Sasuke Rising (28) Spoilerific Review - Part 9

We have a new Sasuke opening!

Sasuke spoilerific review ;) Warning.. incoming blog of Sasuke 28.. if you don’t want to know.. you have been warned :D (Just remember.. the USA Broadcast of this.. will be.. well never possibly.  I don't know if we will ever see it.. Yes.. you read that right.. Now with the death of G4 official and NBC not giving a damn about Sasuke Japan.. we may never see Sasuke Rising on US television (or any overseas country for that matter unless everyone buys the original 3 1/2 hour broadcast from TBS). For a preview of this event.. Please see SASUKE Rising (28) NAVI a 1 hour review of Sasuke Rising with fluff pieces of all the major players in the upcoming Sasuke and even a couple of runs that were cut from the official broadcast!

 (Massive thanks to TBS for posting the names of all 100 competitors!  Thanks to Ube for his help on the names in English!!)
 

And we are back!  Third Stage Time!

And a return of the ① Rumbling Diceランブリングダイス

The obstacle marking it's 8th appearance

New obstacle!  ② ^Iron Paddlerアイアンパドラー

The camera panned across so you can see both sides of it.

We'll see how this works exactly if someone gets to it.

And the full length of the paddler

In the words of my husband.. "what makes it 'crazy' then?"

④ Curtain Clingカーテンクリング 

There's been a few variations of this obstacle (namely the placement of the sheets) however this marks the 5th time it's been in Sasuke.

New obstacle (yes.. that's a ledge..)

⑤ ^Vertical Limitバーティカルリミット

Of course not to be confused with the English title of the Kunoichi obstacle..

This is a ledge/grip obstacle.

and an oldie but goodie:

⑥ Pipe Sliderパイプスライダー

This particular one is redesigned to be it's own thing,however there has been a version of this obstacle in at least 18 tourneys.

Still wrapped in a baby blanket, you see the competitors watch a demonstrator on the Crazy Cliffhanger.

And successfully defeat it.

As the competitors having a mancrush over the demonstrator.

Same guy showing us how the Vertical Limit works.

Yuuji's totally mancrushing...

As he's yelling "Sugoi" スゴイ (or Amazing!!)

LOL I was told what he actually said here!!

Yuuji:  "Come on, how can they expect me to do this. I'm just a shoe salesman."

I love his sense of humor!

Prerequisite interviews!  Asa making his debut!

Then Yuuji who's making his 4th appearance in the Third Stage

Who apparently is giddy with excitement and trepidation over the stage..

and Kanno

Kanno's girlfriend Shoko (笑子）

Kanno is making his 3rd appearance in the Third Stage (the most recent one being 3 years ago)

I'm so used to the All-stars being all over each other supporting so this is jarring for me to see them so far apart from Asa.

It will take time for the group to congeal.  Heck, it took years for the All-stars.

Veteran announcer Keisuke Hatsuta初田 啓介

Reminder that only 3 have survived into the Third Stage

Cool overhead shot of the Third Stage. Milk that crane rental!

TBS loves this shot.. will he make the Final that's looming in the distance?

Kazuma Asa朝一眞

And immediately starts with the Sasuke Spray!

Ever a fan of the show he knows exactly the best technique to go through this obstacle

And showing no issues as he powers through it.

almost there..

Safe dismount

Now comes the unknown..

Hey I wondered if you could go underneath it like an arm bike..

But apparently not.. as it's called a paddler..

Wow this is awkward and painful to watch!

awesome pace though.. he's just muscling it to the end!

Wow that looks exhausting!!

Yuuji just crapped a brick...

And Kanno is intrigued..

Now onwards to the Crazy Cliffhanger..

This woman has crabs.. and is happy about it..

Okay back and he's praying over the cliffhanger.. er.. sorry making love to the spray.. no that's not right either..

Okay fondling over.. no that's not right either..

okay nice pace across the first 1/3 of the obstacle

wait spoke too soon.. he comes back to the first ledge..

Okay he's back on the middle one..

transition to the 3rd ledge..

and starting to get himself organized for the swing.. he looks tired..

and trying to get a good swing..

Oh but before that his fingers gave out!

Oh reverse angle showing you how hard it was for him to hang on...

just couldn't hold on..

Kanno contemplating how much energy was sucked out of him by the Iron Paddler..

Quick glance as he heads over to his starting position since he's next.

Asa groupies in million depressions..

ugh that water looks foul.. and FREEZING..

Yeah once I saw his body completely extend that far.. I knew he had nothing left..

Kazuma Asa朝一眞 - Death by Crazy Cliffhanger

I'm actually really proud of him! He's kept it together and showed us that the potential we saw years ago when we first met him was not a fluke. He really is that good!

