In terms of presentation, this was similar to the other first-class, well-presented major shows AJW released on videotape in the mid-1990s. While the overall quality of wrestling was lower than other tapes I have reviewed, it was still a better show than all but the very best American shows you will see. After all, an event with three ****+ matches is hardly deserving of criticism. However, two points are worth making in light of this. First, the actual lineup, while solid, was hardly the best the participating groups (AJW, JWP, LLPW, FMW) could come up with. For example, sticking Manami Toyota in the middle of the card with a far-less-talented opponent like Plum Mariko made no sense, even though Mariko was at her "peak". Also, if the Hotta/Inoue vs Bennett/Sawaii match had been broken up in order to have one heavyweight on each team, the work would have probably been better.
Also, some of the matches with appeal on the show failed to live up to expectations. The Fukuoka-Asari match saw far more matwork and less athleticism than expected while the Mita/ Shimoda vs Suzuki/Ozaki match dragged at several points. However, the last two matches lived up to their potential with the main event being a classic and the Yamada-Inoue match not too far behind.
The tape began with a music montage showing the ring being set up, wrestlers practicing in the ring, other wrestlers doing photo shoots, and fans piling into the arena as the gates opened. The event itself began with the usual opening ceremony in which the various wrestlers from each federation were brought out, the lineup was reviewed, and a couple wrestlers made brief remarks.
Match 1 (AJW Junior Title): Candy Okutsu (champ; JWP) vs Rie Tamada (AJW)
Tamada gave Okutsu a plancha in an early highlight but Okutsu retaliated with one of her own, which got a decent reaction from the crowd. Okutsu sold an arm injury for a long time and Tamada
generated modest heat by working on it. During the middle portion of the match, the work was mostly basic but solid. Tamada gained a somewhat heated near fall after a second rope dropkick.
Both women traded near falls down the stretch. Okutsu pinned Tamada at 9:05 after a German suplex. A decent opener, but their match on 11/20/94 was hotter and smoother- both were
occasionally tentative this time, which hurt the execution of some spots. **
Match 2 (Midgets): Little Great Muta vs Little Abdullah the Butcher
Fellow Midget Tomezo Tsunokake was the referee for this match. Abby actually painted most of his body black. Muta was barely half Abby's size. This was mainly a lame comedy match,
although the work was acceptable given their size difference and physical limitations. Muta pinned Abby after a top rope senton at 7:16. *
Match 3 (AJW Japanese Tag Team Title): Miki Handa & Yasha Kurenai (champions; LLPW) vs Tomoko Watanabe & Kaoru Ito (AJW)
The heat was spotty early, although the crowd seemed to maintain interest. Ito got some heat by being on the losing end of a scuffle with both opponents. Yasha dominated the action using heel
tactics, including using a steel rod on Watanabe. Ito and Watanabe popped the crowd with some cool double-team moves on Handa. The match got interesting around 11:30 as the champions
applied submission holds on their opponents, which got decent heat. Ito gained a near fall on Yasha after several footstomps and a corkscrew senton. Crowd heat picked up at 13:30 and the
two teams exchanged some near falls. Watanabe gained a near fall on Yasha with an impressive moonsault bodyblock for someone of her build. There were several heated near falls in the
closing minutes. Yasha pinned Watanabe after a very unique cross between a T-bone and a northern lights suplex at 19:26. This was a good match, actually very good at points. There was
some sloppiness, but not enough to hinder the flow of the match. The match could have benefitted by as much as 3/4* by being 5 minutes shorter with tighter pacing. ***
Match 4: Chapparita Asari (AJW) vs Hikari Fukuoka (JWP)
Mariko Yoshida was the referee for this match. After a decent opening where both had a chance to showcase their ability Asari dominated Fukuoka for several minutes with submission holds.
In fact, both women used primarily submission holds until the 11 minute mark. Asari gave Fukuoka a plancha, but little reaction eminated from the crowd, who had been seemingly "taken out" of
the match due to the lackluster pacing. Fukuoka pinned Asari in 14:33 after a moonsault. Most of what they did was solid, but overall a dead match with little heat or intensity most of the way.
