Line #12 Wrestling/KazuchikaOkada


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/eeb1892f0122fd0eaf6d6b798e97f837_geek_stuff_kazuchika_okada.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300:The Rainmaker]]
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4	''[-[[SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound coin drop]]-]''
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6	Kazuchika Okada (born November 8, 1987) is a Japanese track star and baseball player turned {{professional wrestl\|ing}}er who currently wrestles for Wrestling/AllEliteWrestling.
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8	Okada trained under Japanese legend Wrestling/UltimoDragon at the Wrestling/{{Toryumon}} Wrestling School and made his wrestling debut for the Mexican branch in 2004. After a few years he graduated to Toryumon Japan and also made stops in UWAI Station, UWA Hardcore in Canada, New Wrestling Entertainment in Italy, Wrestling/{{Chikara}} in the continental US and Wrestling/{{CMLL}} in Mexico. More training came when he entered the infamous New Japan Dojo. Working as a Young Lion, he spent the majority of his matches losing as he honed his craft. In 2009 he returned to Toryumon Japan, now calling itself Wrestling/DragonGate, and went to Wrestling/ProWrestlingNOAH's tag league with Wrestling/HiroyoshiTenzan. In 2010, he was sent on an excursion to Wrestling/{{TNA}} where, to be honest, he didn't really do much except act as Wrestling/SamoaJoe's driver and wear a cheap mask as 'Okato', based on the sidekick of ''Radio/TheGreenHornet''. He'd be taken more seriously on the independent circuit, primarily among Wrestling/NationalWrestlingAlliance members.
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10	Okada returned to New Japan in 2012 and shocked many in the wrestling world when, with a new attitude and persona known as [[RedBaron The Rainmaker]], he joined the Wrestling/{{CHAOS}} faction and defeated Wrestling/HiroshiTanahashi to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Okada had transformed from a young rookie with potential to champion of the promotion seemingly overnight. This made headlines and helped gather interest in New Japan as it experienced a major influx of interest not only in Japan but from other places in the world.
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12	Kazuchika Okada is known for holding the record at the age of 24 at being the youngest man to ever win New Japan's G1 Climax TournamentArc, winning the New Japan Cup, being a multi time IWGP champion with his fourth reign being the longest ever in the company's history, being named Tokyo Sports MVP twice, and inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot. And at only 36 years of age, who knows what he will have accomplished when it's all said and done. On March 2024, he would officially leave New Japan and would join Wrestling/AllEliteWrestling, making his debut on March 6th of that year where he allied with Wrestling/TheYoungBucks as the newest member of Wrestling/TheElite. On March 20th, Okada defeated Wrestling/EddieKingston, dethroning him as AEW Continental Champion.
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14	Okada is married to voice actress and idol singer Creator/SuzukoMimori since 2019. The two have a son who was born in August 2022.
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16	----
17	!! "These tropes will rain!":
18	* ALighterShadeOfBlack:
19	** Say whatever you want about CHAOS, they've probably already claimed it themselves, but Wrestling/MinoruSuzuki was the instigator of their feud with [[EgocentricTeamNaming Suzukigun]], intentionally targeting Okada.
20	** They've also become this in their rivalry with Wrestling/BulletClub, who've been major aggressors in going after Okada and Wrestling/ShinsukeNakamura's titles.[[note]]Nakamura being the actual leader of CHAOS and permanently associated with the IWGP Intercontinental Championship[[/note]]
21	** Okada turned out to take being voted out of a Wrestle Kingdom main event much better than Wrestling/TetsuyaNaito, which makes sense considering Naito was the one that lost on the under card and it was Okada's stablemate going over him. Nonetheless, Chaos, particularly Okada and Wrestling/TomohiroIshii took up this role once again against Los Ingobernables de Japon.
22	* TheAce
23	** Was dubbed this in 2013 as The New Ace of New Japan. He was also named the MVP of Puroresu by Tokyo Sports. The fans still wanted Tanahashi though.
24	** At Wrestle Kingdom 10, he officially became New Japan's Ace by beating Wrestling/HiroshiTanahashi to retain his title, and breaking Tanahashi's 5-year winning streak at the Tokyo Dome.
25	** In 2017, became the first Japanese wrestler to be named #1 in the annual PWI 500, the list of the world's top wrestlers compiled by the American magazine ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated''.
26	* AffablyEvil: Every successful pin following a Rain Maker is (roughly) 100USD to charity. Specifically, it goes to the Rainmaker Fund, dedicated to providing funds for cancer research done in honor of Okada's relatives who were also cancer victims.
