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Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Sasuke 31 Navi + Nico Nico Special

Title for Navi - Sasuke 2015: 放送直前スペシャル
(housou chokuzen special) {Chokuzen is "immediately before"}

It's that time again! This is Sasuke Navi 「SASUKE」ナビ- which went back to a short half hour special promoting Sasuke 31.  Previous Sasuke "Navi" blogs from the past 7 years can always be found on my site (Sasuke Navi 30, Sasuke Navi 29, Sasuke Navi 28, Sasuke Navi 27, Sasuke Navi 26, Sasuke Navi 25, Sasuke Navi 24, Sasuke Navi 23, Sasuke Navi 22 and Sasuke Navi 21). Special thanks to blt (from SMF) for providing the community stream!  I couldn't see it live this year thanks to a stupid power outage that lasted a few days.. grrrrrr.. I hate my electric company with their antiquated system, zero communication skills and lack of planning for a thunderstorm.  Btw.. mental note I'm going to take my time with these blogs. I'm still getting cluster headaches during the day so I have to pace myself when I do these blogs. Luckily there were a few days break between Navi and the tournament itself because.. trust me.. I needed it!. I made it JUST in time! Whoot!  (P.S.  Thanks to Ube for the help with some words and kanji!)

We start!  I can't believe it's been a month and a half since this taped back in May.. but as you can see from the fly-by that they added a grandstand to every stage!  This is the 3rd stage and you can see the grandstand is near the start line with the announcer booth just next to it.  It was epic to watch and I'm happy they added an audience lottery.  The atmosphere was positively ELECTRIC!

New obstacle called the Sidewinder that we've been introduced to already in previous commercials and online specials.

Yes, they were there live.

Technicolor nails is moved by experience

And this should give you an idea of how this obstacle can be dangerous..

THAT is totally Drew Dreschel falling short on landing

then jumping back quickly to get his bearings

and successfully clearing the Rolling Hill

o.. m.. g.. I'm right in the middle of that shot.. seriously.. I am

Dopey looking face going total fangirl™

Btw that black coat that Ube gifted me is comfy! I'm glad I wore it as it got nippy at night!

THE KONG EXPRESS STOPS FOR NO ONE!!!!!!!!

Oh btw there's a crapton of spoilers in this show.. HAHAHAHAHA

Kinda glad they got rid of "Rising" personally.

You are doing it wrong

Someone took "death by" literally.. oops

I hear a klaxon!

RUN DAMMIT RUUUUUUUUN!!!!

This episode sponsored by.. ABCDEFG...Z!

OMG WATCH HE'S NOT FAILING ON THE FIRST OBSTACLE!

I'm still getting used to his hair being gone.

Military salute from someone without a crewcut

Prettyboy is very pretty...

World Champion.. TWICE Yo!

BEWBS...

More bewbs..

Music box

Tackle (they dropped machine from it's name)

we had like 10 names all inappropriate for this.. Sidewinder

See? It's much more exciting seeing it live instead of taped.

ZOMG SOMEONE WINS!

And because it's live you know they aren't faking their excitement!

That's okay honey, I cried like a baby too!

And this is where the title showed up.  Love that they kept the Japanese flags!

Someone new wins zomg that is a huge spoiler for 2 people who won before..

Time to promote the stars!
From ABC-Z it's Ryoichi Tsukada 塚田僚一

Oooooh that's what ABC means.. so.. what's the Z part?

He's so friggin' happy and terrified to be here

Meanwhile you see him "arriving" somewhere

I want a hug!
Ryoichi Tsukada 塚田僚一 meets the 2-Time Grand Champion Yuuji Urushihara 漆原裕治 (Cliffer #3)

Dooooooh kept me hangin'..

So he's here in Gunma (yes I know this.. I totally have that warped wall on the cover of my calendar!)

They show Ryoichi failing

more than once..

and finally gets it on the 9th try!

He should since he's been training his butt off for this event..

From ABC-Z it's Ryoichi Tsukada 塚田僚一
yep.. let's blur our that MASSIVE spoiler on the left side..

Meanwhile going totally incognito..

Yes that's Darvish!
Kenji Darvish 樽美酒研二 from the music group ゴールデンボンバー (Golden Bomber)

He failed back in Sasuke 28 to the snail

Then got PAINFULLY close to the end in the previous tournament

He was soooooooo disappointed he was crying.

And that's what he looks like without makeup!

He's trained really friggin' hard for this event.. he's taking it seriously

not a smile on his face while we blur out more of the left side of the screen..

and here we go!

meanwhile.. let's look at the start line.  This was cool. We knew exactly who was coming up and what number. I loved this addition! I hope they keep it! Notice the blur on the left side again..

