Shiratori Bunpei

Postado Wednesday, 13 February 2013

Shiratori Bunpei (白鳥文平) is a civic employee in his home village of Inba, Chiba Prefecture in the Health and Services department. He is a SASUKE All-Star and former triple jumper. He is also known for building over 13 replica SASUKE obstacles in his backyard. Competitors have visited his home to train on what is sometimes called the 'Shiratori Shrine'.

Biographical Info

Born September 13, 1967 (age 45)

Home Inba, Chiba Prefecture, Japan

Job Health & Services civil employee

Height 176 cm

Weight 65 kg

SASUKE Competitions

First SASUKE 9

Last SASUKE 21

Total 12 Competitions

Best SASUKE 12, Final Stage, Tsuna Nobori

Debut and early success

In the 9th tournament, his debut, Shiratori impressed many by clearing the Jump Hang by using only one foot on the trampoline. Though he ultimately timed out on the Soritatsu Kabe, he left a strong impression. Shiratori did not compete in the 10th tournament, but in his next attempt, the 11th tournament, he cleared the First Stage. He would time out at the Wall Lift in the Second Stage.

Shiratori's potential was not truly shown until SASUKE 12, where he advanced to the Third Stage without any problem whatsoever. Though at one point his grip slipped on the Lamp Grasper, he recovered and made his way through the Cliffhanger and Pipe Slider at an incredible speed. Landing the Pipe Slider jump perfectly as well, he cleared the Third Stage on his first attempt, a feat only achieved since then by Urushihara Yuuji in SASUKE 22 and Hashimoto Koji in SASUKE 24. Ultimately, he timed out on the Rope Climb in the Final Stage.

His success was recognized in SASUKE 13, where he was given #99. Shiratori once again made his way to the Pipe Slider in the Third Stage, but mistimed his jump/dismount, and fell into the water below. However, this did prove that his performance in the previous tournament was not a fluke, and after this tournament he was named as an All-Star.

As an All-Star

In SASUKE 14, though he cleared the First Stage with time to spare, he fell on the Balance Tank in the Second Stage. Afterward, in an interview, Shiratori speculated that his fall was due to the fact that he had gotten too used to the obstacles, and was not paying enough attention.

In SASUKE 15, due to temperatures upward of 34 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit), before his run Shiratori fell prey to heat exhaustion. For a while it was uncertain whether he would be able to compete. As his number approached, he was still being treated, and Yamamoto Shingo, who was next in line, went before him. After the other 99 competitors went, Shiratori was ready to compete and managed to clear not only the First Stage, but the Second Stage as well. He advanced all the way to the Climbing Bars in the Third Stage before falling, apparently too exhausted to continue. His result in this tournament was second only to Takeda Toshihiro's, who advanced to the Devil's Swing.

In SASUKE 16, he once again made it to the Third Stage, where he was the first to use the one-handed approach on the Devil's Swing. Though he was once again unable to clear the Pipe Slider jump, his approach to the Devil Balanço paved the way for an 100% success rate on the obstacle in the next tournament. However, he was to fall early on the Body Prop in the Third Stage in SASUKE 17.

Shin-SASUKE

In SASUKE 18, after the renewal, though Shiratori was viewed as one of the most likely to do well on the course, he slipped on the Spider Walk portion of the Jumping Spider and fell into the water. This was his first First Stage failure since his debut. SASUKE 19 was to be a battle with stamina; he failed the Soritatsu Kabe (now 20 cm higher) multiple times, and though he finally cleared it, he timed out on the Flying Chute.

In SASUKE 21, though he still suffered from back pains, he was able to clear the First Stage (though afterward he seemed exhausted). However, he lost his balance on the Downhill Jump in the Second Stage, and fell into the water below.

Shiratori missed SASUKE 20 with a back injury and SASUKE 22 with a knee injury; however before SASUKE 22 he helped train Satô Hiromichi on his version of the Soritatsu Kabe, which Satô passed in the tournament. He was present at SASUKE 24 and stood on the sidelines with other All-Stars, but did not compete due to his injuries from which he was still recovering.

