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Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Tatsuya Tada - Sasuke Friend

Tatsuya Tada 多田竜也

Interview Format change:

I wanted to try to get back to conducting fan interviews of former Sasuke competitors. I used to do that a couple years ago but I always either waited too long, the questions/reply period went way too long or people were overwhelmed with the amount of text and decided not to participate. Heck, I even have incomplete blogs of interviews I conducted but never finished. Recently, after a unique opportunity arose, I decided to take advantage and try something different. Wanting to test out a new format for interviews, I relied on Skype (and a great interpreter in Jin) to conduct an interview with a Japanese competitor. Eager to help out in any way possible, and offer himself up to testing a new format, we were fortunate to get a willing competitor in Tada.

Miska Sutela visiting Japan from Finland posing with Tada and a few familiar faces!
Left to right Kung-Cheen Howng (who is my interpreter "Jin" for this blog), 2-Time Grand Champion Yuuji Urushihara 漆原裕治 along with fellow Finland traveler Mika Marcinkiewicz, Tada (in white), Miska (black shirt holding towel), Yuuichi Okada 岡田祐 (it was his home course) and a local friend who all came out to spend the day with the foreigners!
 
I did an informal question and answer conversation (Translated from English to Japanese then back from Japanese to English) moving around my question sheet depending on the flow of the conversation. So as a result, I deviated from my usual Q&A format that I used to have on previous interview blogs here on Rambling Rican. Also, since all of these answers were translated, I didn’t transcribe the exact answers verbatim. Doing that would be more time consuming and taxing on the interpreter, so I decided to not use this format. Hopefully this new format goes well and I can learn from and expand for future interviews. Please let me know in the comments if this works for my blog readers.

Sasuke Festa 2008 - a shortlived festival hosted by TBS and Monster 9 held the day before Sasuke 21 during September, 2008
Tada has a Youtube video of his entire run!

Introduction:

For many people who follow Sasuke (and trials) religiously, or love following Youtube videos of Sasuke training from around the world, you may have seen this particular man from Japan. His name is Tatsuya Tada 多田竜也. His Youtube channel name (and Twitter) is better known as "Tadachi". Tada was really nice in giving over 2 hours of his time to test out this new interview format. Thank you so much! I enjoyed it!

Miska Sutela visiting Japan from Finland posing with Tada

Title meaning:

I figured people would ask me why I named this blog “Sasuke Friend”. See, his Twitter handle and Youtube channel is “Tadachi”. Tada is his last name. Dachi is short for Tomodachi 友達 which in Japanese means “Friend”. So it’s a play on words. I loved knowing the meaning behind the name so I figured I’d use this as the title of the blog since it fits his personality quite nicely. He’s also a very friendly person.

Yamagata City 山形市


Background:

Tatsuya Tada 多田竜也 was born and raised in Yamagata Prefecture 山形県, Japan on July 6, 1992 (21 years old) and has an older sister. He currently lives in Yamagata City 山形市.

Tatsuya Tada 多田竜也 wearing #32 in blue uniform running a (winning) relay during High School.  He was 17 years old in the photo.

Tada was a star athlete in Junior High and High School in Track and Field (Triple Jump, Long Jump, Relay, etc.). He was even named Captain of his Track and Field Team in both Junior High School and then again in High School. Currently he is a student in a vocational school studying to become a physical therapist.

 Tatsuya Tada 多田竜也
Screenshot from one of his Youtube videos - Spring 2013 trip to Shizuoka Prefecture (home of Shinya Kishimoto 岸本 真弥)


What attracted you to Sasuke?

Tada has been a long-time fan of Sasuke ever since finding Sasuke back during the 7th tournament (which aired in Japan on TBS on March 17, 2001). He can’t put his finger on why he liked the show, but it caught his attention at a very young age and never let go. He enjoys watching the competitors and also enjoys trying to figure out if he could clear the obstacles himself. He’s an avid fan of the course and of the show in general. To name one thing he likes about the show is difficult. Something about the show intrigues him even to this day.
 Tatsuya Tada 多田竜也 Saddlecloth from Sasuke 17

What made you decide to apply to compete in Sasuke?

He finally decided to apply to Sasuke when he became old enough to compete. He loved watching the competitors in Sasuke and when he entered Junior high he started to train in earnest to try to win a spot on the show. While most Sasuke fans who have watched the show remember him participating as a 15 year old in Sasuke 19, he actually applied, was accepted and competed back in Sasuke 17 (which aired in Japan on TBS on October 11, 2006) when he was 14 years old, although TBS cut him from the actual broadcast.


What was your impression of seeing Sasuke up close?

Wearing #39 in Sasuke 17 he was quite surprised and in awe of the HUGE 4-stage course in person. The course was much larger than he imagined, and felt it was completely different from watching on television. He was both thrilled and deeply honored to have been invited to participate alongside all the other competitors he had watched on television for many years. The size and scope of the Midoriyama set was huge and he felt in awe being there and being allowed to compete!


How did you fare in your first attempt of Sasuke?

