Real name: Hisako Uno Sasaki
Birthday: July 13th, 1967
Height: 5’6”
Signature Moves: Northern Lights Bomb, Dangerous Queen Bomb and Strangle Hold Gamma
Titles held:
- AJW Japanese Junior Title
- AJW WWWA World Tag Team Title (4)
- AJW All-Pacific Title (2)
- CMLL Women’s World Title
- WCW Women’s World Title
- AAAW Tag Team Title
Debuting for All Japan Women under her real name of Hisaka Uno on June 12th 1985 she was given the nickname “Akira” by her fellow workers, being named after her favorite wrestler of the time, Akira Maeda. Respected by her fellow workers and seen as an outstanding wrestler she was voted AJW rookie of the year for 1985. On March 20th the following year she wins her first belt, the AJW Junior title.
On October 10th 1986 she tagged with Yukari Omori and made it to the finals of the AJW annual Tag League tournament against the Crush Girls. The final between these teams is considered AJW’s match of the year for 1986.
On April 15th 1987 she teamed with Yumiko Hotta to win the vacant WWWA tag titles.
On April 27th 1987 during a 2/3 falls tag team match for the WWWA titles her neck was broken after a botched second rope tombstone pile driver for the second fall. Incredibly she continued to wrestle the final fall while holding her head in place, hitting all her signature and high-flying spots. After the match she was side lined for a year recovering from the injury.
She once again returned to active wrestling on December 11th 1988 this time under the name Akira Hokuto.
June 18th 1989 teaming with Suzuka Minami under the name Marine Wolves she once again won the WWWA tag titles. After loosing the titles they regained them on February 2nd 1990.
She was booked to win the 1990 AJW Grand Prix Tournament but during her match against Manami Toyota cut her leg open on a guard rail after a botched plancha. Unable to walk she still attempted to continue the match, after 5 minutes AJW officials finally manage to convince her to concede the match.
Back in singles competition she won the AJW Pacific title in 1991 from her tag partner Suzuka Minami and won the title for a second time in 1992.
On a tour of Mexico in April 1992 she formed the Las Cachoras Orientales tag team with Estuko Mita. The team becomes a trio when Mima Shimoda joins a few weeks later. In May that year LCO made its debut in Japan against the team of Bison Kimura and Aja Kong.
The 2nd of April 1993 saw the inter-promotional Joshi supercard Dreamslam 1 where Hokuto took on LLPW’s super tough Shinobu Kandori. A 30 minute hard fought classic, the match is generally considered the greatest singles woman’s match of all time.
Although having a recurring knee injury in October 1993 she challenged AJW Champion Aja Kong but refused to have it be a title match as she believed it would devalue the belt for her to hold it in her injured state.
November saw a return to the LLPW feud with Hokuto defeating the LLPW president Rumi Kazama in a hair vs. hair match. In December a Dreamslam 1 rematch with Shinobu Kandori took place with Hokuto announcing at the event that she would retire in 1994.
The year also saw her marrying Mexican wrestler Mascara Magica though they were later divorced.
During March 1994 she teamed with her rival Kandori to defeat the tag team of Aja Kong and Bull Nakano. In July she wrestled under a mask and the name Reina Jubuki in Mexico winning the CMLL women’s title.
November saw another supercard – the Big Egg Wrestling Universe – a 10 hour extravaganza featuring a one night single elimination tournament. Hokuto won the tournament defeating AJW champion Aja Kong in the final. For many cementing her status as the best ever female wrestler. On September 2nd 1995 she wrestled Manami Toyota in a classic 5 star match up.
In October 1st 1995 she married New Japan journeyman Kensuke Sasaki.
Returning to the US in December 19th 1996 she defeated Madusa to win the WCW women’s title.
She took time off for to give birth to a baby boy named Kennosuke in November 1998.
The following year on August 15th she returned to the ring after 18 months to wrestle for the GAEA promotion.
It was on April 7th 2002 that she retired after a tag match with Meiko Satomura against Chigusa Nagayo and Ayako Hamada. In classic Akira Hokuto style she wrestled the match with a broken rib.
The 20th April 2004 saw Hokuto returning to the ring to wrestle a match against All Japan wrestler Kendo Ka Shin defeating him with the Northern Lights Bomb after just 3 minutes.
Although her peak was in the early 90’s and though frequently injured during that time, Hokuto is considered by many to be the greatest female wrestler of all time. Combining a natural aptitude for the sport with incredible selling ability and charisma, together with a complex character that evolved over the years, Hokuto elevated wrestling to an art form and consistently produced the best work of anyone during an era where everyone had great matches.
Recommended matches
- 15/4/87 Hisako Uno/Yumiko Hotta vs. Leilani Kai/Judy Martin – AJW
- 30/8/92 Akira Hokuto/Mima Shimoda/Etusko Mita Vs Bull Nakano/Yumiko Hotta/Minami Suzuka – AJW
- 26/11/92 Akira Hokuto vs. Kyoko Inoue – AJW
- 2/4/93 Akira Hokuto vs. Shinobu Kandori – AJW
- 6/12/93 Akira Hokuto vs. Shinobu Kandori – AJW
- 27/3/94 Akira Hokuto/Shinobu Kandori Vs Aja Kong/Bull Nakano – AJW
- 24/8/94 Akira Hokuto/Aja Kong Vs Dynamite Kansai/Yumiko Hotta – AJW
- 20/11/94 Akira Hokuto vs. Aja Kong – AJW
- 2/9/95 Akira Hokuto vs. Manami Toyota – AJW
- 29/4/01 Akira Hokuto vs. Meiko Satomura GAEA
Mr Dragon