SEM & NOAH the HOME

Sem (named after Noah's eldest son) was founded in 2006 by Mitsuharu Misawa (ironically the biblical Sem was said to have died at the age of 600 years), was a smaller satellite promotion of Noah that showcased the trainee\rookies in Noah's dojo. Naomichi Marufuji and KENTA worked as the head trainers and they, along with other Noah wrestlers (and those of outside promotions) would make appearances at the shows.
Misawa created Sem after seeing the wXw Academy when he was in Germany, and he would often sit and watch from the balcony. Being only what amounted to a televised house show, there were no separate SEM titles, and neither where any Noah championships ever defended at the events (although Noah champions did make appearances from time to time).

The shows were smaller and more intimate and were held at Differ Ariake, Tokyo, where Noah had their offices and dojo at the time. Rather than aiming to sell out the arena, (which they knew they couldn't do for this), Noah aimed to sell only one hundred seats which were placed closer to the ring that you would have in a normal Noah show. The colors of SEM where also changed to purple, and it functioned as an entity in its own right with different logo, music and format from Noah.

Due to money issues and Noah entering in their dark years, Sem was disbanded in 2015. 

NOAH the HOME

During the coronavirus pandemic, Noah hit upon the old formula of holding shows geared around their younger roster without any storylines or titles being defended, and in this manner the dojo shows were born again. First broadcast on YouTube in June 2021 from the Noah dojo in Saitama (Noah having moved out of Differ Ariake about five years ago or so), they gradually took on a formula of special guests (usually either their trainers or veterans), with Junta Miyawaki and Yasutaka Yano presenting special shows to announce the next series. Fans were also encouraged to donate money which would go towards maintaining the dojo, and as an extra incentive for both wrestler and viewer, this money would buy a member of the roster a gift should they be nominated as MVP. 

The shows moved from YouTube to WrestleUniverse in October 2021. 

Hi69 (name meaning)

Hi69's real name is "Hiroki", his ring name "Hi69" is an amalgamation

Hi - Hi
Ro - "Roku" is the word for 6 in Japanese
Ki -  "Kyū" is the word for 9 in Japanese

Horst Hoffman

(Born 29 September 1935, German-Czechslovakia)

A 6'3 wrestler known for his shoot style who did tours in Japan in the early 1970's and was much admired by Mitsuharu Misawa. Misawa wore green trunks in tribute to Hoffman, and this is also the reason for Noah's colors.

Noah's Ark

1. Term used to refer to Noah
2. Noah's official fan club "Noah's Ark"

 "Noah's Ark" Fan club

The fan club is open to people of all ages, not just kids.

There are four tiers:

1. For those over fifteen (5,000 yen annual fee) membership card with credit function will be issued
2. You can have a joint membership (3,000 yen annual fee), but the other person must be over fifteen and in the same household, no membership card for this one
3. Persons under fifteen years old (2,500 yen annual fee)
4. Persons over sixty (2,500 yen)
Admission fee in all cases are 1,000 yen

The usual benefits apply - magazine with exclusive content, fan club events etc.

"Big Boy"

Nickname given to Eddie Edwards by Yoshihiro Takayama

"Although Takayama suffered a stroke in 2004, he returned in 2006 and returned to Noah's front. Edwards, who had just debuted at that time was nicknamed "Big Boy" and said he loved it. "Takayama gave it to me because I resembled a famous hamburger restaurant character and I was always encouraged by it. Everything was "Big Boy", even in e-mails" 

Eddie Edwards,

"NOAH GHC Championship first defence, Edwards thoughts of "Emperor" Takayama"

2nd October 2017, interview with yahoo.co.jp

"Seconding"

Term used for the wrestlers who wait on the other (usually senior) wrestlers in the ring and then post match afterwards. Their jobs are to take ring wear (i.e. robes and t-shirts), act as cheering squad, and after the match put ice-packs on and under the neck (never on the heart as this would slow blood circulation) and if needs be unlace boots and the back of masks. They will also escort (and at times physically carry) the seniors from the ring. After the match the trainees and the rookies will be expected to unlace their seniors boots, wipe down their backs, and fetch them anything they require. Rookies and trainees may also be required to do laundry, fold clothes and pack bags prior and\or after the match for their seniors and especially their teachers. 

The term is different to "ring attendant" (see below) 

Traditionally "seconding" was something that was done by trainees, rookie and junior wrestlers. The role can be performed by established wrestlers for another wrestler, as long as they are junior to them in some way. For example, Atsushi Kotoge seconded Go Shiozaki during his bout against Kenoh at the final night of Global League in 2017; while Kotoge is certainly neither a rookie, a trainee or a junior, he is both a friend and considered "younger" than Shiozaki due to both company position and length of time with the company.

In the All Japan days when the wrestlers used to have to run the gauntlet through the crowd, the seconds were expected to keep the crowd back by force and there were many incidents of people getting knocked aside with physical force. Mitsuharu Misawa detested this practice so much, that it was very rarely done in Noah, and especially not by him. 

Senior established wrestlers do not do seconding or ring attending. 

Ring attendants

A "ring attendant" is a junior or rookie wrestler (never an established one) whose sole function is to show the wrestlers were to exit to. These are the young people you see standing by an open gate etc with their arms outstretched. In bigger arenas they will be expected to escort the entering or exiting wrestler to and from the ring (plus holding the ropes open for them), but they are not generally expected to take care of them before or after the match. "Ring attendants" are also responsible (along with the seconds) of keeping the crowd back and away during spots that go into the crowd.