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For the 4^th consecutive year The Eastern Lariat once again proudly presents the Half Year Awards! On this show Dylan Fox and STRIGGA crown the very best in japanese pro-wrestling in the first six months of 2022 – in 14 categories! This also means the companies represented range from New Japan Pro Wrestling over Ice Ribbon to GLEAT and Ganbare Pro and include men's and women's wrestlers. On top of that Dylan & STRIGGA also discuss the choices that YOU, the listeners, made! This is your guide through the first 6 months of 2021!

This is part one of the Eastern Lariat's ride through Golden Week 2022! STRIGGA and Dylan start with a look at some of the bigger indies in Japan with Osaka Pro, HEAT UP, Kyushu Pro & Ganbare before turning their attention to a round up of Joshi companies running in Golden week such as Diana, SEAdLINNNG, Marvelous, Ice Ribbon, TJPW & Stardom. The two remaining topics on this episode are NOAH's Sumo Hall double shot including discussions about Nakajma and NOSAWA plus DDT's Mega Max Bump in Yokohama. What was the best match? What's next for Endo, MAO and Higuchi? Is Endo Burning?

The Eastern Lariat is back with another MEGA episode as STRIGGA & Dylan once again cover NINE promotions. At the beginning, they address the horrible injury Shinjiro Otani suffered on ZERO1's anniversary show. From there the Eastern Lariat takes it to all major groups in japanese pro-wrestling as the main focus this time are shows from this past weekend and upcoming cards of which many take place in Yokohama so get on board with the Yokohama Lariat!

After one month Dylan and STRIGGA got back together to discuss the latest in japanese pro-wrestling and as luck would have it, the recording took place on the first day of spring, which is a public holiday in Japan. In celebration of this, The Eastern Lariat crew once more included as many topics as they could to provide a colorful mix of different flavors of Puroresu from Joshi over NOAH and NJPW to DDT and TJPW. Winter is over, the hot season in Puroresu is about to start!

The beginning of the new year traditionally is one of the busiest times for japanese pro-wrestling, not only because of NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom, but because seemingly every promotion – from small indies to nationwide companies – are running on or around “Ittenyon” as well. This show is about the promotions beyond NJPW. While the second half of the show is completely dedicated to NOAH's new New Year's tradition of running Nippon Budokan, the first half of the show contains discussions about Toshikoshi (New Year's Eve) Pro-Wrestling, Big Japan, ZERO1, STARDOM, Ice Ribbon, All Japan and Kyushu Pro's first ever show in the japanese capital. Join is for this massive New Year Lariat!

Join in with the Eastern Lariat celebrating their 200^th episode! After reflecting on the history of the podcast with Dylan & STRIGGA telling the story of how they became a team, the dymanic duo focuses on their bread and butter: Japanese Pro-Wrestling! The anniversary episode sets the stage to discuss the incredible 60 minute time limit draw between Katsuhiko Nakajima and Kenou in Pro Wrestling NOAH. Of course, STRIGGA & Dylan also look at NOAH's Budokan card and make some predictions for various wrestlers in 2022. Other topics on this show include All Japan, their Real World Tag League, Jake Lee as champion and Naoya Nomura leaving. DDT is also featured once again with the D-Ou GP final between Konosuke Takeshita and Yuki Ueno that could've started a new main event rivalry. Last, but not least the turmoil in the Joshi scene with retirements and wrestlers leaving their promotions gets talked about. Another show that embodies the full Eastern Lariat spirit of covering as much ground as possible!

A lot has happened in late July in the world of japanese pro-wrestling so the Eastern Lariat duo got back together to discuss a wide range of topics led by New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Grand Slam in Tokyo Dome and its aftermath. The show though starts with a look back at All Japan's Summer Action Series and then moves to GLEAT's recent events (including the highly praised Takuya Nomura vs. Yu Iizuka bout) before STRIGGA & Dylan discuss current and future events in a trifecta of Joshi promotions in Stardom, Ice Ribbon and Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling.

In another super sized edition The Eastern Lariat looks back at possibly the most challenging and unusual six months in wrestling history from a japanese stand point. Like most other countries, Japan was affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 and still though wrestling found a way – mostly through empty arena shows. That's why this year for the first (and only?) time the Half Year Awards saw the awards for best empty arena wrestler and show besides the regular categories like MVP, most outstanding, best promotion, most underrated and so on and so forth. Join the Eastern Lariat for a fun ride through the entire japanese wrestling scene!

Joshi March Madness! Dylan's back with Eric from The Joshi Pod who graciously took the time before his trip to Japan to reclaim his spot as the Pure Heart specialist, breaking down the full Bracket for the Joshi March Madness. We go through the whole bracket and give our picks throughout. Thank you all who listen and support the show and continue to support it through patreon.com/easternlariat and make sure to check back @EasternLariat on Twitter to vote and make your voices heard! And also support The Joshi Pod and listen to great interviews with people throughout the Joshi scene like his latest episode with Kris Wolf, and in the future with his scheduled guests Akane Fujita and Bull Nakano! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-joshi-pod/id1486086093

Good AAA show with the Psycho Circus back, awful CMLL product Tsukushi had to show up for, speculation on Konnan/Psicosis and our picks for toughest Lucha backup in a street scenario, The Kl4n is back somehow, and Hijo del Santo disowning Santo Jr.!? (In Lucha) It's all here on this week's edition of Lucha Talk!

