新 SASUKE 秋! The Sort of Live Blog! American Ninja Warriors and SASUKE All-Stars oh my!

Update: Japan Probe has some clips of the competition up here.

It's the Shin-SASUKE Fall 2007 sort of live blog! What did we learn from the last two live blogs I did? One lesson is that I need to do a bit more research before the blog because it was hell trying to figure out what was what. We've got a bit of inside info from the Bengoshi SASUKE~! so I have some idea of how the first stage is laid out. Hope you don't get edited out Bengoshi! Oh, and the other lesson I learned is don't hold down the shift button too long or stuff will happen to your keyboard.

Here we go!

Y'know, TBS gives a lot away during the opening credits. Way to build suspense guys.

No race this year. Perhaps it took too long? First Ninja Warriors sighting! Paul ANTHONY Terek! Nagasaki brothers!

Version up!

1 - Suidokyoku (Water Works) guy! He's stretching! The Sextuple Steps is back because apparently too many people got hurt on the Rope Glider. Log Grip and Pole Maze are no problem. Jumping Spider is!

2 - Yamashita something something! He can tear a comic book! And not one of those twenty page American ones. It doesn't help! He falls on the Log Grip.

6 - He's from Ghana! He's a model! Log Grip! No! He falls Ghanian butt first into the water.

8 - The son of a Yokozuna! Kitano something or other. I'm bad with the names this year. Log Grip! Your father should disown you!!!!

9 - Choshu Korikki! His number is falling off. He takes a GIANT fall off the steps into the water! Let's see that again.

Next guy has no number. He's some sort of doctor? He's got nurse supporters! Log Grip! Okay! Pole Maze! No! The pole hit a bar and he went flying off!

Next guy is a weight lifter! He smashes an apple! IT DOESN'T HELP! He falls into the water.

Next up is a female beach football player! She's 30 (her age, not number). Steps are okay! Log Grip is up next! FUMBLE! Or she fell off. Take your pick.

Capoeira (or however you spell it) guy! NO! He lets down all his students! He then dances himself into the mud. He was number 27 btw.

Next up! Lance Tapend! Or whatever! He teaches at an international school! He's got students there. That's never a good sign. Up to the Pole Maze! Some problems but he's through. Jumping Spider! Airball! He got up into the air but never connected. His students are shocked! But no crying. Darn. He was number 28.

Digest time! A masked wrestler, female futsal player, comedian, some guy named TATSUJI! and some other guy hit the water. The wrestler was Flying Kid something something.

30 is the Guitar Samurai! Yamaguchi-ken represent! Steps are okay! Log Grip! And much like Abe Shinzo, he lets Yamaguchi down.

We skip ahead annnnnnnd...

42 is the BENGOSHI SASUKE! He's wearing a suit! And has a sign! He's off! Log Grip...no problem! Pole Maze! OKAY! Jumping Spider....he's up..NO!. Good try though Lenny! Give us more inside info next time!

Next is that really creepy guy that makes the models. He usually goes a step and then falls! PERSONAL BEST! He makes it two steps before hitting the water.

OCTOPUS GUY! Heh, there's an octopus waiting for him on the red button. He here goes! We have 115 seconds for the first stage by the way. Steps! OK! Log Grip! OK! Pole Maze coming up. WHOA! WAIT! He's still on the pole. He's trying to go back to get his balance. OK! One more try? He's trying to get his balance. Cut to the last ten seconds and he's still on the pole. Time up! The octopus is lonely.

Next is the glider guy (where are the numbers?). He's stuck between the last two steps! He tries to jump for it! NO! Heh. Some dude in a red shirt thinks that was HILARIOUS.

More digest time!

Some guy, a trucker, some comedian, a guy wearing a gymnastics uniform all strike out.

43 - Minami Yoshihiro! He's a stunt man! He's been on Mito Komon! Steps and Log Grip are no problem! Pole Maze! OKAY! Jumping Spider....whoa! He was stuck and then bounced back and flipped on the platform! SASUGA ACTION HAIYU! He's the first to the new area! The Half-Pipe Attack! NO! So the Half-Pipe Attack is a curved wall off which you must jump and grab a rope. He didn't quite have his footing.

The veterans are a bit concerned.

47 - Is Matsuda something or other! He qualified via Muscle Park! Man, I need to go there. He has a sash! Steps and Log Grip are no problem. Pole Maze up. OK! Jumping Spider. He takes a breath. Yes! He's through. Half-Pipe...He's got the rope! NO!

