The 23rd February 2003 marked a landmark moment in the career of Shinya Hashimoto, he lifted the All Japan Triple Crown, becoming only the second man in history to have held the AJPW, NWA and NJPW World Titles. The man he had defeated for the honour was the only other man to have achieved it, Keiji Mutoh. It was perfectly scripted as Mutoh and his alter ego The Great Muta had been intrinsically linked with Hashimoto ever since 1984. If you can compare trainee pro wrestlers to wine then 1984 was a fine vintage in New Japan Pro Wrestling. In 1984 the NJPW Dojo, welcomed a class of future legends Keiji Mutoh, Masahiro Chono, and Shinya Hashimoto who would later collectively be known as The Fighting Spirit Three Musketeers joined the likes of Keiichi Yamada (Jushin Liger) and Akira Nogami to form arguably the most talented young lion's roster ever.
Hashimoto made his pro debut in September 1984 against Tatsutoshi Goto and would seek further development over the coming years in the US and Canada, but it was in Puerto Rico that Hashimoto, Mutoh and Chono would build their respective reputations and gain the name “The Three Musketeers” by 1988 Hashimoto and co were truly ready for New Japan. It was perhaps from the jaws of defeat that Hashimoto grabbed lasting stardom, it came in 1989 at the hands of the monstrous Big Van Vader in the final of a tournament to crown the IWGP Heavyweight Champion. The Tokyo Dome had crowned a new champion but it was Hashimoto who became its new hero.
Hashimoto didn’t look like the typical wrestling superhero, he wasn’t chiselled from granite, he didn’t fly through the air in colourful masks, in fact, he could have easily been mistaken for a Japanese Elvis impersonator, but his athleticism could not be denied. With stiff kicks and brutal chops, Hashimoto would cement his status as an ace of New Japan. After a successful pairing with Masa Saito led to the IWGP Tag Team championship, Hashimoto’s path would once again cross with Keiji Mutoh & Masahiro Chono when in 1990 the familiar duo defeated Saito and Hashimoto ending their 7 month Tag Team championship reign. Once again in defeat Hashimoto’s star continued to rise and rise it did, when three short years later in 1993 Hashimoto finally won the big one, lifting the IWGP Heavyweight Championship after defeating Keiji Mutoh’s malevolent alter ego the Great Muta.
Hashimoto’s first reign as champion ended 7 months later, at the hands of the legendary Tatsumi Fujinami. His second reign would begin just a month afterwards when he regained the gold from the ageing Fujinami. What followed was over a year of pure dominance as Hashimoto stood tall as IWGP Champion. Challenger after challenger fell to the brutal champion until the familiar face of Keiji Mutoh would again appear to claim the crown. Hashimoto would go on to a second reign as a Tag Team Champion, this one with Junji Hirata, by the time the teams’ lengthy stint as champions ended Hashimoto was already on his third reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion.
Hashimoto who as a boy had dreamt of being a wrestling star found himself as just that, the 1990’s in New Japan belonged to Hashimoto.
Hashimoto continued to dominate the main event picture for the remainder of the decade, taking part in some classic bouts, and some questionable shoot matches. The fact that Hashimoto had been so pivotal to the continued success of the company made what happened next seem all the more shocking.
In late 2000 New Japan management received word that Hashimoto had entered into negotiations with its newest rival, Pro Wrestling Noah, Hashimoto would serve as an example to the rest of the roster, he was immediately fired. Free to explore pro wrestling’s fast-changing landscape, Hashimoto received financial backing and started his own promotion. Hashimoto’s promotion, Zero-One, would work collaboratively with the NWA, Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling. This collaborative approach would lead to Hashimoto lifting the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship In 2001 following a brutal Triple Threat Match against Steve Corino & Gary Steele. Hashimoto would drop the title to Dan Severn in 2002, freeing him to concentrate on the growth of his burgeoning company. Hashimoto still remained active in the ring though, and won yet another trophy for his collection, when he and enemy turned partner, Naoya Ogawa, raised the NWA Intercontinental Tag Championship.
And then came 2003 and that epic night with Muta, a man whose story we will visit in the upcoming Three Musketeers of NJPW Part Two.
As Hashimoto lifted All Japans Triple Crown that February, little did he know that this would be his final reign as a world champion. In 2005 facing financial difficulties and mounting injuries Hashimoto walked away from Zero-One. Many felt that Hashimoto was planning a NJPW and AJPW comeback. A reunion appearance was pencilled in with Keiji Mutoh and Masahiro Chono, for an upcoming All Japan event. Sadly “The Fighting Spirit Three Musketeers” would never ride together again, as on July 11th 2005 Hashimoto died suddenly, he had suffered a brain haemorrhage just days after his 40th Birthday.
The legacy Hashimoto left behind lives on through his matches, the lives he touched, and the templates he burned. Hashimoto was truly an innovator that will never be forgotten.
~ Puroresu Gaijin
