Introducing Chi Chi: Joshi’s Ultimate Barbie Girl

By: Thom Fain

Here’s what you need to understand about Chi Chi: She walked into professional wrestling and decided that if she was going to throw people around in spandex, she might as well look fabulous doing it. She’s not just performing a character, she’s living out the logical extension of what happens when someone takes the Barbie aesthetic and applies it to the squared circle.

Chi Chi represents something genuinely radical in professional wrestling, though not in the way cultural critics would want you to believe. She’s radical because she refuses to apologize for enjoying herself. In a business built on manufactured intensity and artificial gravitas, she shows up looking like she raided a toy store’s fashion department and acts like she’s having the time of her life. This shouldn’t work, but it absolutely does.

The genius of her persona is that it’s completely sincere. She’s not winking at the audience or playing dress-up ironically… as she explained before our interview, she regularly goes to Barbie collector meetups where she’s made several besties — friends who became her earliest supporters as she embarked on a puroresu career.

And when that music hits & she bounces down the ramp in full Barbie regalia, she’s not performing happiness, she’s experiencing it. She’s figured out that if you’re going to be a larger-than-life character anyway, you might as well be the character you actually want to be.

Masahiro Kubota | MP

She’s joshi pro’s answer to the question: What if someone took all the things that are supposedly “shallow” about feminine culture – the pink, the glitter, the unapologetic embrace of pretty things – and used them as sources of genuine power?

Chi Chi doesn’t subvert expectations; she exceeds them. She takes the Barbie archetype and proves it can coexist with legitimate athletic ability and ring psychology. In the landscape of modern wrestling, where everyone’s trying to be the next stone-cold badass or tortured antihero, Chi Chi chose a different path entirely.

She looked at the whole grim-and-gritty approach and said, “What if I just had fun instead?”

The result is a performer who makes crowds smile before she even locks up, which might be the most subversive thing you can do in a business that takes itself very, very seriously. Chi Chi is proof that authenticity doesn’t require darkness, and that joy can be just as compelling as angst.

She’s living her best life in 4/4 time, and somehow that’s making her one of the most memorable characters on the joshi pro-wrestling scene.

Here’s what Evolution Pro-Wrestling’s Chi Chi told us during an afternoon shopping trip, reflecting on her firs three years in the business.

Monthly Puroresu: Not long after we first met, I called your match against Aya Sakura back in January while working for STARDOM.The way you carried yourself with gold, and the technique you used against Sakura; I had just assumed you’d been around for a bit. Little did I know it’s just your 3rd year wrestling!

What were you doing before joining Evolution Pro-Wrestling?

Chi Chi: I used to work for a rugby team as a translator, and then after that I worked as a secretary and translator for a woman’s president. And then I was scouted, I was scouted and I started, like — watching wrestling, and I was surprised. Because I couldn’t even imagine I would be a wrestler! So yeah, I was surprised, just surprised.

Monthly Puroresu: And you were scouted by Suwama and Shuji Ishikawa, right? Were you a fan of All Japan — or what was your first impression when you heard their vision to incorporate Joshi pro-wrestling?

Chi Chi: I wasn’t actually, I wasn’t a fan of, you know, pro wrestling. I used to watch WWE when I was young because of my parents – they loved WWE so much.

Monthly Puroresu: We’ve both been working in Sendai Girls, and as you know I have a ton of respect for Meiko Satomura… You have been a regular staple in SENJO, what have your experiences been like with Satomura-san? Have you learned anything from her that you really cherish?

Chi Chi: [I learned] you have to express yourself in the ring. Even after you enter the ring, she taught me how to get in the ring. You have to be, you know: Your back straight, and the knees straight, to look better. 

Monthly Puroresu: It seems like Suwama-san gives you a long leash to go wrestle in other places. He and Taro Okada, other promoters have a pretty open mind it seems like about inter-promotional feuds. Is that good for you and for the locker room?

Chi Chi: Yes, yes definitely. It’s really good for me, the experience, yeah. I need to [gain] more experience outside of Evolution, because we only have once, twice a month shows in EvoPro. So, [I need to] get the most experience outside of Evolution, actually.

