Project SUNRISE ~the sun will rise again! -a joshi diary (CV2022)

[naizen45]

The following diary tells the story of the wrestling company Project SUNRISE

 

 

13 years ago...

 

5SSW Final Attack 2008.12.12

Main Event

5SSW World Championship

     

Sensational Ogiwara (c) vs. Kit Hatoyama

 

It is the perfect night for Kit Hatoyama to make history and finally right her wrong to never win a title with 5SSW. But there is one person in the ring with her to do everything in her power to prevent that from happening.

 

And that person is the legendary Sensational Ogiwara. Many consider her the greatest female wrestler of all time, part of the “Magic Three” alongside Thunder Hike and Crusher Ishihara, revolutionized joshi wrestling and made 5SSW to what it is today. She won the 5SSW World championship for the 9^th time (!!!) time in August 2008.

 

“White Lightning” Kit Hatoyama came back from her retirement in 2006 and had an Indian summer having the best matches of her career. In her long career she could never win a title for 5SSW as the Magic Three were always in her way and with her body being in physical decline she didn’t have much time left to change this fact.

 

After 28 hard fought out minutes, we finally know that today was in fact not the day of Hatoyama’s long awaited title win and the only thing she held in her hand after the match ended was an ice pack to cool her heck.

 

An Ogiwara Clutch Hold followed by the Sensation Stunner is enough to put Hatoyama down and make Ogiwara win this match. Once again at the biggest stage Hatoyama failed to capitalize and win the championship. While Hatoyama is still laying down, being checked on, Ogiwara is celebrating with her title while confetti is coming down on her.

 

It would be last title match for Kit Hatoyama she would retire for a second and last time in October 2009 to take up a backstage position with the company and since 2016 has also been running the Hatoyama Dojo.

 

Ogiwara retired in 2009 too, as the final member of the Magic Three to do so, after losing her belt to DEVIL Karube. Ogiwara returned to 5SSW, this time as a modernizing owner, in 2015 after purchasing the company from the retiring Sakurako Kagawa.

 

     

Ogiwara & Hatoyama in 2021 working for 5SSW

 

2021.12.17 5SSW’s annual year-end meeting

 

5SSW headquarters, the conference room

 

Hatoyama’s voice was getting louder as she once again felt like she was completely ignored when trying to talk about installing the next generation of joshis. Especially when she mentioned her Hatoyama Dojo and the graduates coming from it, the eyes of the other members of the inner circle starting rolling. Ogiwara is trying to calm her down, telling her that with signing Ai Kira, Sayuri Honda and Kiyomi Mazuka, all graduates from the Hatoyama Dojo, they’ve already done her a favor and maybe she she should realize that not all of her graduates are good enough for 5SSW.

 

DEVIL Karube, 5SSW’s headbooker, is agreeing with Sensational Ogiwara. Hatoyama’s graduates should learn the ropes first and get some experience in the indie scene before making it to 5SSW, they are just too green and they can’t allow to have amateurs on the roster.

 

Hatoyama can’t believe Karube’s opinion. She is asking around if anybody else feels like that, but the other people just quietly stare down. A slight smirk starts to build on Ogiwara’s face. Hatoyama stands up, she tells them that she has had enough. She will not work for 5SSW ever again, if they don’t see her vision with the young talents she is training, maybe she just doesn’t fit here.

 

Hatoyama leaves the conference room.

[naizen45]

The Project SUNRISE timeline.

 

2022.1.4 Kit Hatoyama no longer part of 5SSW

In surprising news we get to know that Kit Hatoyama leaves 5 Star Supreme Wrestling immediately. She was seen as a very important mind for the company especially with her role as a trainer and road agent. Hatoyama and 5 Star Supreme Wrestling owner Ogiwara were believed to have a solid and trustworthy relationship with each other, having known each other for a pretty long time. There seems to be no further information on the reasoning for now.

