Sasuke Rising 2 minute trailer!

(Left to right) Sasuke All Stars Kazuhiko Akiyama 秋山和彦, Toshihiro Takeda 竹田敏浩, Shingo Yamamoto 山本進悟, (Mr. Sasuke) Katsumi Yamada 山田勝己 and Makoto Nagano 長野誠

As we await Sasuke Rising's official airing on December 27 (known to us as Sasuke 28) usually we are scouring the internet for tiny bits of information.  Normally by now I'd do a blog about "So excited for Sasuke 28!" (As I've done for over 4 years now) with my usual dancing Chiyo-chan clip from Azumanga Daioh that I've had on my site .. forever it seems. LOL  This time.. I have a lot to write about!  TBS posted on their official Sasuke Rising website a video, (almost a month ahead of schedule!) more specifically a 2 minute trailer.  The video is embedded though so it was difficult to get a good copy of it enough to even SEE (let alone to blog).  Thanks to the enterprising SMF (Sasuke Maniac Forums) members a copy of the video was finally created.  Granted they had to use proxy servers and other stuff just to get it the video to LOAD then other programs to try to capture it to share with the rest of the fans.. It's not perfect (slight stutter) but for now this works. I'm told TBS will release a Youtube Copy in the near future.

The trailer starts with an epic crane shot of Sasuke Rising's new course overlooking the Final Stage 4 tower (left), Third Stage lit up in blue in the middle, Second Stage middle top (big ball of white lights) and the First Stage on the far right.  The music is awesome by the way.. seems the music is to the soundtrack of the Dark Knight Rises.

Famous impromptu video from Makoto Nagano 長野誠 doing a handstand at the top of the mast (that still echoes (to me) a famous badass of the week article)

This is a full 2 minute homage to the Sasuke All-stars in attendance.  (Missing Bunpei)  As most of you are finally becoming aware.. this is the LAST tournament with the Sasuke All-Stars. As I mentioned a few times already but worth repeating.. they are now officially retired from competition. Bunpei was still injured so he was unable to participate in this final All-star competition.

Shot from Sasuke 24 (where Shingo failed the First Stage)

Taiwan's Lee En Chi リー・エンチ, Katsumi Yamada 山田勝己, the only appearance in this video of Sasuke All-Star Bunpei Shiratori 白鳥文平, Makoto Nagano 長野誠 and Kazuhiko Akiyama 秋山和彦 who was blond that tourney

You hear Nagano speaking in the background - I'm told it's "There is no one who loves Sasuke more than Yamada-san so I can't say that I..." (btw he's labelled as "The Legend")

Also from Sasuke 24 is Makoto Nagano 長野誠 and Toshihiro Takeda 竹田敏浩

The video shifts to Nagano doing the ritual canning to Takeda right before his run.  Voice is of Nagano telling Takeda to do his best. Though I always found it funny because it looked like Takeda was yelling because it hurt so much! LOL

Toshihiro Takeda 竹田敏浩 and his family (Son Reiya just over his shoulder) and wife Miyako

They of course had to dig up old footage of when Takeda's son Reio was born (he's now like 5 years old LOL) and they found a great photo of his wife Miyako... whom I'm convinced he keeps chained in the basement because you almost never see her!

Famous screech heard all around the world (and torturing poor dogs) from current and 2-time defending champion Yuuji Urushihara 漆原裕治 which coincidentally happened when Nagano failed the First Stage of Sasuke 24

As they cut to Takeda's voice lamenting that "I still have unfinished business".  Most knew he retired after Sasuke 25 due to his new job so this was important that he come back for one final shot at the course before they all were retired.

Toshihiro Takeda 竹田敏浩 - Death by Spider Flip from Sasuke 24

Most of us can't get this image out of our minds when it comes to the most heart-breaking Takeda fail.  Most notably Takeda's last best chance at finally getting to the Final Stage of Sasuke.  Given his last fail and this one in particular it makes sense he would say he had unfinished business.

This part was cool. I posted the full picture above (as some are already using at their avatar on forums).  They walked forward to have one ominous photo of them standing together one last time.

Sasuke All Stars Kazuhiko Akiyama 秋山和彦, Toshihiro Takeda 竹田敏浩, Shingo Yamamoto 山本進悟, (Mr. Sasuke) Katsumi Yamada 山田勝己 and Makoto Nagano 長野誠

What I find amusing is that Shingo always finds a way to mess up the photo.. just saying.. LOL It's like "dude I don't have the puffy chest but I'm going to fake it dammit".  Another point.. IT WAS COLD!!!!!!!!  So I feel bad they had to go shirtless for the photo-op.

