Teppen and Friends’ Favorite things in 2025
2025 was the year Teppen was officially created. On a train somewhere between Yokohama and Osaka. Inspired by a live-action stage show, and a great concert at Yokohama B.B. Street, it just felt right to finally spin something up at teppen.life. Six months later, we have a lot to look back on, we did some really neat things, interviewed some incredible people, photographed legends. We’re still learning and growing, and we’re looking forward to what the new year brings.
And, at the end of each year, a lot of blogs like to come out with top 10, 25, 50 whatever lists. Songs, albums, wrestling matches, whatever. But That’s not really what we want to do here. Lists are fun and engaging, but rarely amount to more than click and engagement farming. Here, we’re going to dive a bit deeper, list our favorite things, music, wrestling, art, motorsports, whatever! Pretty much I said there were no rules to anyone who wanted to contribute. The stuff doesn’t even have to be from 2025, just something we enjoyed last year. We’ve even invited some friends to chime in. Pedro, from The Outlet, Sonoda from Strong Stylish, Chris from AWBoy’Z and the A4 Portrait Castle Podcast, a good friend of mine, Andrew, who took an opportunity to talk about his favorite live shows of the year, join Myself (Rich) and Jeff from Teppen.
Pedro
2025 was a very interesting year to say the least. Music very much dominated my year with wrestling getting a cut off date of around November. Fatigue and life set in around this time, but music stuck with me mostly all year. Music saved my 2025 though. From K-Pop to trap rap to Australian EDM, there is alot of music hitting that upper echelon this year. The rap is dead conversation took up alot of the algorithm this year and i think people need to take a deeper look into what they are listening to and who is making the music. In general, people need to realize where the things people consume is coming from. This is my list of some stuff I want to highlight. I can’t fit everything but on my social’s, I will dropping some lists! I have also had the start to finally release my compilations of remixes i have been making since 2019. More to come in 2026!
Check out Pedro’s work: https://youtube.com/@plugpedro
Music:
Albums- Ninajirachi’s I Love My Computer
TripleS’s Assemble25
Frieddie Gibbs’s Alfredo 2
Grimm Doza’s Immortal 2
G-Dragon’s Ubermensch
NMixx’s Blue Valentine
Songs – Psychic Fever’s Whats Happenin
Effie’s 코카콜라 (coca-cola)
Grimm Doza’s Reasons ft. Da$h & Swum
Effie’s My Unnies Freestyle ft. Sebii, The Deep
Playboi Carti’s Like Weezy
Ninajirachi’s InfoHazard
Navy Blue – Tale Of Truth
Kim Lip’s Can You Entertain
EssdeeKid’s 4raws
Wrestling:
Matches – Suzu Suzuki vs. Mei Seira 4.27
Saya Kamitani vs. Tam Nakano 4.27
Show – Natsu & Saory 10th Anniversary
Wrestler – Saya Kamitani, Miku Aono, Momo Watanabe, Natsuki, Manami Katsu
Breakout – Anri, Yukina Uehara, Kirari Wakana
Future Star – Kikyo Furusawa
Movies: No Other Choice, KPop Demon Hunters, Sinners
Rewatched Saw 1 & X, The Substance
Gaming:
Left 4 Dead 2, Sleeping Dogs, Watch Dogs, NBA 2K14, Skate PS5, Godfather 2, Cyberpunk 2077
Connect with Pedro: insta / bsky / x / the outlet
Sonoda:
2025 flew by, after being out of the kpop loop for a while I decided to dive into groups like IVE and discovering how talented artists like Naoi Rei are as well as giving groups like Babymonster a chance I was able to catch up with old friends towards the end of the year, went on a tiny binge of wrestling stuff I missed in mid November and I remembered why I love the sport so much decided to go back and beat a game that you to beat my ass as a kid haha but all in all still surrounded by good people.