27	* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: No Limit were this during his early efforts in New Japan, where he was trying to establish a tag team. Ironically, Okada became the better to both Wrestling/TetsuyaNaito and Yujiro Takahashi as a singles wrestler after No Limit broke up and they both left CHAOS.
28	* AntiVillain -> AntiHero: His character's progression, being an {{ambitio\|nIsEvil}}us [[RichBitch wealthy]] [[{{Jerkass}} asshole]] with incredible skill and charisma and [[MrFanservice ladykiller looks]] who along with his CHAOS stable could easily be heroes if they weren't so full of themselves, but ultimately he and his friends have a sense of honor and charity especially compared to other groups in New Japan, who either [[Wrestling/MinoruSuzuki don't care for that shit]] or [[Wrestling/BulletClub reserve it for their homelands]].
29	* ArchEnemy: Hiroshi Tanahashi, they have main evented multiple shows between them, including Wrestle Kingdom's 7 and 9. Wrestling/AJStyles joined the fray between them in his near two years in the company.
30	** And with Styles leaving and Tanahashi FINALLY starting to accept a lesser role (along with injuries catching up to him), the role of archenemy now falls squarely on Wrestling/TetsuyaNaito. Best noted by, similar to how Tanahashi would often perform a mid-match FaceHeelTurn due to frustration and hatred of Okada, Okada will do the same to Naito. In the buildup prior to Wrestle Kingdom 12, Okada had all but returned to his old heel ways. Acting somewhat childish, kicking mics to disrupt Naito's show-ending promos, continuing to hold his (newly acquired) Million Dollar Dream submission past the bell even on Wrestling/HiromuTakahashi and generally just being a {{Jerkass}}. He really despises Naito, and his growing fan support, that much. It's been downplayed since Naito successfully dethroned Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 14; both have displayed a lot of competitive respect for each other, down to Okada even offering the Los Ingobernables fist bump towards Naito at the end of said match.
31	** While his rivalry with Wrestling/KennyOmega was far more respectful (see TheRival for more details), Okada would find no shortage of newer hated enemies coming his way. Enter traitors from his own stable. Since beating Okada at the 2018 G1 Climax tournament, [[Wrestling/JayWhite "Switchblade" Jay White]] has established himself as Okada's newest rival, and seemingly had the Rainmaker's number in every encounter they had as he managed to beat Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 13, noteworthy as it was Okada's first loss at the Tokyo Dome in five years. The feud only grew more personal when Okada's long-time manager and hypeman [[Wrestling/JadoAndGedo Gedo]] betrayed him at ''Destruction in Kobe 2018'' to align himself with the Switchblade and join him in defecting to Bullet Club. This did no favors for Okada's SanitySlippage, and even after recovering from it Okada sought out his former comrades every chance he got. While he was able to beat White and recapture the IWGP Heavyweight Title he had lost to Omega, Gedo ''still'' wasn't done screwing him over for Bullet Club, come New Japan Cup 2020 and helping Wrestling/{{Evil\|Wrestler}} triumph in the final.
32	** And as if Jay and Gedo switching out on him wasn't enough, 2020 also saw the betrayal of Okada's own top recruit and wrestling brother Wrestling/WillOspreay, who sensed an opportunity and tried to end his career during the last night of the G1 30 group blocks. Founding Wrestling/TheUnitedEmpire off the back of this betrayal, Ospreay swore to destroy Okada, whilst Okada vowed to teach the punk a lesson about the cost of betraying The Rainmaker. He would beat Ospreay at Wrestle Kingdom 15, a loss which consumed Ospreay so much that when The Commonwealth Kingpin defeated Wrestling/KotaIbushi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, he demanded Okada be his first challenger.
33	* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: 2018 had Okada, Goto, White, Ospreay, and Roppongi 3k be champions by February.
34	--->'''Ospreay, on twitter:''' Who runs the wrestling world? CHAOS.
35	* BashBrothers: Gedo and Yoshi-Hashi were the strategist and co-conspirator in the infamous ⁹trap laid to capture the IWGP Heavyweight Championship from Tanahashi in his redebut at the start of 2012, and became his regular tag partners for the next 6½ years onward. Yoshi-Hashi is still this. [[TreacherousAdvisor Gedo]], on the other hand…
36	* BatmanGambit: With a closer inspection, this is how he wins his first IWGP heavyweight title againts Tanahashi. He put on a very unskillful match againts Yoshi-Hashi which is odd considering his skills before the bout. Okada then entered Chaos, a stable which Yoshi Hashi had entered prior so it is possible that the booking of the match was a setup. He then challenges Tanahashi at the end, saying that He will take over and lead New Japan instead of the champion from now on. Tanahashi and the crowd at this point saw nothing in him and thought that he is way over his head. At the press confrence, he let Gedo taunts and persuade Tanahashi into letting him have a match, which he accepted making Gedo and Okada laugh as they know their plan is working. Tanahashi being the confident ace he is, at this point had been led to a false sense of security and when the time came, he paid for it with the loss of his title and front teeth( courtesy of Okada's dropkick)..and Okada is the new champion, ultimately replacing him as the ace.
