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« | Home | »

Why Hiroko？Column about HUSTLE

By T2y-Sano | January 13, 2006

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Firstly I don’t know whether you as readers are interested in HUSTLE or not. *laugh* And please use yahoo or excite to translate my column. Sorry about writing in Japanese text. (Rough translation by Zach Arnold).

と言う訳で本題へ。

About the subject said in translation.

ハッスルはゆっくりと、でも確実に流れています。

Hustle flows slowly, but surely.

はじめはかつて全日本プロレスとＫ１が企画したWRESTLE－１と大差がないイベントでした。｢格闘家をプロレスのリングに上げ、海外の大物(like Goldberg)を日本のリングに上げる単発的なイベント｣これが当初のハッスルの形だったと僕は思います。

The start of WRESTLE-1 event is planned before by All Japan & K-1. It is not a very different event from one another. An event driven by martial artists working in the pro-wrestling ring, integrated with important overseas wrestlers (like Goldberg) in Japan. This was the first shape of Hustle.

しかし、回を重ねるにつれ高田モンスター軍が結成され高田総統(≠Nobuhiko　Takada”laugh”)が登場し、試合こそしないもののその抜群のマイクアピールで注目を集め始めました。

However (in Hustle), only the game was formed with the Takada Monster Army with appearances by Generalissimo Takada (Nobuhiko Takada *laugh*). It began to attract attention preeminently through mike appeal (microphone performances).

高田モンスター軍の目的は｢プロレス界の壊滅｣それに対抗すべく小川直也と故橋本真也さんが立ち上がりハッスル軍を結成。｢プロレス界を守るべく高田総統の配下のモンスター達と死闘を繰り広げる｣という非常に分かりやすいお話が出来上がりました。

The purpose of the Takada Monster Army was to stand up to Naoya Ogawa and the late Shin’ya Hashimoto, who both opposed the annihilation of the pro-wrestling field. A very comprehensible theme of “defending the pro-wrestling field” was developed with a desparate struggle completed against Takada’s monsters.

しかし、口が非常に達者な高田総統に対してハッスル軍のキャプテン小川直也の反論は正直、街のチンピラレベル。これではＷＷＥの大躍進の核にもなったビンス・マクマホンｖｓ“ストーンコールド”スティーブ・オースティンのような罵りあいはとても望めません。その上、肝心要のプロレスの試合も小川直也は下積みを経験せず総合格闘技の参戦や橋本戦を経て名前だけトップレスラーになってしまったためとても下手です。それを分かっていたためかハッスルのストーリーでは毎回のようにハッスル軍は高田総統に打ち負かされてしまいました。

However, the rebuttal of Hustle army captain Naoya Ogawa was pitted against the very skillful mouth of Generalissimo Takada. With this, fighting similar to Vince McMahon vs. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin became the nucleus. Because the undercard was not as focused as the top wrestlers in the main event, essentially the main point of the pro-wrestlers focused on a very unskilled Naoya Ogawa. The Hustle army had been defeated every time by Generalissimo Takada was the story.

ハッスル軍は川田利明を加え戦力を増強するものの橋本さんは肩の怪我で戦線を離脱、高田総統に言い負かされるエンディングは相変わらずそのままでした。さらにモンスター軍にはインリン様(≠インリン・オブ・ジョイトイ)も加わり口では完全に敵わなくなってしまい。例え試合に勝っても高田総統＆インリン様に言い負かされモヤモヤしたエンディングを迎えてしまいます。

Mr. Hashimoto left due to a shoulder injury and the Hustle army added Toshiaki Kawada to reinforce its war potential. The ending by Takada was its usual state. In addition, Yinling (Yinling of Joy Toy) was not completely suitable for the monster army either. Even if the matches are won, it is Takada & Yinling as representatives.

そこにハッスル軍の救世主として現れたのがレイザーラモンＨＧさんです。彼はトークで高田総統を圧倒する唯一の人材であり、学生プロレスの経験も積んでいるため小川よりもプロレスが上手です。
これによってレイザーラモンＨＧ×高田総統という対等な争いが誕生すし、お話にも幅が出てくるように思われました。しかし、レイザーラモンＨＧはあくまでもテレビタレントであり、現在スタートして非常に多忙な生活を送っています。

Having appeared as the savior of the Hustle army is Razor Ramon HG. Because he is the only talent who overwhelms Generalissimo Takada on the microphone, and he also has experience as a student of professional wrestling. He is as good (or better) than Ogawa at pro-wrestling. As a result, an equal Razor Ramon HG vs. Takada fight seemed to be born. However, Razor Ramon HG is a busy TV talent/personality and has a very active life.

そこで高田総統に対抗できる存在として白羽の矢が立てられたのが鈴木健想＝Kenzo Suzukiの妻である鈴木浩子です。彼女はもともとテレビ局のアナウンサーであるため喋りは明瞭ですし語彙も豊富、またＷＷＥで日本人初のＤＩＶＡ(かどうかは微妙かな(笑))として活躍したその度胸は高田総統に勝るとも劣りません。また、狂言師の和泉元彌との対戦でリング上で戦った自分の夫以上にワイドショーでは注目を浴びました。なにより、彼女はＨＧと違って忙しくないためハッスルを最優先することが可能です。

For Takada, the wife of Kenzo Suzuki (Hiroko Suzuki) becomes available as opposition. Originally as an announcer for a Fukushima TV station, Hiroko is the WWE Japanese DIVA with superior courage to Generalissimo Takada. *laugh* Moreover, her husband fought in the ring with crazy talk trick master Izumi Motoya. This Hustle match was shown on variety TV. Above all, Hiroko can prioritize Hustle as a top goal because she is not busy unlike HG.

