SASUKE All-Stars

SASUKE All-Stars (サスケオールスターズ) are a group of competitors formerly considered by TBS and the fans as the most likely to achieve success on the course. They were often given the highest numbers (#96 and above) as a result (though in more recent tournaments some have received lower, more standard placements). They also do external events together, such as the Maguro Festival and even VIKING.

History[]

The term "SASUKE All-Stars" was first coined all the way back in the Navi of SASUKE 6, with the title given to competitors who were considered by many as the most likely to achieve success in SASUKE.

During the program, thirteen competitors were listed as All-Stars, those being (in alphabetical order):

Akiyama Kazuhiko
Hatakeda Yoshiaki
Kane Kosugi
Kudō Junichirō
Nakamura Shigeyuki
Nicholas Pettas
Ōmori Akira
Shane Kosugi
Shōei
Takeda Toshihiro
Yamada Katsumi
Yamamoto Shingo
Yusa Masami (notably the only female competitor in the list).

They were considered All-Stars at this point mainly due to their success in previous SASUKE appearances, as well as in other tournaments like Sportsman and Olympics.

The main six members of SASUKE All-Stars, from left to right: Takeda Toshihiro, Nagano Makoto, Yamada Katsumi, Yamamoto Shingo, Akiyama Kazuhiko, and Shiratori Bunpei

However, by the time of SASUKE 9, most of the members either retired or didn't live up to expectations while competing on SASUKE, leaving only six active members: Akiyama, Shane, Takeda, Yamada, Yamamoto, and Yusa. However, Shane would also retire from SASUKE by the end of the tournament, leaving All-Stars with only four active members. But, following a breakout performance in the same tournament, Nagano Makoto was unveiled as a new member of SASUKE All-Stars in SASUKE 10. Yusa would also retire after SASUKE 14. However, one additional competitor, Shiratori Bunpei, would be added as the last member of All-Stars in the same tournament due to his notable success in the then-most-recent two tournaments. Thus, SASUKE All-Stars consisted of, in total, fifteen members (counting from the first time the term was coined), although TBS and fans now officially use the term referring only to the six members who were active as of SASUKE 14 onwards.

Out of all fifteen members, Akiyama Kazuhiko and Nagano Makoto were the only two to achieve Kanzenseiha, doing so in SASUKE 4 and SASUKE 17, respectively.

Following the events of SASUKE 28 (the first tournament since Monster9's liquidation), SASUKE All-Stars were officially disbanded as a group and were thought to be forbidden from returning to further competitions; both of these changes were reversed in the events leading up to SASUKE 29, although Akiyama chose to remain retired. Since then, Nagano also retired in SASUKE 32, albeit returning six tournaments later in SASUKE 38. Despite the group being considered officially as "Former All-Stars" starting in SASUKE 29, the "Former" part of the title disappeared as the tournament progressed.

Out of 41 SASUKE tournaments, none of the fifteen present and former members of SASUKE All-Stars competed together in a single tournament. If counting only the main six All-Stars, they have competed together on only seven occasions, being SASUKE 9, 11, 12, and 14 to 17. However, all six were present together during SASUKE 24 and 32.

Main Members[]

Below are the profiles of the main six members of All-Stars, listed by the time of their debut:

Yamamoto Shingo[]

A Training Gym Owner and former Gas Station Manager that is best known for his flawless attendance record, having competed in every SASUKE since the beginning. Due to his #7 bib in the first tournament, he had the honour of being the first All-Stars to run the course. He is also the only person to have attempted the first and second version of Final Stage. During his career in gas station, he can be seen wearing his trademark gas station uniform shirt and cap (always with Esso/Mobil branding); he has only competed without it twice (first and fourth tournaments). He continues to compete to this day.

Appearances		Best		Worst		Status
First	Last	Best		Worst		Status
SASUKE 1	SASUKE 41	Failed Tsuna Nobori (Final Stage) SASUKE 3		Failed Rolling Hill (First Stage) SASUKE 31		Competing

Yamada Katsumi[]

A former Propane Tank Delivery Driver and the oldest of the All-Stars, he dedicated his life to SASUKE after the factory shut down and he lost his job. He is also one of only two All-Stars (along with Yamamoto Shingo) to have competed since SASUKE 1. He has "retired" from SASUKE on four separate occasions (after SASUKE 8, SASUKE 16/17, SASUKE 24, and SASUKE 28), but returned each time nonetheless. He was given the nickname "Mr. SASUKE" because he was once thought to be the most likely competitor to clear all four stages, but hasn't cleared First Stage since SASUKE 12. Overall he has competed 30 times, third most among the All-Stars. He was once barred from competing following SASUKE 30 in 2014, but the ban was officially overturned prior to SASUKE 33 in 2017, the 20th year Anniversary of Sasuke, allowing Yamada to compete once more. Additionally, he has trained a team of protégés nicknamed "Yamada Gundan" or "Black Tigers" since SASUKE 29 in 2013. He would still compete if he feel he was ready, as proven in SASUKE 38 when he return for yet another run.