Music:
Albums – ARTMS – Club Icarus
Illit – Not Cute Anymore
IVE – Switch
Aespa – Whiplash
NMixx – Blue Valentine
Songs – NingNing “Bored”
Knocked Loose “Slaughterhouse 2”
Nmixx “Roller Coaster”
XG – “Woke Up”
Aina the End – “On the Way”
Clint Black – “Killin’ Time”
Twice – “I Can’t Stop Me”
Lyrical School – “Sharp Pencil”
Wrestling:
Matches – Cutie Suzuki & Takako Inoue vs. Hikari Fukuoka & Megumi Kudo (AJW Doumu Super Woman Great War ~ Big Egg Wrestling Universe 20.11.1994)
Cutie Suzuki & Takako Inoue vs. Candy Okutsu & Devil Masami (AJW/JWP/LLPW 24.08.1994)
Azumi Hyuga vs. Manami Toyota (JWP 18.09.2006)
Mayu Iwatani vs. Misa Matsui 06.05
Ami Sourei vs. Saya Iida 12.08
Je’von Evans vs. Leon Slater 10.12
Show – Marigold Grand Destiny 10.26
Wrestler – Saya Kamitani, Miku Aono, Momo Watanabe, Natsuki
Breakout – Je’von Evans, Ami Sourei
Future Star(s) – Hina, YUNA
Movies:
Sinners, Frankenstein, The Long Walk, Good Boy
Gaming:
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, Metal Gear Solid 2, Ninja Gaiden 1 & 2, Tekken 8
Connect with Sonoda: insta / x
Chris
2025 sure was a year. Spending most of it kinda resetting my whole life, in a mostly chill way, it was a great chance to get back into film, TV and video games. And of course watching too much joshi pro-wrestling. Built a new PC and then got into using Linux via scavenging used good shops for outdated junk laptops (praise be to Hard-Off Japan stores). I am actually typing this on a L530 Thinkpad from 2012 that I have bashed Linux onto. The experience has reconnected me with my DIY side, and how that self reflective creativity of trying to make random stuff work together, also draws me to certain media I enjoyed in the past 356 days. So lets review.
Film/TV
Spent more time in the theatre this year than I did probably in the past 5. If I had to choose two that stuck with me I will go for the wildly emotional combo of The Brutalist and One Battle After Another. Both movies deal with ideas of immigration, resistance and working and living within crushing systems, and have clear directorial vision throughout. If I have to choose one over the other, The Brutalist wins out for its beautiful long shots and amazing performances all around. Truly a piece of media made for the large screen experience.
On the small screen though, I finally got around to watching a show I knew I would enjoy, and sure enough, the first two seasons of The Beardid not disappoint. As someone who enjoys over dramatized reality cooking shows and documentaries, The Bear displays the hectic world of high cuisine with a great cast of characters, all struggling to make something fresh and creative. out of an old husk of a restaurant, all while struggling with personal and interpersonal issues. Loud, hilarious and emotionally crushing all once, I am excited to catch up on the next two seasons, even if they apparently don’t reach the highs of the first two.
Music
Only got to a handful of shows this year, including a wonderful performance by DDT wrestler Antonio Honda’s band Daisetz. But music was more a comfort food for me, and old favs tended to rule the day, as well as music that connected me to my other hobbies. The Bear’s use of modern hits from REM to Taylor Swift left my Youtube music algorithm spitting out other 90’s and early 2000’s bangers left and right. Original scores also made it into my rotation, from the bombastic Helldivers 2that had me saluting a fictional Super Earth, to the equally audacious and grandiose score of The Brutalist, I am reminded how much music elevates experiences.What is an ActwresGirl’z show without a performance of Love Riddle?
Games
Having not really played a video game seriously for almost a decade, it was nice to find the joys of artificial worlds to escape to, especially given the drama of the real world last year. Two games basically dominated my gaming time, both online multiplayer shooters, but with wildly different tones. Helldivers 2 quickly dominated my game time, racking up an absurd 250 hours played, thanks in no small part to an online campaign that saw aliens invade Super Earth. A real desperate struggle that united players, as developers threw increasingly demanding objectives at them to fight off what seemed like insurmountable odds. Like the best TTRPG experiences, the feedback and response to player actions elevated what is a fun 4 player slapstick shooter, into an epic story of survival that felt real. Helldivers 2 would have easily nabbed my GOTY no problem, if not for an under the wire slide in by Arc Raiders. An extraction shooter for the masses, the game perfectly balances the feeling of scavenging and surviving against dangerous AI, with the added layer of other real players being an even greater threat. Not since PUBG have I felt the intense sense of risk/reward that I have felt with Arc Raiders. Add in fantastic retro future vibe, a great score, and very tight controls, and I think it actually wins my GOTY 2025, and possibly 2026 also.