He said he had been dreaming of going this far and is happy but wants another chance to do better!

Meanwhile pimping the new Sasuke Rising Jackets in white.. Yuuji is up next!

If you don't know he won in Sasuke 24.. you don't watch the show..

and if you didn't know he won TWICE.. you really don't watch the show..

Yuuji showing us that he practices his cliffhanger skills at home

.. hey is that a cat.. liter box?

Kinda creepy that he shows how much he hangs on to it..

It literally changed color from the times he's handled it..

Don't you touch your wood too?

TBS pimping the space heater the size of the Death Star..

and a cameraman waiting along the route..

TBS really loves this shot..

2-Time Grand Champion Yuuji Urushihara漆原裕治 (Cliffer #3)

Children of the cor.. er.. vegetable?

I see they got a commercial with the current Gymnastics Olympic All-Around Champion Kōhei Uchimura内村 航平

and we're back!

No issues on the Rumbling Dice

Safe dismount

Figuring out wtf to do with this thing...

No wonder he was scared of this.. he's having ALL SORTS of problems..

omg is he going backwards???

This is painful to watch!

People are yelling encouragement as it seems he's here for a lifetime!

pokes a toe out to hopefully get momentum off this stupid thing..

iiiiiiinching forward...

Wow finally off this thing.. it took him TWO MINUTES to clear it!

Kanno is up next..

Asa made it look easier..

Not sure what he's saying but I think he's talking to Asa here..

Talking to Shinya here.

His turn to contemplate this cliffhanger with almost no energy..

Quickly on it..

Mmmmmmm.. nuts..

and we are back as he's flying through this..

After all he is an UNCLI member!

Now eyeballing the jump..

and he touches...

Noooooooooo...

He had a good attempt!

but just short..

Hioki freaking out!

Masashi Hioki日置 将士 (those of us know him as the lucky bastard that got Bunpei at his wedding)

LOL and drops out of frame..

Ooooh STQ'ers unite!

Okay.. Tomohiro Kawaguchi川口 朋広, Keitaro Yamamoto山本桂太朗 (Cliffer #5), Hioki now on his knees, Lee from Taiwan and Kouji Hashimoto the inexplicably demoted New Star..

Asa also freaking out so spastic that the camera lost him

He was standing next to Kouji

As everyone is in disbelief that the Cliffer failed a Cliffhanger!

Oh.. Kanno is not liking his chances if the King of Sasuke just failed his go-to obstacle

What makes this surprising is that up to now.. Yuuji had never failed the Third Stage... let alone the previous Cliffhangers (in competition)

Unfamiliar territory! 2-Time Grand Champion Yuuji Urushihara漆原裕治 (Cliffer #3) - Death by Crazy Cliffhanger

Yeah.. Kanno is not in a happy place

Taking two full minutes on this was painful to watch.. it seemed endless but he persevered!

Given how much energy was drained from him on the paddler I shouldn't have been surprised to see him fall..

But I was.

He said he's really happy he got this far and he'll have a goal to train for.

I suspect many of his friends will build that obstacle for him to train on!

It's so damn cold.. Kanno has all of his clothes on.. a heavy jacket.. AND a baby blanket.. and THIS was the tournament they wanted people to swim in!???

anyway Box lady surprised that the new generation live in closets filled with full-sized obstacles..

Seems of the celebs are all laughing at the absurdity of it all.

While she's gone fangirling over the sight of his back.

Hitoshi Kanno菅野仁志 back in the Third Stage after 3 years!

Can I call her no-neck girl? Is she hiding hickies the size of manhole covers?

I mean.. just saying.. this is her boyfriend..

btw he's doing just fine on the Rumbling Dice

Just fine on the dismount

Lol wut?

Dude this sucker hurts..

I want to see him in paaaaaaain.. just like I was..

Yuuji's wish is Kanno's command...

Wow he's having issues as well but still going at a faster pace than Yuuji

almost.. there... he touches his feet...

OMG he tried to dismount early and went completely backwards!

Pulled his knees in and managed to land on the platform and slowly paddled his arms back in to dismount...

No-neck is relieved!

Lucky bastard knows he's lucky!

Meanwhile.. he gets ready for the Cliffhanger..

and has a private moment with Sasuke Spray..

LaaaaaaaLaPort!

Hey check it out! It's Anna Tsuchiya土屋 アンナ! I like a lot of her music. It's very different.

Kanno got too much Sasuke Spray in his eyes.. LOL

okay back on the first ledge

onto the 2nd..

carefully on the 3rd..

Jumping..

