FlashbackAkiyama stands alone at the base of Midoriyama’s Final Stage. He has overcome each and every obstacle in Sasuke 4 (even if he allegedly had some dubious help from the support structure under the mat on the Pipe Slider dismount), and now faces the imposing Final Stage tower which has defeated all 11 athletes who have attempted it, most in convincing fashion. Now, the crab fisherman and Quick Muscle champion is getting his first shot at it. After the gong strikes three times, he climbs the rope at a tremendous speed, as if the day’s events have had absolutely no effect on him, and hits the button with nearly 6 seconds left on the clock.
The moderately enthusiastic reaction from the crowd, announcer Furutachi Ichiro, and even Akiyama himself given this monumental achievement says as much as Sasuke’s parent show as anything else. Kanzenseiha is an uncommon, but not unheard of result in Kinniku Banzuke, and no one knows just how rare it will be on Sasuke. For all everyone here knows, maybe this will be the norm, a new champion every 3-4 tournaments. Yamada looks very promising. No one can imagine that it will be seven years before a second remarkable athlete joins Akiyama as a Grand Champion, and the reaction will be very, very different by then. However, none of that is the concern of the 100 athletes who have convened at Midoriyama in the spring of 2000 for the first tournament of the new millennium, because they have no idea what they’re in for…
Sasuke 5Many veterans have returned to take another shot at the course, and among them are two of the top celebrity athletes of the early years, 25 year old actor Kane Kosugi and his younger brother, 24 year old Shane. Considering that Kane has been to the Third Stage in each of the first four tournaments, and to the Final Stage once, in addition to his well-known persona beyond Sasuke, it’s no surprise to see him wearing #97 in a time when the numbering system is finally starting to become less random. Shane has had more middling results, as he only cleared the First Stage once in Sasuke 2, and gets #71, putting him more in the middle of the pack. The Kosugis and other presumably elite competitors are seen taking a look at the course and discussing the changes.
Now, compared to future renewals, this First Stage may not look too different at first glance. It’s still got the Maruta Nobori, the Rolling Maruta, the Yureru Hashi, and the Tarzan Rope / Rope Climb. Furthermore, the time limit has actually been increased by 15 seconds from a minute even to 75 seconds. Maybe, the athletes think, this won’t be so bad. However, it’s the two obstacles in the middle that are going to change the history of this competition and destroy the careers of many until-now strong competitors. The first is a cargo net which one must jump to from a trampoline, then find a way to traverse it without touching the water or getting ensnared. It’s appropriately known as the Jump Hang. The next is about as basic an obstacle as you can get, a literal wall. This behemoth, standing a little over 14 feet tall, is known as the Soritatsu Kabe, and the simplicity of its design disguises just how imposing it actually is. These two will combine to wreak havoc in future competitions, but right now, no one seems to know what to make of the revamped course, even the producers themselves. Are they going to give this new era a name? Furutachi will try out “Kanzen Renewal” and “New Sasuke” during the broadcast, but it’s unsure if anything will stick. Many of the vets still appear confident, as can be heard in a conversation in English (with Japanese subtitles for the people watching back home) between Kane and fellow American competitor Travis Allen Schroeder.
K: “You think you’ll clear as quickly as you did last time?”
T: (chuckles) “Oh yeah, 20 seconds on the clock, 15 minimum, just watch.”
K: “Fine, but this time, I’m getting further when we reach the Third Stage.”
(Both smile)Several athletes get a small interview piece before the action starts, and the Kosugis are amongst them.
R: “What do you think of the new course? Do you feel you can clear?”
K: “Absolutely. Even if some things may have been swapped out, I still believe we have the determination to overcome them. It’s not going to be easy, though.”
S: “The new areas don’t look too complicated, hopefully that means we can figure out the right techniques soon.”
First Stage It’s safe to say that in the short history of Sasuke, there has never been a massacre on this scale in the First Stage. Not until #33 Yoshinaga Katsumi did anyone even reach the final area, with the Rolling Maruta and Jump Hang in particular wreaking havoc, and this trend would continue for the first 70 athletes, with most being cut down by the aforementioned obstacles and the few able to reach the Soritatsu Kabe being stymied by the massive roadblock. Whether it’s rookie competitors, third stage veterans like Miura Eichi, Hiroaki Yoshizaki, Sato Shunsuke and Asaoka Hiroyuki, or even obscure-for-now future stars like “Kong” Takahashi Kenji, none are able to overcome this new, seemingly unbeatable First Stage. This looks like a job for an action hero, someone like Shane Kosugi.
