Sasuke Maniac - August 10-11

Sasuke Maniac - A 1/2 hour show that runs every Sunday night (into Monday) on TBS in Japan featuring Monster 9 events.

Scrolling text of the names of the qualifiers through Stage 1 of Sasuke Trials 2008 - part of opening of Sasuke Mania for this week

For some reason I had the reverse happen this week.. TVU didn't have TBS but KeyHole did.. oh well.. Glad it was KeyHole since I can screencap it! This week had very interesting translations. On the TV page (the lineup of that day's shows in order of time) where they do a small description of the show they said "Niche comrades, he will shoot sparks fateful confrontation looming climax!"

Scrolling text of the names of the qualifiers through Stage 1 of Sasuke Trials 2008 - part of opening of Sasuke Mania for this week

While on the main Sasuke Maniac page it said "SASUKE soon be held just before the tournament 21 times, largest in the history of the Holy City qualifying "In summer 2008 trial, he" will be held! More than 1000 pieces of carefully selected from among applicants proud body of men to shoot sparks!! Loose in qualifying last spring to the chagrin of the crash and has been totally loving family man with dreams for life and limb to fight the man, he dedicated man 80 to 80 on the Hot thoughts, he and limb, had crashed into nationwide! Glory is really amazing to hang…!?

Scrolling text of the names of the qualifiers through Stage 1 of Sasuke Trials 2008 - part of opening of Sasuke Mania for this week (P.S. That's Mr. SASUKE Pants - Asa Kazuma)

So yes.. I couldn't pick out which wtf in translation .. but wow.. 100 men shooting sparks.. riiiiiiiiight.. AND they were carefully selected.. getting visions of History of the World.. "He is a Eunic.. HE is a Eunic..." Glory is really amazing to hang…!? Yep.. are you thinking what I'm thinking.. yep.. the jig is up!

Group 1 - The no names!

Okay now that I have my first impure thought out of the way.. ehem.. geez and there is no Nagano this week.. TBS sure comes up with the best phrases... We start off with the prerequisite eliminations from the first 2 weeks (Week one blog) (Week two blog) of Sasuke Maniac. Right off the bat they show a group of No Names! Second week in a row where they don't bother showing the names of the first group. Prediction.. only 1 will get through!

Ube's Blog for this week!!

Group 1 - Top 2 qualifiers - nice to see good sportsmanship!

They don't bother showing names but the 2 guys that made it through were really nice to each other. Wish all were like that honestly. Ube says firefighter and lawyer are the qualifiers at the top.

Group 1 qualifier - dunno his name (either the firefighter or lawyer .. dunno which)

Next bit is funny. You see Mr. I have no clothes - American Swimming trunks guy - Casey Cummings walk out with a silly grin on his face. They announce his group then as they sky pan across the stage they show a video clip of Levi "The Hero" Meeuwenberg and all I could understand was NINJA WORRIAH!

Levi Meeuwenberg's presense in Sasuke 21 Trials!

LMAO! They didn't even bother showing the rest of the group! Casey apparently is the only introduction.. I somehow don't see the rest of the group qualifying or.. they just don't care..

Group 2 - Contestant 1 - Casey Cummings from Hawaii .... dunno what he's doing LOL

Group 2 - i.e. Casey Cummings group

Seems two guys managed to make it - Casey being one of them! Is he .. er.. airplaining up the ramp? Lucky he didn't Leon Lett and lose at the end for hotdoging at the finish line...

Casey Cummings.. er.. airplaining into first place in Group 2

Group 2 "other" qualifier.. yep. don't know his name... wait.. Ube saved me - Murakami

Casey Cummings speaking Japanese. Why do I want to smack him? Seems arrogant to me.. dunno.. must be the posture.. he's probably a nice guy overwhelmed.. only time will tell.

Fluff piece of Kubota Takayuki - apparently he does sports therapy or something..

Group 3 - The sports, etc. group!

Group 3 - Contestant 1 - Fukuda Tomoyuki - representing.. er.. Shaolin warrior!

Group 3 - Contestant 2 - Something Shigemasa - representing karate dojo! (Ube pointed out that a bunch of his students are there.. yep.. he's boned..)

