Your Preferred "Big Bad" for NJPW?

[HMARK Center]

I occasionally fall into the TV Tropes rabbit hole and get stuck there for awhile; recently, I found myself reading their page on Los Ingobernables de Japon, and they depicted the older lineup of the stable as the "Four Bad Band" or whatever, with EVIL as "The Brute" and SANADA as "The Dragon", for example.

That said, there was no denying that Naito is the "Big Bad" of the group, but it got me wondering: of the three big heel stable leaders in Japan, which one should reign as the promotion's ultimate villain? Looking back at history, there have been times where guys like Ric Flair, Hollywood Hogan, Mil Muertes, and many others have held that role for their respective promotions, but in a promotion with three big time heel stables, who should be top villain-dog?

This doesn't necessarily mean "which one should get an extended IWGP title run" or what have you, but if the promotion were a video game, which would you prefer to see act as the final boss? Suzuki's demeanor, theme music, and hair essentially makes him a vintage anime villain, everything about Kenny is essentially Sephiroth on uppers, and Naito's "Tranquilo" aura can almost become eerie in big time matches before he goes nearly meta in his world-crushing, so it feels like any could fit the bill.

However, given your druthers...would you pick somebody else to be that trope for the promotion? If so, whom would you groom for it?

[Big Poppa Pumpkin]

Minoru Suzuki forever and ever, amen.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Gotta give it to Naito' dude has something really magical going on, and I think it's really enhanced by his underlings. Suzuki-Gun never really did it for me and Kenny might have toned down the goofiness but even he and the Bucks are still on the more 'fun' end of the evil equation while down the ranks the Bullet Club just looks like more and more of a shitshow. But LIJ really has something going from the top down, and I think unless you're in the villain in a Schwarzenegger movie and everyone beneath you lives only to get gunned down inside a few seconds, having some good underlings to add to your aura is vital.

[________ has left the building]

Suzuki is the unredeemable, pure concentration of evil. Omega is the goofy leader of the Team Rocket of New Japan. Naito is more anti-hero than true villain.

Suzuki all the way for the Ultimate End Boss.

[1 Free Moon-Down with Burger]

Suzuki. He's the only one that comes off as evil.

Naito is a bastard but it all comes from life beating him down and changing him. Omega is just a goof.

[corndog]

Suzuki and it isn't even close. Although LIJ is easily the best group.

[Urethra Franklin]

Suzuki is menacing and evil.

Naito is an anti-hero more than an out-and-out heel and the crowd loves him.

Omega's a heel, but he's too cocky and goofy to carry the level of threat that Suzuki does.

[Raskovnik]

[魔界5号]

Suzuki without a doubt. He's been booked in recent years as the ultimate evil and it honestly suits him perfectly given his legit toughness and the way he plays the character. Suzuki ichiban!

[ISO Mid Thigh Pull]

Big Bad Luck Fale

[MrElijah]

Suzuki. He looks and acts like a complete and utter evil overlord. Naito & Omega are just complete dicks.

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

I'm kind of pining for Omega to get more spotlight put on him right about now

[HMARK Center]

I'll say for Kenny that his WK entrance this year played up that he could live out the role in an extravagant way; the big screen of flames behind him, his high impact style, he can come across as the "terminator" figure he presents in those situations.

But it's definitely true that Suzuki carries himself like he's the devil incarnate.

[honsou]

Suzuki and its not even close.

Its not because Naito or Omega aren't on his level wrestling wise, its because they both are likeable to the fans and are mostly just anti heroes. Suzuki seems to be one of the few out and out heels that can really get heat for the right reasons. Also while he does cheat, his most heelish acts seem to be his relishing every minute of his opponent pain, he plays the part of a man who doesn't just want to win but of someone who wants to hurt you.

Also he committed the most heelish act in wrestling history by killing Mecha Mummy

[siredger]

Just looking at Suzuki's face and it's not even a fair question. He's the only answer to that question.

[StuntGranny®]

Suzuki. Easily. The man just comes across as an evil, bad-ass guy that will murder you and never bat an eye.

Naito comes across as a cool anti-hero and Omega is just goofy.