(Mr. Sasuke) Katsumi Yamada 山田勝己 in Sasuke 3

This part was just silent (no voice-over I mean).  Just showed Yamada going up the Final Tower but coming short in Sasuke 3. He's never been to the final again.

Shingo Yamamoto 山本進悟 preparing for the Third Stage in Sasuke 14

From there they go to Shingo.  They went back to old footage of his last Final Stage appearance which was Sasuke 7.  For those who lost track he's been to the Final Stage twice.  Once in Sasuke 3 and Sasuke 7.

Close up of Shingo's wife Eiko 英子

Btw.. they are calling him the "The Phoenix from Nakadai Interchange" which on further inspection is amusing.  I'm told he hasn't worked in Nakadai in over 10 years.. LOL But seriously who cares.. the video is still epic!

Shingo Yamamoto 山本進悟 and his painful exit from the Final Stage Tower of Sasuke 7

And we remember what happened to Shingo.. he dislocated his shoulder halfway up the Spider Climb and fell off the obstacle.  Ooooooouch.. to this day he still has issues with that shoulder. I can empathize..

From here you get this AWESOME dramatic lighting of the Final stage tower. I assume they did this in the middle of the night because everything but the new Sasuke Rising sign (behind the Start Line of the First Stage) is turned off.

So you get this epic Final Tower lit with the splash of color on the left from the Sasuke Rising sign.  It's pretty sweet if you ask me :)

Kazuhiko Akiyama 秋山和彦 during his crab fishing days

Now onwards to Akiyama (whom you remember is my favorite Sasuke competitor) showing his journey through Sasuke and the hardships he's had to endure.  When we first met him he was still a hairy crab fisherman (yes.. I said hairy crab...) he hails from a tiny village off of the north end of Hokkaido, Japan.

Kazuhiko Akiyama 秋山和彦 taking notes with his poor eyesight

It's interesting that while they have a video of him showing how difficult it is for him to actually see (He has degenerative retinoschisis).. there's a voice-over by him saying "With Sasuke, it's all about whether you clear it or not. There is no sympathy about my eyesight or lack of it."

Kazuhiko Akiyama 秋山和彦 training on his own to defeat the Jump Hang

They show footage of him in his snowy backyard in Hokkaido to try to defeat his nemesis the Jump Hang that defeated him 3 times in a row (Sasuke 6, 7 and 8).

Kazuhiko Akiyama 秋山和彦 failing the Jump Hang

And showing his defeat in Sasuke.. er.. I believe Sasuke 8 - I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong. LOL I had 3 straight ones to chose from so I think this is Sasuke 8.

Rare and last appearance of Yamada's wife

Interesting that they would show Yamada's wife during this clip but it is a reminder of what he gave up for this show.  He promised his wife he would conquer Sasuke one last time and retire. She was tired of his obsession and gave him an ultimatum.

(Mr. Sasuke) Katsumi Yamada 山田勝己 in Sasuke.. er.. hmm 6? Oh I'm sure someone will correct me
(Edit: That one was 7 though, not 6, 6 had the waterfall thing and 7 had the vertical logs.)

Not sure which tourney this was.. though I'm thinking it's Sasuke 6 because his wife was there and he had to beg her to get on the show because he lost his job.. again.. and was spending waaaaaay too much time obsessing over a television show.  We all know what happened though.. he ignored his wife's plea after he failed again and she (or his kids have) never been seen since. Apparently a television show is way more important to him than his own family. IMO Pathetic.

(Mr. Sasuke) Katsumi Yamada 山田勝己 after Sasuke 10

Then of course the "take a drink" drking game that will get you hammered around the world game of "Mr. Sasuke Crying" that TBS ADORES putting up to remind us of his failures and obsession to this television show.

(Mr. Sasuke) Katsumi Yamada 山田勝己

Then the token machine workshop video of him at home (since his wife's family owns the metal factory company .. which promptly fired him..) to show he sorta works.. kinda .. when he wants to.

(Mr. Sasuke) Katsumi Yamada 山田勝己 in his current job selling beer..

And of course the only job he has now is selling beer (only during baseball season though) where he uses his notoriety to make a living since he's been fired from every other place he's ever been employed... Odly seems a good fit.. but I digress again.. we all know I don't like this guy.

