is a company in which the evil foreigner trope remains in vogue, despite Futurama satirising it in the year 2000. This is a company in which soiled underpants are used as a prop for a visual gag.

In New Japan Pro Wrestling, Junior Heavyweight sociopath Hiromu Takahashi uses a toy cat, Darryl, as an irreverent visual gag - and it works because his role as a psycho is believable enough to elevate the bit into black comedy heights. Tetsuya Naito, the most popular star in all of puroresu, has grasped the ironic detachment of the millennial generation, and used that attitude to create an aloof character that gives zero f*cks. He doesn't care what you think about him; that is the very essence of cool. The Bullet Club stable offers the most iconic merchandise in the wrestling landscape right now, and offers an ironic update on the 'cool heel' stables of the 1990s - fully grasping the tweaked nostalgia pandemic sweeping through the wider world.

Even Hiroshi Tanahashi, whose air guitar crowd appeal borders on stepdad territory, wears the most awesome hairstyle in wrestling.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!