Group 3 - Contestant 3 - Sports gym instructor Hashimoto Koji

Group 3 - Contestant 4 - Kubota Takayuki (Fluff piece guy)

Ube cheated and remembered who goes in the water.. wait.. he can't cheat.. TBS ALREADY SPOILED IT.. remember.. if you watch the openings.. you see who's going to fail.. waaaaaaaaay in advance.. but seriously.. Ube does have magic powers :)

Group 3 qualifyers! Hashimoto Koji (1st) and Kubota Takayuki (Fluff piece guy) (2nd)

Group 3 - Kubota Takayuki (Fluff piece guy) being interviewed

Group 4 was so uber they had their own graphic!.. but no introduction LMAO!

Group 4's only survivor - 15 year old Fukujima

Ube tells me these are a couple of convenience store delivery men.. dunno their names but they seem pretty confident! Check out the swagger :p

So THIS is what the Sky Walk is.. gotcha.. Fluff piece on the convenience store drivers

The fluff piece turns into a make up of the next group. Seems they've been to Muscle Park but dunno the date. Apparently it was one of the qualifiers. Seems like the 4 guys are the next group. The last 2 guys are part of that group Ube was telling me about that are all trying again to qualify.. again.. they call themselves SASUKE Park All-Stars. So far.. none have prevailed as we saw from last week when Makoto Yahagi went down into the septic sludge!

Group 5 - SASUKE Park All-Stars Kawaguchi Tomohiro

Group 5 - SASUKE Park All-Stars Tomino Keita (or do I have it reverse?)

Group 5 - SASUKE Park All-Stars vs. Delivery Drivers!

I hate it when there are 3 going for the finish line but 2 get it.. I mean.. I'd rather they drop into the water or something that to lose that close.. Kawaguchi and one of the drivers win while the last guy finally gets up there slowly knowing he's eliminated.. that utterly bites...

Group 5 - when you know you lost before you hit the hill.. that sucks for the other delivery dude.

Group 5 - SASUKE Park All-Stars Tomino Keita utterly devastated he's eliminated

Group 5 happy guys past to the next stage

Group 5 eliminated contestants still show sportsmanship.. Good try guys!

Next group seems to be another one of those themed groups.. I wonder what this one is? Oh I can't find the theme.. nvm.. (Wait.. Ube tells me it's all animals.. not knowing how to read Kanji.. or know the play on words.. God TBS has a lot of time on their hands LMAO!! Sorry Ube.. I only got Kuroneko as black cat.. must study more...)

Group 6 - Contestant 1 - Kamekawa Sadahiro is 44!

Group 6 - Contestant 2 - Shirokuma Hiroyuki is a company worker!

Group 6 - Contestant 3 - Kaneda Ryu is an airport limousine bus driver... BAD bus.. BAD bus.. you get a time out!...

Group 6 - Contestant 4 - Arino Kazuki is a Kuroneko (Delivery service) driver.

Shirokuma Hiroyuki the company worker is the sole survivor of Group 6!

Shirokuma Hiroyuki's wife and children (son was not pictured but was shown earlier next to jumping bean daughter) are thrilled!

Group 7 - Ida Koji (Fluff piece guy)

Next we have another fluff piece! Ube tells me his name is Ida Koji. They show him at work and play. Seems to work in an office and trains with his family and his 2 kids in the park. Kawaiiiiiiii.

Group 7 - Ida Koji (Fluff piece guy) at work

Group 7 - Ida Koji (Fluff piece guy) in previous qualifying.. hmm.. January, 2008 - looks like he tried to get in Sasuke 20

Group 7 - Ida Koji (Fluff piece guy) - More Sasuke 20 qualifying wow.. they did quick muscle.. way to use all the obstacles in Muscle Park LOL

Group 7 - Ida Koji (Fluff piece guy) with one of his children training in the park. Wife has the baby in a stroller off screen. There were just too many cute screenshots to pick from.

