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Not to be confused with the Spider Climb.

The Spider Climb (スパイダークライム) is an obstacle, firstly introduced as the first obstacle in the Final Stage of SASUKE 5. The basic concept is that competitors must climb two parallel walls in a similar fashion to the Spider Walk, except competitors must move upward rather than forward. Throughout the numerous tournaments the obstacle has been in SASUKE, it has gone through three versions.

Version 1 (SASUKE 5-17)[]

The first version of the obstacle was 12 meters in height, though it was stated to be 12.5 meters in height during the broadcast. The extra 0.5 meters came from a gap between the 10-meters high Tsuna Nobori. If the Spider Climb wasn't completed in 15 seconds, the walls would start to move apart, making it harder to climb and eventually impossible to complete the obstacle. Only two competitors, the first two who attempted it, failed on this obstacle:

  • Yamamoto Shingo in SASUKE 7, when his shoulder was suddenly dislocated, shortly after starting the obstacle, and
  • Jordan Jovtchev in SASUKE 8, when he failed to complete the obstacle within 15 seconds, resulting in the walls splitting apart, with him unable to finish the obstacle before they split completely. This would be the only time a competitor failed the obstacle this way.

The time limit to complete the Final Stage was still 30 seconds when the Spider Climb was added, resulting in the second version of the Final Stage being much tougher than its predecessor; the 15-meter high Tsuna Nobori. After Nagano Makoto's kanzenseiha in SASUKE 17, the Spider Climb was replaced by the Heavenly Ladder.

Version 2 (SASUKE 29-31)[]

In SASUKE 29, the Spider Climb returned as the first obstacle in the Final Stage. While looking similar to the first version aesthetically speaking, this version of the Spider Climb had two differences from the original:

  • The 0.5-meter gap between the Spider Climb and Tsuna Nobori was removed, officially making the obstacle 12 meters in height, despite the fact that the physical height of the obstacle went unchanged.
  • The walls would no longer split after 15 seconds. Instead, the walls remained stationary throughout the 30-second time limit.

This version of the Spider Climb did not last as long as its predecessor, being attempted in only two tournaments before Morimoto Yūsuke's kanzenseiha in SASUKE 31.

Version 3 (SASUKE 32-38)[]

For the course redesign in SASUKE 32, the Spider Climb was retained, but was modified yet again. This current version of the obstacle was only 8 meters in height, and unlike the previous two versions which led to the Tsuna Nobori, this version led directly into a 7-meter high Salmon Ladder, which in turn led directly to the 10-meter high Tsuna Nobori. In addition, this was accompanied by a 45-second time limit. Similar to the second version, the walls do not split at any point due to being connected with the Salmon Ladder portion.

In the first three tournaments, due to the difficulty of the Third Stage, this version of the Spider Climb (along with the Final Stage) was unattempted. However, in SASUKE 35 and SASUKE 36, the obstacle was attempted by Morimoto Yūsuke, followed by René Casselly and Tada Tatsuya in SASUKE 37, before being attempted by Morimoto once again in SASUKE 38, whereupon he would achieve a second kanzenseiha.

In SASUKE 38, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, black mats were installed onto the walls to make sanitizing the obstacle easier.

Similar to the previous version, no-one has failed this obstacle, and due to the aforementioned kanzenseiha in SASUKE 38, the Spider Climb would be replaced by the Speed Climbing, though the obstacle is not officially revealed until SASUKE 40.

World Cup Version[]

SASUKE World Cup 1-Obstacle-Spider Climb

SASUKE World Cup 1's Spider Climb in the Second Stage

A 15-meter high iteration of a side-by-side Spider Climb served as the first and only obstacle in the Second Stage on the first ever SASUKE World Cup. Similar to American Ninja Warrior: All Stars Special's Mega Spider Climb event (see below), the obstacle would be attempted across five different heats, with each heat consisting of two competitors (one competitor from any team) climbing the obstacle at the same time. Each teams would send two competitors, and their clear times on the obstacle (regardless of a "win" or a "loss" in their respective duel) would be accumulated for the respective team. Failing the obstacle would result in a 20-second time penalty.

Unlike American Ninja Warrior: All Stars Special, it was placed on the backside of the Final Stage tower, right behind the Speed Climbing. Despite the end of the restrictions brought out by the COVID-19 pandemic, black mats were installed onto the walls.

Ten competitors attempted the obstacle, with one competitor, Team France's captain Charles Poujade, shockingly failing it, imposing the 20-second time penalty and become the direct cause of the subsequent elimination for his own team.

KUNOICHI Appearance[]

Due to Izumi Hikari's close kanzenseiha in KUNOICHI 2017 Spring, for the very first time, the Spider Climb made an introduction in KUNOICHI 2017 Summer, replacing the Sayu Hashigo from the previous tournaments, with its height was the same as the current version from SASUKE 32 onward.

