Sasuke (TV series): Difference between revisions

*Sasuke*
Sasuke
Genre	Sports Entertainment,; Obstacle Course
Narrated by	Ichiro Furutachi (1997-Fall 2003); Keisuke Hatsuta (2004- ); Wataru Ogasawara (1997- )
Country of origin	Japan
Original languages	Japanese;; English subtitles and dubbed contestant profiles in United States broadcast;; English voice-over in United Kingdom broadcast.
No. of seasons	20
Production
Executive producer	Ushio Higuchi
Producers	Kogake Yoshiyuki; Makoto Fujii
Production locations	Midoriyama, Aoba-ku, Yokohama
Running time	2-hr 53-min specials in Japan,; 30-minute episodes in the United States and France,; 23 minute episodes in the United Kingdom
Original release
Network	Tokyo Broadcasting System
Release	September 26, 1997 –; present
Related
	Kunoichi,; Pro Sportsman No.1,; Viking: The Ultimate Obstacle Course

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Revision as of 12:58, 17 May 2008

Sasuke (サスケ, romanized in Japan as SASUKE) is a Japanese sports entertainment television special that airs on the Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) between Japanese television drama seasons, and consists of a competition in which 100 competitors attempt to complete four obstacle course stages. Each 3-hour special covers an entire competition, and there have been 20 specials, approximately one new special per season, 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). G4 airs Sasuke as Ninja Warrior in the United States. 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 1st Competition in 1997 was held indoors, marking the only time Sasuke did not take place outside. The 20th competition just wrapped up, and it aired on March 26th in Japan on TBS. It will air May 18th in the United States as part of NinjaFest 2 on G4TV.

There have been several programs related to Sasuke. Kunoichi, is a version of Sasuke restricted to female competitors only and consisting of obstacles focused more on balance and speed. There have 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.

Naming Sasuke is presumably borrowed from ninja Sarutobi Sasuke.

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 includes:

Kazuhiko Akiyama -- a 51-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, entering his family business, 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 and 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.

Akiyama's results:

   * 2nd Competition (100) Failed Wall Lift - Second Stage
   * 3rd Competition (99) Failed Wall Lift - Second Stage
   * 4th Competition (86)　Completed Final Stage (6.0 seconds to spare)
   * 5th Competition - did not compete
   * 6th Competition (100) Failed Jump Hang - First Stage
   * 7th Competition (99) Failed Jump Hang - First Stage
   * 8th Competition (99) Failed Jump Hang - First Stage
   * 9th Competition (100) Disqualified on Quintuple Step^ - First Stage
   * 10th Competition (981) Failed Warped Wall - First Stage
   * 11th Competition (99) Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
   * 12th Competition (97) Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
   * 13th Competition (91) Failed Crooked Wall - First Stage
   * 14th Competition (71) Failed Warped Wall - First Stage
   * 15th Competition (81) Failed Warped Wall - First Stage
   * 16th Competition (71) Failed Metal Spin - Second Stage
   * 17th Competition (71) Failed Circle Slider - First Stage
   * 18th Competition - did not compete
   * 19th Competition - did not compete
   * 20th Competition (1901) Failed Halfpipe Attack - First Stage

^After Akiyama completed the obstacle, his foot dipped the water and he was disqualified.

Makoto Nagano -- a 52-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 train 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 10 times, the Second Stage 8 times, the Third Stage 4 times, and the full course once.

Nagano's results:

   * 7th competition (87) - Failed Warped Wall - 1st Stage
   * 8th competition (41) - Failed Warped Wall - 1st Stage
   * 9th competition (61) - Failed Pipe Slider - 3rd Stage
   * 10th competition (999) - Failed Jump Hang - 1st Stage
   * 11th competition (96) - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
   * 12th competition (100) - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage (by 0.11 seconds)
   * 13th competition (100) - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
   * 14th competition (100) - Failed Jumping Bars - 3rd Stage
   * 15th competition (100) - Failed Metal Spin - 2nd Stage
   * 16th competition (100) - Failed Devil's Swing - 3rd Stage
   * 17th competition (99) - Completed Final Stage (2.5 seconds to spare)
   * 18th competition (96) - Disqualified himself on Cliff Hanger^ - 3rd Stage
   * 19th competition (100) - Failed Flying Chute - 1st Stage
   * 20th competition (2000) - Failed Downhill Jump - 2nd Stage

^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 48-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 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 to not 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 12 times and the Second Stage 10 times.

Takeda's results:

   * 5th Competition (74) Failed Spider Walk - Second Stage
   * 6th Competition (93) Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
   * 7th Competition (96) Failed Rope Climb - First Stage
   * 8th Competition (71) Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
   * 9th Competition (97) Failed Globe Grasp - Third Stage
   * 10th Competition (997) Failed Jump Hang - First Stage
   * 11th Competition (97) Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
   * 12th Competition (95) Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
   * 13th Competition (98) Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
   * 14th Competition (97) Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
   * 15th Competition (96) Failed Devil's Swing - Third Stage
   * 16th Competition (98) Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
   * 17th Competition (91) Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
   * 18th Competition (86) Failed Salmon Ladder - Second Stage
   * 19th Competition (96) Failed Warped Wall - First Stage  
   * 20th Competition (1995) Failed Rope Ladder - First Stage

Shingo Yamamoto -- a 49-year-old oil company 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. In the 20 Tournaments he has entered, he has passed the First Stage 12 times, the Second Stage 10 times, and the Third Stage twice. In the 20th competition, he failed the Halfpipe Attack, making it the third tournament in a row where he has failed the First Stage.

Yamamoto's results:

   * 1st Competition (7) Failed Hammer Dodge - Second Stage
   * 2nd Competition (20) Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
   * 3rd Competition (13) Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
   * 4th Competition (98)　Failed Balance Bridge - First Stage
   * 5th Competition (98) Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
   * 6th Competition (96) Failed Rolling Log - First Stage
   * 7th Competition (97) Failed Spider Climb - Final Stage
   * 8th Competition (98) Failed Rope Climb - First Stage
   * 9th Competition (98) Failed Rumbling Dice - Third Stage
   * 10th Competition (998) Failed Rope Climb - First Stage
   * 11th Competition (98) Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
   * 12th Competition (96) Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
   * 13th Competition (76) Failed Wall Lift - Second Stage
   * 14th Competition (98) Failed Curtain Cling - Third Stage
   * 15th Competition (95) Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
   * 16th Competition (97) Disqualified on Jump Hang^ - First Stage
   * 17th Competition (98) Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
   * 18th Competition (61) Failed Flying Chute - First Stage
   * 19th Competition (81) Failed Jumping Spider - First Stage  
   * 20th Competition (1981) Failed Halfpipe Attack - First Stage

^Yamamoto grabbed the netting but his legs slashed the water and he was disqualified.

Bunpei Shiratori -- a 56-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, but did not compete in the 10th because he wasn't one of the 100 (In that competition, the number system ran from 901-1000) contestants selected. In 2005, his height and weight were recorded as 5 feet, 9 inches and 145 pounds. He reached the Final Stage in the 12th competition, his only time doing so, and timed out on the Rope Climb. 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 has built a full-sized model of the course in his backyard known as the Shiratori Shrine, where he trains. He 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. As of 2008, Shiratori completed the First Stage 8 times, the Second Stage 5 times, and the Third Stage once.