 

2022.1.6 Sensational Ogiwara and Kit Hatoyama have had a falling out

It was just now revealed that Hatoyama’s exit seems to be the result of a huge argument between Hatoyama and Ogiwara that has been ongoing for quite some time. Hatoyama has long been rumored to be really unhappy with how the graduates of the Hatoyama Dojo are not booked properly by 5SSW with some not even picked by them. At the year-end meeting of the creative team of 5SSW Hatoyama was politicking once again to sign at least one or two of her first batch of dojo graduates as she believed to see a big future in them. After being rejected once again, Hatoyama had enough and quit on the spot which ended up in a loud argument between them.

 

2022.1.25 Fuyuko Higa quits 5SSW

After Hatoyama’s exit 5SSW has to face another talent leaving the company. Higa was absent at the latest tour shows leaving a question mark on her status. An injury was speculated but just today she confirmed on her social media that she is in great condition but won’t take 5SSW bookings no more. Higa is known to be a troublemaker and having a negative influence on the 5SSW locker room, it has long been reported that she wasn’t happy with how she hasn't been booked as one of the top stars in the company, feeling like she would definitely be deserving of such position. Especially when her tag team partner Gemmei Oonishi was winning the J Grand Prix for a second time and could finally secure the 5SSW World championship for the first time is was told that it rubbed Higa the wrong away, because she was denied of winning 5SSW’s main belt. It is rumored with her time at 5SSW coming to an end and there not being many alternatives in Japan, she will finally make the move to try and go overseas. QAW, CWA and even USPW seem to be likely destinations.

 

2022.1.30 Ogiwara: „Her days are over, the sun is going down for her“

For the first time Sensational Ogiwara was answering question about Hatoyama quitting 5SSW. She didn’t seem to have too many positive words for her former friend and colleague as she prophesied her having a hard time finding new work in the wrestling industry. Hatoyama keeps quiet and still hasn’t talked about the incident at all.

 

2022.2.7 What is Project SUNRISE?

A mysterious website opens up under the ip www.projectsunrisewrestling.jp. It just says „The sun will rise again“. It is of course heavily speculated that Kit Hatoyama has something to do with it, but no further information have been confirmed.

 

2022.2.11 Project SUNRISE – Hatoyama as the woman in charge

Several sources now confirmed that it is indeed Kit Hatoyama who is behind the mysterious Project SUNRISE website. It is not clear if it will be just a one off show, a series of events or even a completely newly founded company to go head to head with 5SSW. A press conference is announced for the 19th February, where some more information, the joshi wrestlers attached and the date for the event and match card are announced.

 

2022.2.13 An exodus upon 5SSW?

After the confirmation that Kit Hatoyama is indeed planning on doing something new in the joshi market, many believe that 5SSW is in fear of losing one or the other worker to Hatoyama’s new project. This situation is new for 5SSW as they didn’t have a lot of competition in their market for a while.

 

Edited August 5 by naizen45

[naizen45]

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[naizen45]

OOC: 

Excited to start my second diary on here with the new TEW coming out. This time I will try to do it a little different than my first diary and post the shows and not just summaries like I did before.

The next post I will do the press conference and show the matchcard for the first event, after that a little story post and than the first event (still have some renders to do) 

[Teasenitryn]

I like the start to this and will be keeping up with it. Kit is always the obvious one for me to start a new fed, she brings so many people in and usually it's maybe they will get picked up by 5SSW one day.

I am doing my road to glory (and if it goes well a local to global) run with a Japanese joshi fed, might be a little different since I am doing it in the alt mod but regardless, very interested to see how this one goes outside of the story you have put together.

Edited August 6 by Teasenitryn

[naizen45]

Project SUNRISE 1st press conference 2022.2.19

The long awaited day finally has arrived, as a room full of reporters are waiting on the people behind Project SUNRISE. A murmur goes through the crowd as the people in charge make their entrance and introduce themselves.

 

Kit Hatoyama

Owner & President

"White Lightning" Kit Hatoyama was a superb female worker who was known for her all-white outfit and her extremely impressive ring work. Incredibly fast and athletic, she was famous for attacking with quick martial arts-style kicks and high flying moves from the top rope. During the 1990s she was a big part of 5SSW, but left in 2004 after complaining about feeling 'burnt out'. She returned at the tail end of 2006 and had an Indian summer to her career, filling her final three years with excellent performances. She retired in October 2009 to take up a backstage position with the company and since 2016 has also been running the eponymous Hatoyama Dojo, where she trains the next generation of joshi talent.