Appearances		Best		Worst		Status
First	Last	Best		Worst		Status
SASUKE 1	SASUKE 41	Failed Tsuna Nobori (Final Stage) SASUKE 3		Failed Quad Steps (First Stage) SASUKE 39		Competing

Akiyama Kazuhiko[]

A former Crab Fisherman and the first All-Stars to wore #100, doing so in SASUKE 2. He is also the first man to ever achieve Kanzenseiha, having done so in SASUKE 4. He has not been able to repeat his success, however, due in part to an eye condition known as Degenerative Rectinosis that has plagued him for years. Overall he has competed 20 times and has been officially retired since SASUKE 28 in 2012, discounting his one-off appearance in SASUKE 40.

Appearances		Best		Worst		Status
First	Last	Best		Worst		Status
SASUKE 2	SASUKE 40	Kanzenseiha SASUKE 4		Failed Godantobi (First Stage) SASUKE 9		Retired

Takeda Toshihiro[]

A former Firefighter from Gifu Prefecture and currently a Gym owner. He is best known for his incredibly consistent performances. He currently holds a SASUKE record, having thirteen appearances in the Third Stage, seven of which were consecutive (SASUKE 11 to SASUKE 17). He can be seen usually wearing his trademark orange firefighter pants and dark blue shirt (since changing career, he is dressed in all black). However, he hasn't made it to Final Stage yet. Overall he has competed 31 times (which is the second most among the competitors, only behind "Mr. Perfect Attendance" Yamamoto Shingo) and has quietly announced his retirement following the events of SASUKE 38 in 2020.

Appearances		Best		Worst		Status
First	Last	Best		Worst		Status
SASUKE 5	SASUKE 38	Failed Pipe Slider (Third Stage) SASUKE 12 and 17		Failed Rolling Hill (First Stage) SASUKE 31		Retired

Nagano Makoto[]

A Fisherman and currently the captain of the 50th Konpira Maru. He is the second man to ever achieve Kanzenseiha, having done so in SASUKE 17, after barely missing it in SASUKE 12 by 0.11 seconds. He has a record of reaching Final Stage five times (three of those times being consecutive) and was seen as likely to repeat his success even after his Kanzenseiha during the Shin-SASUKE era. He wears #100 most of the time (15 out of 39 tournaments). Overall, he has competed 27 times, a number surpassed only by three of his fellow All-Stars: Yamada Katsumi (30 times), Takeda Toshihiro (31 times), and Yamamoto Shingo (39 times). Although he had been officially retired since SASUKE 32 in 2016, he won't refuse a possibility to return for Anniversary tournament(s) and due to COVID-19 pandemic, he returned faster than expected in SASUKE 38.

Appearances		Best		Worst		Status
First	Last	Best		Worst		Status
SASUKE 7	SASUKE 41	Kanzenseiha SASUKE 17		Failed Quad Steps (First Stage) SASUKE 41		Semi-Retired

Shiratori Bunpei[]

A former Triple Jumper and Civic Employee in his home village of Inba, Chiba Prefecture in the Health and Services department. He is also known for building obstacles in his backyard (over eleven of them), which prompt many competitors to visit his home to train on this "Shiratori Shrine" (however, in 2009, it has been demolished). He has competed the least of the All-Stars, only 12 times due to chronic back and neck pains that have continued to plague him for years. Despite having only competed once since SASUKE 21, he is not officially retired and has not ruled out the possibility of returning should his health permit it, although this is unlikely.

