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Thursday, April 9, 2009

Sasuke 22 - Spoilerific Review - Part 12

SASUKE 22!!

PART TWELVE

(PART ONE) (PART TWO) (PART THREE) (PART FOUR)(PART FIVE)(PART SIX)(PART SEVEN)(PART EIGHT)(PART NINE)(PART TEN)(PART ELEVEN)

Sasuke spoilerific review ;) Warning.. incoming blog of Sasuke 22.. if you don’t want to know.. you have been warned :D For a preview of this event.. Please see SASUKE NAVI Spring 2009 (1 hour review of Sasuke 22 with fluff pieces of all the major players in the upcoming Sasuke!) Oh.. and as Ube says: If you are from the G4 Forums, DON'T POST THIS THERE.

UBE'S BLOG FOR SASUKE 22 IS HERE!

Next up is Lee Yen Chi リー・エンチ - who makes climbing up walls look like child's play as he FLIES up this wall...

Lee training in every surface he could find

Lee Yen Chi リー・エンチ - Rock Climber from Taiwan

No problems on the Arm Rings

It's so cute :) He puts on Sasuke Spray and then puts his hands together to test how sticky they are.. each time making it look like he's praying!

Clear on the Hanging Balls.. er.. uh.. Lamp Grasper

No problems on the Devil Steps either

More Sasuke Spray and prayer.. the Shin Cliffhanger is next..

A lot of preparation for this one.. for some reason I'm not confident. If he gets past this he would have no problems if he got the Hang Climber.. but .. not sure..

Here he goes! This is his first ever attempt at this..

A little struggle getting to the second rail

Again showing the struggle to the second rail

WHOAH.. he slipped off the middle of the rail..

But he's able to recoup

He's starting to swing but having all SORTS of issues

I'm not liking his form... he seems to be really struggling with the timing

K he's back again trying to regain his form but his swings are small

OUCH not even close! He seemed to swing then somehow left the middle rail before he got to the apex of the swing to the right..

Awwww he had no hope to even catch the 3rd rail :(

Here's the overhead

His arms came apart and never even got to touch the ledge I don't' believe

Yuuji Urushihara 漆原裕治 who's already waiting for the final is reacting

Is he over analyzing what went wrong? LOL

Lee Yen Chi リー・エンチ- Death by Shin-Cliffhanger

Here's the replay using the reverse angle showing when he started to fall off the 2nd rail

He managed to keep himself from falling there

Here's his final swing to get to the 3rd rail

But you saw he came over too early and didn't allow for the full swing. I think he managed to get a couple fingers on the rail but his body was WAY out of position to do anything about it.

Yeah.. he had no chance to recover

Still an AWESOME tournament for Lee Yen Chi リー・エンチ

Ube is definately right on this - JET TV has to be having kittens right now! He's had a VERY successful career in Sasuke! I'm sure when it finally airs in Taiwan they will have a party for him!

Ube says that he is saying that he wants to return! I'd love to see him come back! (P.S. Since the airing he has actually gone to Muscle Park to mess with the Shin-Cliffhanger!)

Our final competitor in Stage 3 is Yoshiyuki Okuyama 奥山義行

Okuyama Family Cam™ - Daughter 5, Son 8.. Wife.. you know the drill.. Don't ask :p

Yoshiyuki Okuyama 奥山義行 - Here he is in the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan in the 200 meters (the one that Michael Johnson fubarred the field :p) - Quarterfinals - Heat 4 - he came in 5th place on August 26, 1991

He is now a "sports instructor"

This is him giving a class

And yes he does smile! LOL

Cute video of him with his kids again (Damn that's a small refridgerator!)

Boy he seems really relaxed this time around! Maybe he knows TBS can't possibly edit him out like they did in Sasuke 21.. LOL (No guarantees for G4 though .. sorry buddy..)

Yoshiyuki Okuyama 奥山義行 - Former World Sprinter

Clear on the Arm Rings

Bah.. Yamada making an appearance :p Okay okay it's a commercial announcement over his his Hanging Balls.. er.. Lamp Grasper

Getting ready for the Devil Steps

Devil Steps cleared.. now.. the part I'm not sure he can do.. at least not yet..

