Sasuke (TV series)

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Sasuke (TV series) ---- (more info)

It airs on the Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) between Japanese television drama seasons. Each 3-hour special covers an entire competition, and there have been 21 specials, approximately one new special per season (twice per year), since September 26, 1997. The show is produced by Monster9 and is one of the spin-offs of Muscle Ranking (筋肉番付 Kinniku Banzuke^?), another sports entertainment competition (which currently airs on G4 under the name Unbeatable Banzuke). Until the 10th Competition, Sasuke was broadcast as a special part of the Muscle Ranking series but became an independent program when the Muscle Ranking series was discontinued. The first competition in 1997 was held indoors, marking the only time Sasuke did not take place outside. Competitions generally start in the daytime, and continue, rain or shine or into the darkness, until they are over.

There have been several programs related to Sasuke. Kunoichi, perhaps the most well-known spin off, is a version of Sasuke restricted to female competitors only and consisting of obstacles focused more on balance and speed. There have also been special competitions for children and the elderly.

Through an interview or audition as well as trial rounds to test physical ability, the field of applicants is narrowed to 100 who will be allowed to compete in the 1st Stage. Sasuke consists of four stages of increasing difficulty that the competitors must complete. For the purposes of fairness, in the 18th competition, a 1200-meter run was held before the event. This run determined the competitors' numbers. Each competition is taped prior to the air date and broadcast as a 3-hour show edited for time.

An online game based on the show has been made by G4 in the United States and is available on the network's website.

Participants

One particular point of interest is the broad spectrum of participants. Most are amateur athletes hailing from Japan, although some national television personalities and Olympians from other countries (including the USA, Bulgaria, China, Korea, Australia and Iran) occasionally take part in the competition. Some of the more enthusiastic competitors dress up in costumes, bring props to the starting stage, or show off some of their talents.

Sasuke All-Stars

The Sasuke All-Stars are a group of favored competitors who in many people's eyes possess the greatest opportunities to clear all four stages. This group was supposedly established by the TBS network. The list includes:

Kazuhiko Akiyama -- a 35-year-old massage therapist and former crab diver from Tokoro, Hokkaidō. He is the first competitor to have completed Sasuke, doing so on his third try in the 4th Competition. He has had varying levels of success since, primarily due to failing eyesight. Before becoming a crab fisherman, he was in the Japan Self-Defense Forces where he took up Greco-Roman wrestling. In 2005 his height and weight was recorded at 5 feet, 3 inches and 123 pounds. He made his debut in the 2nd competition where he wore #100 because he holds the Quick Muscle record with 307 push-ups, and between then and the 17th competition, he only missed the 5th. Akiyama announced a retirement from Sasuke after the 17th competition to focus on his fatherhood and work, but then he returned to Sasuke to compete in Sasuke 20, ultimately failing on the First Stage's Halfpipe Attack. As of 2008, Akiyama has completed the First Stage 6 times, the Second Stage 3 times, the Third Stage and the full course once.

Makoto Nagano -- a 36-year-old fisherman living near Kagoshima and the second man to ever complete the course. He spends 300 days a year at sea captaining his ship, the 28th Konpira Maru, where he works as a commercial fisherman as well as trains for the competition. Clips of him training are shown frequently during the broadcast and include him doing sit-ups off the side of the boat, handstands on the top mast, and hanging off a bridge crossing it like the Cliff Hanger obstacle. In 2005 his height and weight were recorded as 5 feet, 3 inches and 134 pounds. He debuted in the 7th competition, where he failed to scale the Warped Wall. After failing to scale the Warped Wall again in the 8th Competition, Nagano made it to the Third Stage's Pipe Slider in the 9th. He failed the Jump Hang in the 10th competition and since then has reached the Third Stage in every competition except the 15th in which he failed on the Metal Spin (Second Stage), the 19th where he failed on the Flying Chute (First Stage), and the 20th where he failed the Downhill Jump (Second Stage). He has reached the Final Stage four times (in the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 17th Competitions), more than any other competitor, and finally completed it in the 17th Competition. His three consecutive Final Stage appearances are a record shared with Akira Omori, who accomplished the feat in the first three competitions. As of 2008, Nagano has completed the First Stage 11 times, the Second Stage 9 times, the Third Stage 4 times, and the full course once. Nagano made his first US appearance at the Chibi-Pa Festival in September of 2008.

^Nagano grabbed the ledge of the third gap instead of the bar; instead of continuing, he admitted his mistake and disqualified himself.

Toshihiro Takeda -- a 33-year-old fire rescue worker from Ibi District, Gifu Prefecture. He has reached a level of fame both in Sasuke and in his career that he became the poster boy for Japan's firefighting recruitment drive for 2006. Takeda always competes in his orange firefighter trousers and a black, blue, or white fire rescue t-shirt. Since his debut in the 5th competition, Takeda has passed the First Stage in all except the 7th Competition where he timed out on the Rope Climb, the 10th Competition where he fell on the Jump Hang, the 19th Competition where he timed out after the Warped Wall, and the 20th Competition where he timed out on the Rope Ladder. He is the only All-Star not to compete in the final stage. He had considered retirement after the 17th competition, but his son convinced him to return to Sasuke. As of 2008, Takeda has completed the First Stage 13 times and the Second Stage 11 times.