37	* BerserkButton: Yes, even Okada has one. Bleeding. That's not to say he doesn't already have a HotBlooded streak when he's annoyed, but we never saw complete, unfiltered anger on the level that he displayed when Kaito Kiyomiya decided to blindside him with a kick to the face that cut him open. He proceeds to LOSE HIS SHIT and go after Kiyomiya with a ferocity never seen before, alongside the stiffest shots he's ever given. The brawl gets so bad that the ref just throws the match out because they refused to stop trying to murder each other.
38	* BigBrotherMentor: To Will Ospreay. Okada brought Ospreay into CHAOS and has been mentoring him ever since. [[UngratefulBastard And then Ospreay stabbed him in the back of the neck...]]
39	* BigBadDuumvirate: Okada immediately assumed this role alongside Wrestling/TheYoungBucks as a part of Wrestling/TheElite upon his arrival in AEW when he aligned himself with them, Jack Perry soon joining them. This was only cemented when The Elite brutally attacked AEW CEO Tony Khan and Okada's old rival Kenny Omega weeks later.
40	* BigEntrance:
41	** He's already fond of dressing up in an elaborate red and gold coat and having "Rainmaker dollars" falling from the sky. But for his championship title defense at ''The New Beginning in Osaka 2014'', homeboy added an elaborate prelude to his theme song, the infamous Japanese chase prank raptor, a platform emerging from under the stage ala early-TNA Wrestling/KurtAngle, and a real-life ''Anime/FutureCardBuddyfight'' Dragobrave broadsword ''[[{{BFS}} in all its glory]]'' representing the special version of the card made based on him.
42	** Parodied in the commercial for his and Wrestling/HiroshiTanahashi's title match at Wrestle Kingdom 7 in 2013, where Okada came out to a baseball field ''in a fancy white convertible driven by Gedo'' to replace Tanahashi as the pitcher.
43	* BookEnds: Okada's 4th reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion started and ended in Osaka-Jo Hall.
44	* BoringButPractical: The Rainmaker is simply a Wrist-lock transitioned into a short-arm lariat, which isn't as flashy as most modern finishers and because of his size, isn't as strong looking when compared to [[Wrestling/JohnBradshawLayfield other wrestlers who used lariats as a finisher]]. However, the move is simple and safe to perform and at the hands of Okada, it is as effective and cool as the [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin Stone Cold Stunner]].
45	* BreakTheHaughty: His initial belief was that he was simply better than Tanahashi, especially after the latter agreed to no longer challenge again for the IWGP Heavyweight Title while Okada held it during his second over year long reign. Then before AJ Styles challenged for the title he insisted Okada had a lot to learn, but even after losing the belt to Styles, Okada still maintained he was much better than him and that it was a fluke, or that he had simply missed a step somewhere, as he continued to fail to get the belt back until Hiroshi Tanahashi managed to do what he could not and successfully defend the belt. Then he lost singles matches to Wrestling/KarlAnderson, Tetsuya Naito, Wrestling/BadLuckFale, the latter in the first round of the New Japan Cup, which was enough to make him realize he wasn't on top anymore and think about how to get back there. When Okada did regain the IWGP Heavyweight Title and decisively put Styles out of the title picture, he was noticeably more humble.
46	** And he received another helping at Dominion 2018 to his [[TheRival rival]] Wrestling/KennyOmega. While still quite respectful of Kenny, while Kenny spent the time before the match going through the [[TrainingFromHell training regimen of his life]] Okada spent it...just kind of relaxing, even going on a fishing vacation. After all while Kenny is great, Okada had barely lost in two years, no way could anyone beat him twice in the same night! Well, that's exactly what happened. Okada didn't even land a full Rainmaker in the entire 70+ minute match and only got his one pinfall by surprise rollup. Afterwards Okada has become...well, neurotic is the best way to put it.
47	* BrokenAce: Losing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship triggered this in him. For the latter half of 2018, Okada started acting a lot more... loonier than before. His music was remixed to be more manic, he dyed his hair red, he came to the ring in a t-shirt and tights while holding a bundle of balloons he'd release into the audience, and although he maintained a large part of his in-ring persona through entrances and matches, it was done more casually than anything else. Depending on who you asked, he was either lost due to a supposed belief that being a champion was what defined him, relieved that he didn't have the pressures associated with it on his back, or some combination of both. Ultimately, this spell was shortlived when Okada returned to becoming the "true" Rainmaker at ''Wrestle Kingdom 13''.
