When you think of ChocoPro there are two names that first come to mind: either its founder Emi Sakura, who helped craft the promotion as a part of the Gatoh Move brand when the pandemic first hit, or its face Mei Suruga, one of Emi’s greatest students and the current Super Asia Champion. And as tied to the promotion as Emi is, she has worked hard to ensure that the promotion would continue to grow while she moved to AEW. Much of that is thanks to the success story that is Mei Suruga.
When Mei Suruga defeated Emi Sakura at Korakuen Hall in August 2024 for the title, it was the official passing of the torch from the master to the apprentice. Mei was now ready to truly lead ChocoPro forward as its unquestioned top star.
Only, not everyone feels like ChocoPro should be about one person.
At ChocoPro 430: Fair Fight last month, Chie Koishikawa managed to achieve something she’s never done in her five-year career: pin Mei Suruga. During a tag team match, she surprised her friend with a brand-new pinning hold and trapped the champion’s shoulders to the mat. Emboldened by this accomplishment, she made a bold declaration after the show:
“Mei-san, please let me challenge you for the Super Asia Title. Right now, ChocoPro is all about Mei Suruga’s presence. I felt it strongly even when I wrestled overseas or when I competed at Evolution Pro. But I don’t think that’s a good thing. That’s why Chie Koishikawa will become the Super Asia Champion! Chie will be the champion. Even if Chie becomes champion, I want you to stay strong, Mei-san. Because this is no longer the era of Mei Suruga alone. From now on, ChocoPro will be ruled by two – Mei Suruga and Chie Koishikawa!
Chie Koishikawa – ChocoPro #430: Fair Fight in-ring comments
[…]
ChocoPro is entering a Warring Era (Gun You Kakkyo)! To make ChocoPro even bigger, we need to move beyond the age of one dominant force. It’s time for a Gun You Kakkyo!
It was an impassioned promo as one would expect from a woman whose default setting is turned up to 11, but what is important is that there was more here than just your typical challenge for a title.
In late 2023, during an interview with Wrestle Inn, Chie Koishikawa was hesitant to speak of herself taking on a leadership role. She had shown flashes of that responsibility when the figureheads were away, and stated that she would ‘protect ChocoPro’ and that you could ‘count on Chie’. But she didn’t see herself as a leader yet.
A year and a half since that interview, and Chie now seems more confident in stepping into that kind of position. She could have simply challenged Mei for the Super Asia Title, but she’s chosen to challenge the established system and lead the promotion into a new era.
As ‘The last true prodigy of Emi Sakura’ as described by her Best Bros teammate Baliyan Akki, Mei Suruga has constantly been a central figure in ChocoPro. Her prodigal talent, infectious personality, and natural charms made her an easy person to build around, especially in the pandemic days when ChocoPro were reshaping their identity from the Gatoh Move era. Mei and Akki’s YouTube livestreams often acted as a gateway to the ChocoPro events for people who had no idea that you could even wrestle without a ring.
Chie, by contrast, has always found herself having to chase Mei. From the moment she began training, it was clear who was the measuring stick, made all the more apparent by the fact that Suruga herself was assisting in her training despite only being in the business a year herself.
Whether helping her as a friend or pushing her as a rival, even when not directly competing it has felt as though Koishikawa has been in her shadow. The night Chie won her first ever championship – the Asia Dream Tag Titles as a part of Popcorn Carnival alongside Sayaka Obihiro – the night was closed out with Mei Suruga winning the Super Asia Championship by finally conquering her mentor Emi Sakura.
After five years, it feels like she’s ready to stand toe-to-toe with her rival.
This does not feel like the same Chie Koishikawa that for all of her bravado and energy struggled with self-doubt in the past. It seems as though she finally believes in herself the same way her fans do. When she spoke at the end of Fair Fight, she spoke with the same fervent passion that fans are used to, but there was also a sense of maturity in how she carried herself. Because Chie wasn’t just rallying the crowd solely to her cause, but to ChocoPro’s. That requires a slightly different tact.
“I did it! I’ve secured a Super Asia Championship match against Mei Suruga at Tokyo Square in Iidabashi! I know just how strong Mei-san is and I’ve been following her, watching her every step. But the era of Mei being the sole dominant force must come to an end. And it has to be now! Chie Koishikawa is bringing in a new era – “Warring Era” (Gun You Kakkyo)!!