Shingo Yamamoto -- a 34-year-old gas station manager from Tokyo, he is the only person to have competed in every Sasuke competition, and the only person to have attempted the first and second version of the Final Stage. During his first attempt in the 3rd Competition he was only about 3 meters short, but his second appearance in the 7th Competition ended almost immediately when he dislocated his shoulder just seconds after beginning the Spider Climb. He usually competes in his gas station uniform shirt and cap (always with Esso/Mobil branding); he has only competed without it twice (1st and 4th competitions). Much note is made of his career and personal successes, including his promotions at the Hasegawa service station, where he started as a gas jockey in the 1st Competition, manager at the 6th, and was announced as a district manager at the 17th; his marriage after the 5th; and the building of his home in Tokyo, complete with a Sasuke training course. Of the 21 tournaments he has entered, he has passed the First Stage 12 times, the Second Stage 10 times, and the Third Stage twice. He is only one of three competitors who have reached the Final Stage more than once.

Bunpei Shiratori -- a 41-year-old health-services government employee from Inba Village, Chiba Prefecture. He is a track and field athlete specializing in the triple jump; he even competes in his track uniform. He debuted in the 9th competition (failing the Warped Wall in the First Stage), but did not compete in the 10th because he wasn't one of the 100 contestants selected. In 2005, his height and weight were recorded as 5 feet, 9 inches and 146 pounds. He reached the Final Stage in the 12th competition, his only time doing so, and timed out on the Rope Climb. In the 14th Competition, he was officially named an All-Star, however he shocked many when he failed the Balance Tank in the Second Stage. During the 15th Competition, Bunpei overcame heat exhaustion to complete the First Stage and advance to the Climbing Bars (Bridge of Destiny) in the Third Stage; temperatures that day were reportedly at 100 degrees Fahrenheit. He is best known for having built a full-sized self-replica model of the course in his backyard known as the Shiratori Shrine, where he trains. He often invites the other Sasuke All-Stars to train there, and even invited the first G4 American Ninja Challenge finalists, Colin Bell and Brett Sims, to his course in 2007. Unfortunately, due to a back injury, Shiratori was unable to compete in Sasuke 20, but did return in Sasuke 21, where he ended up failing the Downhill Jump in the Second Stage. As of 2008, Shiratori completed the First Stage 8 times, the Second Stage 5 times, and the Third Stage once.

Katsumi Yamada -- 43 years old from Harima, Hyōgo Prefecture, he is known as "Mr. Sasuke" and "Mr. Ninja Warrior(US)" . Due to Yamada's success in the earlier competitions, he was once thought to be the most likely to complete the entire course. Yamada, whose profession used to be that of a propane tank delivery driver, debuted in the 1st competition and failed the Hammer Dodge in the 2nd Stage. The only time he reached the Final Stage was in the 3rd Competition, when he timed out just a few inches from the buzzer. In the 6th and 10th Competitions Yamada reached the end of the Pipe Slider only to fail the jump to the final mat. He is particularly notable for his unusual devotion to the Sasuke competition; many times he has sworn to retire from the competition only to resurface again, at one point alienating his family in the process. Despite his frequent claims that he will never compete again, Yamada has only missed the 13th Competition. After failing on the Pipe Slider in the 10th Competition, he never returned to the Third Stage. Since being disqualified in the 12th competition on the Second Stage (for finishing the Second Stage wearing gloves that contestants start with, for safety reasons on the Chain Reaction, but are required to remove before the third obstacle, the Spider Walk), he has never completed the First Stage. Since the factory where he once worked has closed down, he never acquired another full-time job, and spends the rest of his time training. There is a rumor^{citation needed} that Yamada is training his son to compete in upcoming tournaments. As of 2008, Yamada has completed the First Stage 10 times, the Second Stage 4 times (5 if he removed his gloves), and the Third Stage once.

^Although Yamada completed the Second Stage, he was disqualified for wearing gloves on the "Spider Walk" obstacle.

Athletes

Japanese athletes

Several world-class Japanese athletes have competed, with one of the most notable being trampolinist Shunsuke Nagasaki. This 21-year-old is one of the most promising of recent competitors. This skilled trampolinist who is called "Prince of the Trampoline" has won several medals in the Trampoline World Cups²³⁴⁵ and Doha Asian Games⁶. Shunsuke first appeared in the 14th Competition at age 17 and made it to the Second Stage, where after struggling on the Spider Walk he timed out on the Wall Lift. He shares the distinction of being the youngest competitor to reach the Third Stage, which he did at age 18, during the 15th competition (Takayuki Kawashima had also reached the Third Stage at age 18, during the 1st competition). He made it to the Third Stage's Cliff Hanger in both the 15th and 16th tournaments. In the 17th competition, he finally got by the Cliff Hanger obstacle and completed the Third Stage, along with eventual champion Makoto Nagano. Although he timed out on the Final Stage, it was this competition that people really took notice of Nagasaki as a serious contender. In the 18th competition, due to the modifications of the Cliff Hanger, he failed the Third Stage. In the 19th competition, he was eliminated in the First Stage by falling off the Flying Chute; this was his first time failing the First Stage. In 2007 his height and weight was recorded as 5 feet, 8 inches and 152 pounds. Shunsuke did not compete in the 20th SASUKE competition due to his training for the 2008 Olympics (though he was seen training G4TV's American Ninja Challengers on the trampoline a couple of days before the competition). As of 2008, Nagasaki has completed the First Stage 5 times in a row, the Second Stage 4 times, and the Third Stage once.