48	* BrokenPedestal: Gedo stabbed him in the back after working with him as his manager/hypeman for years by pulling FaceHeelTurn on Okada by joining forces with Wrestling/JayWhite after he betrayed CHAOS at Destruction in Kobe 2018. Jado, who Okada trusted enough to act as a peacemaker when he tried to get his revenge a month later at King of Pro Wrestling, was revealed to be in on this as well as the three completed their defection to Bullet Club that same night.
49	* CaptainErsatz: His likeness, or close as legally allowed to his likeness, became regular fixtures of ''Videogame/FireProWrestling''.
50	* CatchPhrase: ''"Kane no ame ga furu zo!"'' (カネの雨が降るぞ ) which is literally translated as, "It will rain with money!" But mostly [[SuperSpeed "OKADAAAASH!"]]
51	* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: He manage a german suplex on 300+ pounder ''Bad Luck Fale''.
52	* ChainedByFashion: A gold chain to go with his died blond hair
53	* {{Composite\|Character}} {{Expy}}: Commented on an interview that TNA didn't give him many chances to compete, so he used the spare time to watch a lot of old wrestling videos as research for developing the "Rainmaker" character, as he was told that's where the real money was. He was a particularly big fan of Wrestling/{{Sting}}, and may have also been inspired by his involvement in Wrestling/SamoaJoe's feud with D'Angelo Dinero, as the character contains elements of both Sting and Dinero's characters — the energetic music and showy jacket come from Sting's TNA run, while the RedBaron that could pass for a ring name and the money dropping from the sky are straight from the Pope.
54	* ChildProdigy: Was such a gifted student and athlete in middle school that he was able to effectively skip high school to begin his training with Ultimo Dragon, having his first match at seventeen years old. Said prodigy would not take long in his adult life to begin fulfilling his true potential, as he pulled off one of the most legendary crowning gambits in puroresu history at the age of 24 and only continued growing from there.
55	* CreateYourOwnVillain: Heading into 2012, Okada was a lower midcarder who was just coming off of a lackluster run in TNA. One win over Tanahashi later, he's the new ace of NJPW.
56	* {{Crossover}}
57	** Participated in Pro Wrestling Fusion's series with NWA Mid-west in 2010. Later, New Japan's 40th Anniversary tour with Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling, "East Meets West" event with Border City Wrestling in Canada and 'War' in the USA with Wrestling/RingOfHonor.
58	** His "Wrestling/{{Dramatic Dream\|Team}} Match" against Kota Ibushi.
59	* CrossThrough: One of four CHAOS members who frequently crossed through Wrestling/RingOfHonor in 2015, along with Wrestling/ShinsukeNakamura and Roppongi Vice (Rocky Romero and Trent Barreta).
60	* CutShort: His first attempt to break in the NJPW main event was when it was decided Okada needed to go on a learning excursion. That itself was cut short, as New Japan was prepared to leave him in the United States for three years but ended up bringing him back after ten months!
61	* DarkestHour: 2018 and early 2019 were ''firmly'' not great years for CHAOS after years of dominance, as members began dropping or defecting left and right, Okada was going through either a [[HeroicBSOD nervous breakdown or a break from reality]], and the unit as a whole was generally directionless. When Okada returned to his old gear and attitude, the group's fortunes began to make roads towards changing for the better.
62	* DavidVersusGoliath: Aside from the [[Wrestling/FergalDevitt le]][[Wrestling/KarlAnderson ad]][[Wrestling/AJStyles e]][[Wrestling/KennyOmega r]][[Wrestling/JayWhite s]], his main enemy in Bullet Club is "The Underboss" Bad Luck Fale, who happens to be much bigger than him.
63	* DefeatEqualsFriendship: A major theme of CHAOS recruitments since Okada's time has largely been Okada running into talents during matches, becoming impressed with them, and eventually asking them to join or luring them away from other groups.
64	* EnemyMine: Teamed up with The Kingdom against Bullet Club around the time of the G-1 Climax 25, not that it ended up doing them much good.
65	* FanBoy: He has two in The Boys who follow Wrestling/DaltonCastle, who he met in person at the 2016 ''Death Before Dishonor''. Okada had no idea what to make of them at first but had taken a liking to them by the end of the night.
66	* FinalBoss: The IWGP Heavyweight Champion is this by default but his fourth reign has him firmly in this status. Any contest won to gain a shot at his title (New Japan Cup, G1 Climax, #1 Contender matches) is followed by him stamping his authority and pedigree in the title match.