Chie Koishikawa – ChocoPro #430: Fair Fight backstage comments
The rallying cry moving forward is Gun You Kakkyo – or Warring Era in English. Not just one star eclipsing the rest, but for anyone capable shining at the forefront. While she initially listed herself and Mei, she didn’t just stop there – she named everyone who was involved in the show.
It was a call to arms. If you believe yourself to be good enough, then now is the time to start stepping up. Someone like Miya Yotsuba: whose desperation to beat Mei led to her being disappointed to win with Chie at Fair Fight as she wasn’t the one to pin Mei. Or Sayaka: who has constantly been on the edge of taking that next step.
ChocoPro grows as a result of the sum of its parts.
Mei isn’t quite ready to just give up her spot as the ‘dominant’ force though. Just as Chie has spent years chasing Mei’s shadow, Suruga did the same with Emi Sakura. To finally conquer her mentor after six years, only to succumb to the person chasing her seven months later would be a bitter disappointment.
“Chie! As Champion, I want to make ChocoPro bigger too. This is not the era of Mei Suruga. Because I’m still getting stronger! Mei will never expand sideways. I’m going to be stronger and go higher. So Chie, keep up with me. I accept your challenge at Itabashi!”
Mei Suruga’s response to Chie Koishikawa, ChocoPro 430: Fair Fight
As intense as their rivalry is, and as heated as they can get when going against each other in the ring or on the chocolate mat of Ichigaya Square, this isn’t a rivalry fueled by hatred or betrayal. They are still good friends. They both want what’s best for ChocoPro – they just have different ways of achieving that.
Mei Suruga believes in her ability to carry ChocoPro on her shoulders with the rest of the roster chasing her. And why wouldn’t she? What Chie says about Mei’s overwhelming presence makes sense – she’s the one who has appeared multiple times in AEW and CMLL, who has challenged for titles in STARDOM, who is taking regularly international bookings, and who is constantly front and center for their marketing.
When you think of ChocoPro, the names that come to mind are Emi Sakura and Mei Suruga. That strategy has worked. A tiny Japanese wrestling company operating out of an old dentist’s office in Ichigaya that doesn’t have room for a ring shouldn’t have gotten big enough to draw constantly thousands of viewers from around the world, or be able to run events in England and India. It definitely shouldn’t have survived the COVID pandemic, let alone thrive in it. Mei Suruga is at the forefront of all of that success.
Mei isn’t ready to share her hard-earned spot at the top of ChocoPro. It took her six years to become champion and as good as she already is, Mei’s right that she’s still getting stronger. At just 25 years old, there’s plenty of upwards growth to come.
In the post show of ChocoPro 434 Suruga spoke of how “there’s still so many things I want to do as Super Asia Champion that I can’t count them on both hands” and that she plans to make her existence so big that ChocoPro can’t be talked about without mentioning her (translated by Baliyan Akki). Chie Koishikawa’s Gun You Kakkyo threatens all of that.
On the surface, Mei’s desire to be such a sole dominant force might seem a little selfish, but there’s more than meets the eye. This is exactly what you would expect from ‘The last true prodigy of Emi Sakura’ – she’s forcing everyone to step up rather than lower herself down to their level. That’s the only way a Gun You Kakkyo version of ChocoPro can truly work – organically. Until then, Mei Suruga will continue to rule as its one primary figure.
For all of her attempts to get under Chie’s skin in their preview tag matches, it’s clear that deep down she’s wanting to see the best version of Koishikawa yet come March 31st. Her comments on Twitter/X speak of Chie’s growth and development, and they remind you of how Emi would speak warmly of Mei’s progression over the years.
The question remains: After five years of growth and chasing Mei Suruga’s shadow, is Chie Koishikawa ready to step forward and lead ChocoPro into a Warring Era?
The truth is – she already is, win or lose.
Even if Mei retains against Chie on March 31st, her growth since winning the Asia Dream Tag Titles in August has taken Chie from a lovable and fiery underdog into someone who could lead ChocoPro alongside Mei. It was only fitting that the team she beat at Fair Fight consisted of Sayaka Obihiro and Mei Suruga. The person she credits for helping her become a professional wrestler, and the person who helped her debut and would become her biggest rival.
Gun You Kakkyo might be here to stay whether or not Mei wins, as long as the rest of the roster takes Chie’s message to heart. Because once one person believes the Shogun can be toppled, others start to believe that they can rule as well.
And that will only force Mei to continue growing as well. Either way, ChocoPro wins.
RESURA 