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Sasuke (TV series)

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"Ninja Warrior" redirects here. For other uses, see Ninja Warrior (disambiguation).
For other uses of Sasuke, see Sasuke.

Sasuke
Also known asNinja Warrior
Sasuke Rising
Sasuke Ninja Warrior
JapaneseSASUKE(サスケ)
GenreSports entertainment
Obstacle course
Created byMasato Inui
Directed byUshio Higuchi (1997–2011)
Masato Inui (1997–2005, 2012–present)
Voices ofIchiro Furutachi (1997–2003)
Takahiro Tosaki [ja] (1997)
Keisuke Hatsuta [ja] (1998–2008, 2010–14)
Wataru Ogasawara [ja] (2005–2011, 2019)
Fumiyasu Sato [ja] (2009–2011, 2018)
Tomohiro Ishii [ja] (2012–14)
Ryusuke Ito [ja] (2010, 2015)
Shinya Sugiyama [ja] (2016–present)
Kengo Komada [ja] (2004, 2015–18)
Shinichiro Azumi [ja] (2018–2019)
Tomohiro Kiire [ja] (2020)
Kazato Kumazaki [ja] (2020–present)
Masatoshi Nanba [ja] (2021–present)
Narrated byTakashi Matsuo (1997)
Tsutomu Tareki [ja] (1998–2005)
Ken Taira [ja] (2005)
Kiyoshi Kobayashi (2006–2011)
Yuya Takagawa [ja] (2012–present)
Masato Obara [ja] (2014)
Jun Hattori [ja] (2018–present)
Country of originJapan
Original languageJapanese
No. of episodes41 competitions (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerUshio Higuchi [ja]
ProducersYoshiyuki Kogake
Makoto Fujii
Production locationsMt. Midoriyama, Aoba-ku, Yokohama[1]
Running time120 to 360-minute specials
Production companiesMonster9 [ja] (1997–2011)
TBS (2012–present)
Original release
NetworkJNN (TBS)
Release27 September 1997 (1997-09-27) –
present
Related
Kinniku Banzuke
Kunoichi
Pro Sportsman No.1
Viking: The Ultimate Obstacle Course

Sasuke (SASUKE(サスケ)) is a Japanese sports entertainment reality television show, airing since 1997, in which 100 competitors attempt to complete a four-stage obstacle course. The show was renamed Sasuke Rising before reverting to the original name and then Sasuke Ninja Warrior.

An edited version, Ninja Warrior, is screened in at least 18 other countries.

Development

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Recorded on location at Midoriyama studios in Yokohama, it airs on Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) between Japanese television drama seasons. The show's name Sasuke is named after Sarutobi Sasuke, a fictitious ninja character in Japanese traditional storytelling.[2] Each three-hour special (with the exceptions of Sasuke 24 and 36 which lasted 5 1⁄2 hours and 6 hours respectively) covers an entire competition; there are normally 100 participants. There have been 40 specials produced, approximately one new special per year (twice per year before Monster9's bankruptcy, now reduced to once per year since 2012, twice again in 2017 and 2018, then once a year since.). The show is produced by TBS and is one of the spin-offs of 筋肉番付 (Kinniku Banzuke, 'Muscle Ranking'), another sports entertainment competition, which aired on G4 in the United States under the name Unbeatable Banzuke. Until the 10th competition, Sasuke was broadcast as a special part of Muscle Ranking, but it became an independent program when Muscle Ranking was discontinued. The first competition was held indoors, marking the only time Sasuke did not take place outside. Competitions generally start in the daytime and continue until completed regardless of weather or darkness.[3] After Monster9's bankruptcy in November 2011, all rights to the show fell completely into the hands of its broadcaster, Tokyo Broadcasting System. Following their acquisition of all rights to Sasuke, TBS renamed the show Sasuke Rising for the 28th, 29th and 30th editions, but have since reverted to the original name. TBS has renamed the show once again, to Sasuke Ninja Warrior since the 35th edition and changed the show's logo for the 36th edition, with the new logo's year being changed for subsequent editions.