Darn. He had potential.

48 - He...umm..he's having wardrobe problems. He can't get his pants over his shoes! He's going for it anyway! First step and no! He still has his pants around his ankles as he comes out of the water. Let's see that again! Wow, lesson to be learned by everyone. Wear a costume that comes off easily. That'll be hard to live down at the office. Hey, someone else was in the water too? Heh. A camera man wiped out as it was happening. Someone at TBS has a sense of humour as a kind of Benny Hill music is playing in the background.

As he walks away his pants are still around his ankles.

Fifty have tried! Fifty have failed!

51 - Is G4 Ninja Warrior Bret Simms! He practiced with the All-Stars at Shiratori's place! CMs.

We're back!

Steps and Log Grip are no problem. Pole Maze! OK! Jumping Spider! Here he goes! He's UP!

Ninja WARRRRIOR!

He couldn't keep his grip.

OH MY GOD!

His free G4 t-shirt got wet! But he really enjoyed it!

55 - Misaki something! He's a teacher. His students have been on SASUKE JUNIOR! He's off. Steps. Log Grip. Pole Maze. Jumping Spider. He had some trouble with this in his video. Here he goes! HEAD FIRST INTO THE WATER! Way to go, teach!

Next up is reaction geinojin Degawa! He gets the spray from Mister SASUKE! That's an automatic fail. LOG GRIP! NO! Why'd he take his shirt off before that? He wasn't very serious about the whole thing.

57 - He's a university student who wants to be a pro boxer! Steps, Log Grip and Pole Maze are no problem! Jumping Spider! Yes! He has potential. Can he do it? Half Pipe! Yes! He's up to the Wall! First chance! Yes! Flying Chute! Yes! Tobimashita! Time is precious though! D'oh! CMs.

Rich donuts! So where do the poor donuts go?

Suzy and Mark? Huh?

We're back! Jikan ga nai! Rope Ladder! Will he be...NO! TIME-UP!

The All-Stars are worried!

0 for 70!

71 - He's 15! He'll be the coolest kid in school if he makes it! Man, where do people find the space and time to make the obstacles in their homes? Steps and Log Grip are okay! Pole Maze! He's stuck! He can't get it! He's too light I think. Wait! Okay! He either doesn't have the strength or the weight to move the bar. Finally! Jumping Spider! Yes! Can he do it? It will be close. Half-Pipppp...He slips!

77 - Nagasaki Takamasa! Will he be the first! He says he'll be the first like last time! Steps and Log Grip are no problem! Pole Maze! Jumping Spider! Sugoi speed! Half- Pipe Attack is no problem! He's up to the wall but then I get a commercial for 7-11!

We're back! First chance..no! Second. No! Third! Yes! Flying Chute! NO!!!!!!!! He missed the rope! I guess he was wrong. Nagasaki brothers! Shunsuke is worried.

79 - 3% body fat Yamada Koji! Steps and Log Grip are no problem. Pole Maze! OK! Jumping Spider! YES! Orange pants! Half-Pipe Attack! NO PROBLEM! The Wall is up! First try! Flying Chute! YES! WAIT! He can't reach the ladder! YES HE DOES! IS HE GOING TO DO IT! 18 seconds left. Rope ladder! Ten seconds! YES! With four seconds left! After 79 people we get our first through!

The rope must be a bit farther away from the ladder on the Flying Chute or something.

81 - Our first All-Star! Yamamoto Shingo! Steps and Log Grip are no problem. Pole Maze! Whoa! Abunai! He takes a second chance at it. He's through. Jumping Spider. Yes! NO! He got into the space and then couldn't hold it.

Yamamoto Shingo masaka!

82 - Our next All-Star! Shiratori Bunpei! He builds! He's added a Salmon Ladder to his set. Nagano gives him encouragement! 1 for 81 so far! Here he goes! Steps, Log Grip are okay! Some problem with the Pole Maze but he's through. Jumping Spider! YES! Half-Pipe Attack! Yes! Here come the Wall! No! Once more! No! Less than 30 seconds! He looks tired! Yes! He's got it but he's tired! Time is running out! Flying Chute! Time UP! Just as he hits the rope! Oy vey.

The All-Stars are worried.

He drops himself into the water.

84 - Takahashi Kenji! He reached the third stage last time. As I said then, he's unhandsome. I'm no model but...anyway, Steps and Log Grip are okay! Pole Maze! OKAY! Jumping Spider! Ye..NO! His left leg wasn't up in time. You have to get your body just right.

