The Strongest Arm has all the answers
Satoshi Kojima’s had a busy summer, with competition in IMPACT, STRONG and in Japan, with title matches everywhere he went. He also ran a short fan question gauntlet as well, and now firmly back in Japan, had the time to take a longer clutch of 11 questions about everything from in ring action to pet care!
1) From ‘Nochan: I’m Here’
What’s the story behind your trademark nose tape?
Kojima: It was around, I want to say 1998? I was having real trouble with my nose. Getting air into my system during matches was tough, and I had this inflammation in my nasal cavities that made it tough. I wanted to make it easier for myself to breathe, but nose tape tends to really stick out, right?
–Right.
Kojima: So I figured that I could turn that to my advantage. I started using the tape at the start of ’98, and then I figured if I was going to use it, I should make it a bit more colourful. I used some colours, and fans started gifting me these colourful tapes, and it went from there.
— I see.
Kojima: I mean, obviously nose tape is something I only use once and throw away, but there were fans who took the time to write and draw designs on tape by hand all these times. Really amazing. I thought once I got given something like that I couldn’t not make use of it.
–And when did the current ‘Cozy’ design come in?
Kojima: I can’t remember exactly when, but it had become my trademark, so whenever I did photoshoots, it was with the tape on. So when I started using the ‘Cozy’ nick name on my gear and things, the tape followed suit.
2. From ‘Keita’
How did orange become your trademark colour?
–You started out in green, didn’t you?
Kojima: Yes, that’s right. I switched to orange in 1996 after I came back from excursion.
–What prompted the change?
Kojima: Well, I wanted to change my look. I went to a gear marker and picked out fabrics, and orange stood out to me the most. I figured since I was making a return, it should be with a brighter look, and I went with orange light blue and green.
–Three colours in rotation?
Kojima: Yeah. And fans seemed to like the orange the most, so I stuck with it.
–And it’s been that way ever since!
Kojima: Right. (Keiji) Muto had orange and red at the time so he gave me some stick for it though (laughs).
3.From ‘T-Design’
If you’re orange and Yuji Nagata is blue, what colour comes to mind with Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Manabu Nakanishi?
Kojima: Tenzan is definitely red. Especially recently, he’s had more and more red on his gear.
–And Nakanishi?
Kojima: Whenever he was working with us in the Third Generation he would have that green shirt design of his, but really you’d have to say black. Even after he came back from excursion, all the way to retirement, it was those black tights.
–Didn’t you ever wear black tights?
Kojima: Of course I did! When I debuted, I was in black just like everyone.
–But you went to the green very early.
Kojima: Right. It was only about a year.
–And why green?
Kojima: I think like I said before, it was about standing out. Tenzan had gone with purple or a little red. But then Nagata wore black all the way through his Young Lion days, and Nakanishi never ditched the black.
4.YUTA
Your entrance theme ‘RUSH!’ is so iconic; can you talk about how you came to use it, and why you’ve stuck with it so long?
Kojima: Back in the day, NJPW used the same production company for all its music. Around the late 90s, everybody got new tunes, including me, Tenzan and Nagata.
–What did you think the first time you heard ‘RUSH!’?
Kojima: I thought it was badass then and it’s still got a special place in my heart now. You know, using it for well over 20 years, it’s really touching to hear fans say it fires them up. I loved it from the start, especially the intro.
5. From ‘Aniyama’
Were your arms always huge?
Kojima: Not always, no! But I think I’m blessed with a body that’s always responded well to training, and it’s been easy for me to get bigger. When you get sent on excursion your number one goal, especially back then. I was in Germany eating five bowls of rice every meal.
–Wow!
Kojima: My body responded to that, and I did get bigger, but I think it wasn’t until 2003 that I got in peak shape. A lot of that was down to training, back in the day we’d do very little training with machines in gyms; it was mainly bodyweight training like pushups. Maybe bench press, but that was it.
–I see.
Kojima: So it wasn’t really conducive to getting properly big. But yeah, around 2003 I was finally able to put together a training menu that suited me, and I really benefitted as a result.
6. From ‘Necofun!’
How big are those pythons in centimetres?
Kojima: At my biggest they were 50cm. Now I’m less about building size as I am about having balance, but I think I have better musculature now even than when i came back from excursion.
7. From ‘Nochan’
If you weren’t a pro-wrestler, what would you be doing with your life?
–You actually didn’t join the Dojo direct out of school and had an office job for a time. What would you be doing if you didn’t get into the business?
Kojima: I would have stayed at the gas company and I’d probably be in management by now!
–The Hank Hill of professional wrestling! So, not a baker?
Kojima: Oh, no. I love to eat, but I’m not a baker myself.
–A lot of wrestlers are in demand as television personalities. Does that work interest you?
Kojima: I owe everything to pro-wrestling at the end of the day. If it’s through that that I can challenge myself and try new things, then so much the better.
8. From ‘Sousui’
What baked good are you most into right now?
Kojima: I love a good basic French bread right now. Whenever I go to a new bakery, a baguette is always my first purchase. If they get the baguette down, then everything else there should be good too.
–Do you ever bake yourself?
Kojima: I did have a bread maker and messed around with it a little, but it’s a pain to do, so I just stick with going to the bakeries (laughs).
9.From ‘Hagune’
Any updates from BREAD CLUB? Any new BREAD CLUB merch coming?
Kojima: It’s wild how poplar it’s been, especially with the foreign fans. I’d like to put a shirt out, but would anyone buy them? Let me know! Mind you, it *is* a tital rip-off off the BULLET CLUB shirt and I don’t wanna get sued… (laughs)
10. From ‘Matsurino Marina’
Apart from bread, what’s your favourite food of late?
Kojima: When I was younger I loved meat. In my 30s I didn’t eat as much and mainly ate fish, and then meat came back in my diet during my 40s. I reminded myself of how good steak is. Sometimes you just want to eat a big load of meat! But what always sticks with me is Hamurg steak the way my mom would make.
–How much meat do you eat in a sitting?
Kojima: In my younger days I could eat a whole kilogram! Now 300 grams or so is my limit.
11. From ‘Milk Tea’
I know you love your chihuahuas. Why did you go with a chihuahua and are there any other animals you’d like to keep as pets?
Kojima: Around 2003 I saw this animal in the pet shop and it was totally love at first sight. There used to be these banking commercials with these cute chihuahuas and this super dedicated owner. At some point I became the living version of the commercial (laughs). But it really had to be a chihuahua for me, yeah.
–How many dogs do you have?
Kojima: The one I bought in 2003 passed away in 2017. I got another after that, and then a second just last year, so two now.
–So any plans to have a different pet?
Kojima: When I was a kid we had a parrot, but I’m a real dog person, so I can’t imagine having any other pets.
–What do your pets mean to you?
Kojima: They’re absolutely par of the family. I can’t be without them, honestly. It helps they’re so damned adorable!
