Marigold Files #5: I Love (& Hate) You Two (MiraiSaku's Twinstar Championship Reign)

The world of Joshi Pro Wrestling has had its fair share of interesting structure for match types. Much like wrestling in the west, it has its stereotypes. The most obvious example is whenever a Gaijin comes over, there are typically with the Bad Guys. I'm not gonna blame them, but whenever this happens, I deadass think they are trolling.

Anyway, that's not what this blog is about. Tag Team Wrestling in this world is... a very... mixed bag... at best. It makes me mad more often than not. Given that I have a tendency to like everything, you'd be surprised to know that I genuinely find tag team matches to be a very mixed bag.

I know that tag team wrestling is very broad in itself, so let me be specific. Trios matches are mostly enjoyment since it is six women going for bat shit crazy, and it's always the theme of different philosophy if it includes factions (or groups). Multi-person tags like 8, 10, or even 12 which include 3 Way or 4 Corner Survival are mostly enjoyment that can (9 times out of 10) turn into a Car Crash.

2 on 2 tag team matches are very... repetitive at most. When it comes to the "Road To" (or Build Up) or House shows, the structure of tag team matches work like mini 1v1s with tag team moves thrown in here and there to remind you that it's a tag team match. 

This structure is present in pretty all of the shows including big shows or Pay Per Views given the brutal style and have more wrestlers on the show. I'm not saying that there aren't any great matches here, but it gets so repetitive that its not even funny and when it's not going good, fucking hell, its a drag. 

I was positive and thinking that we are saving the tag team wrestling aspects for the tag team title matches. Then I watch these tag team matches and most of the time, it's... the Exact Same Shit! And it pisses me off the more I think about it. The picture you see above me is the prime example, but I'll save it for later on. 

Whenever I look at tag team matches that are great, I always point at anything that is not Puroresu or barely at all. As much as non-Puroresu 2v2 tags feature the typical good guy vs bad guy trope, the structure of these tag team matches are versatile while including the core values and implementing more tag team based stories. Like it's 90% more different than most. 

I know that there are Joshi Puroresu tag teams that stand out from the rest, but seriously, sometimes I would think, FUCK YOU! I have been hesitated to talk about this reign because of that structure and the fact that one of the title defenses pissed me off so much that it disgusts me. 

But, then I realized that the worst is yet to come. Anyway, I am calm and it's time to dive into the first Twinstar Championship of MiraiSaku.

MiraiSaku's Twinstar Championship Reign

• Royal Champs (Miku Aono & Natsumi Showzuki) vs MIRAI & Mai Sakurai (20:52) 
• 30/07/2024
• Dream Star Fighting Marigold 
• Marigold Twinstar Championship Tournament Final Match (VACANT) 
• Marigold Summer Gold Shine 2024 - Day 5 
• ZERO: ★★★★1/2

This was the final night of the tournament to crown the first ever Twinstar Champions. Firstly, I will say that Twinstar is great name for titles like these. I love that Joshi belts have unique names to them, and Marigold have those examples like the United National, the Superfly or the 3D. It is really good way to give each belt an identity.

Both teams had to get through the Semifinals earlier in the night and then the Final in the main event. The first team was Royal Champs who are (at the time) the United National Champion Miku Aono (who is now the Marigold World Champion) and the Super Flyweight Champion Natsumi Showzuki (who is an inaugural Superfly and 3D Trios Champion). 

The second team was MIRAI, who is no longer with Marigold and now with Michinoku Pro and Mai Sakurai, who is a former United National Champion and inaugural 3D Trios Champion. The match itself was a great final of a tournament and what I like to call an interesting time capsule. Watching the early Marigold is definitely a different vibe to watching the 2025 and 2026 bouts. 

They are many things that do remind me of Stardom since this was born from a talent exodus from STARDOM & Actwres girl'Z (AWG) and accusations of Rossy Ogawa poaching talent. This took the formula I mentioned and played around with it. Aono and Showzuki did a crazy Meteora + Powerbomb combo from the corner which I called a Street Sweeper for some reason.