Getting ready for the Shin Cliffhanger

Daughter watching intently

No problems getting to the middle ledge..

Oh he tries to stretch out like Shunsuke Nagasaki did..

Second hand cups over the first.. gaaaah that's not going to work..

Yep there he goes :(

Yoshiyuki Okuyama 奥山義行 - Death by Shin Cliffhanger

He got a better swing than Lee did though

Just opened up too early and tried to stretch out rather than jump..

Didn't give himself enough space for the other hand while his body was already dropping straight down

Yuuji saying Shi... actually no.. LOL I don't know what he's saying but he's watching..

Kanno joins in the GAAAAAAAAAH moment..

Okuyama Family Cam™ - most of the people in the shot watching the Jumbotron thing while wife is watching live

Yep.. feel your pain..

Smiles coming from Okuyama though

Okuyama: Craaaaaaaaaaaaap...

Okuyama Family Cam™ - they clap in admiration for a great tournament!

Sorry but I'm surprised I didn't have to stretch much to find smiling pictures of this guy! Sasuke 20 he didn't smile.. I don't think.. at all?

I seriously hope he comes back!

Okuyama Family Cam™ - Cute family pics while wife is clapping for the wonderful performance of her husband

Here we go! Stage 4 of Sasuke 22!

Yuuji Urushihara 漆原裕治 getting ready for his climb to glory! .. while Paul ANTHONY Terek is in the back with his iPod :p

Katsumi Yamada 山田勝己 .. why are they asking him? Oooooooh I get it.. he's latching on because of what happened in BUG in MIKI... I got it.. More on that later though..

It's been 2 frelling years..

But we finally got someone to fondle this thing! It's Epic don't go away!

On October 16, 1999 we had our first champion in Sasuke 4

First Champion Kazuhiko Akiyama 秋山 和彦

Kazuhiko Akiyama 秋山 和彦 - his win caused the Final Stage to be reworked!

This mammoth beast was created after Akiyama's triumph!

It took this guy four tries.. and the rest of the field 7 years to finally defeat it in Sasuke 17 on October 11, 2006

Makoto Nagano 長野誠 became the second champion of Sasuke causing yet another reworking of the Final Stage

What followed was another 2 years before anyone would even REACH the final stage

In Sasuke 19.. Yuji Washimi 鷲見裕二 was the last person to compete but he too was defeated on the Salmon Ladder ending hopes of reaching the Final Stage

In Sasuke 20 it was Levi Meeuwenberg who got closer than anyone to getting to the Final Stage

But the last man standing was defeated just short of the Final at the Shin Cliffhanger

Sasuke 21 was the tournament were 2 people got closer than ever before!

Toshihiro Takeda 竹田敏浩 came close by defeating the Shin Cliffhanger but was ultimately defeated a couple obstacles before the Final at the Hang Climbing

Then when we all thought it couldn't be done.. Someone almost got to the final in Sasuke 21

But just inches to the final.. Makoto Nagano 長野誠 fell off the Gliding Ring

Finally in this tournament a new hero has emerged and we will finally see someone attempt to conquer the new Final Stage!

Monster 9 and TBS is proud to unveil.. the New Final Stage!

It's comprised of 2 obstacles. You first have to start going up a rope ladder called the Heavenly Climb that is 13 meters high (42.65 feet). The total height of the Tower is 23 meters (or 75.46 feet.. yikes that's high..)

The final 10 feet is all rope.. they call it the "G Rope".. yes.. you read right.. GROPE!!! Sorry but I can't stop laughing now.. (mind.. racing... with dirty jokes...)

All that and you have 45 seconds to complete the climb and hit that red button

New Final Tower is now set up and ready and screaming "BRING IT ON BEATCHES!!"

Yuuji Urushihara 漆原裕治 is overseeing the preparations

Roll that beautiful bean footage! Wait.. that's not right.. Al Bundy! Sorry.. it's just not that engaging.. he sells friggin SHOES..

Ha! He got 3 signatures on one paper! Shunsuke Nagasaki 長崎 峻侑 across the top, Katsumi Yamada 山田勝己 (Mr. Sasuke) on the left and Makoto Nagano 長野誠 on the right :) Yay I'm doing pretty good! (My guess is that he got the signatures in Muscle Park)

Okay back to BUG in MIKI... little did I know when I blogged about this last year would it come up SO MUCH lately.

