[1.0] "I don't get it, how did he have a job in New Japan for so long? Sure, the gimmick of Captain New Japan is hilarious at first, but... how did he stick around? Why did they turn him heel? I have so many questions."
[2.0] "When your teammates are calling you out in the ring for sucking, and asking you to lay down and take the pin, you know you're screwed. He was not exactly great as Captain New Japan, but watching him as Bone Solider is downright hilarious. Some of the strangest booking decisions possible."
[1.0] "I want to know what kind of hardcore crack cocaine Gedo was on when he decided that taking the lowest of low-tier comedy wrestler in Captain New Japan and throwing him into the hottest heel group of the modern age, was a good idea. Seriously, He had NO wrestling ability whatsoever, so what made Gedo think that this out-of-shape Japanese man in his fucking 40s would fit in with this group of talented bad-boy foreigners? This ranks up there with Vincent (AKA Vergil) joining the nWo in how it seemed to instantly devalue the group he was joining just from his mere presence. Not helped by his stupid mask and long-sleeved shirt get-up making him look like a Power Rangers monster with a drinking problem. And it seems like Gedo quickly realized this too, as less than 4 months after joining, Kenny Omega called him the most useless piece of shit in existence and kicked his ass out. "Captain Fookin' New Japan" Indeed."
[2.0] "It's funny, I was reading an old issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter from 2005 and it dedicates a quick bit in the New Japan section to what high hopes they have for Mitsuhide Hirasawa as he'd only just started training at the time. Sadly Hirasawa would not live up to those expectations, with his run as BONE SOLDIER being possibly one of the worst in the history of New Japan. As Hirasawa he was a serviceable Young Lion wrestler, and as Captain New Japan he could be somewhat entertaining as a comedy character and foil for the bigger stars. However, once he got added into The Bullet Club it became glaringly obvious just how poor his in-ring skills were in comparison to pretty much everyone else in the company. Being in a company like New Japan where the general competency of the roster was so high meant that Hirasawa had nowhere to hide, with his flaws being extenuated with every miserable foray into the ring. It reached the point where you almost felt sorry for him that they kept sending him out there to struggle every time. His New Japan career almost morphed into a cruel social experiment by the end, and he hasn't really been seen anywhere else since the two sides parted ways. As Captain New Japan he could at least cover for some of his in-ring inadequacies by using comedy and pratfalls, but once he was supposed to be a genuine Heel threat the gig was up and it was time to go. In some ways it wasn't his fault because turning him Heel was obviously such a daft idea that I'm amazed they tried it, but he must also carry the can somewhat for never really improving from an in-ring perspective"
[4.0] "As Mitsuhide Hirasawa, he was this gutsy yet naive young lion whose father was friends with Choshu in high school. His spirit and strong attitude made him display an image of a brilliant future ahead of him after his excursion time; also an obedient pupil for Yuji Nagata and Seigigun (6). As Hideo Saito, his gimmick of a caribbean primal like man with personality issues was a fun one to say the least, yet you could notice it was temporary and would be dropped as soon as he was dumped from CHAOS (5). As the Captain, his gimmick was good on paper, but when it came to the wrestling, you noticed Hirasawa un-learned everything he was taught in favor of the Saito gimmick, and this would go on for four long years (3). As Bone Soldier, it was his last chance to prove he was still capable of at least hitting people with a belt, but it was evident his career was pretty much done and he inexplicably disappeared from NJPW and soon fired (0). A man who lost himself on his gimmicks leaving a lot of potential behind."
[3.0] "Was only serviceable as Captain New Japan, in which comedy hid his embarrassing lack of wrestling talent. Despite being in the business for years, he really failed to get the basic fundamentals and stunk up any match he was in."
[3.0] "He was fine as a jobber, not good, just fine, meaning he did not make those who beat him better but that he was just another body in the ring. But a comedy wrestler... he was truly horrible unless there's some weird Japanese cultural thing here I haven't got yet. His mercifully brief tenure as Bone Soldier, terrible feud with Yoshihashi included, was best defined by Kenny Omega as an "intergalactic disaster", which is exactly what it was."
[4.0] "A good comedy act wrestler but to be fair I really couldn't see him ever going anywhere with it. Throw him in those random tag matches and let him and antics free, then put him away before the main event."
[1.0] "BONE SOLDIER will best be remembered as Captain New Japan, and outside of a YouTube clip of Finn Balor saying his name, those aren't very good memories. In the ring, the man was pretty much the opposite of what you want to see from a professional wrestler in every way. His total lack of athleticism, charisma, or ability to perform even basic in-ring things were a huge black mark on any match he was a part of. He had no place in New Japan, but I do wish him the best in whatever he's doing now, because he seemed like a nice enough guy. Ironically, it was being paired with another awful New Japan wrestler in Yoshitatsu, and eventually turned heel to feud with him that ultimately did in his career. Whatever crowd support his gimmick had garnered him to that point disappeared when he was given probably the shittiest, no effort gimmick of all time. It almost makes you feel bad for him, like he was set up to fail with the crowd so they'd be justified in releasing him."
[1.0] "As a face, he filled a necessary role as a jobber babyface in New Japan. As a heel, he's the Vincent of the Bullet Club, and no stable needs a Vincent."
[2.0] "Captain New Japan ist einer der dämlichsten und vor allem unwitzigsten Jobber-Comedycharaktere, die es gibt. Im Ring mangelhaft (2/10), Ausstrahlung ausreichend (4/10) und Charisma fast gar nicht vorhanden (1/10). Insgesamt sind das dann 2, 33 von 10 Punkten - "mangelhaft"."
