Jumping Spider

Jumping Spider (ジャンピングスパイダー) is one of the most challenging and notable obstacles in Shin-SASUKE. It was introduced as part of the course's renewal in SASUKE 18's First Stage after Nagano Makoto's Kanzenseiha in the previous tournament. It was a hybrid of Jump Hang and Spider Walk. Competitors were given a long runway to gain speed so as to jump straight up to the walls from a mini trampoline. Once they prop themselves between the walls of Spider Walk's portion, they must travel forward until they reach the halfway point, where they need to climb an ascending portion, then travel horizontally again to reach the end of the obstacle and drop down onto a landing platform. The space between the walls was 1.2 metres, wide enough for the competitors' hands and feet to fit.

Most of the top competitors failed here at least once, including every member of SASUKE All-Stars except Akiyama Kazuhiko. During its lifespans, the obstacle had five different versions, with Yamada Katsumi and Nagano Makoto being the only two competitors to attempt all versions.

First Version
This was by far the easiest version of Jumping Spider. The walls were put at the closest distance and at lowest height, with the length of the run-up was made the longest compared to other versions. Coincidentally, this tournament's version of Flying Chute was also considered the easiest version of that obstacle.

To clear this, competitors just need to have a good jump from the trampoline, which is very easy due to the long run-up mentioned. Most of this version's failures happen when the competitors either mis-step the trampoline or they don't stick long enough inside the walls, although it was possible for the competitors to fail it due to slipping while traversing the walls, as happened to Shiratori Bunpei.

Despite being dubbed as the easiest version, it is still deadly, eliminating almost half of the competitors who attempted this version, which took forty-four competitors to complete probably due to the unfamiliarity to the obstacle. It was modified in the following tournament.

Second Version
This was by far the hardest version of Jumping Spider. The walls were put further than the original version and at much higher height, with the length of the run-up was made the shortest compared to other versions. Coincidentally, this tournament's version of Flying Chute was also considered the hardest version of Flying Chute.

To clear this, competitors need great agility and had to hit the trampoline perfectly in order to gain enough distance and height to reach the walls. Because of the extreme difficulty, it was a challenge just trying to reach the walls, let alone sticking to them. This version was deadly for many competitors, as it took nine competitors failing before Iwata Kazuma finally able to be the first one to clear it.

With SASUKE 19 having only two First Stage clears, the worst tournament result, the producers decided to modify Jumping Spider again for the following tournament.

Third Version
Due to the bad result in SASUKE 19, the producers toned down Jumping Spider in order to make the obstacle a little easier for the competitors. To do this, they moved the walls vertically down, so they were at the same height as in the original version, but also the same distance away from the trampoline as in the previous version. Also, the run-up was made a bit longer to help competitors gain enough speed. These modifications make Jumping Spider become one of the many obstacles in SASUKE's history to be modified in three consecutive tournaments.

While more competitors were able to clear, this version is still as dangerous as the previous version. Now, success came more if the competitor could stay on the walls. But, few more competitors failed on this version courtesy of slipping while traversing the walls, which happened to Iketani Naoki in SASUKE 20, Satō Hiromichi in SASUKE 23, and Nagano Makoto in SASUKE 24.

Woman competitors had few successes in this version. Luci Romberg, Shimada Hiroyo, Arimatsu Tomomi, and Komiya Rie, all were able to clear this version, before their runs were ended by the next obstacle, Half-Pipe Attack.

Despite deadly, due to Urushihara Yuuji's Kanzenseiha in SASUKE 24, this obstacle was replaced indirectly by the returning Jump Hang in SASUKE 25, only for it to return in SASUKE 26.

Fourth Version
When Jumping Spider returned in SASUKE 26, it was once again modified from the previous version. The distance to the walls and the height were brought back similar to the econd version, with the run-up's length similar to the third version.

The surprise return of Jumping Spider with the aforementioned modifications caught many competitors off-guard, resulting in many failures for top competitors who cleared previous versions, including Tajima Naoya, Yamada Katsumi, Satō Hiromichi, and Nagano Makoto. It even almost eliminate Urushihara Yuuji, but he threw enough momentum to make himself land on the trampoline, which is legal. This prompted another modification to Jumping Spider in the following tournament.

Fifth Version
Due to unexpected failures on Jumping Spider in SASUKE 26, the producers decide to tone down Jumping Spider once more in SASUKE 27 by lowering the height of the walls close to the original version and extending the run-up length close to the original version.

These modifications proved effective, as more competitors cleared. Kadoi Satomi followed the footsteps of four woman competitors in Shin-SASUKE to clear the obstacle, albeit like all of them, her run ended instantly at the next obstacle, Half-Pipe Attack, while another female competitor Kurita Kaori successfully cleared it. However, when Urushihara Yuuji achieved his second Kanzenseiha later in the tournament, this obstacle was finally scrapped for good, being replaced by Jump Hang Kai in SASUKE 28.

Competitors' Success Rate

 * All results based on the TBS broadcast and external information found.

American Ninja Warrior
Jumping Spider appeared as the fourth obstacle during qualifying and semifinal in American Ninja Warrior 1, called Spider Wall, and in American Ninja Warrior 2, called Spider Jump, with the distance between the trampoline and the walls smaller, and the wall arranged in a straight line, which made it similar to KUNOICHI 9 and KUNOICHI 10's Spider Walk.

A modified version of this obstacle named Bouncing Spider would later appear as the third obstacle in American Ninja Warrior 9 in Denver.

