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Joe Gagne
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 FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
Minoru Tanaka

Who's Minoru Tanaka? Well, it's not the guy who feuded with Mike Awesome in FMW and ECW-that would be Masato Tanaka (a fine wrestler in his own right). Minoru Tanaka, well, he's just simply one of the best wrestlers on the planet right now.

A little background-Tanaka spent several years in the soon-to-be-defunct Battlarts promotion in Japan, so he's very versed in the shoot/pro style of wrestling. He wrestled a few matches for New Japan in 1999, and was invited to compete in that year's Best of the Super Juniors Tourney. He teamed with Koji Kanemoto to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Titles from Shinjiro Otani & Tatsuhito Takaiwa on 6/25/00, ending their nearly year long reign. If that weren't enough, he went on to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title from Takaiwa on 10/9/00, becoming the first wrestler to hold both titles simultaneously (and all this during his first year with New Japan). NJPW quickly signed him away from Battlarts in January of this year.

Now that we're caught up, here's Tanaka's run during the voting period:

  • Tanaka and Kanemoto held onto their tag belts until 3/5, when Koji injured his shoulder in a match against Jushin Liger and El Samurai, allowing the veteran team to win the straps. Koji and Minoru had reigned for 8_ months.

  • Scored his first win over Liger on 3/17, making him tap to a cross armbreaker.

  • Bested Kendo Ka Shin in a battle for technical supremacy on 5/5.

  • Competing in this year's Best of the Super Juniors tournament, beating Dr. Wagner Jr., Super Shocker, Katsuyori Shibata, and Shinya Makabe (and dropping a match to AKIRA). He made it to the finals, but lost to Liger in a 25+ minute match (the general consensus was that Liger put himself over to build heat for a rematch where Tanaka would go over. For whatever reason, that match never happened).

    Hell of a year so far, no? Well, things got a little goofy from here on:

  • Tanaka drops a PPV match to All-Japan's Masahito Kakihara on 6/6 as part of the All-Japan/New Japan 5-on-5 series. This was odd, because Tanaka was still the Junior Heavyweight Champion, and it didn't make a lot of sense to job your champion to someone that doesn't have a title of any kind.

  • Whoops, Tanaka's 9_ month Jr. Heavyweight title reign comes to an end at the hands of the debuting Masayuki Naruse.

  • Replaced Takashi Iizuka in the G1 Climax, but has little luck against Heavyweights and finishes at the bottom of his group.

  • Taps out in a whopping 74 seconds to Kendo Ka Shin on the 9/16 PPV. Tanaka was basically served as fodder to build up Ka Shin, who soon trounced Naruse in 26 seconds to win the belt.

  • But Tanaka made a comeback on the 10/28 PPV, beating Kakihara (now a New Japan wrestler) and avenging his PPV loss earlier in the year.

    Total Year in Review:

    Nov 17: Tanaka & Koji Kanemoto beat Kendo Ka Shin & El Samurai (14:05) when Tanaka used a cross armbreaker on Samurai.

    Nov 18: Jushin Thunder Liger, El Samurai & Kid Romeo beat Tanaka, Koji Kanemoto & Shinya Makabe (15:10) when Liger used a brainbuster on Makabe.

    Nov 19: Tanaka & Koji Kanemoto beat Kendo Ka Shin & Kid Romeo (13:31) when Kanemoto used a Tiger suplex hold on Romeo. Nov 22: Tanaka beats Kid Romeo (7:55) with a cross knee scissors hold.

    Nov 23: Jushin Thunder Liger, Kendo Ka Shin & El Samurai beat Tanaka, Koji Kanemoto & Kid Romeo (14:58) when Liger used a brainbuster on Romeo. Nov 24: Tanaka & Koji Kanemoto beat Tatsuhito Takaiwa & El Samurai (13:13) when Tanaka used the Minoru Special on Takaiwa.

    Nov 26: Osamu Nishimura & Wataru Inoue beat Tanaka & Katsuyori Shibata (11:53) when Nishimura used a Cobra Twist on Shibata.

