Heading into 2023, the excitement around STARDOM was at a real high. How could it not be? Giulia was entering the year as World of Stardom Champion after finally winning the belt, the company came off a second straight year of success, and all roads led to their biggest show ever All Star Grand Queendom. If I told you that they’d change things up and crown new Wonder of Stardom Champions, refrain from having a year-long World of Stardom Champion for the fourth straight champion, and push new names to the top. Well, those things certainly didn’t carry the year as we expected. Inconsistencies in their usual storytelling patterns, injuries putting a damper on the end of the year, and just not carrying the same momentum they had for the two years prior. There are still bright points in the year but maybe none have been as exciting and unexpected as the signing of Mei Seira — who has done nothing but shine since joining STARDOM.
In a year when Suzu Suzuki joined the company, Mariah May made a name for herself, Saori Anou returned to STARDOM to be a major player and so many wrestlers made strides of their own, it’s Mei Seira who I’m left remembering the most with 2023 coming to a close. That’s not disrespect to anyone else but rather, it’s a credit to the marvelous talent that Seira is. And it’s all the better considering that before joining STARDOM in April, we never knew if we’d get to see her compete again.
The reigning High-Speed Champion always looked to be destined for greatness. To be special. She debuted as part of Marvelous back in 2018 — known then as Mei Hoshizuki — showing an ability that mixed unbelievable athleticism with a fiery style. It’d carry her through the years, bringing us to 2020 and 2021 where she’d start to shine more and more. She’d even go as far as winning the Sendai Girls Junior Championship. But it was in August 2021 where it’d all seemingly disappear in a snap.
No one better (and funnier) than Mei Seira#STARDOM pic.twitter.com/F0AnfSnTrN
— Scott E. Wrestling (@ScottEWrestling) November 30, 2023
Marvelous announced that Seira along with two other wrestlers would no longer be competing in the promotion and were leaving wrestling. No other explanation but leaving fans with wonder more than anything else. But I, and many other fans, never gave up hope. Especially after one of the three — Makoto Shindo, better known as WAVE’s Kohaku — made a return to pro wrestling in 2022. Still though, as more time went on, it felt less and less likely until All Star Grand Queendom came around.
AZM would team with Mei Suruga to take on Starlight Kid and a handpicked tag team partner. There wasn’t a clear idea of who would join Kid in this high-speed fight but I remember holding out hope for Seira. At the presser, it’d be revealed that Seira was back in pro wrestling and set to wrestle her first match in over a year and a half. And that’s really where this story takes off.
From that point forward, it was on for Mei Seira. She was paired with Suzu Suzuki, who also joined the promotion right after All Star Grand Queendom in a full-time capacity. These two went from being a mix-and-match pairing to what in many ways became the best tag team of the year in Joshi known as CRAZY STAR. Their chemistry was quickly put together and it allowed Seira to slowly get adjusted to being back in pro wrestling instead of forcing her into a major spot — much like she’s in now. But that didn’t come without getting a High-Speed Championship match in the early going against AZM.
It was apparent in that match that she was still finding herself and form, but she showed the flashes that we’ve become accustomed to throughout the year. Whether it was her ability to leap off the ropes and hit a Blockbuster or simply matching speed with the fastest wrestler in STARDOM — she was getting closer and closer to her game as she came up short against the High-Speed Ace.
But for Seira, this year hasn’t been just about the accolades — which she has a good few of in such a short time. It’s been about the performances night in and night out. It’s been talked about enough by now that STARDOM has had a lot of shows this year. Too many to count. And with those many shows comes a lot of performances from a STARDOM roster that doesn’t tend to take it easy for the majority of them. And yet, no one impressed more on each show than the one and only Mei Seira.
She was the house show MVP in every single way. It didn’t matter who she was facing, who she teamed up with, or when her match was on the card. Seira always brought it every single night no matter what. Seira and Suzuki would tear it up nearly every match they had together — which was the majority of them. But there’s plenty more to love including her hysterically funny connection with Megan Bayne.
Bayne came into STARDOM as this amazon-like, unbeatable force that Tokyo Sports went as far to compare to Brock Lesnar. She’s always been unrelenting and serious — making for this great duo with Seira who was everything but that. You’d see it in their entrances where she’d joke and act like Bayne’s best friend — even if the “Megasus” wanted nothing to do with her. And as we’d see in their matches, Bayne had no problem in backing up Seira to get wins as long as she could launch her to take out their opponents. Always entertaining and a combination that really can’t be planned. The natural connection, again with Seira and a tag team partner, is what made these house shows so good.
