Meltear and ‘Marutear’ engage in public training session
Ahead of Historic X-Over in the Ariake Arena on November 20, STARDOM’s Goddesses Champions Tam Nakano and Natsupoi, Meltear, joined Taichi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru in the STARDOM Dojo for a joint training session.
In the true spirit of the crossover mixed tag matches, Nakano and Natsupoi taught their male teammates their signature hand held double plancha, while Taichi relayed the art of the Tensho Jujiho thrust kick, and at Natsupoi’s request, Kanemaru expressed the finer details of the ‘amber surprise’.
‘Once the pantaloons come off, the cross is crucial to focus the breathing and energy, before letting that energy explode’. After the lecture, Taichi handed things to Tam, who surprised Kanemaru with the power behind her kick.
Combining timing with power, Taichi and Tam then practiced the strike as a double team, and pleased with their success, named the move ‘Taking Love Back’.
Kanemaru would next teach the ‘amber surprise’ with his ever present whiskey bottle, but Natsupoi’s non alcoholic practice attempts were rather less successful.
It seemed as if hopes for a legally questionable Kanemaru and Natsupoi double team would have to be dashed until Natsupoi tried the move with legitimate whiskey. Whether out of pressure, different viscosity, or a distaste for the alcohol, she managed the spit take first time, declaring that should the duo attempt the move on the day that it be called the ‘Faerymaru Mist’.
Next, it was Taichi and Kanemaru’s turn to try the Meltear double plancha. Taichi has spoken in the past that he is quite the accomplished high flier, always noting that he doesn’t ascend to the top rope because he has no need to, rather than no aptitude for the style of offense. Nonetheless, he was impressed at Tam and Natsupoi’s grace and balance before struggling at the move with Kanemaru.
Deciding that it was holding hands with ‘filthy old man Kanemaru’ that was the issue, a change of tact led to a four person hand holding plancha being developed, instantly dubbed the ‘Love X-Over’.
Meltear would then launch into a demonstration of their team entrance, complete with performance of their entrance music, though the unconvinced Taichi suggested that they ‘take things into consideration’. Nonetheless, the Holy Emperor was pleased with his team’s efforts, suggesting that after ‘five, six hours of practice, I’m spent. But we came up with some double teams and that four person dive, and we’ll… think about the entrance’. Again warning Tokyo Sports newspaper that Meltear ‘need to win the Best Tag Team award this year, or else,’ Taichi promised that the eight person mixed match would be the best of the three mixed bouts on the card Sunday in Ariake.
After the session, the four team members took questions from press assembled at the Dojo.
–Taichi, you took the lead with this session; what did you set out to achieve here today?
Taichi: Well, this is the first time that NJPW and STARDOM are crossing over and that we have these mixed matches. There are people who will say a lot of different things and have opinions both positive and negative about the whole deal. But whether or not we can create something good is up to us in the end. So I really felt as soon as this mixed match was announced that I wanted us to have the best mixed match on the card.
I don’t know what the NJPW old timers think of it at all, but I think trying new things is a big plus, and if we can make the best out of a lot of attention, then that’s a win. The big win for us will be when the night’s over and people are saying they’re glad we did this crossover deal.
–Kanemaru, how do you feel going into this mixed match?
Kanemaru: It’s a first for me, and I’m still not quite sure how to envision everything. But as soon as it was announced I got a ton of ideas of things to do, and I think we worked up some good stuff today, heh.
–Have you given much thought about what might happen after Historic X-Over?
Taichi: I definitely don’t want this to be the end of it, and I don’t see why we couldn’t do it again. Either all four of us, or maybe a pair of tags, Nobu and Natsupoi, Taichi and Tam. I’m a pretty good promoter myself, y’know, and I think we can do something (in TakaTaichi events) as well. Desperado says he wants to do more with (Starlight) Kid, so maybe Desperado & Kid vs Taichi and Tam is an option. If NJPW won’t book it, I will on my own.
Tam: As soon as I heard we were doing mixed matches, I wanted to be a part of that. I’m sure there are people that aren’t big fans of the idea, or that NJPW and STARDOM shouldn’t be crossing over. I want us to have a match that will make those people completely change their minds. It’s a really exciting opportunity, getting the chance to do that.
Natsupoi: I’m thrilled about it. We have to keep innovating, and I think it’s really crucial to do something that people hadn’t thought of before, or weren’t expecting.
–How do you feel about the moves you worked on today?
Taichi: Perfect, right? We all came together as one unit there. That hand holding plancha deal, you can count on us using that. That’s money. I can still feel the electricity in my hands.
Kanemaru: That sounds a bit creepy.
Taichi: It sounds that way because you’re hearing it that way, weirdo.
Tam: Do you think you can let a little love back into your soul?
Taichi: Oh, I let that go a long time ago.
Tam: We can change that.
Taichi: Surely not you and me…?
Kanemaru: Let’s change the subject.
–Apologies, we got knocked off track. Kanemaru, what were your thoughts on teaching Natsupoi the whiskey mist?
Kanemaru: I thought she had no chance when we practiced with water, but with the real deal she was perfect.
Natsupoi: I’m pretty good, right?
Kanemaru: Not bad, I gotta say.
Taichi: You said you weren’t a drinker, but you had no problem with three or four shots there, even if you did spit them out.
Natsupoi: Well, maybe..
Taichi: You and ‘Nobu should go drinking, we can stream the whole thing on my YouTube channel.
Natsupoi: I do like bar snacks.
Kanemaru: You’d probably like booze, then.
Natsupoi: Maybe I just dismissed alcohol out of hand. I haven’t drunk much before now.
Taichi: Well, if you were allergic to the stuff, you’d probably be dizzy and bright red by now. Are you feeling OK?
Natsupoi: Fine, actually.
Taichi: I think she can hold her booze, ha!
Natsupoi: We can give it a shot, if it’s for content!
Taichi: So if we win on the 20th, you two are going for victory drinks, and me and Tam will look at the sea otters in the aquarium or something.
–We’re getting off track again. You’re quite different characters in the ring; Tam, do you feel that Taichi and Kanemaru have influenced you in some way?
Tam: I thought that this was all some kind of joke at first. But Taichi’s sumo stuff, and that kick, there’s all a technique and a reason for it all, and I think there’s a kind soul in there. He was a great teacher today. Like, I’ve used superkicks in the past, but with the technique Taichi taught me today, it’s like a completely different move. I’m definitely really confident we can come away with the win.
Taichi: It’s all about breathing.
Natsupoi: We were training today for five, six hours, but they were great coaches and we were able to pick up a lot before the real thing. The match. The real match thing.
Taichi: I think she’s a little drunk.
Tam: We’ll work on her tolerance before Sunday.
–Do you think the three moves you worked on today will have your opponents Sunday worried?
Taichi: They should be worried, don’t you think? Bet they’re shaking in their boots.
Tam: But we don’t know what they’ll have in store for us, so we have to be careful.
Taichi: Oh they’ve got style for sure, but nothing that can beat us.
