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Sasuke (TV series)

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"Ninja Warrior" redirects here. For the unrelated arcade game, see The Ninja Warriors.
Sasuke
GenreSports Entertainment,
Obstacle Course
Narrated byIchiro Furutachi (1997-Fall 2003)
Keisuke Hatsuta (2004- )
Wataru Ogasawara (1997- )
Country of origin Japan
Original languagesJapanese;
English subtitles and dubbed contestant profiles in United States broadcast;
English voice-over in United Kingdom broadcast.
No. of seasons20
Production
Executive producerUshio Higuchi
ProducersKogake Yoshiyuki
Makoto Fujii
Production locationsMidoriyama, Aoba-ku, Yokohama[1]
Running time2-hr 53-min specials in Japan,
30-minute episodes in the United States and France,
23 minute episodes in the United Kingdom
Original release
NetworkTokyo Broadcasting System
ReleaseSeptember 26, 1997 –
present
Related
Kunoichi,
Pro Sportsman No.1,
Viking: The Ultimate Obstacle Course

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.

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 or 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.

The name Sasuke is presumably borrowed from ninja Sarutobi Sasuke.[citation needed]

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 trains for the competition. Clips of him training are shown frequently during the broadcast and include him doing sit-ups off the side of the boat, handstands on the top mast, and hanging off a bridge crossing it like the Cliff Hanger obstacle. In 2005 his height and weight were recorded as 5 feet, 3 inches and 134 pounds. He debuted in the 7th competition, where he failed to scale the Warped Wall. After failing to scale the Warped Wall again in the 8th Competition, Nagano made it to the Third Stage's Pipe Slider in the 9th. He failed the Jump Hang in the 10th competition and since then has reached the Third Stage in every competition except the 15th in which he failed on the Metal Spin (Second Stage), the 19th where he failed on the Flying Chute (First Stage), and the 20th where he failed the Downhill Jump (Second Stage). He has reached the Final Stage four times (in the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 17th Competitions), more than any other competitor, and finally completed it in the 17th Competition. His three consecutive Final Stage appearances are a record shared with Akira Omori, who accomplished the feat in the first three competitions. As of 2008, Nagano has completed the First Stage 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 not to compete in the final stage. He had considered retirement after the 17th competition, but his son convinced him to return to Sasuke. As of 2008, Takeda has completed the First Stage 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 almost completed the Halfpipe Attack but lost his balance off the platform, 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 results:

  • 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 Competition - 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". Terek did not compete in Sasuke 20 because of his training for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

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 due to his training for the 2008 Olympics (though he was seen training G4TV's American Ninja Challengers on the trampoline a day before the competition). As of 2008, Nagasaki has completed the First Stage 5 times in a row, the Second Stage 4 times, and the Third Stage once.

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

Two more of Japan's most-recognized athletes are 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 when he failed the Rolling Log). 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 failed the Spinning Log and first made it to the third Stage in the 4th competition. He recently returned to Sasuke in the 20th competition, his first since the 16th, but failed on the First Stage's Jumping Spider.

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.

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

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 onerous Salmon Ladder easily only to fail on the Stick Slider immediately after.

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 12th, 13th and 14th competitions. In the 12th competition he failed the Rope Climb in the First Stage, 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 timed out on the Second Stage's Wall Lift in the 2nd competition, then failed the First Stage's Warped Wall in the 4th. He then made the Third Stage twice (6th and 7th competitions, failing both times on the Body Prop), and shocked everyone in the 8th competition when he failed to get past the First Stage's Warped Wall. Kane made the Third Stage in the 1st, 4th and 6th Competitions, failing on the Pillar Path, Cliff Hanger and Body Prop, respectively. In the 7th competition he made the Second Stage but failed on the Spider Walk. He finally reached the Final Stage in the 8th Competition (alongside Jordan Jovtchev, was the first foreigner to make it that far). That day, heavy rains were falling on Midoriyama, and Kane timed out on the rope climb; he has not competed since. Shane competed in the 9th Competition without his brother, but failed the First Stage obstacle, Big Boulder. 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 ("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 Shinji Kobayashi, a 36-year-old garbage man from Nagano Prefecture, who has competed nine times and made it to the Third Stage in the 11th Competition (failing there on the Pipe Slider) as well as the 14th (where he failed on the Devil's Swing). In the 15th tournament he failed the First Stage's Crooked Wall, and then in the 16th he was one of 16 contestants who made the Second Stage, but was also one of several contestants who was eliminated by the Metal Spin. Since his debut in the 11th Tournament, he has only missed the 17th Tournament. However, much of his footage has been cut from the TBS broadcast. He was shown in Sasuke 20 and wore #1985, but failed on the Jumping Spider in the first stage.

