Joshi Watch: Lulu Pencil

This past summer, Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling introduced its newest talents, but none have taken the internet by storm like Lulu Pencil. As the purple-and-yellow promotion’s freelance writer, Lulu Pencil has won fans over in only a matter of months. From her never-say-die disposition to her comedic antics that have become her collective trademark, the leader of the Pencil Army has been nothing short of entertaining. Though her matches must be seen to be believed, written coverage is warranted.

Prior to entering Gatoh Move, headed by Emi Sakura, Lulu Pencil worked as a freelance writer. She wrote columns for a number of publications, including IGN Japan. Case and point, this past January, she penned a column detailing her top ten video games of 2019. Among the titles listed were “Pokemon Sword and Shield,” “Fire Emblem: Three Houses,” and the remake of “The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.” One may see her promote her written works on Twitter every now and then.

In mid-to-late 2019, Lulu Pencil began her wrestling training. Under the tutelage of Sakura and Mei Suruga, she learned at Gatoh Move’s facility: Daredemo Joshi Pro Wrestling, also known as Darejo Project. She was part of a group of other new trainees including Sayaka, Chie Koishikawa, Sayuri, Tokiko Kirihara, and Rin Rin. Along with her fellow trainees, Lulu Pencil made her professional wrestling debut later in the summer.

July of 2019 saw Lulu Pencil make her debut in a series of Gatoh Move exhibition matches. In these matches, the future leader of the Pencil Army was pitted against different opponents. Her first match occurred on the 6th, when she lost to one half of the Asia Dream Tag Team Champions, Yuna Mizumori. From there, she faced Mitsuro Konno and even Kirihara, losing most of her matches along the way. The only one she didn’t lose was her second bout against Mizumori, which ended in a three-minute draw.

From there, fans became familiar with Lulu Pencil’s unique style of wrestling. To call said style kooky would be a bit of an understatement. With her awkward movements, she would appear simultaneously certain and uncertain of herself. Whenever she would deliver a clubbing blow, such as a forearm, she would wince or recoil in self-induced pain. Even a technique as seemingly simple as a splash from a three-foot drop proved to be intimidating for Lulu Pencil. Despite these setbacks, she has been able to develop a strong following, despite coming up on the losing end of her matches.

In the months of 2019 that followed, Lulu Pencil continued to wrestle valiantly throughout her matches. She would even team with, as well as face off against, Antonio Honda, a multi-time Dramatic Dream Team Ironman Heavymetalweight Champion. It was in this match, in particular, that fans became fond of. Simply put, it was a clash of two comedic personalities, the pink overall-wearing author gaining confidence by the end. Only a few months into her wrestling career, Lulu Pencil would make her international debut in London, England.

In November, Pro-Wrestling: EVE held their Ace of EVE tour. Though Lulu Pencil didn’t participate in the 2019 SHE-1 tournament – Suruga did, earning a victory over Jetta – she was still involved in the tour. On the second night, Lulu Pencil faced her former trainer, Suruga in singles action. Though Lulu Pencil lost the match, she came away a winner in the eyes of the audience. Suffice to say, she grew her Pencil Army that much more.

Lulu Pencil continued to work for Gatoh Move throughout the remainder of 2019 and into 2020. After losing match after match, there seemed to be light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. In Gatoh Move’s final February event of the year, she teamed with Konno against Makoto and Sayuri. Konno picked up the victory for her team, handing the master of the Rolling Pencil her first-ever victory. Finally, after several matches and ample struggle, Lulu Pencil was able to gain a win.

Will Lulu Pencil be able to continue this momentum, achieving singles victories in the process? Only time will tell, but with the support she has amassed, the sky is limit. Before long, she may very well prove that the pencil is mightier than the sword.

Recommended Matches:

Lulu Pencil vs. Antonio Honda (October 27, 2019)

In this match touched on earlier in the column, Lulu Pencil squared off with Antonio Honda. I included this in my 10 Matches to Start With article and everything said there applies here. This is, in my opinion, the match that best encapsulates the character of Lulu Pencil. It showed how well she could work with another comedic foil, Honda in this case, even taking fans by surprise with her bursts of offense. For those that are into comedy wrestling, this is required viewing.

Lulu Pencil vs. Mei Suruga (September 29, 2019)

Roughly two months after her debut, Lulu Pencil faced her trainer, Mei Suruga, in singles action. Once again, the leader of the Pencil Army’s comedy was on full display, from scaring Suruga in mid-match to helplessly attempting a window leap to catch up to her. In fact, this match brought out the funnier side of Suruga, already regarded as one of the charismatic stars in Gatoh Move. Whether in Tokyo, London, or any location in between, these two have undeniable chemistry.

Lulu Pencil vs. Trans Am Hiroshi (January 13, 2020)

Of all of Lulu Pencil’s matches, this might be the strangest of them all. In this bout, the leader of the Pencil Army faces Trans Am Hiroshi, a yoga-influenced wrestler sporting a polka-dotted bodysuit, tremendous flexibility, and a bizarre disposition. Lulu Pencil had her work cut out for her against the former multi-time DDT Ironman Heavymetalweight Champion, even attempting to match her opponent’s superior malleability. The mid-match interactions between these two alone make this match worth checking out.

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