Shiratori completed the 1st stage during SASUKE 21

'Shiratori Shrine' build by Shiratori Bunpei

Shiratori with the fellow SASUKE All-Star

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Takeda Toshihiro

Takeda Toshihiro (竹田敏浩), a firefighter from Gifu Prefecture, Japan, is a SASUKE All-Star, best known for his incredibly consistent performances. He has advanced to the Third Stage a total of 13 times, a SASUKE record, including 7 consecutive times from SASUKE 11 toSASUKE 17. His height and weight are recorded at 171 cm and 63 kg respectively. Despite his impressive Third Stage advance rate, he has never managed to advance to the Final Stage, the only one of six All-Stars to have this dubious distinction. His name is listed as 竹田敏弘 in the 5th competition, and it is unknown why he changed his name. Though he has never reached the Final Stage He is arguably the most consistent All-Star, having the smallest chain of consecutive First Stage defeats (2).

Biographical Info

Born: May 4, 1975 (age 37)

Home: Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Job: Firefighter

Height: 171 cm

Weight: 63 kg

SASUKE Competitions

Song: Pale Warrior from the Star Ocean EX Soundtrack

First: SASUKE 5

Last: SASUKE 28

Total: 22 Competitions

Best: SASUKE 12, SASUKE 8, & SASUKE 17, Third Stage, Pipe Slider

SASUKE

Takeda made his debut in the 5th competition, immediately after the large-scale renewal caused by Akiyama Kazuhiko's kanzenseiha. With the 73 competitors before him having all failed, Takeda impressed all by being the 1st to clear the First Stage, with 1.08 seconds left to spare. Only two other competitors cleared that day; Yamamoto Shingo and Yamada Katsumi, further making a lasting impression on fellow competitors and the audience. However, in the Second Stage he failed immediately after starting the Spider Walk. In the 6th competition, Takeda cleared the First Stage with 10 seconds to spare. He took his revenge on the Spider Walk, and cleared the Second Stage as well, but ran out of energy on the Body Prop, and failed there after a long struggle. However, in the 7th competition, due to catching a cold before the competition, he struggled at the Soritatsu Kabe and timed out in the First Stage inches before the goal. In the 8th competition, though the rain affected his run, he made his way successfully to the Pipe Slider. Though he slipped and lost his grip before he could attempt a jump, after this tournament he was considered a member of the All-Stars.

In the 9th competition, though he took two attempts at the Soritatsu Kabe, he safely made it back to the Third Stage. Everything having been smooth sailing up to the Lamp Grasper, he slipped and lost his grip with only several globes left to go. Though he recovered, and managed to advance a little more, he lost his grip with 2 globes left and fell into the water below. In the 10th anniversary competition, he failed the Jump Hang in the First Stage, an obstacle he had never failed before. In an interview after his run, he said that he "knew it that he was going to fail the moment he stepped on the trampoline."

Shin-SASUKE

After SASUKE 17, originally Takeda had considered retiring from SASUKE, but was convinced otherwise by his children. In SASUKE 18 he arrived late to the competition, missing the pre-game race which determined start positions. As a result, he had no bib and ran between #86 and #87. He successfully cleared the newly-redesigned First Stage and was out of breath afterwords. With this, he extended his record of consecutive First Stage clears to 8. However, he struggled at the new Salmon Ladder in the Second Stage, and fell before the last, largest gap due to making a fatal mistake of not throwing enough momentum. It was the first time he had failed the Second Stage since his debut.

In SASUKE 19, he had to attempt the Pole Maze twice, wasting valuable time. Though he made it to the Soritatsu Kabe, he failed to scale it multiple times (perhaps because of the added height), and though he eventually cleared it, he timed out immediately after. It was his first time he had failed the First Stage since SASUKE 10. In SASUKE 20, though he had no problems for most of the course, he lost a lot of time trying to transfer to the cargo rope in theFlying Chute. He timed out on the Rope Ladder, marking the first time he failed the First Stage twice in a row.

