Saya Kamitani is making waves as a dominant heel (villain) in the women's pro wrestling promotion "STARDOM." On the flip side, her appearance on variety shows has sparked huge conversations, turning her into an overnight favorite thanks to a charming personality and sincere, dedicated attitude that stands in stark contrast to her in-ring persona. What is the secret behind the strong, beautiful, and "ultimate physique" of this beloved dark heroine, who rises no matter how many times she gets knocked down and takes flight so gracefully?

Whether in the squared circle or on variety TV, STARDOM's Saya Kamitani continues to captivate audiences. We sat down with this spotlighted dark heroine—known for her mesmerizing, high-flying maneuvers and enchanting allure—to find out her philosophy behind building a "physique made to captivate."

"Unlike performing on a standard stage, pro wrestling surrounds you with fans 360 degrees. So, I’m always conscious of making sure my body and movements look beautiful from every single angle. The back is especially crucial. I try to express and convey all the emotions born in battle—the joy, the anger, the sorrow, and the pleasure—right through my back."

Two summers ago, she made the leap from a babyface (fan favorite) to a heel. That transition triggered a major shift in her training philosophy.

"To embody the ideal heel image I look up to—someone whose posture and even fingertips are beautiful—I felt the need to evolve my physique and core strength. That’s why I switched from working out on my own to personal training."

When it comes to training, her priority is suppleness over sheer muscle mass.

"My ideal body is one that is highly functional and flexible. Instead of just chasing heavier weights in the gym, my goal is to build a physique that actually translates to the ring. Women's matches involve a lot of fluid, supple movements like bridges, so stretching is a must. Sometimes I massage my muscles with Nivea cream after a bath, but that's more for muscle recovery than hydration. To be honest, between matches and training, my arms and legs are always covered in bruises and scratches, so I don't really stress over typical body care (laughs)."

For inner care, she takes protein and amino acids post-workout. On the other hand, she doesn't follow any strict rules regarding food.

"If I restrict my diet too strictly, it takes a bigger toll on my mind than my body. In pro wrestling, mental control is just as vital, so I make it a point to eat what I love. In return, I make sure to train hard. For me, keeping both my mind and body healthy is what matters most."

Her current approach to wellness stems heavily from her past background as a Japanese idol.

"Back when I was an idol, I went through some extreme dieting. I lost weight, but the rebound made me binge on sweet pastries. Looking back, it was terrible for both my mental and physical health. Back then, I believed being skinny was the definition of beauty. But over time, I’ve come to realize that true beauty is about your presence, your character, and the energy you radiate. That's why I love myself most right now—having a healthy balance of muscle and fat, and being able to enjoy meals with my friends."

She notes that she is "120% satisfied" with her current physique and doesn't look to any specific role models.

"If you set someone else as your ultimate goal, it eventually becomes painful. In wrestling, you have heavily muscled powerhouses, and you have those who can't gain weight due to their genetics. Just like fight styles, everyone has a different body type. So, as long as I am satisfied with myself, that’s all that matters."

Looking at the photos from today's shoot, Kamitani smiled and said, "I've never seen this side of myself before!" While her charming real-life personality is a far cry from her fierce in-ring character, she has a clear vision of how she wants to present herself as a villain.

"When I was a babyface, I felt like I always had to be the 'good girl,' but being a heel lets you do bad things. Showing strength, weakness, malice, and ugliness... baring all of those raw emotions has vastly widened my range of expression. Even so, I still want to hold onto beauty. The way you communicate changes with every single word and movement, so I always make sure never to lose my sense of elegance and grace."

Women's pro wrestling is a beautiful yet intense collision of diverse athletes. We asked her once more what makes Joshi wrestling so captivating.

"I think the audience gets drawn into the story from the very moment a wrestler enters to their theme music wrapped in their robe. During the match, every single moment is a sequence of fluid, picture-perfect moves, and seeing that raw, exposed emotion is something I really want people to watch. There are so many times during a fight when I think, 'This hurts so much, I don't know if I can keep going,' but the fans' cheers completely fire me up to say, 'I'm not done yet!' Everyone out there is pushing through life and refusing to give up despite their own hardships. I truly hope that seeing us rise no matter how many times we get knocked down can give them some kind of power."

[Saya Kamitani's Training & Body-Making Routines]

■ Ring Gear Designed for Social Media and Visual Impact

"I basically self-produce my ring gear. I always incorporate black, which is my signature color. It makes my physique look sharp and creates a beautiful contrast that makes my fair skin pop. For the design, the long fringe is key. When I execute spinning techniques or kicks, it flutters beautifully in the air, which adds a huge impact for photos that fans upload to social media."

■ High-Intensity Stair Sprints for Explosive Power & Endurance

"Running is just as critical to me as weight training. First, I do 10 sets of high-speed stair sprints, hitting every single step on a massive flight of stairs. After that, depending on the day, I might do five 200–300 meter sprints and five 50-meter sprints. Since I have to balance this with weekend shows and other work, I combine personal training sessions with these running routines."

■ Weekly Personal Training: Building Ring-Ready Muscle

"Since I have to lift and throw opponents during matches, I train with weights that simulate another person. My trainer pushes me to the limit while keeping me hyped with praise, which is honestly a huge part of why personal training keeps my motivation so high (laughs). If my muscles stay too fatigued, I can't fall asleep, so it’s a strict rule of mine to thoroughly loosen them up with a massage gun afterward."

Subscribed to Stardom World, and I'm slightly confused about how to access a lot of the videos -- only the ones labeled [LIVE] actually have a video player load up when I go to the page, the others just show the match graphic that I clicked on to get to the page. I saw some mention that they're sometimes lax about uploading things, but even Queens Dynasty wasn't available. Am I missing something?

• Anne Kanaya vs Kiyoka Kotatsu - 5STAR GP Qualifiers First Round
• Hanan, Saya Iida and Matoi Hamabe vs Maki Itoh, Kikyo Furusawa and Rian
• Ema Maishima vs Utami Hayashishita vs Fuwa-chan
• Ami Sohrei, Hina and Ranna Yagami vs Aya Sakura, Natsupoi and Yuna Mizumori
• Syuri vs Xena
• AZM, Miyu Amasaki, Starlight Kid and Mei Seira vs Maika, HANAKO, Hazuki and Koguma
• Suzu Suzuki, Akira Kurogane, Saori Anou and Sayaka Kurara vs Saya Kamitani, Momo Watanabe, Konami and Ruaka

Just FYI, the show has been uploaded on Stardom-World now.