Talk Lucha with the Trio: @DylanZeroSky - @therealfredo - @MICROMANFEVER

It's Pure Heart X Joshi Pod! Dylan is joined by Eric Howard to run through the entire year in Joshi for 2019, covering everything from Joshi MVP to best in-ring performer, to most charismatic, and everything good about Japanese Women's Wrestling in 2019.

Enjoy the ride and follow us both on Twitter @DylanZeroSky - @EasternLariat & @TheJoshiPod - @ericsandiego for all the Joshi coverage in 2020 and beyond!

A wild and crazy Taiiku no Hi (Health & Sports Day) lies behind us which in the very early hours brought us Giulia jumping from Ice Ribbon to Stardom which caused a lot of turmoil in the Joshi scene. STRIGGA & Dylan first address this topic and look at the possible motivations. In that context the two also debate a possible big breaking news story shaking up Japan. The main topic of the show however is New Japan Pro Wrestling's King of Pro Wrestling from Sumo Hall headlined by Kota Ibushi vs. EVIL and Kazuchika Okada vs. SANADA. Since the show traditionally sets up Wrestle Kingdom the Eastern Lariat once more dares to look ahead to January 5 & 5, 2020.

The Eastern Lariat Potpourri returns! The big anchor of the Summer Potpourri is this past weekend's Big Japan show that was headlined by the big boy battle between Daisuke Sekimoto and Michael Elgin. STRIGGA & Dylan also discuss the new Strong World Heavyweight Champion and the chances for young guys within Big Japan. A preview of the Saikyou Tag League concludes the Big Japan topic before the Eastern Lariat crew talks about Dragon Gate's Dangerous Gate show, New Japan's Super J-Cup and the Young Lions Cup, WRESTLE-1's upcoming show in Yokohama and some other news and notes on Ice Ribbon, OZ Academy and HEAT UP … and what about the Zodiac?

This week on Pure Heart, Pure Lariat Dylan Fox (@DylanZeroSky) is forming his super trio of Joshi focused podcasts with Justin from the Joshi Joshi podcast (@coffeeyay) & Derek Tillotson (@PrivateEyeball) of the Private Eyeball Show returning, with the three talking about the best of Joshi Puroresu so far in 2019. We have a plethora of fun categories we had nominations and picks for, controversy and debates, capped off the only way it reasonably could, an honorary shoutout to Ai Hara. Nearly every major promotion had at least one pick, check it out and get the perspectives from 3 of the biggest and best Joshi focused podcasts. Whether you're a dedicated follower or casual and wanna catch up, the 2019 Half Year Awards Show is where it's at, and it's right here on Pure Heart.

This week Dylan's joined by Derek Tillotson (@PrivateEyeball of the Private Eyeball Show & Marvelous expert) to discuss three shows with three widely discussed match of the year candidates. From Ice Ribbon we saw Osaka Ribbon headlined by Maya Yukihi vs. Giulia, SEAdLINNG's Stay Tune main evented by Takumi Iroha challenging Nanae Takahashi, and then Stardom's Shining Destiny main evented by Tam Nakano challenging Arisa Hoshiki. We close off by discussing Stardom's 5*GP and the 18 wrestlers announced for it.

Dylan rides solo for V3: - Command Bolshoi Retirement Show - Catch the WAVE - Princess Cup - Gatoh Move - Ice Ribbon in May - Stardom in May

This week on Pure Heart, Pure Lariat, Dylan' (@DylanZeroSky)'s graciously joined by a trainee from his favorite promotion, Ice Ribbon, the Manila born YAPPY! (@Yapi on Twitter, @Yapitori on Instagram) After her debut teaming with Rina Yamashita we talked about her start and what got her into wrestling (it's pretty surprising) and what led her to Japan. Then after a personal touch we talk about her run in the dojo and the trials and tribulations involved in the Dojo system in a modern Joshi company, who helped train her and who she was most impressed with in her year and a half leading to her debut. Then we go into her debut itself, the unusual nature of how it occured and how fast it happened (not to mention being in a new tag team right off the bat), followed by a brief foray into where she and other Ice Ribbon wrestlers' goals are in the future. Then they talk about meat to end the show.

Check it out for a breezy conversation about all sorts of topics in regards to Ice Ribbon and wrestling training in general. Turn a Minus into a Plus & Be Happy with Pro Wrestling with the XL Shadows and enjoy this look into the Ice Ribbon dojo, P's Party and the life of a foreign Joshi rookie wrestler!

Japan & China are the focus of the latest Eastern Lariat episode in which STRIGGA & Dylan first of all look back at All Japan's Korakuen Hall with the historic main event between Kento Miyahara and Naomichi Marufuji and also take a look at the upcoming All Japan cards in June. After that the duo sets sail for a voyage to China to discuss the new partnership between Pro Wrestling NOAH and Eastern Heroes as well as Oriental Wrestling Entertainment and their promising talent. In a show that was taped before the news of Io Shirai leaving for WWE the Eastern Lariat crew talks about Shirai & Stardom, Sendai Girls, PURE-J and Ice Ribbon in order to provide an overview of the current Joshi scene.

A new Eastern Lariat episode brings an extensive update on New Japan, All Japan, DDT and Joshi Wrestling. STRIGGA & Dylan discuss the return of the Golden Lovers and other news and notes from Honor Rising, the upcoming Strong Style Evolved and the New Japan Cup before switching gears and getting into the big 3/25 All Japan and DDT cards as well as Hideki Suzuki in Ice Ribbon, recommended matches from Stardom and more.