TOKYO (AP) — “The Queen of Villains” is a typical coming-of-age tale about a young woman’s road to empowerment and self-discovery — except it all takes place in the body-slamming, arm-twisting world of Japanese professional wrestling.
The Netflix series, which began airing last month, tells the story of Dump Matsumoto, a real-life wrestling legend from the 1980s who grew up poor with a father who was often absent or abusive.
Matsumoto grew up angry, she said, and went on to create in her wrestling persona a ferocious, almost camp villain character, known in the sport as a “heel,” complete with outlandish Kabuki-like facial makeup, chains, sticks and a grotesque scowl. She loomed large as a symbol of fearless and defiant womanhood.
“I gave it my all to be evil,” Matsumoto said.
A hefty woman with a friendly smile, Matsumoto makes a point even now to adamantly deny that she was ever a nice person or acknowledge that many people in Japan, especially women, love her.
“I still beat people up in matches. I stuck forks in them and made them bleed,” she said, adding, “All the people who pretend to be good are the truly evil ones.”
“The Queen of Villains” follows the friendship between Matsumoto and Chigusa Nagayo of the popular wrestling tag team known as the Crush Gals. Nagayo served as an adviser, trainer and choreographer for the series’ dramatized wrestling scenes.
Japanese professional wrestling fans still talk about the matches between Matsumoto and the Crush Gals, including the ones they fought in the U.S.
The actresses in the series spent two years training for their roles. They gained weight and muscle, and learned techniques like the “giant swing,” in which a wrestler grabs her opponent’s legs and moves in a dizzying circle, or the “flying knee kick,” which involves a jump and kick to the body while airborne.
The trick in professional wrestling is to execute the punches and body slams convincingly but in a controlled way to avoid serious injuries. A wrestler also must know how to fall properly.
One key fight scene took a month to film as the actors went over each move, again and again.
“Dump played a role to be hated by the entire nation,” said Yuriyan Retriever, a professional comedian who stars as Matsumoto in the series.
“Previously, there was a limit, maybe even unintentionally, beyond which I couldn’t go. But when I played Dump, all those emotions had to come out and be expressed,” she said.
She felt like she was no longer playing a role, she said, but that she had become Dump Matsumoto.
“It’s frightening to be hated, and I don’t think anyone wants to be hated,” Retriever said.
“When I finished a cut, I was crying. And my body was shaking. I can’t express it in words, but I understood all the pressures Dump must have felt.”
The series not only presents a women-beating-the-odds story against a backdrop of sexism and abusive management but it also captures the postwar period of the Showa-era in a way that feels authentic. The scenes used thousands of extras, many of them serious wrestling fans.
Some viewers say the real-life wrestling was more intense than the dramatized version in the new series.
Rionne McAvoy, an Australian filmmaker who as a professional wrestler was hit with a stick by Matsumoto, said: “The actors often fail to capture the intensity, grit and charisma required for these roles."
But for most viewers, it’s real enough and heartbreaking.
“This is an eternal but emotional story portraying ordinary girls who passionately pursued a dream, found friendship and also themselves,” director Kazuya Shiraishi said.
“It gave me a chance to reflect on my own 15-year filmmaking career, what I truly want to be, what kind of films I want to make. I just wanted to tell their story, which is also everyone’s story.”
Yuri Kageyama is on X: https://x.com/yurikageyama
In this image provided by Netflix Series The of Queen of Villains, Yuriyan Retriever speaks during an online interview with the Associated Press, on Oct. 4, 2024, in Tokyo, Japan. (Netflix Series The of Queen of Villains via AP)
This undated image released by Netflix Series The Queen of Villains shows Yuriyan Retriever, left, and Dump Matsumoto in Tokyo. (Netflix Series The Queen of Villains via AP)
This image released by Netflix Series The Queen of Villains shows Yuriyan Retriever, front, and Erika Karata in a scene from the film "The Queen of Villains." (Netflix Series The Queen of Villains via AP)
This image released by Netflix Series The Queen of Villains shows Yuriyan Retriever in a scene from the film "The Queen of Villains." (Netflix Series The Queen of Villains via AP)
MUMBAI, India (AP) — New Zealand secured an historic 3-0 series’ victory in India as it won a dramatic third test by 25 runs on Sunday.
Ajaz Patel took 6-57 to bowl the Black Caps to victory as it became the first visiting side to complete a clean sweep in a minimum three-test series against India.
Glenn Phillips provided great support as he picked up 3-42 as India crashed to 121 all out in 29.1 overs shortly after lunch on the third day.
