Hi again everyone, Capcom’s Daizou Nonaka once again.
The New japan Cup has been fantastic to watch! There might not have been live crowds, and the cards may have changed from the original plans, but if anything, it might be my favourite New Japan Cup to watch. Every night has had some unexpected outcomes and new things to see. There was this huge three month plus vacuum for New Japan, but all that pent up excitement is being let out in what’s been an explosive few weeks. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how things would be without fans in attendance, but what’s happened has blown my expectations away.
So, now we’re down to Osaka Jo Hall this weekend. On one night, the New Japan Cup final: Kazuchika Okada vs EVIL. The next, it’s Tetsuya Naito versus the cup winner, with the double IWGP titles on the line.
In the past, New Japan Cup has taken place during March, with the winner receiving a title opportunity on the big April card. That’s given the cup winner roughly a month to prepare for their title match up to now, but this year, Okada or EVIL will have less than 24 hours between the final and their title match with Tetsuya Naito.
This is a familiar situation to a gamer. It’s the end of game boss rush playing out. You know the deal; it looks like a game’s coming to its end, you have a big boss battle, but all the time, in the back of your mind, you get the sensation that a second, bigger boss is coming right up.
We know in advance that Tetsuya Naito is awaiting the cup winner. That, in a way, is a big advantage for Okada and EVIL. They know who they’re aiming for at the end of the weekend, and they’re preparing for Naito. On the other hand, Naito doesn’t know who he has in the main event on Sunday.
Some may see it that way, but not me. I really do think Naito has the perfect plan to counter whoever steps up on Sunday. He is the perfect example of a final boss in my mind, for two reasons:
1) Naito has an eye on everything
Naito was interviewed before the New Japan Cup even started, and not only accurately predicted what both semi-finals would be, he predicted half of our final. That speaks to his ability to read what’s happening in NJPW, and accurately project what might happen, preparing accordingly.
Naito watches everything that happens in New Japan, perhaps to a greater extent than anyone else. He knows exactly what happens in other wrestlers’ matches, and knows exactly what’s said backstage. There’s no doubt that Naito has carefully prepared strategies for EVIL or Okada, depending on who will face him Sunday.
2) A plan was put in motion from day one
On June 15, in the main event of Together Project Special, Naito unleashed something we had never seen before. A flipping DDT like move to YOH sent a powerful message that this isn’t the same Tetsuya Naito we knew before the break. Naito has evolved during his time away, and evolved while the other wrestlers have gone through the Cup. That move, I think was a deliberate piece of planning from the champion, and a sign of things to come Sunday.
So here we go this weekend. Will it be a challenger riding the wave of momentum from a New Japan Cup win, or will it be the ultimate final boss in Naito? I can’t wait to find out!
Daizou Nonaka is a veteran videogame producer and wrestling fan. He’s been part of the game industry for over 36 years, and has worked extensively at Capcom producing the Mega Man series among others.
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