Joshi Watch: Chie Koishikawa

Donning the color orange, an homage to her home city of Shizuoka, Japan, Chie Koishikawa is the fencer turned grappler of Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling. Sporting a bubbly personality and a knife-edge chop that’s tough to beat, Koishikawa entered the promotion last summer and has been developing steadily ever since. This foodie and comic book aficionado fights with the dream of becoming successful in wrestling. Here’s a rundown of the young joshi’s career thus far.

Prior to becoming a professional wrestler, Chie Koishikawa trained in fencing. Brandishing a saber, she took on various fighters throughout her young life. By the time she was 20, however, she made her aspiration of becoming a professional wrestler come true. In mid-to-late 2019, Koishikawa underwent training at Darejo Project, the training facility of Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling, headed by Emi Sakura. Not only did she learn under Sakura, but Mei Suruga, one of the rising stars of the promotion in question. Koishikawa entered Gatoh Move alongside fellow trainees Sayuri, Sayaka, Tokiko Kirihara, Rin Rin, and Lulu Pencil.

Koishikawa made her unofficial Gatoh Move debut on August 17, 2019, in an exhibition match.

This type of match is designed to introduce viewers to the newest crop of talent. In the match in question, she faced Suruga in a time limit draw. Koishikawa’s official debut came the following week when she faced Sayaka Obihiro in a Shin-Kiba 1st Ring event. Though the newcomer lost the encounter in under five minutes, she showcased immense fighting spirit against the veteran in Obihiro. Koishikawa held her own, her saber-like chops inspired by her fencing experience.

For the rest of 2019, Koishikawa continued to ply her craft in Gatoh Move. In addition to testing her mettle against long-standing company stars Suruga and Yuna Mizumori, she secured her first official victory in October. In a tag team match, Koishikawa and SAKI, one half of the Asia Dream Tag Team Champions with Mizumori, defeated Lulu Pencil and Dramatic Dream Team favorite Antonio Honda. Koishikawa continued to wrestle mostly tag team matches. Nonetheless, the singles encounters she had with Mizumori helped her stand on her own.

In January of 2020, Koishikawa expanded her horizons in professional wrestling. As a Gatoh Move star, she debuted for Pro Wrestling HEAT UP, a Tokyo-based promotion headed by TAMURA. In said match, she teamed with Suruga in a losing effort against Mizumori and Mitsuru Konno. The following month, Koishikawa faced Sakura in arguably her biggest match at that point. Koishikawa would end up losing, though much like in her debut against Obihiro, she had a strong showing.

As of late, the newcomer Koishikawa has proven herself as both a solid wrestler from bell to bell but an unbridled source of charisma. One scroll through her Twitter feed will show that she isn’t afraid to be energetic, especially alongside someone she can play off, such as Suruga. What does the future hold for this former fencer? Whatever it may be, she will prove that few maneuvers are a match for her Chie Chop.

Recommended Matches:

Chie Koishikawa vs. Mei Suruga (September 6, 2019)

The first match recommendation on this list took place in the fall of 2019. In September, she had one of her rare singles matches against one of her trainers, Mei Suruga. This bout showcased more of the undeniable energy of Koishikawa, but it also showed she was just as much steak as she was sizzle. Koishikawa exhibited solid technical skill against Suruga early on, focusing on the wrist. Even when she appeared to be in trouble, such as against Suruga’s Boston crab, Koishikawa stayed in the fight. For those that are looking for strong singles showings from the Shizuoka newcomer, this is worth checking out.

Yuna Mizumori vs. Chie Koishikawa (September 23. 2019)

Of all the Gatoh Move stars, it can be argued that Yuna Mizumori is the most consistently solid. Thus, Chie Koishikawa was in good hands in this match that was equal parts competitive and lighthearted. The dynamic was established early on. While Mizumori upheld her reputation of being a “power fighter, Koishikawa remained quicker and nimbler on her feet. Koishikawa was even able to break out a bow and arrow lock, albeit with some difficulty, to keep the momentum in her favor. This match is a perfect example of the fan favorite fire that the former fencer possesses.

Mitsuru Konno and Chie Koishikawa vs. Cherry and Masahiro Takanashi (November 13, 2019)

Switching things up with a tag team encounter, this November bout saw Chie Koishikawa team with Gatoh Move stalwart Mitsuru Konno. Their opponents were DDT’s Masahiro Takanashi, who continues to make Gatoh Move appearances, and Union Pro Wrestling‘s Fly to Everywhere World Champion, Cherry. Though Cherry boasted nearly a decade and a half of wrestling experience, Koishikawa was able to hang with her, even with her hair being tugged at. This is yet another comedic match recommendation on this list, but it’s worth checking out just for the interactions between veteran Cherry and newcomer Koishikawa alone.

Check out past Joshi Watches and discover more stars from Japan!