VERY disappointing. *1/2
Match 5: Suzuka Minami & Chikako Shiratori (AJW) vs Megumi Kudo & Nurse Nakamura (FMW)
They started fast, although the work was unremarkable. Overall there was little heat early, with the veterans Minami and Kudo generating modest heat. The work was generally solid early on,
although Kudo and Minami were the best workers in this match. Actually, in some ways the work was similar to that in the previous match, although more action exchanges were thrown in here
during the first ten minutes. The action picked up after the 10 minute mark. Kudo hit a tope onto both opponents. Minami gained a near fall on Nakamura with a dangerous looking top rope DDT/
brainbuster. Kudo gained a near fall on Minami with a tiger driver that got a decent reaction. The heat was spotty down the stretch even though several near falls were exchanged. Kudo made
Shiratori submit at 16:37 with a move similar to a stretch plum or a dragon sleeper. Solid, but unspectacular match. Minami and Kudo were not in against each other often enough. **1/4
Match 6 (IWA Title): Manami Toyota (champion; AJW) vs Plum Mariko (JWP)
Mariko attacked Toyota before the bell, including giving her a suplex on the floor. Toyota gained revenge, slamming Mariko on the floor and in the crowd about one minute into the match. Toyota
actually fought heelish early on. The pace and action were variable early on, with everything being solid. Mariko surprised Toyota with a leglock submission, which Toyota sold well. Toyota's
dropkicks were sharp, including a second rope missile dropkick for a near fall. Toyota gave Mariko a lengthy rolling cradle at 12:00 for a near fall but then missed a moonsault. Mariko quickly
applied an STF. She also attempted a submission with a stretch plum, which drew good heat. Mariko gained a near fall on Toyota with a German suplex. She also used a leglock submission
that drew strong heat. She gained a near fall on Toyota following two top rope dropkicks. Mariko went for a move off the top rope but Toyota countered with a superbomb for a great near fall.
Toyota hit a plancha at 18:20 and a springboard version moments later. Toyota followed that up with her top rope missile dropkick to the floor. Toyota pinned Mariko at 20:38 with an ocean
cyclone suplex. Great match in that it built well in terms of intensity and almost everything was smooth. Toyota's offense was better plotted than usual although Mariko's submissions could have
had more focus and meaning. Still an excellent match. ****1/4
Match 7: Yumiko Hotta & Takako Inoue (AJW) vs Reggie Bennett (AJW) & Eagle Sawaii (LLPW)
Hotta generated some early heat with two stiff kicks on Sawaii. The action was solid early on, with the only work to stand out was Hotta's kicks. Hotta back suplexed Sawaii and Takako back
suplexed Bennett in a cool spot. Most offense was simple and limited in scope for the first half, but couldn't be labeled disappointing given who was involved. Hotta gained a near fall on Sawaii
with a tiger driver at 8:40. During much of the match, even in the closing minutes, the heat was spotty. Takako gained a near fall on Sawaii with a back suplex at 10:30 and another near fall with
a destiny hammer seconds later. Sawaii recovered and powerbombed Takako for a near fall. Sawaii and Bennett hit simultanious Vader bombs on their opponents. Bennett made Takako submit
at 13:06 with a torture rack. Not a good match, but acceptable given Sawaii's and Bennett's limitations. **
Match 8 (JWP Tag Team Title): Cuty Suzuki & Mayumi Ozaki (champions; JWP) vs Etsuko Mita & Mima Shimoda (AJW)
This was the first match to have any decent heat just based on who was involved. Mita and Shimoda did some heelish double-teaming on Suzuki early in the match. Ozaki suplexed Shimoda in
the aisle. Mita attempted to piledrive Ozaki on the floor but was unsuccessful. The chamions worked on Shimoda's arm for a couple minutes. Ozaki was then dominated by the challengers for a
few minutes. The heat was again weak for the body of the match. Suzuki and Ozaki did simultanious dives onto their opponents at 13:30 to little reaction. The action picked up near the 15
minute mark as Ozkai gained some near falls on Shimoda. Shimoda hit a springboard plancha onto both opponents but only generated a brief reaction from the crowd. There were some decent
near falls in the closing minutes. Shimoda gained a near fall on Suzuki after a top rope superplex which drew decent heat. Mita gave Suzuki two Death Valley drivers and pinned her to win the
titles at 20:38. There was great heat for the finish. A good match, but lacking the intensity and heat you would expect with these four involved at a big show. ***1/4
Match 9: Sakie Hasegawa (AJW) vs Dynamite Kansai (JWP)
Kansai brutalized Sakie with her stiif kicks early on and dominated the first three minutes of action. Hasegawa gave Kansai a locomotion double arm suplex (4 suplexes). Kansai used mainly
submissions in between kick sequences as she dominated Sakie. Sakie used a lengthy armlock submission towards the 8 minute mark. Hasegawa woke up the crowd with several savate
kicks and a near fall on Kansai. Hasegawa applied a variation of the sleeper amidst decent heat. Kansai used several kicks to gain a near fall. Kansai gave Hasegawa her splash monutain and
pinned her at 16:34. In some ways, similar to the previous match in terms of being below expectations in terms of heat and intensity, but a better match in part because it was more focused and
with tighter pacing. ***1/2
Match 10 (AJW All-Pacific Title): Toshiyo Yamada (champion) vs Kyoko Inoue
This was actually the only strictly AJW vs AJW match on the card. They started strong in terms of action, as Kyoko suplexed Yamada on the floor early on and did a 60 foot sprint into a lariat
followed by a giant swing on Yamada. Kyoko dominated the first few minutes with her unique set of moves and submissions. Yamada then dominated a stretch with her kicks and submissions.
