Ninja Warrior

[aTOMiC]

www.g4tv.com/ninjawarrior/index.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_Warrior

Thanks to having cable and the G4 network, my family has become fans of Ninja Warrior. I used to watch American Gladiators back in the very early 90s and am not immune to getting interested in strange physical competitions with colorful metal contraptions that competitors must overcome to move on to yet more difficult metal contraptions in order to be victorious!
Ninja Warrior is staged entirely in Japan and is populated by mostly Japanese, however other contestants seem to be invited from around the world to compete. Most are Olympic gymnasts, etc. I believe this is the kind of show that you'd have to watch to understand why its entertaining. At the beginning of the competition there is a period where just about anyone can attempt the first round. Its almost as fun as the American Idol tryouts to watch goofy, overweight or out of shape people try to navigate the deceptively difficult hazards. If you fail you fall into a trough of muddy water so its doubly amusing.

Stage One
One hundred participants are given the opportunity to attempt Stage One, a course which primarily tests one's speed. The object is to hit the buzzer at the end of the course before the allotted time expires. If a competitor comes into contact with the water in the pits below each obstacle, he is disqualified. Typically, 90 to 95 of the 100 original entrants are eliminated in this first stage. The exact time limit varies depending on which obstacles have been placed into Stage One at each specific competition, but is usually between 85 seconds and 105 seconds. In 2007, the course was radically redesigned, and the time has been increased to 130 seconds.

Among the most notable (and most often recurring) obstacles are:

Quadruple, Quintuple or Sextuple Step
The competitor must jump across 4 to 6 platforms that are angled 45 degrees toward the center of a water pit. The platforms are positioned alternately, left and right, across the length of the pit.
Rolling Log
The competitor must grab onto a large log and hold on to it as it rolls down an incline. Later, drops were implemented onto the track in an attempt to jar the competitor off.
Jump Hang
The competitor must bound off a trampoline onto a large cargo net, then either climb up and over the net or under it, taking care not to touch the water below if they choose the latter route. Other versions have included jumping off a trampoline onto one of several hanging ropes.
Warped Wall or Great Wall
The competitor needs to scale a 15-foot concave wall by running up its side and grasping the top. This obstacle has proven to be the nemesis of many entrants striving to complete the first stage; even SASUKE veteran Makoto Nagano met his match on the Warped Wall twice before finally completing it and advancing to the later stages. The 18th tournament introduced a new version, the Great Wall, which is higher and equipped with a rope hanging down to aid competitors in climbing over it.
Rope Swing/Climb
This final obstacle of Stage One immediately follows the Warped Wall. The competitor must swing to a wall and climb up a rope to press the buzzer before time expires. The 2007 version of this obstacle is the Tarzan Rope in which the wall has been replaced by a rope net.

Stage Two
Stage Two consists of a lowered number of participants and an even more grueling set of obstacles. Fewer than 200 competitors have ever reached Stage Two. Stage Two's obstacles, like Stage One's, alter throughout the competitions, but all hold to the same principle: if you make a single mistake, you fall into the water below. Stage Two's obstacles determine the time limit, so there is no exact number, but it is usually between 60 seconds and 70 seconds.

Stage Two's most infamous obstacles include:

Chain Reaction
The competitor must ride two sequential zip-lines over a pit of water, switching between them in midair. The zip-lines travel perpendicularly to each other, and each has a chain hanging from it by a single point. Competitors must grasp the chain on the first zip-line, ride to the second zip-line, switch to the next chain in midair, and ride the second zip-line to the end of the obstacle. During the switch, competitors may kick off a nearby solid wall. Competitors are required to wear gloves (for safety reasons) when holding the chains which they must discard prior to reaching the Spider Walk.
Wall Climb
The competitor must climb a short wall with short protruding bricks from the wall. The wall is approximately 3.5 meters high. This is considered more of a transitional area as there is no chance of falling in the water but it does consume time from the competitor's pace.
Spider Walk
The competitor must use his hands and feet to climb up, across, and back down two parallel walls. The competitor must remove his gloves before attempting this obstacle or face disqualification. A can of "sticky spray" is available at the start of the Spider Walk. Bare hands must be used on Spider Walk, or the contestant will be disqualified. This happened to Katsumi Yamada in the 12th Competition, making him the only one of eleven Stage Two contestants to not advance to Stage Three.
Balance Tank
The competitor must balance atop a large rolling barrel and ride the barrel to a platform, Bunpei Shiratori (a Ninja Warrior veteran) oncefell in front of the rolling barrel and it smaked him in the back of the head.
Metal Spin
An array of chains dangle from a rotatable horizontal wheel, resembling a chandelier, over a water hazard. The competitor must jump to grasp one of the chains, spinning the wheel to the other side.
Lifting Walls
Three walls of 30kg, 40kg, and 50kg block the competitor, who must lift and cross under them to advance.

