"It's a special venue for the spectators too, because you can really feel the presence of the fans. I get nervous just watching. The unity between the wrestlers and the fans. Korakuen Hall is second to none."

The most memorable match I've ever had is... My match with Jackie. [On July 18, 1987, Kamitori faced Jackie Sato, with whom he had a long-standing grudge. He punched his opponent in the face, forcing him to lose the will to fight, and then injured him with an armlock. The match, which went beyond the scope of professional wrestling, was called a "fight match" or "punishment."] It's nothing in this day and age (laughs). We have Vale Tudo after all. It's normal for faces to be swollen or injured by joint locks. Well, maybe it was a bit ahead of its time (laughs).

So, I really did Vale Tudo at L-1, organized by LLPW. It was the first women's Vale Tudo tournament in the world. At the time, I was told, "Women can't do it. It's too dangerous." But I did it, and so did the other fighters. We beat each other up in the face, choked each other, and locked each other's joints in the cage. The fans and the media were surprised, but I was like, "I got it." I won the first round and the semi-finals according to theory, with a sleeper hold after a tackle, but I lost in the final (to Gundarenko Svetlana, a judoka who weighed 120 kg and was in the top eight at the Barcelona Olympics), which was mentally damaging for me. Because we gathered the best fighters from all over the world, it was a big blow to the company's profitability (laughs).

Then there was the match with Tenryu (Genichiro). It was a mixed match, not an exhibition, but an official match. And when I did it, it didn't feel strange at all (laughs). It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman, so I went all out. Tenryu responded and came at me hard. He punched me with his fist, kicked me in the face, and my face swelled up to about three times its size. In the end, I lost by TKO when he threw in the towel. But on the other hand, he said, "Even a man wouldn't fight that hard," so I had nothing to be scared of. My opponent is the only fighter who has won by pinfall against both Baba and Inoki. I gained a lot from it.
"There's always someone better than you." You mean there are no female wrestlers who think about their strength in the same way as men? That makes sense, if you put it that way (laughs). But I've been conscious of men's wrestling since I became a pro. If I were to use women's wrestling as a reference, I wouldn't be able to surpass it. People told me, "You've entered the women's pro league, so you have to watch women's pro league," but I don't think they're being meddlesome, that's how it is.

"Ever since I turned pro, I've been conscious of men's wrestling. I want to break the mold of women's wrestling. I think I'm especially conscious of the pursuit of strength more than other female wrestlers."

My future goal is to become a fixer in the world of women's wrestling (laughs). People say to me, "Fixers are people who control things from behind the scenes, so they shouldn't be out in the open like you are." I want to eventually unify the world of women's wrestling, which is so chaotic with so many organizations. "I quit. I went to another organization. But I came back again." It's a mess in this industry. There's no logic or reason. We need to set clear standards for professionals and amateurs. There are a lot of girls who ask me, "How did you become a professional with that level of ability?" I want to be strict with LLPW as well, such as training young wrestlers and setting standards for debuting.

But I was called an outlaw and a problem child, so I'm surprised I've come this far (laughs). I said something arrogant like "I want to make the world of women's wrestling a proper place" (laughs). I guess it's the environment. I think I've changed as well since Japan Women's collapsed and I started creating LLPW with my friends. I've met a lot of people outside the industry who support me and cheer me on. If I had to say what's been the biggest thing about wrestling so far, it's the encounters with those people. Maybe it's also big that it's a group we created ourselves. Of course, I'm in a position of responsibility, but that's why I feel attached to it, and when you do it, you see the results of your efforts. That suits my personality.

As a wrestler, I want to master and perfect women's wrestling. I think I'm searching for the answer to "This is women's wrestling!" The value and reputation of a wrestler doesn't have to do with winning or losing. It's not over when you lose, the drama continues from there. It's an excitement I didn't get in martial arts or judo, and it's also a difficult part. Other Sports can be done without spectators, right? All you need is the opponents and a referee to do the bare minimum. But wrestling isn't like that. Wrestling is only wrestling when it's under the eyes of the audience.

When I think about it, I think Korakuen Hall is a really well-designed venue. You really feel close to the audience. It's shaped like a mortar, so it's easy to see from anywhere. I think it's a special venue for the spectators too. I watch boxing matches by people I know, or women's wrestling events by other groups from the audience, and I get really nervous. It feels like I'm in the match myself. Even though I'm just watching, I feel exhausted after it's over (laughs). Korakuen Hall is unmatched in terms of the sense of unity between the wrestlers and the audience.
The history and time spent at Korakuen are also important. I think professional wrestlers grow while being trained by the gazes of the Korakuen crowd. Fans who have never been to Korakuen Hall should come at least once and experience the excitement. Even if it's just after visiting an amusement park, it's fine. It's a different kind of thrill than a roller coaster (laughs).