Kazuchika Okada and the Portrayal of a Crisis

In all of wrestling, few men can claim to have had as good a run as Kazuchika Okada has had. Since returning from excursion in 2012, Okada has been an ever present fixture in New Japan Pro Wrestling’s main event picture and has become one of the greatest champions the wrestling business has ever seen. He is ‘The Rainmaker’, the young ace that has been synonymous with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship over the past decade. Whilst his dominant title reigns are sure to become the stuff of legend, there is one portion of his career that I think deserves more study and recognition as an excellent piece of character work and storytelling. To properly understand and appreciate this transition in Okada’s career, it is vital to consider where he was heading into Dominion in the summer of 2018, and what defines him as ‘The Rainmaker’. 

In short, it’s a combination of success, confidence, in-ring prowess and a lavish appearance to match that defines ‘The Rainmaker’ persona. Okada had returned from his excursion in 2012 at Wrestle Kingdom 6 after facing off against YOSHI-HASHI, admittedly not looking quite up to snuff compared to the image of the golden demigod we think of today. His hair is messy, his eyebrows dyed blond, and his match is pretty bad too. Even his finisher, The Rainmaker Lariat, feels anaemic, boasting very little impact. But, even then, he already had the deep cocky confidence instilled in him. In what at the time must have been the ultimate head scratcher, the young Okada comes out after the main event to challenge Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, looking truly awful in a poorly fitting shirt. Tanahashi doesn’t take him seriously at all.

In the month leading up to to the title match, Okada is taken into the faction CHAOS, and under the wing of the veteran, Gedo. Okada thankfully gets a haircut and his eyebrows back, as well as some better looking gear. He looks like more of a competent challenger, but far from anyone’s pick to win. But, against all odds, and with the use of a refurbished and lethal looking Rainmaker Lariat, Okada puts Tanahashi away, kick-starting a career-defining rivalry, and beginning a long tenure in the NJPW main event scene. ‘The Rainmaker’ is born.

Who’s THAT?!

Six successful years later, building an impressive reputation as one of the best in the world, and Okada is in his fourth reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion, breaking records of some of Japan’s finest performers. Not only had he overtaken Shinya Hashimoto’s record for the length of a single reign, reaching over 700 days across three calendar years; he also toppled Hiroshi Tanahashi’s record of 11 successful defences, doing so by beating the man himself for his 12th. In doing so, he has arguably cemented himself as the new ‘ace’ of the company, looking virtually unbeatable, with Gedo grabbing the microphone and making a bold proclamation;

“No one can stop the Rainmaker. Not for another century. No one.”

But, there is one slight blemish in his defence record. One year ago at the prior Dominion show, Okada is challenged by Kenny Omega for the second time, resulting in a one hour time limit draw. This time, it is Okada doing the challenging, calling out Omega on a quest to make sure that no-one can question his spot at the top of the mountain. The match is set for Dominion, two out of three falls, no time limit. It is a war, both men being pushed to their limits, and in just shy of 65 minutes, Omega finally hits the One-Winged Angel and beats Okada, two falls to one. The record-breaking reign is over, ended at 720 days. Having built up this myth of the Rainmaker, the most legendary, unbeatable champion in New Japan history, what does one do when it is all taken away?

The Kizuna Road tour is soon after in the NJPW schedule, just days removed from Okada’s loss. He’s booked to tag with his CHAOS stablemates, nothing out of the ordinary, but keep an eye on him here.

Though he may dress like ‘The Rainmaker’, all that brazen confidence is gone. Okada looks completely lost amongst those in the ring, unsure what to do with himself, making no effort to pose on the turnbuckle or appeal to the crowd. He almost completely disappears into the background, just another body thrown in to make up numbers for the six man tag. It’s quite sad, all in all. 

Whilst the wrestling world celebrates Kenny Omega finally getting his hands on the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, like any of us facing failure, Okada wallows in self pity for a little while. He tries his best to keep his chin up and continue on with his scheduled tag matches, but still stands on shaky ground. As the wounds begin to heal, Okada opens up about the loss. Surprisingly, he comments that losing the belt is somewhat of a freeing experience, the burden of champion having been lifted off of his shoulders. Whether these were his true beliefs of the attempts to put on a brave face for the fans is anyone’s guess. He insists that now being relieved of the championship, he can focus on having fun instead, and what comes next is something that can be classed as a ‘manic’ phase.

