KUNOICHI

KUNOCHI is a sports variety special spun off from SASUKE for female competitors. Officially titled "女性版SASUKE『KUNOICHI" (Female Version SASUKE "KUNOICHI"), later formally KUNOICHI - Women's SASUKE since KUNOICHI 2025.

History[]

Originally created as a prototype named "Okan 9" focusing on housework in the Kinniku Banzuke days, it then spun into the two tournaments produced during the years 1999-2000, under the name KUNOICHI. Due to poor results brought by the event, it did not return after the tournament in 2000. These tournaments, however, are not officially recognized.

With the original KUNOICHI of Kinniku Banzuke in the past, producers met up in November 2001 and pitched a new spinoff once again titled KUNOICHI, but less focused on house chores. Acquiring 70 competitors within the span of a few weeks, an outdoor course was built and the first mainstream KUNOICHI tournament was held. Once again with poor results, all 70 competitors had failed the 1st STAGE. In an effort to save the competition, the top 20 competitors were given re-runs and the tournament finished. Once the competition produced good enough results and good ratings, the show continued.

7 more tournaments were produced after lasting until 2009. with bankruptcy looming and the notorious Muscle Musical having split (later cancelled), KUNOICHI was put on the back burner and was eventually demolished.

However in late 2016, Inui Masato brought back plans for KUNOICHI and announced a tournament set for the coming months. The KUNOICHI reboot produced 3 tournaments from February 2017 - July 2018.

On October 17, 2024, it was announced that KUNOICHI would be coming back for the first time in seven years for a 2025 release, marking the second time KUNOICHI had been rebooted.

Format[]

The 1999 and 2000 Banzuke Events had no set amount of challengers, with no more than ten or so competing. When the first KUNOICHI tournament was held, there were 70 challengers (90 runs total). Following that, each competition included 100 challengers (reduced to 50 challengers since KUNOICHI 9), who unlike SASUKE and VIKING, are all exclusively female. Regardless of competition remake, the goal is the same: complete an obstacle course of increasing difficulty. The competitions remain in the same format as SASUKE and originally took place in the Kinniku Banzuke studio.

Following the first reboot, the location then moved to where SASUKE films on the same site at Midoriyama. Since KUNOICHI 9, however, it has now been held at Makuhari Messe Convention Hall. The competition typically starts in the morning and ends well into the night.

1st STAGE[]

Further information: First Stage (KUNOICHI)

It was originally the only stage in the 1999 and 2000 tournaments. While focusing on speed, technique, and balance, the goal was to finish the stage all the while completing various housework themed tasks along the way.

After the first reboot, the first stage continued to be designed to test one's speed, technique and balance. It usually consisted of six to nine obstacles, which must be completed within a 80 to 140 second time limit. It has changed the most of all four stages over years.

A major change in the First Stage occurred in KUNOICHI 8 when it was redesigned so that four women ran at the same time. The first two to clear under the time limit advanced to the Second Stage; if none of the four cleared in under two minutes, the entire group would face the Repechage, guaranteeing that one competitor to advance.

Due to the course reboot in KUNOICHI 9 after an 8 years hiatus, the original format of the stage returned but is now called as the RED Stage. Almost all of the obstacles are integrated from famous obstacles from SASUKE such as the Rolling Hill and the Soritatsu Kabe.

2nd STAGE[]

Further information: Second Stage (KUNOICHI)

The Second Stage was first introduced in the reboot 2001 tournament, it was designed to be more difficult than the first, but it contained roughly the same skill sets, adding an additional emphasis of speed due to the low time limit, notably being lower than on SASUKE, between 35 and 80 seconds on average.

Competitors had varying success on this stage, and on average, around half are expected to clear. For KUNOICHI 1 and 2, it had four obstacles; during KUNOICHI 2, the final two obstacles were untimed. It has run under a time trial system twice; KUNOICHI 6, where only the top six times advanced, and KUNOICHI 8, where only the top ten times advanced, though it should be noted that the number of clears were lower than the maximum number allowed in that tournament.

In KUNOICHI 9, the format was changed, the name of the stage became the BLUE Stage and originally had no time limit for all of the obstacles and no limit of finishers needed to advance. The course was made up of obstacles that would be seen in both the usual Second and Third Stages as a result, most of which originated on SASUKE.