Appearances		Best		Worst		Status
First	Last	Best		Worst		Status
SASUKE 9	SASUKE 30	Failed Tsuna Nobori (Final Stage) SASUKE 12		Failed Jumping Spider (First Stage) SASUKE 18 Failed Jump Hang Kai (First Stage) SASUKE 30		Semi-Retired

Results[]

SASUKE	Yamamoto	Yamada	Akiyama	Takeda	Nagano	Shiratori
1	#7 Failed Goren Hammer (Second Stage)	#92 Failed Goren Hammer (Second Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	Did not Compete
2	#20 Failed Pipe Slider (Third Stage)	#91 Failed Spider Climb (Second Stage)	#100 Failed Wall Lifting (Second Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	Did not Compete
3	#13 Failed Tsuna Nobori (Final Stage)	#89 Failed Tsuna Nobori (Final Stage)	#99 Failed Wall Lifting (Second Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	Did not Compete
4	#98 Failed Yureru Hashi (First Stage)	#100 Failed Cliffhanger (Third Stage)	#86 Kanzenseiha	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	Did not Compete
5	#98 Failed Pipe Slider (Third Stage) (Injured)	#100 Failed Spider Walk (Second Stage)	Did not Compete	#74 Failed Spider Walk (Second Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete
6	#96 Failed Rolling Maruta (First Stage)	#99 Failed Pipe Slider (Third Stage)	#100 Failed Jump Hang (First Stage)	#93 Failed Body Prop (Third Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete
7	#97 Failed Spider Climb (Final Stage) (Injured)	#100 Failed Rope Climb (First Stage)	#99 Failed Jump Hang (First Stage)	#96 Failed Rope Climb (First Stage)	#87 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	Did not Compete
8	#98 Failed Rope Climb (First Stage)	#100 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	#99 Failed Jump Hang (First Stage)	#71 Failed Pipe Slider (Third Stage)	#41 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	Did not Compete
9	#98 Failed Rumbling Dice (Third Stage)	#99 Failed Wall Lifting (Second Stage)	#100 Failed Godantobi (First Stage)	#97 Failed Lamp Grasper (Third Stage)	#61 Failed Pipe Slider (Third Stage)	#79 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)
10	#998 Failed Rope Climb (First Stage)	#1000 Failed Pipe Slider (Third Stage)	#981 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	#997 Failed Jump Hang (First Stage)	#999 Failed Jump Hang (First Stage)	Did not Compete
11	#98 Failed Cliffhanger Kai (Third Stage)	#100 Failed Balance Tank (Second Stage)	#99 Failed Body Prop (Third Stage)	#97 Failed Body Prop (Third Stage)	#96 Failed Tsuna Nobori (Final Stage)	#66 Failed Wall Lifting (Second Stage)
12	#96 Failed Cliffhanger Kai (Third Stage)	#98 Failed Spider Walk (Second Stage) (Disqualified)	#97 Failed Pipe Slider (Third Stage)	#95 Failed Pipe Slider (Third Stage) (Injured)	#100 Failed Tsuna Nobori (Final Stage)	#77 Failed Tsuna Nobori (Final Stage)
13	#76 Failed Wall Lifting (Second Stage)	Did not Compete	#91 Failed Nejireta Kabe (First Stage)	#98 Failed Cliffhanger Kai (Third Stage) (Injured)	#100 Failed Tsuna Nobori (Final Stage)	#99 Failed Pipe Slider (Third Stage)
14	#98 Failed Curtain Cling (Third Stage)	#99 Failed Jump Hang (First Stage)	#71 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	#97 Failed Cliffhanger Kai (Third Stage) (Injured)	#100 Failed Jumping Bars (Third Stage)	#96 Failed Balance Tank (Second Stage)
15	#95 Failed Body Prop (Third Stage)	#99 Failed Cross Bridge (First Stage)	#81 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	#96 Failed Devil Balanço (Third Stage)	#100 Failed Metal Spin (Second Stage)	#94 Failed Climbing Bars (Third Stage)
16	#97 Failed Jump Hang (First Stage)	#99 Failed Rope Climb (First Stage)	#71 Failed Metal Spin (Second Stage)	#98 Failed Cliffhanger Kai (Third Stage) (Injured)	#100 Failed Devil Balanço (Third Stage)	#96 Failed Pipe Slider (Third Stage)
17	#98 Failed Body Prop (Third Stage)	#100 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	#71 Failed Circle Slider (First Stage)	#91 Failed Pipe Slider (Third Stage)	#99 Kanzenseiha	#81 Failed Body Prop (Third Stage)
18	#61 Failed Flying Chute (First Stage)	#73 Failed Rope Ladder (First Stage)	Did not Compete	#?? Failed Salmon Ladder (Second Stage)	#96 Failed Shin-Cliffhanger (Third Stage) (Disqualified)	#95 Failed Jumping Spider (First Stage)
19	#81 Failed Jumping Spider (First Stage)	#91 Failed Jumping Spider (First Stage)	Did not Compete	#96 Failed Flying Chute (First Stage)	#100 Failed Flying Chute (First Stage)	#82 Failed Flying Chute (First Stage)