Monthly Puroresu: Looking at other promotions, who would you like to see come over and wrestle you guys in Evolution Pro-wrestling?

Chi Chi: I don’t know if it’s possible or not, but I would say Miyu Yamashita from Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling. I know they are not welcome [to crossover, as much], like other groups. Because they are independent, you know? But I… I wish I can wrestle with her. Yeah. I love her kicks, especially her roundhouse kicks – so good. I do roundhouse kicks as well, but when I practiced – I watched her videos.

Masahiro Kubota | MP

Monthly Puroresu: And I want to shout out to Sunny. As we know, she hung up her boots but has been a force behind the scenes and works as a referee. What are the conversations like about growing Evo Pro?

Chi Chi: Sunny and I are best friends. And then we always have lunch or dinner together. And, we have conversations about EvoPro. Like, we have to gain more sponsors, and fans.

Monthly Puroresu: Someone you’re closely tied with, another youngster in the business, is Miku Kanae. Would you consider her a good friend of yours? If not, who is a peer in the same class that is really pushing you to become better?

Chi Chi: Miku Kanae (T-HEARTS) is someone who always gives me really good motivation, even today. I practice a lot, and I train with Miku often too and I don’t think that’ll change. When I come to train, I notice her passion, and I’m really inspired by how dedicated she is compared to me. When we’re not training together, I’m often thinking about how hard Miku is probably practicing elsewhere. That makes me want to try my best as well. That’s what wrestling is all about.

Monthly Puroresu: And both of you have been linked with Sareee. That woman is serious about her business. And her approach, well, it’s very of the moment.

Have you noticed a shift in Joshi where — we are kind of exiting this period where things have been a little more idol-centric, and now the pure athletes, like Senka & Sora in Marvelous, are really bringing back a hard hitting competition that’s not just about looks or work rate.

Chi Chi: So I want to learn more about Strong Style pro-wrestling from Sareee, so I’m so glad she picked me. We wrestle as group. So now we can officially fight together, yeah. So for me, my ideal is, you know, more Strong Style puroresu.

Masahiro Kubota | MP

Monthly Puroresu: Of course, you were inspired by Kelly Kelly. What other women — besides the mythical Barbie — inspired you to become the young star you are today?

Chi Chi: Trish Stratus. Trish Stratus? Trish Stratus from WWE. She’s a superstar. <Laugh> And very good. Because the reason why I wear a cowboy hat; it’s because she used to wear that all the time. So that’s why.

Monthly Puroresu: Are your parents supportive of your pro-wrestling pursuits?

Chi Chi: Yes. Yes, I guess so! They’ve come to my matches so many times. Yeah, I hope they’re happy. <Laugh>

Monthly Puroresu: You love shopping, right? Tell our fans online some of the spots they need to visit when they go out shopping in Tokyo.

Chi Chi: Like, I go to… I go to Harajuku. Shibuya… I love to thrift shop, I love thrifting! I love thrifting, and yeah. But not only, like Shibuya and Harajuku. I love local, unknown thrift stores. Thrift stores? Yeah. You can find, like treasures <laugh>.

Masahiro Kubota | MP

Monthly Puroresu: Is there a prize you’re eyeing right now, mid 2025, in pro wrestling — or what are your goals?

Chi Chi: The Evolution Strong belt, which was just made [established]. So, my goal is to be a champion of Evolution. But you know, I don’t really like to challenge right after I lost. So, I need to more work hard and maybe get good results before I challenge.

Monthly Puroresu: I’ve noticed you have this very distinctive presence in the ring – there’s something almost regal about how you carry yourself. Is that something you consciously developed, or does it just come naturally?

Chi Chi: I’ve been doing ballet for more than twenty years now, so I think I’m pretty used to performing in front of a lot of people by now. After all, I think I’m like Barbie but I’m quite conscious when it comes to my confidence performing in front of people.

