Six Things: SASUKE version March 24, 2008

Tomorrow is the 20th SASUKE! So a special All-SASUKE Six Things to get us ready for tomorrow:

1. For a quick preview, check out these videos from youtube user x198333 for サスケマニア (SASUKE Maniac):



Thanks Arsenette for the heads up on these!

2. From the second clip and the TBS schedule we know of some of the people competing:
The All-Stars minus Bunpei Shiratori who is/was injured.
Handball star and two-time Pro Sportsman No. 1 winner Daisuke Miyazaki (宮崎大輔) plus three of his teammates. Edit: The teammates competing are: Kenji Toyoda (豊田賢治), Yoshio Nakagawa (中川善雄) and Masakatsu Izuma (猪妻正活). They all play for handball team Osaki OSOL
Geinojin Sportsman winner Wakky (ワッキー)
Comedians Tetsuruo Degawa (出川哲朗), Kenji Tamura (たむらけんじ), Atsuma Watanabe (渡辺鐘), Korikki Choshu (長州小力) and the group Yasuda Dai Circus (安田大サーカス) . Degawa will be lucky to pass the first obstacle. The others I don't know but Dancho (団長)of Yasuda Dai Circus has shown he is a fairly good athlete.
Old people Akira Nakao (中尾彬) and Masaki Nomura (野村将希)
Hiromichi Sato (佐藤弘道) and his smile will be there.
Hikaru Genji member Kazumi Morohoshi (諸星和己) and his ego will be there. No word on if he brings his skates.
The Iketani brothers, Naoki and Yukio (池谷直樹, 池谷幸雄).
Former finalist Jordan Jovtchev
Actor Mitsuomi Takahashi (高橋光臣)
G4's Ninja Warrior contest winners Levi and Brian
Edited to add:
Model Ryo Shirai (白井涼)
Rera Kamuy Hokkaido basketball player Makoto Kato 加藤真 (from here)
Choshu Korikki's comedy wrestling buddies.
Sheesh, that's over twenty people already (I don't know if all three members of Yasuda Dai Circus will compete or not) plus there are probably some regulars who will be coming back too.
Yet another update: According to this post by model Yuumi Seimiya (清宮佑美) not only was she there, but that there were 4 women total (out of the 100) competing.

3. Masaki Nomura's blog has some behind the scenes SASUKE photos. Check out that shirt! Also, like in the 10th SASUKE, the competitors will be numbered in the thousands (it's in the clips and on the shirt). UPDATE: Numbers will start from 1900. Nagano is 2000 I believe. From the picture of his shirt, Nomura will be 1931. Muscle Park has SASUKE shirts for sale..I think. I haven't had time to read through the post yet. (Thanks to Arsenette once again)

4. No real close looks at the course itself but the very first obstacle looks the same. Usually the commercials tend to give things away but since I haven't SEEN any commercials for the show I guess I can consider myself sort of unspoiled. Tip to TBS -- people won't watch a show if they don't know when it is on. By the way, TBS LOVES to build suspense by throwing very broad hints as to what will happen later in the show.

5. I'm expecting this to be a clip heavy show since it's the 20th. SASUKE Maniac was asking for viewers to write in with their favorite moments from SASUKE over the years. I believe the top three were Nagano's finish, Akiyama's finish and something about Mr. SASUKE -- I believe something about him failing but I can't see them being able to fit his entire life into a thirty minute show. Perhaps a montage of his various SASUKE failures. That'd be some good viewing!

6. What will happen? Well, I don't expect massive failure like the last time. However, I really don't think anyone will be able to complete the course simply because no one was gotten past the new third stage yet. It's possible someone will reach the final though. I can see the All-Stars (except Mr. SASUKE) making deep runs. Daisuke Miyazaki has the goods to go far. Think of a Shunsuke Nagasaki but bulkier. I can't imagine that Monster 9 wouldn't love to be able to showcase Nagasaki (if he's there - I have no idea) and Miyazaki if they both make it to the Olympics. Of the non-Wakky comedians, maybe Dancho gets the farthest. Wakky himself? He's a competitive guy and it's possible he can get far. He's more in the Naoki Iketani mold so the third stage (if he gets there) would be a challenge since it relies on lots of arm strength.

Anyway, the time for speculation is over! Tomorrow is SASUKE! Click on the SASUKE and SASUKE-related tags to see the past liveblogs and other stuff I've posted about the show.

Note: As I've said before, I won't be able to liveblog it live but will try to get it up as soon as possible.