Why does Asuka work?

[Dub H]

Disclaimer,I'm a big fan of Asuka an am 100% behind her.

Just wondering how everything came together for Asuka?She can't speak proper english, almost any major push nowdays like this are seen with incredible pushbacks, almost any other woman people(Including me)would be complaining about getting too much at expense of others and she doesn't even look like a force of nature ala Goldberg,Braun,Kharma.


Yet,besides not being able to communicate with promos, being seen as an usntopabble force of nature,she is over with the casual and hardcore crowds alike. Even more surprising, it is not being what WWE usually looks for on a female wrestler,she seems to have the creative all in on her push.

Is it her fun charisma,being able to sell being sadistic and playful at same time?Her talent in the ring with her strikers?Her stunning good looks?Or is she just something fresh and much needed for the division?

[BorneAgain]

Charisma and a very cool, unique look (especially in a division where attires/hair can get very generic) goes a hell of a long way.

[TWERKIN' MAGGLE]

I want to marry her, she will protect me from potential looters and bandits.

[Dub H]

Feb 16, 2018 10:33:15 GMT -5 BorneAgain said:

Charisma and a very cool, unique look (especially in a division where attires/hair can get very generic) goes a hell of a long way.

No kidding,her pose where she is holding her mask as she pulls from her face , smiling is probably going to be an iconic image in WWE history

[Juice]

She has a good look, works great in ring. Perfect storm of skill and charisma and hhh is gaining more control finally. He has been protecting her from Vince since day one.

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

Trying hard to word this, because I don't want to start off a massive debate.

I think her being Japanese has something to do with it.

She has the skill and charisma to pull if off, but Japanese wrestling has a reputation of being tougher, so people from there are seen as having a little more cred. Plus subliminally, there's that whole "person so good at martial arts they can kill an army barehanded" but in a wrestling context. Her giving a spin kick is Bruce Lee, Jet Li etc (Yes I know they're from a different country, just trying to contextualise).

Not saying that's all there is to her, not saying it's racist, but there are elements of a stereotype that help her play a character that's a killer while not having the build traditionally associated with that.

[Dub H]

Feb 16, 2018 10:41:36 GMT -5 Futureraven: Beelzebruv said:

Trying hard to word this, because I don't want to start off a massive debate.

I think her being Japanese has something to do with it.

She has the skill and charisma to pull if off, but Japanese wrestling has a reputation of being tougher, so people from there are seen as having a little more cred. Plus subliminally, there's that whole "person so good at martial arts they can kill an army barehanded" but in a wrestling context. Her giving a spin kick is Bruce Lee, Jet Li etc (Yes I know they're from a different country, just trying to contextualise).

Not saying that's all there is to her, not saying it's racist, but there are elements of a stereotype that help her play a character that's a killer while not having the build traditionally associated with that.

Yeh it is completely beliviable.Japanese in western culture has a reputation of the "female assassin" in media. So I won't rule out is just one of the many parts of it.

[Dave the Dave]

When she first came in to NXT I didn't like her because she was licking her lips and trying to look crazy. It was too forced.

Now she comes off more naturally off kilter (if that makes sense) and she can't be denied skill wise.
I think it's just a case of WWE actually sticking with their narrative of someone being an unbeatable force and it's working.

[BorneAgain]

I think something that helps is that her background and status means she's avoided the usual traps or crutches of how they've booked the female wrestlers.

-She's not related to anyone famous so they can't constantly bring that up
-Her lack of English language skills means they can't give her the overly scripted promos or awkward backstage bits
-Not on Total Divas so no contrived angle she has to be involved with to cross promote for it
-Her background doesn't have easy "relevant" references no random hobby or previous career/job they can constantly shove down your throat via commentary
-With her not dating or involved with any wrestler (as far as we know) there's no reason for petty/politcal BS in regards to her angles

With Asuka they simply can't rely on the things they think gets the female talent over, so lo and behold they have had to keep it simple and just present her as a badass outsider professional wrestler. And surprise, surprise it worked.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Hardcore fans love someone who can work, and Asuka is the best woman in the company and I'd call easily in the upper 25% of the whole roster in terms of wrestling ability. Casual fans love unstoppable pushes when the person getting them is even vaguely easy to get behind. Both groups can get behind her physical presence; she may not be able to cut a white hot promo in English, but she sells her gimmick very well physically and is always very expressive. And honestly even when she cut that Raw-after-Rumble promo in Japanese she had enough fire and expressiveness in her that it got across to me what she was trying to convey even if I don't speak Japanese, which is exactly what you'd want out of someone who doesn't have a huge grasp on the language. So right now she's in that really perfect spot of being a talent versatile enough to appeal to both 'sides' of the fanbase.

I don't think most people are opposed to big pushes and looking really strong so much as they're opposed to it being done poorly. Asuka's streak gets less grief around here than Alexa's super strong booking because Asuka works for her part. She's a dangerous, versatile worker who can come out of nowhere with good submissions, who can throw on a few reckless moves, and carries herself well in that role. There's threads talking down to death how Alexa's matches are put together all wrong or how Roman's megapush is coming in direct opposition to a whole lot of peoples' desires and how he's also really mishandled on a character level. Asuka isn't. Asuka has been handled well and only a few shaky missteps along the way have really challenged that. She's a great example of what I've long said in about strong booking; it's not a problem when it's executed well. And Asuka's is executed well.

[Juice]

No other woman on the roster took a beating from Suzuki

[Deleted]

to feed Christian's starving orphans

[YAKMAN is ICHIBAN]

Who is going to tell her no?

[GuyOfOwnage]

Feb 16, 2018 10:47:21 GMT -5 Dave the Dave said:

Now she comes off more naturally off kilter (if that makes sense) and she can't be denied skull wise.

I too wasn't sure if she had a skull either, but thankfully she's proven me wrong.

[Sam Punk]

Because she's hot?

[msc]

Because she's a destroyer.

Destroyer's get over in popular culture very quickly.

If Roman Reigns was a silent assassin who just murdered everyone for years, he'd be far more popular with audiences.

[MrElijah]

She has a connection and charisma that overcomes languages. She makes every move count, which is a problem a lot of wrestlers have. No motion is wasted, everything has a purpose.

It helps that she looks like someone that would f*** someone up.

[sportatorium]

As someone else pointed out, her lack of English is a benefit so she doesn’t have to do stupid segments which damage her character. She also “gets” the business as someone who has booked shows and carries herself like a badass while smiling. She is also of the old school of “no wasted movement” in the ring. Everything she does has a purpose. She’s a wrestler who can make it in Vince’s Sports Entertainment world. A rare bird indeed.

[Deleted]

Well, I assume she needs the paycheck in order to live her life.....

</literal knapp>

[Heinz Doofenschmirtz]

In my eyes, she's the opposite of Andrade Almas. Her presentation, her matches, and her winning streak are all things that annoy the crap out of me but for some reason it works with her. Might be the charisma, I don't know, but she just plain works for me.