Who really was bigger to Puro

[Joekishi]

i know smarks take into account AJPW and the 4 pillars (taue, misawa, kobashi, and kawada)

however i found that NJPW was just as good as AJPW, but also had the added factor of great fueds and storylines.

For NJPW it was the The Three Musketeers plus Kensuke. meaning Kensuke Sasaki, Chono, Mutoh, and the most legendary of them all Shin'ya Hashimoto.

NJPW did record business for pro wrestling in Japan, and well yeah Strong Style and King's Road are equal forms of fighting style.

eheh..

anyways just giving these things out

[Matt Rogers]

I think they were just different. Not necessarily one better than the other, just different. I've always been more into AJPW, but probably because I got into Puro by watching NOAH on TWC. I guess it's just what I saw first. At the same time, like you say, the top four in NJPW were all amazing as well.

[Midnight Rider]

Hmm....during the 70's(when things were more "traditional style" and the NWA had name value),I'd say AJPW was bigger,due to their booking style and the NWA association.

However,as we get into the 80's,the focus starts to shift more onto the "entertainment" aspect and the NWA becomes all but finished, I'd say at some point in there NJPW definitely becomes the equal of,and at some points slightly surpasses, AJPW.

[kitsunestar]

I haven't seen a lot of Puro, but a lot of what I _did_ see, it's been AJPW matches.... mostly guys like Misawa, Akiyama, and later on, Kojima...

So, I guess Misawa would garner more of a reaction from me than a Chono or Hashimoto (if he were still alive).

[Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby]

I feel completely unqualified in trying to answer this question...

[Count Creepyhead]

I would say Muto was the biggest and most important of the 3 Ms. followed by Chono, then Hash.

Muto/Muta was THE New Japan star of the 90's. New Japan was the WWE of Puro. So they had a much bigger Multimedia impact during the 90's.

All Japan was the pure wrestling promotion. I think what happened with them was once Jumbo died, Guys like Misawa etc..carried the torch for traditional Puro.

New Japan was something new and different in the 90's, thats where their business came from. All Japan was geared towards old school fans.


New Japan was by far the bigger company in the 90's, huge dome shows etc..

[Joekishi]

hashimoto was actually the biggest deal out of all of them draw wise. he was the big ratings getter.

[Count Creepyhead]

Meh, I think most of the Hash love came after he died. I never bought tapes back in the day for Chono or Hash matches. Globally Muta, In Japan..I guess you could say Hash. He's like th NJ Jumbo.

Later in his NJ run he was in the spotlight more, but early to mid 90's it was Muta+ Chono. It was Muta/Muto in the biggest matches. VS Hogan for instance. Hash was definitely the 3rd Musketeer in the beginning.

[Joekishi]

All I'm saying is that numbers pretty much don't lie.

Though i will say nWo Japan is possibly THE COOLEST faction ever

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M3JE-WfW_Q

I'd say that the most important figures in japan right now are Mutoh, Chono, and Misawa.

[samachine]

I always saw it like this, in terms of popularity

Muta-Undertaker
Chono-Shawn Michaels
Hashimoto-Stone Cold

Kawada- Goldberg
Misawa- Hogan
Kobashi- Sting

Not in terms of character or ability, just like putting it in Monday Night Wars settings.

Then you have our Takayamas and Tenryus who are fairly older but show up randomly, though given the right night they could outpop any of the 'six japan pioneers', that I can think of.
I've always thought NJPW was the most popular promotion in Japan, it's like their E, Noah/AJPW is like their WCW, and ZERO-One was the ECW.

[KEJB]

Continued here. . .

If numbers do in fact not lie, lets take a look at WON 5 Star matches. (note: I realize this inst the be-all, end-all of wrestling. However, it is a good barometer of how these matches were viewed)

The AJPW guys were involved in 31, 5 Star matches.

The NJPW guys were involved in 0.

There are certain NJPW matches that I absolutely love.

Chono vs. Mutoh. 91 GI-Climax.

Hase vs. Muta 92

Mutoh vs. Chono IWGP vs. NWA 93

Tenryu vs. Hash from 98.


I really dont know why you have such issues with the comparison I made. Just because I compared current NJPW guys to 90s AJPW, it doesnt mean I am a smark with little knowledge of 90 NJPW. I watch more Mutoh matches than Misawa matches. I watch more Hashimoto matches, than Taue matches. I will admit that I watch Kobashi and Kawada more than anyone, but that doesnt make me a smark in the least.

[samachine]

ck3count said:

Continued here. . .

If numbers do in fact not lie, lets take a look at WON 5 Star matches. (note: I realize this inst the be-all, end-all of wrestling. However, it is a good barometer of how these matches were viewed)

The AJPW guys were involved in 31, 5 Star matches.

The NJPW guys were involved in 0.

There are certain NJPW matches that I absolutely love.

Chono vs. Mutoh. 91 GI-Climax.

Hase vs. Muta 92

Mutoh vs. Chono IWGP vs. NWA 93

Tenryu vs. Hash from 98.


I really dont know why you have such issues with the comparison I made. Just because I compared current NJPW guys to 90s AJPW, it doesnt mean I am a smark with little knowledge of 90 NJPW. I watch more Mutoh matches than Misawa matches. I watch more Hashimoto matches, than Taue matches. I will admit that I watch Kobashi and Kawada more than anyone, but that doesnt make me a smark in the least.

ROH has more 5 star matches than ECW, but that doesn't mean it's more popular..

Plus Meltzer has like the biggest boner for AJPW in the 90s forever, so he's real biased on things like that.