Tensai & Sakamoto: A Passive-Agressive Man-Love Story?

[Curd]

With a lot of Tensai's on-screen heat revolving around his abuse of Sakamoto and Sakamoto's character development thus far amounting to standing by his man Tensai no matter badly mistreated,
http://www.tpww.net/2012/07/wwe-tensai-will-be-reprimanded-for-inappropriate-comments/
it is getting pretty close to the Marc Mero-Sable dynamic of late 1997 - mid 1998. The primary differences in this scenario are that both dramatic persona are men, Sakamoto doesn't walk around topless in painted-on patsies, and Tensai didn't say, "Sa(ble)-kamoto, disrobe me!" when Sakamoto has removed Tensai's robe in the ring.

Where do you think WWE are headed with the Tensai-Sakamoto man-servant abuse angle? Unless WWE do something dramatic with Sakamoto, I don't see him as breaking out as a huge babyface in act of defiance against Tensai. I think they are building towards Tensai pretty much stuffing Sakamoto in the fridge like Kane did with Paul Bearer. Your thoughts?

[Lock Jaw]

Sakamoto is going to snap and become a badass submission machine.

[Juan]

no

[Curd]

Sakamoto is going to snap and become a badass submission machine.

Memetic!

[Curd]

no

If not that, then what?

[Fignuts]

He'll get released and go back to Japan. Likely back to New Japan, but who knows? Maybe Noah, in their desperation for heavyweights will offer him a good deal with a long title run.

[gwaruk]

how about Yoshi Tatsu comes to Sakamoto's aid and they become "THE NEW KAIENTAI" :/

[Curd]

He'll get released and go back to Japan. Likely back to New Japan, but who knows? Maybe Noah, in their desperation for heavyweights will offer him a good deal with a long title run.

Having a WWE run definitely seems to give more influence in negotiating which fed to return to.

[Curd]

how about Yoshi Tatsu comes to Sakamoto's aid and they become "THE NEW KAIENTAI" :/

That would be great if WWE can avert the collateral PR damage by having this be this team be "Good" rather than "Evil!"

[Ultra Mantis]

It's clearly going to end in a violent rape, signifying the end of the PG era.

[Big Vic]

Sakamoto doesn't walk around topless in painted-on patsiesThey should change that.

[voncouch]

It's clearly going to end in a violent rape, signifying the end of the PG era.

http://gamingring.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Heidenrepe.jpg

[Fignuts]

Having a WWE run definitely seems to give more influence in negotiating which fed to return to.

Well, he's already a big enough deal in Japan where he could of gone where ever he wanted. The WWE run may push him to a world title run over there.

[DLVH84]

He'll get released and go back to Japan. Likely back to New Japan, but who knows? Maybe Noah, in their desperation for heavyweights will offer him a good deal with a long title run.

Sakamoto never wrestled for New Japan. He had wrestled for KAIENTAI-DOJO.

[Jordan]

I think WWE is going to far in punishing guys for being edgy on social media... it's fuckin WWE for Christ sake.

[Volare]

Sakamoto never wrestled for New Japan. He had wrestled for KAIENTAI-DOJO.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sUC2zalC_oE?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Heisenberg]

Matt Bloom was only doing what the writers told him to do on TV, I don't see where the problem is at. Obviously, Sakamoto is down with all the skits/beatdowns.

[Fignuts]

Sakamoto never wrestled for New Japan. He had wrestled for KAIENTAI-DOJO.

Was talking about Tensai.

[loopydate]

Matt Bloom was only doing what the writers told him to do on TV, I don't see where the problem is at. Obviously, Sakamoto is down with all the skits/beatdowns.

There was a Tout (since removed) where Tensai was berating Sakamoto in a car with derogatory comments about (among other things) Asian drivers and his race in general. I don't think that was a WWE production. I think it was them trying to further their characters Ryder-style, only... y'know, way more racist.

[MoFo]

I feel like there should be a Prince Albert joke ITT

[DLVH84]

There was a Tout (since removed) where Tensai was berating Sakamoto in a car with derogatory comments about (among other things) Asian drivers and his race in general. I don't think that was a WWE production. I think it was them trying to further their characters Ryder-style, only... y'know, way more racist.

Yeah, I think that's going too far there.

