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How to Stream Japanese Wrestling

3 years ago

How to Stream Japanese Wrestling

Updated: June 28, 2023

If you’re new to puroresu and want to know how to watch Japanese wrestling, or just interested in learning how to stream Japanese wrestling from promotions you’ve never seen before… you’re in luck!

MONTHLY PURORESU has a comprehensive streaming guide for NJPW, NOAH and everything in between with step-by-step links available on our Twitter.

New Japan Pro-Wrestling
SERVICE: NJPW World (njpwworld.com)
Price: 999 Yen/around $9 per month 

The biggest name in puroresu, not surprisingly, has one of the best streaming services. The web-based app is easily accessible through every device with an updated browser. 

But the standalone app, for Amazon via Fire TV or a Fire TV stick, is the best way to watch all NJPW events live or on-demand. The service also boasts an impressive library of past events, with new content constantly being added from the New Japan archives.

Note: As of 2021, Toshiba Fire TV’s have become incompatible with the NJPW World app while experiencing a strange “Zoomed in” error.

One of the cooler features of njpwworld.com is the categorization of their archives, making navigation some of the easiest in wrestling streaming services. You can search by individual tours, individual championship match histories, and even active stables, with a section devoted to each member of a faction and their individual match histories.

Step By Step Guide:

You can also stream njpwworld.com in HD to your TV straight from your smartphone.  Download the app in the app store, and make sure you have Smartcast enabled or a Chromecast device.

Step By Step Guide:

 

All Japan Pro Wrestling
SERVICE: All Japan Pro Wrestling TV (ajpw.tv)
PRICE: 900 yen/around $8 per month

AJPWTV allows fans to access current era All Japan shows live from Japan. Able to be streamed on PC, and Mac computers outside of Japan, you can also view the service on a TV, through a Gaming Console web browser, and from a tablet to your Chromecast (similar to NJPW World).

Step By Step Guide:

AJPWTV shows predominantly feature Japanese commentary. But, certain events and extra content are now beginning to feature English commentary and subtitles as well. But you’ll be doing yourself a favor by checking out the work by huge stars featured in All Japan’s newer iteration: Shingo Takagi, Minoru Suzuki, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kenny Omega and even D’Lo Brown just to name a few!

AJPWTV is also one of the few streaming services where you can take part in an interactive chatroom, during live streams. This allows you chat with fans about the action that’s happening and even get the chance to ask questions to All Japan personnel.

To keep up-to-date, the All Japan International Twitter feed, @ajpwint, regularly lists the cards for upcoming shows, as well as the live stream times for events. 

 

TIPS AND TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR CHROMECAST EXPERIENCE

 

Big Japan Pro Wrestling
SERVICE: Big Japan Pro Wrestling Core (bjwcore.com)
PRICE: 888 yen/around $8 per month

For fans of GCW and other hardcore-adjacent wrestling promotions like FREEDOMS, you’ll be happy to know that Big Japan Pro Wrestling offers a plethora of brutal matches alongside traditional professional wrestling bouts on each and every card.

Step By Step Guide:

The service has plenty of content from the promotion’s archives, dating back to 2016. New events are uploaded onto the service but you cannot see shows live on BJWCore. Also, there’s no set timeframe or pattern as to when new shows are added, due to a number of factors.

Some events and PPVs air live on Nico Pro, & BJW’s own NicoPro Channel (see more details on NicoPro below). Occasionally shows air live on Samurai TV, and a service called LINE LIVE, but these cannot be viewed outside of Japan.

It’s not for everyone, but Big Japan still enjoys a loyal fanbase in Japan and recently has grown to incorporate more “gaijins” such as Drew Parker. If you want to see a blend of Japanese deathmatches and puro strong-style, BJW is the company for you!

Of note: English commentary is sparing, and at least during the pandemic, uploads of big events for on-demand viewership have taken in upward of ~10 – 15 days.

 

BJW BLOOD & DEATH HISTORY HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

 

DDT, Pro Wrestling NOAH, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, Ganbare Pro Wrestling, Rojo Pro Wrestling
SERVICE: Wrestle Universe (https://www.wrestle-universe.com/en)
PRICE: 900 yen/around $8 per month

Starting out as DDT Universe to showcase Dramatic Dream Team (DDT Pro), the site graduated into what we know as Wrestle Universe. Presenting wrestling from all the major CyberFight brands, Wrestle Universe is constantly updated with live streams and fresh new VOD content. English commentary is provided by Mark Pickering and Stewart Fulton of NOAH, marking an expansion of their efforts to reach Western audiences.

In October 2021, Wrestle Universe experienced a major redesign, and CyberFight launched the @noahglobal and @WrestleUniverse English Twitter accounts alongside it. This makes all the content more easily available, and sorting between Japanese & English streaming has never been easier. 

Wrestle Universe’s current catalogue contains events dating back to 2015, with a mixture of Japanese and English commentary. Historic shows are regularly uploaded, with English commentary being added sporadically.

Step By Step Guide:

Another new feature for Wrestle Universe members is early access to ticket sales for live events presented by DDT, Pro Wrestling NOAH and TJPW. 

