Konami

Konami in March 2021

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Fukuyama, Hiroshima, Japan

**Konami Takemoto** (竹本 小波, *Takemoto Konami*, born July 15, 1996), simply known as **Konami** (小波, *Konami*, formerly 琥鳴魅) is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for her work with World Wonder Ring Stardom (Stardom). Whtihin Stardom she is a former two-time Artist of Stardom Champion, and Goddess of Stardom Champion.

Takemoto was trained by Kana and Minoru Tanaka, making her debut in February 2015. Konami spent her early career competing for independent promotions such as Pro Wrestling Wave, REINA and JWP, eventually signing to REINA. After leaving the promotion in July 2016, she went on a short hiatus before returning to pro wrestling in November and debuting for World Wonder Ring Stardom in December 2016, going on to become a regular in the promotion before signing full time in May 2018 until taking an hiatus in December 2021, before returning one-time only to the promotion in May 2022.

## Professional Wrestling career

### Early career (2015–2016)

Konami first developed an interest in pro wrestling through her brother, who was an avid fan himself and would regularly watch it on television. Eventually, her and her brother attended a local show where she met Kana, and expressed interest in becoming a wrestler. Kana told her to apply for training after she had at least graduated junior high school and gave her her contact details. While she attended high school, she trained under former MMA fighter Megumi Fujii at a local martial arts gym. After graduating from high school in 2014, she moved to Tokyo and began training under Kana and Minoru Tanaka. Konami debuted for Kanapromania in early 2015, initially competing as a member of Kana's agency. After Kana announced she would be leaving for WWE in late 2015, Konami was forced to leave the agency and soon after signed with REINA Joshi Puroresu. She also started competing for Pro Wrestling Wave and JWP, unsuccessfully challenging Rydeen Hagane for the JWP Junior Championship and the Princess of Pro-Wrestling Championship on July 17, 2016. In July, Konami announced her intention to resign from REINA, and on July 21, she co-promoted a final show with REINA, teaming with Yuko Miyamoto in a fluorescent light tubes deathmatch main event, losing to Jun Kasai and Kagetsu. After quitting REINA, Konami made appearances for World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana and Wave, before announcing she would be taking an indefinite leave from pro wrestling after August 14 to treat and recover from internal diseases, but vowed to return. In her farewell match, she teamed with her trainer Minoru Tanaka in a loss to Cat Power and Onryo. While recovering from treatment, she announced she had signed with agency GPS, and would return at their produced show on November 5. In her return match, she lost to Kairi Hojo.

### World Wonder Ring Stardom (2016–2021; 2022)

Konami debuted for World Wonder Ring Stardom on December 22, 2016, defeating Hiromi Mimura, and confirmed she would be competing for the promotion regularly. She was pushed as a strong contender despite being a newcomer, wrestling in competitive matches against established wrestlers like Toni Storm, Io Shirai and Yoko Bito. She began a feud with Kairi Hojo, and unsuccessfully challenged for the Wonder of Stardom Championship on March 26, 2017. After losing to Hojo, the two formed an alliance, and teamed with Hiromi Mimura to win the Artist of Stardom Championship on May 6, 2017, giving Konami her first ever championship. They lost the titles less than a month later to Queen's Quest. Konami entered her first 5★Star Grand Prix in August but struggled greatly, losing all but one of her matches, defeating Mandy Leon on the final day. At the annual unit draft on April 15, 2018, Konami was picked by Io Shirai to be drafted into her Queen's Quest stable. On May 20, she officially announced that she had joined the Stardom roster full time. As a member of Queen's Quest, she received a shot at the Goddesses of Stardom Championship, teaming with Momo Watanabe in a loss to Mayu Iwatani and Saki Kashima. She entered the 5★Star Grand Prix once again and to greater success, finishing with 6 points but failing to make the final. On September 30, she unsuccessfully challenged Nicole Savoy for the Shimmer Championship. After 364 days in Queen's Quest, Konami was drafted to the Tokyo Cyber Squad on April 14, 2019. Konami joined the Tokyo Cyber Squad in April 2019, and took part in the 2019 Cinderella Tournament, making it to the final where she lost to Arisa Hoshiki. On May 16, Konami, Hana Kimura and Jungle Kyona defeated Iwatani, Tam Nakano and Kashima to win the Artist of Stardom Championship. Their reign lasted until June 23, losing them back to Iwatani, Nakano and Kashima. On July 15, Konami teamed with Kyona to defeat Utami Hayashishita and Watanabe to win the Goddess of Stardom Championship. On September 30, 2020, Jungle Kyona challenged Natsuko Tora to a no disqualification match where the loser would have to disband their stable as result. Then, during that match on October 3, Konami betrayed Jungle Kyona allowing Oedo Tai to pick up the win. She then subsequently joined them, effectively turning heel. On December 26, Konami alongside Bea Priestley defeated Hayashishita and Saya Kamitani to win the Goddesses of Stardom Championship. They lost the title on February 14, 2021 after losing to Donna del Mondo (Himeka and Maika). On December 4, Konami announced that she was going to take an hiatus from professional wrestling and she would be challenged by Giulia to match at Stardom Dream Queendom on December 29 to which Konami would accept. On December 29, Konami would lose to Giulia in her last match before her hiatus. On April 17, Konami reached out via video message, announcing that she would be returning to Stardom and would be supporting God's Eye during the Stardom Golden Week Fight Tour. Konami's last tenure with the group was on May 7, when se along with the rest of the God's Eye members, Syuri, Ami Sourei and MIRAI, defeated the team of Oedo Tai composed by Saki Kashima, Ruaka, Starlight Kid and Momo Watanabe in an eight-women tag team match.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Final Lancer* (Kneeling step-over head-hold armbar while applying an Indian deathlock) – adopted from Wataru Inoue
	+ *Triangle Lancer* (Kneeling step-over head-hold armbar) – adopted from Wataru Inoue
	+ Fisherman suplex
* **Signature moves**
	+ Cross armbreaker
	+ German suplex
	+ High kick
	+ Knee lock
	+ Triple jump high kick
* **Nicknames**
	+ "Fighting Princess"
	+ "Submission Sniper"

## Championships and accomplishments

* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ Ranked No. 68 of the top 100 female wrestlers in the *PWI Female 100* in 2019
	+ Ranked No. 31 of the top 50 tag teams in the *PWI Tag Team 50* in 2020 with Jungle Kyona
* **World Wonder Ring Stardom**
	+ Artist of Stardom Championship (2 times) – with Hana Kimura and Jungle Kyona (1) and Hiromi Mimura and Kairi Hojo (1)
	+ Goddesses of Stardom Championship (2 times) – with Jungle Kyona (1) and Bea Priestley (1)
	+ 5★Star GP Outstanding Performance Award (2020)
	+ Best Technique Award (2020)
	+ Best Tag Team Award (2019) – with Jungle Kyona
	+ Best Unit Award (2021) with Natsuko Tora, Saki Kashima, Rina, Ruaka, Fukigen Death, Starlight Kid and Momo Watanabe