Shunsuke's younger brother, Takamasa Nagasaki, who is also a trampolinist, made his debut in the 18th competition. Takamasa was the first to reach the Second Stage in that tournament, where ultimately he failed the Salmon Ladder. In the 19th competition, like his brother, he was eliminated by the Flying Chute. In the 20th Competition, he timed out after he completed the Flying Chute.

Two more of Japan's most-recognized athletes are Naoki Iketani and trampolinist Daisuke Nakata, both of whom have reached the Third Stage numerous times, but never the Final Stage. Both Iketani and Nakata are performers on the Muscle Musical traveling show; Shunsuke Nagasaki made a guest appearance on the show with Nakata in 2003, when Shunsuke was only 15. Nakata, known to many as the "King of the Trampoline," has performed at the Olympic Games in the past and made his debut in the 8th competition. He made it to the Third Stage in three consecutive competitions (9-11), although he failed the Globe Grasp obstacle each time. In the 12th competition, he failed the Rolling Log on the First Stage. Then in the 13th, he timed out before he could complete the Second Stage's Wall Lift. Nakata was the victim of a hit-and-run accident in 2004, an incident that severely damaged his hands and wrists. He missed several tournaments due to this injury before coming back in the 16th competition. Due to the weakness in his hands, he failed on the First Stage's Rope Climb (after having difficulty with the Jump Hang) as well as the Third Stage's Arm Rings in the 17th competition. After a 2 year absence, Daisuke Nakata returned to compete on Sasuke in the 21st competition. He cleared the first stage with 4 seconds left, however, due to the weakness in his hands, he was unable to beat the Salmon Ladder. Iketani debuted in the 2nd competition and failed the Spinning Log and first made it to the third Stage in the 4th competition. He recently returned to Sasuke in the 20th competition, his first since the 16th, but failed on the First Stage's Jumping Spider. He also competed in Sasuke 21, however he failed the Flying Chute. Iketani usually starts his run with a back flip.

Iketani's brother, Olympic medal-winning gymnast Yukio Iketani, who had also completed Hand Walk 1 on Kinniku Banzuke, debuted in the 1st Competition and made it to the second stage but failed the Hammer Dodge. He returned in the 20th competition, but he failed on the Log Grip in the first stage.

Japanese cyclist Masaki Inoue, who took the silver medal in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, competed in the 17th competition. He grabbed onto the netting of the First Stage's Jump Hang, but was disqualified when his foot hit the water as he tried to clear the obstacle.

Japanese surfer Kiyomi Inoue is the oldest contestant to ever past the first stage, doing so at age 44 during the 1st competition; however, he then failed the Spider Walk in the 2nd stage.

Gymnast Takayuki Kawashima, who placed sixth in the Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships in 1995, made it to the Final Stage in the 1st Tournament when he was only 18, making him the youngest person to attempt the Final Stage. He made it back to the 3rd Stage in the 4th Tournament, ultimately failing the Cliff Hanger. Recently, he has come back to compete in Sasuke. He returned in the 18th Tournament, but ultimately timed out on the Great Wall. He also competed in the 19th Competition, but his footage was cut from the TBS broadcast. In the 20th Competition, he failed the Halfpipe Attack. In the 21st Competition, he failed the Jumping Spider.

Other Japanese gymnasts, including Hikaru Tanaka and Yoshiaki Hatakeda, have competed on Sasuke. They both competed in the 1995 World Artistics Gymnastics Championships and the 1996 Olympic Games. Hatakeda won a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympic Games. Tanaka was one of two men to make the Final Stage in the 2nd Competition, ultimately timing out on the final Rope Climb; in the 3rd Competition, however, he was defeated in the First Stage by the Rolling Log. Hatakeda competed in the 6th competition and made it to the Third Stage, where he failed on the Cliff Hanger.

Former track star Yoshiyuki Okuyama, who participated in the 1991 World Championships in Athletics - Men's 200 metres, debuted in the 20th Competition, and was one of only three competitors to make the Second Stage. There, he cleared the Salmon Ladder only to fail on the Stick Slider immediately after.

Japanese team handball players have also challenged Sasuke. The most notable competitor is Daisuke Miyazaki, who earned the title of Pro Sportsman No. 1 in 2006 and 2008. He debuted in the 20th competition but failed the Halfpipe Attack in the First Stage. In Sasuke 21, he managed to clear the first two stages and made it all the way to the Devil Steps before failing. In 2008 his height and weight was recorded as 5 feet, 8 inches and 161 pounds. Another handball player, Kenji Toyoda, also competed in the 20th competition but failed on the First Stage's Log Grip.

Underwater hockey player and finswimmer Kosuke Yamaguchi, who participated in the 2006 CMAS Underwater Hockey World Championships in Sheffield, competed three times. In the 12th competition he failed the Rope Climb in the First Stage, in the 13th he made it to the Second Stage but ran out of time on the Wall Lift, and in the 14th he made it to the Third Stage but went out on its first obstacle, the Rumbling Dice.

American athletes

Various American athletes, including gymnasts (and twin brothers) Paul and Morgan Hamm, have competed in Sasuke. Paul Hamm made it to the second stage in the 14th and 16th competitions but failed to make it further (in the 14th he cleared the Wall Lift but forgot to hit the button at the end before time ran out, and in the 16th he was eliminated by the Metal Spin). He competed in the 15th competition also, but failed to make it past the First Stage's Warped Wall. Morgan timed out in the First Stage before he could attempt the Rope Climb in the 14th competition, but he did make it to the Third Stage in the 15th, failing there on the Curtain Cling. After that, he failed the First Stage's Warped Wall in the 16th.