Shiratori's esults:

   * 9th Competition (79) Failed Warped Wall - First Stage
   * 10th Competition - did not compete
   * 11th Competition (66) Failed Wall Lift - Second Stage
   * 12th Competition (77) Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
   * 13th Competition (99) Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
   * 14th Competition (96) Failed Balance Tank - Second Stage
   * 15th Competition (94) Failed Climbing Bars - Third Stage
   * 16th Competition (96) Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
   * 17th Competition (81) Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
   * 18th Competition (95) Failed Jumping Spider - First Stage
   * 19th Competition (82) Failed Flying Chute - First Stage
   * 20th Comeptition - did not compete (injured)

Katsumi Yamada -- 59 years old from Harima, Hyōgo Prefecture, he is known as "Mr. Sasuke". Due to Yamada's success in the earlier competitions, he was once thought to be the most likely to complete the entire course. Yamada 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 only once.

Yamada's results:

   * 1st competition (92) - Failed Hammer Dodge - Second Stage
   * 2nd competition (91) - Failed Spider Walk - Second Stage
   * 3rd competition (89) - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
   * 4th competition (100) - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
   * 5th competition (100) - Failed Spider Walk - Second Stage
   * 6th competition (99) - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage 
   * 7th competition (100) - Failed Rope Climb - First Stage
   * 8th competition (100) - Failed Warped Wall - First Stage 
   * 9th competition (99) - Failed Wall Lift - Second Stage 
   * 10th competition (1000) - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
   * 11th competition (100) - Failed Balance Tank - Second Stage 
   * 12th competition (98) - Disqualified on Spider Walk^ - Second Stage
   * 13th competition - did not compete
   * 14th competition (99) - Failed Jump Hang - First Stage
   * 15th competition (99) - Failed Bridge of Blades - First Stage
   * 16th competition (99) - Failed Rope Climb - First Stage
   * 17th competition (100) - Failed Warped Wall - First Stage
   * 18th competition (73) - Failed Rope Ladder - First Stage
   * 19th competition (91) - Failed Jumping Spider - First Stage
   * 20th competition (1999) - Failed Jumping Spider - First Stage

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

Athletes

Many world-class athletes who have attempted Sasuke include American gymnasts (and twin brothers) Paul and Morgan Hamm, American decathlete Paul Terek and Bulgarian gymnast Jordan Jovtchev. Jovtchev reached the Final Stage during the 8th Competition, 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 then made the Third Stage three more times (competitions 12, 14, 16), failing the Cliff Hanger each time. He later returned after a lengthy absence for Sasuke 20, where he failed on the First Stage obstacle, the Warped Wall. 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), and Morgan made it to the third stage in the 15th competition, failing there on the Curtain Cling. Terek made it to the third stage in the 17th competition, failing on the "Cliff Hanger", and returned in the 19th, failing on the first stage on the "Jumping Spider".

Several world-class Japanese athletes have competed, with one of the most notable being trampolinist Shunsuke Nagasaki. This 37-year-old is one of the most promising of recent competitors. This skilled trampolinist who is called "Prince of the Trampoline" is scheduled to perform in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and he has won several medals in the Trampoline World Cups^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5] and Doha Asian Games^[6]. 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). In the 18th competition, due to the modifications in 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, possibly due to his training for the 2008 Olympics. 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 gymnast 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 travelling 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. He debuted in the 8th competition and has only failed the First Stage once (that being in the 12th competition). 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 17th competition; due to the weakness in his hands, he failed on the Third Stage's Arm Rings, and has not competed since then. Iketani debuted in the 2nd competition 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.

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. He returned in the 20th competition, but he failed on the Log Grip in the first stage.

Spanish gymnast Gervasio Deferr competed in the 10th Competition, but timed out just a few feet from the buzzer on the First Stage's Rope Climb.

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.

Other Japanese gymnasts, including Hikaru Tanaka and Yoshiaki Hatakeda, have competed on Sasuke. They both competed in the 1995 World Artistics Gymnastics Championships, and Hatakeda has competed in the Olympic Games in the past (in Barcelona 1992, he won the bronze medal). 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.

Runner 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 easily only to fail on the Stick Slider.

Team handball player Daisuke Miyazaki, who took the title of Pro Sportsman No. 1 in 2006 and 2008, competed in the 20th competition, but failed on the First Stage's Halfpipe Attack.

Underwater hockey player and finswimmer Kosuke Yamaguchi, who participated in the 2006 CMAS Underwater Hockey World Championships in Sheffield, competed in the 13th and 14th competitions. In the 13th he made it to the Second Stage but failed on the Spider Walk, and in the 14th he made it to the Third Stage but went out on its first obstacle, the Rumbling Dice.

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), 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).

Several professional wrestlers have also competed including Tiger Mask IV, The Great Sasuke (referred to as Great Ninja Warrior in the US and UK versions), Minoru Suzuki and Hiroshi Tanahashi. Both Suzuki and Tanahashi were the All Japan Triple Crown champion and IWGP Heavyweight Champion respectively during their runs in the course.

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 made the Third Stage twice (6th and 7th competitions), but 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, and ultimately 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; neither he nor Shane have competed since then. 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/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, and in the 20th Competition he timed out before he attempted the Tarzan Rope.

Japanese comedians

Several Japanese comedians have taken part in Sasuke. Some of them include Akira Omori (aka "The Monkey"), Koriki Choshu (owner of "the most famous gut in Japan"), Masaki Sumitani (AKA Razor Ramon H.G.), Yoku Hata (AKA "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), 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.

Other notable competitors

Some other participants notable for their success in Sasuke include 37-year-old garbage man Shinji Kobayashi, 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.

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. 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 five 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) and his 5th attempt (where he failed the First Stage's Flying Chute in the 20th tournament). Takahashi was one of three competitors to reach the third stage in the 18th competition, ultimately failing on the redesigned Cliff Hanger.

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.

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.

Another notable competitor is Tomihiro Tachikawa, 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.

Sou Takei, a dancer who goes by the stage name of 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.

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 Izakaya octopus bar in Edokko, 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.

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. He usually brings a sculpture or two to the start. However, due to his weak stature, he's never made it to that obstacle that he made a sculpture of (In the 19th competition, he brought in the Barrel Climb, a obstacle in the first 7 competitions).

Hiromitsu Takahashi, a former ballet dancer, always competes in nothing but a black thong. 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. He has, however, once cleared the Marine Stage in Viking in 2005. Takahashi returned to Sasuke for the 20th Tournament, ultimately failing the Halfpipe Attack.

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, a transsexual who is a former dancer-turned-action star 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). In the 7th competition her last name was revealed to be Igano.

Hidenori Nagasawa, a Jaguar mechanic, competed on Sasuke 8 times but only made it past the First Stage once. However, he holds the distinction of being the oldest competitor to pass the First Stage, doing so at age 40 during the 16th 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. Before him, Shunsuke Nagasaki held the record at 17 years old. Kota has built a model of the full 16th Sasuke course. 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 jumped to grab the pole but his feet hit 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 person to wear that number and make it to the second stage. In fact, 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. Note: While he's originally named Koji, G4TV dubs his first name as Yasushi for possible clarification.

Yuji Washimi, a 30-year-old who is a former international motocross star-turned-mechanic, first appeared on Sasuke in the 17th competition as its top qualifier, failing on the Warped Wall, but then he made it to the second stage in the next two tournaments (18th and 19th competitions), 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, he was the only other competitor to pass the first stage in the 19th competition. In the 20th Competition, Washimi failed the Halfpipe 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 Levi Meeuwenberg from Ann Arbor, Michigan and Brian Orosco of San Francisco, California were both chosen. Both competitors, listed as free runners, competed in the 20th competition alongside 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 (and was the only competitor to do so in the entire tournament) before he ultimately failed on the Cliff Hanger. The 20th Competition is scheduled to air on May 18 and is part of G4's second Ninjafest.

