Battle Guide - Misawa vs Kobashi

Hello wrestling fans! Mitsuharu Misawa vs Kenta Kobashi was the ultimate rivalry when I got into Japanese wrestling. Dave Meltzer gave their matches all kinds of stars (back when it meant something). Their matches for AJPW in the late 90's pushed the boundaries of what pro wrestling could be. I definitely think their matches are worth seeing to this day. If you haven't seen their work against each other then, I have a guide for you!

Now let me preface this by saying this isn't an exhaustive list of all of their encounters. These are the BIG ones. These are the MUST SEE ones. Absolutely feel free to fill in the gaps. Any additional matches that you see during King's Road AJPW, the richer your experience will be. That said, don't feel obligated. If you just want to dive right in - go for it!

So a little back story: Misawa and Kobashi had been allies since the Jumbo vs. Misawa feud of 1990. Generally speaking, this was a feud of old guard vs the new stars (Akira Taue was on Jumbo's side). Then late 1992 and into 1993 Toshiaki Kawada split from Misawa partnership. He paired with Akira Taue. Misawa needed a new tag partner and Kobashi stepped up into that role. Here's when you have the real heart of the Misawa vs Kawada rival from 1993-1995. 1996 is when things changed up and Kobashi wanted to strike out on his own. It's less about animosity like Kawada's split and more about making his own legacy. This is a simplification of it but, it will absolutely get you primed for the matches below:

Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 03/31/96) - This is the first BIG match these two had in the “Kobashi challenges Misawa” feud. This is an awesome place for someone to start watching 90’s AJPW. It’s got the two bigger names going at it and not pulling any punches PLUS it’s still got the depth for the time period BUT isn’t a spot match. This is a good bridge between the early 90's style and the later style. Awesome stuff that they go on to top it! 

Big jump in time here... a lot of Misawa vs Kobashi in 1996 is Kobashi "figuring out" who his new tag partner is going to be as well as fighting towards for the Triple Crown Championship. That leads into the next match.

Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (AJPW 01/20/97) - Man alive! What a spectacular war of attrition & a chiropractor's dream. A beastly battle with both men injured. A must-see classic! One of the best men's heavyweight matches ever! I don't think there's much debate on the quality of this match.

In this next gap, you may want to check out the triangle match for the Champion Carnival finals from 1997. This involves Kawada as well. It's actually three separate matches instead of 3 guys wrestling at the same time. Also note that Kobashi had his tag partner by this time, Johnny Ace. Yup, that Johnny Ace. They had a pretty good team and had some great matches at this time. You might want to look into those.

Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (AJPW 10/21/97) - Kobashi was absolutely brutal in this one! I became deeply concerned for Misawa health as neck chops, lariats, and suplexes were thrown with burning intensity and the champ was looking for a respite to realign his neck & upper back. Although the former Tiger Mask II is known for ability to persevere in the face of an onslaught, things looked rather grim with the massive Kobashi chopping away. Still the emerald pants'd ace pulled moves out of his past & out of thin air to try and put down Kobashi. This match was not as deep as the 01/20/97 encounter especially with the phenomenal "injured arm" angle worked throughout that one. This match is a classic for it's relentless pace, intensity, and heart. Furthermore, this bout put the Orange Crush over in a big way. Another must-see!

In this gap in time, Jun Akiyama has now broken away from Misawa. A good portion of early 1998 focuses on him challenging Misawa. Kobashi is in a holding pattern. May & June '98, Kobashi is brought back up to the main stage, so to speak. Misawa also appeared to be injured during this period and some of the summer. Kobashi, Kawada and Akiyama have some excellent matches in this time. 1998 All Japan is wrestled closer to what would become the NOAH or Ark Style. This places more emphasis on action and high spots versus storytelling and pacing.

Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (AJPW 10/31/98) - This one was wrestled more in the style with Misawa employing all of his Tiger Mask style offense. This was a real treat to see him flying around. Kobashi, now looking something like a bull, was especially vicious with his throws. One could even say careless at times. I felt the 5 Crown King was dumped on one too many times. Misawa was put in a position to under-sell or kick out of hellacious suplexes. That's not to say the Orange Crush didn't get beat on. He received one of the the most dangerous apron move I've seen. Kenta Kobashi over exerts himself. He gets winded and is open to the Misawa onslaught. That's the story of this match- rope a dope. I really thinks that's why the ending went as it did.With that said, they depended too much on highspots and not enough on traditional AJPW style wrestling. Certainly not the same level of the 1997 bouts but still a must see. They've set the bar THAT high.

Kobashi & Akiyama have paired up. Misawa has found a partner in AJPW junior wrestler Yoshinari Ogawa. Generally speaking, Ogawa hadn't made an impact on BIG programs since the early & mid '90's. This was more of a booking issue rather than a skill issue. Ogawa who is a very quick and a psychological wrestler was elevated. This elevating of juniors is something we'll see more from Misawa in NOAH.