Wrestling
So many joshipro shows, so little time. And money. Cutting to the chase though, the best show of the year for me was the Natsupoi & Saory 10th Anniversary Show, or as I call it: The Not So Secret ActWresGirl’z 10th Anniversary Show. Just a complete celebration of everything I love about prowrestling now and over my time watching it in Japan. If there was a performer of the year, probably have to give it to The Sun God Sareee, just consistent bangers every time out of the gate, no matter who the opponent or promotion she was in. Breakout star is someone in The Sun God’s orbit, Kanae Miku, she was already cooking since she joined T-Hearts, but she is becoming more than just the babyface in peril, a real threat to anyone she gets in the ring with. For my future/rising star I have to go with the Entire SEAdLINNNG rookie roster, Kouga Miria, Funa Yuki and Misora Selene. For a promotion that was low on in house talent, they have quickly refilled their roster, and all three of these young wrestlers are ones to watch. The joshipro scene right now feels pretty solid now, even though 2025 saw a lot of big retirements, the next generation looks more than ready to setup.
Connect with Chris: insta / bsky / x
Andrew
2025 was not a great year for me personally but despite it all I managed to have a handful of live music experiences that i would rank as among the best I’ve ever had. Here are those shows.
Dr. (Ryosuke) Kiyasu (Japanese experimental drummer) @ trans pecos NYC
A professionally trained drummer decides to throw out all the rules and go absolutely apeshit on his snare drum , to the point of literally falling over himself (and a table) to play it. I like many saw the clips online out of context, but what they don’t show is how we get to that point. He builds up to it in such a satisfying way that when the nuts and bolts start flying off you can’t help but be thrilled.
Maruja (Manchester band) @ Market hotel NYC
The latest breakout band from the fabled Windmill scene in the UK, one of my fav scenes from the last few years. To me they were a combo of all the common sounds I was hearing from that scene (post punk, jazz, noise, art rock, maybe even progressive) but distilled to the most potent version of it. Epic but with darkness and intensity. This show probably could have blown the roof off the building.
Deafheaven (San Francisco band) @ union transfer PHI
Often instead of listening to a new album first I’ll catch a show live and then work through the discography of an artist/band/group etc. Deafheaven I liked but have only gotten to listen to on and off (I struggle with doing deep dives and I’m perpetually backlogged). This show to me was joyous becuase there’s just something about this bands style of metal mixed with George’s screams that just feels the right kind of cathartic. And yes the new record is great! (also later that week I went back to Philly to see Superheaven thus making that run “Heaven Week”).
Summer Jam XVII @ Rippers July 4th Rockaway Beach NYC
Every July 4 since 2021 I have biked all the way from my home in Staten Island to Rockaway Beach to go to Shea Stadium BK’s annual beach show (and summer show kickoff). There is nowhere else on planet earth I would rather be on that day. Last year was no different and the years in the foreseeable future will be no different.
Dan Deacon @ Maker Park Radio 8th anniversary show Night 1 Staten Island NYC
My show of the year. Like a lot of people I talked to this was my first Dan Deacon listening of any capacity in a long time. I was not expecting to be crying at the end of his set but that’s what happened. Up until that day I wasn’t having the best week but slugging through knowing that I had a weekend of great bands playing coming (balaclava and a place to bury strangers were awesome). The Dan Deacon experience had us leading dances, making human bridges, and feeling joy that I genuinely didn’t think I could again (at least in 2025).
(Shout-out to the person who saw me and hugged me I’m sorry I forgot your name.)
Hiatus Kaiyote (Australian band) @ BK Paramount NYC
High on my list of must see live. Gorgeous visuals and insane musicianship. Nai Palm and co have built such a gorgeous world with their music. Grooves for days.
