Io Shirai

[Grimmas]

Discuss here.

[benjaminkicks]

I nominated Shirai, because she might have enough stuff to fall on the back half of my list. I think she's one of the best workers in Japan, and have for a few years now.

 

What do you guys think of Io?

[BillThompson]

I like her a lot, for me though I think it's an issue of her best stuff that I've seen being good to great, but not blow away. I haven't seen a lot though, and if I see more and she keeps up the high quality I could see her sneaking onto the end of my list.

[Microstatistics]

Best joshi worker of the modern era? Certainly a contender. She should fare a lot better this time considering the strength of her post-2015 run in Stardom and even WWE.

[elliott]

No rush here but requesting a primer. Shes someone I want to take a look at but would be jumping in completely blind. Best matches, peak years etc. 

[Boss Rock]

vs. Meiko Satomura 12/23/2015

vs. Mayu Iwatani 12/22/2016

vs. Shayna Baszler 12/23/2017

w/ Tam Nakano vs. Kagetsu and Natsu Sumire 4/1/2018

vs. Meiko Satomura 4/19/2018

vs. Momo Watanabe 5/23/2018

2015-2018 are probably her biggest years but she's been doing pretty well in NXT, though I've admittedly not seen a ton of it.

[jushin muta liger]

Weeks ago, I thought I wouldn't put her in a top 100 list but  performances like the one against Raquel Gonzalez just reminded how great she was.

Timing really hurt her case as she really turned into one of the best wrestlers in the world from late 2015 until present day. Haven't kept up with her in NXT as much as I wanted to but she's definitely one of the best wrestlers in the last decade.

[WingedEagle]

A low-end WOTD candidate until coming to the States.  I'm not sure where she'll rank but can't imagine I'll have many women ahead of her.

[NotJayTabb]

Very much looking forward to the Io watch party, she feels like someone who's more likely to make my list than not. Good NXT run, really like what I've seen of her in Stardom and there's bonus points for having one of the best matches I've ever seen live (against Kay Lee Ray in a small pub in London).

As regards watching more, I was thinking of re-subbing to Stardom World and was wondering what it's like in terms of archive stuff? I used it in 2016-17, and it was mainly new shows, but with a few older bits on there. I'm interested in catching up, but I'd initially be using for old favourites like Io, Hojo and Act.

[Kadaveri]

1 hour ago, NotJayTabb said:

As regards watching more, I was thinking of re-subbing to Stardom World and was wondering what it's like in terms of archive stuff? I used it in 2016-17, and it was mainly new shows, but with a few older bits on there. I'm interested in catching up, but I'd initially be using for old favourites like Io, Hojo and Act.

Stardom World currently has every show from August 2017 - present and bit and pieces from 2011-17. They're slowly adding older shows in between tours.

[Rah]

.

[CurtainJerker]

She was the undisputed ace of Stardom before it got big after the buyout and it got a bunch of new viewers via TV + PPV. She carried the load on her back to keep the company in business and was proud to do it. I thankfully have all of Stardom's archive saved so I can relive her matches. Most have big time feels even with a small attendance or at a spot show. She can do Jeff Hardy highspots with Kana strikes or by the book matwork. 

As far as recommended matches, obviously she has classics as documented here. But she passes the random match test, too. So if anyone wants to sample her, just search for her stuff and an opponent you've heard of and chances are the match is good.

She takes insanely high risks, such as moonsaults off on top of the concrete stairs and cage highspots. Her stamina is insane. Great in stables and tag teams as well.

She was good before Stardom. I was able to get her "Triple Tails" run with her sister Mio and Kana (Asuka) in NEO and Smash in the early 2010s and saw she was always fine, although Mio seemed more of a natural early on, if not better. I believe the final key to Io's skillset was Mexico. 

Bonus points for a jaw-dropping Lucha Underground episode vs Pentagon, Jr.

For me, she truly is the total package. I followed her to NXT, and she captivated the live crowds and did as best as she could considering the show's bad management. She actually was able to move the dial early on, before AEW ran away with it. NXT did help her get more popular outside of Japan. She's in the ring with green nobodies now, and she tries her best to keep a match on track.

Doing deep dives into Io's complete career may not easy for many people because one has to be creative in order to get the older stuff, but I don't want people thinking she was only good post-2015. In 2009, it was clear she was going to be someone, even if she was behind Kana and Mio in 2010. Watching Stardom from the beginning in early 2011, Io immediately stands out when she makes her debut in August and immediately challenges for titles and formed a stable. In 2014 she won the 5★Star GP.

The fact that WWE has denied fans from seeing Asuka vs Io is a travesty. 

[MichaelZ]

I think Io is just about a lock for my list at this point and has a chance to rise. Most of the arguments are covered above ring true. Since the time of the last post she has been been really solid in singles and tags in the WWE main roster, demonstrating her high floor and ability to have chemistry with whoever they match her up with. When you add that her ability to put up high-end matches as an ace in Stardom and then her versatility (solid on the mat, can brawl, the wow high spots), she has a really solid case. 
I encourage people to check out those matches in Boss Rock’s post, they are excellent  

 

[Clayton Jones]

I love the weird synchronicity projects like this create. I was also coming here to post for the first time in two months specifically to talk about how much I'm enjoying watching Io lately. She was on my rough draft as a "maybe, just outside the box" contender, but she is just so damn consistently good that her chances for me are looking better and better. It's the combination of her aura/star power along with her versatility that make her a must-watch, no matter if the match looks particularly interesting on paper. And that's still with me admittedly having big blind spots for her as I've never been the biggest Stardom fan. But thanks to the recommendations above I have more awesome stuff to dig into from her already very formidable career. Also bonus points for a rare banger of a modern WWE entrance song.

[Tetsujin]

Every Big match I see or her on STARDOM, she looks like one of the very best wrestlers ever. Amazing final boss aura, perfectly portrayed throughout every aspect of her ringwork: you can't outsmart her, you can't outbrawl her, she's always the strongest, the fastest, hell even the most athletic. Gaining momentum over her feels like a true accomplishment, specially paired with cool underdogs like Mayu. I can't wait to watch even more of that part of her career. Fucking WWE.

[EnviousStupid]

With almost every match I see from her Stardom run, the more I feel inclined to call her the best joshi ace I've ever seen, and that's against the likes of Aja Kong, Bull Nakano, Chigusa Nagayo. For the qualities and ability that kind of role asks from a wrestler, I think that Io covers the most ground.