[Heisenberg]

There was a Tout (since removed) where Tensai was berating Sakamoto in a car with derogatory comments about (among other things) Asian drivers and his race in general. I don't think that was a WWE production. I think it was them trying to further their characters Ryder-style, only... y'know, way more racist.

I can see that, and it was uncalled for in the racist department, but did the WWE know where this guy has been since leaving them? In Japan, where he probably is regarded and understood over there, and I think it was blown out of proportion and was done for the good of trying to pump some heat into his Tensai character.

[DLVH84]

Yeah, sometimes you need to figure out the boundaries through trial and error, so you know what buttons to push and what buttons not to push. It's like a science in a way, trying to perfect your formula.

[Tom Guycott]

It's clearly going to end in a violent rape, signifying the end of the PG era.

Thus also somehow resolving the Heiden-rape angle with Michael Cole going "well, at least it wasn't ME this time!".

addendum :didn't see the picture from voncouch. Didn't load for me intially.:


They need to explain why a bit more. Maybe not play up the racism so much, but have it headed SOMEWHERE other than "Tensai loses: Sakamoto gets his ass beat just because and accepts it". Why does he put up with that shit? Is his devotion to Tensai that deep? If so, have him also do shit like interfere on his behalf instead of just throwing salt and standing around.

If they were going to pull the trigger on Tatsu/Tensai, they'd have done it. Instead, they took what could have been built into at least a short-term angle and used it to fuel a squash match to try and cement the since demoted Lord Tensai as a bulldozer with a wrecking ball attached. They could have easily booked ANYONE ELSE that night for the same results and saved Tatsu for later.

Oddly enough, about the "man-love" thing... after watching the match on RAW, I can somehow see them trying to somehow make this yet another gay angle without taking the Billy & Chuck route and instead NEVER coming out and explicitly saying it (or lampshading it heavily like so many 90's anime dubs). That little hug-thing Albert gave Saki just before kicking his ass did seem kinda... "out of place" if it were solely a fit of rage. It seemed more "Oh, shit, Sakimoto... I lost again... hold me... :realises what he just did: EWWW! WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU FAGGOT! I'M NOT GAY!! I LOVE WOMEN!!!"

[Aikido]

I understand that it was technically a "stereotypical" remark, it was a comment about all asians in general, therefore it wasn't racist, just stereotypical, either way, the way it was delievered and his personality in the tout, was funny as hell, and the delivery seemed not to phase sakamoto one bit, but your right, i would like to see some development in his(sakamoto's) character, such as the explanation as to why he is so loyal and takes it, perhaps with him eventually explaining, that Tensai saved his life or something, or prevented horrible beatdowns from other people whilst in Japan, and the little bit of aggression Tensai's shows him, is nothing compared to the abuse he used to recieve without tensai protecting him, so this way he not only no longer looks spineless, but has a deep rooted connection to Tensai's character, making it more believeable as to why he does deal with it, he figures "a couple of smacks here and there" is nothing compared to what would happen to him if Tensai didn't have his back.

[Curd]

Matt Bloom was only doing what the writers told him to do on TV, I don't see where the problem is at. Obviously, Sakamoto is down with all the skits/beatdowns.

Yeah, the creative team should never presume the individual wrestlers will have the right level of "common sense" every time. A few specific constraints for each skit would be cheap preventive maintenance, e.g. a skit ridiculing John Cena's fashion sense should be careful to not generalize about flamboyant folks who like bright colors, a skit mocking the Rock should be careful to not stereotype Pacific Islanders, etc.

[St. Jimmy]

Tensai could be huge if they drop the Oriental gimmick and just let him kill jobbers strong style.

[Curd]

Thus also somehow resolving the Heiden-rape angle with Michael Cole going "well, at least it wasn't ME this time!".

addendum :didn't see the picture from voncouch. Didn't load for me intially.:


They need to explain why a bit more. Maybe not play up the racism so much, but have it headed SOMEWHERE other than "Tensai loses: Sakamoto gets his ass beat just because and accepts it". Why does he put up with that shit? Is his devotion to Tensai that deep? If so, have him also do shit like interfere on his behalf instead of just throwing salt and standing around.

If they were going to pull the trigger on Tatsu/Tensai, they'd have done it. Instead, they took what could have been built into at least a short-term angle and used it to fuel a squash match to try and cement the since demoted Lord Tensai as a bulldozer with a wrecking ball attached. They could have easily booked ANYONE ELSE that night for the same results and saved Tatsu for later.