Monthly Puroresu: You’re part of this generation that’s growing up in wrestling during the social media era. How do you balance being authentic online while also protecting the parts of yourself you want to keep private?

Chi Chi: It’s something Sunny and I are talking about. We are talking about how to use social media and how to treat ourselves better – to grow up faster as pro-wrestlers, yeah. 

Monthly Puroresu: If you had to pick one moment in your three years of wrestling where you thought “okay, I actually belong here,” what would that moment be?

Chi Chi: I talk, like trash you know? Like I’m allowed to say bad things in the ring, you know? I’m not allowed to say [these things] out of the ring, so – that’s the moment. <Laugh>

Monthly Puroresu: Can you give us an example of the things you say in the ring?

Chi Chi: An example of the trash talk in English? I don’t know… Like, eh? I haven’t tried before… trash talk in English before. But let’s say, “Get out of the ring!,” or something, yeah. Or, “You can’t hang with me!” You know?

Monthly Puroresu: You’ve wrestled in front of very different audiences – from intimate Evolution Pro shows to bigger STARDOM crowds. What’s something about crowd energy that surprised you when you started wrestling?

Chi Chi: Sometimes there’s times when there’s fans who are crying little tears of joy. I mean, I am fighting for my life; I’m really happy that those feelings are able to come across. The fans cry with me when I’m happy, and cry with me when I’m sad. I get the impression that they really do support me. I can feel that support too, so in those times I’m both really surprised and equally as happy.

Masahiro Kubota | MP

Monthly Puroresu: There’s this thing in wrestling where veterans sometimes test younger wrestlers to see what they’re made of. Has anyone ever done something in a match that made you prove yourself in that moment?

Chi Chi: Against Aja Kong, yeah. It was really intense.

Monthly Puroresu: If you could steal one signature move from any wrestler – living or dead, male or female – and make it your own, whose move would you take and why?

Chi Chi: The Insane Elbow, from Kairi Sane-san! <Laugh>

Monthly Puroresu: You mentioned Kelly Kelly as an inspiration earlier. But I’m curious – is there a wrestler whose career path you’d actually want to avoid? Someone where you look at their journey and think “I don’t want that to happen to me”?

Chi Chi: Death match wrestling. Yeah, no death matches.

Monthly Puroresu: What’s something about the wrestling business that you thought you understood before you started, but turned out to be completely wrong about?

Chi Chi: So when I was scouted, my boss told me there’s no pain… But it’s actually pain. Really painful! So, I cried during the match against Risa Sera-san, her knees on my stomach and I cried. <Laugh> it was so painful. I couldn’t even move, you know, I couldn’t even kick out. I did! I kicked out.

Monthly Puroresu: And we think you’re a rising star, and made for this business here at MP. But if wrestling didn’t exist and you had to pick another profession where you could use the same skills and mentality you bring to the ring, what job do you think you’d excel at?

Chi Chi: Comedian <laugh> Because I like to make people laugh, and then I can express myself. It’s not [a lot of] action. [In another job] I don’t wanna move around, and I don’t want to get pain. So… I choose comedian!

Masahiro Kubota | MP

Monthly Puroresu: Finally, I’d like you to tell our readers why they should check out Evolution Pro-Wrestling, since that’s where they can see your growth in real time.

Chi Chi: Pro Wrestling Evolution, my home wrestling company, is now in its third year. My debut match was on the first Evolution show. I’ve been going to Shin-Kiba 1st RING maybe once or twice a month since. The more we continued to perform together, starting with me, ZONES, and Sunny… the differences and love between us and juniors in other wrestling companies became pretty clear.

We’ve just finished two shows at Shinjuku FACE, and I’m going to continue to make sure it grows even further. If everyone comes to these shows, I definitely think we can run bigger venues like Korakuen Hall. All of us are homegrown, and we all appreciate your support so much. I feel like there’s been a lot of growth, and I’m sure you all understand that. Instead of showing perfect matches, I want us to show how much we’ve improved, and how we’re all stepping up together. I look forward to seeing you all at the venue.

Translations: Dan Beard