Episode 37: The Return of Peng-Chao (Ponchao)

March 15, 2026

How long has it been since I was last in Taiwan? Before the pandemic, New Japan Pro-Wrestling held events there frequently, and I remember going many times. But the memories are a bit fuzzy—is it because the last Taiwan show was that long ago, or is my memory just starting to fade...?

Even Narita Airport feels nostalgic, even though I used to fly out to the US and the UK all the time. Ah, so this is what "retirement" feels like. When the word "match" disappears from your mind, the lack of tension is truly something else... On the flip side, I can easily imagine how our active wrestlers are living in the midst of that intensity every single day. I just want to tell them, "Give it your all!"

Nowadays, I can check the matches from anywhere, and I can see what’s happening at the office via Slack. Even from Taiwan, once I type "Approved," the work starts moving. Living like this makes me realize once again: "Live events are truly the best." The atmosphere of the venue, the excitement, the cheers—they are all irreplaceable. When I think about how I used to take those things for granted, I sometimes wish I had cherished them even more back when I was active. Wait—actually, I think I did. I’ve always lived by the motto "Full Power" (Zenryoku), after all.

Right now, I’m on the plane, looking out at a beautiful sea of clouds and thinking: "What is the 'Full Power' I can give right now?"

Whoa. That’s tough. It’s practically philosophy! Actually, maybe it’s not that complicated. It’s just about living life to the fullest. "Full Power" doesn't necessarily have to be about a tangible sense of accomplishment or leaving behind a physical result. "So, how do you do it?" you ask? It’s quite simple, really. The moment you decide, "I’m going to live with Full Power!", you’ve already achieved it.

"Wait, could you say that at a morning company assembly?"

Hmmmm... definitely not. (lol).