Jinsei Shinzaki
Encyclopedia
Kensuke Shinzaki is a Japan
ese professional wrestler
, better known by his stage name
s Jinsei Shinzaki (新崎 人生 Shinzaki Jinsei) and Hakushi. Hakushi is the WWF
derivation (1995–96) of his Japanese persona, a Buddhist
pilgrim.
Shinzaki started in Gran Hamada
's Universal Lucha Libre promotion under the name Mongolian Yuga. In 1993 he moved to the Great Sasuke
's Michinoku Pro Wrestling promotion, where he adopted the ring name Jinsei (Japanese for life).
In 1995, he entered the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF) as a Japanese villain
named Hakushi. His first few matches were highlighted by victories over jobbers and midcarders like Aldo Montoya and 1-2-3 Kid. Hakushi had a brief feud
with Bret Hart
and was a competitor in the 1996 Royal Rumble
, where by coincidence he was eliminated by Bret Hart's brother, Owen Hart
. Hakushi also famously had a three-way feud with perennial jobber Barry Horowitz
and Bodydonna Skip
. Horowitz, who lost for years on WWF programming to get over new talent, surprisingly used his three-quarter nelson to secure a victory over Skip. Hakushi would also fall to Horowitz soon after because of interference from Skip. It was surprising to fans, not only given Horowitz's long time losing record, but also given how well Hakushi had battled former WWF Champion Bret Hart in what had been Hakushi's first major feud in the company. Hakushi had scored well with fans during the feud with Hart. During a match on Raw against Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw
, Hakushi was hit by Bradshaw's branding iron after a loss. That week on WWF Superstars, commentator Jim Ross
reported that he had been so humiliated by the branding that he (kayfabe
) left the WWF.
Hakushi also had a brief stint in Extreme Championship Wrestling
competing in a tag team match with Hayabusa
against Rob Van Dam
and Sabu.
Hakushi's style of wrestling was a precursor to the luchador style which became emphasized in major wrestling promotions in the mid-2000s. As the only heavyweight wrestler in the promotion, Shinzaki has competed in major promotions such as New Japan, All Japan, and FMW, challenging their talent.
Shinzaki has been the president of Michinoku Pro Wrestling
company since 2003 as a result of Sasuke dedicating more of his time to his political career as a member of the Iwate Prefectural (state) Assembly.
Shinzaki is also the co-founder of the joshi promotion Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling
along with joshi wrestler Meiko Satomura.
The 2011 Japan tsunami and quake forced Shinzaki to live in his car after his home and restaurant were destroyed.
On April 15, 2011, Shinzaki returned to the United States to wrestle for Chikara in the 2011 King of Trios tournament, where he would represent Michinoku Pro with Dick Togo and the Great Sasuke. In their first round match Team Michinoku Pro defeated Team Minnesota (1-2-3 Kid
, Arik Cannon
and Darin Corbin). The following day, Team Michinoku Pro defeated Jigsaw
, Manami Toyota
and Mike Quackenbush to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. On April 17, Team Michinoku Pro was eliminated from the tournament in the semifinal stage by F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor
, Icarus
and Johnny Gargano
).
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, better known by his stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
s Jinsei Shinzaki (新崎 人生 Shinzaki Jinsei) and Hakushi. Hakushi is the WWF
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
derivation (1995–96) of his Japanese persona, a Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
pilgrim.
Career
Gran Hamada
, better known by his ring name , is Japanese professional wrestler, the first to adopt the high-flying Mexican lucha libre style. He has wrestled for New Japan Pro Wrestling, the Universal Wrestling Federation, Michinoku Pro, and All Japan Pro Wrestling, and was the founder of Universal Lucha Libre...
's Universal Lucha Libre promotion under the name Mongolian Yuga. In 1993 he moved to the Great Sasuke
Masanori Murakawa
, , is a Japanese professional wrestler who is best known by his stage name The Great Sasuke, as well as a former Iwate Prefectural Assembly legislator. He has wrestled in Japan and in the United States in various wrestling promotions...
's Michinoku Pro Wrestling promotion, where he adopted the ring name Jinsei (Japanese for life).
In 1995, he entered the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) as a Japanese villain
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
named Hakushi. His first few matches were highlighted by victories over jobbers and midcarders like Aldo Montoya and 1-2-3 Kid. Hakushi had a brief feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
and was a competitor in the 1996 Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble (1996)
Royal Rumble was the ninth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on January 21, 1996 at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California....
, where by coincidence he was eliminated by Bret Hart's brother, Owen Hart
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
. Hakushi also famously had a three-way feud with perennial jobber Barry Horowitz
Barry Horowitz
Barry Horowitz is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation.-Career:Horowitz, who is Jewish, attended Florida State University, where he studied sports nutrition and wrestled...
and Bodydonna Skip
Chris Candido
Christopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...
. Horowitz, who lost for years on WWF programming to get over new talent, surprisingly used his three-quarter nelson to secure a victory over Skip. Hakushi would also fall to Horowitz soon after because of interference from Skip. It was surprising to fans, not only given Horowitz's long time losing record, but also given how well Hakushi had battled former WWF Champion Bret Hart in what had been Hakushi's first major feud in the company. Hakushi had scored well with fans during the feud with Hart. During a match on Raw against Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw
John Layfield
John Charles Layfield is a former American professional wrestler, a former commentator/host for mixed martial arts promotion Vyper Fight League and financial analyst for Fox News...