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.

Ken Hasegawa, who played the role of a ninja at a Japanese theme park, competed in the first several competitions. He made the Final Stage in the 1st competition but timed out on the Rope Climb. In the 2nd and 3rd Competitions he made the Third Stage but went out on the Pipe Slider both times. Since then, he had not completed the First Stage.

Another notable competitor is Tomihiro Tatsukawa, aka the Japanese "Clark Kent." He is an insurance salesman who usually dressed like Superman. He competed in the first ten tournaments and never cleared the first stage, getting as far as the Jump Hang. Tatsukawa has also competed on Kinniku Banzuke's Daruma 7 event, but failed it after knocking out three rows.

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. 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 made it to the other side and tried to land on the platform but slipped and fell into the water.

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

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

Koji Yamada (not related to Katsumi Yamada) is a 34-year-old fireman from the Gifu Prefecture (like Toshihiro Takeda) with just three percent body fat. In his debut in the 12th Competition, he wore No.1 and became the first 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 it aired as part of G4's Ninjafest 2 on May 18, 2008. Levi Meeuwenberg from Ann Arbor, Michigan and Brian Orosco of San Francisco, California were both chosen to compete in Sasuke's 20th tournament.. Both competitors, listed as free runners, competed alongside surprise guest Brett Sims (who was given the opportunity to return by G4). Brett failed the First Stage's Warped Wall this time, while Brian failed the Flying Chute. Levi, however, made it to the Third Stage (the only competitor to do so in the entire tournament) before he ultimately failed on the Cliff Hanger.

Stages and Obstacles

See article List of SASUKE Stages.

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. [8] There have also been occasional marathons of the program on weekends.The play-by-play commentary and interviews with participants are subtitled in English while the introduction, player profiles, and replays have been dubbed by voice actor Dave Wittenberg. Each episode is a 30-minute portion of the Japanese broadcast. Episodes also feature segments such as "Ninja Killer" (an obstacle from a stage that took out the most contestants in a single episode) and "Warrior Wipeout" (the best wipeout from a Sasuke contestant). As of May 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, or in competitions with one or no Third Stage competitors (5th, 19th, 20th), Second Stage competitors as well. 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
No. 100 Katsumi Yamada - Failed Spider Walk - Second Stage
No. 74 Toshihiro Takeda - Failed Spider Walk - Second 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 [9])
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 [10])
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 [11])
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 [12])
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
No. 1924 Yoshiyuki Okuyama - Failed Stick Slider - Second Stage
No. 2000 Makoto Nagano - Failed Downhill Jump - Second Stage

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.[13] Since April 2007 Monster9 has been airing episodes of Muscle Channel[14], 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[15] and Shunsuke Nagasaki[16].

References

Notes

  1. ^ http://www.tbs.co.jp/program/sasuke.html
  2. ^ http://www.gymnasticsonline.co.uk/html/men_s_trampoline.html
  3. ^ http://www.lakeplacidnews.com/sports/articles.asp?articleID=3279
  4. ^ http://www.usoc.org/11831_51954.htm
  5. ^ http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-15-80/World-Record-Trampoline-Dunk.html
  6. ^ http://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. ^ http://www.g4tv.com/g4/press/171/G4_AIRS_ALLNEW_EPISODES_OF_NINJA_WARRIOR_BEGINNING_MARCH_19.html
  9. ^ http://www.tbs.co.jp/taiiku/sasuke/index-j.html
  10. ^ http://www.tbs.co.jp/program/sasuke.html
  11. ^ http://www.tbs.co.jp/program/tokuban_sasuke2006-aki.html
  12. ^ http://www.tbs.co.jp/program/sasuke_20070321.html
  13. ^ http://blog.livedoor.jp/musclepark/archives/cat_50029695.html
  14. ^ http://www.bs-i.co.jp/app/program_details/index/ENT0701200
  15. ^ http://www.musclemusical.com/guide/tv_news/tv_070419.html
  16. ^ http://www.musclemusical.com/guide/tv_news/tv_070426.html
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