Ethel Cain @ Radio City NYC
Went to see the empress of southern Gothic on my birthday. I got into Ethel’s work via her perverts release and went backwards from there. It’s incredible her versatility and range as an artist to be able to go from these crushing punishing drones to being a full on Americana/pop heavyweight. Radio City was the perfect venue for her.
The Who @ Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall Atlantic City, NJ
Better late than never! Caught my first boomer band thanks to Rich convincing me to go since it was a reschedule and it happened to be the final US tour of the band. Pete and Roger haven’t lost a step and had an excellent band behind them (hilarious that even towards the end they weren’t without their dramas lol zak). Having Who expert Rich with me only added to the fun (also amazing that in my first time seeing them they played I can see for miles which was also Rich’s first time hearing them do that song despite seeing them like 32 times lmao)
Show Me The Body @ 99 Scott (Brooklyn NYC)
Caught Show Me The Body for a 2nd time this year in honor of the passing of Noble Spell. The sudden passing of Noble, a member of the SMTB family/CORPUS community hit us all very hard. I was lucky to have spoken with him several times, trained with him via CORPUS’ self defense classes, and even bought his artwork via a t shirt he designed for mutual aid back in the COVID lockdown days. A beautiful person. It was a real blessing to have known him in any capacity.
Magdelena Bay (Miami duo) @ The Fillmore Philadelphia PA
Another show with Rich. They were on my list of must see them together (he also needs to see Jockstrap with me someday to make up for having to skip them in Japan which I understand but it’s still funny to me bug him about.) Basically a full on stage production built around the magnificent imaginal disk album. They had free face painting to look like the album cover. When in Rome!
Cindy Lee (Calgary, AB musician) @BK Paramount Brooklyn NYC
Cindy Lee (drag persona of Patrick Flegel) made my favorite album so far this decade, and maybe one of my all time favorites I’ve ever heard, and I needed to experience it live. She made good on completing her cut short tour of 2024 but got a massive upgrade to 2 sold out nights in NY (I was right up front for night 1). It was like being invited to live inside this glamorous world for a moment that Cindy came from (timeless but also nostalgic? Wow). Basically tied with Dan Deacon for my show of the year.
Yamantaka Eye (Japanese multi genre artists) @ Powerhouse Arts Brooklyn NYC
A real bucket list artist of mine. Massive fan of EYEs work with Boredoms, to the point of making my own t shirts featuring the artwork of Pop Tatari (on of my favorite records) which was required wearing for the night. This performance featured some of the wildest sonic textures I’ve heard juxtaposed with these mind bending visual images by artist Cosmic_Lab.(Also the first time in a new venue that I think was publicly funded?). I just wish I had a chance to meet Mr.EYE and show him my shirt.
Standing On the Corner (NYC music Collective) @Sugar Hill Supper Club Brooklyn NYC
I have been so eager to see what a SOTC show would be like I finally jumped on the opportunity to see them. I knew that the work of the group under Gio Escobar’s leadership involved a list of sounds and styles such as hip hop, blues, sound collage, experimental, art rock, indigenous Influences, among others. (At one point Slauson malone, Winton Marsalis’ son was a member!) What I got from the show was what might just be the modern day Velvet Underground. The venue could not have been more perfect as well, I felt like I was a regular supper club member. I aspire to maybe one day achieve this level of musicianship/artistry in my own way.
connect with Andrew: insta / x
Jeff
I listened to a lot of music, my wrestling viewing steadily faded into non-existence by the end of September. I refocused on my own music as well as covering other artists for this site. I spent most of my summer writing for this publication and highlighting wonderful artists.
Music:
Albums – Hammer Head Shark 27°C,
The National – Rome (Full Concert),
Haru Nemuri – ekkolaptómenos,
Songs-Hammer Head Shark – “Song/Garden”,
The National – “About Today” – Rome (Full Concert),
“Night Seen from a Gap in the Night” – sasakure & Fumi Endo
Show – Suishou No Fune – Hojo Genmu Tan on 1/12 (part of the 3 day series of New Years shows, 1/11 and 1/13 were purely improvised, 1/12 was music from their catalog meant to manifest spirits within the cafe performance space)
Discovery – Momose Yasunaga
Wrestling:
Match – Sakura Mizushima vs Nagisa Shiotsuki (King Belt – Actwres girl’Z)
Show – Sareee-ISM Chapter VI
Wrestler – I don’t know, I feel unqualified. If pushed I would say Sakura Mizushima or Marino Saihara.