However, in KUNOICHI 2018, the obstacle's height was increased to 10 meters.

Other Appearances[]

Spider Climb[]

American Ninja Warrior[]

ANW5 Spider Climb

American Ninja Warrior 5's Spider Climb

ANW6 Spider Climb

American Ninja Warrior 6's Spider Climb

On American Ninja Warrior 5 and American Ninja Warrior 6, the Spider Climb appeared as the tenth and final obstacle in every city finals course, replacing the Cargo Climb/Cargo Net from the past four American Ninja Warrior seasons, with the walls' height being 30 feet (9.14m) (25 feet in ANW5) and the distance between the walls being 4 feet apart (1.22m).

Since the competitors attempted the obstacle without wearing safety gear (unlike in SASUKE and all of SASUKE/Ninja Warrior's international formats, where competitors must wear safety gears before attempting the Final Stage/Mount Midoriyama tower), the starting platform at the bottom of the walls would move slightly upward when the competitors scaled the obstacle, in order to soften the impact, in case of the competitors failed to complete the obstacle and fell.

During its overall appearances, the obstacle was proven to be very easy, as only a handful of competitors failed on this obstacle, including James Sclar (during American Ninja Warrior 5's Venice Beach finals, dislocating his shoulder in the process) and Dustin McKinney (during American Ninja Warrior 6's Miami finals).

On American Ninja Warrior 7, it was replaced by a far more brutal obstacle, the Invisible Ladder. Later, a similar obstacle (called as the Spider Trap) appeared as the tenth and final obstacle in every city finals course on American Ninja Warrior 10.

Other SASUKE International Formats[]

Nqgr1 spider climb

Ninja Warrior Germany 1's Spider Climb

NWUK3 Chimney Climb

Ninja Warrior UK 3's Chimney Climb

-25- Chimney Climb

Australian Ninja Warrior's Chimney Climb

NWP2 Chimney Climb

Ninja Warrior Poland 2's Chimney Climb

Nwat1 spider climb

Ninja Warrior Austria' s Spider Climb

Nwfr7 spiedr climb 9m

Ninja Warrior France 7's Spider Climb

NWI5 Chimney Climb

Ninja Israel 5's Chimney Climb

On several Ninja Warrior's international formats, the Spider Climb usually appeared as the final obstacle during the semifinals and finals' Stage 1, and was called the Chimney Climb (or Chimney Sweep on Australian Ninja Warrior 4).

In Ninja Warrior Poland 6, there was an unusual violation of the rules, when Witalij Orichowski, already at the very top, accidentally put his feet in the gap at the top between the two walls and the top of the chimney, which revealed that these gaps were there at all. This was considered against the rules and resulted in disqualification. This situation shocked the audience a lot, as the competitor was already sure that he would advance to the Second Stage, considering that without this mistake it would be his first time in the Second Stage.


Final Stage version[]

SVN Spider Climb

SASUKE Vietnam 2's Spider Climb in Stage Four

SNWI Spider Climb

SASUKE Ninja Warrior Indonesia's Spider Climb in Mount Midoriyama Stage

NWG Spider Climb

Ninja Warrior Germany 8's Chimney Climb in Final Stage

The Spider Climb also appeared as the first obstacle in the Final Stage of several international formats (such as SASUKE Malaysia, SASUKE Vietnam, SASUKE Ninja Warrior Indonesia, SASUKE Ninja Warrior Mongolia, Australian Ninja Warrior and Ninja Warrior Germany), with all of them were similar to the one used from SASUKE 28-31 or SASUKE 32-38, due to the walls no longer splitting after 15 seconds or were directly connected to the Salmon Ladder.

As a side note, the Chimney Climb in Australian Ninja Warrior and Ninja Warrior Germany uses Plexiglas walls (similar to the Spider Climb in American Ninja Warrior).

Tower Climb[]

Team Ninja Warrior[]

TNW Tower Climb

Team Ninja Warrior's Tower Climb

In Team Ninja Warrior, a mini version of the Final Stage/Mount Midoriyama tower called as Tower Climb appeared as the ninth and final obstacle in Relay Showdown and Championship Relay. The obstacle is the essentially the combination of the Spider Climb in the first 25-foot and the next 15-foot, the Rope Climb.

Team Ninja Warrior Germany[]

Towerclimb tnwgr1

Team Ninja Warrior Germany 1's Tower Climb

Tower Climb was the last obstacle of Relay Showdown in Team Ninja Warrior Germany 1. It consists of a 9m tower, which begins with a 5m Spider Climb followed by a 4m Rope Climb to the buzzer.