 

Saeko Hiroyuki

Booking & Road Agent

Saeko Hiroyuki is a retired joshi worker who was one of the very few who managed to break the Ogiwara \ Ichihara \ Hike domination of 5 Star Supreme Wrestling, winning the world title in 2000 from Canadian wrestler June Butler. She was particularly noted for her Hiroyuki Bomb finishing move, a brutal legsweep bomb from the top rope that was never kicked out of in her entire career. As well as her world title win, Hiroyuki was also a former tag team champion alongside her long-time partner Saori Nakadan. Mysteriously she left long-time home 5SSW in 2007 for unknown reasons, a shocking development given her skill and history with the company. Now retired, she works behind the scenes promoting joshi independent shows.

 

Kiko Sakakibara

Booking, Talent Recruitment & Commentary

"Bubble Gum" Kiko Sakakibara is a retired joshi worker who was one of 5SSW's most consistent stars throughout the 2000s without ever quite managing to step-up enough to become a main eventer. A natural babyface with her outgoing nature, she got her nickname from the fact that her ring outfit was always bright pink. She retired from active competition in 2014 and now works primarily as a colour commentator on various independent shows. As a side note, way back in 2006 it was revealed that she was dating GCG superstar Toshiharu Hyobanshi, a fact that proved endlessly fascinating for Japanese fans, but they broke up in 2008.

 

Naizen Uboshita

Booking, Talent Recruitment & Commentary

Naizen Uboshita is a versatile Japanese performer who has worked as both a manager and a colour commentator in the past. Naturally charismatic and enthusiastic, he has a strong appeal to the younger generation of fans. He is also rumoured to have a great mind for the business and to have ambitions to one day be head booker for a company…

Inaugural Roster

 

Monzaemon Ouchi

Commentary

Monzaemon Ouchi is a good solid announcer from Japan. Known as one of the jolliest men in the world of puroresu, Ouchi is beloved by everyone who meets him. Since 2016 he has been hosting the most listened to wrestling-centric podcast in Japan, with his popularity meaning that he has no trouble getting the very best guests. We recommend that if you're interested, you start with episode 58, which features an in-depth interview with Haruki Kudo.

 

Kazuko Hirozuki

Senior referee

Kazuko Hiroyuki is a good referee from Japan who is very active on the independent circuit, often promoting small events himself. A talented businessman, if he could get together the finances then he'd probably do very well running a low-level company.

 

Koin Momotani

Referee

Koin Momotani is a decent Japanese referee. Being an official is just something he does to earn extra cash, his day job is as a marine biologist with a specialism in the mating habits of the Pacific Manta Ray.

 

It is told that there is still one person left to be announced as this person comes from the states and has to finish other alignments before coming over. This person will handle the foreign talent recruitment and help the talents settle in, being fluent in both English and Japanese. The person will also help with character work and booking.

 

The Starting Roster:

Hatoyama and her team tried their best to put together a competitive and talented roster. With the joshi scene and women’s wrestling in general not being at the highest point at the time, they were lucky to give an opportunity to women who may not get the chances they deserve and were brave enough to leave a prestigious company behind for a new chance. The following workers all directly come from 5SSW:

 

Fuyuko Higa

Age: 32

Height: 5’6’’

Finisher: Higa Green Driver (Rolling Inverted DDT), Perfection Sweep (Inverted Headlock Backbreaker)

Fuyuko Higa is a joshi worker who graduated from the 5SSW dojo system in 2010 and is a protege of the legendary female wrestler Thunder Hike. During her time in training she picked up the nickname "Miss Perfection" from her mentor; that isn't sarcasm, it's simply an indication of how quickly she picked up anything that was taught to her. She was signed to 5SSW immediately upon graduation and rapidly rose up the card to the point where she was regularly mixing it up with the main eventers, but so far, curiously, she has been unable to take that final step to become a true star. Rumours abound that this is because she is 'difficult' to work with, but those may just be whispers from people playing politics.