67	* FinishingMove: The Rainmaker, he also likes to use The Red Ink submission hold (kneeling cross leg STF) as well to force a tap out. In 2020 he added the Money Clip (a Cobra Clutch).
68	* FiveMovesOfDoom: Heavy Rain, Flying Elbow Drop, Dropkick, Tombstone Piledriver, and then The Rainmaker.
69	* FlippingTheBird: In his match against PAC at the inaugural ''AEW Dynasty'', just as Okada was about to pull his "Rainmaker" pose, he raised his middle finger to the crowd instead to prove his {{Heel}} turn upon joining AEW was concrete.
70	* {{Foreshadowing}}: Prior to both men's return match against each other at Wrestle Kingdom 6, Yoshi-Hashi was announced to have joined CHAOS. Then came a plodding match between the two in which Okada won, following which he made his challenge to IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi. Days after this…Okada was unveiled as the newest member of CHAOS, with Gedo as his mouthpiece. To anyone who'd seen Okada work better than that match, this was a sign that Tanahashi was getting suckered.
71	* GratuitousEnglish: Not him, but his manager and fellow CHAOS member (also one of NJPW's head bookers), Gedo. If you hear anyone loudly scream "COME ON RAINMAKER!" during Okada's matches, it's probably him.
72	* HandshakeRefusal: Shows much disdain for the CodeOfHonor, especially around the overly enthusiastic Bobby Fish (who solved the "problem" by shaking with Kyle O'Reilly instead). However, he shook Dalton Castle's hand after being told he loved New Japan.
73	* HeroicBSOD: Or VillainousBSOD since he's a heel but his role as of late has been Tweener, after losing to his hated enemy Hiroshi Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 9, Okada was seen leaving with tears in his eyes and sobbing that he had failed to beat him and having been broken by the loss. This would continue for months as Okada suffered loses to others as well and could not find the spark that had made him who he was.
74	** After finally losing his title on his record breaking reign, Okada looked despondent without the belt. He wouldn't even bust out his Rainmaker pose for weeks. While he's somewhat recovered, you can tell the man is not the same. Different theme, different outfit, passing out balloons to everyone. One could argue he's enjoying the first time in over two years where he hasn't felt like he's had to carry the company on his back but...at the same time he's also failed to win any singles' match from Dominion to late July.
75	* HistoryRepeats: With him at the opposite end no less. At a special crossover show during Wrestle Kingdom 16's third night which saw NJPW battle Pro Wrestling NOAH in multiple matches, Okada and Tanahashi battled Keiji Mutoh and Kaito Kiyomiya, who were in the same type of "older veteran versus up-and-coming ace" rivalry that the Rainmaker and Ace had for the majority of the [=2010s=]. The match ended with the NJPW duo winning, leaving Kiyomiya despodent at his failure for not living up to his reputation just yet and leaving the ring while crying -- almost exactly like how Okada treated his failure to defeat Tanahashi 7 years prior. Even further, Okada essentially treated Kiyomiya the same way (albeit far more arrogantly) Tanahashi treated him at the same event, letting him know that he simply wasn't ready enough to go toe-to-toe with them.
76	* HitlerCam: Okada is taller than Tetsuya Naito. So after he lost the IWGP Heavyweight Title belt Okada made heavy use of this trope to make Naito look even smaller while promoting the rematch.
77	* IAmNotLeftHanded: After losing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to Tetsuya Naito at the beginning of 2020, Okada opted to develop a new move in his repertoire: a sleeper hold called the Money Clip. His desire for it to be his new finisher led to a long stretch of time where he outright refused to use the Rainmaker to win any of his matches, and it took Will Ospreay stabbing him in the back and forming his own faction to have the Rainmaker return after a year of inactivity at Wrestle Kingdom 15. Since then, the Money Clip has been used as a transitional move of sorts in order to set opponents up for the Rainmaker.
78	* InsistentTerminology: Says (in Japanese) "That's Mr. Okada to you" at the start of his post-match promo if the fans chant "Okada".
79	* ItOnlyWorksOnce: A big reason Okada tends to go over long stretches without actively losing matches. While he can struggle when seeing an unfamiliar strategy for the first time, don't expect it to work particularly well the next time as he will have already thought of counters. Only those with true guts and determination can get the better of Okada multiple times without the guise of a special strategy.