Stages

Descriptions of specific obstacles can be found in the section following this one. The time limits are in seconds. (NOTE: In the 18th tournament, a 1.2km cross-country run was used to determine their starting numbers, with the contestants being able to pick their numbers at the end of the race)

First Stage

One hundred participants are given the opportunity to attempt the First Stage, a course which primarily tests one's speed. The object is to hit the buzzer at the end of the course before the allotted time expires. If a competitor goes out of bounds or comes into contact with the water in any of the pits below the course, he is disqualified.

Typically, 85 to 90 of the 100 original entrants are eliminated in this stage. However, in the 4th competition, a record 37 of the original 100 competitors made it past the first stage. After the 4th, and again after the 17th competition, the first stage was thoroughly redesigned to be much more difficult and prevent large numbers of people from moving on. In fact, a G4 special inside the making of the 18th Sasuke competition revealed that the redesign of the first stage for that competition was done with the intention of seeing all 100 challengers fail it. This did not happen, however, and that has only spurred the production team on to make this and all stages to follow even harder.

That goal was almost met in the 19th competition, where much to everyone's surprise, only two competitors cleared the first stage (neither of the two being Sasuke All-Stars), a record in Sasuke history. The only time something similar has happened was in the first Kunoichi, where again, only two competitors cleared the first stage. Executive producer Ushio Higuchi said in interviews later that even he was surprised at the results, anticipating that around 10 to 12 people would survive in spite of the production team's attempts at making the first stage unbeatable.

Comp #	First Stage Obstacles											Time Limit
1	Barrel Climb		Spinning Log		Rapid Descent		Hill Climb		Balance Bridge		Mountain Climb	70.0
2	Barrel Climb		Spinning Log		Rapid Descent		Hill Climb		Balance Bridge		Mountain Climb	60.0
3	Barrel Climb	Rolling Log		Balance Bridge	Rapid Descent		Hill Climb		Rope Climb			60.0
4	Barrel Climb	Rolling Log		Balance Bridge	Rapid Descent		Hill Climb		Rope Climb			60.0
5	Barrel Climb	Rolling Log		Balance Bridge	Jump Hang		Warped Wall		Rope Climb			75.0
6	Barrel Climb	Rolling Log		Balance Bridge	Jump Hang		Warped Wall		Rope Climb			75.0
7	Barrel Climb	Rolling Log		Balance Bridge	Jump Hang		Warped Wall		Rope Climb			75.0
8	Quintuple Step	Rolling Log		Big Boulder	Jump Hang		Warped Wall		Rope Climb			77.0
9	Quintuple Step	Rolling Log		Big Boulder	Jump Hang		Warped Wall		Rope Climb			77.0
10	Quintuple Step	Rolling Log		Dance Bridge	Jump Hang		Warped Wall		Tarzan Jump		Rope Climb	80.0
11	Quintuple Step	Rolling Log		Balance Bridge	Jump Hang		Warped Wall		Tarzan Jump		Rope Climb	85.0
12	Hill Climb ¹	Rolling Log		Plank Bridge	Jump Hang		Warped Wall		Tarzan Jump		Rope Climb	85.0
13	Prism Tilt	Rolling Log		Bridge of Blades	Jump Hang ²		Crooked Wall	Warped Wall	Rope Climb			80.0
14	Cone Jump	Butterfly Wall	Rolling Log	Bridge of Blades	Jump Hang		Crooked Wall	Warped Wall	Rope Climb			103.0
15	Hurdle Jump	Butterfly Wall	Rolling Log	Bridge of Blades	Jump Hang		Crooked Wall	Warped Wall	Rope Climb			95.0
16	Sextuple Step	Rolling Log		Bridge of Blades	Jump Hang	Rope Reverse	Reverse Fly	Warped Wall	Rope Climb			105.0
17	Sextuple Step	Log Slope	Rolling Log	Bridge of Blades	Circle Slider	Jump Hang	Warped Wall		Rope Climb			85.0
18	Rope Glider	Log Grip		Pole Maze	Jumping Spider	Bungee Bridge	Great Wall	Flying Chute	Tarzan Rope	+	Rope Ladder ³	130.0
19	Sextuple Step	Log Grip		Pole Maze	Jumping Spider	Halfpipe Attack	Warped Wall	Flying Chute	Tarzan Rope	+	Rope Ladder ³	115.0
20	Sextuple Step^[8]	Log Grip^[9]		Pole Maze^[10]	Jumping Spider^[11]^[12]	Halfpipe Attack^[13]	Warped Wall^[14]	Flying Chute^[15]	Tarzan Rope^[16]	+	Rope Ladder^[17] ³	120.0

+ - This obstacle is an immediate successor to the previous obstacle, without any way to recuperate between them.

^1 This Hill Climb is completely different from the one that would later become the Warped Wall after the 4th Competition.

^2 Although referred to as the Jump Hang, the obstacle that year consisted of many ropes hanging vertically, completely different from the rope net used in all other competitions.

^3 The Rope Ladder's name and obstacle symbol was not shown in Ninja Warrior's obstacle chart due to lack of room for TV screening. However, the Japanese announcer still calls the last obstacle by its official name.

Second Stage

Those with enough skill to complete stage one then take on an even more gruelling set of obstacles in stage two. Fewer than 200 competitors have ever reached the Second Stage. Like stage one, the obstacles alter throughout the competitions, but all hold to the same principle: if the competitor makes a single mistake they fall into the water below. The obstacles determine the time limit, and it is usually between 50 seconds and 100 seconds.

Unlike the First Stage, which has always required the competitors to hit a buzzer at the end of the course to stop the clock and pass the course, the Second Stage did not have a buzzer at its end until the 8th Competition. Before then, the competitors simply walked through an open gate to stop the clock. From the 8th Competition onward, the buzzer opens the gate. If the competitor busts open the gate without hitting the button, they are disqualified. In addition, the course judges can hold the gates closed if a competitor committed a foul earlier in the Second Stage that would result in their disqualification, such as using the Chain Reaction gloves on the Spider Walk as Mr. "SASUKE" Katsumi Yamada had done in the 12th competition. (See his page for more details.)

On average, 10 to 15 competitors attempt the Second Stage on each competition. A record 37 competitors attempted the Second Stage during the 4th Competition. Also during the 4th Competition, a record 11 competitors cleared the Second Stage. During the 5th Competition, however, only three men made it to the Second Stage due to new, tougher obstacles in the First Stage. In the 19th Competition, neither of the two qualified competitors cleared the circuit (a fall and a timeout on the Salmon Ladder), marking the earliest end of a SASUKE competition.

Comp #	Second Stage Obstacles							Time Limit
1	Spider Walk				Hammer Dodge	Reverse Conveyor Belt	Wall Lift	50.0
2	Spider Walk				Hammer Dodge	Reverse Conveyor Belt	Wall Lift	50.0
3	Spider Walk				Hammer Dodge	Reverse Conveyor Belt	Wall Lift	50.0
4	Spider Walk				Hammer Dodge	Reverse Conveyor Belt	Wall Lift	50.0
5	Tackle Machine	Spider Walk			Hammer Dodge	Reverse Conveyor Belt	Wall Lift	50.0
6	Ledge Walk	Spider Walk			Hammer Dodge	Reverse Conveyor Belt	Wall Lift	50.0
7	Chain Reaction	Brick Climb	Spider Walk		Hammer Dodge	Reverse Conveyor Belt	Wall Lift	90.0
8	Chain Reaction	Brick Climb	Spider Walk		Hammer Dodge	Reverse Conveyor Belt	Wall Lift	100.0
9	Chain Reaction	Brick Climb	Spider Walk		Hammer Dodge	Reverse Conveyor Belt	Wall Lift	80.0
10	Chain Reaction	Brick Climb	Spider Walk		Balance Tank	Reverse Conveyor Belt	Wall Lift	85.0
11	Chain Reaction	Brick Climb	Spider Walk		Balance Tank	Reverse Conveyor Belt	Wall Lift	80.0
12	Chain Reaction	Brick Climb	Spider Walk		Balance Tank	Reverse Conveyor Belt	Wall Lift	70.0
13	Chain Reaction	Brick Climb	Spider Walk		Balance Tank	Reverse Conveyor Belt	Wall Lift	70.0
14	Chain Reaction	Brick Climb	Spider Walk		Balance Tank	Metal Spin	Wall Lift	67.0
15	Chain Reaction	Brick Climb	Spider Walk		Balance Tank	Metal Spin	Wall Lift	65.0
16	Chain Reaction	Brick Climb	Spider Walk		Grip Hang	Metal Spin	Wall Lift	66.0
17	Chain Reaction	Brick Climb	Spider Walk		Balance Tank	Metal Spin	Wall Lift	65.0
18	Downhill Jump	Salmon Ladder	+	Stick Slider	Net Bridge	Metal Spin	Shoulder Walk	95.0
19	Downhill Jump ⁴	Salmon Ladder	+	Stick Slider	Sky Walk	Metal Spin	Wall Lift	80.0
20	Downhill Jump	Salmon Ladder	+	Stick Slider	Swing Ladder	Metal Spin	Wall Lift	90.0

