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========Fire Prowrestling D Character Guide: Tigermask========
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== ==
==By: ViperMask ==
==Version: 1.27 ==
== ==
==System: SEGA Dreamcast (R.I.P. Dreamcast) ==
==Publisher: Spike ==
==Developer: Vaill Corporation ==
== ==
==Creation Date: March 10, 2002. ==
==Completion Date: March 15, 2002. ==
==Last Update: March 29, 2004. ==
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==Contents==
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1. Revision History
2. The History of Tigermask (also includes info on other Tigermasks and
anime/manga)
3. Skill and Parameter Stats
4. Move list
5. Strategy
5.1. General Strategy
5.2. Strikes
5.3. Grapples
5.4. High Flying Moves
5.5. Opponent Down Moves (Submissions and Opponent Down Strikes)
6. Other Info and Links
6.1. Other Info
6.2. Tigermask Anime Lyrics
6.3. Links
7. Thanks and Special Thanks
8. Other FAQs By Me
9. Copyright
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==1. Revision History==
=======================
03/29/04 - 1.27 - Updated history with the "Mask of Tiger" gimmick.
10/31/03 - 1.26 - Okay this is weird, it looks like the history update on the
Anton Hisel project accidently got deleted or something. *Sigh* I have to post
the thing again thanks to that f**k up.
10/04/03 - 1.25 - New information box added, Other FAQs By Me updated, and a 79
character limit added.
09/30/02 - 1.22 - History update on Anton Hisel. Plus copyright updated.
1.20 - Added new FAQ to the "Other FAQs By Me" section. Made a minor
correction in the Tigermask anime lyrics.
1.19 - Fixed some minor format errors. Updated Other FAQs By Me. Minor
Copyright correction. Added Imperial system measurements in height and weight.
Tigerdream info added with new link.
1.14 - Added the run up post moves. Finished added the extra periods to the
and skill stats move list (man how could I forget!??). Capitalized the
Finisher and Specials in the move list.
1.11 - BIG UPDATE! New FAQ by me added to the list. Accidently left Bill
Wood's note in the move list while copying his format. Got rid of some
invisible extra spaces. Added the opening lyrics to the first Tigermask anime
(both in Romanji and English) which are in a new section, thanks goes to
Phoenix. New link added. Added new info and facts, thanks to AxxB from the
Fire Prowrestling D GameFAQs board.
1.04 - Tigermask 4 info added to section 6.1.
1.03 - Added a few more facts on who Tigermask 2 and 3 are.
1.02 - Added what system the game is for (hey some people can't figure it out
for some reason.) I also fixed the dates up above.
03/15/02 - 1.00 - First release.
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==2. The History of Tigermask==
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In 1969, Tigermask: The Animated Series was broadcast on TV to everyone in
Japan. It was a puroresu cartoon based on the Tigermask manga that was created
by Ikki Kajiwara (story) and Naoki Tsuji (art). The cartoon was a huge success
as not only did it had puroresu (and REAL LIFE WRESTLERS such as Antonio Inoki
and Giant Baba), it also had realistic human drama! The cartoon was about
Tigermask (real name: Naoto Date) a villan wrestler from a secret organization
known as "Tiger's Cave". Tigermask fought in America and he was feared among
the American wrestlers, thus giving him the nickname "The Yellow Devil". Later
he had betrayed Tiger's Cave so he can pay off the debt for an orphanage known
as Chibikko House because he lived there once as a orphan. In around episode 5
he became a face (good guy) because a orphan from the same house named Kenta
told Ruriko (the "owner" of the orphange I assume) that he wanted to be a
villian like Tigermask. Ruriko was upset, so she confronted Tigermask with the
words:
"Mr. Tiger, you may be a man whom I possibly know well. However, I ask you
even if you are him or not. Please teach to this kid who yearns you. He must
live seriously properly even if it is hard for him."
Tigermask then started to fight like a orthadox wrestler without using heel
moves. In the anime he later decided to fight for orphanges.
The anime ended in 1971 but it's influence lives on. Specifically in Namco's
fighting game "Tekken" as one of their character's known as "King" was inspired
by the Tigermask anime. You want proof? Well the evidence is obvious as they
were both orphans at one time, they are both pro-wrestlers, and they both fight
for orphanges.
In 1979 a young highly talented wrestler named Satoru Sayama makes his debut
against Shouji Kai on May 28th, 1976 in Tokyo, but loses the match, little did
he realise that he will become one of the most famous wrestlers in the history
of Puroresu.
Later on (around early 80's I think) a second Tigermask anime was released. I
have no information about it but the new Tigermask's real name is Tatsuo Aku,
there's a new cast and Antonio Inoki was brought up more as the supporting
character (Giant Baba was the "main" supporting character in the first one).
New Japan Prowrestling then learns that one of the most popular cartoon among
young people was Tigermask. BUT their favourite wrestler was Mil Mascaras of
All Japan Prowrestling! So this prompted managment to do one of THE MOST
GENIUS of booking moves. Create a actual Tigermask wrestler! I know it
sounded silly but it payed off in a HUGE way. They decided to give Satoru
Sayama the Tigermask gimmick because of his INCREDIBLY quick feet, high flying
ability, and martial arts skills. As many of you now know, it was a good, no
GREAT choice.
One week before the fateful debut, the TV announcer said "Next week, we'll have
the debut of Tiger Mask!" The initial reaction was shocked. As Hisaharu
Tanabe said "I couldn't believe my ears."
When Satoru Sayama debut as Tigermask on April 23rd, 1981 at the Kuramae
Kokugikan (old Sumo Hall) against the Dynamite Kid, he put on a good debut
match and defeated the Dynamite Kid with a BEAUTIFUL High Angle German Suplex.
A legend was born.