といった具合にこのままハッスルはあくまで一時的にタレントを用いてその人気が安定してきたらハッスル専属のレスラーでありキャラクターを使って世界を構築していくのではないかと僕は考えています。｢浩子が高田総統と対立する役立ったらハッスル軍の意味無いよね？｣ってなりかねませんが、その辺りはおそらくハッスル軍＆浩子with健想ｖｓ高田モンスター軍などのように展開していくのではないでしょうか。

With top talent being exchanged and available temporarily, the Hustle army with Hiroko & Kenzo Suzuki vs. Takada Monster army might become reality.

ここまで書いてきましたが僕はハッスル５しか観ていません。それゆえ、今現在のハッスルの試合のクオリティーは正直分かりません。しかし、気がつけばマーク・コールマン以外の格闘家は整理され同じ相手と何度も何度も戦っていることからそのクオリティーは間違いなく上がっていることでしょう。いや、それだけハッスル５の試合はひどかったわけですが(笑)。

I have only seen the Hustle 5 event, so therefore the quality of the matches in the Hustle ring is not totally, honestly understood. However, the quality and arrangement of fights with martial artists such as Mark Coleman is noticed. *laugh* Unpleasant matches were displayed at an awful Hustle 5 show.

プロレスはもちろん試合内容も大事ですがそれに至る過程＝お話も非常に大事です。と、エンターテイメントの本場米国の読者が多いであろうこのブログにこんなこと書くのは失礼ですが(笑)。レッスルマニア２０のブロック・レスナー×ゴールドバーグのような過程だとしたら例えノア東京ドーム大会での小橋と健介のような試合が行われても観客は心からそれを楽しめません。

The reader in the home of America who enjoys entertainment and pro-wrestling, please excuse this. *laugh* Even if a Hustle match like Kobashi vs. Kensuke from NOAH’s Tokyo Dome event is compared to, the fans cannot sincerely enjoy it if the quality is similar to Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg from Wrestle Mania 20 (the infamous MSG match where the fans turned on both men).

ハッスルはその過程をキャストをテレビタレントからゆっくりとハッスル専属の世界の住人に移行させていくことによって安定させようとしているのではないでしょうか？

Does Hustle make the slow shift from a normal cast (of wrestlers) to a world of TV talent?

また、高田延彦≠高田総統、インリン様≠インリン・オブジョイトイとわざわざ差別化したことについてのお話はその内させていただきたいと思います。

Nobuhiko Takada is not the same as Generalissimo Takada, and Yinling is not the same as Yinling of Joy Toy.

以上!!

The end.

thank you for reading!!

For more (in Japanese), click here.

Topics: All Topics, Japan, PRIDE, Pro-Wrestling, Tetsuya Sano | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

4 Responses to “Why Hiroko？Column about HUSTLE”

  1. Adam Summers says:
    January 14, 2006 at 12:41 pm

    Tetsuya, thank you VERY much for posting this. It is a very interesting insight into the perception of HUSTLE, and it is one that I share.

    Your point about the HUSTLE performers being “characters” rather than wrestlers is a very good one. In many ways, HUSTLE is even more of “sports entertainment” than WWE is. It seems that there is absolutely ZERO pretense that HUSTLE is a legitimate pro-wrestling/fighting event.

    I also agree about the absolutely terrible quality of wrestling in HUSTLE.

    I have a question for you…has HUSTLE damaged the reputation of the pro-wrestling business in Japan, in your opinion?

    Reply
  2. T2y-Sano says:
    January 14, 2006 at 7:43 pm

    ＞Adam-san

    >I have a question for you…has HUSTLE damaged the reputation of the pro-wrestling business in Japan, in your opinion?

    When Motoya-Izumi beated Kenzo-Suzuki,
    in Variety tv prodrams ,MC and commentators said
    “that was a kind of pro-wrestling” with laughing.

    But I think NJ’falling is more serious than Hustle about pro-wrestling’image.
    Hustle is just a new power,but NJ is thought biggest pro-wrestling by people.

    I think pro-wrestling has been maniac sports in Japan since Inoki’retire
    PRIDE&K-1 are more popullar than puroresu very much.

    But Koriki-Choshu who is comedian mimic Riki-Choshu is very popullar now.

    I think the strong point of pro-wrestling is wrestler’character.
    Showing high quality matches(like NOAH) and good characters(like Hustle),
    pro-wrestling can be major again.

    Reply
  3. Rich says:
    January 15, 2006 at 1:36 am

    Awesome Hustle article indeed. Thats a great point about NJPW’s current state being more damaging than Hustle to Puroresu’s credibility.

    I always percieved Hustle as just a good comedy fed, I assumed Japanese fans basically saw it for what it was. Hustle matches are more like WWE mid to late 80’s, where matches were built more around characters then match quality.

    Testuya, I was wondering, this is more of NJPW question than a Hustle question. But it is your opinion, and or the general consensus, on Brock Lesnar as IWGP champion?

    Reply
  4. T2y-Sano says:
    January 16, 2006 at 7:08 pm

    ＞Rich-san
    I like Brock Lesnar very much.
    And he is very popullar in Japan,when he was in WWE.
    He is very powerful and showed very ood matches,vs Kurt,vs Big show
    Japanese wrestling fans think so too.
    But we think “Lesnar may go back WWE soon=till Wrestlemania?”
    and “Who can make good match with Lesnar in NJ?”

    NJ’falling that I said is not Brock Lesnar is in IWGP champ.
    Causes of NJ’falling are many things.
    like IWGP title match Kensuke vs Fujita (10/9 2004)
    pushing Nakamura very strongly
    Nagata’complete defeats in New year’eve
    things happened in out of ring
    bad story in ring

    more and more and more…

    All those things hurt Japanese fan’confidence completely.

    I think so.

    Reply

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