Intro
duction

Kofuji Shimohata

2025 New Graduate
Stardom Inc. Merchandise Designing Team

Love for pro-wrestling is my motivation.

Can you tell us about your job?

I’m in charge of conceptualizing and designing merchandise such as apparel, acrylic goods, and photo books of STARDOM, Bushiroad group’s women's professional wrestling promotion.

Among these, I mainly handle planning “portraits” - large individual photos of wrestlers. I control the entire process, from the concept to the photoshoot. In addition to regular portraits in their usual costumes, we also take photos of seasonal outfits throughout the year like Yukata, Halloween, and Christmas costumes.

Merchandise is not just about supporting sales. It is for our fans. Fans are able to collect the glory and memories.

Tell me about your team.

My team consists of six members. The six of us are involved in almost all merchandise projects. My colleagues are very open and energetic.

We share updates and information on a daily basis. Because we are a communicative team, we come up with bright ideas!Every week we hold a team meeting to check progress. I feel that it’s a cooperative, friendly environment.

How did it start off?

During the first few months, I went through on-site experience by experiencing actual wrestling events and selling goods at the merch booth. Now I spend more time in product design. I communicate directly with wrestlers to incorporate their characteristics and ideas in the product.

My first project was the portrait series, and from then on, I gradually learned how merchandise is being manufactured. Currently I also handle apparel items and photo books.

It is important to cooperate with the PR team and management team. Until the product is launched, there are steps of reviewing designs, illustrations, and materials to maintain the quality. I also do the editing in respect to the wrestlers’ preferences to make the ideal products .

Why did you choose Bushiroad?

Because I always loved pro-wrestling ever since I was a child! I wanted to work in an environment where I could share this excitement.

I focused on Bushiroad during my job hunt. It was the only company I applied to. I expressed my strong passion for pro-wrestling and I believe that is what lead me here!

Tiny Steps Behind The Entertainment

What experiences of your school life have been helpful?

I’ve always been interested in art and fashion, and I enjoyed looking at details of design. Today, my ability to notice small differences is helping while checking designs.

When I worked on the production of a photo book, I enjoyed thinking about how to fully express each wrestler’s charm. I also create posters for promotion using the skills I gained during school life.

I majored in foreign languages and I mainly studied Spanish. I even traveled alone to Mexico, one of the world’s well known pro-wrestling area.

From this travel experience, I’m not afraid of talking to foreign customers. At times I recommend our merch. I believe that my challenge-oriented mindset comes from my trips.

What was different from your expectations before and after joining the company?

From the audience’s perspective, the world of pro-wrestling looks glamorous, exciting, and full of extraordinary moments but behind the scenes there is a lot of preparation.

There are countless adjustments to make for each match and product!

When the efforts of each task come into shape and by watching the fans’ reactions, I realize that “All that steady work led to this moment!” - this fulfillment is what keeps me motivated.

What do you find challenging?

One of the greatest appeals of pro-wrestling is that it evolves in real time. Every time a new champion is born, the product lineup must change as well, so we need to respond quickly. Sometimes I feel sad when we have to stop selling the merchandise of the former champion right away.

I’m also constantly amazed by the creativity of my colleagues. Their ideas often make me think, “How did they come up with that?” — and I sometimes feel left behind by the lack of experience. It drives me to work harder to develop new products!

What do you want to accomplish at Bushiroad?

My goal is to make STARDOM the No.1 women’s pro-wrestling promotion in the world. I strive to deliver the excitement that I felt when I was a child. I want to spread STARDOM to new audiences!

Please share a message for students who are interested in Bushiroad.

I might be rare, applying only to one company without hesitation. But if you have a clear idea of “what you want to do” and “why you love entertainment,” Bushiroad is a great fit for you. If you have that concrete resolution, you’ll definitely enjoy your work at Bushiroad. I advise you to reflect back to your passion, understand it clearly, and express it out with confidence. Passion is the greatest strength!

Last question, what made you fall in love with pro-wrestling, and what aspects of it would you like to share mostly?

There is a story in pro-wrestling just like your favorite manga and drama series.It’s not just about fighting. There are long-running stories with unexpected outcomes, foreshadowing is brought back years later, and at times mentor/student relationships are torn away. The audience gets swept up in these moments, clapping, cheering, and immersing themselves in the drama. The staging and atmosphere is surreal, it feels like jumping into the world of an anime or manga. I will take your heart away! I’m so happy to be part of it!

My schedule