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Post by dlg3000 on Jun 14, 2011 18:20:10 GMT -5
Is it true that joshi wrestlers had to retire after a certain age? I read somewhere that they begin their careers as underage girls and have to retire after a certain number of years. Is that true?
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Post by James McCloud IS John Godot on Jun 14, 2011 18:25:01 GMT -5
AJW used to have a mandatory "retire at 25" policy, which was rescinded to allow popular wrestlers and teams to return. Some say this was one factor which led to downfall of AJW.
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Fundertaker
El Dandy
Hideo Kojima should direct every ending ever!
Posts: 8,938
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Post by Fundertaker on Jun 14, 2011 18:32:29 GMT -5
Yes, there was such a "rule" back in the 80s and all the way into the 90s, mostly enforced in AJW, where the wrestlers had to retire at age 25. Between that and the training/trials the girls had to go through (from over hundreds applying, only about 6 would survive the initial selection and then maybe one or two would debut. Maybe.) you could say it was really rough being a female wrestler in Japan.
Then in mid-90s they abolished that rule, which prompted many stars of yesteryear to return to the ring (like the Crush Gals) but ensuring that the renewal of generations would never be as good as it was (also partly why the joshi scene is in the state it is now).
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Post by derickyuki on Jun 14, 2011 19:45:14 GMT -5
It's also a bit of a cultural thing. 25 is considered the in Japan's pop entertainment industry as the year for girls to "retire" from performing and focus on landing a steady job or getting married.
Also: Girls train at a VERY young age. Just youtube "Ice Ribbon Wrestling" for an example of one of the training schools. I do mark out for Riho's bridge moves (like the Northern Lights suplex)...honestly some of the best I've seen joshi-wise!
When it comes to the rough training though, I'd perfer there be the 2 or 3 really stellar joshi stars that come out rather than 12-15 divas that can't wrestle.
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