{"id":13283,"date":"2018-01-27T21:03:52","date_gmt":"2018-01-28T02:03:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=13283"},"modified":"2021-01-08T17:42:17","modified_gmt":"2021-01-08T22:42:17","slug":"guerrillas-mist-history-asian-mist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2018\/01\/27\/guerrillas-mist-history-asian-mist\/","title":{"rendered":"Dokugiri: The History of the Asian Mist (VIDEOS)"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s a trademark passed down by generations of Japanese wrestlers – the devious characters who, in their moment of need, dig down into some guttural supernatural space in their bellies (or poison glands, depending on the kayfabe), and spew forth a poisonous colored mist from their mouths, blinding their opponents. In Japanese, it’s called\u00a0dokugiri\u00a0<\/i>(which means “poison fog”), but to many it’s simply referred to as the Asian mist. And much like Superman’s kryptonite, the color of the mist actually means different “strains” of potency. And while it’s been almost primarily used by Asian male wrestlers, it actually has its origins in the US territory days, beginning with The Great Kabuki in the early 1980s.<\/p>\n

THE GREAT KABUKI<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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The Great Kabuki with manager, Gary Hart.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For nearly 20 years, Akihisa Mera<\/strong> wrestled as your standard Japanese wrestler. He started as a 16 year old in 1964 with Rikidozan<\/strong>‘s Japanese Wrestling Association (JWA)<\/strong>, under the name\u00a0Akihisa Takachih\u014d<\/strong>, before heading Stateside to work for NWA Hollywood<\/strong> in 1970. He soon began working in Canada as well, working with the Tunney’s in Maple Leaf Wrestling<\/strong> (where he used Mr. Sato). He returned to Japan in 1973 and began a six year run with All-Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW)<\/strong>, before once again returning to the United States. It was with World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW)<\/strong> that\u00a0Takachih\u014d was rebranded and christened the Asian mist to the rest of the world.\u00a0Takachih\u014d was paired with manager Gary Hart<\/strong>, who changed him into The Great Kabuki. As The Great Kabuki, he wore a visually striking mask (apparently caused by “burns”), and during that period he began to use the green Asian mist for the first time. He returned to AJPW in 1984, bringing the Asian mist back to Asia for its first time. He’s since gone on to enjoy a 50-year career that is still ongoing – he last wrestled in December for Pro Wrestling NOAH<\/strong>.<\/p>\n