Decathlete Paul Terek competed twice on Sasuke. He first appeared in the 17th competition, making it to the Third Stage before failing on the Cliff Hanger. After earning the title of Pro Sportsman No. 1 in 2007, Terek came back to compete in the 19th competition, but failed on the First Stage's Jumping Spider. He helped G4 oversee the 2nd American Ninja Challenge competition in early 2008, but he did not compete in Sasuke's 20th competition due to his training for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing (though he eventually had to drop out of the running for the Olympics after suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee).

Bulgarian athletes

Bulgarian gymnast and five-time Olympian (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008) Jordan Jovtchev first competed in the 8th competition, and is the only known competitor to pass the first stage with a time of 0.00 seconds. During that competition he reached the Final Stage, but became the first and only competitor to suffer a 15-second timeout on the initial Spider Climb portion, falling when it spread apart. It might be noted that it was raining during this attempt. He also started 2 seconds late, resulting in further disadvantages. He then made the Third Stage three more times (competitions 12, 14, 16), failing the Cliff Hanger each time. He had also competed in the 15th competition, but failed on the Warped Wall in the First Stage. He later came back to compete in Sasuke 20, but failed the Warped Wall again.

Korean athletes

South Korean gymnast Yeo Hong Chul, silver medalist on the men's vault at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, competed in three competitions, but has never gotten past the First Stage. In the 7th competition, he was unable to beat the Rolling Log; in the 8th he failed on the Quintuple Step, and then in the 11th, he timed out on the Warped Wall.

Spanish athletes

Spanish gymnast Gervasio Deferr (2000 and 2004 Olympic Champion on the vault and 2008 silver medalist on the floor exercise) competed in the 10th Competition, but timed out just a few feet from the buzzer on the First Stage's Rope Climb.

Mixed martial artists and wrestlers

K-1 mixed martial artist Genki Sudo (6th, 12th and 13th tournament) has also competed. He only made it as far as the Jump Hang though. Fellow mixed martial artist Sanae Kikuta competed in the Eighth and Tenth tournaments but fell off of the Rolling Log in the first stage. Then he competed in the Twelfth tournament and fell on the Plank Bridge in the First Stage. Other K-1 fighters who have competed include TATSUJI (19th competition, failed the Jumping Spider), Yudai (20th competition, failed the Sextuple Step), Andy Ologun (18th competition, failed on the Rope Glider; 20th Competition, failed on the Log Grip), and Bernard Ackah (19th competition, failed on the Jumping Spider).

Japanese entertainers

Several Japanese or Japan-based entertainers have taken part in Sasuke such as action movie star Kane Kosugi and his brother, Shane--sons of Sho Kosugi. Shane timed out on the Second Stage's Wall Lift in the 2nd competition, then failed the First Stage's Rolling Log in the 3rd Competition. In the 4th he came close to completing the First Stage but timed out on the Rope Climb. He then made the Third Stage twice (6th and 7th competitions, failing both times on the Body Prop), but then shocked everyone in the 8th competition when he failed to get past the First Stage's Warped Wall. Kane made the Third Stage in the 1st, 4th and 6th Competitions, failing on the Pillar Path, Cliff Hanger and Body Prop, respectively. In the 7th competition he made the Second Stage but failed on the Spider Walk. He finally reached the Final Stage in the 8th Competition (and alongside Jordan Jovtchev, was the first foreigner to make it that far). That day, heavy rains were falling on Midoriyama, and Kane timed out on the rope climb; he has not competed since. Shane competed one more time without his brother, in the 9th Competition, but failed the Big Boulder in the First Stage.

Other entertainers include Hiromichi Sato, host of several NHK children's programs, as well as Shigeyuki Nakamura (who was a champion of the Muscle Gym event in Kinniku Banzuke), actor-singer Kazumi Morohoshi (a former member of the band Hikaru Genji; now a solo artist), actor/announcer Kenjirō Ishimaru and actors Masaki Nomura and Shōei. Nakamura made it to the third stage in the 2nd competition, failing there on the Pipe Slider, but in the 6th competition he was eliminated by the First Stage's Jump Hang. Ishimaru has never made it past the First Stage, and his two closest chances had him timing out on the Rope Climb in the 16th and 17th competitions; Shōei made it to the Third Stage during the 8th competition, ultimately failing on the Body Prop. Sato debuted in the 18th Tournament and failed on the First Stage obstacle, the Flying Chute. In the 19th Tournament, he failed the Log Grip, in the 20th Competition he timed out before he attempted the Tarzan Rope and in the 21st Competition he timed out on the Warped Wall. Morohoshi debuted in the 20th tournament, but failed on the Log Grip in the First Stage.

