Blade Uehara

Em Sande (masked);

JWI;

Pacific Women's Pro-Wrestling (founder);

Far East Women's Pro-Wrestling (founder)

Harumi Ogami

## Story

Uehara and Panther Risako joined New Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling at the same time, and climbed the ranks to the top division together. As IWWF Asia Tag Team Champions they were undefeated, but as best friends they always refused to wrestle against each other in an official match despite fan demand to find out who between them is stronger.

This changes after Risako goes into depression for accidentally crippling Dragon Fujiko. Uehara, increasingly unable to tolerate Risako's apathy, which she worries is depleting New Japan's morale as a whole, eventually raises a Rebel Army (with members including Yumi Shoji, Kanako Komatsu and Hikaru Ijuin) to oppose Risako's Regular Army, exerting pressure on Risako to either relinquish her leadership position or else demonstrate that she is capable of defending it. This culminates in a climactic match between Uehara and Risako for the IWWF Asia Heavyweight Champion title, which Risako unconvincingly retains. Uehara remarks that her true defeat is not losing the match, but failing to get Risako back to displaying her top form in the ring. She urges Risako to restore her old self so that she can fulfill her original dream of becoming world champion.

The next day, Uehara has disappeared. None of her former associates know where she has gone.

In fact, Uehara has relocated to Mexico, where she turns up in AAC as a masked wrestler going by the name of Em Sande. She defeats the top-ranked Chocho Caras to become AAC Heavyweight Champion and the most acclaimed wrestler in Mexico (at one point being described as a "messenger of God"). But after holding the title for some time, she loses it to new IWWF Asia Heavyweight Champion Mighty Yukiko, who recognizes her true identity after the match. Noting that Yukiko is also the one who defeated Risako, and thus accepting the inevitability of giving way to the next generation sooner or later, Uehara decides to move back to Japan with a new mission to discover and bring up fresh talent.

Upon her return, however, Uehara learns of JWI and joins it, but solely in order to raise a Rebel Army against the Regular Army led by Beauty Ichigaya, and thus give Ichigaya as much trouble as possible. Most consequentially, she takes under her wing Rebel Army member Megumi Muto (who even borrows her finisher to defeat Ichigaya with).

After JWI implodes, Uehara spends time traveling around the world as an unaffiliated wrestler crashing promotions of her choice to challenge whomever she wants. While in America, she runs into Muto again and encourages her to try challenging for local belts. Under Uehara's guidance, Muto defeats WWCA star The USA to become Atlantic Heavyweight Champion.

Finally returning to Japan, Uehara launches her own independent promotion named Pacific Women's Pro-Wrestling, where she (for a while with the help of former New Japan junior Teddy Cat Hori) mentors new wrestlers including Reiko Kanamori, Matsuri Gono, Mami Sawanobori and especially Harumi Ogami whom Uehara has selected as her heir. However, Pacific runs into financial difficulties and eventually shuts down. Kanamori, Gono and Sawanobori all leave, and only Harumi stays.

   Uehara decides to crash New Japan with Harumi in tow, announcing publicly that she and her disciple intend to take the IWWF Tag Team Champions title from the current holders Muto and Chigusa Yuki in the near future. With her past legendary status, Uehara's sudden comeback instantly captures media attention.

Uehara and Harumi start their journey by defeating Riyu Kikuchi and Rei Tomizawa for the IWWF Asia Tag Team Champions title ("Isn't this the same belt you once won with Risako?" Harumi asks Uehara). Yukiko then offers to let Harumi join New Japan, which Uehara (who is still loyal to her alma mater at heart) considers a good idea. But Harumi misunderstands this as Uehara giving up on her, and runs away.

To set things straight, Uehara founds a new independent promotion named Far East Women's Pro-Wrestling despite having no money to actually launch it. Harumi hears this new from abroad and immediately returns to report for duty, understanding that Uehara founded Far East solely for her sake. Harumi's friends Janice Claire and Cuty Kanai also turn up at Far East as temporary volunteers to help get it off the ground. Risako then sends Far East an invitation to participate in the "Strongest Tag League" battle that she has been arranging. Uehara and Harumi win this event to finally earn a title match against Muto and Chigusa, and go on to win the IWWF Tag Team Champions title just as they set out to do.

## Personality

Tirelessly dedicated in organizing and teaching as well as competing, Uehara is regarded as one of the greatest overall contributors to women's wrestling in Japan. She exhibits innate leadership ability, treating those under her charge with a blend of strictness and gentleness that comes spontaneously to her. In return, she is respected as a voice of wisdom for the sport as a whole wherever she goes.

As a wrestler, Uehara is considered to be along with Risako the best of their generation, and their tag team an ideal combination. Uehara moves around the ring with unmatched speed and agility, and is renowned for her spectacular high-flying moves which combine with Risako's graceful throws to produce one of the most visually pleasing tag teams to watch. During their heyday, Uehara and Risako were roughly equal in popularity among fans, with Uehara's tomboyish looks perfectly complementing Risako's pronounced femininity. As Em Sande, Uehara pushes her aerial style to even more extreme levels, far outshining even the most flamboyant Mexican wrestlers.