.:: Genki Horiguchi - Adrenaline Junkie,  by Ben Jackson ::.

So why did Genki turn? Was it for money? M2K cannot provide that much money as they are a rebel organization. Was it for popularty? Joining M2K, a splinter group that causes trouble everywhere they go is career suicide if you want to be popular with the fans. Then what was it for? When has Genki ever had a problem with any member of the Toryumon army.

We forget though that he has got a problem with a member of the army. Ryo Saito. Notoriously surfers aren't the most friendliest of people with cyclists. Much like how skateboarders don't like in line skaters, this is one of the reasons I felt Genki left the army. But there is a deeper seeded reason why Genki left the Toryumon army. And it doesn't concearn the fact that he resents anyone in the army, nor is it the fact he wants titles, glory and money. We've ruled out many of an option there. In my own opinion as someone who thinks like Genki Horiguchi, I feel the big reason is a simple one.

Genki is a THRILL SEEKER.

Imagine it - your in the home army, plodding along and wrestling. That's enough of an adreneline rush already. But it becomes stale and old. There's only so much fun you can have when nailing the Rollercoaster on the same old same old. What do you do next? You don't want to leave the company - you've made to many friends here, despite this cyclist annoying the hell out of you. Then you think about the shock factor that would be involved in turning your back on your friends. Albeit it sounds evil, but your blood starts pumping as you think of the new challenges ahead. You can finally slap that damn cyclist about. You can beat the snot out of the gigolo wannabe. Most important you can stick your middle finger up at your tutor (something EVERY schoolboy would want to do) and beat up his prized pupil  - the Junior version of him.

Genki more than likely took all of those facts into consideration when he decided to don the Baseball jacket. And it worked like a charm seeing as Genki's apparent lust for aggrevation has lead him to win titles. Gone are the locks of hair hanging low and the cheeky, friendly smiles. He means buisness now, and taking what could of been a complete nose dive career wise and then pulling up at the last minute to rise to the top of his game is probably the rush he was looking for.

Let's look at the resutls before he became part of M2K (In no particular order):

2/25/2001-Differ Ariake

CIMA{win}/SUWA/TARU(15:42-Mad Splash-pin)Magnum TOKYO/Genki Horiguchi{loss}/Keni'chiro Arai

Genki takes the fall. Alongside him are two very competent and highly regarded wrestlers. Where were they when Genki took the pinfall? Disheartening towards Horiguchi that he was pinned after a Mad Splash, and would leve him to wonder what the hell was going on within the army. Magnum TOKYO, the apparent leader of the army, no where to help. Genki although thinks to himself this was a simple mistake and carries on competing

2/10/2001-Act City Hammatsu

Darkness Dragon/Susumu Mochizuki{win}(11:03-Yokosuka Cutter-Pin)Dragon Kid{loss}/Genki Horiguchi

The teachers pet of Ultimo Dragon loses the match, costing Genki another win against an army outside of the Toryumon home team. This was before the Crazy MAX loss, but this would of triggered of his initial thoughts of moving onto greener pastures. One thinks while competing in this match, it was a small catalyst which left himself asking what it would be like living the M2K lifestyle

6/9/2001-Act City Hommatsu

Dragon Kid{win}/Genki Horiguchi(13:04-Ultra Hurricanrana)Darkness Dragon/Susumu Mochizuki{loss}

A good win here, both army members working well to defeat M2K.... but another match with them, another chance to think about making a jump and living their lifestyle. M2K do epitimse cool somewhat in the company, with their baseball jackets and scooters.

10/24/2001-Niigata * Joetsu city public welfare south hall

Genki Horiguchi/Dragon Kid{win}/Magnum TOKYO(14:34-UltraHurracanrana)Susumu Mochizuki{loss}/Masaaki Mochizuki/Darkness Dragon

This to me was the turning point. You have three fan favourites, but Genki is overshadowed by TOKYO and Dragon Kid. Kid manages to make the pinfall, and all is good in the world - except the fact that Genki yet again is left out and slowly becomes bitter than the Toryumon Army seems to be more of a popularity contest than before. He witnesses Masaaki Mochizuki and his style, and deep down believe that could indeed be the lifestyle for him. Slowly he becomes fixated with becoming a bigger member of the Toryumon Army, possibly eclipsing Ryo Saito, who is winning titles and recognition at the minute.

10/28/2001-Differ Ariake

Genki Horiguchi{win}/Ricky Marvin(Beach Break)Apache/Keni'chiro Arai{loss}
Post match Genki went nuts and gave Marvin and Apache a Beach Break each. Apache was stretchered out...

After all the thinking he's been doing, he faces freelancers and a Toryumon Army member. He executes the beach break not on Apache... no... but on his own army member. And he LIKES it. And for that split moment he's in ecstacy over it, that moment when the adreneline is surging, he Beack Break's Marvin and Apache to see what that feels like. The thrillseeking junkie has his first hit, and he enjoys it.

11/8/2001-Korakuen Hall

Ryo Saito{win}/Big Fuji(15:23-Messenger)Masaaki Mochizuki{loss}/Genki Horiguchi

The moment that came to pass. Genki's mind was made up. Making the plunge he joins M2K. He finds this the ultimate rush, turning his back on everyone. Not only is he fed up with the rest of the army, the lifestyle M2K live seems ideal for him. Despite his loss, Genki has the last laugh and lives out the dreams of many - he executes a Beach Break on his teacher, Ultimo Dragon. And after that, look how Genki evolved.

Dragon Kid/Super Shiiisa{win}(10:08-Pin)Ryo Saito{loss}/Keni'chiro Arai
**Genki Horiguchi ran in and KO'd Ryo with a Beach Break during the match

Genki's freedom to do whatever he wants (much is the lifestyle of a surfer) allows him to nail Saito with a Beach Break, thus provoking a reaction from the crowd. He's testing everyone in Toryumon to see how far he can go.

NWA Welterweight Title: Genki Horiguchi (12:11-Mis-aimed blue box shot from Magnum--Roll Up)Ryo Saito (c)
**Ryo fails in his 4th defense, Genki becomes the 49th champion

And his mission in complete. He humilates Saito and wins the title, thus reaching the pinnacle of his evolution after following his primal urgers as a thrill seeker and joining M2K.

As you can see, a number of aspects where his motivation for leavingt the Toryumon Army: jealousy as well as the wanting of success. But everytime you watch Genki fight, you know that what he does is because he loves the excitement and possibly danger of what he does. He's a surfer - he lives life on the edge, which is exactly what M2K do every night. The question that has to be asked now though is what will he do when he becomes bored of M2K?

Your answers on a postcard please.

Ben Jackson