Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Japanese Female Pro-Wrestling Drama Series The Queen of Villains' Premieres September 19

17/07/2024

Back to All News

Japanese Female Pro-Wrestling Drama Series The Queen of Villains' Premieres September 19

Entertainment

17 July 2024

GlobalJapan

Link copied to clipboard

How did one woman whip Japan into a frenzy? Launching on September 19, The Queen of Villains unveils the story of Dump Matsumoto, the most terrifying heel during the golden age of women's pro wrestling in Japan. Spanning five episodes, the series explores the events that led to her rise decades ago.

From the 70s to the 80s, female pro-wrestling tag teams like Beauty Pair (Jackie Sato and Maki Ueda) and Crush Gals (Chigusa Nagayo and Lioness Asuka) became national icons. They captivated Japan not only by competing but also by singing and dancing in the ring. On the other side of this was Dump Matsumoto, the sworn rival of the Crush Gals. She made all of Japan her enemy, wreaking havoc in and outside of the ring. But once upon a time, young Dump Matsumoto was told she was too kind to be a villain. What events made her one of the most disliked figures in Japanese wrestling history?

Bringing these iconic female wrestlers to life is a talented cast chosen through auditions:

Multi-talented comedian Yuriyan Retriever portrays Dump Matsumoto.

Erika Karata (Desert of Namibia) plays Chigusa Nagayo, who starts as a failed wrestling trainee but eventually rises to stardom.

Ayame Goriki (Watashi ga Ore no Jinsei?!) portrays Lioness Asuka, known for being the most athletic and technical wrestler among her peers.

The renowned Osamu Suzuki developed, wrote, and produced the series. After hearing Matsumoto talk about the women's pro wrestling era on his show, Suzuki was inspired to turn her story into a series and wrote the screenplay himself. Kazuya Shiraishi (The Devil's Path, The Blood of Wolves, Lesson in Murder) serves as the supervising director, while Chigusa Nagayo herself led the actors' physical training and presided over the wrestling scenes.

Watch the rise of these women to fame and the lessons their journeys hold today. The Queen of Villains premieres globally on September 19, only on Netflix.

About Netflix Series The Queen of Villains Cast: Yuriyan Retriever, Erika Karata, Ayame Gorik Developer, Producer, Screenwriter: Osamu Suzuki Supervising Director: Kazuya Shiraishi Director: Katsuhito Mogi Writer: Junya Ikegami Producers: Haruhiko Hasegawa Hidehisa Chiwata Produced by: Netflix Production Company: KADOKAWA Release Date: September 19, 2024 Episode: 5 episodes https://netflix.com/thequeenofvillains

#TheQueenofVillains

Logline: The Queen of Villains unveils the untold story of Dump Matsumoto, a professional wrestler who ignited a boom in womens wrestling in the 1980s with her cult-like following. Unlike the iconic Crush Gals duo, Chigusa Nagayo and Lioness Asuka, Matsumoto made her mark as the most famous heel. Dominating television screens, they became a cultural phenomenon, captivating Japan.
LINK: https://about.netflix.com/en/news/the-queen-of-villains-premieres-sept...
See more stories from netflix

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

01/04/2026

DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION

January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...

10/02/2026

Trump Backs Nexstar-Tegna Deal

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

10/02/2026

FCC Managing Director Mark Stephens to Retire

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

10/02/2026

FCC's Gomez: Fewer Owners Means Fewer Voices

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

10/02/2026

Study: OTA Broadcasts Offered Lowest Latency of Super Bowl LX Feeds

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/02/2026

SMT Brings New AR Weather Visualization, Refreshed Telestration to NBC Sports' Super Bowl Game Coverage

A look inside the tech, tools, and team that make the Super Bowl into true eye c...

09/02/2026

NEP's TFC Infrastructure, Supershooter 71 Power NBC Sports' IBC-Style' Super Bowl LX Infrastructure

Software-defined IP backbone and centralized signal-control hub redefine champio...

09/02/2026

From Alcatraz to an Olympics Handoff at Midfield, NBC Sports Expands Super Bowl Pregame Into Bay Area-Wide Celebration

Broadcasters continue to raise the bar when it comes to producing an eye-catchin...

09/02/2026

NBC Sports Builds Its Super Bowl LX Game Broadcast on Sunday Night Football' Engine - and Pushes It Further

Game coverage will feature nearly 100 cameras, a deep well of replay channels, a...

09/02/2026

Sony at Super Bowl LX: Audio, Imaging, and Tracking Tech Power NBC's Broadcast, Officiating Ops, Sideline Comms, and More

Sony's imaging tech is the literal lens through which the spectacle and exc...

09/02/2026

How OBS Uses FPV Drones, 360-Degree Replay To Enhance Storytelling

The technologies, including AI, allow fans at home to see the athletes, feel' the speed, and sense the skill With four years from one Winter Games to the ...

09/02/2026

Sportradar To Power NBA Fan Experiences Across NBC Sports RSNs through Advanced Data and Enhanced Visual Storytelling

Sportradar AG announces a multi-year agreement with NBC Sports Regional Sports N...

09/02/2026

New York Festivals Advertising Awards Embraces Sports for 2026 Competition

New York Festivals Advertising Awards proudly unveils a dynamic new Sports Category Group, expanding its 2026 competition to recognize the powerful role sports ...

09/02/2026

FanDuel TV Calls Super Bowl LX Media Row Home for Up & Adams', Social Media Content

Devlin Design Group, Filmwerks, LTN pitched in on the four-day effort The site ...

09/02/2026

Super Bowl LX In Review: All of SVG's Onsite Coverage From The Bay Area

Despite the game taking place right in the middle of NBC Sports' busiest month ever, its production and operations teams pulled off a massive Super Bowl LX ...