Burning (Kobashi & Akiyama) vs. Untouchables (Misawa & Ogawa) (AJPW 03/06/99) - This was a fantastic must see match. That’s not just for the time period either. This was surprisingly awesome. Misawa and Ogawa’s chemistry is great. Burning has come together as a team in their own right and were equally impressive. Plenty of great tag team maneuvers and teases. This was an AJPW style that went back to the early 90s in terms of surprises and timing. This was not the pinnacle King’s Road style however, there was a surplus of excitement and drama nonetheless. It’s got everything. This would be an excellent match to watch if you want a taste of classic 90's AJPW. This was a true gem.

Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi (AJPW 06/11/99) - Just when you thought the All Japan golden era is done, Misawa and Kobashi give you another reason to keep watching. The whole match is a misdirection based off of their previous bouts. Exciting mat wrestling, meaningful submission holds, selling that borders on absolutely legitimate, stiffness and plenty of surprises keep this one exciting. And just when you think it's over, it's not!

Burning (Kobashi/Akiyama) vs. Untouchables (Misawa/Ogawa) (AJPW 10/23/99) - This is probably the greatest action/workrate style tag match ever done. Is that hyperbole? Probably but not by much. Now the version I have, they edit out a small portion at the beginning but, I can’t think it was too much. The combat here was hot and hard hitting throughout. Ogawa, of course, brought his chicanery but, worked so fast and tight that he deserved to be in a true title fight with the heavyweights. Misawa was not a slouch either, proving he still has IT with multiple dives and splashes. Kobashi was Japanese Hercules and Akiyama had finally grown into his boots. The Blue boy brought the moves and stiffness many didn’t think he had until NOAH. Other than that I can’t say enough good things about the match. So, I will declare it’s not the same match you would expect in the hey days of '93-96 but, it is just an awesome display of grit, drama, and courage. I would watch this match without hesitation. One of those matches I slept on for awhile but, so glad I finally saw it. 

In between, AJPW loses its focus with the death of Giant Baba. Pro Wrestling NOAH is formed by the bulk of the All Japan roster. Misawa is it's leader. His initial focus to reduce he and Kobashi's role as the focal point of the promotion. He wants to elevate much of the younger talent as well as have Jun Akiyama be the ace. To do this he wants to have he & Kobashi be stepping stones for Akiyama. Unfortunately, Kobashi is facing injuries very early in the promotion's formative years. Things don't necessarily go as planned from a booking perspective. Misawa must revitalize his rivalry with Kenta Kobashi when he's fully healthy. The stage is set in early 2003.

Kenta Kobashi & Akira Taue vs. Masahiro Chono & Mitsuharu Misawa  (NOAH 01/10/03) - This is an optional match but is a dream match that really delivered. Chono and Taue aren't as athletic as they used to be but they still know the fundamentals of timing and ring placement. They still know how to perform their signature moves at the right time for the most effect. So, in part Taue and Chono were just being Chono and Taue in a match where the most wrestling excitement came from Misawa and Kobashi. That's a big reason to include it. But, even as I say that Taue and Chono delivered surprising moments that kept the excitement up there too. It was just neat seeing Chono with these 3 other legends. I don't think the perfomance was anything beyond what could have been done at Kouraken Hall and may have gone over better there but, was fun bit of wrestling for me and the fans in attendance. In terms of the Misawa vs Kobashi rivalry, it's the big time lead in to their singles match a couple months later.

Mitsuhara Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi (NOAH 03/01/03) - The heir apparent to their 10/31/98 classic. This was very crazy but it was focused on a series of spots much like the Halloween '98 match. This isn't necessarily bad but it was nowhere on the level of 01/20/97 or 06/11/99 in terms of a full on wrestling war. This makes sense though. They're older and the style of wrestling at large was more had changed. Should you watch it? Heck yeah! In fact, you might find it to be the most "modern" match. 

There you have it! Those are the BIG ones. If you're brand new to 90's AJPW then, I think these are a fantastic way to get started. The Kobashi vs Misawa saga is a little less story driven than Kawada vs Misawa. Therefore I think there's an easier entry point with Kobashi vs Misawa. Of course, there's smaller tag matches and singles encounters you could pepper in between the matches above. Kobashi had a tag team with Johnny Ace for awhile. Maybe look at more of Kobashi & Akiyama. You could check out the Champion Carnival matches from '97 - 2000 as well. If you want to start a little earlier, they have a match from 10/25/95 that some think is a classic while others don't think it reaches that level. Some think that concerning 03/31/96. It really depends how you want to handle it. My big recommendation would be to pace yourself...regardless of how you do it. Space these classic matches out in between your normal wrestling watching. Don't binge them. You'll become desensitized and won't appreciate what you're watching. One match a week would be the minimum in my opinion. They aren't short matches either. Plan accordingly 😁

Thanks for reading!