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New Japan Has Landed a Massive Opportunity- This Must Not Slip

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One day I’ll be happy. One day maybe I can think you know by god they did it. One day I’ll go you know maybe Gedo didn’t bungle this one. But then again on that last one there’s no Jr titles on the line as Wrestle Kingdom but instead a number one contender match….. January 4th 2026 is not just one of the biggest days in the history of New Japan Pro Wrestling but in wrestling history. It is very rare you have a talent like Tanahashi a man who carried a company out of the pits and into a golden era (I’d argue it’s twice with Steve Austin) and that day singles his retirement. Not only is that the case but you have the first match (and I guess title win) for Aaron Wolf the Olympic Gold Medalist judoka. These two things combined with Tanahashi’s opponent being his greatest rival Kazuchika Okada the very rivalry a golden era of New Japan was built on has landed a cold product a hot house. By all accounts tickets are flying and I do mean flying with of a legit sell out of 55,000. That is incr...
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Inazuma Eleven Anime Concept Part Nine: The Path to Glory Begins (Again)

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Back to it after a little while away we are back to draft the first part of the concept for the second Path of Glory series in the third and final series in this triology (and the ninth of ten parts). Where we last left off we saw that youth football in Japan was split in two those behind the Raimon manager and those behind this new antagonist for who should take over the reigns as head of the Japanese Youth Football Federation with battle lines drawn each man will hope for one thing, one of the teams backing them to win The Path To Glory. Should you wish to look through the eight previous parts which cover the start of this season and the previous two please follow the below links: Part One: Story, Main Character & First Episode Concepts:  https://ramblingsofenglishman.blogspot.com/2021/12/inazuma-eleven-anime-concept-part-one.html   Part Two: The Path To Glory Begins:  https://ramblingsofenglishman.blogspot.com/2021/12/inazuma-eleven-anime-concept-part-two.html...
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Quick Thoughts: AEW WrestleDream 2025

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Weren’t we just here? Like a few weeks ago for All Out? Man these PPVs are too close together it really doesn’t give time for things to breath. The sweet spot is 6 a year every other month give time to build and give time to rest my wallet, please. Anywho, as said before 2025 is a good year to great for AEW the perception of wrestling has changed and people stopped believing puff pieces about WWE and that Triple H is a humble man that hates the spotlight. I’ve said it since he took over nothing but a bald fraud. I do find it funny that people who say that hate MAGA and all things associated with it still watch WWE routinely ooooh who am I calling out you’ll never know. Getting back to AEW what can I say I haven’t said what 6/7 times this year? Product is good, local media promotion is bad not everyone is on social media do the work and people come into the building. There’s too many PPVs nothing really has time to build and it’s shown with no real top heel challenger for Hangman so thi...
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I think NJPW Strong is Ending And That’s a Good Thing

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2026 is nearly here and while we can’t slow down the flow of time we can look towards the future. With the retirement of John Cena this December and Hiroshi Tanahashi on January 4th we are entering an unknown time. While I’ve moaned about New Japan’s refusal to build the new ace I want to talk about the scheduling instead.  I found it interesting that an American show has been announced for New Japan. We previously had reports about they weren’t running shows out of Japan due to budget concerns but I seems like 2025 they are back on it (see you in the Copper Box in October lads). But my main interest is the dropping of the NJPW Strong logo in its place the traditional Lion Mark.  I feel if this is a cha he in tactic a change in promotion it’s a great thing. To me, I’ve always felt that the NJPW Strong branding always gave off second fiddle vibes. It’s not quite the New Japan you watch online instead it’s got a lot of random American indy working and no continuity to the main s...
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Is It Time To Move On From Persona 5?

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You ever start by writing something and have to say how much you like the subject in hand but want it to end? That’s how I am with Persona 5. Look, I love Persona 5 and that’s not a past tense thing I still do and think ATLUS created magic with this game. When you look at Persona 5 it has that status of boosting a long standing game franchise onto another level that everything is boosted from. It’s like Fire Emblem: Awakening and Yakuza 0 for Persona it’s not only a great game but an important one. However, it’s been 10 years since the vanilla games launch and we’ve had spin offs, remakes, sequels, kinda sequels, a weird gatcha spin off and multiple guest appearances which was added to recently with Overwatch. All of this meaning we have nothing on Persona 6. It’s a mystical game which is getting to that will we ever get it category that Kingdom Hearts 3 had. The continued push of Persona 5 has seemingly put moving on from it on the back burner. Yes Persona 3 had a remake and Persona 4...
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Quick Thoughts - AEW All Out 2025

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Another month and another AEW PPV for me to cover and review. This month we head to Canada for the 2025 edition of All Out. Against a mass of counter programming from the sex trafficking MAGA cult it does feel AEW is on the up. This All Out is the most attended in company history which should be a sign you don’t need to go back to Chicago every year and it’s worth moving the PPV elsewhere. It’s also an indication business is on the up as I’ve said throughout 2025. You can argue that this is year is AEW’s best year and it’s in relation to a consistent run of quality shows and everyone moving in the same direction. I do want to single out one more recent addition of Bryan Danielson to the commentary team as a great move. While I sat in the O2 confused as who it was at the commentary table I think Bryan adds a great perspective and voice on commentary when you take his style of wrestling and how he works to then apply that logic as a voice is superb and long may it continue. If AEW can ge...
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Quick Thoughts: AEW Forbidden Door And The Surrounding Weekend

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It’s the August bank holiday weekend and as such it’s time for AEW to bring itself to the UK. Change of tactic this year with no All In and no Wembley we are at the O2 for Forbidden Door. First issue, fuck you Coldplay. I don’t care for the ceo guy suing them for his own actions ruining his marriage I care for the fact I don’t get All In that was a great show. However, I will concede that show was right to happen early in the year the change of world title couldn’t have waited until now. Speaking of timing I know people have issues with the build and the lack of New Japan talent. Look, I get it but if you’re complaining about that you know the reason. All of New Japan’s best talent is locked in the G1 which has only just finished, STARDOM are still mid 5 Star Grand Prix there’s a lack of cross promotion. I mean what do you expect when everyone is locked up? Should AEW have moved a difference show here? Maybe, but I feel they are using the good will of the UK (and Europe) fanbase for th...
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