    Nov 27: Tanaka & Koji Kanemoto beat El Samurai & Kid Romeo (13:51) when Tanaka used the Minoru Special on Samurai.

    Nov 28: Jushin Thunder Liger, Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Kendo Ka Shin beat Tanaka, Koji Kanemoto & Shinya Makabe (11:34) when Takaiwa used a powerbomb on Makabe. Nov 30: Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Kendo Ka Shin & El Samurai beat Tanaka, Koji Kanemoto & Shinya Makabe (14:01) when Ka Shin used a cross armbreaker on Tanaka.

    Dec 1: Jushin Thunder Liger, Kendo Ka Shin & Shinya Makabe beat Tanaka, Koji Kanemoto & Kid Romeo (15:34) when Makabe used a German suplex hold on Romeo.

    Dec 2: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Titles: Tanaka & Koji Kanemoto (c) beat Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Kendo Ka Shin (19:06) when Kanemoto used a cross knee scissors hold on Takaiwa (2nd defense). Dec 10: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Tanaka (c) beats AKIRA (17:09) with a cross knee scissors hold (1st defense).

    Dec 14: Jushin Thunder Liger, Tanaka & Shinya Makabe beat Super Delfin , Takehiro Murahama & Tsubasa (16:46) when Tanaka used a cross armbreaker on Tsubasa. Dec 23: Tanaka & Koji Kanemoto beat Katsuyori Shibata & Wataru Inoue (15:33) when Kanemoto used an ankle lock on Inoue.

    Jan 4: Tanaka & Koji Kanemoto beat Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Shinya Makabe (18:02) when Kanemoto used a heel hold on Makabe

    Jan 19: El Samurai & Kendo Ka Shin beat Tanaka & Koji Kanemoto (15:15) when Samurai used an avalanche-style reverse DDT on Kanemoto.

    Jan 31: Kendo Ka Shin, Dr. Wagner Jr. & SIlver King beat Tanaka, Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Koji Kanemoto (17:48) when Ka Shin used a cross armbreaker on Tanaka.

    Feb 3: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Titles: Tanaka & Koji Kanemoto (c) beat Dr. Wagner Jr. & Silver King (19:55) when Kanemoto used a moonsault press on King (3rd defense).

    Feb 4: Tanaka, Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Shinya Makabe beat Kendo Ka Shin, Dr. Wagner Jr. & Silver King (12:34) when Tanaka used the Minoru Special on King.

    Feb 7: Tanaka, Koji Kanemoto & Tatsuhito Takaiwa beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Kendo Ka Shin & Dr. Wagner Jr. (14:23) when Takaiwa used a Death Valley Bomb on Wagner.

    Feb 8: Dr. Wagner Jr. & Silver King beat Tanaka & Tatsuhito Takaiwa (11:29) when King used three moonsault presses on Takaiwa.

    Feb 9: El Samurai & Shinya Makabe beat Tanaka & Katsuyori Shibata (15:58) when Samurai used the Samurai bomb on Shibata.

    Feb 11: Super Delfin , Takehiro Murahama & Tsubasa beat Tanaka, El Samurai & Shinya Makabe (15:37) when Delfin used the Osaka Stunner on Samurai.

    Feb 12: Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Kendo Ka Shin beat Tanaka & Koji Kanemoto (12:06) when Ka Shin used a cross armbreaker on Tanaka

    Feb 14: Tanaka, Koji Kanemoto & Tatsuhito Takaiwa beat Dr. Wagner Jr., Kendo Ka Shin & El Samurai (18:38) when Takaiwa used a Death Valley Bomb on Samurai.

    Feb 15: Tanaka & Jushin Thunder Liger beat Dr. Wagner Jr. & Silver King (13:10) when Tanaka used the Minoru Special on Wagner.

    Feb 17: El Samurai, Dr. Wagner Jr. & Silver King beat Tanaka, Koji Kanemoto & Tatsuhito Takaiwa (13:50) when King used a moonsault press on Takaiwa.

