Big Egg Podcasting Universe: Episode 6 Show Notes
Where to Watch
Blizzard Yuki vs Mariko Yoshida
Cuty Suzuki & Takako Inoue vs Megumi Kudo & Hikari Fukuoka
Blizzard Yuki
It’s interesting that Blizzard Yuki never really went anywhere as a wrestling character, because she was pushed in a manga and a game for the SNES released as late as 1996. Because there is no nuance in the handling of idols and idol-adjacent figures whatsoever, the game is called Pretty Wrestler Biography: Blizzard Yuki’s Riot!
Sakie Hasegawa and Debbie Malenko as the Steiner Bros
Yes, they really did this.
Idols
I referred to a 2017 book by Nakamori Akio called I Want to Become An Idol. It’s difficult to find a link to the book itself without speaking Japanese, so here’s an English-language interview with the author.
Cuty Suzuki no Ringside Angel
Probably the most famous of the joshi-related games of the 80s and 90s, demonstrating what a mainstream star Cuty Suzuki was.
Takako Inoue’s Entrance Music
“She melted my heart while she twisted my arm.”
Listener Question
Blizzard Yuki doesn’t seem happy in her post-match interview but none of us speak a word of Japanese. If you know what she’s saying, please let us know – we’d love to figure out what’s going on.
Mariko Yoshida’s Air Raid Crash
Continuing our theme of incredible wrestling moves invented in joshi, here’s Mariko Yoshida doing her Air Raid Crash. Tommaso Ciampa prays to his patron saint every day, so I hear.
Match Recommendations
Kyoko Inoue & Takako Inoue vs Mayumi Ozaki and Cuty Suzuki (AJW Dreamslam 1993)
If you’re one of those people who cares what Dave Meltzer thinks, remember that for all the flak idol wrestlers sometimes get, this got 5 stars in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Takako Inoue vs Cuty Suzuki (AJW Legacy of Queens 1993)
Wrestlers who had similar or comparable characters would often end up fighting each other on multiple shows, allowing each promotion to showcase the performers to their own audience. This was an AJW event, but similar matches took place on JWP shows too.
Cuty Suzuki vs Dynamite Kansai (Cuty Mania 2 1995)
Cuty Mania – Cuty’s 10th anniversary show – featured this JWP Openweight Tournament with the star of the show making the final, of course.
Takako Inoue vs Megumi Kudo (FMW Fierce Chaotic Fighting Yousou Genkitou 1993)
The video looks like it may be clipped – it’s certainly shorter than it should be – but this shows how open FMW was to interpromotional feuds that would help highlight it’s women’s division.
Megumi Kudo vs Combat Toyoda (No Ropes Electrified Barbwire Death Match, FMW 1996)
FMW offered everyone equal opportunities to get themselves killed. This is one of the company’s greatest and best-known matches – Toyoda’s retirement against her friend and biggest rival.
Sakie Hasegawa vs Mariko Yoshida (AJW, July 1992)
Big Egg wasn’t the first time Yoshida and Hasegawa had locked up. Before Yoshida’s injury and Hasegawa’s transformation into Blizzard Yuki, the pair had wrestled in midcard and undercard matches like this one.
Mariko Yoshida vs Aja Kong (ARSION, 1998)
Most of Yoshida’s finest moments came after Big Egg, when she was eventually established as one of the top stars of Aja Kong’s ARSION promotion and an absolute killer. Here she is arguably at her peak.
Hikari Fukuoka vs Manami Toyota (JWP Thunder Battle Queen in Yokohama II 1993)
What a year 1993 was.
Plugs
Draw, Lose or Draw
David’s podcast about Partick Thistle is now going out weekly. Share the passion and pain of being a Jags fan.
Fastbuck
‘Caught in a Slosh’. ‘Forrest and the Boab’. ‘Tofu-ck You’. Listen to David’s noise music project.
Hand Loom Lament
The third head of the Puro Pourri Cerberus is Daniel ‘Big Vince’ Baker. Here’s some of his music, including The Four Corners of Heaven by Stan Hansen and The Lariats.
Women Love Wrestling
Writing by and about women who love wrestling, including my essay ‘Women Have Always Been Wrestling Fans’. Proceeds from sales go to RAINN in the US and Women’s Aid in the UK. Get on Amazon
The Rise and Fall of Rikidozan: A Novel in Seventeen Matches
George’s novel about a young man discovering the murky world of early puro and totally legitimate businessmen. Available in paperbook and ebook.
Socials
David’s Instagram: @villanoxiv
The Puro Pourri Podcast on Twitter: @PuroPodcast
Sarah’s Twitter: @SarahParkin1