80	* ItsPersonal: Developed this kind of feud with Wrestling/WillOspreay, who viciously betrayed him toward the end of 2020. This was a man who Okada had been impressed by when they met and faced each other in England, so impressed that he brought him into NJPW to become the junior heavyweight ace of CHAOS, supported in his rise even beyond that status, and affirmed his love for him as a brother every time they fought. Will's response? [[UngratefulBastard Immediately betray Okada and try to end his career as soon as he thought he was better than him.]] Stands out even over Gedo's betrayal for the simple reason that rather than replacing him with another meal ticket, Will was shooting to destroy and surpass Okada himself. As Okada noted heading into their match at Wrestle Kingdom 15, the very notion of a traitor eclipsing him threatened to upend everything he'd built by proving that backstabbing Kazuchika Okada was a good way to succeed -- something he could not allow to happen. He highlighted it further by later admitting that had Ospreay admitted that he simply wanted to strike out on his own, Okada would've given his blessing for him to leave CHAOS and start his own legacy without any hard feelings whatsoever.
81	* ItWillNeverCatchOn: It was 2011, Wrestling/HulkHogan and Wrestling/EricBischoff ruled the roost, Wrestling/VinceRusso was head booker, and TNA was intent on proving they were a Wrestling/{{WCW}}-knockoff in every way possible. As a Young Lion, Okada was sent to TNA for seasoning, and basically became a designated jobber, the peak of his career there was when he was Wrestling/SamoaJoe's sidekick "Okato" (a rip-off of Kato from ''Radio/TheGreenHornet'') during Joe's feud with "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero. Okada would return to NJPW, where he would become the youngest person to ever win the G1 Climax and become IWGP Champion within a ''year'' of his run with TNA. Today, Okada is earmarked as one of NJPW's top stars and the successor to Wrestling/HiroshiTanahashi as the ace of New Japan, while TNA is at the perpetual risk of going under.
82	* {{Jerkass}}: And proud of it, even as a {{face}}. He's a little nicer than he would care to let on [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold outside of competition though]]. His arrogance does tend to show off the most when dealing with other Japanese wrestling companies: expect him to be at his haughtiest if he's representing New Japan in crossover events as he takes much pride in wanting to prove that he's not just the greatest wrestler on Earth, but he works for the greatest wrestling promotion on Earth as well. Downplayed against international promotions, as Okada treats his clashes against the stars of non-Japanese companies as welcome opportunities to test himself against the the world has to offer.
83	* LegacyCharacter: One of many to wear the Suicide suit in TNA.
84	* ManlyTears: At Wrestling/ShinsukeNakamura's farewell show, before Nakamura left for Wrestling/{{WWE}}.
85	* MrFanservice: Pushed as such in Toryumon Mexico, as is their tradition.
86	* MobWar: Has helped lead CHAOS in several of these against [[Wrestling/MinoruSuzuki Suzuki-gun]], the Wrestling/BulletClub, and Wrestling/LosIngobernablesDeJapon.
87	* MundaneMadeAwesome: The Rainmaker is a very simple lariat. But man does it look ''awesome'' when he does it.
88	* NonIdleRich: His gimmick. Becoming independently wealthy wasn't enough for him, he still had to join CHAOS and win title belts. Doing all that and becoming NJPW's ace isn't enough, he wants to raise the company's profile on the world stage.
89	* OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain: Despite being tremendously more humble and kind since becoming TheAce Okada has a bad tendency to fall back into his old {{Jerkass}} ways whenever facing the "New Japan Dads" believing their time to be over. Unless his opponent happens to be Wrestling/MinoruSuzuki - who cannot and will not ever be outdone as a villain, if Okada happens to be facing anyone over the age of 45, expect him to do something to get himself booed out of the building.
90	* OrcusOnHisThrone: Okada received a load of criticism for how he handled his 2017 and 2018, especially when it came to both Jay White and Gedo. In fairness, [[HeroicBSOD he was going through some things]]. Reared its ugly head again throughout 2020, mainly due to his refusal to use his patented namesake finishing move for another less effective one.
91	* PatrioticFervor: Albeit fueled as much by his ego as his love of country
92	-->“I have heard people say that if I stay in Japan that I will be a big fish in a small pond, but I do not agree. If people think Japan is a small pond, then I will rebuild the pond with my own hands and make it as large as the Pacific Ocean.”
93	* PowerStable: CHAOS, The Elite.
94	* PrejudicedForPecs: This was part of his problem during his first trip to the United States, as even though he is comfortably above the heavyweight line at 236 pounds, Okada doesn't have the build (biceps and pecs) US promoters have associated with a pro heavyweight wrestler since the mid 1980s. (The other of course being Japanese when primarily working close to a booker adverse to pushing them.) On the flip side, Okada is of the exact height and frame with the exact build Japanese promoters crave.
95	* ProductPlacement: The prank raptor and ''Buddyfight'' broadsword in his BigEntrance at ''New Beginning in Osaka 2014''. This example has the rare distinction of also running on RuleOfCool.
96	* RealMenWearPink: Uh, record breaking puroresu stars dye their hair pink?
