Japanese wrestlers
Edit: because many of you purposefully ignore the actual question at hand ill point it out to you. It's on the last paragraph. Again im talking about the way wwe uses many of them e.g Tensai.
I’ve got a wrestling take about Japanese wrestlers in WWE.
People like Asuka, Kairi Sane, Shinsuke Nakamura, Hideo Itami/KENTA, Iyo Sky, Giulia, and Akira Tozawa are all incredibly talented. Their in ring ability is undeniable, and honestly some of them are great on the mic too in terms of charisma, emotion, and presence.
But something I’ve noticed is that WWE often has them cut promos mostly in Japanese. I’m not saying that in a xenophobic way at all, it’s more about audience connection. Unless you’re watching on TV with subtitles or commentary giving context, a lot of fans in the arena don’t fully understand what’s being said.
At first, the aura and uniqueness make them really interesting, but over time the interest from parts of the audience seems to fade. And honestly, especially since the TKO era started, though this happened even before that too, it feels like a lot of Japanese wrestlers eventually end up being treated as side acts, comedy characters, or people who barely get used at all. Some just disappear backstage for months with no direction.
Then WWE introduces another Japanese wrestler and leans into the same “mysterious foreign star” presentation again instead of building a fully developed long term character.
For me, the issue isn’t talent at all, the talent is clearly there. The problem feels more like WWE creative not fully knowing how to consistently present Japanese wrestlers beyond stereotypes or short term hype.
What do you guys think? Is it mainly the language barrier, or more of a WWE booking and presentation problem?
Posted May 7, 2026, 12:28 PM UTC