ShaneAs is customary for the early era, Shane gets only a brief intro from second announcer Hatsuta Keisuke, while a small video plays in the corner next to the graphic displaying his name and age, which shows some of his previous attempts.
F: “Running next is the son of Sho Kosugi, the younger brother of Kane Kosugi. He has been to the Second Stage previously, will he become the first man to clear this hardened First Stage? He is Shane Kosugi, age 24!”
Shane gives a wave to the audience as he stands at the start line and waits for his cue. As soon as the final tone sounds off, he rushes towards the first familiar obstacle, the Maruta Nobori. Despite being dangerous for joke competitors and newbies, it is no issue for Shane to leap, easily plant his feet on one of the log-like cylinders, and sail upwards to safety. Next, a greater test, the Rolling Maruta. Shane knows all too well how dangerous this one is, seeing as how he failed it back in Sasuke 3. However, he shows no outward hesitation as he wraps his wiry limbs around the log and pushes off, holding on for dear life as it spins again and again, until finally, he finds himself dangling at the bottom of the track and drops down to the mat. Next, the Yureru Hashi, which he bounds across in only two steps, continuing his great pace to this point. The younger Kosugi now finds himself faced with the first of the new areas in this First Stage, the Jump Hang. Many competitors today have failed this obstacle either due to their lack of training on trampolines or simply not being able to hold on the net when grabbing for it. Shane takes a few seconds to try to strategize in his mind how to approach the jump…
H: “This is a new area, the Jump Hang. Will Shane be able to clear it?! He tests out the trampoline, he must get a great jump in order to reach the cargo net! Shane gets a running start, he jumps! He grabs the net! Shane is on the cargo net, he is climbing underneath, but he must be careful not to let any part of his body touch the water! He touches down to safety, Jump Hang clear!”
Still with over 30 seconds left, Shane now approaches the second new obstacle, the Soritatsu Kabe. With his fast pace through the early half of the course, he can afford to miss a couple of times, which is a good thing, since only one person has cleared it to this point.
H: “Shane is one of the few to reach the Soritatsu Kabe, can he scale this behemoth and clear the First Stage? He is taking a moment to gauge the distance, now he shoots down the track, he’s going for the ledge- he missed it by inches! He’s running back to the top, if he can just jump a little higher…he’s trying again- but he still can’t make it! Doushita, Shane?! He’s trying once more, but his legs are tiring, he’s well short! The klaxon is starting to blare as he looks up at the monolith blocking his path! Shane paces around to gather himself, now he has another go, but it’s futile! All he can do now is hang his head in frustration.
Zannen da, Shane Kosugi!”
Shane gazes up at the top of the wall, where his hands had come just inches short on his first attempt, but close has never cut it in Sasuke, and despite starting the day with high hopes, Shane finds himself as just the latest victim of this brutal new First Stage. As he walks off the Sortitatsu Kabe track, the reporter is there waiting for him.
R: “You were so close to the top, Shane-San, what did you think of the new areas today?”
S: “Well, I think I may have underestimated them for sure, especially the Soritatsu Kabe. I didn’t realize I would be tired enough by that point that I would struggle to get to the top.”
R: “You were starting to get tired by that point?”
S: “Yes. The Jump Hang requires a lot of concentration and strength, and I guess after I missed my first try on the wall, it just got in my head.”
R: “I see. Well, we still hope to see you again next time.”
S: “I’ll be back for sure.”
After Shane’s attempt comes up short, there seems no end in sight for the futility of the first stage. However, that all changes when, as is so often the case, a firefighter shows up to save the day. That man is Takeda Toshihiro, a completely unheralded young man out of Gifu who overcomes both new obstacles and finishes in heart pounding fashion. After Takeda’s success, though, the well quickly dries up again as competitor after competitor falls prey to the course. Not even veterans like Iketani Naoki and last year’s breakout star, Travis Allen Schroeder, can overcome the daunting new areas, as Iketani was stopped in his tracks by the Soritatsu Kabe while Schroeder got entangled in the Jump Hang for several seconds, which effectively ended his run.
