Bone Soldier Back Page
With the announcement that Bone Soldier will be returning, New Japan Pro Wednesday will be dedicating the entire Back Page to the wrestler dubbed by Kenny Omega as an, “intergalactic disaster.”
Who Is Bone Soldier?
Bone Soldier was formerly known as Captain New Japan. As Captain New Japan, he was a clumsy, albeit passionate mascot for the company. Dressing in the signature colors of NJPW, the masked wrestler struck up a friendship with Yoshitatsu. Captain New Japan joined in Yoshitatsu’s mission to rid New Japan of Bullet Club. Captain New Japan started dressing in Yoshitatsu’s green and black aesthetic, and Hunter Club was born.
Then in September of 2015, Yoshitatsu kicked Captain New Japan out of Hunter Club. An enraged Captain New Japan attacked Yoshitatsu and joined Bullet Club. He took on a new name, Bone Soldier.
THREAD: September 25, 2016, Capt. New Japan, furious at being kicked out of Hunter Club, attacks Yoshitatsu and joins Bullet Club. He changes his name to Bone Solider. Learn more around 2am EST
Road To Dontaku. 5:30am EST on @njpwworld #njdontaku #TheReturnofBoneSoldier pic.twitter.com/zvIqipogrb— Ross W Berman IV (Oscars™️ Crisis Team Leader) (@RossWBermanIV) April 14, 2018
Despite a new name and new friends, Bone Soldier’s Bullet Club stint was a monumental clustermuck. So fond of choking opponents with his belt was Bone Soldier, that he’d do it directly in front of the referee. This led to disqualification after disqualification, even in matches with Young Lions, where Bone Soldier often had a size and experience advantage. His only career victory came by association, in a November 2016 tag match. Otherwise, Bone Soldier was getting disqualified or taking the pinfall for his team.
Bone Soldier teams with Bad Luck Fale in the 2016 World Tag League. They are shutout of the tournament, not winning a single match. Their final match in the tournament sees them lose to Hunter Club, Yoshitatsu & Billy Gunn, when Yoshitatsu hits Bone Soldier with a Pedigree.
/6 pic.twitter.com/DoX7CqICse— Ross W Berman IV (Oscars™️ Crisis Team Leader) (@RossWBermanIV) April 14, 2018
After losing definitively to Yoshitatsu & his new Hunter Club teammate, Billy Gunn, the writing was on the wall for Bone Soldier.
Bone Soldier finished 2016 on the losing end of his Road To Tokyo Dome matches.
After getting choked with his own belt, and dropped on his head on December 17th, Bone Soldier was ready to turn his luck around in 2017.
/8 pic.twitter.com/8CWpo5QHyS— Ross W Berman IV (Oscars™️ Crisis Team Leader) (@RossWBermanIV) April 14, 2018
The beginning of 2017 wasn’t much better for Bone Soldier. He was the first eliminated from the 2017 New Japan Rumble, and then took a pinfall in a match between Bullet Club and Team 2000. Team 2000 is essentially what’s left of the nWo Japan, meaning that Bone Soldier’s humiliating manhandling cost Bullet Club it’s only match to date against the Black & White faction that inspired their own. It was a devastating loss, and led to Kenny Omega declaring Bone Soldier, “an intergalactic disaster.”
Bullet Club leader Kenny Omega declares Bone Soldier an "intergalactic disaster," and Bone Soldier's profile disappears from the New Japan website shortly thereafter.
Mitsuhide Hirasawa seemingly retires that day in March, with only one win under the "Bone Soldier" moniker.
/11 pic.twitter.com/BO1lGXbEAk— Ross W Berman IV (Oscars™️ Crisis Team Leader) (@RossWBermanIV) April 14, 2018
This was the last anyone heard from Bone Soldier, or Mitsuhide Hirasawa. Then, on the first night of The Road To Wrestling Dontaku Tour. The lights went out and a video played.
Bone Soldier Theories
With Bullet Club in the middle of a civil war, and New Japan business steady, it’s an odd choice to bring in Bone Soldier. As you’ve read, his career was less than stellar. He was a skeleton in Bullet Club’s closet, that was better left undisturbed. Cody Rhodes took to Twitter to claim responsibility for Bone Soldier’s return.
You're welcome https://t.co/Eu096wi7Y8
— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) April 13, 2018
This begs the question, Will Bone Soldier Be The Same Bone Soldier?
It’s entirely possible that this is a way to sneak Flip Gordon into Bullet Club. The ROH wrestler has been lobbying to be on the All In event in September, and Bullet Club in general. Cody has been dismissive to Gordon. But is it possible that Flip is Bone Soldier? After all, he is a literal soldier.
https://twitter.com/TheFlipGordon/status/986304431040933888
Is Bone Soldier a way to get Flip Gordon into Bullet Club? Or is Bone Soldier going to be a way for Cody Rhodes to continue to try and divide Kenny Omega and his lover Kota Ibushi?
Ibushi has been teaming with Bullet Club members for the better part of the past month. He even formed a very effective tandem with Chase Owens, while Kenny Omega rested up from wear and tear. Kenny & Kota’s love has been a near obsession of Cody’s.
At Honor Rising, Cody kissed Kota, and said that Kota liked it, despite Kota being visibly repulsed by the action. Also Brandi Rhodes kissed Kenny Omega and said, “he liked it.” The Rhodes couple’s obsession with proving The Golden Lovers as frauds have been acts of despicable cruelty, and uncomfortable viewing. This is why it wouldn’t be beneath The American Nightmare to use Bone Soldier as a way to put Kota Ibushi in Bullet Club, while simultaneously humiliating The Golden Star.
This is not unprecedented. Kota spent the better part of 2017 portraying the in-ring version of the cartoon character, Tiger Mask W. Finding another cartoony, masked character for Kota to play is perfect for the exploitative nature of Cody’s tenure as Bullet Club leader.
Who do you think will be under the Bone Soldier skull when he returns?
Who do you think will turn out to be Bone Soldier?#NJPWed
— Ross W Berman IV (Oscars™️ Crisis Team Leader) (@RossWBermanIV) April 18, 2018
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