Japanese comedians

Several Japanese comedians have taken part in Sasuke. Some of them include Akira Omori ("The Monkey"), Koriki Choshu ("the most famous gut in Japan"), Passion Yara ("screaming wacko"), Masaki Sumitani ("Razor Ramon H.G." or Hard Gay), Yoku Hata ("Guitar Samurai"), Tetsurō Degawa, and Kinnikun Nakayama. While most of these are mainly for entertainment value and do not represent serious challenges (for example, Choshu's only accomplishment was being the first person to clear the Rope Glider in the 18th competition), some have seen success. Most notably, Omori made it to the Final Stage three times in a row (1st-3rd competitions, but since then has not been able to clear the First Stage failing on the Rolling Log and the Jump Hang twice), and Nakayama made it to the Second Stage in the 9th and 11th competitions; in the 9th, Nakayama failed the Spider Walk, and in the 11th, he just missed hitting the Second Stage's final button by a split-second. He has also struggled to pass the First Stage as well. In the 8th Competition, he failed on the Warped Wall, in the 10th Competition, He failed on the Tarzan Jump, in the 12th Competition, he failed the Rope Climb and in the 13th he failed the Cross Bridge. Kinnikun's last tournament was the 15th, where he failed the Warped Wall again. In 2003 Nakayama's height and weight was recorded as 5 feet, 9 inches and 161 pounds.

Other notable competitors

Some other participants notable for their success in Sasuke - not really fitting into any notable category - include Shinji Kobayashi, a 36-year-old garbage man from Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, who has competed nine times and made it to the Third Stage in the 11th Competition (failing there on the Pipe Slider) as well as the 14th (where he failed on the Devil's Swing). In the 15th tournament he failed the First Stage's Crooked Wall, and then in the 16th he was one of 16 contestants who made the Second Stage, but was also one of several contestants who was eliminated by the Metal Spin. Since his debut in the 11th Tournament, he has only missed the 17th Tournament. However, much of his footage has been cut from the TBS broadcast. He was shown in Sasuke 20 and wore #1985, but failed on the Jumping Spider in the first stage. In 2005 Kobayashi's height and weight was recorded as 5 feet, 5 inches and 132 pounds. He usually competes in a blue or gray garbage man's uniform.

Former elementary school teacher Hiroyuki Asaoka, previously known as the "Sasuke Sensei" (in America: "Professor Ninja Warrior", in the UK: "The Professor"), has also competed in several tournaments. He first competed in the 3rd competition, failing the Second Stage's Hammer Dodge. Asaoka was also one of the three men to have reached the Final Stage in the 12th competition, failing on the Rope Climb. He also reached the Third Stage in the 4th, 10th, and 14th competitions. He also cleared the first stage in the 11th Tournament but then stunned the crowd when he failed on the Second Stage's first obstacle, the Chain Reaction. In the 15th Tournament, which was his last, he failed the First Stage's Rope Climb. Currently, Asaoka works on his career as an illustrator for graphic novels.

Kenji Takahashi, a 31-year-old delivery man from Saitama Prefecture, has only competed six times, with a 5-year break between his first and second attempt (7th competition to 16th competition, respectively); he has reached the third stage on each attempt except his 4th attempt (where he failed the First Stage's Jumping Spider in the 19th tournament) his 5th attempt (where he failed the First Stage's Flying Chute in the 20th tournament) and his 6th attempt (where he failed the First Stage's Jumping Spider in the 21st tournament). Takahashi was one of three competitors to reach the third stage in the 18th competition, ultimately failing on the redesigned Cliff Hanger.

American Navy salvage diver Travis Schraeder made his debut in the 4th competition, and impressed many by making it all the way to the Third Stage. There, he reached the Pipe Slider, but unfortunately pushed it too hard to the point that it fell off its tracks, thereby disqualifying Schraeder. He did earn the distinction of being the first American competitor (not counting Kane Kosugi since he's half Japanese) to reach the Third Stage. In the 5th competition, he stunned many when he ran out of time on the First Stage's Rope Climb (this could be attributed to the fact that he was tangled in the Jump Hang for a good portion of the time). These were his only two appearances.

Schraeder's partner, Kevin Lee, competed in the 6th competition but failed on the Jump Hang.

Another notable competitor is Tomihiro Tatsukawa, aka the Japanese "Clark Kent." He is an insurance salesman who usually dressed like Superman. He competed in the first ten tournaments and never cleared the first stage, getting as far as the Jump Hang. Tatsukawa has also competed on Kinniku Banzuke's Daruma 7 event, but failed it after knocking out the first three blocks. He is No. 4 on the G4 Wardrobe Malfunction poll.

A dancer named Goku has also competed in many of the earlier competitions. He is commonly seen for the fact he takes off almost all his clothes except for a white old-fashioned thong before he begins. He has never made it past the first stage. The furthest he has made it is the Warped Wall. In the G4 Broadcast of the 12th competition, he was honored on the "Warrior Wipeout" for his failure on the Jump Hang, but was mislisted as Sou Takei (who also failed on the same obstacle.) Goku has been listed No. 5 on the Wardrobe Malfunction poll on G4.

60-year-old Minoru Kuramochi a.k.a the Octopus (as he usually brings an octopus with him every time), who is the owner of the Edokko Izakaya octopus bar in Tokyo, is one of the oldest competitors. He has competed several times, but never made it very far into the first stage (the furthest he has gone was the Pole Maze in the 19th competition). Despite this, he seems to be a fan favorite. In the 20th Competition's preview special, he welcomed the G4 American Ninja Challengers to his bar, served them his special octopus meal, and showed off to them his physical skills. Kuramochi also competed on Viking where he made it as far as the Math Parley in the 1st Marine Stage. He also made an appearance on Family Viking, making it into the 2nd Adventure Stage making him the oldest person to do so.

45-year-old Masami Harashima, a businessman who is also an avid hang glider (earning him the nicknames "Hang Glider Man" and "The Butterfly"), has also competed several times, but has never made it far into the first stage. The furthest he made was reaching the Bridge of Blades in the 16th tournament. He appears to be good friends with Kuramochi.

