Risa Okuda (奥田 理紗, Okuda Risa, born November 19, 1991),[1][2][3] better known by her ring nameRisa Sera (世羅 りさ, Sera Risa), is a Japanese professional wrestler and actress. She is currently a freelancer working in the deathmatch unit Prominence, who is best known for wrestling in Ice Ribbon. She is a four-time International Ribbon Tag Team Champion, while also being a former two-time ICE×∞ Champion.
Early life
Sera was born in Sera, Hiroshima.[1][3] After graduating high school, she moved to Tokyo and studied voice acting at Amusement Media Academy (AMG).[3] In 2012, Sera took part in the audition for "Taiyo kara Plancha" (太陽からプランチャ),[8] a movie collaboration with Ice Ribbon, and she won the main role on the condition that she had to actually make her wrestling debut with other winners of the audition, which made Ice Ribbon's recruiting project likewise in "Muscle Venus." Until then, she used her real name Risa Okuda.
Professional wrestling career
Ice Ribbon (2012–2020)
Sera was trained by Tsukasa Fujimoto and made her debut on November 10, 2012, at the Ice Ribbon dojo under the ring name Risa Sera, defeated by Hamuko Hoshi.[9] A half of her co-actors quit wrestling early, but she, 235 and Rutsuko Yamaguchi (retired in 2014 due to knee injury) remained to be on the roster.
On January 4, 2014, Sera teamed up with Maki Narumiya[10] and named their tag team ".STAP".[11] They defeated Tsukushi and Hiragi Kurumi at the Korakuen Hall event on March 30 to become the International Ribbon Tag Team Champions.[12] Until the next year, they successfully retained the championship for nine times. The team was dissolved as Narumiya left Ice Ribbon by March 31, 2015. They were defeated in a hardcore tag match against Isami Kodaka and Yuko Miyamoto in their last match,[13] then Sera challenged Narumiya to a hardcore tag match. They had the match on May 4 and Sera's team were defeated.[14] Sera demanded an even harder rematch with light tubes, but this was declined by management of Ice Ribbon, because it would be deviating from the main concept of the promotion. Sera declared that she would boycott the next Korakuen Hall event on June 24,[15][16] but eventually she held her own event there after Ice Ribbon's event for just one match called "Human Hair Death Match" (人毛デスマッチ) and made peace with Narumiya after being defeated again.[17]
Since then, Sera held two "Death Match" events collaborating with Ice Ribbon. They were made of fun matches by Ice Ribbon's wrestlers and really hardcore matches including ladders, barbed wires and light tubes by Sera, so practically she made the promotion compromise on the matter.
On November 14, 2015, Sera formed a new tag team with Maya Yukihi, and named the team "Azure Revolution".[18]
On March 21, Sera challenged Hamuko Hoshi for the ICE Cross Infinity Championship, and defeated Hoshi by a diving double knee drop to win her first title as a single player.[19] On May 3, Sera headlined Ice Ribbon's 10th anniversary event at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium to successfully defend the championship against Yuka.[20] Sera was defeated by Tsukasa Fujimoto at korakuen Hall event on July 3 and lost the title,[21] but the title went vacant by the result of the November 3 event,[22] and on December 31, Sera won the tournament for the championship, defeating Fujimoto in the finals, and regained the title.[23] Sera held the title for a full year, losing it to Hiiragi Kurumi in her eighth defense on December 31, 2017.[24] On December 1, 2021, it was announced that Sera, along with Suzu Suzuki, Mochi Miyagi, Akane Fujita, and Kurumi Hiiragi were departing the company to start a freelance deathmatch unit called Prominence.[25][26]
Prominence (2021-present)
Prominence had their first appearance as a unit in Gake no Fuchi's show on January 4, 2022.[27] Following that it was announced that Wrestle Universe would partner with Prominence to stream shows the unit produced.[28]
At the 2023 edition of the Triangle Derby, Sera will team up with Suzuki and Kurumi and compete in the "Triangle Blue" where they will face the teams of Rebel&Enemy (Ram Kaicho, Maika Ozaki and Maya Yukihi), Lollipop (Waka Tsukiyama, Yuko Sakurai and Rina Amikura), Classmates (Hazuki, Koguma and Saya Iida), MaiHime with C (Maika, Himeka and Lady C), Abarenbo GE (Syuri, Mirai and Ami Sourei), and Oedo Tai (Natsuko Tora, Momo Watanabe and Saki Kashima).[38]
Acting career
Filmography
2013: Taiyo kara Plancha (太陽からプランチャ, Taiyo kara Purancha)[2][3]
Theatrical Dramas
2012: Tonari no Obachan (隣のおばちゃん, Tonari no Obachan)[2][3]