Format

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Applicants are interviewed or auditioned and trial rounds are held to test their physical ability until the field is narrowed to 100 competitors. Sasuke consists of four stages of increasing difficulty; competitors must complete a stage to advance. Before the 18th tournament, a 1,200-meter run was held in order to determine the competitors' starting positions. Each competition is taped prior to the air date, edited for time, and broadcast as a three-hour show. Exceptions may be made as in Sasuke 24's case should TBS decide the broadcast should go over three hours, but this is a rare exception.

The object is to hit the buzzer at the end of each course before the allotted time expires. If a competitor goes out of bounds, runs out of time or comes into contact with the water in any of the pits below the course, they are disqualified from the competition.

First stage

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The First Stage primarily tests one's speed. 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.[4] After each full course completion, the First Stage was thoroughly redesigned to be much more difficult and prevent large numbers of people from moving on.

In the 19th competition, only two competitors cleared the First Stage (neither of the two being Sasuke All-Stars), a record in Sasuke history.[5]

Second stage

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Those with enough skill to complete Stage One then take on an even more grueling set of obstacles in Stage Two. 522 competitors have reached the Second Stage as of Sasuke 40. Like Stage One, the obstacles alter throughout the competitions. The obstacles determine the time limit, and it is usually between 50 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 breaks the gate open 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 Katsumi Yamada had done in the 12th competition.[6]

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, 11 competitors cleared the Second Stage,[4] a record that stood until Sasuke 40 saw 12 completions. 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.[5]

Third stage

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The Third Stage has no time limit. Contestants are allowed approximately thirty 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 4,000 total competitors and 522 Second Stage competitors, 250 have attempted the Third Stage. The Third Stage is so grueling that, on average, someone passes it only every other competition. Only 28 individuals have ever passed it, and only seven have passed it more than once, namely Akira Omori, Shingo Yamamoto, Makoto Nagano, Yuuji Urushihara, Ryo Matachi, Yusuke Morimoto and Tatsuya Tada. The record for most Third Stage clears in a tournament is five, achieved in the 3rd[7] and 24th[8] tournaments.

Final stage

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To date, the Final Stage has known seven forms. Each of these share a single, common goal: reach and hit 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). Starting from the 18th competition, the rope is no longer cut. Reaching the top is referred to as kanzenseiha (完全制覇), translated roughly as "complete domination", literally as "complete victory", and rendered on Ninja Warrior as "total victory". The Final Stage's time limit is between 30 and 45 seconds.

Notable competitors

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Sasuke All-Stars

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The Sasuke All-Stars were a group of six favored competitors, established by the TBS network, originally thought to be the most likely to clear all four stages. Consisting of Shingo Yamamoto, Katsumi Yamada, Kazuhiko Akiyama, Toshihiro Takeda, Makoto Nagano and Bunpei Shiratori, they comprised a large portion of the competitors' success in the first decade of Sasuke. The first two champions, Akiyama and Nagano, are also included, as is the only competitor to compete in every tournament, Yamamoto.

The All-Stars were officially 'retired' in the 28th tournament, but this decision was reversed.[9] Shingo Yamamoto continued to compete in Sasuke 29 and onwards. Takeda retired in Sasuke 38, Shiratori retired in Sasuke 30. Nagano retired in Sasuke 32, but has since made appearances in the 38th, 40th, and 41st tournaments. Akiyama retired in Sasuke 28, but returned in the 40th tournament, and Yamada has competed in all tournaments since Sasuke 33.

Sasuke New Stars (Shin Sedai)

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The Sasuke New Stars are younger competitors who made a name for themselves during the Shin-Sasuke era. "Shin Sedai" or New Stars became famous since Sasuke 17, after Shunsuke Nagasaki made it to the Final Stage. There was a brief hiatus before the term was re-popularized in Sasuke 22 when Yuuji and Kanno made it to the Third Stage. Membership in the Shin Sedai has been more fluid than the All-Stars, with Shunsuke Nagasaki, Yuuji Urushihara, Hitoshi Kanno, Koji Hashimoto, Jun Sato, Ryo Matachi, Kazuma Asa, Yusuke Morimoto, Tomohiro Kawaguchi, Shinya Kishimoto, Masashi Hioki and Yusuke Suzuki all having been considered members at certain points.

