The Spider Walk (スパイダーウォーク) is an iconic obstacle that has been used in the Second Stage from SASUKE 1 to SASUKE 17, and SASUKE 28 onward. It is derived from an entirely separate event in Kinniku Banzuke.
The obstacle requires the competitors to traverse the space between two parallel walls without touching the ground or grabbing the top part of the walls. The space between the walls are 1.2m, enough for the competitors' hands and feet to reach (except for Tanabe Chie in SASUKE 2, when she couldn't prop her feet to the walls).
Four different versions have been used, with Yamamoto Shingo being the only competitor to attempt all four.
After Nagano Makoto's kanzenseiha, it was modified into the Jumping Spider in the First Stage.
SASUKE 1-4 Version
In the first four SASUKE tournaments, the Spider Walk appeared as the first and longest obstacle, sometimes taking as much as half of the allotted time limit. The obstacle had 8 sets of parallel walls, divided into 2 parts:
- the Ugokukabe (動く壁) (the red neon wall, i.e. the third wall from the right), and
- the Spider Climb (スパイダークライム) (the last 4 walls; not to be confused with the Spider Climb, which would appear as the first obstacle in the Final Stage from SASUKE 5 to SASUKE 17, and then from SASUKE 29 onward).
Competitors must traverse forward through a moving wall as the first part (Ugokukabe) and up in the second part (Spider Climb). Then, competitors must grab a fireman's pole and finally dropped down to the landing platform.
Both the Ugokukabe and Spider Climb were counted as individual obstacles in SASUKE, and were counted as parts of the Spider Walk during the broadcast of Ninja Warrior.
In its first three tournaments appearance, throughout the entire obstacle, there were only mats to fall on. In SASUKE 4, the first half of the obstacle was filled with the water, and the second half of the obstacle (starting from the Spider Climb section) was filled with mats.
This version of the Spider Walk was considered as the toughest and most brutal than any other versions of the Spider Walk in SASUKE, as the obstacle eliminated almost half of the number of the competitors who attempted it.
KUNOICHI Appearances
Spider Walk, KUNOICHI 9
A toned-down version of this version of Spider Walk was also used as the second obstacle in BLUE Stage (Second Stage) from KUNOICHI 9 onward, with the Ugokukabe and Spider Climb sections being removed in favor of a three panel-long straightaway. The design was somewhat similar to the Spider Wall/Spider Jump, which was used as the fourth obstacle during qualifying and semifinal on American Ninja Warrior 1 and American Ninja Warrior 2, with the walls were arranged in a straight line.
Competitor's Success Rate
- All results based on the TBS broadcast and external information found
SASUKE
| SASUKE | Clears | Attempts | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | 23 | 65.21% |
| 2 | 15 | 34 | 44.12% |
| 3 | 9 | 13 | 69.23% |
| 4 | 15 | 37 | 40.54% |
| Total | 54 | 107 | 50.47% |
KUNOICHI
| KUNOICHI | Clears | Attempts | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| 10 | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| 11 | 8 | 10 | 80% |
| Total | 18 | 20 | 90% |
SASUKE 5-6 Version
After Akiyama Kazuhiko's kanzenseiha in SASUKE 4, the Spider Walk was moved as the second obstacle, and was shortened to five large sets of panels, while the second and fourth panels moved independently of the others (which was known as the Ugokukabe (動く壁)).
Since the debut of this version in SASUKE 5, the area under the whole obstacle was filled with the water.
In its first tournament, the obstacle took out Takeda Toshihiro and Yamada Katsumi (both of them had their feet slipped while moving to the second panel). However, all competitors cleared this obstacle in the next tournament.
Competitor's Success Rate
- All results based on the TBS broadcast and external information found
| SASUKE | Clears | Attempts | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1 | 3 | 33.33% |
| 6 | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| Total | 6 | 8 | 75% |
SASUKE 7-17 Version
With the Second Stage's redesign in SASUKE 7, the Spider Walk was modified. This time, the walls were arranged like an upside down "J". Competitor must go 3m upward, then 5m horizontally, and 5m downward. After that, instead of reaching for a fireman's pole, competitors must reach a horizontal bar to make the dismount to the landing platform.
Competitors were also provided with sticky spray at the start of the obstacle, and they could use it before attempting the obstacle, in order to prevent their hands/feet got slipped. However, several competitors skipped the spray entirely, in order to save time.