Group 7 - with Ida Koji (Fluff piece guy)

Group 7 - Contestant 1 - Ito

Group 7 - Contestant 2 - Ida Koji (Fluff piece guy)

Group 7 - Contestant 3 - The next four! Kitakaze Yoshitake

Group 7 - Contestant 4 - The next four! Matsuda Katsuki

Ida Koji (Fluff piece guy) is the sole survivor of Group 7!

Group 8 is coming up. Wow they showed more groups this week! I think.. oh heck I'm losing track here... The next group is utterly painful. ALL FOUR went to Sasuke 20... and they are in the SAME GROUP.... ugh...

Group 8 - Contestant 3 - Satou Tsuyoshi is a gym instructor

Group 8 - Contestant 2 - Kano Takaaki is an elementary school teacher? (Ube is not sure)

Group 8 - Contestant 1 - Nomura Hiroki is a company worker

Group 8 - Contestant 4 - (the only one I recognize from the SASUKE Park All-Stars and Sasuke 20..) Yamamoto Keitar is a high school student

Next is a fluff piece showing their qualification for Sasuke 20 that took place sometime in January, 2008. Everything from a course with a crapload of obstacles to Muscle Park's SASUKE Park.

Sasuke 20 Trials - January, 2008

Sasuke 20 Trials - January, 2008

Sasuke 20 Trials - January, 2008

Sasuke 20 Trials - January, 2008

From there they continued to show their elimination from Sasuke 20 .. one by one.. a couple by the Jumping Spider, one from the Pole Maze and the last one timed out on the rope wall!!!

Sasuke 20 - March 16, 2008 - Death by Pole Maze..

Sasuke 20 - March 16, 2008 - Death by Jumping Spider

Sasuke 20 - March 16, 2008 - Death by TIME UPU!!!!! on the rope wall.. ugh... He knows what Toshihiro Takeda felt like..

Sasuke 20 - March 16, 2008 (See? I remember Yamamoto from this.. poor thing) the SASUKE Park All-stars lamenting the final man's defeat

So here we are again back into the Trials for Sasuke 21.. Awww that's cruel.. to put the 4 guys who made it to Sasuke 20 in ONE group.. only allowing top 2 to advance... here they go.. Frack.. Commercials.... Group 8 lining up.. 2 will be gone no matter what.. this is devastating..

2 false start... (Yep Ube I saw that even in the slow mo..) one of the falsestarters fell into the water.. aww.. Yamamoto the guy with the glasses dropped the second sand bag!!! He was still in the running! The last 2 managed to out sand bag him and run to the finish as Yamamoto just drops to his knees in utter despair. He knows he just got beat and just stopped moving forward.. he's still on his knees well past the guys at the finish line.

Nomura Hiroki and Kano Takaaki are your winners of Group 8

Group 8 - Satou Tsuyoshi is devastated to have fallen in the water...

Group 8 - Yamamoto Keitar .. what can I say.. I'm devastated.. if he was in another group .. he might have made it.. /sigh

Seems like this was the last group they were showing for Stage One of SASUKE 21 Trials. 80 Competitors have come and gone.. The guys from SASUKE Park All-stars were almost all anihilated.. I think what.. 2 managed to get through? I lost count. Sorry.. I have a soft spot for Yamamoto Keitar.. I wish he could have gone back.

Ube.. I swear you and I were seperated at birth.. I see Shingo Yamamoto "working" the corner as well!

Not really paying attention to the time and noticing there were a lot of people shown today I figured we were at the end of the show until I saw Yamamoto and Yamada.. Dangit.. Commercials.. Watch Kung Fu Panda!!

Yamada: "Hey Baby looking good what'cha selling?" IS YAMADA SPORTING A MAN PURSE??? AN OVERSIZED HANDBAG!?!?!? Dude loves himself.. check out the shades on his Authentic Wifebeater™ T'shirt!!

Okay.. I don't know what Eiko is feeding him but Yamamoto is looking HOT these days.. I mean HOT.. Here I am thinking "funny" Shingo is the cute one of the bunch with the 10 year old trapped in a man's body thing.. then all of a sudden he became HOT.. when did this happen????? Yamada.. as much as I can't stand him.. wears the best jeans.. he does.. and he knows it.. which pisses me off... He's totally John Travolta'ing it.. Well you can tell by the way I use my walk I'm a woman's man.. no time to talk.. Music loud and women warm, I've been kicked around since I was born.. And now it's all right, it's okay and you may look the other way.. We can try to understand the New York Time's effect on man.. Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother.. You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive...

