Sasuke-Ninja Warrior weekend-Makoto Nagano

Makoto Nagano-Sasuke All Star

http://home.comcast.net/~themiyamas/index.html (source)

Since I had to miss bits and pieces of the American Ninja (G4) premiere last week, I watched some of the reruns in between my study breaks over this past weekend.

So I got to see the rebuilt obstacle course after only the SECOND man in Sasuke history (started 1997) Makoto Nagano 長野 誠,(a Sasuke All Star) win during the 17th rendition and the first ninja warrior achieved it during the 4th one-Kazuhiko Akiyama in 1999 (crab fisherman). So there was show before the 18th one showing a completely redone First Stage. Some things taken off "jump hang" which always got people to lose. But it was replaced with other hard obstacles on in particular was the "spider walk" which you had to jump to tackle this obstacle. In the past it was in the second stage in various seasons and you started from the ground level. Another brutal obstacle I saw was the "salmon ladder" and the third stage edited "cliff hanger" was insane!

Season 18 started out crazy with only a few making it to stage two, alot of the all-stars did not make it past Stage 1! Only Nagano made it! But he disqualified himself on the third stage by going off course. (It was heart breaking!) Then onto Season 19, a shocking, two people made it past stage 1. Turns out that the producers/creators Sasuke did not want even ONE person to pass Stage one. They got close to their wish and by stage 2, both contestants could not pass the salmon ladder. The two American Ninja contestants from G4 could not win over the "spider walk" which was the obstacle that obliterated alot of Sasuke hopefuls.

This show is still one of my guilty pleasures! I am glad that the real commentary is still intact as I heard the UK version they took out the subtitles! I always have a great kick and laugh of what is said by the Japanese commentators.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWEe4nTB8e4 Makoto Nagano tackling stage one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtg_6ShqefE Makoto Nagano winning 17th season SASUKE

http://home.comcast.net/~thepowerofsasuke/naganoe.html Mini Bio on Makoto Nagano

Sasuke (aka Ninja Warrior) new episodes and American on Ninja Warrior

Tonight is the long awaited NINJA fest I have been dying to see! Viewers will watch the winner of the G4 contest to find the next American Ninja Warrior (who was sent off to Japan back earlier this fall) to compete on "Sasuke" aka Ninja Warrior. (For those of you who did not get the memo it is an awesome tv show on G4. )

I have been addicted since its first few shows back in March of this year. I like that they do not dub over the original Japanese language commentary. I always get a hoot on what the commentator says! The basic premise is 100 people compete in a competition that requires contestants to go through three intense rounds (obstacle course) to try to become the next ninja warrior. Only two men have succeed in all 17 seasons of Ninja Warrior! As for the Women's Ninja Warrior, theirs is less emphasis on strength but more on balance and agility but one woman dominated and became Ninja Warrior three times in a row!

I plan to watch tonight the three brand spanking new episodes of "Sasuke" tonight!

Ninja Warrior (aka "SASUKE") on G4---awesome tv!

Left to right: Shiratori, Nagano, Yamamoto, and Takeda (SASUKE ALL STARS)

So this past weekend on G4 (one of my sis fave channels ever) I watched a marathon (part of it) of the Japanese TV Show "Ninja Warrior" or "Sasuke" サスケ held in Midoriyama, Japan. I was hooked! I have watched it here and there for the last few months. But we really got to watch many episodes of it.

There is a kids version, seniors, womens and of course regular version. It has been in Japan for over decade. This show tests the phyisical capacity of a person---strength, flexibility and balance. For women's Ninja Warrior it is less about strength but more agility, balance, flexibility. There are several stages of this obstacle course, Olympians, stars, comedians, and regular people have gotten the "Sasuke" fever that they have even made the obstacle course replicas in their own homes!!!!! There are four stages! Everytime a seasons starts, filmed over three days, there are 100 competitors (you have to qualify to make it to the top 100) then a rare amount make it to stage 2, stage 3 and the final stage to race to the top and be NINJA warrior! There first stage is timed, second is timed and the third is not with the final stage a timed race to the top!

In all the seasons of Ninja Warrior only two men have made it to the final stage out of 18 seasons!!!! Season four was a fisherman Kazuhiko Akiyama (he could never do it again despite trying mulitple times) and season 17 Sasuke Veteran and sea captain Makoto Nagano As for Ninja Warrior for women a petite nimble acrobat dancer Ayako Miyake has been successful in making it three times in a ROW!

My sis was glued to the tv as she was saying she had never seen so many buff Asians in one place in her life! (I told her you have never gone to a Dragon Boating competition). I love that they use the original Japanese announcers and subtitle the show. I would have not liked it as much if they dubbed over the Japanese announcer. Plus since I studied Japanese before, I get some Japanese listening practice in too!

For more info check out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_Warrior
http://www.g4tv.com/ninjawarrior/index.html