 

MAYA

Age: 31

Height: 5’4’’

Finisher: Triangle Choke

The joshi wrestler known only as MAYA made her pro debut on the Japanese independent scene back in 2011. A bubbly, bright, energetic personality, she is a natural crowd pleaser who can get the crowd on her side in record time. A technically minded wrestler, MAYA seems to really enjoy exchanging complex hold-and-counter-hold sequences with opponents. After four years gaining experience on local shows, MAYA decided to go on an excursion to Europe. She joined the EWA's womens division shortly after and went on to become a really popular babyface for them. Having significantly improved thanks to her time away, she returned to Japan in 2018 and was immediately signed up by 5SSW. A popular member of the roster, she's a former 5SSW Triangle champion.

 

Emiko Miyoshi

Age: 23

Height: 5’2’’

Finisher: Miyoshi Cradle (Rana Pinfall)

Tiny in stature but big in heart, Emiko Miyoshi is a high flying joshi worker who has a strong lucha influence to her ring style. She is particularly noted for her many rana variations, including the Miyoshi Cradle, a rana into a pinfall predicament that she uses as a finisher. A regular sight on the independent scene from her 2016 debut onwards, she eventually earned a contract with 5SSW in 2020. Settling in nicely, she looks like she could eventually be Yuma Maruya's heir as the ultra-cute babyface heroine.

 

Rika Tsujimura

Age: 27

Height: 6’0’’

Finisher: Running Knee Bomb (Running Knee Strike To Kneeling Opponent)

Rika Tsujimura was trained at the 5 Star Supreme Wrestling Dojo from where she graduated in 2014. A true all rounder, she is at the very least competent in just about every area of wrestling. She is particularly noted for basing a lot of her attacks around knee strikes, taking advantage of her height (being six feet tall) and flexibility. She spent a long time working the independent scene on weekends whilst holding down a job as a biochemist, before finally getting signed by 5SSW in 2021. Since joining, she has become particularly known for her RikaRina tag team with Rina Kasahara.

 

Rina Kasahara

Age: 22

Height: 5’4’’

Finisher: Spinning Back Fist, Turnbuckle Powerbomb

A powerful joshi wrestler, Rina Kasahara may be quite short but her thick torso and legs mean she can generate tremendous force and is capable of bulldozing most opponents. A natural heel, she has the vicious bully routine down perfectly. Kasahara loves to blast her opponents with her Spinning Back Fist finisher but also has a truly violent powerbomb into the turnbuckles in her arsenal too. After paying her dues on the independent scene, she joined 5SSW at the tail end of 2020. She has mostly been teaming with Rika Tsujimura since joining, although many feel that Kasahara probably could be a major singles star if given the opportunity.

 

 

Asami Okubo

Age: 25

Height: 5’4’’

Finisher: Judo Choke Sleeper

Asami Okubo is a young all-rounder from Japan. A decent judo competitor throughout her teens, she often incorporates martial arts throws and joint locks into her repertoire of moves and this gives her a unique style. She paid her dues on the independent scene for a few years in order to earn a contract with 5SSW in early 2020. She has hardly set the world on fire since joining, but she's slowly but surely finding her footing.

 

Sayuri Honda

Age: 20

Height: 5’5’’

Finisher: Northern Lights Suplex

Sayuri Honda graduated from Kit Hatoyama's training camp in 2020 and was brought straight onto the main roster of 5SSW. Considered one of the brightest young prospects in years, Honda is a naturally gifted high flyer who is also accomplished at technical wrestling. She is being developed slowly and carefully, but there is no doubt that she has "future world champion" stamped on her.

