American Joshi promotion Sukeban to debut this month in New York

A new American-based Joshi promotion, Sukeban, is set to debut in New York later this month. 

The promotion’s first-ever event is scheduled for Thursday, September 21 at The Capitale in Manhattan. 

Tickets for the show went on sale at 10 a.m. Eastern time on Friday. However, the company has since announced they sold out within two hours of being released. 

“Featuring the strongest women’s roster in North America, Sukeban will hearken back to the glory days of Joshi wrestling to present the authentic, hard-hitting, phenomenal Joshi experience,” a press release for the promotion reads, via PWInsider. 

Former Future of Stardom Champion Unagi Sayaka is set to headline the show against Saori Anou, who is currently one-half of the Goddess of Stardom Champions with Natsupoi. However, both wrestlers will be adopting new names while in Sukeban. Sayaka will be known as Ichigo Sayaka while Anou will wrestle under the name Countess Saori. The winner of the match will earn the right to challenge for the Sukeban World Championship on the promotion’s second event, although a date and venue for the show have yet to be announced. 

“The Sukeban name is an ode to the girl gangs of the 1960s and 1970s that helped bring feminism to the forefront of Japan. Sukeban’s roster features many of the world’s best wrestlers portraying new characters that they have helped influence and create. The company’s four stables, The Vandals, Harajuku Stars, Cherry Bomb Girls, and Dangerous Liaisons, feud with one another to reach the apex of Sukeban,” the press release continues. 

Other talent announced for the promotion include: 

  • Ram Kaichow as Atomic Banshee
  • Kaori Yoneyama as Otaku-chan
  • AOI as Midnight Player
  • Maya Yukihi as Maya Mamushi
  • Yuu as Crush Yuu
  • SAKI as Saki Bimi
  • Ancham as Babyface
  • Riko Kaiju as Riko Blondie
  • Arisa Nakajima as Commander Nakajima
  • Risa Sera as Lady Antoinette
  • Miyuki Takase as Queen of Hearts

The full press release is below. 

Sukeban World Premiere Set for September 21st in New York City

Joshi Wrestling Company to Debut at Capitale in Downtown Manhattan, with Tickets on Sale Now

First Ever All-Japanese Joshi Wrestling Company in the United States Brings Japan’s Top Female Wrestlers to a Global Audience

Coming Soon Trailer Previews Sukeban’s High-Octane Action and Unique Anime and Live Action Content

New York, NY (September 1, 2023) – Sukeban, the first ever Joshi women’s wrestling company outside of Japan featuring an entirely Japanese roster, will hold its World Premiere event on September 21, 2023 at Capitale in New York City. Featuring the strongest women’s roster in North America, Sukeban will hearken back to the glory days of Joshi wrestling to present the authentic, hard-hitting, phenomenal Joshi experience.

The Sukeban coming soon trailer, available here, highlights the intense action, anime influence, and world-class competition that Sukeban will offer fans.

Tickets go on sale for the World Premiere today, Friday, September 1st at 10 a.m. ET exclusively via DICE, conveniently linked from www.sukeban.com. The main event of the World Premiere event will feature Ichigo Sayaka (aka Unagi Sayaka) vs. Countess Saori (aka Saori Anou), with the winner competing for the Sukeban World Championship at Sukeban’s second event in the United States, to be announced in the coming weeks.

The Sukeban name is an ode to the girl gangs of the 1960s and 1970s that helped bring feminism to the forefront of Japan. Sukeban’s roster features many of the world’s best wrestlers portraying new characters that they have helped influence and create. The company’s four stables, The Vandals, Harajuku Stars, Cherry Bomb Girls, and Dangerous Liaisons, feud with one another to reach the apex of Sukeban. The contracted roster, signed to long-term deals, includes:

The Vandals

Atomic Banshee, portrayed by Ram Kaichow

Otaku-chan, portrayed by Kaori Yoneyama

Midnight Player, portrayed by AOI

BINGO, portrayed by ???

Harajuku Stars

Ichigo Sayaka, portrayed by Unagi Sayaka

Maya Mamushi, portrayed by Maya Yukihi

Saki Bimi, portrayed by SAKI

Babyface, portrayed by Ancham

Cherry Bomb Girls

Crush Yuu, portrayed by Yuu

Supersonic, portrayed by ???

Riko Blondie, portrayed by Riko Kaiju

Dangerous Liaisons

Countess Saori, portrayed by Saori Anou

Commander Nakajima, portrayed by Arisa Nakajima

Lady Antoinette, portrayed by Risa Sera

Queen of Hearts, portrayed by Miyuki Takase

Unaffiliated

Stray Cat, portrayed by ???

In addition to exciting wrestlers added to the roster, the World Premiere event at Capitale in New York City features several elements that will make the event unique:

  • Championship Belt, unveiled in New York, designed and created by the greatest industrial designer of this generation, Marc Newson.
  • Wrestler costumes and all merchandise designed by world-famous creative director and fashion designer Olympia Le-Tan.
  • Hats created by the most important milliner in history, Stephen Jones
  • Finger nail art by social media superstar Mei Kawajiri (Nails by Mei).
  • Anime and manga art by fast-rising artist and author Sakana Koji.

Sukeban’s debut event in New York will be followed by further events around the United States and globally, with additional plans to be announced in the coming weeks. With ambitious growth plans and a strategic focus on its content ecosystem, Sukeban is poised to expand operations worldwide and pull from numerous lucrative revenue streams.

For more information, visit sukeban.com and follow Sukeban on Instagram, TikTok, and X at @sukeban_world.