In SASUKE 21, he cleared the First Stage with 15.79 seconds to spare. He exacted his revenge on the Salmon Ladder, passing it with ease, and made his way for a record 11th time to the Third Stage. He became the first to clear the Shin-Cliffhanger, and ultimately failed the Hang Climbing. In SASUKE 22, he misstepped the trampoline on the Jumping Spider in the First Stage, and failed there for the first time. He was able to return to the Third Stage inSASUKE 23 and was able to clear the Hang Climbing that eliminated him before, but failed the very next obstacle, the Spider Flip.

In SASUKE 24 he performed well in the First Stage, and was even able to clear the Slider Jump without jumping and as a result the first stage, being the only All-Star to do so, while several Shin Sedai members advanced with him. In the Second Stage he was able to clear the Salmon Ladder to Unstable Bridge connection easily and the Second Stage. Takeda returned to the Third Stage for a record 13th time. Expectations for Takeda to make the Final Stage were high, as 5 subsequent competitors cleared the 3rd stage until it was Takeda's turn. Carrying the expectations of everyone and including the All-Stars, Takeda went into the Third Stage as the last challenger. He performed well on the new Rope Junction like the six competitors before him. On the Hang Climbing he lost some strength climbing. When he reached the Spider Flip he struggled and was not able to pull himself up the first wall. In an interview he stated that Nagano had been doing a lot of work for the All-Stars to keep their name.

Kanzen Renewal

He returned in SASUKE 25 and he drew #70 from the lottery, his lowest start position ever and his lowest sinceSASUKE 8. In the First Stage, with Yamada Katsumi and Shiratori Bunpei's absences he was the first All-Star to attempt the First Stage. He performed well, and cleared with 8 seconds to spare. In the Second Stage, he failed due to making the same error as he did in SASUKE 18, and unexpectedly failed on the last rung of the new Double Salmon Ladder. Due to a scheduling conflict, he was unable to attend SASUKE 26, ending his run of 21 competitions in succession. Takeda did attend SASUKE 27, but did not compete. Takeda returned in SASUKE 28, failing the Rolling Escargot.

Takeda take on the 3rd stage obstacles, Cliffhanger

Takeda face the 'Flying Bar' at SASUKE 20

Takeda become the first person to clear the new design cliffhanger called 'Shin-Cliffhanger' at SASUKE 21

Takeda with the fellow SASUKE All-Star

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Yamamoto Shingo

Yamamoto Shingo (山本進悟) is a gas station 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. He usually competes in his gas station uniform shirt and cap (always with Esso/Mobil branding); he has only competed without it three times (SASUKE 1, 4, and 28).

Biographical Info

Born: July 29, 1974 (age 38)

Home: Tokyo, Japan

Job: Gas Station Manager

SASUKE Competitions

Song: The Chickens Are Revolting, Chicken Run Soundtrack

First SASUKE 1

Last SASUKE 28

Total 28 Competitions

Best: SASUKE 3, Final Stage, Tsuna Nobori

Personal History

Much note is made of Yamamoto's career and personal successes. These include his promotions at the Hasegawa service station, where he started as a gas jockey in the 1st Competition. He became manager before the 6th and was announced as a district manager at the 17th. His personal achievements include his marriage after the 5th competition and the building of his home in Tokyo, complete with a Sasuke training course. He is also the only competitor to participate in all 28 tournements of Sasuke

Of the 28 tournaments he has entered, he has passed the First Stage 14 times, the Second Stage 11 times, and the Third Stage twice. He is one of only four competitors who have reached the Final Stage more than once. Despite his amazing record, he and Takeda Toshihiro are the only All-Stars to have never worn #99 or #100, though he has worn high numbers numerous times after SASUKE 3. Yamamoto also competed on Viking, failing the Swing Mast, the next-to-last obstacle in the first stage after his feet touched the water.