    Feb 18: Tanaka, Koji Kanemoto & Tatsuhito Takaiwa beat El Samurai, Dr. Wagner Jr. & Silver King (14:55) when Kanemoto used a moonsault press on Wagner.

    March 3: Jushin Thunder Liger, Kendo Ka Shin & El Samurai beat Tanaka, Koji Kanemoto & Negro Casas (13:27) when Samurai used the Samurai bomb on Casas.

    March 4: Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai beat Tanaka & Negro Casas (6:52) when Samurai used a chickenwing armlock on Tanaka.

    March 6: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Titles: Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai beat Tanaka & Koji Kanemoto (c) (8:17) by doctor stop (Liger beat Kanemoto) to become the 6th champions

    March 8: Tanaka & Kendo Ka Shin beat Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai (10:58) when Tanaka used the Minoru Special on Samurai

    March 9: Tanaka & Negro Casas beat El Samurai & Kendo Ka Shin (11:40) when Tanaka used a double-arm suplex hold on Ka Shin.

    March 10: Tanaka & Kendo Ka Shin beat Jushin Thunder Liger & Katsuyori Shibata (10:11) when Ka Shin used a cross armbreaker on Shibata.

    March 11: Tanaka, Kendo Ka Shin & Negro Casas beat Jushin Thunder Liger, El Samurai & Shinya Makabe (12:35) when Tanaka used a cross armbreaker on Samurai.

    March 13: Jushin Liger & El Samurai beat Tanaka & Kendo Ka Shin (11:40) when Liger used a brainbuster on Ka Shin.

    March 14: Tanaka, Kendo Ka Shin & Negro Casas beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Katsuyori Shibata & Wataru Inoue (14:03) when Tanaka used a cross knee scissors hold on Inoue.

    March 15: Tanaka & Kendo Ka Shin beat El Samurai & Negro Casas (13:28) when Ka Shin used a cross armbreaker on Casas.

    March 16: Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai beat Tanaka & Negro Casas (9:29) when Liger used a brainbuster on Casas.

    March 17: Tanaka beats Jushin Thunder Liger (16:01) with a cross armbreaker.

    March 18: Tanaka, Kendo Ka Shin & Negro Casas beat Jushin Thunder Liger, El Samurai & Katsuyori Shibata (12:52) when Casas used a la magistral on Shibata.

    March 19: Tanaka, Kendo Ka Shin & Katsuyori Shibata beat Jushin Thunder Liger, El Samurai & Wataru Inoue (12:07) when Ka Shin used a cross armbreaker on Inoue.

    March 20: Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai beat Tanaka & Kendo Ka Shin (14:46) when Liger used a brainbuster on Ka Shin.

    March 23: Naeba Tag Tournament - Semi Final: Kensuke Sasaki & Tanaka beat Takashi Iizuka & Shinya Makabe (14:14) when Tanaka used the Minoru Special on Makabe.

    March 24: Naeba Tag Tournament - Final: Yuji Nagata & Jushin Thunder Liger beat Kensuke Sasaki & Tanaka (13:35) when Nagata used the Nagata Lock II on Tanaka.

    April 9: Takashi Iizuka beats Tanaka (9:37) with a sleeper hold.

    April 14: Tanaka beats Katsuyori Shibata (10:07) with a cross knee scissors hold.

    April 20: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Tanaka (c) beat Takehiro Murahama (15:51) with a cross armbreaker (2nd defense).

    April 26: Tanaka and Shinya Makabe beat El Samurai and Katsushi Takemura (13:26) when Makabe used a German suplex hold on Takemura. April 27: Dr. Wagner Jr. & Silver King beat Tanaka & Kendo Ka Shin (10:34) when Wagner used a Michinoku Driver II on Ka Shin.

    April 28: Kendo Ka Shin, Dr. Wagner Jr. & Silver King beat Tanaka, El Samurai & Shinya Makabe (12:14) when King used a moonsault press on Makabe.

    April 29: Tanaka, Dr. Wagner Jr. & Silver King beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Kendo Ka Shin & Katsuyori Shibata (14:49) when Tanaka pinned Shibata.

