Iconic Sports Show 'SASUKE' Featured in Special 2-Week Feature Ranking Its Most Emotional Moments

The TBS network variety show The Real No. 1 Chosen by Experts: Professional Ranking (airing Mondays at 10:00 PM) has announced a special two-week feature on the popular sports entertainment program SASUKE (known internationally as Ninja Warrior). The first installment of the special will air on Monday, August 10, starting at 10:00 PM JST.

Titled "SASUKE Professionals' Choice: The Most Tear-Jerking SASUKE Scenes Ranking," this special project features votes cast by insiders and experts closely involved with the show, including past competitors, art directors, and technical staff. The showcase comes to fruition after approximately six months of meticulous preparation.

Following the announcement, the official SASUKE account on X (formerly Twitter) rallied fans to hype up the upcoming broadcast. Regular contestants such as Masashi Hioki and Tomohiro Kawaguchi also expressed their excitement on social media. Hioki noted, "I got to cast my votes as well," while Kawaguchi shared his wish that "the amazing appeal of SASUKE reaches as many people as possible."

In addition, the broadcast will feature an interview with Hikaru Iwamoto of the idol group Snow Man—a long-time serious contender on the SASUKE course—alongside an appearance by A.B.C-Z's Ryoichi Tsukada. Fans have already voiced enthusiastic anticipation for their interactions with the show's main host, Kento Nakajima.

With a rich history of unforgettable human drama, expectations are high to see which iconic scenes will take the top spots in this emotional two-week broadcast event.

The Context

SASUKE is an iconic Japanese sports entertainment competition show that first aired in 1997. In the show, 100 competitors attempt to clear four stages of increasingly challenging physical obstacle courses. It spawned a massive global franchise, best known as Ninja Warrior in Western countries, with spin-offs and broadcasts spanning dozens of nations.

Unlike many athletic television shows, SASUKE features everyday people—such as fishermen, gas station clerks, and firefighters—alongside celebrities and professional athletes who train intensely year-round for the obstacle course. Pop idols from Japanese talent agencies, such as Hikaru Iwamoto and Ryoichi Tsukada, are famous for taking the competition extremely seriously. Because the course is brutally difficult and total victory is rare, the show is known for its intense emotional stakes, deep camaraderie among competitors, and heartbreaking near-misses, making it a beloved TV staple in Japan for over two decades.

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