Early Success

In the early years of the show, he was one of the people thought most likely to beat the course. He made it to the Pipe Slider in his second appearance, in SASUKE 3. In the 3rd Competition, he made it to the Final Stage for the first time and came up only about 4 meters short. InSASUKE 4 he struggled on the Rolling Maruta and painfully failed the Yureru Hashi. In the 5th Competition, despite having an injury on his left shoulder before the second stage, he was the only man to beat the second stage(with only around 0.3 seconds left) and to reach the third stage. He made it to the final obstacle, the Pipe Slider but failed the landing to the mat. He had paved the way for a 100% completion rate on the Second Stage in SASUKE 6 however he was to fall on the Rolling Maruta in Stage One.

In the 7th Competition, he was the only person to reach the Final Stage. However, his attempt ended almost immediately when he dislocated his shoulder just seconds after beginning the Spider Climb. In the 9th Competition, he returned to the 3rd Stage. He completed the main part of the Rumbling Dice, but landed poorly on the platform and fell off. In SASUKE 8 and SASUKE 10, he performed poorly, timing out on the First Stage's Rope Climb in both competitions.

Between SASUKE 11 and 17, Yamamoto consistently made it to the 3rd Stage. However, he never made it past the Cliffhanger, failing there in SASUKE 11 and SASUKE 12. In SASUKE 13 he would clear the first stage, but time out on the Wall Lifting.

In SASUKE 14 he would take revenge on the Wall Lifting and fail the Curtain Cling in the Third Stage. In SASUKE 15 he would barely clear the First Stage with 3.88 seconds left. In the Second Stage he cleared with the fastest time of 10.1 seconds. In the Third Stage he would fall early on the Body Prop which he had passed in the previous tournament. In SASUKE 16 he performed poorly as he nearly fell from the Sandan Rolling Maruta and Cross Bridge, and when he reached the Jump Hang his feet skimmed the water. In SASUKE 17 he would once again fall on the Body Prop.

Shin-SASUKE

During Shin-SASUKE (the era after Nagano Makoto's kanzenseiha), his results have been lackluster as he has failed the First Stage 5 straight times. In SASUKE 18, he made it far into the First Stage. But while trying to reach the net of the Flying Chute, his hand missed the rope, and fell into the water. In SASUKE 19, he showed decent speed (getting caught up in the Pole Maze), but landed poorly on the Jumping Spider and fell into the water.

In SASUKE 20, his run was perfect up until the Half-Pipe Attack. He reached the rope, but when landing, he failed to steady himself and fell off the side of the mat. In SASUKE 21, he avenged his defeats of the past two tournaments and made it back to the Flying Chute. He had plenty of time (almost one full minute), but did not have enough momentum to reach the net underneath the Flying Chute. Eventually, his foot grazed the water, and he was eliminated.

In SASUKE 22, again his run was perfect up until the Half-Pipe Attack. Again, he beat the main part of the obstacle, but fell into the water on the plank connecting the Half-Pipe Attack to the Soritatsu Kabe, apparently failing to notice that the path was angled differently from previous tournaments.

Finally, in SASUKE 23, Yamamoto was able to clear the First Stage. He added to this success by clearing the Second Stage with little time to spare. However, while attempting the Arm Rings, the Third Stage's first obstacle, Yamamoto reinjured his shoulder, and he gave up on the obstacle to prevent further injury.

Keeping his perfect attendance record intact, Yamamoto attended SASUKE 24. He performed well up until the Half Pipe Attack, an obstacle that has given him all kinds of trouble in the past. Yamamoto made a common mistake of failing to set foot on the Half Pipe Attack platform and retreating back to the wall, this happened twice until he finally landed on the platform. It took him several attempts to clear the Soritatsu Kabe and he knew he did not have enough time to clear the stage when he reached the Slider Jump. Moving very slowly through the rest of his run, he ultimately timed out before he could attempt the Rope Ladder. This brought Yamamoto's first stage failure count to 11.

