Hiromu speaks to the press in Tokyo 

Hours after going back to back in best of the Super Jr. victories, Hiromu Takahashi appeared in a special press conference on December 16. With a rare scowl on his face Hiromu Takahashi walked angrily into the press conference room stating he was tired from the previous evening and would be leaving immediately, only to reveal ‘just kidding’ written on the palm of his hand, yelling ‘Hiromu is as happy as can be! Fooled ya, right?’

Hiromu then delivered his victory statement. 

‘Comments? From me? Honestly, I kinda said everything right after the match yesterday… Happy, happy? Yeah, happy. I don’t think I could be any happier than this. I won this thing back to back. I’m happy. Of course. Do you know how to show you’re happy without just saying so? … It’s difficult isn’t it? I really want to tell all these people how happy I am, but just saying ‘I’m happy’ doesn’t cut it. That’s why I thought before I came in here I’d have my fun with you guys, be all serious and then prank all of you. That was a Hiromu original, yep.’

–Last night of course, you spoke to the media after your win, but do you feel any different the next day?

Hiromu: You know what? I just got up. I honestly slept and then woke up and it was time to come here. I mean, I really needed a rest. I was on that BOSJ high, so I couldn’t sleep. I wanted to get right to bed but I just couldn’t. Then next thing I knew it was the net day and I had to get over here. I think that it has to be all the happiness, don’t you?

–Well…

Hiromu: I mean, imagine! Put yourself in my shoes! If you won back to back, how would you feel?

–I suppose I wouldn’t be able to sleep.

Hiromu; Exactly! Too happy, right? That’s how I feel. All of you at home, you just imagine what it would be like to win Best of the Super Jr. twice in a row, and that’s how Hiromu feels. See, I made it all crystal clear. 

–You will now wrestle for the IWGP Ju-

Hiromu: IN THE MAIN EVENT!

–Ah, no, the semi main.

Hiromu: Semi? Huh. Well, what are you gonna do. OK. I main evented the Budokan, main evented Ryogoku. Next is the Tokyo Dome main event. I want to live that dream, but it isn’t as easy as all that. I face Desperado, that opponent, this timing, that stage, but it’s still the semi main, it tells you just how hot the rest of NJPW is right now. Now we have to go even harder, to overcome that competition and finally make the main event. That’ll really be something. So Hiromu will steal the show on January 4 and take the title in the process. And get back to being the center of this division.

–OK

Hiromu: I mean, imagine! Put yourself in my shoes! 

–Err…

Hiromu: You’re challenging El Desperado. You’ve won the trophies back to back, you’re challenging and now the title match is made. How do you feel?

–I’d want to keep that momentum going and win the title match?

Hiromu: Exactly! That’s how I feel. All you at home, you just imagine that you want to fire up the junior heavyweight division, and you’ve just won Best of the Super Jr. back to back. How do you feel? That’s exactly correct. 

–With Shingo Takagi in the January 4 main event, you could both be victorious in the last two matches of the night.

Hiromu: Hmm, I don’t have much to say about that. Takagi is definitely at the head of this company, and deserved the MVP. Even over me, there’s nobody like him. But just like I said in the ring yesterday, that gives me a target to overcome. Just how I can do that, I don’t know. It isn’t just about wrestling and winning. It’s different with pro-wrestling. I guess it’s about.. atmosphere. It’s an intangible, you can’t really describe. What do you reckon? Put yourself in my shoes and think about it. Don’t you feel the same? Or if you think different, I’m all ears. Come on. 

–I suppose I would want to beat out everyone, but it isn’t just about winning matches. 

Hiromu: But what does it mean to beat out everyone else? What does that mean to you?

–To have a bigger status perhaps? 

Hiromu: There you go. Bang on. And everyone has their own answers. I don’t think it really matters. Junior, heavy, whatever, we all think what we think. I have my ideas and you have yours. And you’re exactly right.

–You went to a 30 minute draw in your league match with El Desperado. Do you have any particular strategies regarding this title match? 

Hiromu: Nope! I just won yesterday! And even though I made a challenge yesterday, it’s only just been officially announced now! So I haven’t come up with everything. My head’s still in a weird space. I’m still on a high from my win. I have no idea what I’m saying to you right now. I won’t know until I watch this back later whether I should regret doing this conference or not. That’s why I refuse to watch this conference back, so I can live without regret. I mean, imagine! Put yourself in my shoes for just a minute. How would you feel. You’re on a high, you’ve made a challenge and it’s official, the semi main event in the Tokyo Dome! I want to know how you feel. 

–Well I think I would still be a bit delirious.

Hiromu: Exactly! Human beings need to rest their brains! That’s what I think. 

–Well in that case…

Hiromu: You want to end it here? I mean how long have we been going here? Ten minutes? We have to go at least an hour. Nobody watches short videos. I don’t know what I’ll be saying, but let’s go for an hour. This is your chance to ask me anything! Let’s go! AMA! 

–…

Hiromu: Well, I have something to say. Just realised. Taguchi said something in his backstage comments. Know what? You watched right?

–His challenge?

Hiromu: Not that part. You didn’t watch did you? Watch the product. Shall I tell you? He talked about protecting the NJPW home grown juniors. He said there should be a junior heavy tryout. You didn’t watch, did you? What a shame. 

–I saw he challenged for…

Hiromu: Yes, yes, yes, but I was more interested in what he said about a junior tryout. Just like Hiromu said. See I have my ears to the ground, and Mr. Butt feels the way Hiromu feels. If Mr. Butt says that then Mr. Butt feels it’s the way to go. If Mr. Butt coaches that tryout, the junior heavyweight future smells bright to me. What do you think?

–It sounds exciting.

Hiromu: How so?

–He would be an excellent coach to grow the next generation of talent…

Hiromu How?

–Well, he has a vast amount of experience…

Hiromu: I mean, look, I’m speaking to you here as a professional wrestler. I came up in this business, but I want to hear from a normal man on the street such as yourself, to get their view. So please, what are your honest thoughts?

–It’s important to bring up the next generation of athletes who are capable of pushing things forward no matter what sport you’re in.

Hiromu: Right. You have to get ’em while they’re young. There has to be a bunch of people coming in that want to beat me, and want to stop me winning back to back to back to back. Only I’m going to win 15 of these back to back. That’s what I’m gonna say on my way out. I’m not retiring until I win 15 in a row. What do you reckon? Think I could do it? Let’s do it. 15 in a row, then I’ll quit. That would be pretty awesome. 

–You’d be 46.

Hiromu: At the earliest! If I don’t win one, it goes back down to zero. But you know, nobody knows whether we’ll have BOSJ at the same time next year, or whether we’ll be able to do it in May or June. If it’s May, that’s less than a half year from now. I’ll go for that. Three in a row. Then four. Then, do you know what comes next?

–Three, four then five.

Hiromu: Exactly, very good. I’ll keep going like that until I get to 15. What do you think?

–It’s a very good plan.

Hiromu: Excellent. 

–You’ve made your ambitions very clear. I’m told that recently the YouTube algorithm prefers shorter videos, so..

Hiromu: Wait, I just remembered! Ssshh. Before I came here I did a bit on my YouTube that will be right up after this, so go and check it out!