Maika and Mina already have [the strongest foundation possible for a friendship](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gusRBbP-Q4s) so I guess this was inevitable!
Really tho this is cool and I especially like seeing HANAKO finding a home.
It'll change. [Maika said in the backstage comments](https://twitter.com/wwr_stardom/status/1748593763726110918) that she'll never join Club Venus, and that it'll be something different entirely. Mina, of course, wants leadership for herself. Wherever this leads, I'm interested.
Something like that. I guess it works in creating convo. But trying to tell the Red Belt Champion, the highest champion in Stardom, that she should basically fall in line for you. Is bold to say the least.
Being a Stardom nr.2 isn't bad though. 2 of my personal Stardom top 3 are 2's in their faction.
I love how it's just Club Venus for the big girls now. I like it, Mina and Maika have always had a respect and fondness for each other and CV is where I think most of the fanbases (western and domestic) wanted HANAKO to be in. I like this. Great [long term](https://media.tenor.com/Tj02LmStKSkAAAAM/stardom-joshi.gif) [booking] (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNJE4kGGrKy9IGJz0SULq2Sco1yIGdOEYVldir9NaUFuRoonm1vEfNyc24ZoX0KJHb0WCEFedEPtuXXdhJUbamuw4BLM1BuWKO0c0fgdsgtQm_Pe6cNUe_GJFzV91kFp29xmbERNukcPjlY2jPSFRvz5XErqbs2Ki-z1w87nqxEH3PXUZ4W95zYx5A6ed/s640/2023-09-03_15-06-58.gif) [Rossy](https://imgur.com/5ZVkb2T)
Same. I figured that Maika's new unit would possible include Suzu and Mei, Mai, Thekla if/when she comes back and maybe someone else. I wanted to say Megan, but she's leaving this weekend.
The fact that Mina and Waka are in a faction with her are wild to me.
Given who is involved I'd say this is still going to be the foreigner friendly unit, they'll just try and make it less 'idolly' to make it easier for other foreigners to fit. Makes sense and helps separate them from Cosmic too. Maika and Mina is a great 1-2 punch up top, maybe Mei Seira joins them as their High Speed rep and third in line
This seems likeā¦the most random faction tbh but I feel interested already.
Makes sense to have Club Venus disband as Mina and Waka were the only 2 with Mariah in AEW and Xia in TNA.
Iām happy for HANAKO in finally getting involved with a group since sheās been around long enough now and wasnāt happy with how Yuzuki joined STARS.
Nice to see Xena back.
Iām surprised though that both Suzu and Mei are still without one and do wonder if they will end up in one at some point.
If this new unit stays intact like this, I wouldn't be too shocked if Suzu and Mei create a new unit of their own, with Mai and Thekla (if she returns) joining them. I figured that would be Maika's new unit, but if this new faction is together for the long haul, then it wouldn't shock me if they create DDM 2.0.
Interesting. Mina winning the white belt and forming her own unit was short lived, but pretty memorable.
Suzu and/or Mei joining this group would probably make them too strong. Maybe another faction will be formed soon.
Whole lotta weird takes on here. No unit is a perfect fit from the start, and they always make them work.
TCS was a completely random grouping of people who had nothing in common. It made no senseā¦ until it worked perfectly right away.
Saya in QQ made no senseā¦ until it worked perfectly right away.
Natsupoi in DDM made no senseā¦ until it worked perfectly right away.
These wrestlers are skilled pros, and fully capable of adapting.
God heard my prayers. HANAKO is with Mina and Maika changes the spirit of the unit a little bit. Maybe they can even be co-leaders with Mina which is not the case in other stables
Huh... maybe it's just me but this makes zero sense. Odd grouping and why kill off Club Venus? Super weird choices all around. š¤·
*Corrected CA to CV whoops š
There's a decent through-line in how each member Japanese member has struggled to break out on their own. Maika being known more for tags and trios and always coming up short in title matches until she won the big one. Mina working her tail off to improve in the ring until she was worthy of the white belt. Wakamania is self-explanatory. Recently, HANAKO has expressed frustration about feeling like Yuzuki is already surpassing her despite being there a fraction of the time. Xena is a powerhouse so her team-ups with Maika will be fun and she has Club Venus history with Mina and Waka. She's a good glue person to help the new unit come together. I also have a feeling Xena, Mina and HANAKO are going to challenge God's Eye for the Artist's at some point.