+ - This obstacle is an immediate successor to the previous obstacle, without any way to recuperate between them.

^4 In the 19th competition, this obstacle was referred to as the Super Jump, which may indicate some connection to the super jump from Kunoichi.

Third Stage

The third stage has no time limit, allowing contestants to go at their own pace. Contestants are allowed a few seconds of rest between obstacles during which they can apply "sticky spray" to improve their grip. While the first two stages focus on speed and agility, this course almost exclusively tests one's upper body strength and stamina.

Out of 2,000 overall competitors and less than 200 Second Stage competitors, around 100 have attempted the Third Stage. The Third Stage is so grueling that, on average, someone passes it only every other competition. Only sixteen individuals have ever passed it, and only three have passed it more than once.

Comp #	Third Stage Obstacles
1	Pillar Path	Propeller Bars				Needle Climb
2	Pillar Path	Propeller Bars		Chain Swing		Pipe Slider
3	Super Vault	Propeller Bars		Chain Swing		Pipe Slider
4	Super Vault	Propeller Bars		Arm Bike	Cliff Hanger	Pipe Slider
5	Propeller Bars	Body Prop		Arm Bike	Cliff Hanger	Pipe Slider
6	Propeller Bars	Body Prop		Arm Bike	Cliff Hanger	Pipe Slider
7	Propeller Bars	Body Prop		Arm Bike	Cliff Hanger	Pipe Slider
8	Propeller Bars	Body Prop		Arm Bike	Cliff Hanger	Pipe Slider
9	Rumbling Dice	Body Prop		Globe Grasp	Cliff Hanger	Pipe Slider
10	Rumbling Dice	Body Prop		Globe Grasp	Cliff Hanger	Pipe Slider
11	Rumbling Dice	Body Prop		Globe Grasp	Cliff Hanger	Pipe Slider
12	Rumbling Dice	Body Prop		Globe Grasp	Cliff Hanger	Pipe Slider
13	Rumbling Dice	Body Prop		Curtain Cling	Cliff Hanger	Pipe Slider
14	Rumbling Dice	Body Prop		Curtain Cling	Cliff Hanger	Jumping Bars	+	Climbing Bars ⁵	Devil's Swing		+	Pipe Slider
15	Rumbling Dice	Body Prop		Curtain Cling	Cliff Hanger	Jumping Bars	+	Climbing Bars ⁵	Devil's Swing		+	Pipe Slider
16	Arm Rings	Body Prop		Curtain Cling	Cliff Hanger	Jumping Bars	+	Climbing Bars ⁵	Devil's Swing		+	Pipe Slider
17	Arm Rings	Body Prop		Curtain Cling	Cliff Hanger	Jumping Bars	+	Climbing Bars ⁵	Devil's Swing		+	Pipe Slider
18	Arm Rings	+	Arm Bike	Curtain Swing	Cliff Hanger	Jumping Bars	+	Climbing Bars ⁵	+	Spider Flip	Final Ring
19	Arm Rings	Descending Globe Grasp		Devil Steps	Cliff Hanger	Jumping Bars	+	Ascending Climb	+	Spider Flip	Final Ring
20	Arm Rings^[18]	Descending Globe Grasp^[19]		Devil Steps^[20]	Cliff Hanger^[21]^[22]	Jumping Bars^[23]	+	Ascending Climb^[24]	+	Spider Flip	Final Ring

+ - This obstacle is an immediate successor to the previous obstacle, without any way to recuperate between them.

^5 On Ninja Warrior, the "Climbing Bars" are called the "Bridge of Destiny" in subtitles. But the English version and the Japanese announcer calls them the "Climbing Bars", one of the many gairaigo (words borrowed from English) used to describe Sasuke obstacles.

Final Stage

To date, the Final Stage has known three forms. Each of these share a single, common goal: climb the big tower and reach the button at the top before time expires. If the competitor does not reach the top platform in time, the rope is cut and the competitor falls (they are caught by a safety line). Reaching the top is referred to as kanzenseiha (完全制覇), translated roughly as "complete domination", and rendered on Ninja Warrior as "total victory".

Of all the competitors to attempt to claim victory, only sixteen have been admitted to the final stage, and only three of them have gotten there more than once (Akira Omori in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd competitions, Shingo Yamamoto in the 3rd and 7th, and Makoto Nagano in the 11th, 12th, 13th, and his victory in the 17th). Currently there are only two victors: Kazuhiko Akiyama defeated Sasuke in the 4th Competition, and Makoto Nagano in the 17th.

The original Final Stage consisted of climbing a 15 metres (49 ft) rope. The contestant must start climbing from a seated position.

The second version of the Final Stage was unveiled in the 7th Competition, when Shingo Yamamoto became the first to attempt it. The height of the tower was increased to 22.5 metres (74 ft). It consists of a 12.5 metres (41 ft) Spider Climb followed by a 10 metres (33 ft) Rope Climb. After 15 seconds, the walls of the Spider Climb spread apart. This ensnared Jordan Jovtchev during the 8th Competition, when he failed to complete the Spider Climb before it began spreading, and fell off the tower.

The prize for completing the Final Stage was ¥2,000,000 (about USUnknown country code for year 2021: JPY ). The prize has now increased to ¥4,000,000 (about USUnknown country code for year 2021: JPY ) since the completion of the 17th tournament.

Typically, only one or two people make it to the Final Stage if they make it at all. However, the 3rd competition saw a record 5 competitors attempt the Final Stage. After the 4th competition, though, the Final Stage was only achieved on average every other tournament.

Here's a shot of the new final Stage: [1]

Comp #	Final Stage Obstacles		Total Height	Time Limit
1 → 4	Final Rope ⁶ [15m]		15 metres (49 ft)	30.0
5 → 17	Spider Climb ⁷ [12.5m]	Final Rope ⁶ [10m]	22.5 metres (74 ft)	30.0
18 →	Unknown ⁸		22.5 metres (74 ft)	Unknown ⁸

^6 The name "Final Rope" is for clarification. The obstacle's real name is unknown, although Ninja Warrior calls it the "Rope Climb".

^7 If the "Spider Climb" is not completed in 15 seconds, the walls start to split, making it harder to traverse, and finally impossible if not completed soon after.

^8 Since no competitor has made it to the Final Stage since the 17th Competition, the obstacles and time limit are still undisclosed.

