週刊ゴング Weekly Gong No.622 July 1996 NJPW All Japan Liger Tiger Mask Hashimoto

Publication: 週刊ゴング (Weekly Gong)

Publisher: 日本スポーツ出版社 (Nihon Sports Shuppansha)

Issue: No. 622

Cover Date: July 18, 1996

Price at Publication: 500円 (本体485円)

Format: Standard weekly issue

Cover Story

The cover features an intense in-ring confrontation between two heavyweights in an NJPW context, with the headline 「見極めた!! 真のメジャーの底力」 ("We've Determined It!! The True Depth of Power of the Majors"). A top banner announces 「『メモリアル力道山』は16団体の大勝負！」 — "Memorial Rikidozan Event: A Great Battle of 16 Promotions!" — signaling a historically significant multi-promotion crossover issue.

Inside Content

Feature: NJPW Crisis — 25 Years of New Japan History at Risk

Serialized investigative feature: 「知られざるもうひとつの25年史！？新日本プロレス崩壊の危機」 — "The Unknown Other 25-Year History — The Crisis of New Japan Pro Wrestling's Collapse" — Chapter 2, Part 1. Covers Antonio Inoki's Brazilian tour, NWF title history, TV broadcast collapse, and internal power struggles threatening NJPW. Substantial text-heavy investigative piece with historical depth (p. 56).

NJPW Match Coverage — Pride of New Japan

Color spread: 「武藤＆健介と橋本＆平田がプライドを見せる — これが新日本プロレスのプロレスだ!!」 — "Mutoh & Kensuke and Hashimoto & Hirata Show Their Pride — This Is New Japan Pro Wrestling!" Full-color match photography featuring Keiji Mutoh, Kensuke Sasaki, Shinya Hashimoto, and Hirata in tag action, with editorial commentary on NJPW identity.

Tiger Mask Generational Legacy Feature

Full-color spread: 「"天才"初代タイガーが愛弟子の虎に伝説を伝授!!」 — "The 'Genius' Original Tiger Mask Passes Down His Legend to His Beloved Disciple Tiger!" Features 1st Generation Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama) and 4th Generation Tiger Mask with extensive aerial match photography — diving headbutts, moonsaults, technical exchanges. A strong collector draw for Tiger Mask enthusiasts.

Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Otani — Jr. Heavyweight Generational War

Color feature: 「大谷の暴挙に…ライガーがキレた!! Jr.世代間闘争、否応なしに再・点・火!」 — "Liger Snaps at Otani's Outrage!! The Jr. Heavyweight Generational War Reignites!" Dramatic photography including a striking fire-breathing/pyro image of Jushin Thunder Liger, multiple match sequence photos, and full coverage of the Liger vs. Shinya Otani rivalry.

Kitao Comeback — Memorial Rikidozan Event

Color spread: 「冬木軍の術中にはまるも道着を脱ぐ大変身!! 北尾が偉大なる大先輩の記念大会で再起!!」 — "Kitao Strips Off the Judogi for a Major Transformation — Kitao Rises Again at the Great Senior's Memorial Event!" Coverage of Kitao (former sumo Koji Kitao) returning to action at the Memorial Rikidozan event, with Super Power Bomb photography.

All Japan Pro Wrestling — Summer Action Series

Black-and-white coverage including:

Bandham unit (バンダム組) match coverage heading toward Kyoto 7/7

Rusher Kimura's 55th Birthday celebrated mid-show, with Jumbo Tsuruta offering congratulations ringside — 「今日はラッシャーさんのバースデー 祝砲は…ジャンボの"オーッ!!"だ」 — candid birthday celebration photos with cake presentation

Condition

Visually Very Good. Cover shows minimal edge wear appropriate to a 1996 weekly magazine. Slight tanning consistent with era newsprint. Spine intact and square. Interior color pages clean with good reproduction. No visible tears, writing, or missing pages noted from photos.