Kanzen Renewal

Still keeping his perfect attendance record intact, Yamamoto went to SASUKE 25 and did the best out of the All-Stars in that competition. He had small struggles in the First Stage, but cleared with 6.85 seconds left. In the Second Stage, he showed the performance worthy of an All-Star on the first few obstacles. On the redesigned Balance Tank, he tried to jump midway through the track like he had done in previous tournaments. However, he couldn't grab the rope and failed. However, this is his first time Shingo made it the furthest out of the All-Stars since SASUKE 7 and his first time failing the Second Stage since SASUKE 13.

In SASUKE 26, Yamamoto wore #94 and was one of just three All-Stars to attend. During the tournament, he cleared the first two obstacles easily. However, on the Rolling Escargot, he lost his footing and shocking failed there. It was his earliest failure since failing the Rolling Maruta in SASUKE 6.

In SASUKE 27 Yamamoto wore #81. He took his revenge on the Rolling Escargot and made it all the way to the Spinning Bridge where he fell at the last Ball. He failed the very same obstacle in the next tournament, ending his SASUKE career (RISING is the retirement tournament for the All-Stars).

Yamamoto at the starting line, wearing his trademark uniform 'Gas station uniform shirt and cap'

Yamamoto with the fellow SASUKE All-Star Yamada Katsumi and Takeda Toshihiro during SASUKE 27

Yamamoto against Half Pipe Attack

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Yamada Katsumi

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.

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 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.

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

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Akiyama Kazuhiko

Akiyama Kazuhiko (秋山和彦) is a SASUKE All-Star who became the first man to achieve Kanzenseiha, doing so in SASUKE 4. He has not been able to repeat his success however, due in part to an eye condition known as degenerative retinosis that has plagued him for years. His eye condition also forced him to retire from crab trapping, and he is now a sports massage therapist. He has also been a soldier in Japan's Self Defence Force, and a Greco-Roman Wrestler. His victory in SASUKE 4 was his only trip to the Final Stage.

Biographical Info

Born: January 3, 1973 (age 40)

Home: Hokkaido, Japan

Job: Massage therapist

Height: 161 cm

Weight: 56 kg

SASUKE Competitions

Song: Scorpion's Mission from G.I. Joe Original Soundtrack

First: SASUKE 2

Last: SASUKE 28

Total: 20 Competitions

Best :SASUKE 4, 'Kanzenseiha'

Early Competitions

Akiyama was given #100 in SASUKE 2, due to setting a record in Kinniku Banzuke's Quick Muscle event, however he was unable to clear the second stage because he took too much time on the spider walk and he hesitated on the Goren Hammer, and as a result he timed out on the wall lifting. He made the same mistakes in SASUKE 3 and timed out at the exact same spot.

Kanzenseiha (Total Victory)

Akiyama took SASUKE 5 off and returned in the fall of 2000. However, he was met with three straight defeats at the hands of the Jump Hang. Prior to the ninth tournament, Akiyama built a replica Jump Hang at his house. However, he failed the first obstacle, the Godantobi, the only All-Star and #100 ever to do so. He did manage to clear the Jump Hang in the tenth tournament, but timed out in the Soritatsu Kabe. Finally, seven tournaments after his kanzenseiha, Akiyama cleared the First Stage. This began a streak of two consecutive third stage appearances, failing the Body Prop and Pipe Slider, respectively. Since then Akiyama has only cleared the First Stage once, in SASUKE 16, where he failed the Second Stage's Metal Spin.

Following Nagano's kanzenseiha, Akiyama vowed to retire, skipping the next two competitions. However he returned to SASUKE 20 and wore #1901 (the equivalent of the #1) as an honor for the 20th competition. However, like many that day, he failed the Half-Pipe Attack. He returned inSASUKE 22, and again went out on the Half-Pipe Attack. He returned again for SASUKE 24 and SASUKE 25, where he failed the Soritatsu Kabe both times.He is the first ninja warrior.