The luxurious long coat and jewels are done away with, the gold gear changed to black and red, and the booming entrance theme remixed into something not too far from a track on Dance Dance Revolution. Also, balloons. It only takes a brief scroll through Okada’s Instagram to realise that he is a complete goofball away from the ring, but we’d never seen anything like this out of him. It’s so weird that it’s genuinely concerning, going from the brash nature of ‘The Rainmaker’ to...this.

The time comes for the annual G1 Climax tournament, and at the press conference beforehand, Okada appears with even more of a change. He has dyed his hair bright red. Now, changing up his hair isn’t anything new for Okada, having had streaks of purple before, and his usual bright blond isn’t exactly natural either. However, it's important not to discredit this change. I’ve written before on how hair can be used in character development, and we can see it again here too. I’m sure we’ve all seen it when someone we know has gone through a break up and decided to drastically cut/colour their hair - this isn’t too dissimilar. It’s the demarcation of a fresh start, the birth of Red Okada (not an official title at all, I just think it makes him sound like a cool anime character).

As such, he’s heading into the G1 Climax, arguably the most important time of the year, with a completely new look and a new indifferent attitude. The last remnants of his former persona have been stripped away. ‘The Rainmaker’ is dead.

Whilst this has all been building, another key figure in this story has been slowly cultivating power. Jay White had returned as ‘The Switchblade’ that past January and joined CHAOS soon after. Through Okada’s tenure at the top of the card in New Japan, he had firmly established himself as the leader of the group. White had proved to be a difficult stablemate, not popular amongst his teammates at all, and Okada’s crisis only exacerbated this. White wasn’t shy in criticising Okada for his downward spiral, and not only did the two find themselves in the same block for the G1 tournament, but they were to be each other’s first opponents. 

Red Okada makes his wacky entrance, throwing balloons into the crowd with a big smile on his face. Jay White is all business. He understands the stakes here, something more than just points up for grabs, and this intensity ends up bringing out the best in Okada. For 25 minutes the two of them battle it out, Okada showing flashes of brilliance that remind you of who exactly he is, or who he used to be. But, through underhanded methods, White manages to snag the victory. In his post-match interview, White laughs at the idea of him being the leader of CHAOS, mocking the weakness he has just exposed to those watching. 

Okada’s tournament doesn’t get any better, losing his second match to Bad Luck Fale, before his own luck starts to change. He begins to pick up a few wins, tallying up some points and climbing the table, but he’s clearly not at the level he once was. The victories are not as emphatic as they were once expected to be. I know there is a collective of YOSHI-HASHI fans out there, but even they have to admit that he is pretty low on the pecking order. Where it took Okada less than five minutes to pin YOSHI-HASHI back at Wrestle Kingdom 6, it now takes around twenty minutes to get the job done. He even hits the same shitty sit-out version of The Rainmaker Lariat from their first match, only getting a two count this time around. Comparing how these two careers developed in the time between these bouts, you’d expect Okada to make much quicker work of his opponent. 

Red Okada continues to be worryingly strange throughout the G1 Climax. In his interviews, he seemingly doesn’t care about points, barely paying attention to the numbers at all, sounding more like the ravings of a madman more than anything. But, there are some messages of note amidst the ramblings. 

It might be a bit of a stretch, but looking at those last two panels, we get insight that Okada judges himself based on possessions. How could he not? Being touted as one of the greatest of all time, with a big factor of that being the world championship he clung to longer than anyone. That fact was being drilled into him for months and months, and you can hardly blame this man for thinking as such. ‘What am I without my balloons? What else is left?’. Right there he explicitly clues in on his sense of self-worth being tied to material possessions. The balloons are just a vibrant distraction from what he misses most, what he needs; the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. 

Despite his efforts, Red Okada ends up finishing second in his block. Impressive considering his shaky start, with the time limit draw between him and block winner Hiroshi Tanahashi being the decisive point that ended his G1 campaign. It’s here that Okada distances himself from Gedo. He tells Gedo, who had been his mentor and manager ever since 2012, that he doesn’t want him ringside for his matches anymore. Just when it looked like Okada might be getting back in form, he sabotages himself, pushing away his friend, the one that had been supporting through this crisis.

So what now? It’s the first time since returning from his excursion that Okada has no clear path to Wrestle Kingdom following the G1 Climax, having either been tournament winner or the defending champion every year since 2012. Luckily, he’s thrown a lifeline. Hiroshi Tanahashi, who had gone on to win the G1 Climax, was unsatisfied by their time limit draw, and picks Okada to defend his right to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against. The match takes place on the Destruction tour, and despite a valiant effort from Okada, he is defeated, leaving him directionless once again on the road to the Tokyo Dome. But, he is barely able to consider this stagnation before the betrayal hits him. 