Morimoto Stars (Morimoto Sedai)

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The Morimoto Stars is an informal term for the group of competitors who emerged post-Yusuke Morimoto's first kanzenseiha and are now some of the most consistently strong competitors. The members are usually considered to be Yusuke Morimoto, Tatsuya Tada, Keitaro Yamamoto, Jun Sato and Naoyuki Araki.

Celebrities

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Celebrity competitors include:

Results

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Main article: List of Sasuke competitions

In its 41 editions, all four stages of the course have been completed a total of only six times, by four different competitors. These were Kazuhiko Akiyama [ja] in the 4th competition (1999),[4] Makoto Nagano in the 17th competition (2006),[10] Yuuji Urushihara in the 24th (2010)[11] and 27th (2011)[12] competitions, and Yusuke Morimoto [ja] in the 31st (2015)[13] and 38th (2020)[14] competitions.

Sasuke World Cup

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Sasuke World Cup (Japanese: SASUKE(サスケ)ワールドカップ) is a special international tournament of Sasuke, based on American Ninja Warrior: USA vs. The World, which was the special international tournament of American Ninja Warrior.[15] This tournament featured seven teams, including three teams representing Japan and four teams representing four countries that have their local shows based on SASUKE, including Team USA (representing American Ninja Warrior), Team Germany (representing Ninja Warrior Germany), Team France (reprersent Ninja Warrior France) and team Australia (representing Australian Ninja Warrior).

Merchandise

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Book

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Prior to the 41st tournamennt of Sasuke, on November 10, 2023, TBS announcement about the very first Sasuke Official Book (SASUKE公式BOOK), a 144-page book which was released on December 14, 2023 worldwide at the price of ¥1650.[16] As an exclusive bonus, trading cards of various prominent Sasuke competitors would also included upon purchasing the book. A promotional video was released on the official YouTube channel a day before the release date.

The book contains exclusive interviews and round table discussions from multiple prominent competitors such as Yamada Katsumi, Morimoto Yūsuke, Nagano Makoto, Yamamoto Shingo, Darvish Kenji, Kane Kosugi, Akiyama Kazuhiko, Urushihara Yuuji, Matachi Ryo, Kawaguchi Tomohiro, and Hioki Masashi. This also includes exclusive interviews from Sasuke Producer Inui Masato and Lead Commentator Sugiyama Shinya. For the first time since its inception, the book would also cover every official result from the past 40 Sasuke tournaments, including results that were initially cut from broadcast.

Manga

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On December 26, 2023, TBS announced a new survival manga adaptations based on Sasuke, called Yomigaeri no Sasuke (ヨミガエリのサスケ). This manga will be distributed by Manga Box[17] and was released on August 17, 2024.[18]

International versions

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Below is an incomplete list of the international versions with their own Sasuke/Ninja Warrior courses, excluding the original Japanese version and its rebroadcast in other countries.