Obstacles

First Stage obstacles

Barrel Climb: The competitor must jump over a small pit onto a staircase of logs that each freely rotate on a lateral axis, then climb that to the next obstacle.
Quintuple Step: The competitor must jump across 4 platforms that are angled 45° degrees toward the center of a water pit, and then jump to the platform at the end. The platforms are positioned alternately, left and right, across the length of the pit. They are each 60 centimeters (1 ft 11.62 in) wide, and the total length of the obstacle is 6.2 meters (20 ft 4.09 in).
Hill Climb (12th competition): The competitor must cross over two small hills which are at a 60° incline.
Prism Tilt: The competitor must jump over a small pit onto a large triangle which is supported by an axis in the center. The weight on one side of the triangle will tilt it into the water, so it must be crossed quickly.
Cone Jump: The competitor must cross two large cones that are spinning and jump to the next platform.
Hurdle Jump: The competitor must cross three pits, the first one where the platforms they jump from have bungee-rope hurdles. The first platform is shaped like an opening quarter-pipe, the second is flat and inclined to about 30°, and the landing platform is inclined to about 45°.
Sextuple Step: A modification of the Quintuple step, the number of intermediary platforms was increased from 4 to 5 it was added to the course in the 16th competion and removed in the 18th competion but it was returned in the following competion because of the Rope Glider being too dangerous.
Rope Glider: The competitor must hold onto a rope as it slides down a track, and then let go to land on a mat floating in the water. Due to multiple injuries in the 18th Tournament, the obstacle has since been removed.
Butterfly Wall: The competitor must jump and grab onto a vertical wall that spins around a central vertical axis to reach the platform on the other side.
Spinning Log: The Competitor must cross a horizontal log that freely rotates around a central axis parallel to the course. The log is about 3 meters long and 20cm in diameter.
Log Slope: A modification of the Spinning Log, the log is now on an incline of about 15°, and the exit ground is placed above the log. It is also positioned like a platform rather than a balance beam and requires an additional climb to a platform leading to the next obstacle.
Rolling Log: The competitor must straddle and cling to a log 40 centimeters (1 ft 3.75 in) in diameter before kicking the ground to begin its roll down a 15° decline. Since the 13th competition, drops were implemented into the two supporting rails causing the log to fall, jarring the competitor. The log is also notorious for coming off the tracks and halting its spin midway.
Log Grip: The competitor must hold onto a vertical log with their arms and legs while it slides down a track with drops to the next platform. The log contains small indentations to provide some grip. The track is similar to the one previously used for the Rolling Log, but the the drops are are bigger and the track is longer. In addition, the drops are closer together, almost eliminating a chance to recover from the previous drop.
Rapid Descent: Exactly like starting from the other end of the Barrel Climb, the competitor must jump over a large gap.
Balance Bridge: There is a large board that freely rotates along an axis parallel to the course. Along with this, there is an extension along the axis that sticks straight up. When the Balance Bridge was reused in the 11th competition, the axis was further to the left, the extension went along the whole board, and there was a second extension added perpendicular to the first on the right side halfway across the obstacle.
Big Boulder: The competitor must jump onto a very large boulder-like sphere floating in water and leap across to the other side.
Dance Bridge: The dance bridge is made of 12 individual boards that each spin individually on three lengthwise axes then jump to a platform.
Plank Bridge: The entrant must jump off half a bridge to the other side. The board is unanchored, and falls as the contestant runs across it.
Bridge of Blades: Like the other bridges, the Bridge of Blades rotates freely around a central lengthwise axis. The Bridge of Blades has four sections of bridge alternately going out 45° on each side. There is also an extension that spans the whole bridge that comes straight up about 15cm high.
Pole Maze: The competitor must grab a pole leaning against the first platform, and swing to the other side. The pole is anchored in the middle of the water pit between, and the top of the pole must be guided through a track above.
Circle Slider: The competitor must jump from a springboard and grab onto a large hoop which is on a long track on a decline, that they must slide across. At the end, the hoop hits a large object on the top of the track, and the competitor must use the momentum built up on the descent to swing to a platform.
Jump Hang: The competitor must bound forward off a trampoline to grasp the underside of a declining cargo net, then either climb over or underneath it, taking care not to touch the water below the obstacle if they choose the latter route. In the 13th Competition, there were many hanging ropes to grab onto rather than the cargo net.
Jumping Spider: A combination of the Jump Hang and the Spider Walk from the Second Stage where the competitor must jump from a trampoline into a shaft of parallel walls that they must traverse by wedging themselves between and crawling through them. In the 19th Competition, the platform before the trampoline was shortened making the competitor to jump up in a forward manner, instead of just jumping straight up to the walls.
Bungee Bridge: The competitor must cross a bridge of 4 planks with a gap between each. The planks are made of many thin strips of a stretchy material so they provide little support and very unstable ground.
Rope Reverse: The competitor must take a rope and swing off the side of a high platform. When the rope swings back into the side of the high platform, the competitor must swing and jump onto another platform below. There is a bungee line that limits the rope's movement.
Reverse Fly: The competitor must jump into a large vertical trampoline, slightly angled, and then land back on a platform next to the one they jumped from. A wall divides the platform they must jump from and land on.
Crooked Wall: The competitor must run up a concave wall and jump off the side to grab a rope which will then take them to the next obstacle. The wall is curved more on one side than the other. There is also a rope called Seesaw Rope.
Halfpipe Attack: In a fashion quite similar to the Crooked Wall, the competitor must run up across a half-pipe spanning from the floor to the ceiling on one side. Afterwards, they must make a leap from the half-pipe about halfway through to reach a rope to swing themselves to a platform that will lead them to the next obstacle.
Hill Climb (1st-4th competition): The competitor must climb one large wall of similar height to the warped wall, but flat and a 60° angle.
Warped Wall: The competitor must scale a concave quarter-pipe by running up and grabbing the top of the wall. From the 5th to the 17th tournaments, the wall was 5 meters (16 ft 4.85 in) high. In the 19th tournament, the height was raised to 5 meters and 20 centimeters (17ft). After the 13th competition, for contestants 13 and under and 50 and older, a portion of the wall can be taken off of the top, making the wall about one foot shorter.
Great Wall: What seems to be a merge of the Warped Wall and the Crooked Wall,(Execpt Seesaw Rope)the Great Wall adds an extra piece of the wall on top of the Warped Wall with a rope hanging over the end for contestants to grab and climb over with. The rope ends at the same height as the original Warped Wall.
Flying Chute: The competitor must sit down and slide down a concaved slant and grab onto a rope hanging horizontally at the end, then transfer from that rope to a net behind them and climb down. In the 19th competition the rope was placed further away from the chute, making it much more difficult by requiring the contestant to jump for it.
Tarzan Jump: The competitor must cross a series of 5 hanging ropes (which stretch as they are pulled) to a rope against the wall, which they then must climb to reach the buzzer before time expires later it was decreased to 4 ropes starting in the 11th Competition.
Mountain Climb: The competitor must climb a wall with hand and foot holds to reach the buzzer at the top. The first section of the wall is on a conveyor belt that moves slowly downwards as the contestants climb.
Rope Climb: The competitor must take a rope and swing to a wall, then climb up the wall with the rope to press the buzzer before time expires.In the 10th-12th competitions the rope was against the wall so the contestents must use the Tarzan Jump to reach the obstacle.From the 18th competition and onward it was made into the Tarzan Rope where it preceds the Rope Ladder as explained below.
Tarzan Rope → Rope Ladder: The competitor must take a rope and swing to a net wall, then climb up the net and cross a short bridge to press the buzzer before time expires. The rope is similar to the Rope Climb as it appears and the net seems to have been taken from the Jump Hang and made thinner.