Jay White and Gedo appear before Okada, emphatically defecting from CHAOS by viciously beating him down, and leaving him broken and humiliated. Okada has hit rock bottom. Not even the reignition of his famed feud with Tanahashi can awaken ‘The Rainmaker’ from his slumber. He is out of the main event picture completely for the biggest show of the year. The separation from his beloved IWGP Heavyweight Championship is extended even further. But, great stories rarely ever finish at rock bottom. In fact, it can be the exact kick up the arse that some people need.

Like Okada, Jay White challenges Tanahashi for his place in the Tokyo Dome main event, and does so unsuccessfully too. White and Gedo look to attack Tanahashi just as they had Okada, before the man himself runs down to make the save. Though Okada is then beaten down by White and Gedo once more, this time with the aid of BULLET CLUB who they have now aligned themselves with, it is a clear statement. For the first time since losing his championship, Okada finally has his sights set on something. He is motivated once again, he has enthusiasm again, he wants revenge on Jay White. The match is set. Okada/White. Tokyo Dome. Wrestle Kingdom 13.

The day finally comes, and it is perhaps the most important of all of Okada’s bouts in the Tokyo Dome. It’s more than just bragging rights, nor is it just about revenge for those beatdowns. It’s more than CHAOS vs. BULLET CLUB. For Okada, it’s about redemption. He needs to prove that he is still that man who broke those records, and still lives up to all that praise as one of the greatest ever. Jay White stands in the ring, waiting for him, Gedo by his side, staring down the long ramp of the Dome. Then, he emerges.

The sound of dropping coins echoes in the arena, but the remix doesn’t get a chance to kick in. Instead, out thunders the boisterous riffs of the Okada of old. He stands atop the stage, in shining gold gear, his hair pristine blond. Down comes the confetti of Okada dollars, raining down from the heights of the Dome. He gets to the ring, feeding off of the 38,000+ in attendance, and reveals the classic ‘Rainmaker’ attire. 

Red Okada is gone.

He’s brought it all back, but, are appearances enough? Is simply looking the part all it takes? Okada learns the truth the hard way. After everything that has lead to this, Jay White’s constant belittling, betrayal and attacks, and dealing with his own personal problems, Okada falls at the last hurdle. After a long, elaborate sequence of reversals, Okada gets nailed with the Blade Runner and is pinned - in less than 15 minutes. Jay manages to beat Okada faster than he had in the G1. He may look like ‘The Rainmaker’, but the substance just isn’t there. It’s as if Okada is trying to convince himself that he is still worthy.

To Jay White, Okada is a stepping stone towards something more, and a little over a month later, he has claimed the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for himself, taking it from Hiroshi Tanahashi no less. Not only has Jay taken the title, but he does so by beating Okada’s greatest rival.

However, Okada gets another opportunity at redemption. The New Japan Cup awards the winner a shot at the title (and also a comically large trophy). He battles his way through a slew of some of NJPW’s finest, including Will Ospreay and Tomohiro Ishii, before finally defeating SANADA in the finals. Not only does Okada have the opportunity to prove that he can beat Jay White, but the title he has gone so long without is finally within reach. 

Madison Square Garden hosts the G1 Supercard, New Japan’s first time in the world-famous building, and Okada is in the main event. Wrestle Kingdom was a futile attempt at trying to revive ‘The Rainmaker’, hoping that smoke and mirrors would be enough to convince himself he still had it. But here at MSG, it’s different. The New Japan Cup acted as a proving ground, forcing Okada to do the work, and prove that he is still the man he claimed to be; that mythic champion heralded across the wrestling world. Despite being hours into the show and nearing midnight, the New York crowd is with him every step of the way.

He did it. ‘The Rainmaker’ is back.

In this span of 300 days, Kazuchika Okada portrayed, in my opinion, one of the best character arcs I’ve ever seen. A crisis of confidence and identity, of self-doubt, overcompensating, a cheerful facade, failure and anxiety of never living up to expectations, all done so incredibly well. I feel like sometimes storylines surrounding the ‘overcoming the odds’ usually boils down to a general tale of perseverance and ‘try, try again’, but here, Okada displays a range of true human emotions that I think are important to be displayed by such a significant member of the roster. We all deal with hardship. Even the best of us, those seemingly unshakable by anything, have our mental trials. The journey to overcome them is complex, lengthy, and dips into bleak territory. It’s a masterclass of humanising a protagonist, a testament to the stories that only a medium like professional wrestling can tell. 

Long live ‘The Rainmaker’.