20	#1981 Failed Half-Pipe Attack (First Stage)	#1999 Failed Jumping Spider (First Stage)	#1901 Failed Half-Pipe Attack (First Stage)	#1995 Failed Rope Ladder (First Stage)	#2000 Failed Downhill Jump (Second Stage)	Did not Compete
21	#71 Failed Flying Chute (First Stage)	#96 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	Did not Compete	#98 Failed Hang Climbing (Third Stage)	#100 Failed Gliding Ring (Third Stage)	#83 Failed Downhill Jump (Second Stage)
22	#31 Failed Half-Pipe Attack (First Stage)	#81 Failed Jumping Spider (First Stage)	#20 Failed Half-Pipe Attack (First Stage)	#92 Failed Jumping Spider (First Stage)	#100 Failed Slider Jump (First Stage)	Did not Compete
23	#93 Failed Arm Rings (Third Stage) (Withdrew, Injured)	#71 Failed Slider Jump (First Stage)	Did not Compete	#97 Failed Spider Flip (Third Stage)	#100 Failed G-Rope (Final Stage)	Did not Compete
24	#96 Failed Tarzan Rope (First Stage)	#80 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	#62 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	#98 Failed Spider Flip (Third Stage)	#100 Failed Jumping Spider (First Stage)	Did not Compete
25	#90 Failed Balance Tank (Second Stage)	Did not Compete	#98 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	#70 Failed Double Salmon Ladder (Second Stage)	#99 Failed Circle Slider (First Stage)	Did not Compete
26	#94 Failed Rolling Escargot (First Stage)	#90 Failed Jumping Spider (First Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	#99 Failed Jumping Spider (First Stage)	Did not Compete
27	#81 Failed Spin Bridge (First Stage)	#91 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	#100 Failed Ultimate Cliffhanger (Third Stage)	Did not Compete
28	#98 Failed Spin Bridge (First Stage)	#99 Failed Ni Ren Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	#96 Failed Spin Bridge (First Stage)	#97 Failed Rolling Escargot (First Stage)	#100 Failed Ni Ren Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	Did not Compete
29	#36 Failed Backstream (Second Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	#95 Failed Hedgehog (First Stage)	#100 Failed Ni Ren Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	Did not Compete
30	#2992 Failed Backstream (Second Stage)	#2934 Failed Ni Ren Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	Did not Compete	#2980 Failed Swap Salmon Ladder (Second Stage) (Disqualified)	#2999 Failed Swap Salmon Ladder (Second Stage) (Disqualified)	#2997 Failed Jump Hang Kai (First Stage)
31	#92 Failed Rolling Hill (First Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	#93 Failed Rolling Hill (First Stage)	#98 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	Did not Compete
32	#99 Failed Double Pendulum (First Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	#98 Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	#100 Failed Lumberjack Climb (First Stage)	Did not Compete
33	#91 Failed Double Pendulum (First Stage)	#33 Failed TIE Fighter (First Stage)	Did not Compete	#90 Failed Salmon Ladder Kudari (Second Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete
34	#92 Failed Double Pendulum (First Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	#91 Failed Salmon Ladder Kudari (Second Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete
35	#74 Failed Fish Bone (First Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	#91 Failed Dragon Glider (First Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete
36	#81 Failed Wing Slider (First Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	#85 Failed Dragon Glider (First Stage) (Injured)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete
37	#84 Failed Dragon Glider (First Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	Did not Compete
38	#86 Failed Dragon Glider (First Stage)	#97 Failed Dragon Glider (First Stage)	Did not Compete	#87 Failed Fish Bone (First Stage) (Disqualified)	#98 Failed Dragon Glider (First Stage)	Did not Compete
39	#92 Failed Fish Bone (First Stage)	#96 Failed Quad Steps (First Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	Did not Compete
40	#3995 Failed Reverse Conveyor (Second Stage)	#3996 Failed Fish Bone (First Stage)	#3997 Failed Dragon Glider (First Stage)	Did not Compete	#3998 Failed Ni Ren Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	Did not Compete
41	#94 Failed Rolling Hill (First Stage)	#93 Failed Twin Dia (First Stage)	Did not Compete	Did not Compete	#96 Failed Quad Steps (First Stage)	Did not Compete
Competing	41 times	32 times	21 times	31 times	29 times	12 times
Best's Total	11 times	4 times	1 time	7 times	17 times	1 time