Oddly enough, about the "man-love" thing... after watching the match on RAW, I can somehow see them trying to somehow make this yet another gay angle without taking the Billy & Chuck route and instead NEVER coming out and explicitly saying it (or lampshading it heavily like so many 90's anime dubs). That little hug-thing Albert gave Saki just before kicking his ass did seem kinda... "out of place" if it were solely a fit of rage. It seemed more "Oh, shit, Sakimoto... I lost again... hold me... :realises what he just did: EWWW! WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU FAGGOT! I'M NOT GAY!! I LOVE WOMEN!!!"

+Rep for a stellar interpretation. It fits on so many levels.

[Curd]

Tensai could be huge if they drop the Oriental gimmick and just let him kill jobbers strong style.

Agreed. WWE is kind of reaching trying to blend misanthropy into a faux-foreigner gimmick.

[Curd]

I understand that it was technically a "stereotypical" remark, it was a comment about all asians in general, therefore it wasn't racist, just stereotypical, either way, the way it was delievered and his personality in the tout, was funny as hell, and the delivery seemed not to phase sakamoto one bit, but your right, i would like to see some development in his(sakamoto's) character, such as the explanation as to why he is so loyal and takes it, perhaps with him eventually explaining, that Tensai saved his life or something, or prevented horrible beatdowns from other people whilst in Japan, and the little bit of aggression Tensai's shows him, is nothing compared to the abuse he used to recieve without tensai protecting him, so this way he not only no longer looks spineless, but has a deep rooted connection to Tensai's character, making it more believeable as to why he does deal with it, he figures "a couple of smacks here and there" is nothing compared to what would happen to him if Tensai didn't have his back.

I imagine Joey Styles could provide a very serviceable backstory on this just as he did for the Hunico Sin Cara vs. Mistico Sin Cara feud.

[Shisen Kopf]

Jap Albert finally does something I like and the WWE deletes it. This pg crap is getting old.

[DLVH84]

Jap Albert finally does something I like and the WWE deletes it. This pg crap is getting old.

Yeah, I agree. I hate the Politically Correct bullshit.

[Tom Guycott]

I imagine Joey Styles could provide a very serviceable backstory on this just as he did for the Hunico Sin Cara vs. Mistico Sin Cara feud.

Either that, or at least add some sort of wrinkle in there... such as Sakamoto getting attacked by Tensai's opponent and having Tensai come in and rescue him. As in "Only *I* am allowed to beat him up!" and the announce team is all like "What the hell? Didn't see that coming. That's strange, he's been beating up on this follower of his for weeks and now he's... he's protecting him? What is going through the mind of Tensai?"

Any sort of depth aside from him being a bully with a victim (B.A.STAR!) and there being no hero.

[Skippord]

I would really like to see Tensai deeply kiss Sakamoto before beating him senseless, would really be good for the gay BDSM wrestling fans to see.

[Heisenberg]

WWE took the vid down on YouTube.

[Tom Guycott]

Albert gets in trouble for a TOUT, a something no one even knew was even a thing prior to last week's RAW, about Japanese drivers being lousy. Retracted and apologized for.

Slick goes on NATIONAL TELEVISION about how he's "promised a bunch of yardbird" (fried chicken) to do the wedding. Not one cry of racisim.

WWE logic. It's MAGICAL!

[owenbrown]

there's logic in WWE?

[Autobahn]

Why is this being complained over? We know it is a PG company - it would be pretty hypocritical of them not to do anything over Tensais remark.

Plus Slick can hardly be puinished considering he is paid per appearance most likely. Doesn't excuse it, but if he was a full time performer he would have probably had the same punishment.

[Curd]

Plus Slick can hardly be puinished considering he is paid per appearance most likely. Doesn't excuse it, but if he was a full time performer he would have probably had the same punishment.

That makes sense. If this were the Attitude Era, then I suppose WWE would have Slick ask a wheelchair-using Kamala if he got the disability check yet. Kamala could then press slam Slick without leaving his chair.

[Joesgonnakillyou]

You have used the phrase "passive-agressive" incorrectly.

You're welcome.

[FourFifty]

I would really like to see Tensai deeply kiss Sakamoto before beating him senseless, would really be good for the gay BDSM wrestling fans to see.

it would work out with that 50 shades of grey book.