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I’ve seen Toyota and Kong a lot. I’m going to have to go back.
I was just thinking about what I love about Toyota. I think it’s something that jarred me when I was younger, because I’m so used to the American presentation of wrestling and the babyface/heel dynamic.
Toyota works her ass off, gets tied up, bombed, thrown about, etc. But she never carries herself too sympathetically. There’s always something about her manner that reminds me, anyway, that she picked this fight and she is very likely getting exactly what she wants out of it. And I can think of so many reasons this is smarter than conventional “live and die with me” methods.
Firstly, it adds a level of reality. She can seem a little smug at time. A really great athlete would be. It’s also less “doe-eyed.” Whether that would be a choice because she wants herself and AJW to be taken seriously, or if it’s primarily because the reality of a top fighter ALWAYS getting their ass handed to them and acting like it’s the biggest tragedy ever is just unrealistic. She’s got a way more nuanced and engaging persona overall because of it, I think.
It also keeps in mind her opponents, making them look good and like top athletes themselves that you don’t pigeon-hole into being a these total assholes for beating you up in the context of a wrestling match.
And look — I’m sure the women are aware of the fetishistic quality to whatever it is they can present. I would not put it past a lot of these women to understand that the sadomasochism of a personality that gets so vicious and willing to take as well as give probably made a lot of Japanese businessmen very happy.
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