Now, as evening approaches, only four men are left to challenge the First Stage. These four, barring the absent Grand Champion Akiyama, are the best of the best. Producers aren’t really sure what to call these guys, but Furutachi is rolling with “Fab Four” at the moment (I’ve decided the All-Stars also need a rejected first draft name and this is it). Yamada, the champion-in-waiting, has #100. Three time finalist Ōmori has #99. Finalist, two time Third Stage veteran, and consistently strong first stage performer (we’re not going to talk about Sasuke 4) Yamamoto Shingo has #98, and right up there with them is a man who has literally never failed at any stage before the third in his four previous attempts. It is, of course, time for Kane Kosugi to step into the spotlight.
KaneAs the camera pans over Midoriyama, lead announcer Furutachi begins his dramatic intonation…
F: “He has never failed the First Stage before, but this is a First Stage unlike any the actor has ever seen. “New Sasuke” presents a challenge that has been too strong for most of these athletes to overcome, but now, the time has come for a supreme challenger to step forward. He is the eldest son of the Kosugi family, he is Kane Kosugi, age 25!”
Kane shakes his hands and lightly bounces on his feet as he waits for the tones to sound off, then he charges towards the Maruta Nobori, bounding over the first obstacle with ease and coming face to face with the always unpredictable Rolling Maruta. The actor wraps himself around the wooden cylinder and holds on tightly as he pushes off and endures violent spin after spin, but the log fails to dislodge him, and he lands at the bottom of the track safely. Next, the Yureru Hashi, an obstacle that is not even a road block for an elite athlete like Kane, who swiftly crosses the wooden bridge in about a second. Now, though, he’s about to take on the grueling back half of the course, the one that ultimately took down his brother and even Travis Schroeder, who seemed like a lock to reach the Second Stage. Next up, the Jump Hang, which has been eating up competitors all day, especially those without trampoline experience, but Kane has a couple of important advantages over them. One, he’s an action movie star who performs his own stunts, where one has to be able to think and react quickly. Two, he’s participated in previous events on Kinniku Banzuke which involved a trampoline, giving him invaluable experience that he will need to put to use right here if he wants to keep his dreams of Kanzen alive…
F: “Kane sizes up the Jump Hang, it has been very deadly today, can the actor find a way to clear it? Kane gets a running start, he jumps from the trampoline…a tremendous leap!!
Mono sugoi, Kane Kosugi!!! He got very high on the net and is starting to climb over! Kane delivered a flawless performance on the Jump Hang and is one step closer to the finish button!”
Kane’s technique of climbing over the net won’t become popular for a while, simply because almost nobody is able to jump high enough to make this option worthwhile over the faster, though riskier, downstairs route, but it will certainly become a bit of Sasuke trivia someday years down the line. In the present, however, Kane is now in good position as he has about 30 seconds to go, but again, as with Shane, the Soritatsu Kabe stands in his way. Kane takes a look at the ledge of the wall as he stands at the top of the curved track…
F: “Kane is approaching the Soritatsu Kabe, he jumps…his fingers come up just short! Kane cannot lose much more time here, he must scale the wall on his next attempt! He is regrouping, time is ticking away, this could be his last real chance. Kane is trying again, he goes for the ledge…he finds a handhold!!! Kane pulls himself up, he has cleared the Soritatsu Kabe! He is frantically clambering down to the Tarzan Rope, less than 15 seconds remain! He swings across to the final Rope Climb, Kane is in a race against the clock! The klaxon has begun to blare as Kane’s arms and legs work furiously to get him to the top! Five seconds, he’s reaching the top, he lunges for the button-
SA ITAAAA!!! First Stage clear!!! He cleared with only a couple of seconds to spare!”
The clock says 2.07. It’s the fastest time of the day, out of two people, the only two clears of the first 97 athletes, that says plenty about what an accomplishment this is. An exhausted Kane still finds the energy to pump his fist and utter a shout of excitement as he stands as only the second man to clear Sasuke’s new First Stage. On the sidelines, his fellow competitors applaud, and Shane is seen watching with pride and awe. Kane slides down the pole and is greeted by the very excited reporter.
R: “What an incredible run, Kane-San!”
K: “Thank you!”
R: “What did you think of the course?”
K: “Well, as I expected, the new areas were tough, they can tire you out if you’re not careful.”
