Yamada Katsumi (山田 勝己) is a SASUKE All-Star who first competed in SASUKE 1, making it to the Second Stage but ultimately failing the Goren Hammer. He would go on to compete 24 more times, missing only SASUKE 13 and SASUKE 25. He was given the nickname "Mr. SASUKE" because he was once thought to be the most likely competitor to clear all four stages. Recently, he has been plagued with a string of First Stage failures.
Personal History
He is particularly notable for his unusual devotion to SASUKE. He has sworn to retire several times after failing to complete the 1st Stage, but the draw of kanzenseiha is too great for him and he always manages to resurface again. Earlier on, he competed with the support of his family, but after he lost his job prior to the 6th competition because the factory where he worked (as a propane tank delivery driver) was closed, he did nothing but train for SASUKE, alienating his family in the process. He continues to train at his home even today. He has constructed several SASUKE obstacles and trains there daily.
He has held various jobs over the years, including delivering propane tanks and working in the steel industry, but he now devotes all his time to SASUKE training, only holding a part-time job. He has also vowed to retire several times (after SASUKE 8, SASUKE 17, and SASUKE 24 for example), but has only missed two tournaments. Out of the 26 tournaments he has participated in, he has cleared the first stage ten times, the second stage four times and the third stage once. Though he showed good consistency in the early tournaments, since his comeback in SASUKE 14, he has never cleared the first stage.
SASUKE 7 was the first time that Yamada was unable to clear the First Stage, timing out on the Rope Climb. Before the 8th competition, Yamada had announced his retirement. But he returned for the eighth tournament. He took on the 1st Stage, and ran out of time on the Soritatsu Kabe(Warped Wall). Clearly emotional, Yamada just stood there in defeat for a few seconds. Then unexpectedly, he ran and climbed over the wall with ease and completed the Rope Climb quickly. It was a very emotional moment in SASUKE.
Yamada's retirement did not last long; he returned for SASUKE 9 and reached the Second Stage, only to time out (see below). In the 10th Competition, Yamada was the only All-Star to complete the First Stage and the only one who made it to the Pipe Slider, however he failed the Pipe Slider and since then hasn't returned to the Third Stage. His emotional interview after his failure prompted him to say one of the most famous lines in the history of the show, "俺には…、SASUKEしかないんですよ" which literally means, "For me, there is nothing else except SASUKE."
He would clear the First Stage in SASUKE 11 and SASUKE 12, but would fail the Second Stage both times. In SASUKE 11, Katsumi fell off near the end of the Balance Tank. In SASUKE 12, he made it through the Second Stage, but was disqualified when he forgot to take off his gloves before the Spider Walk. Yamada would not compete in SASUKE 13, even though he earned a spot during the SASUKE 13 Trials, but would re-appear at SASUKE 14, failing on the Jump Hang.
For three of the next four tournaments - SASUKE 19, SASUKE 20, and SASUKE 22 - Yamada failed the Jumping Spider. In the one tournament he cleared, SASUKE 21, he again failed the Soritatsu Kabe.
In SASUKE 23, Yamada would move easily through the first half of the course. On the Half-Pipe Attack he would carry too much momentum, and almost go off the mat. On the Soritatsu Kabe he would take many tries to scale the wall, and once he cleared it he was low on time. When he reached the Slider Jump he griped the bar with a reverse grip, then slid down, but similar to Nagano Makoto in SASUKE 22 he sliped from the netting, and failed, making it his tenth consecutive First Stage defeat and even if he had cleared the Slider Jump, he would've timed out while still in the netting.
In SASUKE 24, Yamada, took on the first stage once more. He cleared the Jumping Spider which he had failed three times, and easily cleared the half pipe attack, showing good speed. However, he suffered another heartbreaking defeat when he timed out attempting to clear the Soritatsu Kabe.
Yamada again vowed to retire after SASUKE 24 and missed the following tournament, only to return for SASUKE 26. He performed quickly through the first two obstacles, but stumbled on the Rolling Escargot. Though he cleared, he then failed the Jumping Spider for the fourth time, though this was the first time since the 10th competition that Yamada progressed the furthest of the All-Stars (tying with Nagano in the process).
Before SASUKE 27, Yamada finally raised his Soritatsu Kabe 20 cm higher, but he kept grasping the lower bar before scaling it. During the tournament he performed well through the first few obstacles. On the redesigned Half-Pipe Attack Yamada had to go back for a second try at the obstacle and he made the landing. Yamada once again struggled on the Soritatsu Kabe and timed out on the obstacle for the fifth time.
Before what wound up actually being his final tournament, SASUKE 28, Yamada's home course had not been maintained and he opted to tear it down. In the tournament, Yamada lost about 20 seconds on the Rolling Escargot and wound up having virtually no time left on the Ni Ren Soritatsu Kabe. He slipped on the first wall on his first try but climbed to the top as time ran out.
