The Five Star Network aims to spread the greatness of all pro wrestling throughout the world and bring attention to promotions so that fans can know what they’re getting themselves into! The best way to do so is through our Guides, which will introduce promotions, their legacy, their titles, and most importantly, their roster. Here’s a look at the guide for Ganbare Pro.
Ganbare Pro-Wrestling is the red-headed stepchild of CyberFight in some sense. As some people forget about its involvement due to them not being as big as the other three promotions. However, in my opinion, it’s the most special company of the four. In the other three companies, it’s easy to sit at the top of the company if you’re simply the strongest wrestler around. While that is a big factor, because it’s pro wrestling after all, the biggest tool you need to be a threat in GanPro is that Ganbare spirit, the will to keep pushing on and fight til the end even if things might not seem too great. With this spirit, they’ve been able to pour their heart out in the smallest of venues to making their solo debut at Ota Ward Gymnasium in 2022. So what else is there to know about GanPro?
The Championships
GanPro up until last year didn’t have any championships under its own banner and utilized independent belts. The two mainstays were the GWC 6-Man Tag Team Championship, and the Independent World Junior Heavyweight Championship. Both have since reappeared on the independent scene since departing GanPro.
Spirit of Ganbare World Openweight Championship
The first-ever championship specifically for Ganbare Pro has been treated with great respect since its inception. The inaugural champion was the legendary Tatsuhito Takaiwa, who won the 2022 Ganbare Climax to be the first champion. As of this writing, the shortest complete reign has been 115 days, and there have only been four champions thus far. Holding this belt makes you the absolute best, and seemingly with each new reign, the belt gains more and more prestige.
Spirit of Ganbare World Tag Team Championship
This championship has only been announced so far, and no title design has been shown to fans. No tournament for the belts has been revealed either, so there’s not much to say about these belts yet. One thing is for sure this could be one of the most diverse and intriguing tag scenes in all of wrestling.
The Roster
There’s heavy use of freelancers in Ganbare Pro, but to make it easier for new fans wanting to check out GanPro. I will cap it at wrestlers you will see on most of the shows, or who are too important to leave out.
Ken Ohka
The founder of Ganbare Pro-Wrestling, and in some senses the measuring stick of the company. Nobody embodies that Ganbare spirit more than Ken Ohka, and he does his best to inject that spirit into the rest of the roster. Ohka also has the best entrance in all of wrestling and captivates a crowd like no other.
Shinjiro Otani
Belonging to Pro Wrestling ZERO1, Otani acts as the on-site director for GanPro. He’s been a regular active competitor for the company since 2021. While he’s currently inactive it would be hard not to find his fingerprints on current GanPro no matter where you turn, he’s very important to this company and roster.
Keisuke Ishii
He was formerly a part of DDT and was hyped immediately as a future big player for the company. In 2018 he transferred to GanPro on a loan from DDT, and he’s been here ever since. He’s one of the biggest stars in the company and continues to be a wall for everyone to fight against.
Yumehito Imanari
He’s been with GanPro since the beginning and has slowly climbed the ranks. Making it all the way to the Spirit of Ganbare World Openweight Championship. Imanari also makes a lot of the big video packages for GanPro, as well as DDT.
Yuna Manase
Yuna Manase has been one of GanPro’s most important acquisitions, as she was searching for her place in wrestling after departing TJPW. She soon found a home with GanPro, and not only has she been the driving force behind Ganbare Joshi. She has the distinction of being the only woman to challenge for the Spirit of Ganbare Championship thus far.
Shota
An indie journeyman for most of his early career, Shota would join GanPro in 2018. He’s been a key member of the roster ever since, and currently is in the ROMANCE DAWN tag team with DDT’s Soma Takao. Some may know Shota from the international excursion he took in 2022, where he took a bag and traveled the world wrestling.
