The Rolling Panic (ローリングパニック) was an obstacle exclusive to the single-stage version of KUNOICHI that aired on Kinniku Banzuke.
Essentially a predecessor/prototype to the more well-known Enchū Nori, the obstacle consisted of two hollowed-out oil drum shells that were placed in a large flat track split into two sections by a divider, with the second drum placed in the middle of the right track. Competitors had to balance atop the first drum and roll it to the midpoint of the first track, before transitioning over to the second drum and balance atop it to reach the end. Due to the hollow design, both drums were able to bounce and move as competitors rolled atop them, increasing the difficulty.
Debuting as the sixth obstacle in KUNOICHI 1999, placed right after the Break Zone and thus the start point of the 50-second timed portion of the course, the obstacle went unattempted due to the difficulty of prior obstacles. It would be moved to the fifth position in KUNOICHI 2000 due to the reworking of the course, and would now be the final obstacle of the 60-second timed portion, right before the Break Zone.
While it was finally attempted in KUNOICHI 2000, the obstacle proved impossible to defeat for the few who managed to reach it. The obstacle's various idiosyncrasies, along with the strict 60-second time limit, resulted in no competitor clearing the obstacle. While Ozawa Misato came close, the low time limit caused her to make a premature jump to the Break Zone, which ultimately resulted in her failure.
A G4 replay of Akiwa Miwa failing Rolling Panic, KUNOICHI 2000.
For the format change in KUNOICHI 2001, the Rolling Panic was effectively retired in favor of the Enchū Nori, which featured roughly the same concept, except with a more stable and longer barrel, angled track, and competitors only having to ride the one barrel throughout the length of the track. The Enchū Nori would go on to become an iconic obstacle for KUNOICHI as a whole, compared to its predecessor, and the concept of balancing atop a cylindrical object would later be used in SASUKE as the Balance Tank (although both Enchū Nori and Balance Tank were most likely inspired by the Single Roller game from another TBS gameshow Takeshi's Castle).
Trivia[]
- Due to the obstacle's 0% clear rate in the only tournament it was attempted, that makes it one of the few obstacles in SASUKE and/or KUNOICHI history to have a full 0% clear rate. While other obstacles in both shows and international formats (such as the Time Bomb in American Ninja Warrior 9) would have 0% clear rates in tournaments, they would either feature a proper clear rate in a later tournament or even an international format. Due to not appearing beyond KUNOICHI 2000, this gives Rolling Panic the dubious honor of being an obstacle that has technically never been defeated.
- However, this does not apply to other events in Kinniku Banzuke which also featured obstacles with 0% clear rates, mostly due to the events they were associated with being removed from rotation, such as the Rotating Gears from A Craftsman (Ottoto 9 II) or due to rebranding, such as what happened to Crescent Seesaw from Hand Walk IV.
Competitor's Success Rate[]
- All results based on the TBS broadcast and external information found.
| KUNOICHI | Clears | Attempts | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2000 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0% |