51-year-old Yasuo Aoki, a 3-D artist and sculptor, has also competed in several tournaments. He always wears a helmet and protection pads but never makes it past the first obstacle of the first stage (In Viking, he made it as far as the secnond obstacle). He usually brings a sculpture or two to the start. However, due to his weak stature (in 2005 his height and weight was recorded at just 5 feet and 82 pounds), he's never made it to that obstacle that he made a sculpture of. (In the 19th competition, he brought in a sculpture of the Barrel Climb, an obstacle from the first 7 competitions.)

Hiromitsu Takahashi, a former ballet dancer, always competes in nothing but a black thong or a black dance outfit. Though he has competed in several competitions, he has never made it past the first stage. The furthest he has progressed is the Warped Wall. Prior to the 12th competition, he vowed never to compete again if he didn't complete the first stage; he went out on the Warped Wall. However, he returned for the 20th and 21st tournaments, failing the Halfpipe Attack both times. He has, made it as far as the 2nd Adventure Stage in Viking twice, both in 2005. However, he failed on two obstacles of that stage; the first time, he failed the Galleon, while the second time he failed the Rope Maze.

Kazuhiko Akiyama's brother, scallop fisherman Kimihiro Akiyama, competed in the 11th Competition but failed the newly redesigned Balance Bridge in the First Stage.

Toyohisa Ijima, a martial arts dance instructor and former member of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, competed in the first several tournaments. He was known as the "Japanese Bruce Lee" because of not only his resemblance to the late action star, but because he also dressed and acted like him. He has only made it past the first stage in the 1st tournament; the 11th tournament was his closest chance to defeat the First Stage once more, but unfortunately he just missed hitting the final button on the Rope Climb by a split second because he wasted so much time posing for the crowd after completing each obstacle.

Hibari Igano, a transsexual who is a former dancer-turned-action star usually referred to as simply Hibari and known as the "World's Toughest Transsexual," also competed in several tournaments in the earlier years. She never made it past the first stage though; the farthest she has made it was the Warped Wall (at least twice). She is number two on G4's Wardrobe Malfunction poll for her appearance in the 7th competition.

The youngest competitor to pass the 1st Stage, Kota Honma, was 16 years old during the 17th Competition. He was also the youngest to participate in Sasuke at 13 years old in the 13th Competition. Kota has built a model of the full Sasuke course from numerous tournaments including a qualifying round. He has also demonstrated his hobby of juggling on the First Stage starting platform. Before the 17th Competition, Kota trained six days per week with his school's track and field team. Kota Honma returned in the 20th Competition, but failed the Pole Maze when he made it to the other side and tried to land on the platform but slid down the pole and into the water.

Tien Dinh, a background dancer for Ashanti who appeared on the Soul Train Music Awards, competed on SASUKE in 2004.

Ken Yasuda, coach of the Tokyo Sabres of the IFL, competed in the fifth and thirteenth tournaments, fell off the Rolling log and took the log with him into the water both times.

Koji Yamada (not related to Katsumi Yamada) is a 34-year-old fireman from the Gifu Prefecture (like Toshihiro Takeda) with just three percent body fat. In his debut in the 12th Competition, he wore No.1 and became the first and only person to wear that number and make it to the third stage, (however, he's the second No.1 to make it to the second stage). In that competition, he made it all the way to the third stage obstacle, the Cliffhanger, before failing. In the 13th Competition, he failed on the redesigned Jump Hang and in the 14th Competition, he timed out on the Warped Wall. He made it to the third stage in the 15th and 16th competitions failing the Jumping Bars and the Pipe Slider, respectively. In the 17th Competition, he failed the second stage obstacle, the Metal Spin. He was also one of the only two competitors to pass the first stage of the 19th competition, ultimately timing out on the Salmon Ladder. Like Takeda, Yamada competes in a pair of orange firefighter trousers, but unlike Takeda, he competes shirtless, presumably to show off his muscular upper body. Also, Takeda is from Ibi in Gifu Prefecture, while Yamada comes from Gujō in Gifu. Note: While he is originally named Koji, G4TV dubs his first name as Yasushi possibly to avoid confusion with Katsumi Yamada (think about their initials) or just because of translation issues.

Yuji Washimi, a 31-year-old who is a former international motocross star-turned-mechanic, first appeared on Sasuke in the 17th competition as its top qualifier. In this attempt, he failed on the Warped Wall, but in the next two tournaments (18th and 19th competitions), he advanced to the second stage, but failed on the Salmon Ladder both times. After failing the Salmon Ladder in the 18th competition, it was shown that Washimi built one at his home to practice on, hoping to get past the real obstacle in the 19th competition (to no avail, ultimately). Besides Koji Yamada, Washimi was the last man standing in the 19th competition. Washimi usually competes in his mechanic uniform (the only time he competed without it was during his debut in the 17th competition). In 2008, Washimi's height and weight was recorded as 5 feet and 130 pounds. In the 20th Competition, Washimi failed the Halfpipe Attack.

Tomokazu Tanaka is the show's very first competitor. He put on an impressive run but had trouble at the Wicked Wall/Hill Climb and ran out of time at the Subduction Zone/Mountain Climb.