    April 30: Tanaka beats Hiroshi Tanahashi (10:56) with a cross knee scissors hold.

    May 2: Jushin Thunder Liger, El Samurai & Kendo Ka Shin beat Tanaka, Dr. Wagner Jr. & Silver King (13:31) when Samurai used a chickenwing armlock on Tanaka.

    May 5: Tanaka beats Kendo Ka Shin (10:18) with a cross armbreaker.

    May 18: Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Tanaka [2] beat Shinya Makabe [0] (16:34) with a cross knee scissors hold.

    May 19: Dr. Wagner Jr. & Chris Candido beat Minoru Tanaka & Jushin Thunder Liger (13:25) when Wagner used a Michinoku Driver II on Tanaka

    May 20: Osamu Nishimura & El Samurai beat Tanaka & Shinya Makabe (10:46) when Nishimura used a Cobra Twist on Makabe.

    May 25: Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Tanaka [4] beats Katsuyori Shibata [0] (6:24) with a crab hold.

    May 26: Jushin Thunder Liger & Chris Candido beat Tanaka & Super Shocker (13:18) when Candido used a Liger bomb on Shocker

    May 27: Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Tanaka [6] beats Super Shocker [4] (12:53) with the Minoru Special.

    May 28: Best of the Super Jr. - Block A: AKIRA [6] beats Tanaka [6] (23:22) with an STF.

    June 1: Best of the Super Jr. - Block B: Tanaka [8] beats Dr. Wagner Jr. [6] (14:45) with a cross knee scissors hold.

    June 2: Tanaka, Jushin Thunder Liger, El Samurai & Gran Naniwa beat Dr. Wagner Jr., Silver King, Super Shocker & Chris Candido (14:41) when Tanaka used a cross knee scissors hold on Candido.

    June 3: Tanaka, Dr. Wagner Jr., Super Shocker, Shinya Makabe & Katsuyori Shibata beat Jushin Thunder Liger, El Samurai, Silver King, Gran Naniwa & Wataru Inoue (13:47) in a 2/3 Falls Match. Tanaka used the Minoru Special on Liger (5:50). Liger used a brainbuster on Tanaka (1:38). Shibata used a German suplex hold on Samurai (6:39).

    June 4: Best of the Super Jr. - Final: Jushin Thunder Liger beats Tanaka (26:12) with a brainbuster to win the tournament.

    June 6: New Japan vs. All Japan: Masahito Kakihara beats Tanaka (6:21) with a cobra clutch Kaki Cutter.

    June 23: Tanaka & Gran Naniwa beat El Samurai & Negro Casas (10:53) when Naniwa used a la magistral on Casas.

    June 24: Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai beat Tanaka & Gran Naniwa (11:22) when Samurai used a chickenwing armlock on Tanaka

    June 28: Hiro Saito, Jado & Gedo beat Tanaka, Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai (16:39) when Gedo used the Gedo clutch on Liger.

    June 29: Tanaka & Gran Naniwa beat El Samurai & Chris Candido (9:59) when Tanaka used a cross armbreaker on Samurai.

    June 30: Tanaka beats Wataru Inoue (9:30) with the Minoru Special.

    July 1: Tanaka, Jushin Thunder Liger & Negro Casas beat Jado, Gedo & Chris Candido (14:28) when Tanaka used a cross armbreaker on Candido.

    July 6: Tanaka & El Samurai beat Negro Casas & Chris Candido (10:41) when Tanaka used a cross knee scissors hold on Casas.

    July 7: Jado & Gedo beat Tanaka & El Samurai (14:14) when Jado used a crossface hold on Samurai.

    July 8: Jado, Gedo & Chris Candido beat Tanaka, Jushin Thunder Liger & Katsuyori Shibata (15:21) when Gedo used a diving body press on Shibata.

    July 11: AKIRA, Jado & Gedo beat Tanaka, Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai (15:50) when AKIRA used a Dragon suplex hold on Tanaka

    July 12: Tanaka & Jushin Thunder Liger beat AKIRA & Hiro Saito (8:22) when Tanaka used a cross armbreaker on AKIRA.

