Tokyo International News Agency

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 Kaw...

The annual 'Warped Wall' obstacle, which stands before challengers in the 1st Stage of 'SASUKE 2025' – a staple of the year-end season – has once again garnered significant attention on social media. Many athletes regrettably failed at this formidable obstacle, drawing intense viewership to their grueling challenges. Ryoichi Tsukada of A.B.C-Z, known as a pioneer for idols challenging SASUKE, made his 12th and final run this time. Although he ran out of time at the 'Warped Wall,' his attempt deeply moved many fans. Social media was flooded with words of gratitude and praise, such as 'Tsukachan, you were cool!' and 'Thank you for paving the way for idols in SASUKE,' hailing it as 'the best LAST DANCE.' He passed the torch to his junior colleagues Hikaru Iwamoto, Takahiro Hamada, and Rinnosuke Sugata, marking a new chapter in idol history. Meanwhile, Ryosuke Miyaoka surprised viewers with his brilliant performance, clearing the 'Warped ...

Rinne Sugata of the popular group B&ZAI is set to challenge the grand stage of "SASUKE2025," airing today on TBS. This year's competition, marking the first-ever two-night consecutive showdown, features a roster of highly anticipated contestants. Among them, Ryoichi Tsukada of A.B.C-Z makes his final appearance, while Hikaru Iwamoto of Snow Man offers passionate encouragement to his peers. Amidst a stellar lineup including Daichi Shiozaki of M!LK, HIKAKIN, Enako, and Takahiro Hamada of WEST., Sugata will compete as bib number 62. Even before the broadcast began, social media was flooded with messages of anticipation and support from fans. The hashtag "#Ganbarinne" (Do Your Best, Rinne!), in particular, saw a surge in posts, with fans passionately cheering on Sugata's challenge. Heartfelt messages from fans included "It's finally tonight! Ganbarinne!", "I'm watching live! Ganbarinne 🙌", and "Rinne-kun, we're rooting f...