Akiyama to the top of Midoriyama Castle

Akiyama achieved the first ever 'Kanzenseiha' in SASUKE history at SASUKE 4

After Kanzenseiha

Akiyama took SASUKE 5 off and returned in the fall of 2000. However, he was met with three straight defeats at the hands of the Jump Hang. Prior to the ninth tournament, Akiyama built a replica Jump Hang at his house. However, he failed the first obstacle, the Godantobi, the only All-Star and #100 ever to do so. He did manage to clear the Jump Hang in the tenth tournament, but timed out in the Soritatsu Kabe. Finally, seven tournaments after his kanzenseiha, Akiyama cleared the First Stage. This began a streak of two consecutive third stage appearances, failing the Body Prop and Pipe Slider, respectively. Since then Akiyama has only cleared the First Stage once, in SASUKE 16, where he failed the Second Stage's Metal Spin.

Following Nagano's kanzenseiha, Akiyama vowed to retire, skipping the next two competitions. However he returned to SASUKE 20 and wore #1901 (the equivalent of the #1) as an honor for the 20th competition. However, like many that day, he failed the Half-Pipe Attack. He returned in SASUKE 22, and again went out on the Half-Pipe Attack. He returned again for SASUKE 24 and SASUKE 25, where he failed the Soritatsu Kabe both times.

Trivia

Akiyama's younger brother, Kimihiro, competed with him in SASUKE 11 and SASUKE 17.
Akiyama also competed on Viking, failing the Swing Mast, the next-to-last obstacle in the first stage.
He competed on Kinniku Banzuke's Quick Muscleevent, setting the record by doing 307 push ups in 3 minutes. This is why he was granted #100 in his first SASUKE competition.
He is the only competitor to wear both #1 (SASUKE 20) and #100 (SASUKE 2, 6, and 9).
He is also the only SASUKE All-Star to never failed the Jumping Spider and only one to never attempt the Flying Chute.
He and Shiratori Bunpei are the only All-Stars to have never failed the Cliffhanger obstacle.
Akiyama is the only All-Star with a "prop" entrance, always appearing at the starting line with a string of crabs.

A comparison between normal vision from 1.5m away compared to Akiyama's vision

Akiyama at the starting line, ready to start the challenge with his trademark ' String of Crabs'.

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Nagano Makoto

Postado Tuesday, 12 February 2013

Nagano Makoto (長野誠), a fisherman from Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, and captain of his boat "The 28th Konpira Maru", is a SASUKE All-Star and one of only three men to have completed the course, doing so in SASUKE 17. He is widely regarded as one of the most likely competitors to repeat this feat. His height and weight are recorded at 162 cm and 62 kg respectively. He holds the record for most Final Stage appearances (five), and has achieved fastest times in the First and Second Stages on numerous occasions. He also is the only competitor who attempted both the second and third versions of the Final Stage.

Nagano is known for his consistency in the competition. He reached the Final Stage three times in a row (the 11th,12th, and 13th competitions), but failed each time. Of the three, the closest he came to winning the competition was in the Fall 2003 competition (SASUKE 12), missing the red button by 0.11 seconds.

In his 22 appearances, he has cleared the First Stage twelve times, the Second Stage ten times, the Third Stage five times, and the Final Stage once. He has worn #100 in 13 competitions.

Biographical Info

Born: March 30, 1972 (age 40)

Home: Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan

Job: Fisherman, Musician

Height: 162 cm

Weight: 64 kg

SASUKE Competitions

Nickname: King of SASUKE, Leader Of the All-Stars, Ninja Warrior Legend

Song: Last Battle from X TV OST

First: SASUKE 7

Last: SASUKE 28

Total: 22 Competitions

Best: SASUKE 17, Kanzenseiha

Early Tournaments

He debuted in SASUKE 7 and while his run was all cut, it is known that he timed out on the Soritatsu Kabe. He returned in SASUKE 8 wearing #41. The course was drenched in rain, and he once again timed out on the Soritatsu Kabe like many others. Before the 9th competition, he built a replica of the obstacle at his home to train on, and the results showed, as he cleared it in one attempt and completed the First Stage with 22.72 seconds to spare. He then managed to advance to the Pipe Slider in Third Stage, missing out on the Final Stage only by inches as his jump towards the goal platform fell short.