With the introduction of the Chain Reaction in SASUKE 7, competitors must wear gloves (for safety reasons) while attempting the Chain Reaction, and they must discard them before attempting the Spider Walk. This particular rule came into play, when Yamada Katsumi forgot to take off his gloves during the Spider Walk in SASUKE 12, and although he could complete the Second Stage with seconds to spare, he was then disqualified (see Yamada Katsumi's Glove Disqualification).
Although only a handful of competitors failed on this version of Spider Walk, it had been eliminated some top competitors such as: Kane Kosugi, Nakayama Kinnikun, and Honma Kota.
Shiratori Bunpei held the horizontal bar at the end of the Spider Walk, SASUKE 14
Competitor's Success Rate
- All results based on the TBS broadcast and external information found
| SASUKE | Clears | Attempts | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 5 | 6 | 83.33% |
| 8 | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| 9 | 6 | 7 | 85.71% |
| 10 | 4 | 5 | 80% |
| 11 | 10 | 10 | 100% |
| 12 | 11 | 12 | 91.67% |
| 13 | 10 | 10 | 100% |
| 14 | 11 | 11 | 100% |
| 15 | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| 16 | 16 | 16 | 100% |
| 17 | 10 | 11 | 90.91% |
| Total | 95 | 100 | 95% |
SASUKE 28~ Version
In SASUKE 28, the Spider Walk returned to the Second Stage. The walls were the same as the one used on the Jumping Spider, but without the trampoline and with a pair of panels added at the end. The extension was placed a few inches lower than the fourth wall.
In SASUKE 30, the obstacle was modified with the extended wall being the same height as the fourth wall, and with the addition of the Spider Drop, where competitors must drop down to another set of panels to reach the end.
In SASUKE 31, the Spider Drop was modified with the replacement of the black mats by a curved wall, and was made into an official individual obstacle, rather than being a part of Spider Walk.
So far, only two competitors has failed on this version, which was Nagasaki Shunsuke in SASUKE 34 and Takaharu Nakagawa in SASUKE 36, and so it was seen more as a time waster, sapping time away before the Backstream. Drew Drechsel almost failed at the Spider Drop portion in SASUKE 30, as his legs slipped on the lower set of panels. However, he managed to recover and clear the obstacle.
Competitors Success Rate
- All results based on the TBS broadcast and external information found
| SASUKE | Clears | Attempts | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| 29 | 17 | 17 | 100% |
| 30 | 17 | 17 | 100% |
| 31 | 10 | 10 | 100% |
| 32 | 8 | 8 | 100% |
| 33 | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| 34 | 16 | 17 | 94.11% |
| 35 | 8 | 8 | 100% |
| 36 | 14 | 15 | 93.33% |
| Total | 101 | 103 | 98.05% |
Other Appearances
American Ninja Warrior: Ninja vs. Ninja
American Ninja Warrior: Ninja vs. Ninja's Zig Zag Climb
A variation of the Spider Walk appeared on American Ninja Warrior: Ninja vs. Ninja, as the ninth and final obstacle of the extended course during Final Matchup, in the form of the Zig Zag Climb.
On this obstacle, the walls were 57 feet in length and arranged in a zig zag formation, requiring the competitors to go up in an angle first, then go down, and once again go up to reach the buzzer at the top. Also, similar to the Spider Walk used during the first 3 SASUKE tournaments, the area below the obstacle was filled with safety mats. Overall 9 competitors fell on the obstacle throughout the season, including Najee Richardson, Grant McCartney, Barclay Stockett, Jon Alexis Jr. and Ian Dory.
SASUKE Ninja Warrior Indonesia
SASUKE Ninja Warrior Indonesia's Spider Walk in Semifinal Stage 1
On SASUKE Ninja Warrior Indonesia, the Spider Walk appeared as the second obstacle on Semifinal Stage 1, which was similar to the one used in SASUKE 28.
Ninja Warrior UK
Ninja Warrior UK 4's Spider Jump
On Ninja Warrior UK 3 and Ninja Warrior UK 4, the Spider Walk appeared as the first obstacle in the finals' Stage 2. However, the obstacle was called as the Spider Jump (not to be confused with the Jumping Spider, in which on Ninja Warrior UK and Ninja Warrior UK 2, the obstacle was called as the Spider Jump).
For the Spider Jump on Ninja Warrior UK 3, the sets of walls were arranged in almost similar fashion to the Spider Walk used from SASUKE 28 onward. While on Ninja Warrior UK 4, the sets of walls were arranged in a similar fashion to the Spider Walk used from KUNOICHI 9 onward, except there was a gap between each set of walls (similar to the Bouncing Spider).