This is where Yuuji (and Keita Tomino 富野恵太) defeated the Allstars in mock competition.

Because of this feat (and since Yuuji beat Keita in the timed trial) he managed to be invited to participate in Sasuke 21 (his run was digested in the main broadcast but shown in full in Sasuke Maniac)

It was here than something very interesting happened that has since changed Yuuji's mind about someone in particular..

Yuuji used to be a HUGE fan of Mr. Sasuke Katsumi Yamada 山田勝己..

Until he DISSED HIM IN PUBLIC!!!! Yuuji was bowing very low showing his awe and respect for him.. and what does Katsumi do? BLOW HIM OFF and just ripped his hand out and kept walked away from him.. yep.. anyone that saw the broadcast all saw it.. Wow..

TBS cut the footage here.. probably to save Mr. Sasuke further humiliation but in the 2 times Yuuji has been with Katsumi.. neither have spoken to each other on camera.. take your own conclusions but I think it's pretty clear..

Yuuji has tried to qualify for Sasuke a couple times from this footage.

In 2007 he failed the landing of the Pipe Slider in Muscle Park thus eliminating his chances to go on to Sasuke (possibly Sasuke 19.. not sure if it was 18 or 19)

In the Winter of 2008 for Sasuke 20 he again tried his luck in Sasuke Trials

AGAIN he was defeated in Sasuke Trials (this was for Sasuke 20)

Just a couple months later Yuuji would get a reprieve from Monster 9 and an invite because of his amazing performance in BUG in MIKI defeating all the All-Stars at that event

Even though he did well in Sasuke 21 he was again forced back to Sasuke Trials!

But THIS time he earned his trip by being one of the final 7 to qualify for Sasuke 21

It was this trip in March that brought him here today

Not sure what this all stands for.. dang not being able to read kanji.. but he doesn't own a course.. he uses playgrounds to do his training

Yuuji Urushihara 漆原裕治 (#3 Cliffer) - being interviewed while they do final preperations

Ube was kind enough to post that the people are holding signs that read 完全制覇 (kanzen seiha) while the first two 漆原 would be spelling out his last name Urushihara

The Stage 3 Finalists Lee, Kanno and Okuyama (and his son)

LOL Kanno is hardcore with that jewelry.. first the KISS rings now the chunky skull necklace

Yuuji's heart must be racing..

Cool shot of the camera zooming in from the top

TBS reporter chick showing how friggin' high 75 feet is

I'm getting the willies..

Doing the looooong announcement

Yuuji Urushihara 漆原裕治 (#3 Cliffer) - Shoe salesman

Unintentional cool transition shot :p

Kinda wanted to see the Steel Ladder they had set up for 18-20 but hey screw it.. at least someone is ON it!

On last final prayer

And up.. HOLY CRAP he's FLYING! Geez after seeing the girls nilly up the same rope ladder with prissy er.. uhm.. precision.. I see this guy totally going up like it's a solid friggin' ladder.. holy crap he's destroying this thing!

I don't think people realize how fast this guy is going..

Transition to the GROPE!!! Er.. rope.. called G.. ehem.. get my composure..

I DON'T CARE WHAT NUMO IS SELLING!!!!!!! (LOL Ube: Don't complain. You knew it was coming.)

Meanwhile back on the G-Rope (chuckles..)

He's substantially slower but still going up in a really nice pace

Gaaaah.. that's a lot of territory to cover and he doesn't have the ridiculous climbing skills of Takeda, Akiyama or Nagano.. (more than Nagasaki though.. by a LONG shot - I expect hate mail..)

You see the camera guy on the left and the reporter chick on the right

LMAO! The reporter chick is banging on the platform to get him to hurry up!

She's banging ferociously! But .. alas.. it's all but over

AAAAAAAAAAAAH so close! Now granted.. I was in a bit of a shock. With the commercials and the end of Sasuke Navi you had this bit of a shock to not see him win. I mean they didn't say he was going to win but it was thought he would. Either way he had a FANTASTIC tournament and by no means a dissapointment!

