When Reina Takano darts across the ring like a bobcat bounding across the prairie toward its prey, I find myself in awe. There is something so primal and raw about her approach to wrestling. Every move is powered by ferocity. Every moment is crammed with intensity.
From the very first seconds of her debut in July, I’ve found myself sucked into Takano’s gravitational pull.
At times, I find myself growing numb to the impressive things these athletes do in the ring. You watch enough wrestling and it all starts to blend together. Matches become formulaic. In-ring action is dulled by sameness. The Sendai Girls rookie, though, has cut through all of that.
I am glued to the screen when she’s on it. Takano has quickly become one of the wrestlers who make me want to see every one of their matches. Appointment television.
Never mind that she’s just 18 years old with about a half year’s worth of experience to her name, her electric energy and blaring heart has made her bouts must-see.
Take her singles match against Miyuki Takase on October 18, for example. This was an eight-minute opening contest on a smaller show. It could have easily been something forgettable or passable, but Takano painted every inch of the canvas she was given with vivid colors.
The veteran Takase overpowered her early, but then the fiery youngster fought out of a headlock and started blasting her foe with firearms. Takano’s strikes dripped with passion. She was desperate and dangerous.
This is her standard mode. She is forever in the fight of her life.
In this match, we also see how good Takano is already at selling. When Takase knocked Reina in the chest, the rookie clutched the impact point dramatically. She looked legitimately hurt. When Takase locked her up in a hold and twisted her legs, emotion washed over Takano’s face. Her expression was alive with pain and frustration. She was tearful and pisssed off all at once.
This is often one of the harder parts of wrestling for rookies to master: the theatrics, the emoting, fully pouring one’s self onto that mat. Takano already does it so well. It’s the in-ring mechanics and expanding her move set that she’ll have to work on. The intangibles she has down.
This was all true from day one. We saw so much of her talent and potential in her very first match this summer when Takano and YUNA went against Aja Kong and Miku Kanae.
The moment the bell rang, Takano charged forward, her eyes wild as she pushed Kanae against the ropes. You can hear the crowd react much like I did, gasping in delight. Her moxie was on full display.
Throughout the rest of the match, Reina was a frenzied beast swinging and leaping. She fought like hell to free herself from Kong’s grip. Up against Kong, Takano was fearless, pushing through the pain to kick away at a tree trunk of a woman.
The crowd bought in right away.
You can’t help but feel all that intensity burning off her skin. You can’t help but get caught up in the drama of her body language.
Look too at Takano’s clash with Takumi Iroha during a tag match in August (Takumi Iroha & Sora Ayame vs. Chi Chi & Reina Takano in Yogogi).
There’s a great moment when Takano goes for a takedown but is denied by her bigger opponent. Reina is scrambling for position, but Iroha overwhelms her, just outmuscling her. But Takano never stops moving and fighting. She writhes. She churns. She is prey caught in a predator’s mouth but refusing to be swallowed.
When you can make the little things like this pop, that’s a special talent.
You can see much of what has made Takano stand out for me in her dropkick. The simple move is a prime illustration of what she brings to the table.
Takano doesn’t just jump at her opponent, she flings herself at them. She gallops off the ropes and hammers whoever she’s facing with her boots. There’s a recklessness to the angle she takes, to the force with which she hurls herself.
If you can make something as basic as a dropkick as intriguing as she has, you’re certainly on the right path.
Takano has made it clear she’s going to be a star for Sendai Girls. Much like Senka Akatsuki in Marvelous and Seri Yamaoka in Marigold, she’s created major sparks early, giving their respective promotions plenty of reason to spotlight them.
Senjo has a small roster and is in big need of fresh faces. In walks Takano with an exciting brand of wrestling, with fire in her heart, with a captivating presence. The stage is set for her to do special things.
I’m far from the only one who will be zeroed in on her as she grows and gets bigger opportunities. Appreciating every detail. Marveling at her stagecraft. Watching the burning, glowing heart of a fire that only promises to go stronger.