    July 13: Tanaka & El Samurai beat Negro Casas & Chris Candido (9:43) when Tanaka used a cross armbreaker on Candido

    July 15: Tanaka beats Katsushi Takemura (1:14) with a cross armbreaker.

    July16: Tanaka, Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai beat Jado, Gedo & Chris Candido (16:02) when Samurai used a chickenwing armlock on Jado.

    July 20: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Masayuki Naruse beats Tanaka (c) (11:27) with a backhand punch to become the 40th champion.

    Aug 4: G1 Climax - Block A: Tadao Yasuda [2] beats Tanaka [0] (7:35) with a front sleeper.

    Aug 5: G1 Climax - Block A: Tanaka [2] beats Kazunari Murakami [1] (5:10) with a cranking headlock.

    Aug 6: G1 Climax - Block A: Yuji Nagata [3] beats Tanaka [2] (12:39) with the Nagata Lock II.

    Aug 8: G1 Climax - Block A: Tatsumi Fujinami [4] beats Tanaka [2] (8:38) with a Dragon sleeper.

    Aug 10: G1 Climax - Block A: Manabu Nakanishi [6] beats Tanaka [2] (9:47) with an Argentine backbreaker.

    Aug 11: AKIRA, Jado & Gedo beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Tanaka & Wataru Inoue (14:56) when Jado used a crossface hold on Inoue.

    Aug 12: Tanaka & El Samurai beat Masayuki Naruse & Jushin Thunder Liger (11:54) when Samurai used a cranking headlock on Naruse.

    Sep 7: Masayuki Naruse & Tanaka beat El Samurai & Wataru Inoue (14:30) when Naruse used the Crazy Cyclone on Inoue.

    Sep 8: Hiro Saito, Jado & Gedo beat Tanaka, El Samurai & Wataru Inoue (14:26) when Hiro used a senton bomb on Inoue.

    Sep 9: Dr. Wagner Jr. & Silver King beat Tanaka & Gran Naniwa (11:28) when Wagner used a Michinoku Driver II on Naniwa.

    Sep 13: Jado & Gedo beat Tanaka, Dr. Wagner Jr. & Silver King (18:27) when Jado used a crossface hold on King.

    Sep 14: Yuji Nagata, Jushin Thunder Liger & Tanaka beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Jado & Gedo (17:57) when Tanaka used the Minoru Special on Gedo.

    Sep 15: Masayuki Naruse & Tanaka beat El Samurai & Hiroshi Tanahashi (12:39) when Naruse used the Crazy Cyclone on Tanahashi.

    Sep 16: Kendo Ka Shin Return Match: Kendo Ka Shin beats Tanaka (1:14) with an avalanche-style cross armbreaker.

    Sep 19: Kendo Ka Shin & Tanaka beat Masayuki Naruse & El Samurai (10:07) when Ka Shin used a cross armbreaker on Samurai.

    Sep 20: Masayuki Naruse, Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai beat Kendo Ka Shin, Tanaka & Hiroshi Tanahashi (10:32) when Samurai used a chickenwing armlock on Tanahashi.

    Sep 21: Jushin Thunder Liger, Kendo Ka Shin & Tanaka beat Jado, Gedo & AKIRA (15:00) when Tanaka used a jumping cross armbreaker on AKIRA.

    Sep 23: Jushin Thunder Liger & Kendo Ka Shin beat Masayuki Naruse & Tanaka (2:59) when Ka Shin used a jumping cross armbreaker on Naruse.

    Oct 7: Jushin Thunder Liger, Tanaka & El Samurai beat AKIRA, Jado & Gedo (11:18) when Tanaka used the Minoru Special on AKIRA.

    Oct 8: Jushin Thunder Liger, Tanaka & El Samurai beat AKIRA, Jado & Gedo (11:18) when Tanaka used the Minoru Special on AKIRA. Oct 12: Kendo Ka Shin & Tanaka beat Katsuyori Shibata & Wataru Inoue (11:44) when Tanaka used the Minoru Special on Inoue. Oct 13: Kendo Ka Shin, Jushin Thunder Liger & Tanaka beat AKIRA, Jado & Gedo (12:38) when Gedo was DQ'd.

