I was able to get a quick Q&A with Miu Watanabe, Wakana, and Hyper Misao ahead of TJPW LIVE GRAND PRINCESS ’24, and their trip to the United States next week featuring two collaborative shows with GCW as part of their Collective series on April 5th, and 6th.
TJPW Comes To PHILLY! is sold out but you can still purchase tickets to GCW vs TJPW in Philly! Here.
Q&A with Miu Watanabe
Q: Do you think you are going to continue your career with Apuga Puroress(The UpUp Girls Pro Wrestling)?
A: Of course! I’m proud to belong to the only group that started both idol and pro wrestling at the same time, and I want to do my best in both. At this point, I am so enthusiastic that I want to continue both idol and pro wrestling for the rest of my life!
Q: How much do you bench press/squat?
A: I bench press about 65 kg and squat about 120 kg.
Q: Who is the strongest wrestler in TJPW that doesn’t look strong?
A: I think the strongest has various types, but to put it simply, I think those who have belts are the strongest!
Q: What does it mean to you to win the Princess of Princesses title, which represents Tokyo Women’s Pro Wrestling?
A: It means a lot to me because it is my first dream as a professional wrestler, to beat Ms. Yamashita. Ms. Yamashita has been the ace and champion since the beginning of TJPW. She is an amazing person who is now active on the world stage. It is not easy to win against someone like her, who I respect so much, but I will put everything I have into it and do my best.
Q: Are there any wrestlers in the U.S. that you would like to wrestle? If so, please tell us.
A: I am very much looking forward to my upcoming match against Billie Starkz (tagging with Janai Kai). I have found her sparkling smile and strong power appealing since she came to TJPW!
Q: Do you have a favorite wrestler from the U.S.?
A: I am not very familiar with American pro wrestling. I would like to learn a lot from now on, so, American wrestling fans, please tell me what you know about American wrestling!
Q&A with Hyper Misao
Q: What inspired you to decide to produce your show “HYPE!”?
A: I wanted to let everyone know more about the possibilities of wrestling and entertainment and the appeal of TJPW’s wrestlers.
Q: What can your fans look forward to in your next produced show in April?
A: You may see a new side of your favorite wrestlers.
Q: Where did the inspirations for ideas of the hyper bike, your various gimmicks and your comedy matches, etc. come from? Or who were your inspirations?
A: Japanese culture and music of the 90s.Many wrestlers in the history of DDT Pro Wrestling. Especially Takagi Sanshiro, Muscle Sakai.
Q: What is your proudest moment so far in your career?
A: Because my glass of sensibility is broken, that moment will not be clear to me until the moment I end my career. But if there is already a moment right now, my fans are proud of me, that is just the truth.
Q: Who is your favorite American comic book hero?
A: Batman, of course, but also the antagonists Joker and Catwoman, who are heroes in a way for me.
Q&A with Wakana
Q: Your enthusiasm quickly grew from the venues, all the way to Social Media, to the point where you were quoted post by Ricochet. Did this situation make you have any troubles of handling or feel overwhelmed by the sudden exposure at first? Or did you just decide to take it all in and just ride the wave of momentum that led you to this point in your career?
A: This year marks the second year of my career as a professional wrestler, but this is actually the tenth year since I entered show business. Ever since I came into show business, or well, even since before that, I have always dreamed of becoming a star. So rather than feeling troubled or overwhelmed by the exposure, I’m thinking like this; “The opportunity has finally come to me.” I am ready to be a star.
Q: With your big new US following, are you wanting to wrestle in the US more? If so, who are your dream opponents!?
A: Of course I am. I am eager to wrestle in the US. And I’m looking forward to have all my fans shout “WAKANAAAAAAAAAAAAAA…!!!” when I wrestle in the U.S. As for my dream opponents, I would like to name a superstar. I would love to fight Alexa Bliss someday. I started watching her matches because we have something in common in that I was a cheerleader like she was. Gradually I was drawn to the beauty of Alexa Bliss and I began to admire her.
Q: What are your goals for your wrestling career?
A: First, to challenge for the belt.
And to win the belt.
To compete in the United States.
And to compete all over the world.
My ultimate dream is to become a world superstar.
Q: Who are your inspirations (who inspire you or give you various ideas in wrestling)?
A: As you might expect, I am greatly influenced by Shoko Nakajima, the senior member I admire the most in our promotion TJPW. She is a great senior who always accompanies us in practice, even though we are very young in our careers. When I get stuck, I ask her for advice on how I can improve my matches. I respect her so much.
As for oversea wrestlers, I love matches of Ricochet, who you mentioned had quoted my post. I want to be a wrestler who can do acrobatic things, flying and jumping like Ricochet someday.
As for women, I love matches of Bianca Belair. When I watch a match of wrestlers who make the most of their physical ability, it makes me feel, “I want to fight like them!”
Thank you so much to TJPW for working with us on these interviews.
Thank you to Miu Watanabe, Hyper Misao, and Wakana for taking time out of their busy schedules to chat with me.
Good luck to everyone tonight, as well as next week live in Philadelphia!
Tune into their US shows on TrillerTV April 5th @ 11AM Eastern Time and April 6th @ 2:30PM Eastern time.
Lastly a special shout out to my translator for all their help on this one!
