WWE Vs. NJPW: Head To Head
9. Direction / Overall Presentation
New Japan’s direction is gloriously understated, but not in a way that even approaches ‘dry’ territory.
The camera is invariably still, echoing as it should the point of view of the fan. There is no need for relentless cuts; the match quality and detail is so astounding that the stillness exists to transfix the audience. The static camera captures every struggle for positioning, the full impact of the dangerous impact signatures, and the full arc of every stunning aerial. This disciplined approach also allows the flourishes of artistry to resonate. Think of Kazuchika Okada’s trademark Rainmaker pose as the pulsating surge of a Tool song in the fifth minute; without the build, it doesn’t soar to the same, stratospheric extent.
Kevin Dunn exists to make you sick. It is the numbnuts’ major malfunction. The style is genuinely inexplicable, and the effect adds to this alienating idea that everything is so scattershot and disposable.
WWE’s video packages are outstanding—they turn sh*t into shinola with the skill of an alchemist—but New Japan’s roll-call of former IWGP Heavyweight Champions, ahead of each major title match, is the pinnacle of pro wrestling presentation.
In just over a minute, a sense of profound importance cloaks everything, creating an expectation—and demand—of quality.
Scorecard: WWE 0-2 NJPW