Women in Sasuke

The only woman to have completed the 1st Stage is former Super Sentai stuntwoman Chie Nishimura,⁷ who did so in the 2nd Competition; she attempted to do the Second Stage's Spider Walk in a very unoptimal fashion resembling the proper method of the later obstacle, the Third Stage's Body Prop. Consequently, she failed the Spider Walk. It was noted that this was because her legs were too short to reach across as is normal for the Spider Walk. She also competed in Sasuke 3 and wore #93, but she failed the Rolling Log. She hasn't competed in Sasuke since.

Masami Yusa (G4 mislists her first name a "Miyabi"), a beach flag champion, has competed 7 times in Sasuke. She debuted in Sasuke 6 but failed the Barrel Climb. In Sasuke 7, she failed the Jump Hang while in Sasuke 8, she failed the Quintuple Step. She continued to struggle in the 1st Stage, failing the Jump Hang and the Rolling Log in Sasuke 10 and 11, respectively. In the Sasuke 13 trials, she became the first woman to ever beat the Jump Hang. During the actual competition, she was able to grab on to the redesigned Jump Hang but she misjudged her jump, slammed into the platform, and fell into the water. She got her revenge however in Sasuke 14. She became the first woman to beat the Jump Hang and the Crooked Wall in competition, but she ultimately timed out on the Warped Wall.

Mika Izumi, jazz dance instructor and Kunoichi 3 finalist, has competed twice on Sasuke. She first competed in Sasuke 12, but failed the Jump Hang. During the Sasuke 13 trials, she became only the second woman to beat the Jump Hang. In fact, she was able to beat the Warped Wall before timing out, making her the only woman who has completed the Warped Wall. Unfortunately during the actual competition, she shocked many when she failed the Prism Tilt.

Two time Kunoichi finalist Yuko Mizuno has competed 6 times on Sasuke. She first debuted in Sasuke 8, where she failed the Quintuple Step. She also failed the first obstacle in Sasuke 13, the Prism Tilt. The Rolling Log and Jump Hang have given her the most trouble, as she has failed both those obstacles twice. She failed the Rolling Log in Sasuke 9 and 11 and the Jump Hang in Sasuke 10 and 14.

Other Kunoichi competitors to appear on Sasuke include Olympian Miho Yamada and three time Kunoichi champion Ayako Miyake. Yamada has competed one time (Sasuke 12), where she failed the Jump Hang. Ayako Miyake did compete in Sasuke 18, as evidenced by her interview for G4's Sasuke 18 preview special, but her run was cut from both the TBS and G4 versions. It is unknown if she has competed more than that.

Charisma model Yuumi Seimiya (who first competed in Kunoichi 7) competed in the 20th and 21st competitions but failed on the Sextuple Step in the First Stage both times.

Since the course re-design in Sasuke 18, American Ninja Challenge 3 winner Luci Romberg has made it the furthest, failing on the Half Pipe Attack.

American Ninja Challenges

In Fall 2007, the G4 network held a contest called the American Ninja Challenge, with the grand prize being a trip to Japan to compete in Sasuke's 19th competition. Ten semifinalist videos were selected on August 3 via internet poll to determine three finalists who would appear on G4's Attack of the Show! on August 28-30 to demonstrate their Ninja Warrior skills. On August 31, Michigan State University student Colin Bell and the runner-up, Greenville, South Carolina native Brett Sims, were both selected, and they became the subjects of an hour-long G4 special on November 14 during G4's Ninja Fest. Ultimately, both Colin and Brett qualified for the course thanks to their impressive physical abilities, but they both failed on the Jumping Spider.

The second contest by G4 wrapped up in March 2008, and it aired as part of G4's Ninjafest 2 on May 18, 2008. Levi "SkyNative" Meeuwenberg from Ann Arbor, Michigan and Brian "NoSole" Orosco of San Francisco, California were both chosen to compete in Sasuke's 20th tournament. Both competitors, listed as freerunners, competed alongside surprise guest Brett Sims (who was given the opportunity to return by G4). Brett failed the First Stage's Warped Wall this time, while Brian failed the Flying Chute. Levi, however, made it to the Third Stage before he ultimately failed on the Cliff Hanger.

The third contest by G4 wrapped up in August 2008, and will air as part of G4's Ninjafest 3 in November. Viewers got to vote for their favorite competitors and the top 3 would be picked and flown directly to Japan to compete in Sasuke's 21st tournament. The 3 winners were freerunner Brian "NoSole" Orosco (who qualified with a different video) of San Francisco, California, gymnast Mark Witmer of Minneapolis, MN, and freerunner & stuntwoman Luci "Steel" Romberg (the first woman to qualify) of Valley Village, CA. These 3 winners will join American Ninja Challenge 2 winner Levi "SkyNative" Meeuwenberg and both hosts from Attack of the Show! Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira and compete in Sasuke 21. In the 21st Sasuke tournament, Luci Romberg failed the the Halfpipe Attack, while Mark Witmer failed the Log Grip. Olivia Munn's run was shown briefly and she failed the Sextuple Step, while Kevin Pereira's run ended after his feet hit the water on the Log Grip. Brian Orosco got his revenge on the Flying Chute and completed Stage 1 with just 0.6 seconds left on the clock. However, he was ultimately brought down by the Second Stage obstacle, the Salmon Ladder. Levi Meeuwenberg cleared Stage 1 with the fastest time with 21.5 seconds left on the clock but similarly failed on the Salmon Ladder, an obstacle he had cleared the tournament before.