 

Continuing, there also were some women working the Japanese indie scene that Hatoyama and her team thought were due to deserve a bigger spotlight:

 

Chitose Ariwara

Age: 35

Height: 5’4’’

Finisher: Victory Roll, Sunset Flip

Chitose Ariwara is a joshi wrestler who is noted for being extremely athletic and quick on her feet; she has an almost lucha style to her ring work, and this exciting approach makes her both fun to watch and a natural babyface. She does, however, have one glaring weakness; she is very injury prone, and tends to miss many shows a year as a result. She joined 5 Star Supreme Wrestling in 2006 and quickly won over the crowd with her performances, but ultimately her frequent injuries stopped her from ever truly gaining any momentum. She was released in 2014 after yet another injury and has been stuck working the independent scene ever since.

 

Angel Takudome

Age: 42

Height: 5’5’

Finisher: Red Rock Press (Top Rope Cross Body Press)

Mitsuko "Angel" Takudome is a decent all-round joshi worker who is known for her trademark all-red attire. Despite being a solidly reliable wrestler, Angel has never found much in the way of success or recognition, although she has worked a few short tours with 5SSW over the years. A veteran who is probably coming to the end of her career soon, she is still a regular on the Japanese independent circuit to this day and is often paired with rookies to help train them up.

 

Otsune Tsumura

Age: 40

Height: 5’3’’

Finisher: Flying Leg Drop

"High Energy" Otsune Tsumura is a high flying veteran joshi worker who is known for the long stint she had with 5 Star Supreme Wrestling. She is synonymous with two things; a hyper-energetic in-ring style, perpetually bouncing around from foot to foot as she waits to strike (she's possibly the most exhausting wrestler to watch of all time), and also for the extremely bright ring attire, which was so luminous that it might actually have been visible from space, that she wore for the vast majority of her career. A cornerstone of the 5SSW midcard for over fifteen years, she chose to leave in 2020 and now appears to be winding down her in-ring career.

 

Nami Genda

Age: 25

Height: 5’5’’

Finisher: Flying Double Knee

Nami Genda is a high flying joshi competitor from Tokyo, Japan. Light on her feet, Genda's style is best described as 'hit and run', using sharp kicks to keep her opponent at bay before taking to the skies with a variety of big moves from the top rope. A regular sight on the independent circuit.

 

Mio Takasu

Age: 34

Height: 5’5’’

Finisher: Yakuza Kick

Mio Takasu is a half-Japanese, half-Chinese wrestler who has been nicknamed "Fury" because of her trademark savage strike-based attacks. Debuting in 2010, she has been a stalwart of the independent scene for over a decade now, and it's strange that she's never found her way onto 5SSW's roster. Takasu is particularly noted for her brutal Yakuza Kick finisher which often looks like she's legitimately trying to decapitate her opponent.

 

 

Spider Isako

Age: 22

Height: 5’7’’

Finisher: Jumping Knee Strike

"Spider" Isako Yoshimatsu is a young joshi worker who is considered a very highly rated prospect. She was trained at the Hatoyama Dojo and impressed her trainer Kit Hatoyama so much that she has remained in close contact post-graduation and is considered one of her proteges. A strike-based worker, Isako likes to light up her opponents with brutal kicks and knee strikes. Also to her benefit is that she has a great look, especially apparent when she comes to the ring in a billowing custom made leather coat, and she comes across as so cool that she seems to be a star in the making.

 

Kichi Mochizuki

Age: 22

Height: 5’5’’

Finisher: Swandive Senton Bomb

A protege of Kit Hatoyama, Kichi Mochizuki is a young joshi worker who is known for her high flying ability. Making her pro debut in early 2019 after being trained at the Hatoyama Dojo, Mochizuki started working the independent scene straight away with the intention of polishing her skills. She uses a graceful swandive senton bomb as her finisher.

 

Aki Kamio

Age: 22

Height: 5’3’’

Finisher: Flying Leg Lariat, Victory Roll

A promising young joshi worker, Aki Kamio was part of the first ever graduating class of the Hatoyama Dojo. Tiny in stature, Kamio relies heavily on her quickness, especially her many lucha-inspired arm drags and flying headscissor variations, to dizzy her opponents. She has been a regular on the independent circuit since turning professional in 2018.

