Mima Shimoda
Maeda received her training in professional wrestling at the All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (AJW) dojo, where she was trained by Jaguar Yokota alongside the likes of Aja Kong, Dynamite Kansai and Mayumi Ozaki. She made her debut, working under her real name, on August 8, 1986, facing Megumi Kudo at an AJW event in Higashimurayama, Tokyo. On December 26, 1987, Maeda made it to the finals of a tournament for the vacant AJW Junior Championship, before being defeated by Suzuka Minami. The following year, she formed the Honey Wings tag team with Mika Takahashi. After the two made it to the finals of a tournament for the vacant AJW Tag Team Championship, where they were defeated by Erika Shishido and Nobuko Kimura on April 2, 1988, the Honey Wings came back on October 10 and defeated Shishido and Kimura in a rematch to become the new AJW Tag Team Champions. After a five-month reign, Maeda and Takahashi lost the title to Miori Kamiya and Reibun Amada on March 4, 1989. The Honey Wings would regain the title on June 1, 1990, by defeating the Sweet Hearts (Manami Toyota and Mima Shimoda). After another five-month reign, they lost the title to Etsuko Mita and Mima Shimoda on November 14, 1990. Shortly afterwards, Maeda left AJW.