Due to the addition of the BLACK Stage, the four-stage course returned on KUNOICHI 10, and so did the time limit on the BLUE Stage, restoring it to a speed-based stage as the obstacles associated with the Third Stage were transferred over to the BLACK Stage or deleted altogether.

3rd STAGE[]

Further information: Third Stage (KUNOICHI)

The Third Stage made its first appearance in KUNOICHI 3 and was completely focused on balance (nicknamed Balance Hell). For KUNOICHI 3 and 4, all obstacles needed to be completed within a 90 second time limit. In KUNOICHI 5, only the final obstacle had a time limit, and for KUNOICHI 6 and KUNOICHI 7, the time limit was eliminated altogether. The Third Stage was notably unique in having a specific format, predominantly featuring the Tourenban obstacle, which was flanked by a starter and finisher obstacle, for only three areas total. This was increased in KUNOICHI 7 to four via the implementation of the Tourenbou, a redesign of the Tourenban's Red Zone that acted as its own obstacle.

The Third Stage's usual format was scrapped in KUNOICHI 8 in favor of the Flying Roll, an elimination stage where the field was cut to three competitors. This would not return for the 2017 reboot, and likewise, neither did the Third Stage.

By KUNOICHI 10 however, the Third Stage, which is now called the BLACK Stage, returned. Due to the shift to utilize more obstacles from SASUKE, the Stage now no longer focuses on just balance, adding instead a traditional element of strength as seen in SASUKE, utilizing many obstacles from that show, with only the returning Tourenban, now known as the Sponge Bridge, remaining from the original "Balance Hell" concept.

FINAL STAGE[]

Further information: Final Stage (KUNOICHI)

The Final Stage in KUNOICHI has had 8 officially known versions.

The first version was used in KUNOICHI 2. Known as the Tenkudou, it consisted of walking across a shaky, thin, metal beam that had cylinder and triangular sections across, making balancing harder. This version seemed impossible given the circumstances of a blizzard and freezing rain occurring at this time in the tournament.
The second version appeared in KUNOICHI 3 and KUNOICHI 4. This version was infamous for being the first time that a tower was used for the Final Stage. This version consisted of two sides of even ladder rungs one must climb up, then climbing up a pole. This version featured a Kanzenseiha during the 2004 tournament when Miyake Ayako completed it.
The third version appearing in the KUNOICHI 5 tournament was very similar to the previous version. However, this time the ladders now were in alternating sections and the competitor had to switch from side to side while going up. It was conquered again by Miyake Ayako.
The fourth version of the final made its appearance in KUNOICHI 6. This time, the first section of the final consisted of climbing up small alternating bricks, similar to SASUKE's Brick Climb. The Skyway Pole returned again. The final stage was once again completed by Miyake Ayako, marking her third straight victory.
The fifth version was used in KUNOICHI 7. However, due to no one reaching the final stage, it was unattempted. It was known this final consisted of climbing up a net-wire/rope base, then transitioning to a rope climb to reach the summit.
The sixth version of the final appeared in KUNOICHI 8. There were 2 versions of this final stage, it originally consisted of a different sections of climbing bricks and rock wall. Midway through the tournament, the bottom base of the tower was scrapped in place for a metal pole ladder. This version had a kanzenseiha achieved by Kadoi Satomi and Komiya Rie. In addition, Arimatsu Tomomi completed this tower, but was disqualified for grabbing hold of the side of the climbing board.
The seventh version of the tower appeared in KUNOICHI 9. It consisted of the same alternating ladders used in KUNOICHI 5, now with a rope climb after that.
The eighth and most recent version was seen in KUNOICHI 10. This version replaced the ladders with now an 8-meter Spider Climb and has undergo different height changes since then. In KUNOICHI 11. it has slightly taller Spider Climb, and reduced height of the rope. Then, in KUNOICHI 12. the height of the rope was slightly increased.

KUNOICHI Trials[]

Further information: KUNOICHI Trials

One element that has been part of the show for many years has been a trials system. Similar to SASUKE, they are a series of preliminary events designed to test and prep people for the competition. Usually, the top 1 to 8 people in any trial is given a ticket to compete. The first known time that trials were used was in KUNOICHI 2001, and have lasted all the way until KUNOICHI 2018.

KUNOICHI

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