Rishabh Pant was the lone resistance for the hosts with 64 off 57 balls, including nine fours and a six, but his counter-attacking half century went in vain as India lost its last three wickets in four balls.
India’s previous worst showing was a 2-0 loss to Hansie Cronje’s South Africa in 2000 in a two-test series. It last lost in a home series was to England — 2-1 in a four-test series — in 2012.
Patel’s six wickets took his tally to 25 at the Wankhede Stadium in four innings. He bowled a record 10-119 here in 2021, finishing that game with 14 wickets.
On Sunday Patel finished with 11-160 to go past England’s Ian Botham who had taken 22 wickets at the same ground and was previously the most successful visiting bowler at any venue in India.
New Zealand won the first two tests in Bengaluru and Pune by eight wickets and 113 runs respectively, registering a landmark first test-series win in India, but an greater achievement was to come.
Chasing 147 runs to avoid an unprecedented home series whitewash, India stumbled to lunch at 92-6 with only Pant’s half-century proving a spanner in the works for New Zealand.
Pant put on 42 off 53 balls for the sixth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja (6) to give India some hope of reaching the target after it had earlier slumped to 29-5.
Skipper Rohit Sharma's poor series continued as he was caught for 11, going after Henry with another ill-judged pull shot to be caught at midwicket.
Patel bowled Shubman Gill for one, the batter leaving the ball only for it to knock back his off stump.
The Sunday crowd at the Wankhede Stadium was stunned when Virat Kohli was caught at slip for one in the following over.
Phillips then sent back Yashasvi Jaiswal for five, out lbw. Sarfaraz Khan (one) hit a full toss straight to the square leg fielder as India collapsed inexplicably.
Pant then led India’s recovery with some unorthodox shots, while Jadeja was watchful for most parts.
Their partnership pushed India back into contention, before Jadeja was dismissed at short leg for six off 22 balls.
After lunch, Pant took India past 100 and remained key to the end-result for both sides.
In the 22nd over then, he was given out caught beind via television review. He seemed to have edged Patel, but the on-field umpire turned it down. New Zealand captain Tom Latham reviewed and the replays showed there was a deflection off the bat on to the pad which looped up and was caught by Tom Blundell.
Pant walked back dejected, after hitting nine fours and a six, in what had looked a match-turning 35-run partnership with Sundar.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Sundar added 15 runs as scoring dried up, before Phillips struck twice in the 29th over.
The allrounder had Ashwin caught behind trying a reverse sweep, with DRS detecting a faint glove touch. Next ball, Phillips bowled Akash Deep to leave India on the precipice.
Patel then created history as he bowled Sundar two balls later – India had collapsed losing its last four wickets for 15 runs.
Earlier, Ravindra Jadeja picked a second five-for in the test as New Zealand was bowled out for 174 runs in its second innings.
The Kiwis had closed day two at 171-9 and could only add another three runs across 14 deliveries. Jadeja dismissed Patel for eight, out caught, for his 15th five-wicket return in tests.
Jadeja finished with match figures of 10-120, his third ten-wicket haul in his 77 tests.
New Zealand scored 235 runs in its first innings, while India took a slender 28-run lead with 263 runs in reply.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
New Zealand's players celebrate their team's win against India at the end of their third and final Test cricket match at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
New Zealand's Aijaz Patel, left, celebrates the dismissal of India's Washington Sundar during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
New Zealand's players celebrates the dismissal of India's Rishab Pant during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
New Zealand's Aijaz Patel dives to field a ball during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
New Zealand's Glenn Phillips, second right without cap, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of India's Akash Deep during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
India's Akash Deep is is bowled out by New Zealand's Glenn Phillips during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
New Zealand's Glenn Phillips, center, celebrates the dismissal of India's Akash Deep during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
New Zealand's Glenn Phillips, second left, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of India's Akash Deep, right, during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
New Zealand's Aijaz Patel celebrates the dismissal of India's Virat Kohli during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
India's Virat Kohli, third right, walks off the field as New Zealand's players celebrates his dismissal during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
India's Rishab Pant plays a shot during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
New Zealand's Glenn Phillips, right, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of India's Yashasvi Jaiswal during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
India's Rishab Pant plays a shot during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
New Zealand's Aijaz Patel bowls a delivery during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
India's Rishab Pant raises his bat as he celebrates after scoring fifty runs during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
India's Rishab Pant watches the ball after playing a shot during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
New Zealand's Aijaz Patel, right, jumps up in the air as he celebrates the wicket of India's Ravindra Jadeja during the third day of the third cricket test match between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)