Hana Kimura

Hana Kimura (木村花, Kimura Hana, September 3, 1997 – May 23, 2020) was a Japanese female professional wrestler, who wrestled for the women's professional wrestling promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom. She was a second-generation wrestler whose mother is a former professional wrestler, Kyoko Kimura.[5] She was also a cast member on the Fuji Television and Netflix reality television series Terrace House: Tokyo 2019–2020 which is the fifth installment of the Terrace House franchise.

Hana Kimura
Kimura in 2019
Birth nameHana Kimura
Born(1997-09-03)September 3, 1997
Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
DiedMay 23, 2020(2020-05-23) (aged 22)
Kōtō, Tokyo, Japan[1]
Cause of deathSuicide (Hydrogen sulfide)[2]
Parent(s)Kyoko Kimura (mother)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Hana Kimura
Billed height5 ft 5 in (165 cm)[3]
Billed weight128 lb (58 kg)[3]
Billed fromYokohama, Kanagawa, Japan[4]
Trained byWrestle-1
Debut2016

Following a series of suicidal tweets addressing online criticism directed at her from Terrace House viewers, she was found dead by suicide in her apartment in Tokyo on May 23, 2020.[6] The release of new Terrace House episodes was suspended as a result of Kimura's death,[7][8] and Fuji TV later cancelled the season.[9][10]

Professional wrestling career

Early career

Prior to her professional wrestling career, Kimura won the DDT Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship one time on August 21, 2005, at a live event in Tokyo, then lost the title to her mother Kyoko.[11]

In the 2010s, Kimura was trained at Wrestle-1's Professional Wrestling University.[12]

Wrestle-1 (2016–2019)

After graduating the Wrestle-1 training academy, she debuted for promotion on March 30, 2016, against her classmate, Reika Saiki, in a losing effort.[13] The pair wrestled against each other many times throughout 2016 in Wrestle-1.[14]

On August 7, 2016, Kimura wrestled against her mother in a match. On September 18, 2016, Kimura captured her first title, the JWP Junior Championship, by defeating Yako Fujigasaki in a tournament final.[14] Around this time, Kimura also began appearing in World Wonder Ring Stardom.[14] On October 2, 2016, Kimura teamed with her mother and Kagetsu to capture the Artist of Stardom Championship. The team vacated the titles on January 3, 2017, when Kimura was injured. One week prior, Kimura also lost her JWP Junior Championship on December 28, 2016, to Yako Fujigasaki. Kimura eventually became a member of Stardom's heel stable, Oedo Tai. On January 22, 2017, her mother retired. In Kyoko's retirement show, Kimura defeated her mother in a singles match and on the same show, the two teamed in a trios match in a winning effort.[14]

During 2017, Kimura split her time between Wrestle-1, Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling and Stardom while being a contracted performer for Wrestle-1. On June 21, 2017, at Stardom's Galaxy Stars 2017 event, Kimura teamed with her fellow Oedo Tai member, Kagetsu, to win the Goddess of Stardom Championship by defeating Team Jungle of Hiroyo Matsumoto and Jungle Kyona. The team held the titles for nearly a year, successfully defending against teams such as Jungle Kyona and HZK, Io Shirai and Viper, Jungle Kyona and Natsuko Tora, HZK and Momo Watanabe, Mayu Iwatani and Tam Nakano.[14] The team was defeated by Mayu Iwatani and Saki Kashima in 2018.[14]

Kimura officially became a Wrestle-1 roster member on January 9, 2018.[15] She made an international tour in early 2018, competing for Ring of Honor, Pro-Wrestling: EVE, and various promotions in Mexico. Kimura left Oedo Tai on September 24, after she attacked Kagetsu.[16]

On March 21, 2019, Kimura announced she was leaving Wrestle-1.[17]

World Wonder Ring Stardom (2019–2020)

She officially joined Stardom on March 25, 2019.[18] On April 6, Kimura, along with Stella Grey and Sumie Sakai wrestled Jenny Rose and Oedo Tai (Kagetsu and Hazuki) in a dark match at Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s G1 Supercard.[19] On April 14, at the 2019 Stardom draft, Hana was named leader of the International Army faction.[20] The faction was renamed, "Tokyo Cyber Squad", on April 21.[21] On May 16, Kimura, along with her stablemates Jungle Kyona and Konami won the Artist of Stardom Championship after defeating Mayu Iwatani, Saki Kashima, and Tam Nakano.[22]

On January 4, 2020, Kimura, along with Giulia wrestled Mayu Iwatani and Arisa Hoshiki in a dark match at New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 14.[23] It was the first women's match at the Tokyo Dome since 2002.[24] Kimura had her final match on March 24 at Stardom's Cinderella Tournament 2020, wrestling Mayu Iwatani in the first round to a draw.[3]

During her Stardom career, she won the Artist of Stardom Championship twice and the Goddess of Stardom championship once,[25] while also winning the 2019 5★Star GP tournament and Stardom Fighting Spirit Award.[26]

Acting career

Terrace House (2019–2020)

Kimura joined Terrace House in September 2019, appearing on the show until her death.[27] In early January, Kimura was involved in an incident with her housemate, Kai Edward Kobayashi, regarding her Wrestle Kingdom 14 ring attire. Kobayashi washed his clothes while Kimura's outfit was also in the washer; he then threw it in the dryer, ruining her wrestling attire. Kimura was visibly upset at this and mentioned to a roommate her belief this further exemplified Kobayashi's lackadaisical attitude toward the house's rules regarding etiquette. This then led to verbal conflict between the two with Kimura eventually pulling Kobayashi's hat off his head in frustration at what she felt to be his dismissive attitude. After the episode aired in March, her actions drew criticism, name calling and abuse from social media users, sending her into depression.[24][28][29]

Personal life

Kimura was a daughter of Kyoko Kimura who is also a professional wrestler.[30][31] Before she was one year old, she was separated from her father.[32] While the identity of her biological father is not publicly known, Kimura had mentioned in interviews that he is an Indonesian national and because of this, she was referred to as Indonesian-Japanese.[33][34][35] She was bullied as a child because of her mixed ethnic heritage.[36][37]

Death

On May 23, 2020, Kimura died aged 22.[38][39] Early that morning, Kimura posted self-harm images on Twitter and Instagram while sharing some of the hate comments she received.[40][41][42]

Championships and accomplishments

References
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  2. Alvarez, Bryan; Meltzer, Dave (May 24, 2020). "WOR: Hana Kimura, AEW Double or Nothing, Stadium Stampede, more! 5/24". Wrestling Observer Radio. Event occurs at 15:00-15:40. Retrieved May 24, 2020. The death was actually at 4:00 am. She had ingested hydrogen sulfide. So that was the cause of death and not too much else is going to be released because her mother did not want much more released.
  3. "Hana Kimura". cagematch.net. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  4. Ring of Honor Wrestling (March 19, 2018). Sumie Sakai vs Hana Kimura (WOH Championship Tournament Round 1). Retrieved May 22, 2020.
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  7. @TH6TV (May 23, 2020). "Official Terrace House Twitter Account" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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