More people don't make it. Four to be exact.

86 - Motor-cross rider Washimi Yuuji! He didn't get past the Salmon Ladder last time. It's time for revenge! Steps and Log Grip are no problem. Pole Maze...OK. Jumping Spider! OK! Half-Pipe Attack! OK! A kyu rider! Wall! FIRST TRY! Lots of time left! Flying Chute! YES! Can he make it two? Rope Ladder! He's up! Time is going red! YES! 3.2 seconds left! WE HAVE TWO!

87 - American's Colin Bell! The G4 winner! Steps are fine! Log Grip and Pole Maze no problem! Jumping Spider!

NINJA WARRIOR!

COLIN BEEEEEEEEERU!

Wow, I think the G4 Ninja Warrior forum members will not be very happy.

I wish I could have practiced the Jumping Spider more!

91 - Here we go! Mister SASUKE! Yamada Katsumi! Jinsei SASUKE!
Before he starts let us re-live his recent past failures.
Only two of the ninety. Can he do it? If he falls on the steps I don't know if I'll be able to complete this live blog.
Here he goes! Whoa! He did stumble a bit there. Log Grip! CMs.

September 23rd. Doors! It's a kind of obstacle course for geinojin. I believe they are in teams of four? Anyway, it's not nearly as phsyically taxing as SASUKE.

We're back! First two obstacles again. Pole Maze! Problems! He has to try again. He's limping! Second try. He's stuck! Time is running out! He's smiling! At HIS OWN FAILURE! Twenty seconds left and he's finally on to the Jumping Spider.
YAMADA KATSUMIIIIIIII! That wasn't quite as satisfying since you knew he wasn't going to finish the first stage anyway. That was, I have to say, a new low point in the career of Mister SASUKE.

Three All-Stars! Three failures!

Takeda! You're up! He's been practicing the Salmon Ladder.

96 - Takeda! He's off! He's got rhythmic clapping! Steps, Log Grip no problem! The Pole Maze! He takes two tries to get it. Jumping SPIDER! Tonda! Tonda! His pants are orange! Half-Pipe Attack! Clear! The wall! NO! Second time. NO! Third! NO! Saigo no chance! NO! Twenty seconds! He's got it! But the time has gone red!

MASAKA! Wow.

Four All-Stars! Four failures.

What's going on?

97 - Nagasaki Shunsuke! Steps! Okay. His brother is looking on! Log Grip and Pole Maze are no problems. Jumping Spider! The crowd ooohs! Sasuga trampoline players! Half-Pipe Attack! No problem. Wall is no problem! Flying Chute! Whoa! Abunai!

NANDE!

Wow. Again.

CMs. Freedom-project.jp

We're back. He missed the rope ladder to climb down. Wow. And we thought KUNOICHI was hard this year.

Nagasaki Brothers fall victim to the Flying Chute.

97 participants. 2 have cleared.

98 - PAUL! ANTHONY! TEREK! He's your Sportsman No. 1 in case you didn't know. He's off! King of Athletes! Pole Maze is NO PROBLEM! Cool. Jumping Spider! AHHHHHHHHH!

His foot slipped. His left foot didn't land cleanly and it cost him.

99 - Sato Hiromichi. He's the host of Muscle Channel. His son is there. As we all know, that's never a good sign. Only two people left! CMs.

Unilever! If you're old, they'll help your hair. Proage!

We're back! Whoa! Not the cleanest of starts. Log Grip. D'oh! His son is very confused. Log Grip masaka retire!

Man, this first stage is a KILLER. Well, at least he can always practice at Muscle Park. Note that the first stage is the part that people rarely put together some elaborate course for (aside from Bunpei). Nor are you able to practice for it at Muscle Park.

100 - Nagano Makoto! The pressure is on him! He carries the weight of the All-Stars on his shoulders. Can he do it! He's off! Steps. Log Grip. Pole Maze. Jumping Spider coming up. No problem. Half-Pipe Attack. The Wall is no problem. Flying Chute coming up! CMs!

We're back! Flying Chute!

DOOOOUUUUUUSSSSSSSHHHHHHIIIIIIITTTTAAAA!!

UUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Five All-Stars. Five failures. Wow.

2nd Stage.

80 seconds to complete. There's one new area, the Skywalk.

Yamada is up first. Diving Jump is no problem. Salmon Ladder. CMs.

KUNOICHI only had four make the Second Stage and only one person made it to the Third Stage. Will anyone even make the Third Stage this time?

