Tokyo, Japan
Shinkiba First Ring
June 2022
It’s a scene like dozens, if not hundreds, that Mina has taken part in before. Backstage at another venue before a match alongside her fellow Cosmic Angel, Tam Nakano. Ever since joining the promotion Mina has been basically attached at the hip to the Twilight Dream. Behind them is a white backdrop emblazoned with the logos of Stardom, its parent company BushiRoad and their new card game ReVerse. A slight breeze cools her skin despite the summer heat that seems to have followed them in from outside. There are a couple other people in the room, but they’re just the backstage camera crew there to record pre-match comments. It’s something being brought back exclusively for subscribers of Stardom’s streaming service.
All things which Mina has seen and done before. She’s a consummate professional, though, so she’s going to smile through the monotony and be the glamorous fan favorite everyone’s come to know and love. This isn’t that different from working through modeling sessions when she didn’t necessarily feel super energetic. Just smile and push through it, she reminded herself. Not that she dislikes the situation she’s in, it’s pretty comfortable all things considered. Having this same kind of routine has been just fine for the last couple of years. There’s something different about today, though. Something that makes this feel emptier than it ever has, though she keeps smiling through it. Most of this is Tam talking up their match and touching back upon her time overseas. Mina just smiles, nods, and tries not to dwell on whatever it is that’s throwing her off.
Tam Nakano: <“.. but today you have to face real women!”>
To emphasize whatever point she was making, Tam gives Mina’s chest a playful pat with both hands. It doesn’t bother her in the slightest. She’s quite comfortable playing up the curves she has which the average Japanese woman does not. In fact she’s proud of her looks and doesn’t care who knows it. This bit which Tam just resurrected from pre-match comments in the not so distant past? Rather than bothering her it just feels kind of empty like the rest of their surroundings.
Not bad, just too similar to what she’s been doing day in and day out for so long. But she’s got a sexy look that she’s proud of, so why not continue playing it up? Even if it has seemingly convinced the world that she was a model who happened to be a passable wrestler. Mina knows better than that. She knows how hard she’s worked to improve her in ring skills so that she might be taken a bit more seriously. Few people seem to notice that though. Oh wait, it’s time for the catch phrase to end the comments! Along with Tam she poses cutely for the camera and keeps on smiling.
Tam Nakano: “You and I..”
Mina Shirakawa: “Together are..”
Tam & Mina: “Delicious!”
After that the filming ceases and the match looms large. Tam and Mina shuffle away from the backdrop to begin limbering up for their tag team contest against Queen’s Quest. Just then she notices that Utami Hayashishita is standing right behind the camera operators. Maybe Utami is just waiting for her turn to record comments? As Mina passes by, she feels a firm hand suddenly seize her shoulder. It takes a moment for her to realize that it’s Utami, whose intense gaze petrifies her in place for a moment.
Utami Hayashishita: “If you want to be the gravure idol who wrestles, that’s fine. But you can be much more than that if you want to. It’s your choice.”
In the moment Mina just nods politely to Utami before following Tam to the gorilla position. Yet those words have already started to burrow into her heart.
******
Oklahoma City
The Present
We join a backstage space where a black backdrop emblazoned with the EBWF logo adorns the wall. It’s clear this is the spot reserved for interviews, and now we are treated to the first appearance of Mina Shirakawa in her pink and white ring gear. By comparison to the Crimson Queen, her smile seems quite genuine and pleasant.
Mina Shirakawa: “Hello America, sorry to keep you waiting! Tonight I get to make my EBWF debut, and I do hope you all enjoy seeing what I can do out there! I’m gonna show you all that not only am I a bombshell, I’m also a dangerous woman in the ring. Which brings me to Alexa Bliss.”
She beckons the camera closer.
Mina Shirakawa: “Alexa, tonight you’re going to be looking to rebound from that nasty loss you had recently. You’ve accomplished a lot in your career, so I know that I have to take you seriously. I hope you take me seriously too. It’s so annoying when someone looks at me and just think ‘nah, she’s not seriously going to fight is she?’. And you know what? The more people think that way the more I want to give them a spinning backfist to show them exactly what I can do.”
Mina rolls her eyes before continuing.
Mina Shirakawa: “Tonight I’m aiming to add another loss to your record and make all your little fans leave here disappointed. After all, the Crimson Queen believes in me. She saw something in me that no one else wanted to admit. And now I’m going to show the world exactly what Utami knew I always had deep down in my heart. I don’t hate you Alexa, but I’m giving you everything I’ve got tonight. I want everything you can give me back too. See you out there.”
She leans forward, blows a kiss toward the camera and then winks. We see Utami step into the frame briefly and motion for Mina to join her. With a nod Mina follows suit and the pair exit the scene.
