KUNOICHI 2009

Intro
KUNOICHI 8, official name: KUNOICHI2009秋 (literally: KUNOICHI 2009 Fall), aired on Wednesday October 7, 2009 at 19:55 JST. After a two year hiatus, KUNOICHI was brought back and completely re-imagined. For the first time in history, the course consisted of mixes of head-to-head challenges and timed stages similar to the SASUKE Trials.

The First Stage is run in groups of four. The first two to finish, or if only one finishes within the time limit, move on to the Second Stage. If none of the four complete the stage either by time or falling into the water, all four participate in the Repechage. It is unknown how the groups were paired, as the competitors were given numbers but were not shown on the TBS broadcast. It is noted that the timer counted upwards in this tournament, the second tournament to utilize that feature after KUNOICHI 2006 Summer, where the feature was used in the Second Stage, and the last tournament to do so until SASUKE 29.

Each of the new obstacles were designed to test the woman's speed against each other, these new rules and obstacles eliminated several top competitors including Nishimura Chie and Tanaka Maho. The Buranchō proved to be the hardest obstacle in the stage eliminating many challengers but even that did not stop 25 competitors from clearing the First Stage. The new course eliminated nine of the groups who then attempted the new Repechage.

For the first time ever, a new system called the Repechage was brought into KUNOICHI. Whenever a group of four all failed the First Stage, they would then go on to compete for a chance in the Second Stage. Consisting of two turntables with posts the competitors must hold onto, they were split into two members each with 2 on one table, and two on the other. The turntables would spin, and then after they were done, the competitors would have to race down a narrow beam to try and reach a flag. The person who collects the flag first would earn a spot in the Second Stage.

The Second Stage was made up of obstacles returning from retirement and obstacles from other stages, slimming down the field from 35 to only 5 competitors. The time limit was raised to the longest in KUNOICHI history with 210 seconds. As a side note, not officially mentioned from broadcast, there is a limit on the number of competitors to advance to the Third Stage which are 10 competitors, though the system is not used because less competitors cleared.

In the Third Stage, instead of an obstacle course, the remaining competitors had to compete against each other in the Flying Roll, where only top 3 (or less depending on the results) would advance to the Final Stage. The bar was initially set to 1.6m, and was later raised to 1.8m, which is higher than any of the competitors' height.

The latter half of the competition was dominated by Muscle Musical Members, all of whom made it to the Final Stage, also known as the Survival Climb. Komiya Rie cleared the Survival Climb with 3.7 seconds remaining, earning her the fourth kanzenseiha in KUNOICHI and just the second person to achieve in KUNOICHI. Arimatsu Tomomi also cleared the stage with 5.7 seconds remaining but it was known that she utilize the sides of the Climb Board, which is not allowed, leading to her disqualification and missing out on achieving kanzenseiha. But in her rookie effort, Kadoi Satomi cleared the stage with 21.4 seconds remaining, earning her the fifth kanzenseiha in KUNOICHI and just the third person to achieve kanzenseiha.

With Kadoi Satomi and Komiya Rie achieving kanzenseiha in the same tournament, this tournament became the first one with multiple competitors to achieve kanzenseiha in any SASUKE/Ninja Warrior format, this would become the only time this would happen until the total victories of Geoff Britten and Isaac Caldiero six years later on American Ninja Warrior 7.

Obstacles
① ^Fuansou 不安走

② ^Maruta Bashi 丸太橋

③ ^Tsuritenbou 吊天棒

④ ^Tetsujōmō 鉄条網

⑤ ^Buranchō ブラン跳

⑥ ^Ikadawatashi イカダ渡し

⑦ ^Shomouheki 消耗壁

Time Limit: 120 Seconds

^ Denotes New Obstacle

* Denotes Modified Obstacle

Obstacles
① *Daichoyaku 大跳躍

② Sanrenchou 三連跳

③ *Buyoishi 舞踊石

④ *Tourenban 倒连板

⑤ Enchū Nori 円柱乗

⑥ Burandou 舞乱道

Time Limit: 210 Seconds

^ Denotes New Obstacle

* Denotes Modified Obstacle

Obstacles
① ^Flying Roll フライングロール

^ Denotes New Obstacle

* Denotes Modified Obstacle

Obstacles
① ^Tetsu Bashi 鉄梯子 (8m)

② ^Climb Board クライムボード (7m)

Time Limit: 60 Seconds

^ Denotes New Obstacle

* Denotes Modified Obstacle

Differences with International Broadcasts
In Women of Ninja Warrior, the International rebroadcast of KUNOICHI 2009, the rebroadcast did not include the part of the Flying Roll in which the bar was raised to 1.60 meters. The show went directly to the portion in which the bar was raised to 1.80 meters (5ft 9in) with no mention of the former.