Has Sasuke Lost its appeal to you?

[wolf4537]

So I know I haven't posted on these forums in awhile, and I think a major part of that has to do with the fact that I've been working full time now and don't have much time for forums anymore.

However, I sort of feel like I've kinda lost a bit of interest in Sasuke, at least in terms of getting all hyped up over it.

I think there's 2 other reasons besides working full time in terms of why I've lost interest in Sasuke:

#1. I'll be completely honest, American Ninja Warrior I feel has greatly taken away the integrity of the Sasuke name in general as far as a show goes. I mean, I like watching it and all, but sometimes I feel like a program like Sasuke should stay the way it is and not have any identical foreign counterparts be made for it to show to a different audience.

And #2. Now I know I might get bashed for this, but I feel like there's certain obstacles that are just starting to feel too repetitive to me. The final stage really hasn't had any huge makeovers as far as the obstacles go, and I also feel like the course itself just isn't as exciting compared to the previous tournaments.

What do you guys think?

[Philip]

The appeal has been the same as always. I also want to see more new obstacles and stuff, but there's nothing you can really do about it.

[SKC99]

I'm NEVER losing appeal to Sasuke, but after I went to Vegas last month, I lost a lot of appeal for ANW LOL ! That has NOTHING to do with Sasuke and they think that Sasuke died after Yuuji's 2nd Kanzenseiha.

[Badalight]

I agree that some obstacles just need to go... the tarzan rope at the end of stage one and the warped wall in particular... Please god just get rid of them.

[theswine]

Sasuke has not lost it's appeal to me. Some obstacles are very stale though.

[wrestlingfan55]

After Sasuke 27, I think I lost a bit of interest because it seemed forever until Sasuke 28. I was extremely excited going into that tournament.

But before Sasuke 29, I wasn't as excited as I usually am. Nothing in particular really made me excited because I think the hype for it just wasn't there, even with the new amazing competitor list. The trailer didn't really excite me like Sasuke 28's trailer. However, the tournament itself I enjoyed a lot.

So I chose 'neither yes or no'.

[gtoneko]

It hasn't lost it's appeal for me. The only thing about it though I will say that does feel a bit off is the way they've cut back now to just once a year compared to before, having at least 2 times a year.

Even so, it's always going to be strong for me.

[yamfriend]

Personally, the newer tournaments (i.e. 25 onwards) haven't presented as much anticipation to me as previous tournaments did upon first watching them due to a variety of factors (more frequent absences and/or lackluster performances by long-time fan favorites; overly-difficult, "make-or-break" obstacles like the UCH; the globalization of SASUKE throughout various other countries; etc.). Nevertheless, each SASUKE tournament still delivers its own dramatic and unique moments that define its legacy and what it means to those who've participated there. Additionally, the amount of material to consider about all SASUKE competitions after their initial broadcasts allow us as fans to analyze these aspects more in-depth, in the process allowing us to relive runs with excitement every time we re-watch their respective tournaments. In general, such considerations have brought me to enjoy and appreciate SASUKE more and more with each additional time I hear something about it.

[RiderLeangle]

Can't say I'm losing interest, I still love Sasuke, but 28 and 29 didn't grab me... 28 I was hyped for before airing and for the week after but it's just meh... 29 tbh I was more hyped about ANW5 TBH (Especially with it coming to Baltimore and getting to test but just in general it was getting me more hyped than 29). I dunno I just kinda hate the earlier stages in the new Inui era, don't get me wrong, Inui is doing great, but his stage 1 and 2 ideas kinda suck tbh, 28 stage 1 was a first half of a stage 1 and then you're almost done in a cop-out way... 29 took that same formula and nerfed the Log Grip to hell, only thing I really liked about 29's first stage is finally replacing the steps... but the long jump is sorta a lame replacement, I mean I like the JHK but the Ni Ren Soritatsu Kabe is one of the laziest filler of an obstacle... just keep the single, the first shorter one was a boring idea and never should have lasted two tournaments.

Stage 2 is pretty much the Cross Slider and Passing Wall, don't care for the rest... Swap Salmon Ladder is an interesting idea but it's dull to watch... I liked the normal and double Salmon Ladder but the Swap is just a cramped Flying Bar but slower and duller, the Unstable Bridge is now a joke when before I liked the obstacle, but the one board version is pathetic :/ , Spider Walk feels out of place... it was a stage 2 icon but the Jumping Spider happened and was in stage 1... putting the SW back in S2 and with just the JS path is lame... it's almost as much of a demotion as the UsB, just put the 19/26 JS in stage 2 if you want S2 SW... Backstream is just a horrible idea... I could go into the problems but that's been all over so I'd just be repeating common thoughts...
Stage 3 I like though, it's not based on one obstacle as the core like the SCH or UCH.

Sorry for turning this into a rant but while I still love Sasuke, these bad courses are kinda making me like ANW more than I did last year... Which is kinda bad since things still are sorta clusterfucky but they're sorta getting better I guess?

