Where should someone start with NJPW

[abjordans]

I know this is sort of bandwagon-y, but I really enjoyed what I saw of WK 12. I would like to go back and watch some big shows to get a feel for the promotion and figure things out. Where is the best starting point for this?

[Deleted]

I found any of the G1's to be a decent starting point. Those cards always had the main players involved in some shape, form, or capacity, and gives you a decent idea of who everyone is and what they're about.

[chrom]

Wrestle Kingdom 9 is a good place to start. One of my favorite shows.

[corndog]

Jan 6, 2018 12:04:01 GMT -5 chrom said:

Wrestle Kingdom 9 is a good place to start. One of my favorite shows.

It's going to take forever for him to get caught up from there. I would go to Wrestle Kingdom 11, watch the upper card of the bigger shows and a good chunk of the G1/Best of Super Juniors. Then you can go back and watch Wrestle Kingdom shows from the past. Also I would argue the modern era was more set in place from Wrestle Kingdom 10. For the best build up of Kenny and Naito's current incarnation, that would be a great starting place as well.

[Blindkarevik]

Well, I started with WK11 because I heard all the hype about Omega/Okada. At the time, I hadn't followed ROH in years so I was still lost during the ROH-centric matches. Basically, I watched the show to see who clicked with me then in the next few shows I would mainly watch the shows for them but make note of the other wrestlers. I'd say it took about six months, but I finally got to a point where I was pretty familiar with the entire roster. There are still some people I completely forget exist, but the G1 Tournament was where I got VERY familiar with the rest of the roster. So I guess my advice would be, the G1 is the best place to get acquainted with the roster but don't go into it TRYING to get familiar with everyone... just follow who interests you right away and it'll all come together in time.

[abjordans]

After looking at the cards, I think I am going to make a goal to watch WK 10, WK 11, the 2017 G1, andWK 12 in its entirety.

Is the show JR commentates any good? What night does that come on?

[chazraps]

Nakamura vs Tanahashi from WK8 is always the go-to very first match I make sure people see when getting into Puro.

[Mike Bockwinkel]

Honestly, if you want to follow it, WK12 was a good starting point.

[YAKMAN is ICHIBAN]

1972.

[honsou]

Jan 8, 2018 16:40:49 GMT -5 YAKMAN is ICHIBAN said:

1972.

Robinson vs Inoki around this time period is actually a really good view into the roots of NJPW

[cabbageboy]

WK 11 last year is a place where I would imagine a lot of people first followed NJPW in the USA. I would almost say you could go back to the previous years's WK as well and the New Year's Dash that followed since it set up a lot of the major things still going. That would give someone the back story of Kenny Omega ousting AJ Styles from the Bullet Club, some of the formation of LIJ and that rise with Naito/Okada, etc.

I think now you will see the AXS show truly take off since even last year they were still playing catch up, showing reheated older stuff from the previous year. It's tough to truly get invested in a product if you can't see the first run stuff.

[kingoftheindies]

Honestly start with Wrestle Kingdom 7, but also watch Showbuckle's Okada vs Tanahashi videos on youtube to understand how the Rivalry was built and took New Japan to a new level