Posted February 12, 200916 yr comment_5437183 Ginnetty, 1988 Season Set, Disc 24 Antonio Inoki vs. Tatsumi Fujinami - This was the conclusion of a pretty kick-ass tornament and featured the natural storyline of the veteran kingpin returning from injury to take on his protege, who has risen to the top spot in the company. It certainly felt like a big match, and I can't fault the effort of either guy. Both worked pretty hard for most of the 60 minutes. They did a lot of grappling but generally worked holds instead of just lying around (though the matwork wasn't top-notch.) I guess I just have a high bar for hour draws because they ask for such a commitment from me as a viewer. My complaint here was the lack of an obvious plot. I guess they were going for a story where Fujinami threw everything he had only for Inoki to parry, first with guile and later with sheer toughness and endurance. But they didn't build to big moments that got that story across. Instead, the big exchanges felt more my-turn, your-turn, with some very abrupt transitions. So it came off mostly as an exhibition, albeit an intense one, of the techniques shared by these men. That's not quite my kind of match. I actually found the post-match, with Choshu hoisting Inoki onto his shoulders out of respect for his effort, more moving than anything in the 60 minutes. So I wouldn't put it on the set, but I think it's something the rest of the panel should watch in case it just hit me wrong.