97	* RedBaron: "The Rainmaker". [[TakeThat "The Best Bout Machine"]]
98	* RedOniBlueOni: Okada has an interesting dichotomy within himself. Normally coming down to the ring and beginning the match he is a Blue Oni. Calm, cool, and collected and focused on just winning the match in front of him. As a match wears on, his HotBlooded nature takes control and he goes full Red Oni, screaming and going all out in a blaze of glory. It's that side of him that often gets him into trouble as he has a bad tendency since becoming TheAce of going along with the opponent's gameplan rather than his own to prove he can do it better.
99	** Came to its ultimate head during the 27th G1 Climax as when Okada rolled out a 6-0 start and threatening to demolish the record of most points in a G1 Climax, which had stood at 14 points (each win is 2 points, tie is 1 point, Okada only needed either one win or two draws in his last three matches to break the record), the wheels fell off. His old [[TheStoic stoicism]] had been lost and he had become more and more excitable and arrogant just trotting to the ring, almost looking like he was on drugs. He ended up getting beat by [[Wrestling/LosIngobernablesDeJapon LIJ's EVIL]] (his first singles' loss in a year), tied with Wrestling/MinoruSuzuki, both in brutal slugfests that didn't fit his style. By the time he headed into the final night against [[TheRival his rival]] Wrestling/KennyOmega to try and salvage a place in the finals, he was far too beat up from those HotBlooded undertakings to manage much of anything and Omega finally overcame Okada to move onto the G1 Final.
100	* RunningGag: His post-match promos usually start with him declaring that he has three points to make...only to admit at the end that he doesn't really have a third point except to drop his CatchPhrase ("Money will rain on us").
101	* SecondPlaceIsForLosers:
102	** He has this attitude towards the NJPW championships. He only cares about the IWGP Heavyweight belt, and considers the other belts to not be worth his time. This is best exemplified during the contest between himself, Wrestling/TetsuyaNaito, Wrestling/KotaIbushi and [[Wrestling/BulletClub Jay White]] to be dual-belt champion (both the Heavyweight and Intercontinental belts at the same time) in 2019-20. When both belts were unified in early 2021 by then-double champion Ibushi to become the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, Okada took offense, primarily due to the remove of a title that he himself has contributed a lot of prestiege to.
103	** [[spoiler:Finally subverted in May, 2023 at ''Dontaku'' when he, Wrestling/HiroshiTanahashi and Wrestling/TomohiroIshii won the Never Openweight 6-Man Championships.]]
104	* SelfMadeMan: In spite of getting little work in the states he still came back to Japan with money to spare.
105	* ShootTheDog: Wrestling/GenichiroTenryu chose Okada as the one to retire him during his last show on ''New Japan World'', with the implication he would take the IWPG Heavyweight belt if Okada wasn't up to it. He was but immediately ducked out of the ring after winning, seemingly in no mood for celebrations.
106	* SignatureSoundEffect: The distinct sound of a coin dropping and hitting the ground is indicative of Okada's appearance.
107	* TagTeam: Ride the Lightning with YOSHI-HASHI.
108	* TakeThat: In 2012 he introduced a "Wrestle Kingdom Briefcase" which held a guaranteed contract for a match at the event, the catch being that if the holder of that case loses a match before the event, the contract is voided. This is a jab at other briefcase gimmicks like Wrestling/{{WWE}}'s "Money in the Bank" ladder match and Wrestling/{{TNA}}'s "Feast or Fired" pole match (and given the treatment given to Okada in TNA, it's likely the latter) where the winner of the guaranteed contract proceeds to go on months-long losing streaks only get whatever match they want at their convenience.
109	* TheRival: To Wrestling/KennyOmega. Unlike Wrestling/HiroshiTanahashi, Wrestling/TetsuyaNaito, or the other Wrestling/BulletClub leaders [[Wrestling/FergalDevitt Prince Devitt]], Wrestling/AJStyles, and Wrestling/JayWhite, where his feuds with them all tended to be a lot more personal in nature, his standing with Omega is a lot more about simply proving who is the better man and often both men tend to have nothing but glowing praise for the other. That said, things between the two would be intensely competitive. Despite beating him in their first encounter at Wrestle Kingdom 11, Okada felt overshadowed by all the praise Omega got for the match and choose him as his next challenger for Dominion 2017 hoping for a decisive only for the match to end in a time limit draw. Omega would then proceed to beat Okada cleanly at the 27th G1 Climax, leaving them tied at one win, one draw and one loss apiece. Upon breaking Tanahashi's record for most title defenses, Okada once again challenged Omega to face him at Dominion 2018 with the intent of finally settling the feud with his rival and reassert his status as NJPW's top star but lost in a 2/3 Fall Match, dropping the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to Omega in the process.