Yamada: "So hot stuff.. your place or mine?" Yamamoto: "Uh.. I brought motor oil.. you know.. to make sure the engines are clean...."

Okay sorry for the diversion there.. as I noted last week on my blog.. Yamada and Yamamoto went to promote the newly updated SASUKE/Kunoichi/Sportsman#1/Banzuki game in the same area as Muscle Park (I think the same pier) on Sunday, August 3, 2008.

Mr. (Rampaging Maniac) SASUKE Katsumi Yamada and Shingo Yamamoto cruising down a bridge walk deciding where to go... er.. wait.. they are heading to Muscle Park.

Mr. (Rampaging Maniac) SASUKE Katsumi Yamada and Shingo Yamamoto walking.. uh.. are they holding hands?? no.. wait.. it's the camera angle... phew.. sorry I can't get over Katsumi's Man Purse..

Yep.. never been there but that's the sign for Muscle Park in Toyko, Japan

Apparently Ube's figured out that they are going to some meeting with the actual makers of the game in the facilities of Muscle Park.

I'm having waaaaaaaay too much fun with Shingo Yamamoto's "Motoroil" shirt.. hmm.. Happy Motoring.. Keeps Engines extra clean.. yeah baby... he's got motor oil.. I can hear the squealing of women already.. I should charge commission for a line of .. "oil changes...".. I'd like a tuneup please..

Okay.. check out the pictures.. the makers are waaaaaay across the room.. while the guys sit on the OTHER side of the room. At least Shingo is nice and bows courteously to them..

See what I mean? I mean.. do they have rabies or something? Dudes.. sit closer to your guests..
Anyway.. here's a shot of the game they will be promoting today! Can that box get ANY busier? I'm getting seizures from the box alone!

Someone taught the boys some manners and they moved their butts closer to their guests..

Hmm.. Shingo Yamamoto staring at his script he has to follow.. crap he has to memorize that? Poor guy..

Katsumi Yamada probably REALLY glad he knows the game since he promoted it 10 years ago... Shingo looks like he's sulking because he's going to be second fiddle to Yamada..

Yamamoto: I'm totally going to get pwned by him aren't I? Dangit.. P.S. Dude loves his bling doesn't he? I like it too so no worries Shingo :)

Katsumi and Shingo get introduced to a small crowd in what looks like a mall or something.

This shot looks familiar.. and considering my mind is so waaaaaay in the gutter I might as well go for it.. Yamada is now teaching this little girl how to ride him... Shingo seems pleased.. he's a perv too...

Shingo getting tuned by a 7 year old.. LMFAO...

Clip of what the game looks like. Ube says the Final stage rope climb is new.. what's up.. ooooooh grab the rod and just pump up and down.... God.... help me.... I'm soooo going to get a lightning bolt soon...

Overhead shot of the tiny stage in the mall. Yamada is playing on the right side of the stage.. also against a little girl.. wtf is his fascination with little girls? Okay okay I'm stretching...

Katsumi and Shingo look like the both got pwned in this picture LOL.. they don't look that happy.

Shingo getting interviewed... dude looks like he needs a nap or something. He just got beaten by a Japanese Webster.

He finds something funny.. Yet another interview with Shingo. There were some with Yamada but I have enough pictures of him already! Mwahahahhahahah :) ehem.. :D

Credits roll and they spoil a lot with this picture for next week.. Uhm.. a little peak? I mean dang.. why don't you just show who made it.. wait.. you just did... /sigh.. see you next week..

Oh .. did I explain how much TBS loves Asa Kazuma (from week one)? I think they love that he has SASUKE pants!

Anywho that's this week's show. Also check out Ube's other blog entry about question of the Olympics and where is Shunsuke Nagasaki! Here's to hoping next week I see Takeda and Nagano burning their skins at the beach! I want more beach pictures!!