[5.0] "Captain New Japan, where to start? Been watching him work for almost a couple years. As a wrestler he's solid, at 6'2" 240lb he's one of the bigger guys on the roster, but that gimmick is so bad I can't see him ever being more then just a spot filler on a New Japan card. I think a good rivalry or a comedy tag team could really help him move up. But I don't see that happening anytime soon. I guess even the biggest wrestling company in Japan needs a few jobbers. I do like his new green and black look but that's about it."
[3.0] "Why would New Japan create this gimmick if it was intended to denigrate the name 'New Japan? ' Even Captain NOAH isn't treated as low (bookerman. ) However, I did enjoy his run as Hideo Saito - the rolling eyes & his Meng-like 'Tongan Death grip' cracked me up... for facial expression galore check out a match this character had with Nagata from G-1 in '11."
[7.0] "Wird von Leuten, die ihn und das Produkt nicht kennen, gerne völlig unterschätzt - hängt damit zusammen, dass die westlichen Fans den japanischen Ligen immer den Push der Wrestler abkaufen und ist ein witziges Indiz für Kenner, dass es im Internet eben doch nur eine Pseudo-Smartness gibt. Mit Hirasawa begraben die NJP-Booker momentan einen wahnsinnig talentierten Wrestler im besten Alter unter einem lachhaften Outfit und einem Comedy-Gimmick. Einer der wenigen Fehler, den sich die Liga meiner Meinung nach derzeit leistet."
[3.0] "Schwacher Wrestler, der bis auf sein Gimmick eigentlich nichts mitbringt. Dieses rettet ihm noch ne Wertung an der Kotzgrenze, weil seine Superhelden Comedy Elemente doch manchmal ganz lustig sind."
[4.0] "Er kommt ganz gut beim Publikum an und Spielt sein Gimmick gut, aber er ist nicht der beste im Ring und mit dem Gimmick nur der Ewige "Opener Guy". Ein Problem ist auch das er nie Singles Matches hat sondern immer nur in Tag Matches geparkt ist, aber vielleicht ist das auch besser so..."
[4.0] "Der Clown und Undercard Match Heel Opfer von NJPW, der wohl zufrieden zu sein scheint mit seiner Rolle. Das Outfit verdeckt bestens den mangelhaften Körperbau, die Ringarbeit dem Gimick entsprechend und genrell nicht der Rede wert. Was Hirasawa noch kann oder konnte ist ebenfalls fast vergessen und wird heutzutage von außen kaum noch adäquat zu beurteilen sein. Warum man für so eine Gimick ausgerechnet einen jungen Wrestler hernehmen muss, weiß. nur NJPW..."
[4.0] "Ich gebe ihm noch ein "ausreichend". Er spielt das Captain New Japan Gimmick gut genug, dass er doch ordentliche Pops bei den Zuschauern zieht und irgendwie hat der ewige Underdog, den er nunmal darstellt, als Gimmick auch etwas. Wrestlerisch kann man ihn sich nur schwer anschauen, da er aber fast nur in Tag Matches antritt, ist dies mittlerweile auch erträglich. Von daher schafft er es auf 4 Punkte bei mir!"
[3.0] "Tja, als Hirasawa war er gut, als Hideo Saito konnte ich ihm noch etwas abgewinnen und auch das Captain New Japan Gimmick fand ich am Anfang recht amüsant. Als sich aber abzeichnete, dass es dauerhaft zu seinem Gimmick werden sollte, musste ich mit dem Kopf schütteln. Absolut belanglos mittlerweile."
[3.0] "Runter auf drei Punkte. Im Moment die Personifizierung von dem, was aktuell bei New Japan falsch läuft, ein Gimmick wie "Captain New Japan" gehört meines Erachtens in keinen Ring dieser Promotion, der Mann hinter der Maske hat sich dem unglaublichen einfallslosen Gimmick aber hervorragend angepast, bemerkenswert schwach. Für Hirasawa führt das hier geradewegs ins Nirgendwo. Was allenfalls ein Gimmick sein sollte, was man 1-2 Male im Jahr als Jux rausholt, wird hier zum Dauer-Gimmick."
[4.0] "Grauenvolle Offense mit Treten, Schlagen, Würgen und dem Oriental Spike, dazu dieses Aussehen und diese Aura - der Typ geht in meinen Augen gar nicht. Passt zu den alten Pro Wrestling Cursaders, frühem Big Japan oder ganz kleinen Indy Graupen in Japan, aber echt nicht zu NJPW. Upadate: Mit dem Captain New Japan Gimmick deutlich besser und 1000x so unteraltsam."
[2.0] "Es hat schon seine Gründe warum der Hideo Saito Charakter so schnell wieder fallengelassen wurde. Erstens war das Gimmick an sich schlecht, zweitens ist aber auch der Wrestler selber schwach und stark limitiert. In der Offensive unerträglich, mit Tritten, Schlägen und Chokes. Mittlerweile hat man ihn zum Comedy Wrestler umfunktioniert und nun ist er immerhin nur noch langweilig. Agiert unglaublich steif und befindet zu Recht nur in der Undercard."
[5.0] "Bringt sein Gimmick des gemeingefährlichen, apathischen Wirrkopfs ganz gut rüber. Allerdings ist er im Ring recht limitiert, was aber imo auch seinem Gimmick geschuldet ist. Wie man beim G1 gesehen hat, kann er technisch doch einiges mehr, wenn sein Gimmick ihm "klare Momente" gestattet. Ich denke, ich muss ihn noch etwas öfter sehen, bis ich ihn endgültig bewerten kann. Ersteindruck - 5 Punkte."