110	* TheStoic: Early on, whilst his manager and voicepiece Gedo would scream and yell about what Okada is going to do and is capable of doing, Okada usually stood there quietly, only rarely speaking softly and with arrogance. Proved to be NotSoStoic when Gedo was absent, leaving Okada to have to take his role and speak for himself. What he delivered was a promo that could be described as ChewingTheScenery.
111	* TookALevelInBadass: Like you wouldn't believe, from Young Lion (NJPW term for {{Jobber}}) to a rather forgettable run in TNA to International Wrestling Grand Prix Heavyweight Champion upon his return. And then he proved him beating Tanahashi wasn't a fluke and went on to become the top star in the promotion.
112	* TournamentArc
113	** The 2005 Toryumon Mexico Young Dragon Cup in December saw Okada defeat Hajime Ohara in the finals.
114	** 'Machine Gun' Wrestling/KarlAnderson was the man he defeated in the finals to set the record for youngest G1 Climax winner in 2012.
115	** On the last day of the 2013 New Japan Cup, Okada defeated Chaos stablemate Toru Yano and then Hirooki Goto.
116	** On day 12 of the G1 Climax 24 in 2014, Kazuchika defeated another Chaos stablemate, Shinsuke Nakumura, in the finals after coming out of Block B.
117	* TrainingFromHell: Like many pro wrestlers, he regularly undergoes this on his off hours. Unlike most pro wrestlers, Okada's seems to involve slicing and eating fruit and or raw fish.
118	* TrueCompanions: Zig-zagged. While Okada, Nakamura, Ishii, Yano, and Romero happily consider each other family, CHAOS as a unit tends to be pretty big of self-sufficiency, and don't make a habit of saving each other from beatdowns unless they're already in or around the ring at the time.
119	* UnderestimatingBadassery
120	** The G1 Climax is notoriously difficult to win but Okada was pretty sure he was going be fine on day four against Tomoaki Honma, who had largely been treated as a washed up joke, and started to get desperate between a failed Rainmaker and the ten minute mark expiring (Okada still won, preserving his spot in the rankings).
121	** He really took Datlon Castle lightly, way too lightly. After almost taking a pin fall Okada began to take things more seriously and gradually gain the advantage, but then [[ItMakesSenseInContext after accidentally dragging The Boys who tail Castle into the ring]] Okada couldn't resist playing around with them, resulting in Okada almost losing the match except for the fact Castle refused a count out victory.
122	** Actually invoked this in his return from excursion. At Wrestle Kingdom 6 he returned with a crappy haircut, a mediocre looking finisher[[note]]The Rainmaker set up, but landing in a weak looking Side Effect instead of a high impact lariat[[/note]] and a slow and plodding ring style that barely won out against Yoshi-Hashi. When he challenged Tanahashi after the main event, it seemed like The Ace was humoring an out of his depth newbie. Then Okada joined CHAOS with Gedo as his manager in the days following the event — [[HiddenInPlainSight the same stable]] Yoshi-Hashi had joined just days ''beforehand''. At The New Beginning, Tanahashi was basically unprepared to be facing an actually formidable opponent, and within six weeks of being back in Japan Okada had catapulted himself into the main event for years to come.
123	* VersusTitle: ''RPW: Okada vs [[Wrestling/AustinAries Aries]]''.
124	* WhamLine: "Sorry [[Wrestling/KennyOmega Kenny]], I'm the Best Bout Machine now."
125	* WorthyOpponent: Praised his Wrestle Kingdom 11 opponent Wrestling/KennyOmega as the greatest foreigner in New Japan history after their match. Kenny would later call Okada the best wrestler in Japan and possibly the world. Okada even handpicked Omega to be his challenger for the title at ''Dominion 6.11.17'' (and then did so again a year later at ''Dominion 6.9.18''), showing that he's a fighting champion and that he ''really'' wants another go with Omega.
126	** Flashed an LIJ-style fist bump at Tetsuya Naito at ''Wrestle Kingdom 14'', after losing to him in a match for both the IWGP Intercontinental and Heavyweight championships.
127	* WrestlingPsychology: Upon his big comeback to New Japan, he adopted the offensive approach of attacking between the chin and shoulders. The approach may come from many different angles and many different ways, but it's all to set up that quick lariat. If this seems off, you might want to be weary of red ink. This was exploited at the 2015 G1 Climax where Wrestling/YujiNagata took everything Okada had to give and then headbutted him when Kazuchika went for the rainmaker, catching him completely off guard and forcing him to improvise a new strategy.

Context Wrestling / KazuchikaOkada