  Currently airing
  An upcoming season/version
  Status unknown
  No longer airing
Country Local title Presenter(s) Channel Premiered
Arab world Ninja Warriorبالعربي
Ninja Warrior bel-arabi 		Ahmed Fahmi
Jennifer Aazar 		ON E March 2017
Australia Australian Ninja Warrior Rebecca Maddern (Season 1–5)
Ben Fordham (Season 1–5)
Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff (Season 1–4)
Shane Crawford (Season 4–5)
Jim Courier (Season 6)
Leila McKinnon (Season 6)
Will & Woody (Season 6) 		Nine Network 9 July 2017
Austria Ninja Warrior Austria Dori Bauer
Mario Hochgerner
Florian Knöchl 		Puls 4 24 October 2017
Bahrain Ninja Warrior Bahrain 2015
China 极限勇士Sasuke: X Warrior
Ultimate Warrior 		Shi Zhenghan
Ma Li
Su Dong
Zhang Chunye 		Jiangsu TV 9 June 2015
Denmark Danmarks Ninja Warrior Pelle Hvenegaard
Christiane Schaumburg-Müller
Kian Fonoudi 		Kanal 5 7 September 2015[19]
France Ninja Warrior : Le Parcours des héros Denis Brogniart (Season 1–)
Christophe Beaugrand (Season 1–)
Iris Mittenaere (Season 3)
Sandrine Quétier (Season 1–2) 		TF1 8 July 2016
Germany Ninja Warrior Germany Laura Wontorra
Jan Köppen
Frank Buschmann 		RTL 9 July 2016
Hungary Ninja Warrior Hungary Attila Till (Season 1–)
Péter Majoros (Season 1)
Vivien Mádai (Season 1)
Tibor Kasza (Season 2)
Luca Stohl (Season 2)
Zoltán Szujó (Season 3–)
Ramóna Lékai-Kiss (Season 3–) 		TV2 16 October 2017
Indonesia Sasuke Ninja Warrior Indonesia Fadi Iskandar (Season 1–)
Pica Priscilla (Season 1)
Sere Kalina (Season 2)
Daniel Mananta (International Competition) 		RCTI 20 December 2015
Israel נינג'ה ישראל
Ninja Israel 		Assi Azar
Rotem Sela
Niv Raskin
Rotem Israel (Season 1–3)
Yarden Gerbi (Season 4–)
Yuval Shemla (Season 5-) 		Keshet 12 25 July 2018
Italy Ninja Warrior Italia Federico Russo
Carolina Di Domenico
Massimiliano Rosolino
Gabriele Corsi 		NOVE 17 October 2016
Malaysia Sasuke Malaysia TV9 2011
Mongolia Монголын Нинжа дайчид MNB 29 September 2019
Netherlands Ninja Warrior NL Kim-Lian
Dennis van der Geest
Jack van Gelder 		SBS 6 9 March 2017
Poland Ninja Warrior Polska Aleksandra Szwed (Season 1)
Karolina Gilon (Season 2–)
Łukasz Jurkowski
Jerzy Mielewski 		Polsat 3 September 2019
Romania Ninja Warrior Romania Raluca Aprodu
Costi Mocanu
Daniel Niţoiu 		Pro TV 9 September 2018
Russia Русский ниндзя Yevgeny Savin
Timur Solovyov
Yulianna Karaulova 		Channel One Russia 26 November 2017
Vasily Artemyev
Morgenstern
Ida Galich 		STS[20] 22 November 2021
Singapore Sasuke Singapore Mike Kasem
Hamish Brown
Joanne Peh 		Mediacorp Channel 5 9 August 2012
Spain Ninja Warrior España Arturo Valls (Season 1–)
Manolo Lama (Season 1–)
Patricia Montero (Season 2–)
Pilar Rubio (Season 1) 		Antena 3 9 June 2017
Sweden Ninja Warrior Adam Alsing
Mårten Nylén
Karin Frick 		Kanal 5 29 January 2015
Switzerland Ninja Warrior Switzerland Nina Havel
Maximilian Baumann 		TV24 16 October 2018
Turkey Ninja Warrior Türkiye Hanzade Ofluoğlu
Jess Molho
Hakan Akdoğan
Fikret Engin
Murat Özari 		TV8 17 September 2014
United Kingdom Ninja Warrior UK: Race for Glory Ben Shephard
Rochelle Humes
Chris Kamara 		ITV 11 April 2015
United States American Ninja Warrior Blair Herter (Season 1)
Alison Haislip (Season 1–3)
Matt Iseman (Season 2–)
Jimmy Smith (Season 2–3)
Jonny Moseley (Season 4)
Angela Sun (Season 4)
Akbar Gbaja-Biamila (Season 5–)
Jenn Brown (Season 5–6)
Kristine Leahy (Season 7–10)
Zuri Hall (Season 11–) 		G4 (2009–2013)
NBC (2012–present)
Esquire Network (2014–2016)
USA Network (2017–2018)
Telemundo (2020, in Spanish) 		12 December 2009
American Ninja Warrior: Ninja vs. Ninja
(formerly Team Ninja Warrior) (Spin-off format) 		Matt Iseman
Akbar Gbaja-Biamila
Alex Curry
Kacy Catanzaro (College Madness) 		USA Network 19 January 2016
American Ninja Warrior Junior (Spin-off format) Matt Iseman
Akbar Gbaja-Biamila
Laurie Hernandez 		Universal Kids 13 October 2018
Vietnam Không giới hạn - Sasuke Việt Nam Thành Trung (Season 1-5)
Hoàng Yến Chibi (Season 5)
Minh Xù (Season 4)
Tuyền Tăng (Season 4)
Phạm Anh Khoa (Season 3)
Thiều Bảo Trang (Season 3)
Nguyên Khang (Season 1-2)
Diệp Lâm Anh (Season 1-2)
Lại Văn Sâm (Season 1) 		VTV3 18 June 2015