Also from the music group ゴールデンボンバー (Golden Bomber), this time it's Yutaka Can 喜矢武 豊 (going by the screen here.. his last name I have to verify tomorrow)

Some smack talk from the air guitarist

whose cuisine will reign supreme?

I'm talking to Yooooouuuuuu!!
Ogata Takahiro 尾形貴弘

Okay this is a cool shot but I'm not sure what he does

I'm totally buying T-shirts right now. I see Don's light blue shirt! I'm in front of him in the chaos since they just opened up the merchandise stand! Ahahahhahahaha

His buddies from 「パンサー」 Pansa

We go back in time! He was #2!
Yes he was slapped in the face and slapped hard by both!

And here we go!

Interesting graphics making spotlights. I kinda like it!
Obareru-kun あばれる君

Comic it seems

See the guys they interviewed just before him on the left?
Btw he wants to be known as MISTER Sasuke-Kun
(since Morimoto already has Sasuke-kun as a nickname)

and we are off!

Time for the model!
Shimon Okura 大倉士門

He's really popular!

Unfortunate suckage occurred last year

Vows to do better!

Find out tomorrow how he did!

We got Kazuma Asa 朝一眞

Yusuke Morimoto 森本 裕介

Hitoshi Kanno 菅野仁志

Tomohiro Kawaguchi 川口朋広

Ryo Matachi 又地諒

Sasuke All-stars!
Shingo Yamamoto 山本進悟, Makoto Nagano 長野誠 and Toshihiro Takeda 竹田敏浩

Someone whiffing on the Sidewinder

Someone getting pwned by the Music Box!

Don't ever change Japan.. don't ever change..

TUNE IN TOMORROW!

Buy our DVDs!

To watch Mr. Sasuke cry..

And we are back!  3 new obstacles being highlighted

It's called the Music Box.  Japanese name is ③ ^Orugōru オルゴール

Watch this pretty lady get pwned by it

This is the ⑤ *Tackle タックル and we finally get the weights!
140 kg (308 lbs), 160 kg (352 lbs) and 180 kg (396 lbs) for a total of pushing 478 kg (1056 lbs) forward!

I still think it's sadistic having THIS in the First Stage!

This is an example of what it looks like with someone on it

Camera is mounted so you can see them struggling

So Tackle directly into Warped Wall is done on purpose!

Sidewinder R サイドワインダー・R

Not entirely sure why there's an extra R.. but Inui wasn't being forthcoming either!

Testers getting pwned when first introduced to the obstacle

Oh!  Time for some runs that will be cut from the main broadcast!

I love that jumbo screen.. and no I didn't see this live. I was getting sunburned elsewhere..

Joji Amano 天野 ジョージ

^Rolling Hill ローリングヒル

body rolls up the hill..

No the logs don't roll at the top.

Veeeeeeeery carefully down the other side

Trying to gauge where he will jump from

Success!

*Log Grip ロググリップ 

The Music Box - ③ ^Orugōru オルゴール

He's smart by just about crawling up top

caaaaarefully trying to get to the side without wiping out

and successfully jumps off the obstacle

④ Jump Hang Kai ジャンプハング改

Already had a plan of going on the outside before he even jumped off!

While it is slower, he knows he doesn't have the strength to climb the inside

so he goes on the outside and takes his chances

⑤ *Tackle タックル

Yeah.. that's a lot of weight you are pushing even if it's on a track..

It folds into a box he has to climb to get the Warped Wall

Jay Kabira 川平慈英

Back to the single warped wall - ⑥ Soritatsu Kabe そり立つ壁 
And I STILL hate when they do a mock run back

It didn't help him as he doesn't catch it. Looking at the time though, he has no chance.

But good for him he's still trying!

And he catches it!!

Just as time runs out he successfully clears the Warped Wall.
Joji Amano 天野 ジョージ - Death by Time up onto of Warped Wall

Good effort indeed!

Purotan ぷろたん

And the wig comes off!

Sending serious wtfs in the audience! LOL

sorry it was all fake...

And totally screws up his jump..

Purotan ぷろたん - Death by Rolling Hill

And celebs show their .. laughter

They actually ordered the gravure chicks according to bra size.. seems appropriate honestly..

Someya Yuka 染谷有香

Managed to catch on the first roller

and her first mistake.. trying to crawl up a roller..
(yes I was in attendance. Spot the looney!)

and rolls right off the obstacle

They had like 5 angles of this.. trust me.. it was awkward seeing this

BEWBS..
Someya Yuka 染谷有香 - Death by Rolling Hill

Asuka Kishi 岸 明日香

Her claim to fame is G cup bewbs!

Asuka Kishi 岸 明日香 - Death by Roller Hill

Nao Ida 飯田なお

Kickboxer

uuuuuuugh nowhere near sticking that first foothold

She's got technicolor nails too!
Nao Ida 飯田なお

Rumi Hanai 花井瑠美

Actress

Fast forwarded to the other side as she makes the jump

Ooooooh just short.. and kicks her foot in the water

ooh and she knows it and stops..
Rumi Hanai 花井瑠美 - Death by DQ on Rolling Hill

Hey I actually remember him

K-1 which I think it's mixed martial arts? I'm sure someone will correct me.

