March 1, 201411 yr comment_5591371 No, I'm not going into it too much but you since you asked I will say that Tanahashi at the top or near the top would split the audience somewhat like Cena and for somewhat similar but yet different reasons too. At the same time would not drive audience members away due to him being awesome enough to keep fans. He'd have these unique traits about him that would compel people to watch and at the same feel emotions that other wrestlers wouldn't get even if those wrestlers were perceived to be better. If I am booker, I keep Tanahashi at the top very similar to what NJPW is doing. I think he's a compelling character.
March 2, 201411 yr comment_5591376 I don't think any of the guys listed would make it. I do think a modern-day Phil Hickerson made up to look Japanese going by the name Garth Karate would most definitely headline.
March 2, 201411 yr comment_5591393 No, I'm not going into it too much but you since you asked I will say that Tanahashi at the top or near the top would split the audience somewhat like Cena and for somewhat similar but yet different reasons too. At the same time would not drive audience members away due to him being awesome enough to keep fans. He'd have these unique traits about him that would compel people to watch and at the same feel emotions that other wrestlers wouldn't get even if those wrestlers were perceived to be better. If I am booker, I keep Tanahashi at the top very similar to what NJPW is doing. I think he's a compelling character. You just wrote an entire paragraph of vague buzzwords and generic character cliches. "Tanahashi would succeed due to his synergy".
March 2, 201411 yr comment_5591399 As badly as I want to say Okada, of the guys listed I would agree with Dylan and go with Nakamura. I could see Vince totally getting into his gimmick. But like someone else mentioned, the best answer is probably Minoru Suzuki. Put him with Heyman and I could see a year long main event run where he puts over Cena in the end working out very well.
March 2, 201411 yr comment_5591404 I also like Suzuki as a pick. When I first saw him in 2007, I remember thinking that if WWE let him do his thing, he'd be the most over heel in the company in a month's time even if he never cut a single promo.
March 2, 201411 yr comment_5591435 I don't think any of the guys listed would make it. I do think a modern-day Phil Hickerson made up to look Japanese going by the name Garth Karate would most definitely headline. I thought that's what they were going with when they introduced Lord Tensai. But then he took the entrance garb off and he was Albert again. Who was the most successful Japanese wrestler in WWE history? Probably Killer Khan or Taka Michinoku. Hakushi and the Jumping Bomb Angels come to mind. Giant Baba main-evented MSG but that was a one shot deal. Any others?
March 2, 201411 yr comment_5591454 I don't know if I'd call him successful, but the one that made the most money for himself has got to be Funaki. I don't think that the WWE has matured enough to be able to have a Japanese wrestler that isn't a Mysterious Oriental.
March 2, 201411 yr comment_5591469 Tajiri is the most successful in history in the sense that he was around forever, at points reasonably well booked, and though never a main eventer, there were points where he wasn't purely a jobber either. I suppose you could argue Saito as a better pick if you go far enough back
March 2, 201411 yr comment_5591483 In terms of face and name recognition, Mr. Fuji may be the most recognized if you go back even further.
March 2, 201411 yr comment_5591486 In terms of face and name recognition, Mr. Fuji may be the most recognized if you go back even further. Not Japanese though, so this would open the door for Yokozuna.
March 2, 201411 yr comment_5591517 In terms of face and name recognition, Mr. Fuji may be the most recognized if you go back even further. Not Japanese though, so this would open the door for Yokozuna. Wait a second...
March 2, 201411 yr comment_5591547 Yokozuna kayfabe was Japanese though so it has been done and done very well IMO but not nonkayfabe wise. The fans have been changing over the years. With the way they are now and the way they are going, it makes it all the more likely that they would love and appreciate a great Japanese talent at the top of the card. The WWE itself in the ring has been influenced and inevitably become more Japanese like which is resulting in a lot of terrific matches. It'd be awesome to see Japanese talent at the top.
March 3, 201411 yr comment_5591570 I had no idea he wasn't Japanese. Fuji was born in Hawaii but he's of Japanese descent.
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