They’re skinny, have floppy hair and are kind of pale. They’re also coming soon to a wrestling tournament near you. Well, if you live in Tokyo, that is. And there you were thinking Japanese wrestling was all about those big sumo guys!
These are bishōnen – beautiful young men. The first kanji character of bishōnen (美少年) is 美 meaning “beauty”, and the last part 少年 is “young man”. Bishōnen puroresu is the latest addition to Japan’s burgeoning puroresu (pro wrestling) scene.
Here are the chosen ten (the eagle-eyed among you will notice that it’s actually a team of twelve – there are two stand-ins, presumably in case someone needs to have a little sit down after all that posing).
▼ Sho is the guy in the middle, but why’s he wearing pyjamas?
▼ He really does like those PJs.
Compared to American pro-wrestling, the Japanese sport is generally less theatrical, more contact-based, and sticks harder to the pretense of being a legitimate fight. Bishōnen wrestling looks like it might be the exception to that rule, though.
The website also features these character profiles of the athletes, including their reasons for joining the gang. Some of their reasons are refreshingly honest!
▼ Sho’s aim is to make his lifelong dream come true. No, not getting off that drip, starting his own wrestling league!
▼”Sho is my best friend. I wanna make his dreams come true.”
▼ This guy, on the other hand, says “I want to escape from my parent’s control”.
▼ Kōichi goes for it idol-style with a cheery “I want to give everyone a happy smile!☆“
▼ “I dunno… Something to do with my time.”
Anyway, it looks like they’ve been hitting the gym (although not too hard…):
The website also promises merchandise, although none is available yet! For now you’ll have to do with these iPhone lock screen downloads:
▼It’s worth pointing out that virtually all of these captions read “hey, wanna do it with me?”
So far, so good. When we get deeper into the website, though, it becomes clear that not all these guys actually appear in the June show. In fact, the line-up for the show looks drastically different to those skinny guys on the front and profile pages.
▼ “But wait, where did the hot young ones go?” I hear you cry.
If you still fancy your chances at actually seeing some beautiful wrestlers at the June 13th show, which will be in Shin-Kiba, Tokyo, a seat in the stands can be grabbed for 3,000 yen (US$29.45). Top-price “special ringside seats”, meanwhile, are 5,000 yen ($49). I’ll be sticking with the free wallpapers for now though, I think.
Judo gold-medalist Aaron Wolf announces move to New Japan Pro-Wrestling
This is how a Japanese pro wrestler’s breakfast looks: Huge! 【Photos】
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Cherry blossoms begin blooming in Japan with record-early starts for sakura season
When will the cherry blossoms reach full bloom in Japan this year?[Forecast]
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Japanese convenience store sandwiches get extra protection from new business backpack
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
Universal Studios’ Sailor Moon theme park attraction is finally coming to America
Daiso’s 100-yen ramen egg makers even better in smaller sizes
Japanese government says country needs more women’s room toilets to meet modern society’s needs
One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
The next time you’re feeling stressed out, you could relax on a Pokémon Psyduck chair from Japan
Komachi Shokudo: Japanese mum’s-style cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Tokyo
The top 10 graduation songs in Japan as chosen by current Japanese high school students
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in Tokyo
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says