Shinkiba First Ring
June 2022
It’s a scene like dozens, if not hundreds, that Mina has taken part in before. Backstage at another venue before a match alongside her fellow Cosmic Angel, Tam Nakano. Ever since joining the promotion Mina has been basically attached at the hip to the Twilight Dream. Behind them is a white backdrop emblazoned with the logos of Stardom, its parent company BushiRoad and their new card game ReVerse. A slight breeze cools her skin despite the summer heat that seems to have followed them in from outside. There are a couple other people in the room, but they’re just the backstage camera crew there to record pre-match comments. It’s something being brought back exclusively for subscribers of Stardom’s streaming service.
All things which Mina has seen and done before. She’s a consummate professional, though, so she’s going to smile through the monotony and be the glamorous fan favorite everyone’s come to know and love. This isn’t that different from working through modeling sessions when she didn’t necessarily feel super energetic. Just smile and push through it, she reminded herself. Not that she dislikes the situation she’s in, it’s pretty comfortable all things considered. Having this same kind of routine has been just fine for the last couple of years. There’s something different about today, though. Something that makes this feel emptier than it ever has, though she keeps smiling through it. Most of this is Tam talking up their match and touching back upon her time overseas. Mina just smiles, nods, and tries not to dwell on whatever it is that’s throwing her off.
Tam Nakano: <“.. but today you have to face real women!”>
To emphasize whatever point she was making, Tam gives Mina’s chest a playful pat with both hands. It doesn’t bother her in the slightest. She’s quite comfortable playing up the curves she has which the average Japanese woman does not. In fact she’s proud of her looks and doesn’t care who knows it. This bit which Tam just resurrected from pre-match comments in the not so distant past? Rather than bothering her it just feels kind of empty like the rest of their surroundings.
Not bad, just too similar to what she’s been doing day in and day out for so long. But she’s got a sexy look that she’s proud of, so why not continue playing it up? Even if it has seemingly convinced the world that she was a model who happened to be a passable wrestler. Mina knows better than that. She knows how hard she’s worked to improve her in ring skills so that she might be taken a bit more seriously. Few people seem to notice that though. Oh wait, it’s time for the catch phrase to end the comments! Along with Tam she poses cutely for the camera and keeps on smiling.
Tam Nakano: “You and I..”
Mina Shirakawa: “Together are..”
Tam & Mina: “Delicious!”
After that the filming ceases and the match looms large. Tam and Mina shuffle away from the backdrop to begin limbering up for their tag team contest against Queen’s Quest. Just then she notices that Utami Hayashishita is standing right behind the camera operators. Maybe Utami is just waiting for her turn to record comments? As Mina passes by, she feels a firm hand suddenly seize her shoulder. It takes a moment for her to realize that it’s Utami, whose intense gaze petrifies her in place for a moment.
Utami Hayashishita: “If you want to be the gravure idol who wrestles, that’s fine. But you can be much more than that if you want to. It’s your choice.”
In the moment Mina just nods politely to Utami before following Tam to the gorilla position. Yet those words have already started to burrow into her heart.
******
Oklahoma City
The Present
We join a backstage space where a black backdrop emblazoned with the EBWF logo adorns the wall. It’s clear this is the spot reserved for interviews, and now we are treated to the first appearance of Mina Shirakawa in her pink and white ring gear. By comparison to the Crimson Queen, her smile seems quite genuine and pleasant.
Mina Shirakawa: “Hello America, sorry to keep you waiting! Tonight I get to make my EBWF debut, and I do hope you all enjoy seeing what I can do out there! I’m gonna show you all that not only am I a bombshell, I’m also a dangerous woman in the ring. Which brings me to Alexa Bliss.”
She beckons the camera closer.
Mina Shirakawa: “Alexa, tonight you’re going to be looking to rebound from that nasty loss you had recently. You’ve accomplished a lot in your career, so I know that I have to take you seriously. I hope you take me seriously too. It’s so annoying when someone looks at me and just think ‘nah, she’s not seriously going to fight is she?’. And you know what? The more people think that way the more I want to give them a spinning backfist to show them exactly what I can do.”
Mina rolls her eyes before continuing.
Mina Shirakawa: “Tonight I’m aiming to add another loss to your record and make all your little fans leave here disappointed. After all, the Crimson Queen believes in me. She saw something in me that no one else wanted to admit. And now I’m going to show the world exactly what Utami knew I always had deep down in my heart. I don’t hate you Alexa, but I’m giving you everything I’ve got tonight. I want everything you can give me back too. See you out there.”
She leans forward, blows a kiss toward the camera and then winks. We see Utami step into the frame briefly and motion for Mina to join her. With a nod Mina follows suit and the pair exit the scene.