Second Stage obstacles

Spider Walk: There have been a few different versions of this obstacle. In the first few competitions, it was the first and longest obstacle, sometimes taking as much as half of the alloted time. The obstacle required the competitor to pin themselves between two parallel walls and traverse it without touching the ground. A segment in the middle moved up and down, requiring a shift in direction usually. Later, it was shortened to five large sets of panels, each of which moved independently of the others. In the version used from the 7th to the 17th Competition, the competitor must use his hands and feet to climb up, across, and back down two parallel walls. The two versions used in the 1st-6th tournaments ends at a pole to slide down referred to as the "Fireman's Pole". A can of adhesive spray is available at the start of the obstacle. Bare hands must be used or the contestant will be disqualified. (This requirement is especially important starting in the 7th Competition, since the Chain Reaction uses gloves, yet some contestants don't wear gloves). Also, in the 1st-3rd competitions, throughout the entire obstacle there were only waiting mats to fall on. In the 4th competition, the first of the obstacle, to fall on was water, but mats the other half. From the 5th-17th competitions, the whole obstacle was filled with water to fall in. Also, the Spider Walk used in the first 4 tournaments had an ascending area that the Japanese announcer referred to as the "Spider Climb", yet however,this area is of no relation to the "Spider Climb" that was found in the 5th-17th competitions' Final Stage.
Tackle Machine: The competitor must push a 50kg weight down a tunnel to reach the exit to the next obstacle.
Ledge Walk: The competitor must cross two sections of ledge at the bottom of a wall, with water below. The second section has two short strips sticking out of the wall at about knee height to increase the difficulty.
Chain Reaction: The competitor must ride two sequential zip-lines over a pit of water, switching between them in midair. The zip-lines travel perpendicularly to each other, and each has a chain hanging from it by a single point. Competitors must grasp the chain on the first zip-line, ride to where the first chain slams into the scaffold, then switch to the next chain in midair, and ride the second zip-line to the end of the obstacle. During the switch, competitors may kick off a nearby solid wall. The first swing is 9.5 meters, and the second is 7.5 meters. Competitors are required to wear gloves (for safety reasons) when holding the chains which they must discard prior to reaching the Spider Walk.
Downhill Jump/Super Jump: The competitor must slide down a track standing on an object similar to a snowboard, then jump to a rope on a track, which then swings towards a mat which the competitor must jump onto. Kunoichi's Super Jump is similar to this. In fact, the 19th Competition dubbed this obstacle as the Super Jump.
Brick Climb: The competitor must climb a wall with bricks protruding from it. The wall is approximately 3.5 meters high.
Salmon Ladder → Stick Slider: The competitor must grab a bar which is resting on two parallel walls. The walls have seven parallel sets of notches for the bar to rest on, and the gap between the last two sets is larger than the previous gaps. The bar is not bound to the wall in any way. Once the bar is grabbed, the landing mat from the Downhill Jump is taken away. The competitor must use his momentum to climb, raising the bar from notch to notch. After reaching the final notch, he must land the bar onto two tracks which come in towards each other as the competitor slides down. Finally, he must drop from the bar onto a mat below.
Hammer Dodge: The competitor must walk across a thin plank, taking care to avoid 5 large hammers which are swinging back and forth. In a few competitions, the competitor is disqualified for coming into contact with the hammers in any way, while in others, the competitor just has to go through without falling.
Balance Tank: The competitor must balance atop a large rolling barrel and ride the barrel to a platform across a distance of 5.4 meters.
Grip Hang: The competitor must hang onto two outward-facing ledges and cross a small gap.
Net Bridge: The competitor must climb across a cargo net to reach the next platform.
Sky Walk: Little is known about this obstacle since no competitor has had the chance to attempt it. It appears that the competitor must use only a long narrow ledge plus a wall for support to climb across a large gap. Its function is likely similar to the Cliff Hanger.
Swing Ladder: A set of monkey bars must be crossed by the competitors. The monkey bars are set on a tilting mount on the scaffolding above. It is similar to Kunoichi's "Monkey Bars".
Reverse Conveyor Belt: The competitor must crawl though a small tunnel with a conveyor belt going the opposite direction. It is 90cm wide and 6.3 meters long.
Metal Spin: An array of chains dangle from a horizontal wheel that freely spins, resembling a chandelier, over a water hazard. The competitor must jump to grasp one of the chains, spinning the wheel to the other side. Starting in the 16th competition, the chains were replaced with plastic bungee chains, making it difficult to hold on the chains unless with a strong grip to prevent the chains from slipping out of the competitors hands and withstand the whiplash effect.
Wall Lift: Three walls block the competitor, who must lift and cross under them to advance. Initially, the walls were 20kg (44 pounds), 30kg (66 pounds), 40kg (88 pounds). Later, they were increased to 30kg, (66 pounds) 40kg (88 pounds), and 50kg (110 pounds). It was replaced by the Shoulder Walk in the 18th competition, but then returned in the next competition, where it was shown that the walls were changed from steel to wood.
Shoulder Walk: The competitor must cross two bridges carrying a bar on his shoulders that has two weighted chambers hanging from each end of the bar, weighing 40kg (88 pounds) total. The bridges have a small gap between them, and the second bridge is offset to the left.

Third Stage obstacles

Super Vault

The competitor must pole vault over a body of water. The pole is unanchored. Kunoichi's Super Vault is similar to this.

Pillar Path

The competitor walks across a path of unstable columns. This is one of the only obstacles that did not have a water pit to fall in.

Propeller Bars

The competitor must cross a series of 3 horizontal, slowly-spinning bars anchored to the top of the course.

Needle Climb

Although it is not an official name, since the 1st competition wasn't broadcast in G4, the competitor must cross a patch of large, thin, flexible poles that protrude up from the ground, by using arms and legs. This is one of the only obstacles that didn't have a water pit to fall in. It was the last obstacle of the 3rd stage, since the Pipe Slider wasn't introduced yet.

Rumbling Dice

A box frame made of two steel squares connected by four monkey bars, one at each corner about 30cm apart from one another, is placed on two bars that traverse a 5m water pit. The competitor must roll the box frame across the pit by grabbing the top monkey bar in front and pulling it down again and again.

Arm Rings

The competitor hangs from two rings on different-shaped sliding horizontal poles and has to negotiate several rises and dips on the poles.

Chain Swing

The competitor must cross a series of 6 hanging chains about 2.5m long, each of which has a wooden foothold at the bottom.

Arm Bike

On this obstacle, the competitor must use his arms to propel himself across the gap, holding pedals similar to the way feet pedal on a bike. This obstacle was used from the 4th Competition until the 9th, and then returned in the 18th Competition as an immediate successor to the Arm Rings, with no platform to rest on between them.

Body Prop

Much like the Spider Walk, the competitor must traverse an expanse of two walls that are 5 meters long. However, the walls are further apart, so he must position both hands on one side and both feet on the other. His body should be parallel to the ground as he does so. Along the way there are breaks in both walls, requiring the entrant to negotiate those as he moves across.

Globe Grasp

The competitor crosses yet another pool of water by grabbing onto a series of small glowing blue spheres attached to the scaffolding above.

Descending Globe Grasp

A modification of the "Globe Grasp" obstacle. In this version of the obstacle, the apparatus on which the spherical handholds are attached is slightly declined, requiring the competitor to reach downward to each successive sphere then jumping across a small gap. Unlike the original Globe Grasp,in the 20th competition the spheres were not illuminated.

Curtain Cling

The competitor must grapple across a hanging curtain 5.4 meters wide to reach the other side. The curtain is about 3m (9 ft 10.11 in) in height.

Curtain Swing

Four small curtains 1m (3 ft 3.37 in) long are hung diagonally, and the bottom of each is within arm's reach. The entrant must swing from one to the next to get across.

Devil Steps

This obstacle is a set of ascending and descending stairs, but instead of walking across over them, the challenger must climb through the bottom of these steps to reach the next obstacle.