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Sasuke 2005". Tbs.co.jp. Archived from the original on December 31, 2005. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
  2. ^ Jamison, Leslie (July 8, 2016). "The Great American Obstacle Course". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on July 9, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
  3. ^ Corkill, Edan, "Average Joes become champions on 'Sasuke'". Japan Times. September 30, 2011. p. 15. Archived October 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b c 【歴代大会4/39】先天性の弱視でオリンピック出場の夢も毛ガニ漁師としての仕事も諦めた男 秋山和彦26歳。SASUKE史上初の完全制覇達成‼︎ [[Historic Tournament 4/39] Kazuhiko Akiyama, 26, is a man who gave up on his dream of participating in the Olympics and his job as a hair crab fisherman due to congenital amblyopia. SASUKE's first complete victory achieved!! ︎]. YouTube. October 3, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  5. ^ a b 【歴代大会19/39】SASUKE史上唯一‼︎2ndステージでかつてない惨劇まさかの全滅…【SASUKE 40回大会 記念プレイバック】 [[Historic Tournament 19/39] The only one in SASUKE history!! ︎An unprecedented tragedy and total annihilation at the 2nd stage... [SASUKE 40th Tournament Commemorative Playback]]. YouTube. October 10, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  6. ^ 【歴代大会12/39】山田の無念！オールスターズの無念を背に魔城に挑む長野誠。あの時、天空の頂で何が起きたのか!?. YouTube. October 27, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  7. ^ 歴代大会3/39】悲願の完全制覇へ13kgの減量を敢行した山田勝己栄光のゴールまで あと30cmと迫ったが…!?ここにミスターSASUKEの伝説が始まった！. YouTube. October 1, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  8. ^ 【歴代大会24/39】悲願達成！新世代のリーダー漆原裕治 史上３人目の完全制覇. YouTube. November 28, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  9. ^ "【歴代大会28/39】SASUKEオールスターズ最後の戦い！新世代へ引き継ぐ熱い魂". YouTube. December 6, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  10. ^ 【史上最強の漁師】４度目のFINAL進出で雪辱を果たす【長野誠】1st〜3rd. YouTube. May 4, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  11. ^ (1st～3rd)【靴の営業マンが快挙！】史上3人目の完全制覇 達成！【漆原裕治】. YouTube. May 2, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  12. ^ 新世代のリーダーへ】史上初2回目の完全制覇 達成【漆原裕治】. YouTube. May 13, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  13. ^ 【初出場から8年】夢をかなえた大学院生 史上4人目の完全制覇【森本裕介】完全版. YouTube. May 6, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  14. ^ 【FINAL STAGE】サスケくん 2度目の完全制覇すべて見せます！森本裕介. YouTube. April 26, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  15. ^ "Snow Man's Hikaru Iwamoto to representing Japan in First-Ever "SASUKE" World Championship". TokyoHive.
  16. ^ ＳＡＳＵＫＥ公式ＢＯＯＫ (in Japanese). December 14, 2023. ASIN 477831901X.
  17. ^ "『SASUKE』マンガ版、企画始動──！". Manga Box Editoral Studio. December 26, 2023.
  18. ^ "Yomigaeri no Sasuke". Anilist.
  19. ^ "Ninja Warrior: Skred fra interview med Christiane". September 6, 2015.
  20. ^ Кастинг в новый спортивный проект. run.ctc.ru. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
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