“You did good today Mei, but I don’t do hugs”
I love the Megan Bayne – Mei Seira duo so much.#STARDOM pic.twitter.com/ojckbXYrs2
— Scott E. Wrestling (@ScottEWrestling) September 11, 2023
It’d be wrong if I didn’t also touch on the complicated yet lovable relationship that she also developed with Mariah May outside the ring. These two made a connection that no one should overlook, just because of how comedic and entertaining it was to witness over social media and once in a while in the ring. We still get to see them recognize it to this day, even with May in AEW now.
Truthfully, I could go on and on about how good she was on house shows and how, even without participating in this year’s 5STAR Grand Prix, she deserves the recognition and praise that any wrestler in STARDOM gets when the MVP conversation is had at year’s end. But to capture why she was such a spark for STARDOM in 2023, it’s been to look at her biggest moments in the latter half of the year.
At the 5STAR Special in Hiroshima on September 3rd, CRAZY STAR challenged Saori Anou and Natsupoi for the Goddess of Stardom Championship. In a match filled with STARDOM favorites and MVP stars in their own right, it was Seira who was the standout of the match. She fully arrived, taking advantage of her opportunity to contend with Anou and Natsupoi but going full throttle. The STAR of CRAZY STAR was every bit of a star that night with what she was accomplishing. Jaw-dropping movements as she rolled through the ropes and ran around the ring at her absurd pace. While she wasn’t able to get the win and was the one pinned, it was the match that she became undeniable to anyone who was potentially hesitant about her being a great addition to STARDOM.
Fast forward one month later to Nagoya Golden Fight. Seira, after months of trying to get Saki Kashima to agree to a High-Speed Championship match, would get the chance once again to win the title and become the new High-Speed Ace of STARDOM. There was a reason that Kashima continuously said no to her challenges. It’s all due to Seira reaching her potential and she was finally ready to win the gold. The match lasted just 6:46 before Seira pinned Kashima to win her first championship in STARDOM, completing what was a meteoric rise since joining the company in April.
Her cherry on top of an incredible first year back in wrestling came alongside — you guessed it — Suzu Suzuki. CRAZY STAR ran the circuit in the Goddess of Stardom Tag League, being the clear MVPs of the tournament and making their way to the finals before losing to Divine Kingdom. It’s not that she needed the win to solidify her spot in STARDOM but it’s the fact she could add such an impressive run to her year that led me to writing this.
Seira is going to be overlooked when people vote for STARDOM’s Wrestler of the Year, Women’s Wrestler of the Year, or even Breakout Star. It’s the likely truth. But as someone who was blown away by what the High-Speed Champion was able to accomplish, I couldn’t let her year go without receiving the praise that she so rightfully deserves.
2024 is right around the corner and Mei Seira has managed to put herself high on the list of being STARDOM’s future. Joining the same conversation that AZM, Starlight Kid, Hanan, and Suzu Suzuki have been in for quite a while now. At just 21 years old, it’s incredible what she is on the cusp of accomplishing with her limitless potential. She’s quickly started an unexpected, yet welcomed heated feud with Hanan, perhaps setting both of them up for big things in 2024 when they collide next. Their match at NEW BLOOD WEST 1 says everything you need to know about where there feud can go.
There’s the potential of what her first 5STAR Grand Prix will look like, what her High-Speed Champion reign can be moving forward, and what faction she finally decides to join when that time comes. My only hopes for Mei Seira as we head into 2024 are simple: (1) stick around with Suzu Suzuki as long as possible — CRAZY STAR is too good to let go. (2) keep bringing an all-out effort to these house shows. She’s become the must-see attraction of every show. And (3) continue leveling up and showing the world why she’s such a special talent.
2023 was as good of a year as nearly anyone in STARDOM had. In a year of uncertainties. In a year of inconsistencies. And in a year of questions. One thing is for sure — Mei Seira is a budding star. The unexpected spark of STARDOM has nothing but greatness coming her way. And I, for one, can’t wait to see what’s next for Seira come 2024 and beyond.
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