No.. hands together..

Princess suckface in million depressions

It looked like a good jump

but not far enough and the hands were practically on top of each other.. he had no hope..

Hitoshi Kanno菅野仁志 - Death by Crazy Cliffhanger

I had it..

I thought I did...

Damn!

Now she's crying

as Kanno washes all that mud out of hands..

and to further ruin the mood.. but luckily for the last time.. I hope.. we are back to that damn room..

as poor Asa who is not used to wearing a suit gets up as he's acknowledged

Same for Yuuji and Kanno

btw Kanno wasn't interviewed at the end either was he?

Yuuji and Kanno the Third Stage competitors

Along with Asa

Akiyama: I'm so hungry..

Shingo: Okay.. explain to me the point of why we are here?

Yamada: I look great in this suit don't I?

Nagano: I wonder where I dropped my wallet?

Akiyama: Hmm instead of water maybe they should have just given me a beer.

Shingo: I mean.. I sat here for three hours.. and I didn't get asked a single question

Yamada: You want them to talk to you? You suck at public speaking..

Nagano: Maybe in the bathroom?

Akiyama: or appetizers.. some munchies would be nice.. my stomach is digesting itself..

Shingo: I'm soooooooo bored..

Yamada: I'm look good in a suit don't I?

Nagano: My wife is going to kill me when she finds out..

I honestly hope that although it was cute to see them in suits.. that they get rid of this horrible segment. It served no purpose.

MC says in perfect English "Have a happy New Year!"

Okay! Where to start.  First off.. I LIKED this tournament. After having a long almost year and a half wait from Sasuke 27 it was nice that we got another tournament.  I'll try to break down a couple of my arguments for and against in another blog because I need to break it down into components.  The synopsis though right after I saw this show was I applaud their efforts. I am HAPPY that they gave us so much notice.  In September we had a formal announcement and by November they taped and early December we had so much press for this tournament including several videos and a fully updated website with all the names of the competitors..  All the things I faulted them in the past they seemed to have fixed.  They tried new things as well.  We can complain about what they added but I like supporting the idea of taking chances.  Granted I believe this is the most polarizing of the Sasuke tournaments (some HATED it while others LOVED it).  I applaud the fact that TBS is still continuing with the franchise without changing the format (like they did with the horrible Kunoichi 8).  Since the airing we found out that they had to start from scratch since the Monster 9 bankruptcy liquidated all assets including ALL of the old obstacles.  Re-hiring Sasuke Director (Sasuke 1-13) Masato Inui was a good step as he had experience with the tournament and his company (Folcom) could replace the Monster 9 production team.  It can only go up from here.  I hated a few things of the show but I'll keep that in another post.  By reading my blog though it's obvious it can be summed up in 2 categories.. Forced retirement of the All-stars and that damned room.. but lemme finish on a good note.  I can write about that at a later time.

Anyway... really really really want to thank a few people. Lost in Ube for oh geez.. the list is so long. Outside of my inspiration for even blogging in the first place back when I found Sasuke and found his blogs back in 2007 he's been a great online friend whom I can watch Sasuke and use candor and humor when watching without people hawking my every word :p And then of course his Live blog which I abuse constantly when creating my own. I honestly believe a lot of people really don't realize how hard it is to do these things (especially his live blog). VxJasonxV for the Sasuke Navi, Nagano overseas Special and Sasuke Rising feed he provided from his paid subscription of WIST. Without that I don't think half the community would have even SEEN the tournament! Thanks to the streamers blt and scnoi that helped our community see the event! Thanks for Jams for giving me a clear copy of the tourney for the blog since my VLC kept crashing while recording the broadcast in the past... Thanks to the SMF community for being patient when I FINALLY got the blogs up and for READING them! Thanks to my very loyal Rambling Rican readers whom always amaze me when they come back! LOL  I'm happy people find enjoyment in them as much as I enjoy creating them. I'm ecstatic more people have used my blog as an introduction to such a wonderful show and it makes it even more worthwhile when I know my fangirling is actually to good use! I'm excited to see our small group grow to literally thousands around the world banding together to watch this show through tiny computer screens that often crash. Praying for another tournament so I can keep updating this blog with relevant information. Didn't think after all these years I'd still be doing this and enjoying it. Ya'll have made it worth the while :)  It'll be 5 years this March! I can't believe how fast time is flying.

Hopefully with the preliminary news of Sasuke 29 being discussed (but not confirmed) we'll get the answers to our questions about the state of Sasuke Japan with the uncertainty of the spin offs around the world. The 3rd place overall in ratings for the evening was considered enough to keep going from what I understand. I look forward to more news as we get it.