Monday, May 12, 2008

SASUKE MANIAC May 11, 2008 Sort of liveblog! サスケマニア

Update: Arsenette has pictures that I was too lazy to take here.

Decided to watch this one since it a) wasn't simply another re-hash of 20 and b) wasn't completely focussed on the Muscle Queen competition which I wasn't following because I didn't know who most of the people competing were.

D'oh! I missed the preview at the beginning.

We pick up at the station airport (Kagoshima Airport to be exact) where the All-Stars~! are meeting each other. There's Akiyama and Nagano meeting Mr. Tight Shirt Mr. SASUKE. And there's Takeda. He's the youngest but he's the latest!

It's off to the Maguro Festival! Day 1! Everyone is looking forward to it. At the Maguro Festival, there is a decided focus on Maguro. Who'd have thought it? Ohh..I'd like to try try some Maguro gyoza. 400 yen! They've got a whole SASUKE set-up there.

The All-Stars share their thoughts. Live from Kagoshima! It's the 17th Annual Maguro Festival!

Nagano reflects on how the event is important for SASUKE's popularity. Mr. SASUKE is nervous about something for some reason.

The reason could be that random people in the crowd grab his chest as he's walking around. Or old ladies accosting him. We see the All-Stars mingle with the common folk, signing autographs, shaking hands etc. One lady is soooo overcome with meeting Nagano that she can't help but be giddy as a schoolgirl. She says that she wants to marry Nagano and that it's like a dream because she wanted to meet him.

Takeda and Nagano receive something from two little kids. One is a picture of maguro and the other is a letter. They apparently give them to them every year. When that little boy grows up he wants to be compete on SASUKE!

This is the third year that the All-Stars are at the festival. The old obstacles were:
Lamp Grasper
Cliff Hanger
Soritatsu Kabe
A Rope Climb similar to the old Final Stage

This year they've added:
Salmon Ladder
Shin-Cliff Hanger
Spider Walk
Jumping Bars
Pipe Slider
Something that looks like the Swing Ladder.
A pole that serves as a bridge (no idea).
Plus the Lamp Grasper and Soritatsu Kabe for a total of nine obstacles.

And parts of it are over a pool of killer sharks! No wait. I think those are more maguro.

Yamada and Akiyama are a bit nervous. Takeda is all cool by saying zen zen daijoubu (no problem).

Nagano demonstrates the Lamp Grasper. Yamada does the Jumping Bar. Nagano with the Soritatsu Kabe. They talk to an old lady who is a wee bit confused as to what she is watching.

Akiyama does the old Cliff Hanger.

Kakkoi! The youth of Japan have spoken!

Some random people try out the obstacles. Nagano laughs at their failure! Laughs I tell you!

Kids try too. Slightly uncomfortable moment as Takeda (?) looks like he's catching some up-skirt of a little girl trying the Spider Walk.

After the festival the All-Stars run into some people who are apparently fans as they go out for a drink.

Hrm..Yamada and Takeda are having beer. Either Nagano and Akiyama are drinking oolong -cha or long island ice teas. I bet on the former. Squares.

They really like playing with kids! Wait. I don't think that's what they mean.

The next day the All-Stars and others will tackle the course! But that's for another episode! We've got women to show off here!

2008 Muscle Queen!

We're entering the 2nd Stage. Last week the ladies paired off in different events. This week, different pairs (I think) and different events.

1st Battle: Kayo Noro 野呂佳代 of AKB48 vs. idol Yoshino Momomi 吉野ももみ in the 50m Hurdles. Noro does dance as part of her training for AKB48. Yoshino is part of this geinojin female futsal team that competes against other idol teams. They're off! And it's Noro!

2nd Battle: comedy team Cherry Pie's Miho vs. model Yurisa in a 100m race where the point is to reach the goal as close to 30 seconds as possible. Miho is off! She's..um..clapping. To keep time? She's finished! It's Yurisa's turn! She looks serious! She dashes for the line! What is she going to do! She stops right near the line! Waits. Then crosses! Time to for their times! Yurisa's time is 26.59! Miho is 32.18! She went over! Yurisa wins!

2nd Stage Final: Noro vs. Yurisa! Again! They had faced off in an earlier event, the Eternal Jump, which sounds really cool but was actually just them jumping rope until one of them (Noro) trips up.

The event is 5 50m interval runs. Whatever that is. I guess we'll find out. They're off! I still have no idea. OK. It's like they just have to complete 5 laps of 50 m. 1. 2. 3. 4. Yurisa looks tired but at the 4th she shoots out at the start! Last race! But let's cut to a CM first.

Riverdance is back in Japan!

Last run! Revenge! Noro wins the last race! Yurisa says Yappari stamina nai!

And it's on to the 3rd Stage! They will find the top 3...at the Muscle Park! Synergy!

Next week! More Maguro Festival! More Muscle Queen! More Riverdance! Well, maybe not the last one.

Thanks to this AKB48 fan blog which is where I got the names for all the competitors!

3 comments:

pamwax said...

I watched the show but your insights always make it more interesting and fun. Thanks for keeping us girls in the loop and up to date with Sasuke and the All-Stars.

tricia said...

We need to watch one of the shows with you as give the play-by-play. It would be hysterical. Thanks for the good laugh.

Arsenette said...

http://ramblingrican.blogspot.com/2008/05/sasuke-maniac-may-1112.html

Finally did mine LOL. Really really appreciated the heads up on what was coming this week (and next week) also for helping me out in decyphering what I saw today! Thoroughly enjoy your blogs :) Hope to see you again next week same bat time.. same bat channel :)

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