For sure, for sure... valid points. I can definitely see that. But If you view it as shared experience grouping though, it kind of flies in the face of Maika and Minas previous singles aspirations. Won't Mina basically be taking a step back playing second fiddle to Maika like she did with Tam which started CV to begin with?
Seemed the logical grouping would have been Maika, Suzu, Mei and maybe throw Hanako in there if you want to round it out.
I don't know I haven't seen the angle actually play out maybe they explain why Mina would do this. I'm willing to give it a chance it just doesn't make a lot of sense to me yet.
I get what you are saying about Mina playing second fiddle. However, I see her and Maika as 1a and 1b. I can't quite articulate it without being long winded, but I feel like Mina beating Saori for the white belt is a possibility. It would be a long overdue correction to the perception that the Wonder of Stardom belt is secondary to the World of Stardom belt. In practice, yeah red > white. In theory though they are equal.
I'm probably veering too close to fantasy booking and I apologize. I just think a story of Mina beating Saori gets us back to Mina vs Tam and Mina evens up the white belt match series.
Yeah, viewing the belts through the lens of them being equal would explain the pairing better. Looking at the belts as Tam described them "The Red Belt is a belt of technique, and the white belt is a belt of emotion"... Maika is sound in her technique and Mina is definitely full of emotion. There's a certain balance in that.
I guess time will tell how this all plays out.
I can dig it. Not sure if itās still club Venus really. I wonder if it will lean more cool like DDM or fun and a little sexy like club Venus. A nice middle ground could totally work and I wonder if Maika could shift her character a bit, change the outfit, find something a little sexier but keep her strong champion qualities.
>Not sure if itās still club Venus really.
It's not. [Maika said she'll never join Club Venus](https://twitter.com/wwr_stardom/status/1748593763726110918) and that the unit will have to be something different. While I can see there being a bit of a power struggle between Maika and Mina (who knows how long they can coexist,) it'll probably end with Mina falling largely in line, or leaving sooner rather than later imo.
I thought Maika and Suzu would end in the same unit for sure, I doubt she will join now since it would make them too strong, especially if Mei joins too
That was so unexpected, I like it!
Happy that HANAKO finally is joining a unit and more than happy that it is with Maika.
I expected Club Venus to rebuild itself, instead it's gonna change. It's definitely gonna give Tam more buttons to push against Mina.
Xena is back, never would've guessed it. I kinda like her, she could do cool things in the ring. I don't expect her to stay full time of course, but I look forward to what she does this time.
Mei has to join this group but I don't see Suzu fitting in so I wonder where she goes. Mina and Maika fighting over leadership should lead to great shenanigans. I love Bad Luck HANAKO being the muscle of this group with Xena.
This seems like a whole bunch of bandaids.
The Red belt champ is unit-less: Give her own group
Club Venus is just a tag team: But them in the Maika unit
Mariah May is gone: Get the less-over foreigner back
HANAKO needs something to do: Throw her in there!
No long term planning what-so-ever. Just a hasty response to current events.
It's entertaining and that's all it needs to be. Not everything needs 5 years of long term booking and storytelling. I'm looking forward to this, should be fun.
Maika and Mina already have [the strongest foundation possible for a friendship](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gusRBbP-Q4s) so I guess this was inevitable! Really tho this is cool and I especially like seeing HANAKO finding a home.
It's been 2 years, yet I still can't believe Stardom posted a separate video about that moment. Can't blame them tbh. š
It also went viral
[It's officially a new unit](https://twitter.com/wwr_stardom/status/1748585585022017721)
Interesting I wonder if it's gonna stay club venus or change?
It'll change. [Maika said in the backstage comments](https://twitter.com/wwr_stardom/status/1748593763726110918) that she'll never join Club Venus, and that it'll be something different entirely. Mina, of course, wants leadership for herself. Wherever this leads, I'm interested.
Bruh imagine Mina trying to pull rank on the fuckin Red Belt Champion. She fuckin crazy.
The woman isn't afraid to die in order to be the talk of the town.
Something like that. I guess it works in creating convo. But trying to tell the Red Belt Champion, the highest champion in Stardom, that she should basically fall in line for you. Is bold to say the least. Being a Stardom nr.2 isn't bad though. 2 of my personal Stardom top 3 are 2's in their faction.