 

Yayoi Kurmochi

Age: 21

Height: 5’3’’

Finisher: Sky Twister Press

One of the new generation of joshi workers coming out of the Hatoyama Dojo, Yayoi Kurmochi graduated from the facility in 2019. A natural babyface due to her cuteness, Kurmochi also has a very audience-friendly high flying style with plenty of aerial acrobatics, not least her Sky Twister Press finisher. She has been working the independent scene since turning professional and hopes to eventually land a job with 5SSW.

 

Miku Saito

Age: 19

Height: 5’1’’

Finisher: Running Knee Strike

Miku Saito is a 2021 graduate of Kit Hatoyama's training facility. Physically very slight, she was not picked up by 5SSW, instead being asked to work on her craft on the independent scene and to try and bulk up a little. She's done so, acting as a 'weekend warrior' while spending her week as a student working towards a philosophy degree.

 

 

 

 

Foreign talents

Through their website Project SUNRISE was asking talent from overseas for applications and eventually picked three foreign talents to take part on the upcoming tour to get the chance to prove themselves:

 

Joanna Silver

Age: 27

Height: 5’7’’

Finisher: Timber Shiverer (Top Rope Splash)

"The Pirate Of Men's Pants" Joanna Silver is a former stripper from New York who now occasionally works as wrestler on the east coast independent scene. It's pretty easy to sum her up to potential employers. Pros: She's hot, athletic, and has a strong work ethic. Cons: She has had a limited amount of proper wrestling training, and her athletic background only extends to vigorous pole dancing during her years in adult entertainment. Still, a lot of wrestlers have had careers based on far less than that, so good luck to her.

 

Joy Ryder

Age: 24

Height: 5’7’’

Finisher: Ryder Rocker (Vertical Suplex to Hangman’s Neckbreaker)

Joy Ryder (Mary-Lynn Ridowski) is a young wrestler (and occasional manager) from West Virginia. Originally a pure technician when she made her professional debut, she has quickly blossomed into a real all-rounder who can work any style with any opponent. Highly rated, it is said that a few different companies are keeping tabs on her progress.

 

Mellow Flashhart

Age: 22

Height: 5’5’’

Finisher: Backflip Face Crusher

"American Bombshell" Mellow Flashhart is a young female talent from Iowa. Although solid in the ring, Flashhart's main strength is her ability to play to the crowd -whether as a babyface or heel, straight or comedy, she can perform whatever role is needed with aplomb. Part of this is down to her being a professional actress (although as a recent art school graduate she has yet to find any degree of fame in that field) as well as a wrestler.

 

With the full roster announced it is now only right to present the first event and matchcard for Project SUNRISE taking place on 12^{th of} March.

 

Prediction Key:

SUNRISE First Rays of Sunlight

2022.3.12

Hall of Nagahama

15:00 door 16:30 bell

 

1st match

15 minutes time limit

Miko Saito & Sayuri Honda vs. RikaRina (Rika Tsujimura & Rina Kasahara)

 

2nd match

15 minutes time limit

Kichi Mochizuki vs. Aki Kamio vs. Spider Isako vs. Yuryoi Kurmochi

 

3rd match

30 minutes time limit

Asami Okubo vs. Mellow Flashhart

 

4th match

30 minutes time limit

Emiko Miyoshi, Nami Genda & Mio Takasu vs. Otsune Tsumura, Joanna Silver & Joy Ryder

 

Main Event

30 minutes time limit#

Fuyuka Higa & Angel Takudome vs. MAYA & Chitose Ariwara

 

OOC:

I originally planned this diary for TEW2020 and the only workers poached from 5SSW wrestling would have been Higa & MAYA as Miyoshi, Tsujimura, Kasahara and Okubo all were unemployed in 2020 and Sayuri Honda wasn’t in the game. I liked the roster I had planned for 2020 and so I thought I would just do it this way and keep most of my planned roster. I think it wouldn’t be too unrealistic for them to leave as they could see a big opportunity in jumping ship. Two workers I lost through the jump from 2020 to IX are DupliKate and Black Diamond now both working for QAW, as I didn’t see them leave for Japan so soon, maybe a bit later in the game, who knows.

Edited August 6 by naizen45