There was a moment where MIRAI ducked a double roundhouse and Sakurai quickly jumped from the top rope with a Dropkick on both. MIRAI would then hit the SS Columbia With Michele on Aono. Shoutout to the Japanese Fan who told me the last name because Showzuki broke up the pin. They were good transitions and team ups in different way.

MIRAI would put the nail in the coffin. MIRAI would hit a Thundering Lariat on Miku Aono to secure the victory and her and Mai Sakurai became the inaugural Marigold Twinstar Champions. I Love MIRAI. She literally made my day as a wrestler. And honestly, it's been a while since I felt so hyped up for an ending. 

Now that we have started the title reign, let's get dissecting on this.

• MIRAI & Mai Sakurai (c) vs The Passion Sisters (Nanae Takahashi & Nao Ishikawa) (17:09) - V1
• 24/08/2024
• Dream Star Fighting Marigold 
• Marigold Twinstar Championship Match 
• Marigold Summer Gold Shine 2024 - Day 11 
• ZERO: ★★★3/4

MIRAI and Mai Sakurai would have their first defense of the titles almost a month later at Shinkiba 1st RING in Tokyo. They were taking on the team of The Passion Sisters which are Nanae Takahashi and Nao Ishikawa-- Wait, what?? Yes, that is not a joke, it is an official tag team name since Nanae and Ishikawa were teammates during this time.

I won't lie, this match was basic. Like it's not a bad, but it is just by the numbers for the first ever title match for these belts. The most notable moment was Nao Ishikawa nearly spiking MIRAI on her head with a Butterfly Suplex. And it looked more like Death Rider V2 (you know, the lifting version) which I'm surprised no one beside Shota Umino has used it. 

So yeah, Mai Sakurai pinned Nao Ishikawa with the Glorious Driver to retain. Let's continue.

• MiraiSaku (MIRAI & Mai Sakurai) (c) vs tWin toWer (Kouki Amarei & Chika Goto) (17:38) - V2
• 07/10/2024
• Dream Star Fighting Marigold 
• Marigold Twinstar Championship Match 
• Marigold Fantastic Adventure 2024 - Day 2 
• ZERO: ★★★★1/4

This is quite of a funny match to look back on since the current Twinstar Champions now are tWin toWer. At this point, they are newer faces to an audience that were rapidly becoming bigger at the time. Amarei and GoChika brought a more powerful and technical base to the usual Puroresu tag team match formula. 

MIRAI and Mai Sakurai got a tag team name and style of gear with the name of MiraiSaku. If you don't know, I'm not a fan of name combined team names at all. It rarely works as a cool name at all with this included. This was a good match which achieve the boxes it places itself in. The most notable moment came when the Amethyst and GoChika did a double swing on MIRAI and Sakurai. 

MIRAI got the win here by hitting a Lariat and following up with a Boston Crab on Kouki Amarei to secure their V2.

• MiraiSaku (MIRAI & Mai Sakurai) (c) vs Selene Flora (Victoria Yuzuki & Kizuna Tanaka) (15:25) - V3
• 24/10/2024
• Dream Star Fighting Marigold 
• Marigold Twinstar Championship Match
• Marigold Fantastic Adventure 2024 - Day 7 
• ZERO: ★★★★1/2

I Love You-- Oh, okay. Let me take that back for one second. I love this match and this is what I wanted. A tag team match, emphasis on the TEAM part. This title defense MiraiSaku had against Selene Flora is the best match of their entire reign. Up until now, each defense had our champions facing teams with similar strategies which made it easier to counter. 

Selene Flora had a different style which made it difficult for our favourite book club. And that style is tag team wrestling. Not saving in with an occasional tag team moves. Selene Flora constant kept using each other, trusting each other and helping each other throughout. The most emphasis part was when Sakurai had Kizuna in a Double Arm Trap. 