We're back. Uh oh. OKAY! Back on track. Last step of the ladder. Time is running out! Masaka Yamada! The time is going red! TIME-UP! His children are suitably shocked. One misplacement of the bar just threw off his rhythm.

And then there was one.

Motor-cross rider Yuji is last. Here he goes! He's up to the Salmon Ladder. He carries everyone's hopes on his shoulders. He's up to the last step! No! One more try. No! Time is running out! He has to go for it! NO!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.

98 victims in the first stage, including all five All-Stars, the American Ninjas and Paul ANTHONY Terek.

2 victims in the second stage, both to the Salmon Ladder.

The course, quite frankly, kicked everyone in the head.

Good.

This is what the Spring SASUKE should have been like. The course should have been too hard (as opposed to too dangerous). Enough people reached the 2nd and 3rd stages to give everyone (the competitors and the fans) a kind of false hope that reaching the final was not that far away. This brings everyone (including the All-Stars) back down to earth. Will some people get discouraged? Of course they will. But those who really want to compete will come back with more fire next time. That should make the next competition very very interesting to watch.

Oh, and in the long run the Ninja Warrior guys did not do all that bad considering the overall rate of success and it would be a shame if G4 didn't give them another crack at it.

See everyone for the next competition!

KUNOICHI 2007 Sort of live blog!

Tanaka! Mizuno! Limbo dancers! Sumo wrestlers! Gaijin! AKB48! Can Miyake make it four in a row? It's KUNOICHI 2007!

EDIT: Go to Japan Probe where they've uploaded some KUNOICHI videos!

First Stage!
90 seconds to complete.
1 - Soccer player! She's through the first few obstacles. In the second area you have to press a button before going on. Don't know what that's about. Log roll! No!

2 - Hula dancer Chakki! (Chucky?) First obstacle through. NO!

3 - Chinese acrobat! She's flexible! D'oh! She eats the dirt!

4 - Marathon runner! She's in a CM! NO! Maniauwanai!

5 - Korean comedian is the first to wipe out on the first obstacle.

10 - some actress as some people don't get their day in the sun.
Ohhhhhhhh...you have to press the button to set off the sort of Log Grip obstacle and cross in time to grab it.

11 - Female football player. NO! Perhaps ditch the uniform next time. She's a footballer!
Four random ladies wipe out.

14 - Our first race queen! Nope! Cameramen prepare for your wet t-shirt shot!
I haven't watched Kunoichi in a while. Has it always looked like a recycled SASUKE course?

18 - She's a surfer! Oh wait, charisma model. Hmmm..if you're fast enough you don't have to use the spring board. Four more ladies get the shaf..er..yeah.

19 - Ummm...52 year old limbo dancer. And she can't get past the first obstacle. That's...um..

20 - Maid wipes out.

21 - Oh my..Female sumo wrestler Satake Hiromi. She's wiped out on the first obstacle before. Can she do it?!?! She's going veeeeeery slowly...NO!

Can we say she made a big splash?

No number rock climber is next! NO! Wait, she's number 26 which means we skipped five.

28 - Jietai member! Can she bring glory to the SDF?! Chotto osoi! Hashire! AHHH!

In theory, I guess you could TRY to jump across.

29 - Lori Christensen! She's with the military! Here she goes! NO! Thus goes the war on terror.

30 - Another Muscle Musical member! She's almost finished the first stage three times, reaching the final climb but never getting there in time! Can she do it! NO! She didn't get as close as the button. Miyake is nervous!

Five ladies, including two members of AKB48 get their day in the sun..or water as the case may be.

37 - Sakamoto Mariko! She has a sister? She makes it past the first two. There is clapping for her! Bridge is no problem! Barrel ro..NO!

40 - Ozawa Misaki steals Miyake's old look with the pink hair! She keeps slipping but she's through! Barrel ro..NO!! Darn, it looked like she had potential.

Recap of the road of various qualifiers.

41 - She works in a cabaret club! She's wearing a tiara! She has supporters! They're well dressed...NO!

42 - Iwasaki Yumi! She's 17. She plays baseball! Speed arimasu! OUTOOOOOOOOOOO!

Next is one of her teammates (no number). A basketball player (no number). Wait. The basketball player is number 44.

YMCA qualifier! NO!

0 for 45!

Matsuri onna! Is that a full-time job?

Commercials!

It's good time! Yamaguchi Nissan!

46 - Matsuri onna the first! She's cautious! That second obstacle is taking lots of people out!

47 - Matsuri onna the second! NO!

