TIGER MASK IS BACK! You may recall that I obsessed over this pro wrestling cartoon back in 2011 thru 2012 when I wrote 13 articles about the masked hero of Japanese anime wrestling. I love this cartoon — I love the dark drama, the over-the-top violence and cruelty in the pro ring, the homo-erotic undertones, the campy villains. What a thrill ride!
Episode #1 of this updated version, now known as “Tiger Mask W,” was broadcast in Japan earlier this month. I found the video on YouTube (with English sub-titles, horray!!!!!), but I don’t want to provide the link because I don’t want to spook the uploader and risk killing the goose that laid the golden egg. I’m sure if you search, you can find it easily enough (or just e-mail me for the link.)
We see bloody violence within the first 12 seconds.
The show opens in the midst of a sexy wrestling match. The Yellow Devil, wearing a scary mask, performs his dreaded “Devil Tornado.” He spins in a circle, then slashes his opponent’s chest wide open with the claw-tipped gloves he wears.
The episode just started and I’m already excited, outraged, shocked, and horny.
At ringside are two strapping young lads in matching t-shirts: Naoto and Takuma. They cheer eagerly for their instructor to defeat the Yellow Devil (so you can be sure he’s doomed.)
The student on our left, young Naoto, is drawn to appear especially handsome, so I think we’ve just met our leading man.
Some bully at ringside named Odin, who supports the Yellow Devil, suddenly punches young Naoto in the mouth and bloodies his perfect face just for cheering for his trainer! (Spoiler: Odin will pay for that ballsy bullshit later in the episode…)
The most dramatic Pile-Driver ever depicted.
Back inside the ring, the Yellow Devil continues to punish Daisuke, the aging ring general. The Devil embraces the ragdoll and delivers a beautiful slow-motion Pile-Driver off the top rope, rotating poor Daisuke to land right on his neck. (I’m not sure why Yellow Devil was not also injured from this head-first fall, but it’s his move so he’s fine.)
I am thankful for the sub-titles so I can learn the entertaining names of these incredible moves. This vicious Pile-Driver is called the “Devil’s Crush.”
The Heel proceeds to repeatedly drive his big phallic boot into the injured man’s bloody gash, demonstrating the ruthlessness and rapey sadism common in the Tiger Mask universe.
Earlier versions of Tiger Mask from the 1970’s and 80’s were shocking for the brutal violence they depicted, especially for being a children’s cartoon. It already appears that this 2016 version will be just as graphic and wicked — to hell with protecting youngsters from seeing adult content. This cartoon, I’m sure, is creating a new generation of enthusiastic wrestling lovers just like me.
This is what happens when the Sidekick messes with the Super-Villain
Hot-headed Takuma confronts the Devil and is slashed across the face, leaving a signature scar much like Harry Potter’s. Now all three of the Good Guys we’ve met so far have been bloodied.
This is exactly the sort of content that fueled my adolescent wrestling fantasies: a creepy masked killer; the villain permitted to bring a weapon; some cute dude harmed unfairly. Tiger Mask is a genius work of art.
I hope you’re not bored by pro wrestling anime, because if these episodes keep appearing on YouTube, you’re going to keep seeing them discussed here.
This angry Naoto now has a bunch of scores to settle, and I’ll bet his suffering and pain will become far worse along the way. I can’t wait to witness every minute of it.
To Be Continued…