Cliff Hanger

The competitor must traverse three narrow ledges only large enough to be supported by the fingertips (1 inch wide). Since its introduction in the 4th tournament, there have been four different versions.

The original obstacle had the three ledges at the same height, all the same length at 1.2m (3 ft 11.24 in) each, with 15cm (5.91 in) gaps between them.
In the following competition, the third ledge was raised 30cm (11.81 in).
For the 9th competition to the 17th, the first ledge was lengthened, the second ledge was raised to the height of the third, and the third was lowered 45cm. (17.71in)
For the 18th competition, the second ledge was shortened and inclined, making the gap between the second and third bars 1m (3 ft 3.37 in) horizontally. As a small compensation for the added difficulty, the first half of the last bar is thicker, making it slightly easier to grab onto after the jump. As of the 20th Sasuke, no competitor has been able to successfully complete this incarnation of the Cliff Hanger. Since the 19th competition, a diagonal sheet of metal has been added to prevent grabbing the top of the third ledge, as Nagano did in the 18th competition.

Jumping Bars: Competitors must jump from a series of bars, each one about 5 feet in front of and one foot below the previous. This obstacle is in a pair along with the Climbing Bars.
Climbing Bars/Bridge Of Destiny: Competitors must climb across an inclined ladder while hanging underneath it. Since its introduction it has been preceded by the Jumping Bars, and the two drain what little stamina the competitor has left.
Ascending Climb: Replacing the Climbing Bars in the 19th competition, it's presented as an acutely angled wall scattered with modern wall climbing artifacts. This takes place between the Jumping Bars and the Spider Flip with no resting platforms. No competitor has attempted this obstacle to date.
Devil's Swing: Competitors must swing on a trapeze bar attached to the top of the obstacle course by two chains and swing to the bar on the pipe slider. There is a risk of getting the chains stuck on the green rest bar behind the obstacle, and also a risk of grabbing the Pipe Slider, only to have the pipe rolling away on the track.
Pipe Slider: Introduced in the 2nd tournament and used until the 17th, this obstacle is historically the last obstacle on the course. The entrant must hang from a pipe and, by undulating his body, move that pipe across a track to the other side. There have been two versions of this obstacle. In the earlier version, there would be two tracks to slide down, the first continuing in the same direction as rest of stage three, whereas the second was perpendicular to it with only a green bar at a 45° angle between them though there used to be a black bar. In the 14th competition, the first track was eliminated and replaced with the Jumping Bars and Climbing Bars. Once the competitor reached the green bar, he must use the Devil's Swing to reach the Pipe Slider track, and slide down to the end and the gap between the piper slider and the finishing mat was increased by another 2 ft. Starting by the 4th competition, the competitors must swing off the pipe to the finish mat, unlike in the 2 previous competitions where the competitors may get off the pipe slider without swinging since there wasn't a gap from the end of the track to the finishing mat.There have been cases where the pipe falls off the track after getting on the finishing mat.
Spider Flip: This obstacle replaces the Devil's Swing in the 18th competition. Although no competitor has made it to this obstacle in the competition, the obstacle itself was taken from the "Heartbreaker" on Viking: The Ultimate Obstacle Course. A ledge, much like an I-beam girder where there is a lip to hold onto on either side, must be climbed to the end where another one of these ledges, aligned vertically, must be scaled. There is a foothold on this one. Next, the competitor must jump backwards about 2 meters and land onto another another setup symmetrical to the first, and climb back down and across.
Final Ring: This obstacle replaced the Pipe Slider in the 18th competition. Although no competitor has made it to this obstacle in the competition, its appearance is similar to the "Circle Slider" obstacle. However, the track is shorter, but is on a small incline and the ring is smaller. Its function seems to be similar to the pipe slider, where the competitor needs to swing off the ring over a fairly large gap onto the finishing platform to reach the final stage. While the obstacle hasn't been shown in full detail yet, the ring seems to be at an angle and there is only one pole of track to hold the ring. The gap also seems to be wider. This seems to suggest that the Final Ring is an all-or-nothing shot, where the only possible way to complete it is to swing off on the first try, especially with the small incline of track.

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 8:30 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's 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. ^[25] 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 May 18, 2008, Competitions 2-20 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.

Series 3 is planned for October 2008.

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: In the 19th competition no one made it to the Third Stage, thus that list contains those that made it to the Second Stage.) 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 now attempted the First Stage, and then ran from 1901-2000 in the 20th competition to indicate that 2000 competitors have attempted the First Stage. The obstacles used in each competition as well as a description of each obstacle are listed in the sections above. All air dates are of the Japanese broadcast on TBS.

1st Competition (Aired September 26, 1997)
No. 97 Akira Omori - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 96 Ken Hasegawa - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 72 Yang Chong - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 49 Takayuki Kawashima - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 89 Kane Kosugi - Failed Pillar Path - Third Stage

2nd Competition (Aired September 27, 1998)
No. 97 Hikaru Tanaka - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 99 Akira Omori - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 95 Shigeyuki Nakamura - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 83 Hiroaki Yoshizaki - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 70 Masakazu Ebihara - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 65 Ken Hasegawa - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 42 Tatsuya Yamamoto - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 30 Eiichi Miura - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 20 Shingo Yamamoto - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage

3rd Competition (Aired March 13, 1999)
No. 89 Katsumi Yamada - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 13 Shingo Yamamoto - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 49 Minoru Matsumoto - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 100 Akira Omori - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 54 Tatsuya Yamamoto - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 10 Ken Hasegawa - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage

4th Competition (Aired October 16, 1999)
No. 86 Kazuhiko Akiyama - Completed Final Stage (6.0 seconds to spare)
No. 40 Eiichi Miura - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 3 Hiroyuki Asaoka - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 81 Naoki Iketani - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 94 Travis Schraeder - Disqualified on Pipe Slider^† - Third Stage
No. 100 Katsumi Yamada - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 97 Kane Kosugi - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 95 Hiroaki Yoshizaki - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 71 Takuyu Ueda - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 48 Takayuki Kawashima - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 64 Shusuke Sato - Failed Super Vault - Third Stage
† - 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 (Aired March 18, 2000)
No. 98 Shingo Yamamoto - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage

6th Competition (Aired September 9, 2000)
No. 99 Katsumi Yamada - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 83 Yoshiaki Hatakeda - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 93 Toshihiro Takeda - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
No. 98 Kane Kosugi - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
No. 97 Shane Kosugi - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage

7th Competition (Aired March 17, 2001)
No. 97 Shingo Yamamoto - Failed Spider Climb - Final Stage (dislocated shoulder)
No. 46 Kenji Takahashi - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 40 Hironori Kuboki - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 81 Shane Kosugi - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
No. 95 James Okada - Failed Propeller Bars - Third Stage

8th Competition (Aired September 29, 2001)
No. 91 Kane Kosugi - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 59 Jordan Jovtchev - Failed Spider Climb - Final Stage
No. 71 Toshihiro Takeda - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 81 Shōei - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage

9th Competition (Aired March 16, 2002)
No. 61 Makoto Nagano - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 97 Toshihiro Takeda - Failed Globe Grasp - Third Stage
No. 71 Daisuke Nakata - Failed Globe Grasp - Third Stage
No. 98 Shingo Yamamoto - Failed Rumbling Dice - Third Stage

10th Competition (Aired September 25, 2002)
No. 1000 Katsumi Yamada - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 961 Naoki Iketani - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 940 Daisuke Nakata - Failed Globe Grasp - Third Stage
No. 954 Hiroyuki Asaoka - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage

