In Episode 12 of the Tiger Mask W cartoon, we see the two semi- final matches in the Masked Tournament. First, the ultimate Heel — Yellow Devil — utterly dominates a goateed Baby-Face known as “It’s-The-Ace.” It was a one-sided squash, but damn I love me a good cartoon Sleeper Hold!
Yellow Devil just destroys young “Ace” with this gorgeous Torture Rack and advances to the finals. Both Tiger Mask (Naoto) and Tiger The Dark (Takuma) want to fight (or fuck?) Yellow Devil for his assault on their trainer back in Episode 1. So this victory by Yellow Devil sets up the triumphant revenge that we’ve been craving for this beastly villain over the past 12 episodes.
Next is the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the ultimate show-down with homo-erotic undertones in the second semi-final bout, with the two young tigers squaring off, Tiger on Tiger, for a climactic buddy-vs-buddy test of Alpha Maleness (although neither combatant realizes it’s actually his former best friend / boy-crush under the other tiger mask.)
I’ve wrestled a few dudes in my day, and I bet you could put a mask on any one of them, and I’d still recognize him in an instant. The size and shape of him, his unique scent and manner in which he presses and mounts, the curve of his bare shoulder and bicep, that fit of his body against mine, as unique as a finger-print.
But in this story, Tiger Mask somehow doesn’t recognize his old pal, even though they’ve wrestled before, trained together, and kind of had a crush on each other. It’s very Shakespearean, where dudes will dress up as chicks and vice versa, and nobody is the wiser.
Tiger The Dark locks on an Ab Stretch variation and tortures our hero for a good long while. He bends TM’s arms back, threatens to injure him, pulls the pressure on tighter, and generally gets the viewing audience hot and bothered over the Good Guy’s agony.
Maybe I’m a perv when it comes to wrestling cartoons (OK I think we all know that), but I feel the scene is ripe with sexual imagery as Tiger Mask reaches for the ropes, his arm thrust between TTD’s encircling legs.
Also with that flesh-colored arm protruding stiff and erect from between TTD’s crotch, it seems to signal or imply a high level of arousal.
Striving hold to reach climax — I mean the ropes.
The cartoonists provide some close-up images of Tiger Mask’s stretching hand, trapped firmly between his enemy’s gripping thighs. Tiger Mask reaches for the ropes, stretching that arm outward like a rising erection. Tiger The Dark, meanwhile, cranks back on his victim’s other stiff arm to ratchet up the pressure. The scene seems suggestive to me, but like I said, I’m a wrestling cartoon perv.
Get the fuck up and bury your face on my cock!
Tiger The Dark maintains control, snatching Tiger Mask up like a bowling ball, and inverting him into the face-in-my-balls Pile Driver position.
Our hero is totally humiliated, dragged to his feet like a jobber, displayed in a helpless position, and spread eagled with the dominant opponent checking out his junk!
Wait, I’m not a Bottom — I’m a TOP!
But Tiger Mask asserts his dominance by reversing the hold — flipping down to his feet and hoisting Tiger The Dark up in the bitch 69 position. Now Tiger Mask is in Alpha Male mode, gazing at his helpless victim’s crotch as now Tiger The Dark’s face is up against the stronger man’s junk. This is the first time in their relationship where Naoto has taken ownership over Takuma.
Yes you’re my best friend, but this for a shot at the champ!
After gazing at his nuts for a sec, Tiger Mask plants the long-haired sumbitch on the crown of his head with this dramatic and impactful Pile-Driver. CLANGGGGG!
Tiger The Dark’s long black hair is sprawled out on the mat, making it look like the force of his head has penetrated through the ring surface, leaving a shattered dark hole like a busted window.
The debut of a glorious new Killer Move!
Next Tiger Mask executes his incredible new Finisher that he’s been trying to perfect for the past two episodes.
He soars about three stories up in the air like a graceful bird, then flips and sails down knees first to Slammma-Jam that stiff kneebone right into the victim’s skull!
Tiger Mask is drawn to appear heroic and masculine, his muscles uber-pumped, sweat pouring off his rock-hard physique like a fuckin’ gladiator.
Damn — if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear this cartoon is trying to get it’s impressionable young viewers all turned on.
Our attention is soon drawn to the third member of this love triangle, Yellow Devil, who will be Tiger Mask’s final opponent in this tournament. The Devil stalks our hero, waiting for him in the locker-room so they can exchange threatening words and penetrating gazes. This tension is meant to ensure that we tune in next episode to witness this epic final showdown!
I predict Yellow Devil will beat the holy hell out of our poor young Naoto, scratching at him with those sharp claws and breaking him in all manner of punishing and agonizing holds! But in the end, Naoto will rise triumphant and avenge his injured trainer and his disfigured pal Takuma. Still, I will greatly enjoy the suffering prior to Tiger Mask’s inevitable victory.
I’m enjoying your posts on this show. I haven’t watched it, but based on your posts, it feels like they did this wrong. The big final battle should’ve been Tiger vs. Tiger. It seems like Tiger Mask should’ve faced Devil in a brutal battle then had to overcome his pain/injuries from that match to face his former friend. Identities get revealed, it’s rough and brutal, but it’s also emotional. There doesn’t seem to be anything to Devil beyond he’s big, tough and cruel.
Good point. I need to watch more of the later episodes (they’re up to about 30 now) to see if there was rhyme or reason to the story arc. I can tell you that Devil has been presented as an unbeatable monster while our two young protagonists are still making their ways up the ladder. From that perspective, it makes sense for TM to defeat a Pretty Good Opponent in the semi-finals, and then face the Ultimate Killer Daddy. Looking at the sub-text, Naoto and Takuma were a couple until this mysterious Third Party invaded. So the Tigers become rivals, competing over who gets to take on the Devil. Their rivalry had to be resolved first. (Spoiler alert — the Devil later re-appears in a white tiger mask and calls himself The Third, which further emphasizes this on-going tiger triangle.)