[chackpop]

Maybe its because of the two Kanzenseihas in a 4 tournament span, or the fact that the course seems like its going back in time (few new obstacles and just a bunch of old obstacles mixed in) but Sasuke isnt nearly as exciting as it used to be, honestly.
After Sasuke 24, the first stage changed from green mats to red mats to black mats, but never changed into a newly redisigned stage with blue mats that we had hoped. It honestly seemed like the producers were running out of ideas. Sasuke 26s first stage seemed like what Sasuke 25s first stage would have been had Yuuji not achieved Kanzenseiha. I wont even get started on how unreal Sasuke 28s stage one felt.
The Second Stage felt like it had been the same from 18-27, and the format was rusty but okay, 28s stage two is just awful, half the obstacles are just time wasters and overall boring to watch.
As for the Third Stage, I feel this stage should always be increasing in difficulty. Sasuke 25 would have been the perfect stage three post Kanzenseiha but the UCH was too difficult. The Roulette Cylinder and Floating Board never got what it deserved and the Jumping Rings and Flying Bar were modified to the point of losing its original glory. I dont like thatbthey brought back the Rumbling Dice, Curtain Cling, and Pipe Slider, even if they are classics. People stop watching shows when its the same thing over and over again. I hope the Iron Paddler is here to stay and the CCH is a good twist on the Cliff Hanger.
Final Stage....Honestly the Final stage peaked with the Spider Climb into Rope Climb version, the Rope Ladder version was okay, but the Sasuke 27 final stage was just a joke, the final stage is not beaten on its second attempt. The Final Stage isnt getting harder, and I truly believe they ran out of ideas for it.
/end of rant

[bigblind168]

Sasuke to me is still one of the coolest things in the world, and I love what it has brought me. But I'm in the same boat as wolf, it's lost some appeal.
I do think some obstacles are getting stale, but honestly, i think the competitors skills are getting too high, and just god awful course planning.
In the make your own Sasuke threads, you'll always notice my first stages involve a lot of running and quick obstacles in a short time. Remember? like how it was form 1-17? and also Sasuke 25?
The course used to always be one step ahead of competitors, and now stage one is lagging 4 or 5, and stage 2 is lagging 1 or 2. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE seeing 16, 17, 20 clear stage ones. But not when i have to sit through a 2 minute course, and most of them blow it out with 10-30 seconds left. I want to see a 90 second sprint for your life with guys clearing with 3 or 4 seconds left. Then you have those 2 or 3 guys, the Naganos, Takedas, Levis, Davids, who just are so good they crush it with 15 left.
I think the wall is fine, it's just the surrounding obstacles and time limit that make it not exciting. Remember is the earlier sasukes? There'd be 10/12 seconds left and we'd be shouting at the computer or tv screen tellimg them to get up? Then they'd clear the first stage with like 1.5 seconds left?

The only issue is, you can only have so many obstacles.

[Deleted]

I'll be honest, it's lost a little appeal on me, but I'm not much of a game show person anyway. SASUKE is still good. This tourney was an improvement over 28, but still only average. Game shows don't hold my breath much anymore, but SASUKE is still good.

[wolf4537]

I honestly have slowly been getting back into Sasuke after watching several old tournaments over the last couple weeks.

And you know what I think they should do for Sasuke 30? Have the exact same layout as Sasuke 19, except with a few obstacle changes. I honestly think the first stage should stay the same (Maybe make the time limit even harder than 115 seconds though!), but hell, bring back the downhill jump, keep the swap salmon ladder, add back the skywalk, metal spin, and wall lift for stage 2!

And in terms of stage 3, I'd say mix it all up. Throw some retro obstacles in there (but take out the Curtain Cling, that's a pointless obstacle in my opinion) and then make the final stage the Spider climb with the rope climb as well.

Making me think about obstacle layouts makes me want to get back into Sasuke more than ever

[LeakyPimpleNinja]

Never! I'm such a big fan of the event! It's just so glorious, spectacular, amazing, great fun! I don't think ANYTHING they could do would sway my opinion to the negative. I'll be a fan TO THE VERY END.

[Kninja]

Always have been and always will be a super fan. They would have to completely change everything to make me lose interest.

[cole77000]

Jul 25, 2013 9:59:26 GMT -5 RiderLeangle said:

Inui is doing great, but his stage 1 and 2 ideas kinda suck tbh

This

[Lennon]

I do feel like Sasuke is starting to lose some interest to me, but not much. And it's the same reasons I think everyone has already previously mentioned. There are tons of obstacles that are kinda boring to watch now. I do think it's time to retire the warped wall for now at least. It's been worked to death. I also agree with a lot of what bigblind had to say. Though it's not like they can't change this. They can easily fix this. They need to buckle down and throw a lot more obstacle ideas out there. Let them experiment with some ideas. Backstream was at least one of those obstacles that tried to be different. Sure, a lot of people didn't like that obstacle. I liked it, because they were trying something different. But it's going to get dull really fast. They can throw it in 30, just so some people can get there revenge on that obstacle (because I'm sure everyone who lost to it horribly are going to be training really hard to beat it), but then take it out by 31. Either way, I still love Sasuke dearly. I still think about it all the time. Even though I don't get on the forums as much as I use to. And it gives me a goal to train hard and hope one day I still can compete in it. Like I said, I lost a little but it's really microscopic and I could gain that interest back easily with just a few changes.