Yoshinobu Kanemaru

[8.0] "Luckily for us, Yoshinobu Kanemaru may be the only member of The House Of Torture who's 'wacky shenanigans' haven't totally overhauled his style, as perhaps, Kanemaru may even be doing better under HOT. I actually think that Kanemaru is fucking excellent right now, and I'm happy he's finally getting opportunities in the junior division, even though he's stuck with his wacky mates. Additionally, I think that Kanemaru's more tactical-cheating role is something he does brilliantly and suits him much more than his somewhat bland baby-face role in NOAH, and whilst I didn't love him reigning over NOAH's junior division for eons, I still think NOAH could've done worse than picking Kanemaru for that position (especially fucking HAYATA). Kanemaru is 48 too, and the fact that he's been good for so long is really nice to see, simply put, Kanemaru is a damn legend."

[8.0] "One hell of a career arc, from explosive jr heavyweight who can go with anyone to a fella who fucks about with whisky. Is early stuff is deeply under appreciated by a western fan base."

[8.0] "Throughout his career, Yoshinobu Kanemaru has always provided quality matches that match where he is placed on the card. If he is needed for a comedy opener, he can go. A mid-card banger, Kanemaru's got it. Main event of a junior focused card, he's your main event heel. His skill in the ring has always been fantastic and he's able to carry anyone to a decent or great match."

[10.0] "Yoshinobu Kanemaru is one of the best jr heavyweights of all time. One of the best to come from Pro Wrestling NOAH and a great veteran in NJPW where he does explode onto the scene since 2020s in his 40s. The battles he had with Hiromu Takahashi and El Desperado the past couple years for the jr title are something to watch, technical and unique. His tag team with Despe held the jr tag team titles multiple times and their first reign is one of the longest in the modern era. The best match of his career is of course against KENTA at Destiny 2005 which still holds a record of attendance for a jr heavyweight wrestling main event in history. Heel Master and Technical Marvel."

[9.0] "This man is on the shortlist as being one of the most underrated Japanese junior heavyweights in history. His legend was created in NOAH, but it's been in NJPW where most fans have seen his work. While he's not as explosive as some of the other members of his division, his mere presence makes him a valuable veteran."

[6.0] "Can be occasionally great (especially in matches against Ishimori) and formed a good tag team alongside Despe but most of the time he's just there. Like there's little to nothing bad about him but he's also not very exciting."

[7.0] "I first saw Yoshinobu in NJPW, but when I heard of his NOAH stuff, I gave it a look and I have to say, he's got a decent record. In NJPW, he really helped elevate Suzuki-Gun, especially while teaming with El Desperado. In Just Four Guys, he fits the name of the stable so damn well, and can definitely add to the group and maybe take the IWGP Junior Tag Titles with Douki. He's a solid wrestler, and I can't wait for more stuff."

[7.0] "A lot of people just know Kanemaru as drunk Uncle Nobu but he's been around nearly 30 years now. He knows his place in the current NJPW setup and he is more than adequate for that spot but his work in NOAH in the 00's is where this guy's true talents were shown."

[8.0] "Yoshinobu Kanemaru has had a great career spanning over 25 years! His work in NOAH is top notch but is overshadowed by the likes of KENTA. His work in NJPW is pretty much as a tag veteran who can still be consistent when called upon."

[8.0] "Was a fantastic Jr heavyweight in his prime as the NOAH ace that held the division down until guys like KENTA and Maru surpassed him by a fair bit. That being said, he was still a pretty solid talent that wasn't very convincing in control sequences, and he had a nasty habit of no selling and ignoring worked limbs, a habit that would become more of a issue with the division as time went on. Is a alright old school heel in NJPW but it's obvious how broken down he is by this point, hence why he's usually kept away from high stakes matches for a good few years now. Can't really put him much higher because his prime was really not a lot of time at all before he started to fall to the wayside, but when he was on, he was great."

[9.0] "A team player even being a face or a heel, Kanemaru resembles what Norio Honaga was when he was active; grumpy, fast and Junior. A flash full of substance, his time as NOAH's top junior was a reign full of domination and accolades. In NJPW, the man might be a second to Desperado, but I'll be damned if Kanemaru isn't a top 5 in any best junior wrestler rank."

[10.0] "One of the absolute best Junior Heavyweights of all time for me, his output is extraordinary, carries himself like a king, he can do comedy too & is just fucking badass"

[5.0] "Used to be a great Junior Heavyweight in PW Noah but these days he's just a slightly underwhelming heel tag team guy."

[7.0] "Kanemaru used to be the mainstay of the NOAH Junior division: it was him who helped Marufuji and KENTA become the stars they are. Maybe not as technically gifted as KENTA nor as hard hitting as Marufuji but arguably a more consistent performer than both and great at helping less skilled opponents look better than they were, a rare gift I always appreciate. Where he didn't exactly shine was the personality department: he has never been as good at promos as Taka Michinoku and surely hasn't got as much personality as Jushin Thunder Liger. To make things worse Kanemaru has been stuck in Suzuki-gun for 4/5 years now... no small surprise some younger fans think he's just some boring middle-aged Japanese dude. His last IWGP Jr Heavyweight Tag match was surprisingly good however, but how much of that is due to Shingo Takagi being Shingo Takagi and how much Kanemaru remembering who he once was remains to be seen. Perhaps he'll give us all a small taste of who he once was before heading into a comfortable and well-deserved retirement."

[8.0] "Ah, what a Junior Heavyweight. Kanemaru has been able to be a mainstay in the main event scene of the cruiserweight category in NOAH in the 2000s', and now that he's getting older, he is transforming in a more techincal, while still very agile, fighter. Also, his work as a member of the Suzuki-Gun is superb. Probably one of the most underrated performer in puroresu."