Stages and Obstacles

Broadcast

United States

The program can currently be seen in the United States as Ninja Warrior on the G4 channel every weeknight at 6:00 and 9:00 PM EST and every Sunday at 12:30 EST. In each schedule mentioned, two episodes are shown (except the Sunday airings, in which three or four episodes are shown-- though sometimes there are no episodes-- and during the 8:30 airings, where it's a part of G4's new Duty Free TV Block), although Women of Ninja Warrior sometimes airs in its place. ⁸ There have also been occasional marathons of the program on weekends. The play-by-play commentary and interviews with participants are subtitled in English while the introduction, player profiles, and replays have been dubbed by voice actor Dave Wittenberg. Each episode is a 30-minute portion of the Japanese broadcast. Episodes also feature segments such as "Ninja Killer" (an obstacle from a stage that took out the most contestants in a single episode) and "Warrior Wipeout" (the best wipeout from a Sasuke contestant). As of November 2008, all 21 competitions have been aired.

United Kingdom

The American-edited Ninja Warrior episodes began broadcasting in the United Kingdom on Challenge on October 1, 2007 covering Sasuke competitions 9-17 and Kunoichi 4. These have been re-edited again to remove the subtitles. The on-screen graphics have also slightly changed by the red box in the corner being made smaller for the Challenge logo. The whole show is voiced-over by Stuart Hall. The "Ninja Killer" and "Warrior Wipeout" sections also remain but there is only one advertisement break halfway through the show.

The second UK series began on March 17, 2008, again on Challenge, starting with Kunoichi 5 and 6 (although on 17th March they broadcast the last episode of series one, probably by mistake, instead of a new episode) then covering Sasuke competitions 6-8 and finally showing Kunoichi 1 and 2. Initially they broadcast one episode each day from Monday to Thursday at 7pm with a catch up session on the following Saturday. On 7th April 2008 Challenge started broadcasting two shows each evening Monday to Friday, the first being the expected episode of the second series and the second being a show from series one. The initial showing of series two seems to have ended on 15th April because on 16th April at 7pm they showed part one of Kunoichi 5, thus appearing to have started airing series 2 over again.

An advert aired on November 10th during the 7:30am show of Ninja Warrior advertising new episodes of Ninja Warrior, but did not make a clear date when they start. The advertisement showed many clips from Kunoichi 3 and Ninja Warrior 4-5. No other competetions have yet been confirmed.

Greece

The program can currently be seen in Greece as Sasuke on the Skai TV network every day at 17:30 (GMT+2). The show is voiced-over by Akindynos Gikas and Kostas Papageorgiou.

Results

The following is a list of currently available information of people who managed to reach at least the Third Stage in each competition. (Note: Since no competitor made it to the Third Stage in the 19th competition, that list therefore mentions the two competitors who made it to the Second Stage in that competition.) Under each competition, the results are listed in order of who went the farthest first. Their names are listed along with their number (1-100) from the competition, and the obstacle/stage they failed to complete. In the 10th competition the number system ran from 901-1000 to indicate that 1000 competitors had attempted the First Stage, and then ran from 1901-2000 in the 20th competition to indicate that 2000 competitors had attempted the First Stage. The obstacles used in each competition as well as a description of each obstacle are listed in a separate article. All air dates are of the Japanese broadcast on TBS. If there is two or more compeitors who are failed in a same obstacle, then who made it farthest is higher than the others.

1st Competition

2nd Competition

† Ebihara pushed one side of the pipe harder than the other, causing the pipe to fall off the tracks.

3rd Competition

4th Competition

† - When Schraeder tried to get the pipe across the tracks, he pushed one side harder than the other, causing it to fall off the tracks.

5th Competition

6th Competition

7th Competition

8th Competition

9th Competition

10th Competition

11th Competition

12th Competition

13th Competition

14th Competition

15th Competition

NOTE: In Stage 1 Bunpei Shiratori was the last competitor to go due to the fact he suffered from heat exhaustion.

16th Competition

17th Competition

18th Competition

† - When Nagano crossed the second gap of the Cliff Hanger he grabbed the top of the frame with one hand and gracefully admitted his mistake, disqualifying himself.

19th Competition

20th Competition

21st Competition

Related events

Sasuke executive producer Ushio Higuchi has also co-created Muscle Musical, a live athletic and comedy-oriented performance featuring some Sasuke and Kunoichi competitors (such as Ayako Miyake, Naoki Iketani, and Sayaka Asami), as well as other Japanese athletes and entertainers. Its popularity in Japan and ever-growing popularity in the United States has resulted in it securing a long-term run at the Sahara Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Every January First TBS also airs the Pro Sportsman No.1 competition, also produced by Monster9. Several people who have competed on Sasuke have participated in this competition. It is a series of events contested by celebrities and professional athletes. In 2007 Paul Terek took the title of Pro Sportsman No. 1, and in 2008, Daisuke Miyazaki earned that title.

On Odaiba island, Monster9 has built Muscle Park, an indoor theme park based on events from Sasuke and other Muscle Ranking related programs. Some well-known Sasuke participants such as Katsumi Yamada have made live appearances there. Sasuke champion Makoto Nagano was honored in a celebration where he participated in the ribbon cutting there.¹³ Since April 2007 Monster9 has been airing episodes of Muscle Channel¹⁴, a show to promote Muscle Park and the Muscle Musical as well as people and events related to Sasuke. Muscle Channel usually airs on BS-i on Thursdays from 8:00 to 9:53 JST and is hosted by Hiromichi Sato. Past guests include Katsumi Yamada¹⁵ and Shunsuke Nagasaki¹⁶.

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