Aww he hears the time up! Luckily they didn't drop him down.. nothing like having a rope ladder straddle your family jewels.. at a high rate of speed.. that would have .. yeah..

He pulls himself onto the platform in exhaustion

.. again.. that back of his..

Ugh.. seeing how close he got hurts..

Lee is horrified

Stage 3 Finalists all reacting

Fans all seeing the time go up

Dissapointment obviously

Yuuji is still all smiles though

Appreciative applause for one HECK of a tournament

Subdued cliffers (all in black with the UNCLI shirts) - Yamamoto #5, Matsuda #1, Matachi #2, Tomino #4)

Yuuji - Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah Soooo close!!

Credits start to roll while replays of his climb play on

This was the first time you see the TBS people WILLING someone up to the top! Please save our ratings! For the Love of everything holy TOUCH THE DAMN BUTTON! ROFL!!

TBS Chick showing Yuuji the view from the top

Monster 9 and TBS thanks you for watching!


I for one totally enjoyed this tournament! It was unexpected and refreshing to watch new people get their time in the spotlight! I won't bother trying to figure out how much G4 is going to massacre this thing.. for now I'm happy at the TBS production. The only major complaint was the first stage hopping back and forth a la G4 editing style so we didn't know wtf was going next in the line up.. especially when they had numbers on...

Final Shot of Sasuke 22 - Yuuji triumphantly makes it to the Final Stage!

Can't WAIT for Sasuke 23!!

6 comments:

Chaki said...

Sasuke 22 reminds us all of when Sasuke was called the Olympics for the Unknown Athletes.

MG (KSx4) said...

Thank you for putting up lot of wonderful pictures with your delightful comments! Sasuke 22 was the first time that I was able to watch immediately after the live airing in Japan since I didn't get into Sasuke until last November.

There were lot of information that I had missed when I view 22 when I look at the pictures. You mentioned that Yuuji Urushihara had back problems since he tends to touch his back a lot, which I didn't noticed until I read your blog. It has to be arduous on him, physically and mentally, to do all of the 4 stages, especially the last one.

But it was wonderful Sasuke because we were able to view new people take over Sasuke where All Stars had failed (coughYamadacough). Nonetheless, I remain positive that Nagano and Takeda will do well at next Sasuke. :)

I hope Kanno, Okuyama, Yen Chi, and Urushihara will do very well next Sasuke because I dig them a lot.

Keep up good work, Arsenette! :D

Rufus said...

THANK YOU!!!

Although I'm dissapointed about my all-stars I agree it's great to see that the stages CAN be completed. You just can't be a HUMAN. Urushihara is impressive... and cute *cough*

I don't know what G4 could do to it seeing their contestants didn't get very far, so that's something.

Cheers and thanks for the Chronicles of Sasuke :)

Arsenette said...

Aww thanks guys! It took me so long to do these but I was trying to make sure I didn't go ballistic and get sick like I did last year. I also did go bonkers with the pictures because I was able to get such a high quality video to take screenshots from :D

Agreed Chaki that it's back to what it used to be though you know me I'd like to take a bit of that with a dash of certain All-Stars :p I like multiflavored snacks thank you :D

So happy you got to see the competition as it was meant to be aired MG :) I didn't know if Yuuji had back problems but he certainly showed as if he did. I didn't even show all the pics of him grabbing his back.. it looked like it to me so that's what I'm thinking. No confirmation though.

I know for G4 they already created the Ninja Fest Fan thing in Santa Monica to dominate the Pre and post show since they got jack in terms of footage in general. Usually they take time in the Pre and post show with the All-Stars.. Muscle Park.. that sort of thing but from what it looks like I believe they didn't get access to them this time.

I'm stoked for 23 though. I wonder how many will pass this time now that the Slider Jump is no longer a new obstacle.

snowy said...

Words can't express how much I've enjoyed your zillion-part Sasuke 22blog. Like chaki, this competition in particular reminded me why I fell in love with a silly Japanese game show. Thanks!!

Arsenette said...

I had a lot more fun this time around since I didn't treat it like a job. I do admit that as much as I truly ADORE the All-Stars.. it was very nice seeing new people on there showing passion and excitement in the same fashion we have been accustomed with the All-stars. I do rank this one up there with my favorites.