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Generally not a huge fan of pro wrestling as its depicted in anime -- Ultimate Muscle and, to a lesser extent, School Rumble are the exceptions. It seems like most anime with wrestling in it gets it confused with tokusatsu, or gets Japanese wrestling (portrayed as a sport) mixed in with western style (a morality play, or soap opera), or otherwise just doesn't seem to understand how kayfabe works. Good shounen anime at least tend to steal from wrestling's pacing, so there's always that to fill in the gap.
The Mask Royal episodes of SM are some of the better depictions at least. The screenwriter seems to understand the beats of a western-style wresting match (shine, heat, comeback, finish) and the basic rules (i.e., that you're supposed to TAG in and out in a tag team match), as well as the conventions of it outside of the ring (heel interference, evil stables). I enjoyed the idea that Mask Royal's next main event was set after an interference ruined his previous match. That's more or less how matches are made, or at least it was 20 years ago. I'm glad that they seem to be borrowing more from the El Santo/Hulk Hogan eras in terms of aesthetics.
Anyway, enough wrestling autism. I hope Kukui hits the shooting star press every time he fucks Burnett.
