#17. Dump Matsumoto and the need for a story villain
From the section "The Story That Saved the Day Japan Edition” of The Sunday Tales.
The Story that Saved the Day is a section of The Sunday Tales that will inspire you through recounting fantastic brand stories. What makes them fantastic? Each of the featured brands were "saved" by implementing storytelling elements and methodologies in their business. Taken from a variety of industries and standpoints, these stories will show you how storytelling is a flexible and adaptable tool that, if used correctly, can produce exciting concepts and incredible achievements.
Along with some storytelling methodologies, I will also list some takeaways and lessons we can learn from each brand story. So get ready to take notes!
I have recently come back from my work-holiday in Japan.
Most of my days there were spent in Kyoto; a city I find beautiful and nostalgic. Wandering through its tiny streets, surrounded by wooden houses and deliciously hidden temples, I am constantly reminded of the kindness and consideration that defines Japanese society. There is an innate sense of order, silence, and cleanliness that brings a deep serenity to everyday life.
However, Japan is also a land of disruption: earthquakes, typhoons, and sudden weather shifts can unsettle everything in an instant, in the same way as a villain can disrupt a smooth story. Perhaps, then, it is the presence of a “villain" that makes life – and stories – feel more valuable and memorable.
I reflected more on the concept of contrast and disruption in stories when I thought about a controversial Japanese wrestler from the 1980s, Dump Matsumoto. As the longtime leader of the Atrocious Alliance stable, her character reshaped the Japanese wrestling landscape forever. I believe there is a lesson to learn from her: not about violence, but the importance of creating experiences that do not always conform to set standards.
Indeed, let's go forth and embrace the so-called "villains" of our worlds!
The Queen of Villains
I hadn’t heard of Dump Matsumoto, until I watched the 2024 Netflix series The Queen of Villains. I really enjoyed this series; especially the way in which the character of Dump Matsumoto was portrayed. She was clever, bold, and innovative; much like the approach she took in the wrestling ring.
The legendary figure of Dump Matsumoto was born in the early 80s and inspired by the Japanese subculture Sukeban (literally, "the delinquent girl"). In the 80s, women’s wrestling in Japan was facing a crucial moment of change. Fighters were more akin to characters, with personalities, catchy names and specific scripts to perform on stage.
At that time, the tag team Crush Girls were the idols of AJW (All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling). These two wrestlers were more like pop idols; balancing beauty, singing careers, and carefully choreographed fights. It is in this context, where sport and entertainment meet, that the villain Dump Matsumoto was born!
Dump Matsumoto. The legendary figure of Dump Matsumoto was born in the early 80s and inspired by the Japanese subculture Sukeban (literally, "the delinquent girl").
Matsumoto’s style of wrestling was unlike anything seen before. It wasn't conventional, or even considered “fair" as the scripts were not respected. This threw her opponents into crises, creating scandals and polarising fans in ways that Japanese wrestling had not previously witnessed. Yet it was clear that Matsumoto offered something fresh: a dramatic story arc with real stakes. Her matches were soon sold out, saving AJW from stagnation, and Matsumoto herself became a legend and a symbol of freedom and rebellion.
Let's see what lessons we can learn from the TV show, and Matsumoto’s character, to improve our work through novelty and surprise!
The Character: a strong arc is everything
In The Queen of Villains, director Osamu Suzuki teases the character arc across five compelling episodes.
We get to know the Kaoru, the face behind Dump Matsumoto, through her passion for wrestling (episode 1), her family issues and the difficult relationship with her father (episode 2), to her struggle to become a fighter (episode 3). It is clear in the series that Dump Matsumoto is the alter-ego of the kinder, nicer Kaoru. The resulting transformation is so compelling that while we might not always agree with her, we’ve also got no choice but to root for her.
The Transformation in 5 episodes: Dump Matsumoto is the alter-ego of the kinder, nicer Kaoru.
There is a lesson to learn for UX designers here, related to the way products and services are presented. They should be treated like characters, with specific characteristic and personalities.
The key thing to remember here is this: if designers don’t define the personality of their product, users will do it for them—sometimes in unintended ways.
Example: Stardust App
Talking about menstruation can be difficult and is often a taboo subject for many women. In different cultures, it may even be viewed as something shameful. Here the Stardust app takes a disruptive approach, by encouraging a more open way to discuss menstruation without shame. The app portrays women's experiences through a lens of humour, whimsy, and science.
Additionally, the app recently introduced a feature that allows users to create a circle of friends within the app, enabling them to build a supportive community of allies experiencing similar phases of the menstrual cycle.
Stardust App: The personality of the app is consistently cheerful, humorous, and whimsical throughout the experience.
Emotions: Create climax and keep users hooked
Every great story has moments of suspense and excitement that make the audience crave more. These moments are collectively referred to as the climax, which usually occurs at the end of the story.
The Queen of Villains, though, introduces its climax right at the start of the first episode – yet cleverly, without giving away Matsumoto’s full story. This intrigue keeps viewers engaged.