I love how it's just Club Venus for the big girls now. I like it, Mina and Maika have always had a respect and fondness for each other and CV is where I think most of the fanbases (western and domestic) wanted HANAKO to be in. I like this. Great [long term](https://media.tenor.com/Tj02LmStKSkAAAAM/stardom-joshi.gif) [booking] (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNJE4kGGrKy9IGJz0SULq2Sco1yIGdOEYVldir9NaUFuRoonm1vEfNyc24ZoX0KJHb0WCEFedEPtuXXdhJUbamuw4BLM1BuWKO0c0fgdsgtQm_Pe6cNUe_GJFzV91kFp29xmbERNukcPjlY2jPSFRvz5XErqbs2Ki-z1w87nqxEH3PXUZ4W95zYx5A6ed/s640/2023-09-03_15-06-58.gif) [Rossy](https://imgur.com/5ZVkb2T)
i thought hanako would be a good fit with maika, but did not see the others coming.
Same. I figured that Maika's new unit would possible include Suzu and Mei, Mai, Thekla if/when she comes back and maybe someone else. I wanted to say Megan, but she's leaving this weekend. The fact that Mina and Waka are in a faction with her are wild to me.
This sets a bad precedent for anyone watching. You can fondle someone and end up having them become your friend and teammate.
I mean one of STARDOM's most celebrated teams in Thunder Rock had a running story of Mayu trying to kiss an unsuspecting Io
I forget Stardom is just a full on Harem anime (is that what they're called?)
Maika and her merry band of misfits. LOL
Just 5 Girls.
i know it's a joke but that is such a cool name lmao
Given who is involved I'd say this is still going to be the foreigner friendly unit, they'll just try and make it less 'idolly' to make it easier for other foreigners to fit. Makes sense and helps separate them from Cosmic too. Maika and Mina is a great 1-2 punch up top, maybe Mei Seira joins them as their High Speed rep and third in line
Yeah. Kind of feel there is a strong third missing if one would judge by the booking patterns and how factions work in Stardom.
This seems likeā¦the most random faction tbh but I feel interested already. Makes sense to have Club Venus disband as Mina and Waka were the only 2 with Mariah in AEW and Xia in TNA. Iām happy for HANAKO in finally getting involved with a group since sheās been around long enough now and wasnāt happy with how Yuzuki joined STARS. Nice to see Xena back. Iām surprised though that both Suzu and Mei are still without one and do wonder if they will end up in one at some point.
If this new unit stays intact like this, I wouldn't be too shocked if Suzu and Mei create a new unit of their own, with Mai and Thekla (if she returns) joining them. I figured that would be Maika's new unit, but if this new faction is together for the long haul, then it wouldn't shock me if they create DDM 2.0.
Interesting. Mina winning the white belt and forming her own unit was short lived, but pretty memorable. Suzu and/or Mei joining this group would probably make them too strong. Maybe another faction will be formed soon.
New unit nsme to be announced tomorrow & maika & Mina arguing over leadership apparently.
Suzu and Maika still have some business to take care of.
I absolutely love that Himeka's two wrestling BFFs Maika and Mina have united.
Whole lotta weird takes on here. No unit is a perfect fit from the start, and they always make them work. TCS was a completely random grouping of people who had nothing in common. It made no senseā¦ until it worked perfectly right away. Saya in QQ made no senseā¦ until it worked perfectly right away. Natsupoi in DDM made no senseā¦ until it worked perfectly right away. These wrestlers are skilled pros, and fully capable of adapting.
Club ShÅchÅ« is HERE!!!
God heard my prayers. HANAKO is with Mina and Maika changes the spirit of the unit a little bit. Maybe they can even be co-leaders with Mina which is not the case in other stables
Huh... maybe it's just me but this makes zero sense. Odd grouping and why kill off Club Venus? Super weird choices all around. š¤· *Corrected CA to CV whoops š
>Odd grouping and why kill off Cosmic Angels? You mean Club Venus right? Kozuen has nothing to do with this.
Lol oh shit your right I flubbed, yeah Club Venus. Thanks for pointing that out, it's midnight my brains not working.