Las Vegas National Finals


Later, Jumping Spider appeared as the fourth obstacle in Stage One from American Ninja Warrior 4 until now, except in American Ninja Warrior 12, but the distance between the trampoline and the walls has increased to four feet.

Just like in SASUKE, the obstacle took out some of the top competitors, including Jesse La Flair, James McGrath, Ryan Stratis, Flip Rodriguez, Lance Pekus, Jamie Rahn, and Ian Dory.

Prior to achieving total victory in American Ninja Warrior 7, Jumping Spider had been responsible for eliminating both Isaac Caldiero in American Ninja Warrior 5 and Geoff Britten in American Ninja Warrior 6 in their first seasons competing.

In American Ninja Warrior 6, Meagan Martin became the first female competitor to complete the obstacle, followed by Jessie Graff in the next season. Unlike the four mentioned Japanese female competitors above, Meagan Martin could complete the Half Pipe Attack, before timing out on the Warped Wall.

In American Ninja Warrior 9, a record five female competitors completed this obstacle, Barclay Stockett, Jesse Labreck, Allyssa Beird, Meagan Martin, and Jessie Graff.

In American Ninja Warrior 10, only two female competitors, Barclay Stockett and Jesse Labreck, had completed the obstacle, while Meagan Martin fell on it.

In American Ninja Warrior 11, Sean Bryan injured his shoulder on this obstacle and had to withdraw.

Ninja Warrior UK
During the first two seasons of Ninja Warrior UK, Jumping Spider appeared as the fifth obstacle during:
 * the finals' Stage 1 in Ninja Warrior UK,
 * the semi-finals in Ninja Warrior UK 2.

Similar to its appearance in American Ninja Warrior 2, the obstacle was called Spider Jump, and the walls were arranged in straight line, similar to Spider Wall/Spider Jump in American Ninja Warrior 1 and American Ninja Warrior 2.

Australian Ninja Warrior
Jumping Spider, also called the Spider Jump, appeared:
 * as the fifth obstacle in Stage One in Australian Ninja Warrior,
 * as the third obstacle in Stage Two in Australian Ninja Warrior 2,
 * as the eighth obstacle in Stage One in Australian Ninja Warrior 3, and
 * as the eighth obstacle during the semifinals and in Stage One in Australian Ninja Warrior 4.
 * as the eighth obstacle during the semifinals in Australian Ninja Warrior 5.

The obstacle was very similar to the one used during the first two seasons of Ninja Warrior UK.

However, unlike on many other SASUKE/Ninja Warrior formats, competitors would be disqualified if they returned to the starting platform after failing to generate enough momentum to reach the wall.

Ninja Warrior Poland
The Jumping Spider appeared in the first season of Ninja Warrior Poland as the eighth obstacle in Stage One. The distance between the walls this season was 130 cm. Seven competitors managed to reach this obstacle, while Sebastian Kasprzyk and Marcin Kołoszuk failed the jump from the trampoline, and Jakub Sielczak-Rum ran out of time after completing this obstacle (he had 3 seconds left).

Ninja Warrior Germany
The Jumping Spider appeared twice:


 * as the eighth obstacle in Stage One on Ninja Warrior Germany,
 * also as the eighth obstacle in Stage One on Ninja Warrior Germany 2.

In both seasons, the obstacle eliminated the participants. In the first season, only two failed it, but in the second season, it eliminated seven competitors.

It was replaced by Spider Flip in the next season.

SASUKE Vietnam
Jumping Spider, called locally Tường Nhện Nhảy, Tường Nhện in SASUKE Vietnam 3 or Người Nhện Nhảy in SASUKE Vietnam 4 and SASUKE Vietnam 5, appeared as the fourth obstacle in Stage 1A from SASUKE Vietnam 1 to SASUKE Vietnam 5.

Similar to the original version from SASUKE, competitors were allowed to return to the starting platform if they failed to generate enough momentum to reach the wall.

However, in the first two seasons, the producers used a baby trampoline in order to make the jump to the walls easier for Vietnamese competitors. After Lê Văn Thực's total victory in SASUKE Vietnam 2, they replaced it with a normal trampoline from SASUKE.

Competitors would be disqualified if any part of them touched the top part of the wall in the Spider Walk portion, which was covered with red sticker from SASUKE Vietnam 2 onwards. So far, four competitors were disqualified by this rule:


 * Lê Quốc Đạt in SASUKE Vietnam 1
 * Nguyễn Minh Tuấn in SASUKE Vietnam 2
 * Cao Xuân Cương in SASUKE Vietnam 3, and
 * Josh O'Sullivan in SASUKE Vietnam 5.

SASUKE Ninja Warrior Indonesia
In SASUKE Ninja Warrior Indonesia 2017, Jumping Spider appeared as the second obstacle during Semifinal Stage 2. Among the 27 competitors who attempted it, 10 of them failed to complete it, including SASUKE Ninja Warrior Indonesia finalist, Putra Waluya.

During SASUKE Ninja Warrior Indonesia: International Competition, the obstacle was modified with some parts of the walls being covered with red sticker, and the competitors were not allowed to touch them, similar to the rule used in SASUKE Vietnam. If they did so, they would be disqualified. As the result, it eliminated David Campbell from Team USA, who was the only competitor to fail at this obstacle.

Competitors' Success Rate

 * All results based on the NBC broadcast and external information found.

ジャンピングスパイダー 蜘蛛跳躍