Shuichiro Katsumura
Ganbare Pro’s ‘Real Tiger Mask’ is a legitimate mixed martial artist along with being a pro wrestler. He officially joined the group back in 2020 and is a constant threat in the main event scene. His style separates him from the rest of the roster, which makes all his matches seem quite fresh.
Shinichiro Tominaga
Shinichiro Tominaga has a connection to Ken Ohka and Yumehito Imanari dating back to Union Pro Wrestling. Once Imanari found out his junior continued to wrestle after leaving Union Pro he immediately recruited him to come participate in GanPro. Tominaga is affiliated with CWP but rarely misses a GanPro show so he’s a regular.
HARUKAZE
A member of the third-generation STARDOM class amongst the likes of KAIRI and AZM, HARUKAZE has been in and out of pro wrestling over the years. However, she found Ganbare Pro and made it her main battlefield. She now stands as one of the driving forces of GanJo while still fighting to be stronger with each outing.
Moeka Haruhi
Moeka Haruhi has been wrestling for a long time on the Joshi scene, at one point being affiliated with WAVE. Going freelance in 2018 appearing all over Japan, and making her way into GanPro. While still freelance she’s in the same boat as Tominaga where she’s a regular member of the GanPro family.
YuuRI
YuuRI is a former member of JUST TAP OUT where she was trained but left the group fairly quickly to join GanPro. She has truly been someone GanPro fans have been able to grow over time, and it hasn’t been easy. She’s kept fighting, and if she stays true to that Ganbare spirit she could find herself at the center of GanJo and GanPro for years to come.
Mizuki Watase
Mizuki Watase is the most recent of the ex-DDT wrestlers to transfer to GanPro, but Watase was more ambitious. Approaching Otani and Ohka at a GanPro show still as a member of DDT, and loudly proclaiming he wanted to join GanPro. He’s been able to pay off that gamble made, and now he reigns as the Spirit of Ganbare World Openweight Champion.
Yoshiko Hasegawa
Yoppy as she’s often called for short was formerly a member of Actwres girl’Z, and graduated from the group while recovering from a very serious injury. However, upon seeing GanPro she knew that it was where she wanted to be. Signing with the group, and making her re-debut in 2022.
Munetatsu Nakamura
Munetatsu Nakamura is the most recent debutant in GanPro debuting at the Dec. 27, 2022 Korakuen Hall show. He was a trainee found via the DDT Teen project, and at just 21 years of age, his future looks very bright. Who knows you might hear more about him very soon.
Hartley Jackson
Hartley Jackson originally came to kill the heart of GanPro, but after capturing the Spirit of Ganbare belt he grew to love the promotion. After losing the belt to Watase he proclaimed he’d be a part of the family forever. He could also be a big player for them internationally, as he teased wanting to bring a partner from Australia for the new tag belts.
Tatsuhito Takaiwa
The inaugural Spirit of Ganbare Champion who really established a high bar for the belt almost immediately. While he doesn’t work as many shows as he used to, he’s still very important to the company. If you follow the roster on Twitter you will often see them enjoying dinner at Takaiwa’s home.
Tyson Maeguchi
Maeguchi is a former kickboxing champion who made his wrestling debut in 2021. He’s a member of the Kota Ibushi Wrestling Institute as his affiliation but has mostly worked GanPro as a wrestler. Even challenging for the Spirit of Ganbare World Openweight Championship this year.
Where to Watch
Just like most of the rest of the CyberFight companies you can watch GanPro on WRESTLE UNIVERSE. Some shows are VOD, but bigger shows broadcast live and often with English commentary. Check their Twitter, because GanPro does stream some VOD shows on their YouTube live. They often upload old matches there as well.
Ganbare Pro-Wrestling is much more than a company that does great wrestling, and fun comedy. The company has a family atmosphere and more often than not can bring a smile to your face. You get a special brand of wrestling that can’t be duplicated. Hard not to believe the company will keep shooting higher and higher as time goes on.
Stay tuned to the Five Star Network for all updates on the world of Joshi, Puro, and more!