(Mr. Sasuke) Katsumi Yamada 山田勝己 after Sasuke 10

(Thanks to Lost in Ube) Failure during the 10th prompts the clip that TBS LOVES playing where he is crying and says 俺には…、SASUKEしかないんですよ (Ore ni wa...SASUKE shikanaindesuyo) -- which basically means "For me, there is nothing else except SASUKE" (or SASUKE is everything to him).

and the Cannonball Run from Viking ehem.. er.. Spin Bridge スピンブリッジ

Now to the stuff I wanted to see.  Clips from the CURRENT Sasuke Rising tourney coming up in a few weeks. Seems one of my favorite obstacles is back!  The Cannonball Run from Viking :)

Kazuhiko Akiyama 秋山和彦 on the Rolling Escargot ローリングエスカルゴ

Ooooh they have a camera ON the snail.. that's totally going to make me throw up even more! Mwahahah ehem.. wait.. that's not good.. LOL  Anyway it's a cool shot no matter how you look at it. Seems they gave the covering a stone front. Also nice to see Akiyama is doing well on it!

The steps are back and they are eating another competitor!  Seems they are throwing in various people to throw everyone off as to who's actually failing.  That's normal policy on TBS folks ;)

This is a gnarly new obstacles. It's a cross between the Jump Hang and the Jumping Spider.  Trampoline to TWO cargo nets held sideways. This guy tried to go on one side (avoiding the support beams in the middle) but missed the net entirely!

This guy got eated by the (what my husband calls the "nards of doom 2.0" LOL) the way Shingo failed it in Sasuke 27.. that's not good..

TWO WALLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay.. I think TBS wants to kill Yamada.. (and Akiyama for that matter).. Yamada has issues with one wall so you are going to give him TWO? Yep.. behold.. we got 2 Warped Walls back to back baby!  (Yes.. one is shorter than the other.. the 2nd one is the standard size)

More death from that cargo net .. er.. jumping .. hangy thingie .. this guy at least touched the net before falling off it..

And because rigging is always epic.. and the fact that the kids on SMF psychoanalyze course pics..there you got an overhead of the First Stage :p

And we got.. wtf.. SWIMMING? There's a SWIMMING obstacle? wtf.. yeah.. they did tell us back during the airing announcement/press release there would be swimming.. I'd fail... I can't swim and it was FRIGGIN' COLD!  Props to the poor soul who had to do this.. Oh btw this is a 2nd stage obstacle.

Shingo Yamamoto 山本進悟

Ooooooh Shingo doesn't have his hat for Sasuke Rising.. so my husband's hat theory.. wait.. that's been nullified.. new course new rules came into effect after Sasuke 24's course domination.  Anyway.. now that's he's officially retired from the gas station he no longer needs to use his uniform!  I wonder what else he wore..

Kazuhiko Akiyama 秋山和彦

Awwwww this is so cute!  Akiyama brought his two sons!  Older son is Seiryu (Yes.. named after the Azure Dragon) and younger one is Yoshimune.  As an aside and not many people know this.. Akiyama LOVES dragons and the kanji for Seiryu 青竜 is imprinted on his trademark red pants! LOL he has Seiryu imprinted on his butt.. er.. pants. er.. cheeks.. okay check where his back pockets would be!

Toshihiro Takeda 竹田敏浩

Hmm does he have medical tape all over his neck? I didn't get a look to see if he had his trademark orange pants since he's no longer a firefighter I was curious to see if he had them or not. I hope he's alright.. I mean he did run a friggin' marathon just the week before with Shingo in Gifu Prefecture..

(Mr. Sasuke) Katsumi Yamada 山田勝己

Will he STAY retired this time?  That is the million dollar question.. LOL Okay okay.. I'll be nice.. will he fail the First Stage for the 14th straight time?  There.. that better? :)

Makoto Nagano 長野誠

And of course the Legend with his trademark 100 ready to battle the course one.. last.. time. MAN he's fine.. sorry but this man is gorgeous. LOVE his eyes even if he is still waxing his eyebrows a little too tight these days.. Also glad he doesn't have bright orange hair this time.. a nice change.

And one last Nagano breathing photos.. BECAUSE I CAN.. besides.. shows how nervous he is.. one last time is a lot of pressure.

And there you go.. FRIGGIN' EPIC trailer by Sasuke Director Masato Inui 乾雅人. If you liked it half as much as I did feel free to send him a message via his @inuimasato twitter account. He stayed up late nights and battled a bad cold that took him to the hospital to get this epic trailer (and promot videos and tourney of course) to us fans!  Let him know!  He's done a great job! Especially after an 8 year absence from Sasuke. :)

SO there you have it!  SO EXCITED FOR SASUKE RISING!!!!!!!!!!  Official Airing (that's what OA stands for) on TBS (Japan) on Thursday, December 27, 2012!  For times and time-zone conversions please refer to the Official airing blog entry.

Sasuke Rising 2 minute trailer (TCM copy)

Thanks again to those in SMF (Rider for the proxy trick to even see the site and TCM for a clean synched copy that was able to be shared within the fandom) for their hard work in getting the video out to the international audience (who couldn't see the video from the main TBS site).  I'll replace the above link with the official TBS one once it becomes available.