48 - Matsuri onna the last! Go! Shoko! No! (I did not plan that).

The announcer is wearing a shirt that hurts my eyes.

Hugging! avex has an artist academy?

49 - Umeda Haruka! avex artist academy member! She's been to Muscle Park! Balan..no!

50 - Kimura Kozue! Another avex artist academy attendee! (I planned that on!) The black mat means out! Komuro is so going to fire you!

Damn that announcers shirt is making my eyes hurt.

Four more ladies wipe out. Sexy queen no!

It's the mother-daughter team! The family the trains together stays together!

No one has cleared yet! 51 is mom, 52 is the daughter.

51 - Mama-san power! Haha Yuko Iku! Haha Yuko Iku! Haha YUKO! HAHA YUKO IS STUCK IN THE BRIDGE! Barrel roll! She's slipped here before! The time is going red! She passed the barrel roll but she ran out of time.

52 - Higashi daughter! Oh, Higashi Rena. WHOA! She's through to the barrel roll. Go! AHHHHHHHH! She eats the yellow post as she missed the trampoline. And I mean she went face first into the post. There are tears of failure! Okay, it wasn't that bad in the slo-mo.

53 - Jyu-yon-sai! Oh wait. Jyu-sai. She's 10! No!

55 - Marathon runner! Umm..okay. Olympic runner goes swimming!

60 - She's a caddy! She's energetic! She's got similarly clothed supporters. That never ends well. AND IT DOESN'T! She kind of trips on the springboard.

Takeda! Nagano! SASUKE All-Stars are backstage! I feel bad for the girl that Mr. SASUKE trained.

61 - Okamoto Sayaka! She works for Yamamoto Shingo! She's cleared the first stage before. NO! Shingo isn't there but I bet he's disappointed.

62 - Takeda's protege is Oshima Keiko! Ike! Ike! Yeah, no pressure there guys. Barrel roll. Okay! NO! She does an Akiyama and missteps on the trampoline.

63 - Nagano's Kunoichi! Something Kaori. Um...it would've been better if she hadn't leaned on the springboard like that. Let's start random rumors! Perhaps she and Nagano are seeing each other!

64 - Next is Mister SASUKE's Kunoichi. Onoda Momoko! She's some kind of instructor. If she listened to his advice she'll fail. If she pretended to listen to him, she'll be fine. What is a duke's walk? Barrel roll! She's doing the best so far. Commercials. Mmmm...Kamen Rider V3 pachinko. Rider Man!

We're back! Face first into the yellow post! She must have listened to Mr. SASUKE.

The SASUKE All-Stars Kunoichis all fail!

Six more ladies find failure, with one especially cool looking elimination where she gets her foot caught in the bridge and flips all the way over.

71 - Marathon runner Tanigawa Mari! No! She made it farther than the last runner though.

76 - A gravure idol! She can do the splits! First couple obstacles! Barrel roll! She slips! And falls! And flips! Hitori backdrop!

Still no one has cleared.

77 - Pro-surfer Kitagawa! She's tan. She's cleared the first stage before. Hayai! She slips on the bridge! Mada daijoubu! NO! She rips off part of the bridge for good measure.

80 - Komiya Rie! She's reached the final before but couldn't get it. She's off! No problems so far. Sasuga Komiya! Barrel roll. OK! Oof! Will she be the first! She hits the yellow post but holds on. CMs.

We're back. She's through! Angled walls! Rope ladder! Lots of time left! Button! She's the first to clear the first stage! The crowd cheers!

81 - Shape-Up Girls! Nakajima! No! She slips!

82 - Another former finalist! Mori Yoko! She's off! NO! She couldn't get her footing! Sugoi shock!

86 - Arm-wrestler Kawamura Mika! She's off! She's a world-champion arm-wrestler. No problems thus far. Barrel roll! OK! Face first into the yellow post! Mean yellow post! Unforgiving yellow post!

87 - Yamamoto Satomi! She's a pro-golfer! Balance wa ii! We get an...interesting shot when she's on the bridge. Barrel roll! So far so good! THE UNFORGIVING YELLOW POST STRIKES AGAIN! I'll just say that 2chers will probably have some nice pictures later.

88 - Another Muscle Musical member. There are many Muscle Musical members. NO! There is one less Muscle Musical member.

90 - Abe Asami! She's a gyaru! Sonene and Amimi VTR her luck! First obstacle wipe out! Natsumi isn't there but I bet she's sad.

I think they must have given out numbers but not everyone made it.