Kyoko went to jump off the second rope but jumped into a Yamada German suplex. Heat was spotty but the crowd was never silent for long periods of time. Yamada's kicks were sharp,
including a 360 spin kick for a near fall. Kyoko's belly to belly superplex for a near fall was spectacular. Yamada back suplexed Kyoko on the floor. She then gained a near fall on Kyoko after
several near-backdrop drivers. There was a strong exchange of moves and near falls in the closing minutes. Kyoko hit a niagara driver for a dramatic near fall. Kyoko made Yamada submit at
16:20 with her version of a camel clutch. Overall a super, nearly flawless match with great pacing. If anything did, spotty heat may have taken a bit away from this match. ****1/4
Match 11: Akira Hokuto (AJW) & Shinobu Kandori (LLPW) vs Aja Kong & Bull Nakano
In the year preceding this match, Hokuto and Kandori had been bitter enemies having had two classic and brutal matches against one another. As Hokuto bickered with Kandori, she was
German suplexed by Kong. Hokuto was dominated during the opening minute. Hokuto tagged Kandori rough to play up the tension between then. Kandori tagged Hokuto by slapping her, but
before they could come to blows their opponents attacked them and dominated then in wild outside-the-ring action, including the use of a table and a piece of the ringside barricade. Back in the
ring Hokuto was dominated by Kong and Nakano until she caught Nakano with a piledriver. Kandori tagged in at 8:41 by kicking at Hokuto. Kandori's main move early on was an armlock on
Nakano which generated good heat. Kandori and Hokuto did a great job playing their underdog roles while also showing their toughness. Hokuto shockingly won a slapfest with Kong at 15:30
and then piledrove Kong on the announcer's table as Kandori brawled with Nakano back towards the entrance. Kong and Nakano eventually got the better of their opponents outside the ring.
At 17:50 Kandori did not seem to care that Hokuto was in trouble. Nakano dominated Hokuto for a few minutes with moves such as a sharpshooter until Hokuto trapped Nakano upside down in
the ropes at 22:05. Kandori picked up where Hokuto left off on Nakano and gained a couple near falls on her. In a cool spot, Kandori had a cross-armbreaker on Kong, Nakano tried to hit
Kandori with a top rope legdrop, but Kandori sat up and Hokuto trapped Nakano in a submission hold of her own. Hokuto then picked up where Kandori left off with a cross-armbreaker on Kong,
but Nakano then successfully hit Hokuto with a top rope legdrop. Nakano gained near falls on Hokuto with a powerbomb and with a piledriver-like move except she held Hokuto in back of her.
Nakano gained a near fall on Hokuto with a top rope legdrop. Kong gained a couple near falls on Hokuto before Kandori tagged in. Kandori was double-temaed by Kong and Nakano in brutal
fashion and Kong gained a dramatic near fall. Kandori briefly held Kong in a sleeper amidst great heat. Nakano missed a tope suicida on Kandori, who sidestepped her. In another cool spot
Nakano went for a double lariat on both opponents but Kandori caught her with an armbar and Hokuto tied her up on the other side with an STF, although Kong quickly broke them up. After more
great action Hokuto gained a dramatic near fall on Kong with a DQ bomb and another with a second DQ bomb. At 35:13, Hokuto gave Kong a third DQ bomb and pinned her. Afterwards, Kandori
slapped Hokuto's hand in a begrudging sign of respect. A super match, best of the event. Great in terms of action, but not quite an all-time classic in that category. As a story match, however,
it was at least entertaining, at most times compelling and exciting, and at times phenominal. Very effective an memorable. ****3/4
Overall, a very good show, although not up to expectations. However, the show built well in terms of quality from start to finish, with the last two matches ideally stealing the show. The main event made this show a memorable if not legendary one.