As for his result, he was literally seconds from becoming the youngest competitor ever to clear the first stage, but he just timed out on the final obstacle, the ⑨ Rope Climb ロープクライム. It was an impressive run for a rookie, let alone for a 14 year old to almost beat the first stage on his very first attempt! It’s a shame TBS never aired his run. My assumption is because the show was already full with many clears in all 4 stages including a kanzenseiha from Makoto Nagano. Back in 2006, Sasuke was only a 2 hour show. We’ve grown accustomed to the longer broadcasts of present day. Tada was a casualty of the short duration of Sasuke 17’s broadcast length in 2006.

Kota Honma 本間 晃汰 - Sasuke 17

How was your experience at Midoriyama during filming?

Still being in Junior High when he went with his family to Midoriyama, he was fortunate to befriend another competitor near his age in Kota Honma 本間 晃汰.  Tada was 14 years old and Honma was 16 years old.  The two became friends during the filming.  Honma finally succeeded in clearing the first stage (the youngest competitor to do so). 

Kota Honma 本間 晃汰 - Sasuke 17 Second Stage

How long did you stay at Midoriyama during filming?

Thanks to Honma, Tada was allowed to stay long enough to cheer for him in the 2nd stage. While he did miss the 2nd Kanzenseiha 完全制覇 (Sasuke All-Star Makoto Nagano 長野誠) he still was elated to have fulfilled a dream in competing in Sasuke, and stay as long as he had. Most competitors are not allowed to even stay past their defeats. He was given the honor of seeing the 2nd stage as well, thanks to the generosity of a fellow competitor.

 Tatsuya Tada 多田竜也 - Sasuke 19

When did you return to Sasuke?

He didn’t get selected for Sasuke 18 but he felt he didn’t apply himself during the application process. For the next tournament he went out of his way to send training videos and present himself in a better light. He was rewarded by being invited to compete in Sasuke 19 which aired in Japan on September 19, 2007. Most of us who remember him being a competitor remember seeing him as a 15 year old. Finally shown in the TBS broadcast (2nd digest) he was shown unnumbered in the mid-thirties pack of competitors. His 2nd tournament wasn’t as successful. He unfortunately failed on the ④*Jumping Spider ジャンピングスパイダー. This time he stayed only until the end of his first stage run when most competitors leave the event if they have been eliminated. The day was long and the first stage taping was going longer than expected. 

Hioki Masashi 日置 将士, Shin Sedai Ryo Matachi (Cliffer #2) 又地諒, Ryoichi Arashida 嵐田 良一, 2-Time Grand Champion Yuuji Urushihara 漆原裕治 (Cliffer #3), Ryo Akagawa and Tatsuya Tada 多田竜也

What benefit did you get out of competing in Sasuke?

Being on Sasuke and training for the show, opened up a whole new world to him. He found friends among the fellow competitors that shared his passion for the show and love for training on obstacles. Early on he befriended Hanglider enthusiast Masami Harashima 原島 雅美 at Sasuke and of course the aforementioned Kota Honma. Later through his Youtube training videos, he started to receive messages from other Sasuke competitors. Over the years he started to participate more and more in special training camps and even Sasuke-related events. He’s always eager to meet new people and share his Sasuke passion even to this day.

Sendai PTA Event 2013 (Youtube video)
A local event where Sasuke veterans hosted a small Sasuke demonstration course for the benefit of the school children of Sendai, Japan.
Many familiar faces!
Keita Tomino 富野 恵太 (Cliffer #4), Tada (light-blue Move Sport shirt), Trials guy Makoto Yahagi, Sasuke Veteran Yoshiyuki Okuyama 奥山義行, Hioki, Sasuke Veteran "Kongu" Kenji Takahashi 高橋 賢次, Hirotsugu Kobayashi 小林広嗣, Ryo Matachi, Arashida and Yuuji among other familiar faces that I forgot names.

Do you have any memorable experiences related to Sasuke?

He reiterated again the camaraderie of the competitors and meeting people. Without Sasuke he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet people from around the world. He’s had the honor of being invited to participate on other Sasuke-related events (like the Sendai event 2 years in a row) alongside the Shin Sedai Stars and other Sasuke veterans. He also cherishes the ability to connect with children in the various events that he’s been invited to participate.

 Another training camp - this time at Arashida's Sasuke Garage (they call Arashida Park)
This is an older photo but familiar to those who read my blog and recognize all of the STQ'ers by now before they became Shin Sedai Stars.  Wataru Mori 森渉 (Now of Sports Danshi fame), Yahagi, Hitoshi Kanno 菅野仁志 (in white looking very different than now), Kobayashi, Arashida in the middle, Hiroki Nomura 野村宏樹, Tada (being gripped by Nomura, in the orange shirt), Ryo, Yuuji on the shoulders of Tomohiro Kawaguchi 川口 朋広 and the rest of the STQ'ers and significant others.

Do you have your own training course?

He doesn’t have a training course himself, but thanks to his friends, he trains all over Japan at the home-made courses that they created. He spends most of his time, though, in public parks and elementary school playgrounds.