Stage Three
Stage Three, unlike the previous two, has no time limit. Contestants are allowed short rest periods between obstacles during which they can apply "sticky spray" to improve their grip. Instead of focusing on speed or agility, this course almost exclusively tests one's upper body strength and stamina. The regular obstacles consist of the following:

Rumbling Dice
The entrant uses a monkey bar-like box frame to cross a water pit. By grabbing the upper bar and pulling it down, the box rolls its way across the pit. (Removed in recent competitions)
Body Prop
The competitor must traverse an expanse of two walls that are 5 meters long, holding his body parallel to the ground as he does so. Along the way there are breaks in both walls, requiring the entrant to negotiate those as he moves across.
Globe Grasp
The competitor crosses yet another pool of water by grabbing onto a series of small spheres attached to the ceiling. (Removed in recent competitions)
Curtain Cling
The competitor must grapple across a hanging curtain 5.4 meters wide to reach the other side. This obstacle was changed in the 18th tournament to a Curtain Swing made up of 4 diagonally-placed curtains on which competitors must swing from one to the next to proceed.
Cliff Hanger
Competitors must navigate yet another chasm using only a narrow ledge to make their way across. At two points, the ledge breaks - once going a foot up, and again going 18 inches down. The ledge is barely wide enough for competitors to fit their fingertips. In 2007, the Cliff Hanger underwent a change to make it even more difficult. The middle section was shortened and the ledge inclined upwards. Moreover, the third section develops an even smaller profile, giving the competitor about half as much space for their fingers.
Jumping Bars
Competitors must jump from a series of bars, each one about a foot below and 5 feet horizontally from the previous.
Bridge of Destiny (Climbing Bars)
Competitors must climb across an inclined ladder while hanging underneath it. This obstacle is typically preceded by a more difficult obstacle, thereby straining what little endurance contestants have remaining.
Devil's Swing
Competitors must swing on a bar attached to the top of the obstacle course by two chains and swing to the bar on the pipe slider.
Pipe Slider
The last obstacle on the course, the entrant must hang from a pipe and, by undulating his body, move that pipe across a track to the other side. Once there, the competitor needs to swing off the pipe and onto the finishing platform. On numerous occasions, competitors have reached the end of the Pipe Slider, only to miss the final platform by failing to build enough momentum when swinging off, rendering all their efforts for naught.

Final Stage
Those who manage to clear the first three stages are presented one final challenge. Stage Four consists of only two obstacles: a 14-meter wall climb (similar to the Spider Climb from Stage Two) and a 10-meter rope climb. However, the competitor has only 30 seconds to complete both obstacles and hit the button at the top of the tower. After 15 seconds, the walls pull apart, causing anyone who had not yet cleared them to fall. If the competitor is still climbing the rope when time runs out, it detaches from its mooring, again resulting in a sudden drop by the competitor. (The competitor wears a safety rig in case of a long fall.)

In the 4th Tournament, Kazuhiko Akiyama completed the final stage, which at the time, was only a 15 meter Rope Climb with a 30 second time limit. That prompted the addition of the Spider Climb to the final stage.

After Makoto Nagano defeated the Final Stage in 2006, it was redesigned again. Since nobody reached the final stage during the Spring 2007 Competition, complete details on the new Final Stage are not available. It appears to contain a Spider Climb with multiple ropes following that must be switched between. The time limit is also unknown.

[danlo]

I'm hooked! I vegged and watched 6 hrs straight of the marathon yesterday. The fishing boat Capt. rocks!!!

[aTOMiC]

I'm hooked! I vegged and watched 6 hrs straight of the marathon yesterday. The fishing boat Capt. rocks!!!

No doubt! In most cases he breezes through the first and second rounds so effortlessly. He just gets tripped up in places many other contestants do but because he is so dad burn good you are still suprised.

I did the marathon as well. I had to quit around 11pm our time but wanted to watch it through to the end at like 4am. Heh.

[danlo]

Some of G4's commercials are great too...like their barfing dog, the Ninja Warrior promo and the 'Smiling Bob' male enhancement one. I don't know if they still do it but I loved all the interactive 'geek' comments, polls and ratings during Star Trek episodes.

[hierachy]

Coming up full flex
Fresh with the message for ya,
If you're not flexed then we gotcha cornered,
Don't cross paths with the ninja warrior,
I'll slice three times before you even know what's up

[aTOMiC]

Some of G4's commercials are great too...like their barfing dog, the Ninja Warrior promo and the 'Smiling Bob' male enhancement one. I don't know if they still do it but I loved all the interactive 'geek' comments, polls and ratings during Star Trek episodes.

Heh. The unicorn barfing up the pink upchuck along with famous name brand electronics. Priceless. Loved the dog too. And the Chihuahua that eats it back up.

[Sunbaneglasses]

I visited my mom yesterday who is suffering from severe RA, she did not feel well so we just sat on the couch and watched Ninja Warrior for 2 hours. I am in love with the acrobat with the pink hair.

[aTOMiC]

Finally got to see some of the early episodes over the weekend. Man! Stage three was a freaking piece of cake back at the beginning. Heck all the stages looked frighteningly easy in comparison to the way it goes now. I think even I could have made it through to stage 4. Of course climbing the rope from a start in a sitting position would do me in for sure. Heck I doubt I could get 1/16 the way up before timer lets the rope drop. Boy things sure have changed....for the better.

[aTOMiC]

Watched G4 over the weekend. New Ninja Warrior with the G4 contest winners. The new design of the stage one course took out everyone except 2. All of the Ninja Warrior All Stars were wiped out including the mighty Nagano. Is the new design too tough? Sure makes for a short contest.

[perpetualchange]

I always laugh when the contestants fall on their butts.

[aTOMiC]

Watched the Ninja Warrior marathon on G4 yesterday, culminating in new episodes featuring the G4 American Ninja 2 winners competing in Japan. Though the first two guys performed iffy on the first stage, Levi managed all the way to stage III and was completely alone. All the other competitors fell in stage II including Grand Champion Nagano. In the end Levi couldn't get past the Cliff Hanger but was impressive none the less.

[rdhopeca]

One of the producers said they've designed the new course to be impossible, and I believe it...the way they have the Cliff Hanger now where you almost have to jump and catch yourself on a two inch wide bar looks totally impassible, although Nagano almost did it in 17 (18?) but he had to disqualify himself for grabbing outside the course.

[theDespiser]

yeah, I love this show...definitely a far cry from all those other silly Japanese obstacle shows...