Hisaharu Tanabe was forunate enough to see the actual match on TV. This is
what he posted on his website; Puroresu.com
"I laughed while I was watching television when Tiger Mask first entered to the
ring of Kuramae Kokugikan (old Sumo Hall) on April 23rd, 1981. I always loved
the Tiger Mask cartoon, but having the character as a legit wrestler was
another story. Dynamite Kid was already a strong rival of Tatsumi Fujinami, who
was the top junior heavyweight wrestler in Japan back then, and I didn't think
this guy from cartoon character could beat Kid. However, this freak who came
out of a cartoon show easily beat Dynamite Kid with a beautiful German suplex
hold. Since then, he was not only a big draw for New Japan
Pro-Wrestling but also a social phenomenon in Japan."
Tigermask then became a holder of the WWF Junior Heavyweight (this is when
Vince's dad was in charge mind you....) and NWA Junior Heavywweight title in
his glorious singles career and he was UNDEFEATED (even though there are some
reports saying he lost a match due to disqualification). He became a
inspiration to the current Jr. Heavyweights out there like The Great Sasuke,
Jyushin "Thunder" Lyger, Hayabusa, the list goes on!
Satoru Sayama however left New Japan Prowrestling when he, and others asked
where their paychecks went. Appearantly Inoki was using money to fund the
Anton Hisel project in Brazil where they can convert sugar cane crop into a
alternative energy source.
Here is some paragraphs from the article about the project by Zach Arnold of
puroresupower.com:
"There was a legendary myth in Japan that Inoki had created a company called
"Anton Hisel" in 1980 to invest in biotechnology in Brazil. However, it wasn't
just a myth - it was a reality. In 1980, Inoki attempted to broker deals with
the Brazilian Government in investment in his biotechnological projects.
Originally, the Brazilian Government had a plan to use refined alcohol as
energy produced from sugarcane instead of crude oil. Oil was expensive and the
Brazilians had a lot of sugarcane crops. The big challenge for the Brazilian
Government was this - how could they produce this alternative form of energy
without polluting the rain forests and the environment? One of the great side
effects from the refined alcohol process involved the disposal of wastes. The
waste disposal was not done properly and in turn, caused agricultural problems.
Inoki thought that he had a perfect idea for turning the waste from the refined
sugarcane alcohol into feed for livestocks by adding enzymes. At first, the
idea sounded good. However, Inoki not only wanted to take the refined sugarcane
alcohol waste and confert it into feed for livestock, he wanted to take the cow
crap from the livestock after they ate the refined waste and recycle the cow
crap into even more feed for animals. Inoki, in his mind, felt that this
solution would solve hunger on the entire planet. Not only did the idea fall
flat on its face, it cost him a lot of cash. The fermentation process failed
and combining with the inflation of currency between Brazil & Japan, the
project gathered enormous debt in no time. The project was immediately halted -
until more money arrived to fund it. The project, for the next three years,
continued to operate. How was Inoki able to fund such a money-losing project?
Where was the cash flow?
When my old friend, Shig Miyazaki from New Jersey, told me about this story
over 5 years ago, I laughed really hard. In 1982 & 1983, New Japan had a very
strong relationship with TV-Asahi. Their weekly TV show aired every Friday
night at 8 PM and did 20.0 or higher ratings. However, All Japan and All Japan
Women weren't nearly doing the same amount of business as New Japan. Meanwhile,
New Japan executives were facing a big problem - a problem that they had to be
confronted with by their employees. Where was all of the company money from the
house shows going? Tiger Mask Sayama, Tatsumi Fujinami, & Riki Choshu led the
main core of wrestlers who wanted an internal investigation on the company that
they worked for. After initial findings in the wrestlers' investigation saw
that Inoki was funneling house show & TV revenue from New Japan into the Anton
Hisel project, Tiger Mask Sayama immediately submitted his resignation to New
Japan in August of 1983. He would eventually show up in 1984 for the original
UWF."
After that mess, we go to 1983, the owner, booker, and then current wrestler of
All Japan Pro-Wrestling; Shohei "Giant" Baba, decided to buy out the Tigermask
gimmick after Sayama left and give it to now Pro Wrestling NOAH owner, booker,
and wrestler: Mitsuharu Misawa. Despite Misawa being a good wrestler, he was
just not the same. But as most of you know by now, Misawa got rid of the mask
in 1991 and became a huge wrestling star.
During Satoru Sayama's time at Akira Maeda's "shoot" style fed; the Union of
professional-Wrestling Force (UWF) he became Super Tiger. Many of the fans
wanted to see him as the high flying Tigermask that they grew up to love, not a
Tigermask who was a ground style wrestler (basically a shooter). But he
refused to go back to the high flyer that he was, after all it just wasn't the
UWF style. He left in 1985.
Satoru Sayama then wrote a book called "Kayfabe" where he said some
controversial things about the wrestling business (Hisaharu Tanabe also said
that he "verbally disgraced the great sport of Puroresu."). He was pretty much
out of the business and was working on Mixed Martial Arts stuff.
From www.puroresu.com (Hisaharu Tanabe): However, on December 30th in 1995 and
on June 30th in 1996, Satoru Sayama proved that he was still "Tiger Mask," who
could bring the dream back to the fans.
NOTE: I think in 95 he went under the name "Tiger King" and in 1996 he was "The
Tiger". Not sure about it though.
Later on (not sure when) he returned (I think for one night) in the late 90's
as "Tiger Mask: The Return" (4th costume in Fire Prowrestling D.) He then
finally quit the business to move onto his Mixed Martial Arts style; "Shooto",
along with his organization; "Seiken-Do".
However, In January of 2004, Satoru Sayama for one last time was able to don
the Tigermask outfit and become "Mask of Tiger" for a few tour dates with
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