It’s easy to watch on your PC, Mac, Game Console web-browser, or streaming to Chromecast and Smart TVs just using the URL. Wrestle Universe is a fantastic platform with different flavors of puroresu, making it a one-stop shop for streaming Japanese wrestling and a huge bang for your buck.

 

Dragon Gate
SERVICE: Dragon Gate Network (https://dragongate.live)
PRICE: 1,500 yen/around $15 per month

Taking Lucha Libre influences and merging them into the Junior Heavyweight style of puroresu, Dragon Gate is one of the most adrenaline-filled and exciting promotions in Japan. Formed in 2004, Dragon Gate has built a strong reputation based around their factions philosophy and innovative match-styles. The action is available to stream internationally using Dragon Gate Network. 

Step By Step Guide:

Alongside access to current super cards and events, the Dragon Gate Network also contains shows and matches from the company’s archives, dating right back to Dragon Gate precursor promotion Toryumon Japan. Plus, the Dragon Gate Network also features a lot of original programming which includes roundtable discussions, TV spots and amusing vignettes.

While slightly more expensive than it’s puro counterparts, the DG Network has some of the most exciting wrestling events of the past two decades in it’s back catalogue. And for that reason alone, is worth checking out!

 

STARDOM
SERVICE: Stardom World (www.stardom-world.com)
PRICE: 920 yen/around $8 per month

STARDOM enjoys its position as the top Joshi promotion in Japan, with increased attention drawing new eyes its way.

The Stardom World streaming site offers an extensive back catalogue of their events, dating to 2017, and an archive that shows get added to periodically. All current non-PPV shows are uploaded on a match by match basis, typically ranging from one to three days afterwards (the timing depends on the promotion’s schedule – the busier and further away they are from Tokyo, the longer a show takes to become available). 

Tricky for fans: PPV events are initially run through a separate streaming service, and are then uploaded in one batch approximately four days later once streaming rights transfer. 

Pre and post match promos on Stardom World are subtitled in English, and select PPVs will feature English commentary and live translations for promos.

To keep up to date with upload schedules and everything else Stardom related, they have a dedicated English Twitter @we_are_stardom. Beware though, that both the English and Japanese Twitter accounts announce show results as they happen. So if you are wanting to watch shows unspoiled, it’s best not to follow these accounts.

 

Actwres girl’Z
SERVICE: Actwres girl’Z AWG Nets ( https://actwresgirlz.net/app )
PRICE:1,000 yen/around $7 per month

Actwres girl’Z has their own streaming network called AWG Nets, which contains the majority of the company’s history on demand for 1,000 JPY a month. Per their website, this is their billing cycle: “It will be calculated for one month (30 days) from the date of purchase. (Example) Start of use on April 15th → May 14th is calculated as one month. It will be automatically renewed unless you unsubscribe.” There is usually a quick turnaround of a few days for their newest Actwrestling shows to be uploaded. 

However, there isn’t any commentary. The production value, as with their live events, is still quite high. With the current exchange rate, it’s about $7 USD a month, and you get all the new Actwrestling shows plus an archive of Beginning and Colors along with ActRing through 2021. You need to create an account ID, which is your name, email address, and password for logging in.

Step By Step Guide:

 

Ice Ribbon, OZ Academy, Sendai Girls, Pro Wrestling WAVE, Triple666, 2AW, Dove Pro, JUST TAP OUT, ZERO-1, etc.
SERVICE: NicoPro (https://ch.nicovideo.jp/nicopro)
PRICE: 540 yen/around $5 per month

The main streaming hub for all indie Japanese wrestling promotions, Nico Pro has a vast array of content. But, it is quite confusing to navigate. The service is currently available on PC and Mac, but can be watched on a Game Console web browser too. We like to access Nico Pro through Google Chrome for the translation tool that displays it in English, and lets you Cast to Smart TV’s or Chromecast.

Here’s the fun part: In order to watch specific promotions you first need to find their individual channels within the broader NicoPro. For this tutorial, we’ll use Ice Ribbon.

Once you have found the promotion, you then need to sign up and create an account to stream Japanese wrestling. Without setting up your account & monthly payment, NicoPro asks users to buy in-application currency that grants you access to shows.

Step By Step Guide:

The service sadly doesn’t offer English Commentary. However, the English Twitter feed, @nicopro_english, is very helpful in locating particular shows and promotions. Also, over the last couple of years, promotions such as Ice Ribbon, have been offering a lot more PPV streams that are relatively cheap. But, some of these shows are not available on the specific Ice Ribbon Nico Pro Channel. Instead, they are on the general Nico Pro website streaming hub (much like the first menu you get to on wrestleUNIVERSE) and are then moved onto the specific Ice Ribbon channel at a later date.

Note: the availability to stream PPV shows on demand is dependent on whether Samurai TV gets access to them. If Samurai TV gets access to the show, it often means the full show won’t be available to see until Ice Ribbon releases a DVD of the event (as Samurai TV have a notorious reputation for clipping wrestling events).

For the price, the amount of content you can access on NicoPro from the underground promotions of Puro, it’s certainly worth it!

You can also find many shows from several of these promotions on FITE TV, with pay-per-views on demand for prices ranging from $15 to $35.

Date:

November 27, 2021

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