Welcome to RESURA ROUNDUP, our monthly dive into the best joshi action out there. Each month, our crew serves up a curated mix of must-watch matches—barnburners, technical showcases, and everything in between.

We’ll highlight the headline-worthy clashes, but we’re just as excited to spotlight those hidden gems you might have missed. We’ll give you stuff from the major promotions as well as the less-heralded indies. 

Let’s do this!

Maki Itoh & Miyu Yamashita vs Haru Kazashiro & Toga, TJPW – TJPW 11th Birthday Show (Dec. 1)

Talk about ambition. After winning the Next Gen tournament last month, 16-year-old Haru Kazashiro called out the Princess Tag Team champions 121000000 and challenged them for their titles and chose none other than Toga, the runner-up, as her tag team partner (mirroring last year’s winner Wakana Uehara choosing HIMAWARI as her partner).

The two rookies faced off against the two biggest stars in the promotion, and they probably knew how the match would end, but they were ready to show why they’re the future. Every time Maki faced Haru, she treated her like a child (the child she once was), and every time Miyu was with Toga, she would be especially tough (mainly because she sees the potential in her). Heart and determination weren’t enough this time, as Haru ended up tapping out to the Itoh Deluxe, but this match was definitely a step in the right direction for TJPW.

Recommended by: Fernando

DASH Chisako vs. Meiko Satomora, Sendai Girls- Big Show in Sendai (Dec 8) 

The queen came back to reclaim her crown in a banger of a Sendai Girls World Championship match. Satomura charged into the Sendai Sun Plaza Hall looking to win the title she held for over a year back in 2015/2016.

The action is taut. The strikes are ferocious. There’s a good mix of brawling, mat wrestling, and big power moves. 

Chisako and Satomura are both hyper focused from bell to bell, and an intense atmosphere permeates through much of the battle.  

This is another highlight of Meiko’s retirement run. She is riding off into the sunset in emphatic fashion.

Do yourself a favor and dont’ skip Mika Iwata & Sareee vs Chihiro Hashimoto & Yuu lower on the same card. The strike exchange between Saree and Big Hash alone makes this well worth watching.

Recommended by: Ryan

Mizuki, Shino Suzuki, and Wakana vs. Miu Watanabe, Toga, and Haru Kazashiro, TJPW – Winter Story  (Dec 14)

The main event acted as a preview for the forthcoming title match, allowing Miu to intensify her aggression. The champ and the Sugar Rabbit seemed determined to up the already high expectations of the Princess of Princess Championship matches. Miu performed a giant swing on the apron with a release to the floor.

Haru continues to impress with her increased technical skills, Wakana star quality is as bright as ever, Toga and Shino are both catching up the pack and could be bigger players in 2025.

Recommended by: Jeff Brown

Hyper Misao vs. Yoppy, TJPW – Winter Story (Dec 14)

Misao returned to TJPW from injury and is enhancing a company heading towards bigger things in 2025. The match was classic Misao with the stalling and shenanigans. Yoppy is a good straight man to the more chaotic elements that TJPW is known for.

Halfway through, it got serious and served as a reminder that Misao can mean business when the time is right. Yoppy is figuring out how to combat this unique roster, and that’s an interesting journey to follow. A good mix of comedy and wrestling, as these two have good chemistry.

ZONES vs. VENY, Evolution – Evolution Vol. 28 (Dec. 14)

A healthy serving of straightforward, physical wrestling. You’re not going to see any innovation or some major wow moments, but the Evolution main event is definitely a satisfying watch. The compact match offers a taste of slugfest action, a few dramatic near-falls, and a look at two of the most interesting talents on the joshi scene. 

The bout is boosted by the juxtaposition of styles and personalities here. VENY’s grace and flamboyance pairs quite well with ZONES’s bruiser aura. 

The still-young promotion Evolution continues to intrigue with matches like these. 

Recommended by: Ryan

Ryo Mizunami vs Manami , Sendai Girls (Dec. 22)

“Dynamic, skilled and full of potential” is a good way to describe Manami, who has had the best year of her career so far, thanks in no small part to Ryo Mizunami, her tag team partner with whom she won the Sendai Girls Tag Team titles, serving as the veteran helping the rising star. 

Their match on December 22nd showed how much they know each other but also how much Manami grew this year and why Sendai Girls is right in putting her in the spotlight. Ryo was tough, Manami was resilient and the match served its purpose: putting over everyone.

Recommended by: Fernando

Kaho Kobayashi vs. Leon, Pure-J – 2024 Last Battle (Dec 22)

Two seasoned pros put on a clinic in the middle of the card and they brought it. Leon and Kaho both fuse lucha with Japanese styles perfectly. For 15 minutes it was like two jazz musicians just smoking on stage. 

It went to a draw and they easily had five to 10 more minutes. Pure-J has a small but incredibly gifted roster and they supplement their cards with a great variety of guests and freelancers. The company is a bit of a hidden gem that hopefully makes it into more conversations in 2025.

Recommended by: Jeff Brown

Christmas Rumble, ChocoPro – ChocoPro #415 (Dec. 25)

ChocoPro is fun, isn’t it? Every joshi fan should watch one of their shows at least once, and this is a good way to start. 

Emi Sakura’s promotion celebrated Christmas with a Battle Royal featuring almost every wrestler in its roster, from established stars like Mei Suruga, Chie Koishikawa and Chris Brookes, to up-and-comer Kaho Hiromi and Santa Claus himself. Actual wrestling blended with comedy spots like only ChocoPro could do. Go brighten up your holidays by watching this free on YouTube and be sure to stick around for the Janken tournament at the end.

Recommended by: Fernando