Australian Ninja Warrior[]

AusNW2 Chimney to Rope Climb

Australian Ninja Warrior 2's Chimney to Rope Climb

The Tower Climb later returned on Australian Ninja Warrior 2 as the ninth and final obstacle in Semifinals, and it was called Chimney to Rope Climb. The tower was much lower than the one used in Team Ninja Warrior, as the Chimney Climb part was decreased to 4 meters, and the rope was decreased to 3 meters.

World Cup version[]

American Ninja Warrior: All Stars Special[]

Spider Climb All Stars

American Ninja Warrior: All Stars Special 5's Mega Spider Climb

The original incarnation of the side-by side Spider Climb made it's first appearance as a event in American Ninja Warrior: All Stars Special 3, 4, and 5, known as Mega Spider Climb. Here, the Spider Climb actually takes place at the Midoriyama tower, and it's a tournament consisting of three heats (seven in the third special). It works as expected; the competitor who either gets to the top, or reaches the highest first, moves onto the next round.

The following competitors won their respective tournaments:

Competitors' Success Rate[]

  • All results based on the TBS/NBC/Polsat/Keshet 12/VTV3 broadcast and external information found.

SASUKE[]

SASUKE Clears Attempts Percentage
5 0 0 N/A
6 0 0 N/A
7 0 1 0%
8 1 2 50%
9 0 0 N/A
10 0 0 N/A
11 1 1 100%
12 3 3 100%
13 1 1 100%
14 0 0 N/A
15 0 0 N/A
16 0 0 N/A
17 2 2 100%
29 0 0 N/A
30 2 2 100%
31 1 1 100%
32 0 0 N/A
33 0 0 N/A
34 0 0 N/A
35 1 1 100%
36 1 1 100%
37 2 2 100%
38 1 1 100%
World Cup 1 9 10 90%
Total 25 28 89.29%

American Ninja Warrior[]

ANW City Clears Attempts Percentage
ANW5 Venice Beach 4 6 66.67%
Baltimore 9 9 100%
Miami 8 8 100%
Denver 5 5 100%
ANW6 Venice Beach 2 2 100%
Dallas 7 7 100%
St. Louis 9 9 100%
Miami 7 10 70%
Denver 6 6 100%
Total 56 61 91.80%

Ninja Warrior Poland[]

NWP Stage Clears Attempts Percentage
NWP Semi-final 1 1 1 100%
Semi-final 2 2 3 66.66%
Semi-final 3 2 2 100%
Semi-final 4 3 3 100%
Semi-final 5 1 1 100%
Semi-final 6 3 3 100%
Stage 1 4 4 100%
NWP2 Semi-final 1 4 4 100%
Semi-final 2 2 2 100%
Semi-final 3 3 3 100%
Semi-final 4 3 3 100%
Semi-final 5 1 1 100%
Semi-final 6 3 3 100%
Stage 1 8 8 100%
NWP3 Semi-final 1 4 4 100%
Semi-final 2 0 0 N/A
Semi-final 3 6 6 100%
Semi-final 4 5 5 100%
Semi-final 5 4 4 100%
Semi-final 6 2 2 100%
Stage 1 12 12 100%
NWP4 Semi-final 1 5 5 100%
Semi-final 2 1 1 100%
Semi-final 3 0 0 N/A
Semi-final 4 1 1 100%
Semi-final 5 3 4 75%
Semi-final 6 1 1 100%
Stage 1 5 5 100%
NWP6 Semi-final 1 0 0 N/A
Semi-final 2 0 0 N/A
Semi-final 3 1 1 100%
Semi-final 4 1 1 100%
Semi-final 5 2 2 100%
Semi-final 6 2 2 100%
Stage 1 17 18 94%
NWP7 Semi-final 1 2 2 100%
Semi-final 2 6 6 100%
Semi-final 3 2 2 100%
Semi-final 4 0 0 N/A
Semi-final 5 3 3 100%
Semi-final 6 4 4 100%
NWP8 Semi-final 1 2 2 100%
Semi-final 2 6 6 100%
Semi-final 3 3 3 100%
Semi-final 4 1 1 100%
Semi-final 5 3 3 100%
Semi-final 6 4 4 100%
NWP9 Stage 1 8 8 100%
Total 156 159 98.11%

Ninja Israel[]

NWI Stage Clears Attempts Percentage
NWI1 Semifinal 1 4 4 100%
Semifinal 2 4 4 100%
Semifinal 3 4 4 100%
Semifinal 4 3 3 100%
NWI2 Semifinal 1 1 1 100%
Semifinal 2 3 3 100%
Semifinal 3 0 0 N/A
Semifinal 4 9 9 100%
NWI5 Stage 1 2 2 100%
Total 30 30 100%

SASUKE Vietnam[]

SASUKE Vietnam Clears Attempts Percentage
1 0 0 N/A
2 12 12 100%
3 0 0 N/A
4 0 0 N/A
5 0 0 N/A
Total 12 12 100%
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