After this impressive run, Nagano was officially inducted as an All-Star. Expectations were high for the 10th Anniversary competition, but surprisingly he fell on the Jump Hang in the First Stage. He was to make up for this disappointing showing, however, by advancing to the Final Stage in the very next tournament. Having taken too much time transitioning from the Spider Climb to the Rope Climb, he was unable to scale the tower in time. In the 12th competition, he again advanced to the Final Stage, achieving fastest times in the First and Second Stages on the way. Though he climbed at a faster pace than the previous attempt, he timed out inches from the buzzer. Standing on top of the tower, he refused to look down at the view, saying that he would do so only when he achieved 'Kanzenseiha'.

In the 13th competition, despite a renewal in the First Stage, Nagano made his way yet again to the Final Stage, only to meet another time-out. Naturally disappointed with this result, he returned with a vengeance in the 14th competition, completing the First Stage with an amazing 30 seconds left to spare only behind Takeda Toshihiro. However, three new obstacles were introduced in the Third Stage in this tournament, and Nagano was to fall during his attempt on the Jumping Bars. In the 15th tournament, he failed the Metal Spin in the Second Stage, an obstacle he had passed the previous tournament. This was his first Second Stage defeat.

Perhaps the strangest failure that Nagano suffered was in the 16th competition. Nagano once again had made his way towards the end of the 3rd Stage. Nagano took his time and rested on the green pipe directly before the Devil's Swing obstacle that leads to the Pipe Slider. Instead of trying to generate momentum from an idle position on the trapeze-like Devil Balanço, Nagano instead grasped the Devil Balanço with one arm, and held onto the green pipe with the other. He then swung back and forth, eliminating most of the effort needed to get to the Pipe Slider. However, one of the chains on the Devil's Swing got caught on the green pipe. Nagano eventually got himself free, and even got a hold on the Pipe Slider with one hand, but he couldn't hold on. When he let go, the orange pipe slid a short ways down the track. With no choice but to generate as much momentum as he could, Nagano fell short of the pipe.

Kanzenseiha (Total Victory)

In SASUKE 17, Nagano wore #99, behind Yamada Katsumi who vowed to retire after the tournament. Nagano cleared the first stage effortlessly, pounding his chest atop the Rope Climb and pressing the button with 12.4 seconds left. He proceeded to shout words of encouragement for Yamada, who would time out atop the Soritasu Kabe. Nagano flew through the second and third stages to reach the Final Stage, joining Nagasaki Shunsuke. After Nagasaki timed out, it was Nagano's turn. Determined to redeem himself from the close failures in the 12th and 13th tournaments, Nagano reached the rope with 18 seconds on the clock and finished the Final Stage with 2.56 seconds left. This earned him the title of Grand Champion, joining fellow All-Star Akiyama Kazuhiko as the only two to do so.

Nagano achieved 'Kanzenseiha' at SASUKE 17. His victory made him the second person to become a SASUKE Grand Champion after Akiyama Kazuhiko's 'Kanzenseiha' at SASUKE 4.

Shin-Sasuke

His accomplishment paved the way for the completely redone SASUKE course, which was unveiled at the 18th competition. During this competition, Nagano made it all the way to the 3rd Stage, but was disqualified when he attempted the new Cliff Hanger. The fourth rendition of the Cliff Hanger, which was rebranded as "Shin-Cliff Hanger," has the second bar inclined upwards and shortened, making the gap between the second and third bars a jumping distance, rather than an arm's reach. While Nagano cleared the jump, his hand grabbed the frame of the Cliff Hanger, thereby going off the course and he was disqualified. He stopped after he got off the Cliff Hanger and announced his mistake himself.