R: “You had an excellent leap from the Jump Hang. Is there any reason in particular you think you did well there?”
K: “Well, I’m far from a pro, but I’ve performed on trampolines before in other events, so I think that gave me some familiarity with the area that helped me to do well.”
R: “It’s too bad about Shane, isn’t it?”
K: “Yes, it hurt me to see him fall short when he was so close. I hope next time, we can both clear together.”
R: “Well, thank you very much, Kane-San, and congratulations on going back to the Second Stage!”
K: “Thank you, I look forward to it.”
After Kane’s incredible clear, the rest of the Fab Four take to the course looking to prove why they deserved the top numbers in this field. First, Yamamoto obliterates Kane’s pace with the blazing fast time of…3.23 seconds, and yes, that will be the fastest First Stage time of this tournament. Next, Omori looks set to recapture his old form as he speeds through the first three obstacles, including the Rolling Maruta that shockingly took him down in Sasuke 4, only to suffer another shocking fall on the Jump Hang. Finally, it seemed like Yamada, the heir apparent to Akiyama’s crown, would suffer his own shocking elimination after the Rolling Maruta came off the track, leaving him mere inches from the water, but after clearing the stage with a little over a second on the clock, the judges would give him the OK, making it a total of four athletes advancing to the Second Stage, by far the lowest number of clears in Sasuke’s brief history, and a testament to both the challenge presented by the course and the incredible talent and resilience of the survivors.
Second Stage
Sasuke’s Second Stage has always presented a challenge for competitors who display sluggishness on the First Stage, as the 50 second time limit pushes athletes to the limits of their speed and stamina. As the four survivors examine the new Second Stage, they notice that again, it doesn’t look drastically different except for one thing, the first couple of obstacles. The sprawling Spider Walk (So large that in the TBS broadcast, it actually consisted of three separate obstacles) that dominated the old Second Stage has been broken up into a smaller Spider Walk and the Tackle Machine, a large 50 kilo weight which must be pushed for several meters before the competitors can attempt the Spider Walk. As the competitors gaze upon this newfangled contraption, Shingo, who has a noticeably bandaged shoulder after a rough landing on the final climb of the First Stage, chooses this moment to crack a joke.
S: “So this is their plan to specifically keep me out of the Third Stage!”
K:
(nudges Shingo) “it’s because they’re afraid of you.”
S:
(smiles) “Well, of course, but they didn’t count on Yamada-San, I mean look at those muscles, he can probably push that thing aside like it’s nothing.”
Y:
(chuckles) “If it’s anyone’s muscles they should worry about, surely it’s Takeda-San. Haven’t you seen the recruitment material?”
K:
(grins) “Yeah, they say firefighters are as brave as samurai and as strong as Superman.”
T:
(smiles playfully) “It’s true, we can even leap over tall buildings in a single bound.”
(All laugh)The four First Stage survivors are in good spirits, but the stage’s simplicity masks the dangers within, and that will manifest itself plainly right from the onset, as Takeda takes to to the course and easily powers through the Tackle Machine, only to rush through the Spider Walk and fall almost immediately, to everyone’s shock. As Takeda dries off, it’s time for the second run of the night. In a previous tournament, Kane’s high number and the group of 20-30 athletes attempting the stage would have afforded him more time to rest and mentally prepare, but instead, immediately after Takeda’s fall, it’s his turn to take on the sprint to the finish line that is the Second Stage. As he stands in front of the Tackle Machine, Furutachi introduces him.
F: “He has never tasted defeat in the first two stages, and earlier today, he was one of just four to clear Sasuke’s redesigned First Stage. But he will have to clear each of the obstacles here in less than a minute if he wants to advance to the Third Stage for a fifth time. Can he stand atop Midoriyama’s Final Stage tonight? Welcome once again Kane Kosugi, 25 years old!”
Kane stands at the ready as the tones sound off, then immediately bursts into action…
F: “Kane rushes towards the Tackle Machine, this is a new area. He must rely on his brute strength to push the 50 kilo weight as quickly as possible! Kane’s legs are driving forward, he is almost at the end of the obstacle! Time is of the essence as he reaches the Spider Walk, the kaleidoscopic hues disguise this obstacle’s true danger. Kane is proceeding with caution, but he cannot lose too much time! He is struggling to gain traction on the walls,
doushita Kane,
doushita Kane?! He continues to slip as he reaches the halfway point, he’s trying to transition to the fourth panel- but he’s fallen off!!! Kane is in the water! For the first time ever, Kane will not advance to the Third Stage! How could this terrible fate befall the beloved actor?!”