Breakout – ANRI (Actwres girl’Z)
Future Superstar – Yukina Uehara (Actwrest girl’Z)
Film:
I went to the theater for two movies, the 40th anniversary screening of Vampire Hunter D and then to the huge IMAX at the Pacific Science Center to see Tron: Ares. I enjoy the atmosphere and soundtracks of Tron movies so it was pretty good. Vampire Hunter D is an all timer for me so it was cool to see the Japanese version in a theater. I saw I, the Executioner (1968) and it really stuck with me, I have a piece in the works about that. Other than a Deadly Prey rewatch on Prey Day (Nov 2) I have no recollection of watching any other films. I used to watch hundreds of films a year.
Motorsport:
Driver – Russel Ward/Phil Ellis (IMSA)
Race/Event – Suzuka1000km (I really enjoyed watching this live on Youtube, it was really cool, it was the same feeling I had the evening I watched Kakuta Cross live)
Gaming:
Game: Lock N’ Chase (Gameboy), Qix (Gameboy), The Adventures of Chatran aka The Adventures of Milo & Otis (Famicom Disk System)
Connect with Jeff: insta / bsky / x / bandcamp
Rich
This year was a bit more music heavy. I wouldn’t say I tuned out of wrestling, but I’ve gravitated away from it over the last few months. Still deep in my Japanese shoegaze dive I committed to in 2023. Also sometimes you catch Goodfellas on TV at 1AM in North Carolina and it just hits the sweet spot. Also loved the ACTRING ‘Spear of Faith’ shows from June. Shoutouts to Silvia from accounting.
Music:
Albums – Hammer Head Shark – 27°C,
Pictoria Vark – Nothing Sticks,
Haru Nemuri – ekkolaptómenos,
Florry – Sounds Like
Forth Wanderers – The Longer This Goes On
RAY – White
Mark Knopfler – Sailing to Philadelphia
Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory – Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory
cephalo – Fluorite Code
Songs – Phil Collins – “Easy Lover”, Seriously Live in Berlin 1990,
Hammer Head Shark – “Gummi”, “Tulip”
RAY –“しづかの海” (Live, 2024/12/30),
Tiny Yawn – “Youth“
Nikoん – “さまpake”
Fallsheeps – “Snowyyy“
Gemma Laurence – “Bloodlines”
Nagisa Murakami & Maya Akechi – “Don’t rush, don’t rush”
My Morning Jacket – “Death is the Easy Way”
Show – Manami Kakudo at Hibiya Music Festival, RAY & Haru Nemuri @ Shinjuku Loft, Bob Mould @ Haddon Lake Park
Discovery – Pupule Poloka
Wrestling:
Match – Sakura Mizushima vs Mari (King Belt – Actwres girl’Z) (it’s not on YouTube, but here’s a defense from Miz’s title reign)
Show – Natsu & Saory 10th Anniversary
Wrestler – Idk I’m leanin Konosuke Takeshita. But also Sakura Mizushima had a great year so her, too.
Breakout – Chii Aoba, Nanami Togi (Actwres girl’Z),
Future Superstar – YUNA (Sendai Girls)
Film:
Saw a late night broadcast of Goodfellas while on the road that was just a combination of right film at the right time. Also caught the Spinal Tap sequel the same week I saw The Who’s final US tour – not a great movie but resonated in that context.
Motorsport:
Driver – Robby Gordon (I’m stuck reliving 1990s CART again), Alex Palou
Race/Event – Phoenix NASCAR, for better or worse.
Gaming:
Game: I would have went with Clair Obscur, but with the AI stuff, I’m flipping to Automobilista 2, especially with the content from the latest update. Perfect combo of easy to pick up and play & satisfying to dial-in sim. Just running laps around Pocono in the 90’s Stock Car or Cleveland in the 90’s Indycar is so much fun. Also Mass Effect and Sea of Thieves, as usual.
