I always knew there was something special about Japanese wrestling. From the first time seeing the Great Muta wrestle in the NWA while growing up, I was in awe. I was young, elementary age at the time yet I could tell there was something different, something spectacular about him. I didn’t know why, I could just tell that there was. Similar feelings would always return when new talent like Killer Khan, Hakushi, Kensuke Sasaki, Tenzan, Justin Thunder Liger, Tajiri, Hayabusa, Ultimo Dragon, and others would appear on North American programming.
Fast forward to 2017. I was running on fumes watching North American pro wrestling. While NXT was an excellent product, it had become clear that as much as that was supposed to be the beginning of something great for the talent within, it was actually the end. Main roster was flat, uninspiring, and booked so haphazardly ridiculous that the product just detached itself from anything resembling why I fell in love with the business 32 years prior. I watched out of habit, tirelessly waiting for some nugget of enjoyment to slip through the sports entertainment filter that had long been the median between myself and the product I loved long ago.
Enter Wrestle Kingdom 12. In preparation for an upcoming bout between Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, I renewed my subscription to NJPW World in late December 2017. Then, unexpectedly, everything changed. Yes, I tuned in for Jericho/Omega and it did in fact deliver in a big way. However, much like Muta had done so many years before, something caught my eye in a way that made me feel different when watching it. It wasn’t just the talent either. It was the overall product. This was not what I was used to from all the years of watching North American wrestling just hoping it would get better. This product had respect for its viewer. This product was presented as sport in contrast to the sports entertainment model being peddled stateside. The match quality was unparalleled. The talent was premier. The emotion and drama was engaging and genuine. The professional camera work enhanced all of the above elements, binding them together into a uniquely polished yet not overproduced product. I had to learn as much as I could about what I was seeing. I needed info on Minoru Suzuki. I wanted background on Roppongi 3K. I wanted to familiarize myself with this band of outcasts called LIJ. Research the history of Korakuen Hall. Learn all about the companies tour format. Etc. Little did I realize the paradigm shift that was yet to come as I watched the product throughout January and February of that year. The booking completely blew my mind. To make a long story short, let’s just say that by the time ZSJ was holding the New Japan Cup over his head in late March, that old flame inside me was reignited with a passion for the product that I had not felt since I was a young fan many, many years ago.
While this was incredibly fulfilling for me, there was one issue. Merch access. I was ready to spend some cash and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on whatever merchandise I could find. That turned out to not be as easy as I was hoping. There was no US merchandise site at the time. Proxy shipping was confusing, had trust issues, and was expensive. Places that had merch had either small quantities of goods or quality issues on merch they reproduced. It wasn’t even genuine. You could get great merch at live events but those were few and far between, likely clear across the country, and the selection and/or quantities were sometimes limited. While things have gotten better over time, there’s still a void here for true fans who just want an item or two without the international hassle. Especially for those who long for rare and unique items from the recent past or even the glory days of the late 80s/early 90s. That’s why this site exists. It’s for us dedicated fans and collectors who value the goods that have that distinct puro charm and have been lost to time. I have acquired and will continue to acquire unique goods from Japan and provide an easy access route for those of us who appreciate these things. I know this site will never be a decent profit generator. That was never the point. Most goods here are singular in quantity, imported from Japan, and paid for at the market rate with foreign transaction fees, proxy fees, and international shipping on top. My goal is simply to move enough goods to make the continued importing cost effective enough not to lose money while also bringing an easier avenue of merch attainment to fans who share a passion for the best wrestling on earth.
I hope that you can find a collectible here that will make you happy when you see it displayed on your shelf.