The Queen of Villains narrative structure: every episode has moments of suspense that make the audience crave more.
Similarly, the show’s pacing reaches a peak in Episodes 4 and 5, where Matsumoto’s most iconic match – with her childhood friend Chigusa Nagayo, from the tag team Crush Gals – is recreated, delivering on the promise of high-stakes action.
UX designers can learn from this by structuring user experiences with intentional pacing. By designing experiences that build anticipation and deliver satisfying moments, you will keep users engaged for longer.
Examples: Arago and Bike in Portugal landing pages
You may already know that Apple's landing pages and techniques are among the most copied design experiences on the web. Many landing pages use the iconic Apple footprint, like this one for the tech product, Arago, and another promoting the brand Bike in Portugal.
Arago Landing Page: the page creates a slow and engaging way to scroll through the sections.
Bike in Portugal Landing Page: Each section inside the same page is treated as a “new episode” inviting users click further to uncover more.
Both sites use storytelling techniques like foreshadowing, in that the page creates a slow and engaging way to scroll through the sections. This allows the user to discover the features of the specific products.
Each section inside the same page is treated as a “new episode” , inviting users to scroll (as for the Arago product, to discover more features) or click further to uncover more (as for Bike in Portugal, links that open more windows).
Finally, the “binge-watching" effect that is created by introducing the most important and new features at key moments in the experience (if we used the UX Dramaturgy to analyse the experience, they are usually placed between Act 1 and the end of Act 2) tease the main story’s climax; placed at the end of each episode to keep audiences watching.
The Competitors: Every story needs a villain
What made Dump Matsumoto truly iconic was her ability to recognise the need for a strong character that could operate at the same level as Crush Gals. She saw that fans needed someone to hate (or secretly admire!) to make the heroes shine even brighter. Without an antagonist, the Crush Gals’ popularity might have never reached the heights it did.
Soon, the figure of Dump Matsumoto acquired fans who rooted for her, clamoured for her autograph and eagerly bought gadgets (famous examples are her little trousse containing the colours of her make up, stickers and tattoos) and posters.
The iconic match with Chigusa Nagayo (from the TV show “The Queen of Villains”): called “Hair vs Hair,” where the loser, Chigusa Nagayo, had her head shaved before an arena packed with crying teenagers.
Villains exist in the UX world too, but not in the way you might think. Instead of literal characters, villains can take the form of competition. In UX research and audit, a competitor’s weaknesses highlight the standout features of your own products. Understanding what frustrates users about similar products allows designers to create solutions that feel like the ultimate hero!
Example: StockCroc
When I designed the experience for StockCroc’s trading platform, I performed extensive UX research of users’ frustrations with existing similar apps, like eToro and Robinhood.
Among the many issues mentioned by users were the lack of clarity and intuitive interfaces. These weaknesses led everyday traders with not much experience to miss opportunities and lose money (or at least, think they lost money) with disastrous consequences.
For StockCroc, we addressed these issues head-on: by creating a customised trading page to match the knowledge of the trader. As a first-time user, you would be asked to answer a few simple questions to set up your own account.
Then, once you’ve selected your desired stocks, the algorithms would set up the trading platform by automatically entering and exiting trades on your selected stocks, using allocated funds from your account.
StockCroc App: as a first-time user, you would be guided through your first investment.
We also understood that every trader feels "alone" and seeks a sense of belonging. Exactly as seen with Dump Matsumoto, you need a parade of people who root for you! Therefore, we created a strong community of StockCroc adopters – called StockCroccer – who could chat on Telegram.
In this camaraderie-infused environment exchanging suggestions, sharing comments and growing together was easy. To educate the community we also released brochures and little books that could be downloaded and referenced for free.
The lesson here is that by analysing your competitors and identifying what users dislike about them, you can craft an experience that feels like a clear, compelling – and uplifting – alternative.
Last thoughts
Even if you are not a wrestling fan, I advise you to watch The Queen of Villains for the singularity of Dump Matsumoto’s character, and the interesting way the director can make us like and root for a "villain".
You will also understand that Dump Matsumoto’s incredible rise to fame wasn’t just about being different. It was also about understanding some key storytelling elements that I have outlined here: the character arcs, the creation of a hook and the power of contrast.
In the same way, UX designers can reshape digital experiences by embracing these principles of storytelling. After all, sometimes the best way to win is to change the game entirely!
Did you enjoy what you just read? Subscribe to my Sunday Tales Newsletter!
The Sunday Tales is an initiative that was requested by many of the 2000+ students from my Domestika course. They wanted to know more about storytelling, but didn't know where to find the right information.
At the same time, I realised that many storytelling-related elements need to unfold clearly in my mind. Writing about them seemed like the ideal solution. That’s why I would be extremely grateful if you subscribed to this newsletter!
Your support will help Sunday Tales grow, and I hope you will always come away feeling informed and inspired.