The crowd is equally as stunned as Furutachi, and both Yamamoto and Yamada are seen looking anxious on the sidelines. If even a competitor as strong and consistent as Kane can struggle on this stage, then will either of them stand a chance? Meanwhile, Shane is seen appearing dismayed at Kane’s fall.
A replay of the fall shows Kane struggling to stay on the Spider Walk and getting to the second moving panel and fourth overall, but he would lose his balance as soon as he attempted to transition to it and crashed down to the water below.
As Kane eventually returns to the sideline, he’s greeted by the reporter.
R: “Kane-San, you seemed to have a rough time on the Spider Walk as soon as you got on it, what kind of problems did it create for you?”
K: “Well, I just couldn’t get traction on the walls. I don’t know how to explain it, maybe it was my shoes, but it felt like I was constantly sliding off.”
R: “I see. Do you think the time limit played a factor at all?”
K: “Absolutely. When you have 50 seconds, you’re thinking about going fast and not so much about being technically sound, and I guess that’s where I went wrong.”
R: “That makes sense. Do you think anyone will clear the Second Stage today?”
K: “Yamamoto-San and Yamada-San are strong, I think they can both make it as long as they stay focused and do what they do best.”
R: “We’re sorry to see you go so soon, but we sincerely hope you’ll keep trying.”
K: “You can count on it. Shane and I will be here again, and we’ll keep fighting for our dream of Kanzenseiha.”
R: “We look forward to it, thank you very much!”
K: “Thank you.”
Kane returns to the sideline where Shane greets him and the two exchange some words.
S: “You did great to get this far, next time we’ll just have to be more prepared for the Spider Walk.”
K: “Yeah, it’s tough, you have to try to block out the time, that just puts more pressure on you.”
The Kosugis settle in to watch the end of Sasuke 5. Yamamoto races through the stage, injured shoulder and all, and rolls through the gate with a nail biting 0.3 seconds showing on the broadcast (In reality he did have slightly more time, about 1.4 seconds, but still). Yamada has high hopes to follow in his footsteps, but shares the fate of Takeda and Kane as he shockingly slips on the Spider Walk and plummets to an early exit.
Third Stage
The always optimistic and recently promoted gas station manager, Yamamoto, is the last man standing, the only man to clear both renewed stages, and now faces his greatest challenge yet. Kane, Shane and the others who have stayed around to watch Yamamoto’s run bear witness to the unveiling of the new Third Stage. The familiar Propeller Untei now sits in the first position, followed by a lengthy plexiglass track in which one must wedge their body and traverse using only their hands and feet, known appropriately as the Body Prop. Next is the Arm Bike, then a redesigned Cliffhanger with a higher third section, and finally, the Pipe Slider with a slightly larger gap. Yamamoto, for once, is all business, as the weight of responsibility becomes clear, he is carrying the hopes of all 99 athletes that fell before him. Kane and Shane look on as Yamamoto successfully navigates each obstacle until he gets to the Pipe Slider, where a combination of exhaustion and his injured shoulder cause him to rush the dismount and just miss out on a trip to the Final Stage. With that, this first renewal tournament has inaugurated the second era of Sasuke with a bang: it's the first time no one has reached the Final Stage. This course is not to be taken lightly any longer. Officially, the new era has no name, but many will one day call it the Golden Age, and the four men who cleared the First Stage today: Kane, Takeda, Yamamoto, and Yamada, are all destined to play a leading role in it. That is, as soon as TBS can come up with a proper name for them…
-
And with that, Sasuke 5 is in the books. Now, some minor news, I’ve decided to expand the scope of this series from 28 to 32, just because I feel like they wouldn’t go along with being retired after 28 and it would be cool to have them there for Nagano’s retirement. I may expand it further in the future but that’s where I’ll leave it for now. Also, if, just for fun, anyone wants to see Kane or Shane try American Ninja Warrior 4 (which they would be eligible for), I’d definitely be down to do that. But for now, here are the remaining tournaments (If we can, let's try to go chronological for the best storytelling, but I'll do any of them):
14-16, 18-32
