AEW Star Hikaru Shida Uses Move Pulled Straight Out of the Yakuza Games

by

AEW Star Hikaru Shida Uses Move Pulled Straight Out of the Yakuza Games

Highlights

  • The Yakuza series features wrestling moves, and wrestlers return the favor in their matches.
  • Hikaru Shida recently used an attack straight out of Yakuza 3 in an AEW Dynamite match.

As a long-time fan and avid player of the Yakuza series, I was absolutely thrilled when I saw Hikaru Shida perform Kazuma Kiryu’s Super Finish: Hell’s Gauntlet during her AEW Dynamite match. The Yakuza games have always been a source of inspiration for me, both as a gamer and a wrestling fan.

The Yakuza series has frequently looked to professional wrestling for ideas in creating its final moves. In a recent episode of AEW Dynamite, wrestler Hikaru Shida paid homage to this by executing Kazuma Kiryu’s Super Finish: Hell’s Gauntlet. In most Yakuza games, players assume the character of Kiryu Kazuma, a man who once belonged to the Tojo Clan in Kanto and aspires to leave his past of violence behind. However, it is usually not an easy task for Kiryu, as he frequently encounters various criminals on the rough streets of Japan’s Yakuza world.

Part of the Yakuza franchise’s lasting appeal is its combat, which features Kiryu and other protagonists beating down enemies with martial arts and improvised weapons. Wrestling moves like suplexes and powerbombs are often used as brutal finishing attacks, which in turn has drawn wrestlers and wrestling fans to the Yakuza series. In-ring legends have even cameoed in Yakuza games, with the most notable being the legendary Yoshiaki Fujiwara’s appearances as The Florist. Other wrestlers like Hiroshi Tanahashi, The Great Muta, and AEW performer and executive vice president Kenny Omega have all guest starred in Yakuza titles over the years.

In a fitting tribute, Hikaru Shida took inspiration from Kiryu’s moveset during her AEW Dynamite match against Dr. Britt Baker on July 24, 2024. She executed a series of moves reminiscent of the Super Finish: Hell’s Gauntlet Revelation attack from Yakuza 3 (2009). This connection was brought to light by Twitter user FawfulEric, who edited and shared a clip of Kiryu performing the move following Shida’s rendition.

AEW’s Hikaru Shida Unleashes Yakuza 3’s Super Finish: Hell’s Gauntlet

In All Elite Wrestling, it’s common to find gaming enthusiasts among the roster. Many wrestlers have paid tribute to different video game franchises, from fighting games to role-playing games, in their performances. For instance, last year at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom, Kenny Omega adopted the persona of Sephiroth from “Final Fantasy 7” before his bout with Will Ospreay, even using the villain’s signature “One Winged Angel” theme. Previously, Jade Cargill, who was a performer in AEW at that time and now wrestles for WWE, entered her match against Tay Conti during the 2022 AEW Revolution event dressed as the character Jade from “Mortal Kombat.”

Another intriguing gaming franchise, Yakuza, aligns effectively with professional wrestling. This was evident in Hikaru Shida’s recent AEW performance, where she executed Kiryu’s Super Finish: Hell’s Gauntlet. For fans of Yakuza watching the match, it must have been thrilling to witness a move from their favorite game being showcased in a real wrestling bout. Surely, Kiryu himself would be proud of Hikaru Shida’s heartfelt homage to one of his powerful finishers.

Read More

2024-07-25 20:54