11th Competition (Aired March 21, 2003 ^[26])
No. 96 Makoto Nagano - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 74 Shinji Kobayashi - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 61 Naoki Iketani - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 98 Shingo Yamamoto - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 95 Daisuke Nakata - Failed Globe Grasp - Third Stage
No. 97 Toshihiro Takeda - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
No. 99 Kazuhiko Akiyama - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage

12th Competition (Aired October 1, 2003)
No. 100 Makoto Nagano - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage (by .11 seconds)
No. 77 Bunpei Shiratori - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 72 Hiroyuki Asaoka - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 95 Toshihiro Takeda - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 97 Kazuhiko Akiyama - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 99 Jordan Jovtchev - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 96 Shingo Yamamoto - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 70 Manabu Satou - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 1 Koji Yamada - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 92 Masāki Kobayashi - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage

13th Competition (Aired April 6, 2004)
No. 100 Makoto Nagano - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 99 Bunpei Shiratori - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 98 Toshihiro Takeda - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 97 Masāki Kobayashi - Failed Curtain Cling - Third Stage
No. 90 Naoki Iketani - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage

14th Competition (Aired January 4, 2005)
No. 68 Shinji Kobayashi - Failed Devil's Swing - Third Stage
No. 100 Makoto Nagano - Failed Jumping Bars - Third Stage
No. 97 Toshihiro Takeda - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 91 Jordan Jovtchev - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 80 Hiroyuki Asaoka - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 98 Shingo Yamamoto - Failed Curtain Cling - Third Stage
No. 81 Naoki Iketani - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
No. 87 Masāki Kobayashi - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
No. 76 Terukazu Ishikawa - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
No. 88 Kosuke Yamaguchi - Failed Rumbling Dice - Third Stage

15th Competition (Aired July 20, 2005)
No. 96 Toshihiro Takeda - Failed Devil's Swing - Third Stage
No. 94 Bunpei Shiratori - Failed Climbing Bars - Third Stage
No. 70 Koji Yamada - Failed Jumping Bars - Third Stage
No. 65 Shunsuke Nagasaki - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 93 Morgan Hamm - Failed Curtain Cling - Third Stage
No. 95 Shingo Yamamoto - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage

16th Competition (Aired December 30, 2005 ^[27])
No. 96 Bunpei Shiratori - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 91 Koji Yamada - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 100 Makoto Nagano - Failed Devil's Swing - Third Stage
No. 95 Jordan Jovtchev - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 98 Toshihiro Takeda - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 89 Shunsuke Nagasaki - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 66 Kenji Takahashi - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 90 Naoki Iketani - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage

17th Competition (Aired October 11, 2006 ^[28])
No. 99 Makoto Nagano - Completed Final Stage (2.5 seconds to spare)
No. 87 Shunsuke Nagasaki - Failed Rope Climb - Final Stage
No. 91 Toshihiro Takeda - Failed Pipe Slider - Third Stage
No. 86 Paul Terek - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 67 Yuta Adachi - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
No. 81 Bunpei Shiratori - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
No. 98 Shingo Yamamoto - Failed Body Prop - Third Stage
No. 96 Daisuke Nakata - Failed Arm Rings - Third Stage

18th Competition (Aired March 21, 2007 ^[29])
No. 96 Makoto Nagano - Disqualified himself on Cliff Hanger^† - Third Stage
No. 97 Shunsuke Nagasaki - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage
No. 98 Kenji Takahashi - Failed Cliff Hanger- Third Stage
† - When Nagano crossed the second gap of the Cliffhanger he grabbed the top of the frame with one hand and gracefully admitted his mistake, disqualifying himself.

19th Competition (Aired September 19, 2007)
No. 79 Koji Yamada - Failed Salmon Ladder - Second Stage
No. 86 Yuji Washimi - Failed Salmon Ladder - Second Stage

20th Competition (Aired March 26, 2008)
No. 1989 Levi Meeuwenberg - Failed Cliff Hanger - Third Stage

Related events

The show Viking: The Ultimate Obstacle Course airs on ESPN2, and is also produced by Monster9 for Fuji TV. Many of the same competitors from Sasuke also compete in the Viking competition.

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.^[30] Since April 2007 Monster9 has been airing episodes of Muscle Channel^[31], 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 Yamada^[32] and Shunsuke Nagasaki^[33].

References

Kinniku Banzuke (known in America as Unbeatable Banzuke)
Kunoichi (Women's version of Sasuke)
Viking: The Ultimate Obstacle Course
Body and Soul

Notes

External links

11th SASUKE 2003 (Sasuke 2003 Springs) - Tokyo Broadcasting System Template:Ja icon
SASUKE 2007 (Sasuke 2007 Autumn) - Tokyo Broadcasting System Template:Ja icon
2007春 (Sasuke 2007 Spring) - Tokyo Broadcasting System Template:Ja icon
SASUKE2006秋 (Sasuke 2006 Autumn) - Tokyo Broadcasting System Template:Ja icon
SASUKE2005・(Sasuke 2005 Winter) - Tokyo Broadcasting System Template:Ja icon
Diagrams of the 11th course with measurements - Tokyo Broadcasting System Template:Ja icon
SASUKE - Fansite with Stage Pictures and Videos
Ninja Warrior on Challenge
Ninja Warrior on G4
Myspace Ninja Warrior\Sasuke Fan Page - A Myspace Fan Page

[1] ttp://www.tbs.co.jp/program/sasuke.html

[2] ttp://www.gymnasticsonline.co.uk/html/men_s_trampoline.html

[3] ttp://www.lakeplacidnews.com/sports/articles.asp?articleID=3279

[4] ttp://www.usoc.org/11831_51954.htm

[5] ttp://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-15-80/World-Record-Trampoline-Dunk.html

[6] ttp://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-12/12/content_5476848.htm

[7] In that tournament, her last name was given as Tanabe because at the time she was single.

[8] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_1stStage-1-SextupleSteps.jpg

[9] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_1stStage-2-LogGrip.jpg

[10] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_1stStage-3-PoleMaze.jpg

[11] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_1stStage-4-JumpingSpi-1.jpg

[12] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_1stStage-4-JumpingSpider.jpg

[13] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_1stStage-5-Half-PipeAtta.jpg

[14] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_1stStage-6-SoritatsuKabe.jpg

[15] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_1stStage-7-FlyingChute.jpg

[16] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_1stStage-8-TarzanRope.jpg

[17] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_1stStage-9-RopeLadder.jpg

[18] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_3rdStage-1-ArmRing.jpg

[19] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_3rdStage-2-DescendingLam.jpg

[20] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_3rdStage-3-DevilSteps.jpg

[21] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_3rdStage-4-NewCliffHange.jpg

[22] ttp://www.maj.com/gallery/manaleader/Avatar2/cliffhangerv4.jpg

[23] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_3rdStage-5-JumpingBar.jpg

[24] ttp://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/lostinube/SASUKE%202008/SASUKE2008_3rdStage-6-SendingClimbe.jpg

[25] ttp://www.g4tv.com/g4/press/171/G4_AIRS_ALLNEW_EPISODES_OF_NINJA_WARRIOR_BEGINNING_MARCH_19.html

[26] ttp://www.tbs.co.jp/taiiku/sasuke/index-j.html

[27] ttp://www.tbs.co.jp/program/sasuke.html

[28] ttp://www.tbs.co.jp/program/tokuban_sasuke2006-aki.html

[29] ttp://www.tbs.co.jp/program/sasuke_20070321.html

[30] ttp://blog.livedoor.jp/musclepark/archives/cat_50029695.html

[31] ttp://www.bs-i.co.jp/app/program_details/index/ENT0701200

[32] ttp://www.musclemusical.com/guide/tv_news/tv_070419.html

[33] ttp://www.musclemusical.com/guide/tv_news/tv_070426.html

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