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The Great Kabuki—the ring character performed by Japanese wrestler Akihisa Mera—is widely credited with bringing the colored mist into professional wrestling. But the precise origin story is disputed: Kabuki recalled discovering the effect by accident, while manager Gary Hart described preparing a deliberate green mixture for Kabuki’s use. The accounts agree on the association with Kabuki’s character, not on exactly how the idea began.
Who created the green mist in wrestling?
The Great Kabuki is the performer most closely credited with introducing the mist as a wrestling spectacle. WWE describes him as the first competitor to captivate American fans with the poison mist, an attribution that reflects his historical importance but does not establish an independently verified, universal first. The story is best told with that distinction: Kabuki popularized the effect, while surviving recollections differ about its invention.
Kabuki was the persona of Akihisa Mera, also known in parts of his career as Akihisa Takachiho. A retrospective biography in a 2014 interview says he began wrestling in 1964 and became The Great Kabuki in the United States in 1981. The interview, published by 週プレNEWS, is the direct source for Kabuki’s own account of the mist.
How did Kabuki say he discovered the mist?
In the 2014 interview, Kabuki said he first considered using powder, but it clumped in his mouth when wet. He recalled that after a match, while showering, he got water in his mouth and blew it upward. In the light, he saw a rainbow-like effect and thought he had found a way to create a striking visual moment. He said he later tried different colors, including white and black, and found red and green worked best.
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Kabuki also explained how he made the effect visible to spectators. In translation from the Japanese interview, he said: “If you blow it when the light, you, and your opponent are in a straight line, the audience on all sides can see it.” The point was not just the colored spray: light, positioning, and timing made it read clearly across the arena.
What was Gary Hart’s version of the origin?
Manager Gary Hart told a different story. In passages attributed to Hart’s memoir and reproduced by ProWrestlingPost, Hart recalled his wife spilling green food coloring while baking. He said he mixed food coloring with mouthwash, contained the mixture, and arranged for Kabuki to use it dramatically against Fritz Von Erich during an interview. ProWrestlingPost’s feature reproduces Hart’s recollection; a Slam Wrestling interview with Hart also describes the food-coloring mixture and places his search for the right performer in 1981.
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| Account | What it says | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Kabuki, in a 2014 interview | Water sprayed into light created a rainbow-like effect; he then experimented with colors. | Kabuki’s own recollection of how he arrived at the visual idea. |
| Gary Hart, in a memoir account reproduced by ProWrestlingPost and summarized in a Slam Wrestling interview | Hart prepared green food coloring with mouthwash for a planned dramatic use by Kabuki. | Hart’s distinct recollection of the mixture and its staged introduction. |
These are competing recollections, not two confirmed steps in one settled sequence. Both connect the effect to Kabuki’s 1981 persona era, but the available accounts do not reconcile whether the initial inspiration was accidental, planned, or a combination of ideas developed over time.
How did the mist become part of wrestling history?
Kabuki’s painted face, theatrical presentation, and sudden colored spray made the mist a recognizable part of his character. WWE’s profile of The Great Muta credits Kabuki as the first competitor to captivate American wrestling fans with the poison mist and links that presentation to Muta’s later career. WWE’s profile describes Muta’s 1989 debut and his introduction as Kabuki’s son.
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- WWE Elite action figures bring WWE Superstars to life in 6-inch scale
- Each figure features highly detailed TrueFX technology for life-like facial features
- Recreate signature moves and dynamic poses with 25 points of articulation
- Includes interchangeable hands and iconic accessories for play and display
- WWE fans can find a favorite Superstar figure or can collect them all (each sold separately, subject to availability)
That father-son relationship was storyline billing, not a real biological connection. It linked two performers associated with the mist and similar theatrical presentation; Hart’s interview likewise described Muta as Kabuki’s alleged son.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who was The Great Kabuki outside the character?
The 2014 週プレNEWS biography identifies Kabuki as Akihisa Mera, born in 1948. It says he debuted for Japan Pro Wrestling in October 1964, adopted The Great Kabuki persona in the United States in 1981, returned to Japan in 1983, retired in 1998, and returned to the ring in 2002. These career dates are reported in that retrospective profile.
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The interview also names his autobiography, 『“東洋の神秘”ザ・グレート・カブキ自伝』, published by Tatsumi Shuppan. It is a direct source for readers who want more of Kabuki’s own recollections; availability depends on the marketplace.
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