09/02/2026

SBS Media Sustainability Challenge returns for 2026

SBS Media Sustainability Challenge returns for 2026 9 February, 2026 Media releases The challenge offers brands and agencies $500,000 in advertising invent...

09/02/2026

SAFTAs19 OPEN CALL FOR IN-MEMORIAM SEGMENT

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture and custodian of the SAFTAs, is calling on all South Afri...

09/02/2026

CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL BURSARY APPLICATIONS FOR FILM & TV POSTGRADUATE STUDIES - 2026

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...

09/02/2026

NFVF CALL FOR SUBMISSION FOR TRAINING PROVIDER GRANT - 2026

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the call for training provider submissions is open. This funding aims to award grants ...

09/02/2026

L3Harris Red Wolf + Sky Warden: Unmatched Flexibility for Kinetic Strike, EW, ISR and Support Missions

Two multi-role L3Harris products - the Red Wolf launched effects vehicle and Sk...

09/02/2026

Opening Doors for National High-Assurance Communications

The L3Harris Key Management System is the first solution on the open market - and available to NATO customers today - that allows countries to create their own ...

09/02/2026

5 Reasons to Join Calrec at ISE

Book a meeting or demonstration at ISE 2026! Please enter the following details. (Tick the relevant box for a meeting or demo): -- Meeting / Demo* Meeting...

09/02/2026

Nielsen reveals Australia's top ad spenders and categories for 2025

Harvey Norman tops Australia's biggest ad spenders as finance and travel surge Sydney February 9, 2026 - Nielsen's Biggest Ad Spenders of 2025 Report...

09/02/2026

Tegna's KPNX Renews Deal to Broadcast Diamondbacks' Games

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/02/2026

HBO Max To Launch In The UK & Ireland On March 26

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

09/02/2026

Berklee Presents Great American Songbook: What About Us-A P!NK Celebration

Berklee Presents Great American Songbook: What About Us-A P!NK Celebration Featuring a global cast of over 100 Berklee students, the two-night production will...

09/02/2026

A Home for World-Class Filipino Entertainment: The Journey and What's Next on Netflix Philippines in 2026

Back to All News A Home for World-Class Filipino Entertainment: The Journey and...

09/02/2026

RT Investigates rapid rise in waiting list for the Central Mental Hospital amid psychiatric care crisis in Ireland

RT Investigates rapid rise in waiting list for the Central Mental Hospital am...

08/02/2026

SMT Brings New AR Weather Visualization and a Refreshed Telestration Look to NBC Sports' Super Bowl Game Coverage

A look inside the tech, tools, and the team that make the Super Bowl into true e...

08/02/2026

Telemundo Deportes Expands Comprehensive Super Bowl LX Coverage to Its Biggest in History

Studio programming is deploying multiple sets at Levi's Stadium in Santa Cla...

08/02/2026

Van Wagner Strengthens Levi's Stadium's Revamped Control Room To Match Production Needs of Super Bowl LX

The annual in-venue show is a partnership between the NFL and the host venue NF...

08/02/2026

NEP's TFC Infrastructure and SS71 IBC-Style' Core Power a Progressive Super Bowl LX Infrastructure for NBC Sports

A software-defined IP backbone and centralized signal control hub redefine champ...

08/02/2026

NBC Sports' Super Bowl Compound Signals How IP Has Become the Foundation for Mega-Event Production

NEP's TFC Fabric empowers NBC to treat a 22-unit production as one seamless ...

08/02/2026

NBC Sports Builds Its Super Bowl LX Game Broadcast Upon the Shoulders of a Proven Sunday Night Football' Engine - and Pushes It Further

Game coverage will feature nearly 100 cameras, a deep well of replay channels, a...

08/02/2026

The Alum Behind the Sound of the Super Bowl

The Alum Behind the Sound of the Super Bowl Joshua Sutherland BM '19 was recently interviewed by the Boston Globe about his role as music supervisor for t...

08/02/2026

VEON and JazzWorld Launch Invest in Pakistan, NOW! Inviting International Investors to Participate in Pakistan's Growth

08 Feb 2026 VEON and JazzWorld Launch Invest in Pakistan, NOW! Inviting Inter...

07/02/2026

X Games to Host First-Ever Summer Athlete Draft at Cosm Los Angeles on March 12

X Games will host a live event taking place Thursday, March 12 at Cosm Los Angeles, marking the first-ever draft in X Games history and the official launch poin...

07/02/2026

Canon Supports Creative Needs for NBC Sports, Photographers at Super Bowl LX

Onsite experts and shop inside the stadium are providing quick solutions Before any live event production, there is a high probability that unpredictable issue...

07/02/2026

NBC Sports Goes Cinematic on Super Bowl LX Pregame Show With Canon's New 11-55mm Cine Servo Lens

Three Sony HDC-F5500s will capture this look on the broadcaster's concourse ...

07/02/2026

Ross Video Brings In-Venue Experience of Super Bowl LX to Life With Additional Tech, Knowledgeable Onsite Team

Inclusion in control-room revamp proves pivotal to supporting this tentpole even...

07/02/2026

Bleacher Report Builds a Three-Activation, Remote-First Super Bowl Content Factory on Radio Row

The digital giant also produced episodes of The Edge With Micah Parsons' be...

07/02/2026

Gray Media Inks Expanded Telemundo Affiliation Agreement

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

07/02/2026

AIMS Announces Certification of First 48 IPMX Products

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

07/02/2026

Levi Stadium Gets Major Wireless Upgrade for Super Bowl LX

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

06/02/2026

Appear Appoints Simon Frost as CMO to Accelerate Global Expansion and Customer Engagement

Appear, which specializes in live production technology, announces the appointme...