Sasuke (1997)

Sasuke 1997 / サスケ 1997 / SASUKE , Ninja Warrior , Sasuke Rising

Sasuke is a Japanese sports entertainment television special in which 100 competitors attempt to complete a four-stage obstacle course. An edited version, named Ninja Warrior, is screened in at least 18 other countries. To date, Sasuke content has been aired in 157 countries. Recorded on location at Midoriyama studio in Yokohama, it airs on Tokyo Broadcasting System between Japanese television drama seasons. The show name Sasuke is named after Sarutobi Sasuke, a fictitious character in Japanese storytelling. Each 3-hour special (with the exception of Sasuke 24 which lasted 5 1/2 hours) covers an entire competition; there are normally 100 participants. There have been 33 specials produced, approximately one new special per year (twice per year before Monster9's bankruptcy, now reduced to once per year since 2012 with exceptions). The popularity of Sasuke has led to the creation of a number of spin-off shows and international versions of the show. Kunoichi, perhaps the most well-known spin off, is a version of Sasuke restricted to female competitors with an emphasis on speed, balance, and stability.