question regarding stage 2

[shunsukenumber98]

A thing i realised is that most of the competitors in stage 2 all go shirtless, and from sasuke 37 onwards, the competitors (speaking for the guys), are required to do the course shirtless when before sasuke 36, they were not required to compete on the stage shirtless and some wore a shirt. Any idea why it is like this? I think it has something to do with the backstream but what do you all think? Why is it like this? 

[edaan]

All I know about the matter is that Kawaguchi had to wear a shirt because he had tattoos, and once they were removed by 40 he was able to go topless again. It also might be because having more skin up against the rolling log makes the obstacle easier, helping to increase friction against the log.

[dakohosu]

Feb 6, 2024 10:17:43 GMT -5 edaan said:

All I know about the matter is that Kawaguchi had to wear a shirt because he had tattoos, and once they were removed by 40 he was able to go topless again. It also might be because having more skin up against the rolling log makes the obstacle easier, helping to increase friction against the log.

Kawaguchi wasn't forced to wear a shirt, it was a choice on his part. As I understood he got his tattoos when he was a teenager in his rebellious phase, and has always made a concerted effort to hide them no matter what, even covering them with tape when he competed on USA vs the World as he was forced to wear a sleeveless top. In Japan, tattoos are seen as quite taboo due to their association with Yakuza gangs. So he clearly regretted getting them. But it definitely wasn't forced on him. Anastase had tattoos and still went shirtless. 

In terms of why competitors go shirtless, it reduces drag while swimming and makes you more aerodynamic, which is why swimmers always either swim shirtless or wear a tight suit. It does indeed also help with the rolling log, because they apply sticky spray to their torso before starting Stage 2.

[edaan]

Feb 6, 2024 11:55:03 GMT -5 dakohosu said:

Feb 6, 2024 10:17:43 GMT -5 edaan said:

All I know about the matter is that Kawaguchi had to wear a shirt because he had tattoos, and once they were removed by 40 he was able to go topless again. It also might be because having more skin up against the rolling log makes the obstacle easier, helping to increase friction against the log.

Kawaguchi wasn't forced to wear a shirt, it was a choice on his part. As I understood he got his tattoos when he was a teenager in his rebellious phase, and has always made a concerted effort to hide them no matter what, even covering them with tape when he competed on USA vs the World as he was forced to wear a sleeveless top. In Japan, tattoos are seen as quite taboo due to their association with Yakuza gangs. So he clearly regretted getting them. But it definitely wasn't forced on him. Anastase had tattoos and still went shirtless. 

In terms of why competitors go shirtless, it reduces drag while swimming and makes you more aerodynamic, which is why swimmers always either swim shirtless or wear a tight suit. It does indeed also help with the rolling log, because they apply sticky spray to their torso before starting Stage 2.

OK, I thought it was the production team doing that, not him. To be honest, I haven’t seen Anastase run stage 2 in ages and I never noticed his tattoos anyway. I knew the cultural stigma about tattoos in Japan, so I just thought that would be a rule, but apparently not. Fair enough to Kawaguchi for making that choice. 

About the Backstream, never would’ve been something I thought about but you’re absolutely right about it being about streamlining. You basically took my post and improved it 10 fold, so thank you.

[dakohosu]

Feb 6, 2024 13:03:19 GMT -5 edaan said:

Feb 6, 2024 11:55:03 GMT -5 dakohosu said:

OK, I thought it was the production team doing that, not him. To be honest, I haven’t seen Anastase run stage 2 in ages and I never noticed his tattoos anyway. I knew the cultural stigma about tattoos in Japan, so I just thought that would be a rule, but apparently not. Fair enough to Kawaguchi for making that choice. 

About the Backstream, never would’ve been something I thought about but you’re absolutely right about it being about streamlining. You basically took my post and improved it 10 fold, so thank you.

Yeah, I'm surprised it took Tomo a good 20 years or so to get them lasered off, as he was pretty hell bent on hiding them at every opportunity. I remember seeing a photo of him on the beach with Kishimoto and Kanno and they were all shirtless, and he stood behind them to hide his arms, lol. Eh, I've heard its fricking painful though, so that might be why. FYI I think Ugajin did the same thing as I've seen he also has tattoos as well.

But yeah, going shirtless helps with aerodynamics and also makes the log a bit easier, as there's less friction and you can apply sticky spray.

What I'm interested in is whether wearing tabi boots for Stage 2 is a rule, because every single competitor without fail attempting Stage 2 in the Inui era has worn tabis, even the foreigners. Even during the Golden Era, some competitors wore them, some didn't. It obviously helps on the Spider Walk, but I've seen numerous times where they come loose after the Backstream which can screw you over for the conveyer. But yeah, the fact that everyone's worn them implies it is probably a rule, though I can't imagine having like 50 pairs of them in every single possible size to cover all bases is easy, lol.

[katoshiho]

If Ugajin invited back, he will also be shirtless?
I want to see Matsuda's version of shirtless Stage 2. Although it is almost impossible, but I think this show need to have some secret runs that only shown on YouTube.
Give 5 people who never clear Stage 1 show their real potential on Stage 2. (Sakuma, Matsuda, Kyan etc.)

[dakohosu]

Feb 6, 2024 23:30:45 GMT -5 katoshiho said:

If Ugajin invited back, he will also be shirtless?
I want to see Matsuda's version of shirtless Stage 2. Although it is almost impossible, but I think this show need to have some secret runs that only shown on YouTube.
Give 5 people who never clear Stage 1 show their real potential on Stage 2. (Sakuma, Matsuda, Kyan etc.)

Matsuda I'd like to see run the later stages given that he's part of the reason so many of the current competitors have excelled, so it only seems fitting for the creator of the first end to end home course of the current course to be able to run the obstacles he built but on the real thing. That would obviously require him to not compete on the show though, which is sort of up in the air given that he did say that he wanted to return at some point. 

I'd like to see them do more of this tbh, though for the sake of marketing I can only imagine Inui allowing this for quite significant competitors. Say, let Takeda attempt the current Final Stage, though his health issues and the fact that TBS don't seem to like him very much based on their edits of the tournament recaps, get in the way of this. Or let Nagano attempt Stage 3 and actually film it properly. Other competitors, especially semi-randos like Sakuma, maybe not, because a lot of fans don't know who they are, and also it might open up the issue where loads of competitors who don't get invited back start to press Inui to allow them to run the course, even if they're not competing, which could be a bit of a grey area.