SASUKE is a Television special that airs twice a year here. It’s an extremely difficult four stage obstacle course reality show. Before I explain the details of the show, let me explain the history. The show first aired September 1997 as special on the popular show Kinniku Banzuke (Muscle Ranking). Kinniku Banzuke was a sports variety game show that air weekly on TBS. This show featured contestants, mostly Geinojin, doing amazing challenges. The first time I lived in Japan, this was one of my favorite shows. Until the 10th edition of Sasuke, it continued to be part of Kinniku Banzuke. To this point there have been 23 specials.
SASUKE has a 3hr special in Fall and Spring. 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. Most are amateur athletes from Japan, although some national television personalities and Olympians from other countries (including the USA, Bulgaria, China, Korea and Australia) 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. There is also a hand full of Geinojin in the competition.
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. The current course includes Duodecuple Step, Curtain Slider, Log Grip, Jumping Spider, Halfpipe Attack, Warped Wall, Slider Jump, and Tarzan Rope+Rope Ladder with 120 seconds to clear it. The Jumping Spider is my favorite here. The competitor must jump from a trampoline into a shaft of parallel walls that they must traverse by wedging themselves in between and crawling through. Those with enough skill to complete stage one then take on an even more grueling set of obstacles in stage two. 246 competitors have ever reached the Second Stage. This stage consists of Downhill Jump, Ladder+Stick Slider, Unstable Bridge, Metal Spin, and Wall Lifting in just 70 seconds. The Salmon Ladder is just amazing to see. The competitor must grab a bar which is resting on two parallel walls. The walls have seven sets of notches for the bar to rest on, with the gap between the last two sets larger than the previous ones. The competitor must use his momentum to climb, raising the bar from notch to notch. It’s like doing chin-up climbing. 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. The Third Stage is so grueling that, on average, someone passes it only every other competition. This includes Arm Rings, Downward Lamp Grasper, Devil Steps, New-Cliff Hanger, Jumping Bars+Hang Climbing+Spider Flip, and Gliding Ring. The New-Cliff Hanger is the killer here. The competitor must traverse three narrow ledges only large enough to be supported by the fingertips.
In the Final Stage, the competitor must scale the tower and reach the button at the top before time expires. The current Final Stage is 23metres (75ft) tall and consists of Heavenly Ladder [13m] and G Rope [10m] with 40seconds on the clock. Typically, only one or two people make it to the Final Stage, if any make it at all. The Final Stage was only achieved on average every other tournament. Of all the competitors to attempt to claim victory, only seventeen have been admitted to the final stage with only 2 claiming victory. The prize for victory is ¥4,000,000 (about US$37,236). All in all, this is a very entertaining show. If you like extreme challenges and athletic sports, it’s a must watch. If you like this, you also need to watch KUNOICHI which is the female’s only version of SASUKE.