Victoria Yuzuki went for a Superkick knowing her partner would duck and Tanaka followed up with the Victory Roll. MIRAI was able save it, but that is just one of many times Selene Flora did tag team wrestling and they fit the description. 

Mai Sakurai would submit Kizuna Tanaka with the STF to retain the Twinstar titles. I love this match and I will always love this match.

• MiraiSaku (MIRAI & Mai Sakurai) (c) vs GHC Women's Champion Kouki Amarei & Utami Hayashishita (30:00) - V4
• 14/11/2024
• Dream Star Fighting Marigold 
• Marigold Twinstar Championship Match 
• Marigold Winter Wonderland Fight - Day 1 
• ZERO: ★★★3/4

Oh Lord. Sigh... So it is time to crawl down into the pits of hell. Fuck man. Okay, so let me explain the elephant. Kouki Amarei who had just became the inaugural GHC Women's Champion chose Utami Hayashishita to challenge MiraiSaku for the Twinstar Championships. Especially leaving Chika Goto to watch her tag team partner choose another woman. Very sad, huh? 

The match was... I don't even know how to say it bro. This was just way too long. It is fucking drag to watch a match that 30 minutes. Given that it was a makeshift tag team, it made it even worst. Like I understand why since they were just finished with the DREAM STAR GP where Utami won, and Amarei became GHC Women's Champion. 

But that is no excuse to torture people and have them watch 30 minutes of a bout that was just trotting along. The worst part is that the length hurt the quality so much that I have more disgust than admiration for it and the sole reason why I hesitated with this blog. MiraiSaku retained the belts as per time limit draw, now get this abomination out of my face. 

At least I get to see this tag team reign continue, I love these pair of goofs. It is all sunshine from here--

• MiraiSaku (MIRAI & Mai Sakurai) (c) vs Dark Wolf Army (Nagisa Nozaki & CHIAKI) (featuring Bozilla) (15:28) 
• 13/12/2024
• Dream Star Fighting Marigold 
• Marigold Twinstar Championship Match 
• Marigold Winter Wonderland Fight - Day 6 
• ZERO: ★★★★

Well... That love was short-lived was it? So in Shinjuku FACE, MiraiSaku would have their final title defense against the Dark Wolf Army which are the team of Nagisa Nozaki and CHIAKI. Since there are now known as Darkness Revolution, I immediately have war flashbacks to House Of Torture or H.A.T.E. 

It is not something that is positive in the slightest. If you have noticed, I placed Bozilla in the match names and that is because she was constantly interfering in the match like she is Kaleb With A K. Like seriously, it was just a shenanigans, but it was seriously needed after that 30 minute drag fest. 

Nagisa Nozaki would keep piling on Mai Sakurai with her powerful moves, but Sakurai kept pushing. Unfortunately when it comes to energy, eventually you will run out. Nozaki nailed Sakurai with another Noah Lancer to get the three and her and CHIAKI are your brand new Twinstar Champions. 

Now listen, if you don't like this, then that is completely understandable. This is a just bunch of nonsense. I personally don't mind, but it is something very jarring in it comes differing opinions. This also marks the end of MiraiSaku as Twinstar Champions.

POST TIME!

I won't lie, I have been taking a bit of a break of watching wrestling. I have been more focus on getting some rest and watching wrestling from different kinds of era or years. I hate taking a break from wrestling. I remember having do something important when made me forced to miss stuff. But it was during December which is where nothing much happens.

I have unfinished business if I ever considered taking a full break from the sport and this blog is one of them. I will always have internal hate if I ever break away, but my mental strength kept saying, "Take A Break, you idiot!!" So yeah, I had to finally crave in. 

Anyway join me next time when I cover the Darkness period of these when I detail two reigns at once. The Dark Wolf Army and Bozilla & Tank. Goodbye for now. 

King Regards, 

ZERO (or Archer)