He's got 2 World Championship belts!

Takeru 武 尊

Chameleon hair!

And he's up next!

Fast forwarded to the Jump Hang Kai

He goes in the inside with zero issues

And onto the Tackle!

The camera here is really cool because some of these are funny

Sloooowly gets out of the Tackle.. look at that time

Huge fan is looking intently (there's a LOT of K-1 Fans in Sasuke)

And whatever hope he had in clearing is all gone now.

and he knows it..

He's still trying though and I give him a lot of credit!

Still can't make it

Still at it!

One last try.. and nope!

Takeru 武 尊 - Death by Time Up on Warped Wall

Cheering for doing much better this time around!

Do YOU have PMS?

This is the 30 second commercial that was played during this.

Butt shot!

Agony of defeat!!

ZOMG SOMEONE WON PLZ WATCH

Which Golden Bomber will reign supreme?

Darvish is gunning for this hard...

Raise your hand if you're Sure!

wtf is the name they used for him?

Nagano!

Spoiler..

Epic Cross Slider fail!

Spoiler as Darvish makes it back to the thing that killed him the last time!

Dat Feels!!

You will cry too!  Wake up early to watch!

Another nico nico event happened on Sunday, June 28, 2015.  TBS aired on Nico Nico an hour special that had in great detail the Auditions that happened in Osaka and Tokyo Japan back in April.

It was really nice as they had some English text for us to read!

They showed a small glimpse of the process to get on the show

Some only in their skivvies!

This is Osaka.  They had 3 groups I think (I have to check my screencaps) and each group had to do pushups to the beat of a taiko drum. Bottom right of the screen is Yamada btw since he's from this region. He shows up every time they have Auditions to cheer his Black Tigers on.

Tokyo had a sadistic Taiko Drum player and their pace was BRUTAL!  The groans were early as whoever was doing it I swear got faster each time!  Tokyo had 4 groups.

This is where they showed the people that managed to qualify for Sasuke.  They were shown in the exact order of their numbers.  The full 100 can always be found on the TBS official site.

I didn't show all of the people that made it. I just skipped to those people might recognize.  This is the section where Yamada's Black Tigers qualified. Out of the.. I think 7-8 guys in the group now? Only 2 made it (1 was an automatic since he cleared the First stage the last time. That's the Sega guy).

And yes he brought the snakes to audition AND to Sasuke 31.. I have a picture of it I'll show later in another blog.  This is Shinji Matsubara 松原慎治

I got his autograph in Sasuke as well.  This is Yosuke Watanabe 渡辺陽介

MOODY!!!!!!!! HE FINALLY MADE IT!!!!!!  Sorry. For those who have been following Rambling Rican for the past 7 years, you should know this name!  This is his first ever appearance on the show!

Makoto Yahagi 矢作 誠

Yuuichi Okada  岡田祐一

Ryoichi Arashida 嵐田 良一

And finally they had raw simulation of when they built and FIRST tested the new obstacles.  That's Director Inui btw for those who aren't familiar with what he looks like yet.

Rolling Hill without any dressing

They had several takes with different testers from many angles

Same as well with Music Box

This is what it looks like inside

and side view also inside

Tester Yoshida muscling his way to a clear

after a while they figured out you can climb it

Tackle time next

This section was much shorter

And the long awaited video of what they did to replace the broken Swap Salmon Ladder

They just put Salmon Ladder on there but not sure if it has a new name. Inui as usual wasn't any help.

So go up one side.. jump to an already set pole on the other side

then jump BACKWARDS down the other side using the pole given to you

Spider Walk

and the sidewinder

Failed the first time tested

Once they got the hang of it then it became easier

Just jumping with purpose and pretty high to give yourself some room

Inui holding up the portrait of American Drew Dreschel (from Sasuke 30)

Just a reminder!  Along with Sasuke 31's broadcast there is a concurrent Nico Nico Broadcast!  Last year was the first time they did this and it was very well received!  So this year they've had a few already but they will be reviving the one DURING the tournament.  It starts ONE HOUR BEFORE so at 18:00 JST turn on the Nico Nico Stream to see the crew (Inui and some of the competitors - Ryo, Kanno, Tomo, Hioki and the model Shimada (who was there last year) doing a pre-show.  In fact, the photo above was from the hour before the broadcast.  I'll have 2 streams up. Sasuke 31 (hosted by SMF - check the boards for information - it already has a thread stickied so please read) and another Nico Nico broadcast that will run concurrently with the Sasuke 31 broadcast tomorrow morning!