Biographical Info
Born: October 22, 1965 (age 47)
Home: Harima, Kako District, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
Job: Former steelworker
Height: 175 cm
Weight: 73 kg
SASUKE Competitions
Nickname: Mr. SASUKE, "The Naniwa Terminator"
Song: Genya by MUSASHI
Owarinakigohou from Kishin Doji Zenki
First: SASUKE 1
Last: SASUKE 28
Total: 26 Competitions
Best: SASUKE 3, Final Stage, Tsuna Nobori
Personal History
He has held various jobs over the years, including delivering propane tanks and working in the steel industry, but he now devotes all his time to SASUKE training, only holding a part-time job. He has also vowed to retire several times (after SASUKE 8, SASUKE 17, and SASUKE 24 for example), but has only missed two tournaments. Out of the 26 tournaments he has participated in, he has cleared the first stage ten times, the second stage four times and the third stage once. Though he showed good consistency in the early tournaments, since his comeback in SASUKE 14, he has never cleared the first stage.
Yamada's Home course
SASUKE History
Yamada was one of the strongest competitors in the early competitions. After making his debut in SASUKE 1, he would clear the First Stage in every tournament through SASUKE 6. In that time, he failed the Second Stage 3 times (in SASUKE 1, SASUKE 2, and SASUKE 5) and the Third Stage twice (in SASUKE 4 on the Cliff Hanger and SASUKE 6's Pipe Slider). In SASUKE 3, Yamada was one of five men to reach the Final Stage. Of those five, Yamada did best, being only about a foot short of kanzenseiha(total victory), however he has not made it to the Final Stage since then.
SASUKE 7 was the first time that Yamada was unable to clear the First Stage, timing out on the Rope Climb. Before the 8th competition, Yamada had announced his retirement. But he returned for the eighth tournament. He took on the 1st Stage, and ran out of time on the Soritatsu Kabe(Warped Wall). Clearly emotional, Yamada just stood there in defeat for a few seconds. Then unexpectedly, he ran and climbed over the wall with ease and completed the Rope Climb quickly. It was a very emotional moment in SASUKE.
Yamada's retirement did not last long; he returned for SASUKE 9 and reached the Second Stage, only to time out (see below). In the 10th Competition, Yamada was the only All-Star to complete the First Stage and the only one who made it to the Pipe Slider, however he failed the Pipe Slider and since then hasn't returned to the Third Stage. His emotional interview after his failure prompted him to say one of the most famous lines in the history of the show, "俺には…、SASUKEしかないんですよ" which literally means, "For me, there is nothing else except SASUKE."
He would clear the First Stage in SASUKE 11 and SASUKE 12, but would fail the Second Stage both times. In SASUKE 11, Katsumi fell off near the end of the Balance Tank. In SASUKE 12, he made it through the Second Stage, but was disqualified when he forgot to take off his gloves before the Spider Walk. Yamada would not compete in SASUKE 13, even though he earned a spot during the SASUKE 13 Trials, but would re-appear at SASUKE 14, failing on the Jump Hang.
Yamada failing the Final Stage in SASUKE 3
First Stage failures
After SASUKE 14, Yamada has had a long string of First Stage failures. In SASUKE 15, he failed the Cross Bridge when he fell off the side of the mat after completing the obstacle. He then had a string of three straight time outs: on the Rope Climb in SASUKE 16, the Soritatsu Kabe in SASUKE 17, and the Rope Ladder in SASUKE 18.
For three of the next four tournaments - SASUKE 19, SASUKE 20, and SASUKE 22 - Yamada failed the Jumping Spider. In the one tournament he cleared, SASUKE 21, he again failed the Soritatsu Kabe.
In SASUKE 23, Yamada would move easily through the first half of the course. On the Half-Pipe Attack he would carry too much momentum, and almost go off the mat. On the Soritatsu Kabe he would take many tries to scale the wall, and once he cleared it he was low on time. When he reached the Slider Jump he griped the bar with a reverse grip, then slid down, but similar to Nagano Makoto in SASUKE 22 he sliped from the netting, and failed, making it his tenth consecutive First Stage defeat and even if he had cleared the Slider Jump, he would've timed out while still in the netting.
In SASUKE 24, Yamada, took on the first stage once more. He cleared the Jumping Spider which he had failed three times, and easily cleared the half pipe attack, showing good speed. However, he suffered another heartbreaking defeat when he timed out attempting to clear the Soritatsu Kabe.
Yamada again vowed to retire after SASUKE 24 and missed the following tournament, only to return for SASUKE 26. He performed quickly through the first two obstacles, but stumbled on the Rolling Escargot. Though he cleared, he then failed the Jumping Spider for the fourth time, though this was the first time since the 10th competition that Yamada progressed the furthest of the All-Stars (tying with Nagano in the process).
Before SASUKE 27, Yamada finally raised his Soritatsu Kabe 20 cm higher, but he kept grasping the lower bar before scaling it. During the tournament he performed well through the first few obstacles. On the redesigned Half-Pipe Attack Yamada had to go back for a second try at the obstacle and he made the landing. Yamada once again struggled on the Soritatsu Kabe and timed out on the obstacle for the fifth time.
Before what wound up actually being his final tournament, SASUKE 28, Yamada's home course had not been maintained and he opted to tear it down. In the tournament, Yamada lost about 20 seconds on the Rolling Escargot and wound up having virtually no time left on the Ni Ren Soritatsu Kabe. He slipped on the first wall on his first try but climbed to the top as time ran out.
Yamada on the starting line during SASUKE 24
Yamada take on a Log Grip
Yamada at Soritatsu Kabe @ Warped Wall
Tags:
Sasuke All-Stars
Even though he is 'Mr. Sasuke' but he still not yet to be crown as SASUKE Grand Champion...