91 - Tanaka Maho is next! She reached the final last time! She's off! No problems so far. Unforgiving Yellow Post is forgiving. Angled wall! Rope ladder! Machigainai! No problems whatsoever.

92 - Nishimura Chie! She's the only woman to have cleared the first stage of SASUKE and judging from the clips she did it with verve. She was a stuntwoman I believe. No problems so far. Her family is here! Barrel roll is iffy but she's through! Unfo..yeah, she's through. Angled wall. Akai button ni! Rope ladder! Time to spare!

93 - Pro-surfer Taniguchi Erina! Hayai! Bridge! NO! She eats wall.

96 - Olympic canoer! NO! Her daughter is sad.

Reaching the climax!

97 - Takeuchi Asami! She's an aerobics instructor and one of those people you see on ESPN early in the morning doing that competitive aerobics stuff. Which doesn't help!

Mizuno Yuko is worried. Last san-nin!

98 - Mizuno Yuko! She's like Mr. SASUKE. She's had early success with Kunoichi but she's stunk up the joint since. She's the Geinokai No. 1 Athlete. So far so good! Unlike Mr. SASUKE, I don't have any hate in my heart for Yuko. Commercials!

We're back! Barrel roll is OK! UNFORGIVING YELLOW POST IS UNFORGIVING AND YELLOW YET AGAIN!

99 is Diana Pickler! SHE HOPES TO BE NUMBER FOUR! She's trying to follow in the footsteps of Paul ANTHONY Terek I guess. NO! WAIT! No no. She slipped on the post but held on and tried to climb back up but couldn't.

It was harder than I thought!

100 - Ayako Miyake! Can she do it once again? Miss Perfect! If Curt Henning were still alive he'd sue! Here she goes! Whooo...a little misstep there. First few obstacles no problem! Rope ladder climb and...no problem! Time to spare!

And then there were four!

Second Stage!
Aside from Miyake, two of the others have reached the final stage before.

Komiya Rie is up first. They have 65 seconds. Speed is the key! No! She can't reach the platform from the ladder!

The ladder swings a bit so I think they'll have to do a slight swing towards the platform to make it.

There's no crying in basebal..oh wait.

Let us relive her shame again. They have to fill the two hours somehow with only four people making the next stage.

Smoke makes everything look mysterious!

Snowboarder and prior competition finalist Tanaka Maho is up next! Here we go! Slide is no problem. Balls and log are no problem. Ladder climb is up next...can she do it? Okay! Seventeen seconds left. Last pole to cross! A moment to set herself...and...no problem. And not with much time to spare! About 3.8 seconds left when she hits the button.

Nishimura Chie is up next! She's a mom! Her family is there! Small children...wonder if they'll be crying? I'm mean, I know. Nothing more soothing than a child's tears! Here we go! She's through the first three! Trying the ladder. No problem! Pole cross...First okay! Second okay! Third...the clock is going red! And...oh...commercials. Fuwa fuwa!

We're back...She slips a bit on the last pole! It costs her! TIME UP!!! Gomen ne..

I think she was too cautious at the beginning and it cost her. Her children are strangely unaffected by her failure.

Is it me or does Miyake seem...a bit spaced out most of the time?

Miyake is off! She has the support of the Muscle Musical members! All the way to the pole cross! No problems so far! Last pole! The time is going red! Jikan! Commercials! King Kaz has a car!

We're back! Last pole! Jikan ga nai! Jikan ga nai!

MIYAKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!


................................



Miyake Ayako takes her first dip in the water since 2004.

Everyone is shocked. Kuyashi....

Her right hand missed the vertical pole and that was all she wrote.

Not to detract from the shock of Miyake falling but they still have about fifteen minutes left to fill and only one competitor left.

Third Stage!

Here she goes! No time limit in this stage. First obstacle. She has to jump from small platform to platform. First two. Third! One foot misses but she's safe. Going for the fourth. It's a bigger jump than the others. She's taking her time and getting herself ready. She's through!

Next obstacle. They've added some rounded steps to the end of the domino walk thing. More commercials.

Here we go...She's through the blue. Green..yellow..NOOOOOOOO! Ato yon mai!

Perhaps the pressure got to her? She says she was a bit nervous. The mood is a bit...well, when you realize that the last three competitions ended with Miyake finishing the course this is a bit of a let down. Will this lead to an earlier KUNOICHI? One can only hope!

As the credits roll we take a look at the Final Stage.

As we go we get our first official commercial for the next SASUKE!

See everyone in two weeks!