    Oct 17: Jado, Gedo & GOKUDO beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Tanaka & Masayuki Naruse (13:21) when Gedo used the Gedo clutch on Tanaka.

    Oct 18: Tanaka & Masayuki Naruse beat Kendo Ka Shin & Wataru Inoue (10:22) when Tanaka used a cross armbreaker on Inoue. Oct 19: Tanaka, Masayuki Naruse & El Samurai beat Jado, Gedo & GOKUDO (15:29) when Samurai used a cradle on Gedo. Oct 21: Koji Kanemoto, AKIRA, Jado & Gedo beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Tanaka, El Samurai & Katsuyori Shibata (25:58) in an Elimination Match. Gedo used the Gedo clutch on Liger (9:48). AKIRA used a Dragon suplex hold on Samurai (11:23). Shibata used a German suplex hold on Gedo (15:52). Tanaka used a jumping cross armbreaker on AKIRA (21:16). Jado used a crossface hold on Shibata (23:10). Kanemoto used a moonsault press on Tanaka (25:58). Oct 22: Jado, Gedo & GOKUDO beat Kendo Ka Shin, Masayuki Naruse & Tanaka (12:33) when GOKUDO used a cobra clutch on Naruse.

    Oct 23: Tanaka & Masayuki Naruse beat Katsuyori Shibata & Wataru Inoue (10:19) when Naruse used the Crazy Cyclone on Inoue.

    Oct 24: Tanaka, Masayuki Naruse & El Samurai beat Jado, Gedo & GOKUDO (15:44) when Tanaka used a cross knee scissors hold on GOKUDO. Oct 26: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Titles: Jado & Gedo (c) beat Tanaka & El Samurai (20:41) when Jado used a crossface hold on Tanaka (3rd defense). Oct 27: Kendo Ka Shin & Tanaka beat Katsuyori Shibata & Wataru Inoue (8:43) when Tanaka used a cross knee scissors hold on Inoue.

    Oct 28: Tanaka beats Masahito Kakihara (8:33) with a cross armbreaker.

    Phew. Tanaka worked a very rigorous schedule (New Japan works tours, as opposed to the weekly schedule of the WWF), but still had a very high number of quality matches. You no doubt noticed that he worked in countless tag and six man tag matches, which is probably confusing (beat up someone one day, team with them the next), but it says a lot that Tanaka was able to have such great matches working with so many different wrestlers.

    Nominated Categories:

    Best Wrestler: Well, the guy reigned as Jr. Heavyweight champion for a good part of the voting period. He had dozens of good-great matches in a fresh style and helped rejuvenate the New Japan Juniors scene. His recent de-push may hurt his chances, but this really was Tanaka's breakout year.

    Best Tag Team: Koji Kanemoto & Minoru Tanaka. Had a lengthy run as Jr. Heavyweight Tag Champs.

    Best Worker:
    Best Flyer:
    Best Technical Wrestler:     The fact that he was nominated in the above three categories should tell you something about his wrestling skills. Best flyer is a little iffy, but he's a top contender for Best Worker and Best Technical Wrestler.

    Best Move: Tanaka's jujigitame (cross armbreaker to you and me)

    Best Match:
    04/20/01 Takehiro Murahama v. Minoru Tanaka
    06/04/01 Jushin Liger v. Minoru Tanaka

    Best Feud: Jushin Liger v. Minoru Tanaka-let's see, classic story of legend versus rising star, MOTYC's, yup, this sounds good.

    Again, if you haven't seen Tanaka wrestle, you probably won't cast a vote for him. But check him out if you get a chance-he's arguably the best Junior on the planet.

    Ladies (yeah right) and gentlemen, for your consideration...Minoru Tanaka.

    Joe Gagne
    thecubsfan.com

    [Muchas gracias to Stewart's Strong Style Page (http://www.njpw.f2s.com/)].

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