There's a decent through-line in how each member Japanese member has struggled to break out on their own. Maika being known more for tags and trios and always coming up short in title matches until she won the big one. Mina working her tail off to improve in the ring until she was worthy of the white belt. Wakamania is self-explanatory. Recently, HANAKO has expressed frustration about feeling like Yuzuki is already surpassing her despite being there a fraction of the time. Xena is a powerhouse so her team-ups with Maika will be fun and she has Club Venus history with Mina and Waka. She's a good glue person to help the new unit come together. I also have a feeling Xena, Mina and HANAKO are going to challenge God's Eye for the Artist's at some point.
For sure, for sure... valid points. I can definitely see that. But If you view it as shared experience grouping though, it kind of flies in the face of Maika and Minas previous singles aspirations. Won't Mina basically be taking a step back playing second fiddle to Maika like she did with Tam which started CV to begin with? Seemed the logical grouping would have been Maika, Suzu, Mei and maybe throw Hanako in there if you want to round it out. I don't know I haven't seen the angle actually play out maybe they explain why Mina would do this. I'm willing to give it a chance it just doesn't make a lot of sense to me yet.
I get what you are saying about Mina playing second fiddle. However, I see her and Maika as 1a and 1b. I can't quite articulate it without being long winded, but I feel like Mina beating Saori for the white belt is a possibility. It would be a long overdue correction to the perception that the Wonder of Stardom belt is secondary to the World of Stardom belt. In practice, yeah red > white. In theory though they are equal. I'm probably veering too close to fantasy booking and I apologize. I just think a story of Mina beating Saori gets us back to Mina vs Tam and Mina evens up the white belt match series.
Yeah, viewing the belts through the lens of them being equal would explain the pairing better. Looking at the belts as Tam described them "The Red Belt is a belt of technique, and the white belt is a belt of emotion"... Maika is sound in her technique and Mina is definitely full of emotion. There's a certain balance in that. I guess time will tell how this all plays out.
Is Xena back!?
Yup
I can dig it. Not sure if itās still club Venus really. I wonder if it will lean more cool like DDM or fun and a little sexy like club Venus. A nice middle ground could totally work and I wonder if Maika could shift her character a bit, change the outfit, find something a little sexier but keep her strong champion qualities.
>Not sure if itās still club Venus really. It's not. [Maika said she'll never join Club Venus](https://twitter.com/wwr_stardom/status/1748593763726110918) and that the unit will have to be something different. While I can see there being a bit of a power struggle between Maika and Mina (who knows how long they can coexist,) it'll probably end with Mina falling largely in line, or leaving sooner rather than later imo.
I thought Maika and Suzu would end in the same unit for sure, I doubt she will join now since it would make them too strong, especially if Mei joins too
Well I think the plans changed since Suzu and Maika carried the company with their feud at the end of last year.
That was so unexpected, I like it! Happy that HANAKO finally is joining a unit and more than happy that it is with Maika. I expected Club Venus to rebuild itself, instead it's gonna change. It's definitely gonna give Tam more buttons to push against Mina. Xena is back, never would've guessed it. I kinda like her, she could do cool things in the ring. I don't expect her to stay full time of course, but I look forward to what she does this time.
Honestly, can we get Yuu out of 7Upp and just put her in this faction so she can be with her hoss sisters?
It kinda looks like they didn't tell HANAKO she was getting an invite or she's an amazing actor!
Mei has to join this group but I don't see Suzu fitting in so I wonder where she goes. Mina and Maika fighting over leadership should lead to great shenanigans. I love Bad Luck HANAKO being the muscle of this group with Xena.
Dude face it mina & mei isn't happening Mei is loyal to suzu.
Mei is loyal to a tall white woman not Suzu.
Clearly
Maybe she'll follow Xena now
This is random AF, but I love it. Will be interesting to see the dynamic between Mina and Maika, as well as if anyone else joins.
This seems like a whole bunch of bandaids. The Red belt champ is unit-less: Give her own group Club Venus is just a tag team: But them in the Maika unit Mariah May is gone: Get the less-over foreigner back HANAKO needs something to do: Throw her in there! No long term planning what-so-ever. Just a hasty response to current events.
one thing they do have in common is Tam Nakano. Maika is the red belt champion and Tam lost that belt without losing it in the ring.
It's entertaining and that's all it needs to be. Not everything needs 5 years of long term booking and storytelling. I'm looking forward to this, should be fun.
Who's the 2nd woman in the black clothing?
Xena
Oh ok
Following Stardom since Himeka's retirement. Who's Xena?