, Hakushi was hit by Bradshaw's branding iron after a loss. That week on WWF Superstars, commentator Jim Ross
Jim Ross
James William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, former professional wrestling referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a commentator on the WWE Raw brand...
reported that he had been so humiliated by the branding that he (kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
) left the WWF.
Hakushi also had a brief stint in Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
competing in a tag team match with Hayabusa
Eiji Ezaki
is a former Japanese professional wrestler better known as the masked Hayabusa , who worked primarily for Atsushi Onita's Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling promotion.-Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling :...
against Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Sabu.
Hakushi's style of wrestling was a precursor to the luchador style which became emphasized in major wrestling promotions in the mid-2000s. As the only heavyweight wrestler in the promotion, Shinzaki has competed in major promotions such as New Japan, All Japan, and FMW, challenging their talent.
Shinzaki has been the president of Michinoku Pro Wrestling
Michinoku Pro Wrestling
Michinoku Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded by The Great Sasuke in 1993. Michinoku Pro was the first independent wrestling promotion in Japan to not base its operations in Tokyo, but rather in Morioka, Iwate...
company since 2003 as a result of Sasuke dedicating more of his time to his political career as a member of the Iwate Prefectural (state) Assembly.
Shinzaki is also the co-founder of the joshi promotion Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling
SENDAI Girls' Pro Wrestling
SENDAI Girls' Pro Wrestling , often called Senjo, is a Japanese women's professional wrestling promotion. It is based in the city of Sendai, Miyagi in the Tohoku region.-History:...
along with joshi wrestler Meiko Satomura.
The 2011 Japan tsunami and quake forced Shinzaki to live in his car after his home and restaurant were destroyed.
On April 15, 2011, Shinzaki returned to the United States to wrestle for Chikara in the 2011 King of Trios tournament, where he would represent Michinoku Pro with Dick Togo and the Great Sasuke. In their first round match Team Michinoku Pro defeated Team Minnesota (1-2-3 Kid
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
, Arik Cannon
Arik Cannon
Arik Cannon is a professional wrestler known for competing in companies such as Chikara, Dragon Gate USA, IWA Mid-South, All American Wrestling and Wrestling Society X.-Career:...
and Darin Corbin). The following day, Team Michinoku Pro defeated Jigsaw
Jigsaw (wrestler)
Jigsaw is an American professional wrestler currently competing in the Chikara and Dragon Gate USA professional wrestling promotions...
, Manami Toyota
Manami Toyota
is a professional wrestler best known for her work with the All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling wrestling promotion. Following AJW's closure she has continued to work in other joshi promotions such as GAEA and NEO...
and Mike Quackenbush to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. On April 17, Team Michinoku Pro was eliminated from the tournament in the semifinal stage by F.I.S.T. (Chuck Taylor
Chuck Taylor (wrestler)
Dustin Howard is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chuck Taylor. He is currently competing most notably in Chikara, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Evolve Wrestling and Dragon Gate USA...
, Icarus
Icarus (wrestler)
Icarus is a professional wrestler, who performs primarily in the Chikara professional wrestling promotion, where he is a former Campeon de Parejas and King of Trios winner...
and Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano
John Anthony Nicholas "Johnny" Gargano is an American professional wrestler, who performs primarily in the Absolute Intense Wrestling, Chikara, Dragon Gate USA, Evolve Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Ohio professional wrestling promotions. He has also made appearances for World Wrestling...
).
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Koya Otoshi (Crucifix powerbomb, with theatrics)
- Nembutsu Bomb (Sitout powerbomb, with theatrics)
- Heavenly Lock (Straight jacket choke)
- Signature moves
- ChokeslamChokeslamA chokeslam refers to a type of body slam in professional wrestling in which the wrestler grasps their opponent's neck, lifts them up, and slams them to the mat. It is common in televised wrestling because it is simple and relatively safe, yet looks powerful on camera...
- Diving headbutt, with theatrics
- Diving shoulder block
- Handspring back elbow smash
- Mandala hineri
- Multiple kick variations
- Backflip
- Mule
- Super
- Ogami Watari (Arm twist ropewalk chop, with theatrics)
- Standing moonsault
- Chokeslam
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Shinja
Championships and accomplishments
- All Japan Pro WrestlingAll Japan Pro Wrestlingis a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
- AJPW All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipAJPW All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling All Asia Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling . It was created on November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association when King Kong Czaya & Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan &...
(1 time) – with HayabusaEiji Ezakiis a former Japanese professional wrestler better known as the masked Hayabusa , who worked primarily for Atsushi Onita's Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling promotion.-Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling :...
- Michinoku Pro WrestlingMichinoku Pro WrestlingMichinoku Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded by The Great Sasuke in 1993. Michinoku Pro was the first independent wrestling promotion in Japan to not base its operations in Tokyo, but rather in Morioka, Iwate...
- Tohoku Tag Team ChampionshipTohoku Tag Team ChampionshipThe Tohoku Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship contested in Michinoku Pro Wrestling.The current champions are Takeshi Minamino & Maguro Ooma who defeated Kesen Numajiro & Kinya Oyanagi for the belts on November 15, 2009....
(3 times) – with Último Dragón (1) and Gaina (2) - Futaritabi Tag Tournament (1994) – with Super Delfin
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #209 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003