The 19th competition was the scene of his most shocking defeat to date. He showed some impressive speed on the first few obstacles until he reached one of the newest obstacles, the Flying Chute, which he cleared easily in the 18th competition. Nagano mistimed the obstacle and just grazed the rope with his hands (a similar mistake made by Nagasaki Takamasa), instead of grabbing the rope from under his arms, which is the technique needed to successfully clear the obstacle. He then lost his grip and forcefully fell backwards into the water, shocking the entire audience and the announcers, as well as his fellow All-Stars. It was his first defeat by the first stage since 2002. In the next tournaments, he would lose some of his famed consistency, falling to the Second Stage's Downhill Jump in the 20th competition (he had spent two weeks in the hospital just prior to this tournament), and again the First Stage's Slider Jump in the 22nd competition, but his potential is still as high as ever, as shown by his performance in the 21st competition where he failed at the end of the Third Stage, perhaps as a result of an error in design of theGliding Ring, the last obstacle, that made it similar to the Pipe Slider, requiring competitors to force the ring down the track instead of easily gliding down.

Controversy

In SASUKE 23, Nagano showed great speed in the First Stage until the Slider Jump, where he failed for the second consecutive time. However, the wire holding the pipe got caught on the framework of the obstacle and did not allow the pipe to reach the end of the track. Nagano disputed and won. After approximately 43 minutes of repairs, Nagano was given a second attempt and finished the stage. Also it had been announced that Nagano was given the nickname, Mr SASUKE. Nagano then went on to clear the Second Stage and was able to get revenge on the Gliding Ring that took him out in SASUKE 21, reaching the Final Stage. Nagano cleared the Heavenly Ladder with 23 seconds remaining, but lost time climbing the G-Rope and was just short of the button as time expired. Due to his near miss in the previous tournament many people expected him to clear all four stages in the 24th tournament. He cleared the first three obstacles with ease, but at the end of the Spider Walk section of the Jumping Spider he was too low and slipped into the mud pit below. It was the earliest he had ever failed (along with his Jump Hang failure in SASUKE 10). In the interview after his run, he said he wanted to clear the first half of the stage quickly so he could have a lot of time for the end of the stage which made strong competitors such as Yamamoto Shingo and Kanno Hitoshi time out.

The Slider Jump malfunctioning during Nagano's run in SASUKE 23.

Nagano and Kanno on the Final Stage at SASUKE 23

Kanzen Renewal

In SASUKE 25 Nagano was given #99 and was the lone represenitive of Miyazaki Prefecture. During the tournament he started shaky. On the Dome Steps he slipped on the last step and was barely able to make it to the mat and on the Bridge Jump he nearly slipped off the rope. He seemed to recover and he made it to the Circle Slider, but he failed to hit the springboard cleanly and he failed to even touch the ring.

In SASUKE 26 he was given #99. He started out with a good speed, performing much better than in the previous tournament, he made it past the Step Slider perfectly and even cleared the Hazard Swing without the aid of the ending bar and had no trouble with the Rolling Escargot. However, due to the modification in the Jumping Spider gap, he did not jump far enough into the main obstacle and failed there.

He returned in SASUKE 27 and recieved #100 once again. He made it past Stage 1 for the first time since SASUKE 23 and became the only All-Star to clear Stage 1 that tournament. Nagano despite being unfamiliar to several obstacles in that stage beat the Second Stage as well. In the Third Stage he beat the Arm Bike and Flying Bar, but he slipped up on the Ultimate Cliffhanger's fifth ledge.

In SASUKE RISING, as an All-Star retirement special, all five of the competing All-Stars wore the final five numbers; Nagano was given his traditional #100. He was off to a good start until the Ni Ren Soritatsu Kabe. He cleared the first wall with ease but timed out on the second. Eventually, he gave up after the buzzer sounded, throwing his arm pad to the ground.

Nagano's SASUKE future is unknown at this time; he has stated that he would like to compete again, but it is unknown if he will be allowed on the program since new directer Inui Misato has retired the All-Stars.