Tada traveling to Shizuoka (Summer 2013) with a friend and current Sasuke Star Yusuke Morimoto 森本 裕介

Do you still train to be on Sasuke?

These days he trains because it’s still fun. Sure, he would love to participate again in Sasuke now that he’s older and better trained, but you can’t do this kind of training if it wasn’t fun. I personally would love to see him compete again. His last trials event that he participated was Sasuke 27. Sadly we all know we never got to see that full event given that it was right when Monster 9 went bankrupt.

Yuuji, Ryo, Tada, Kongu and Kouji Hashimoto 橋本 亘司 during the Sendai PTA Event

Do you still continue to watch all Sasuke related shows?

A funny portion of the interview was when we were discussing older shows like Sasukemania (which incidentally started my blogging career) and since he lived outside of the Kanto area (the show was a local late night show that only aired in a small region of Japan) he had never seen the shows. I joked that there were ways of watching the show if he really wanted to watch them. He was surprised and amazed at the dedication of foreign fans waking up in the middle of the night to watch the events streaming through the internet. He was amazed at how many dedicated fans watched it streamed live in a language they didn’t know.

 May 2013 Training session at Arashida Park in Yamagata Prefecture
Many familiar faces and a few unfamiliar. Arashida (bare chested), Keita Tomino 富野 恵太 (Cliffer #4) (white shirt next to him), Kenichi Arai 新井 健一 next to him.  Shunya Yoshida (from the video), Hioki, Kongu, Tada (black shirt), Ryo (Cliffer #2), Keitaro Yamamoto (Cliffer #5), of those I recognize.

Do you watch Sasuke tournaments on TBS?

Even the Sasuke tournament he doesn’t get a chance to watch the live broadcast as it airs, since it usually airs early during a weekday and at a time of day when he’s not home. He doesn’t miss a tournament though, and despite missing half the live broadcast, he does record it to enjoy it the following day. At times he watches the show along with his family.  Depends on whether anyone is home when the event airs.  He’s still very much a fan of the show and still watches it as entertainment even if he’s not a current competitor.

Screenshot from one of his Youtube videos - Spring 2013 trip to Shizuoka Prefecture

Do you have any favorite obstacles?

As for favorite obstacles he likes trampoline obstacles, the Soritatsu Kabe そり立つ壁 (Warped Wall) and the the Spider Walk スパイダーウォーク. And contrary to belief since he likes both trampoline obstacles and the spider walk, he doesn’t like the hybrid The Jumping Spider (ジャンピングスパイダー but prefers the the Jump Hang ジャンプハング instead. Unlike many other competitors, he really prefers the First stage obstacles and layout over the latter stages. The first stage has more excitement for him, especially since all 100 competitors get to attempt it.
 Tatsuya Tada 多田竜也 during Sports Festa 2008

Summation:

The interview process was really a great overall experience for me. Thanks to Jin for allowing me to chat away and ask anything I wanted, and Tada for being open to all the questions in this informal setting. Tada knows some words and phrases in English, and it was fun listening to us both understand bits and pieces of the conversation in each other’s languages (I know some words in Japanese from anime and years of doing the blog and searching for phrases in Japanese). He’s a great person to talk to and is very friendly! He loves meeting new people and would love to chat through his Twitter and YouTube channel. Oh he has one note of caution, he is not fluent in English so when you send messages please take the time to write full sentences and not use slang. He had an example of someone sending him a happy birthday message but only said “Happy B-day”. Had he not previously understood some phrases in English (and inferred since it was his birthday) he would have never understood the message. So please, don’t use abbreviations and slang. He does definitely appreciate the messages and hopes to connect with more Sasuke fans in the future.

4 comments:

ad uk said...

Disappointed with myself for taking so long to read this blog he really deserves better. I really hope he gets to compete again soon I love it when the competitors are true fans

Unknown said...

Is there a chance you can ask him this question that I translated from English to Japanese from Google Translate?:
JAPANESE:
ジョン·マッキニー
ウィルミントン、オハイオ、アメリカ
親愛なる多田哲也、
どのMonster9は27日の大会後に倒産し、TBSは今サスケを持っていることにもかかわらず、SASUKE上のあなたの経験があって、今日はSASUKEに出場したいと思います?第19回大会以来、競合しないの後に二度と競合するあなたの可能性はありますか?
敬具
ジョン·マッキニー
ENGLISH: Jon McKinney
Wilmington, Ohio, United States
Dear Tada Tetsuya,
how was your experience on SASUKE, and would you like to compete in SASUKE today, even though Monster9 went bankrupt after the 27th tournament and that TBS now has SASUKE? Is there a chance of you competing ever again after not competing since the 19th tournament?
Sincerely,
Jon McKinney

Arsenette said...

Later this weekend I can send him the message, however Tada has a Facebook, Youtube and a Twitter account you can talk to him directly. :)

However I can answer that question, he has continue to apply to Sasuke, he just has not been chosen by TBS. :( He's still trying. Just hasn't been lucky.

Unknown said...

OK. Thank you Arsenette!