American Ninja Warrior
Encyclopedia
American Ninja Warrior is a spin-off of Sasuke
. It began on December 12, 2009 in Los Angeles, California
, with the top 10 competitors moving on to compete at Mount Midoriyama in Japan. It succeeds the qualifier G4 Ninja Fests into Sasuke, as the American Ninja Challenge
.
-Stage 1: competitors actually compete against each other for the 30 fastest times to advance to stage 2, unlike in Japan where competitors just need to complete the course in a certain time limit. The American version sets a limit of 30 competitors advancing to stage 2. There's no official limit of competitors for stage 1 stated whereas in Japan, only 100 competitors can attempt stage 1.
-Stage 2: is in reality an expanded version of stage 1. Again, competitors are competing against the course and each other for the best times to advance. Only 15 competitors with the best times advance to stage 3.
-Stage 3: in the American version is essentially a version of army Boot camp. In stage 3, competitors have to complete 4 different tasks with the lowest combined time (consisting of carrying 10 bricks across a beach while being held back by bungie cords, carrying barrels over logs, hopping through tires, etc.). Only the 10 competitors with the lowest times win a trip and a chance to compete at Mt. Midoriyama in Japan. As such, there is no "final" stage in the American version.
, where hundreds of competitors came to challenge themselves against the course and qualify for a shot at making it to Japan to compete in Sasuke 23 later in the year. The special premiered on December 12, 2009 on G4 TV and was hosted by G4's Blair Herter
and Alison Haislip
. Competitors included famed freerunners Levi Meeuwenburg and Brian Orosco, mixed martial artist Jason "Mayhem" Miller, and Hollywood stuntman Rich King
.
Stage 2: Levi Meeuwenberg was the only American competitor to complete this stage.
Stage 3: Levi Meeuwenberg was the only American competitor to advance to this stage, but he fell on the "Shin-Cliffhanger".
mountains, where they compete in a series of team challenges. Then the final 10 will move on to compete in the season finale of American Ninja Warrior 2 at Mt. Midoriyama in Japan
. This season was hosted by Matt Iseman
and Jimmy Smith
, with Alison Haislip
as a sideline reporter.
The 10 finalists earned the chance to compete at Sasuke
26 (Ninja Warrior) which aired on January 2, 2011 on G4.
Final 10: In order they received their American flag "colors" (bandannas):
Red Dragons:
White Tigers:
Blue Monkeys:
, Yuuji Urushihara) have successfully reached its towering peak, earning the title of "Grand Champion". None of them have been American!"
None of the American Ninja Warrior season 2 competitors were able to complete stage 3, but half (5 out of 10) completed stage 1 and progressed onto stage 2, where 4 out of 5 made it onto stage 3.
**(Alternate, replaced Levi Meeuwenberg who broke his wrist during a taping of Jump City: Seattle
.)
26 (Ninja Warrior) aired on January 2, 2011 on G4. The American Ninja Warrior competitors who competed and their performances are listed below.
. Denver Broncos
wide receiver
Matthew Willis appeared on the show. No competitors made it beyond stage 3.
The final episode aired on August 22, 2011 as a two-hour primetime special on NBC
.
This season was once again hosted by Iseman and Smith, with Haislip as a sideline reporter.
Sasuke (TV series)
Sasuke is a Japanese sports entertainment television special in which 100 competitors attempt to complete a four stage obstacle course. An edited version, renamed Ninja Warrior, is screened in at least 18 other countries....
. It began on December 12, 2009 in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, with the top 10 competitors moving on to compete at Mount Midoriyama in Japan. It succeeds the qualifier G4 Ninja Fests into Sasuke, as the American Ninja Challenge
American ninja challenge
American Ninja Challenge was a nationwide competition sponsored by G4 to send a number of American citizens to Japan to compete in the hit TV show Ninja Warrior...
.
1st and 2nd season differences from Sasuke
The 1st and 2nd Seasons of American Ninja Warrior has a few notable differences from the Japanese ("Sasuke") version. They are...-Stage 1: competitors actually compete against each other for the 30 fastest times to advance to stage 2, unlike in Japan where competitors just need to complete the course in a certain time limit. The American version sets a limit of 30 competitors advancing to stage 2. There's no official limit of competitors for stage 1 stated whereas in Japan, only 100 competitors can attempt stage 1.
-Stage 2: is in reality an expanded version of stage 1. Again, competitors are competing against the course and each other for the best times to advance. Only 15 competitors with the best times advance to stage 3.
-Stage 3: in the American version is essentially a version of army Boot camp. In stage 3, competitors have to complete 4 different tasks with the lowest combined time (consisting of carrying 10 bricks across a beach while being held back by bungie cords, carrying barrels over logs, hopping through tires, etc.). Only the 10 competitors with the lowest times win a trip and a chance to compete at Mt. Midoriyama in Japan. As such, there is no "final" stage in the American version.
American Ninja Warrior (2009)
The first American Ninja Warrior was held in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, where hundreds of competitors came to challenge themselves against the course and qualify for a shot at making it to Japan to compete in Sasuke 23 later in the year. The special premiered on December 12, 2009 on G4 TV and was hosted by G4's Blair Herter
Blair Herter
Blair Joseph Herter is an American television personality.Herter was born in Scott, Louisiana. He previously worked for MTV, appearing on seasons of Road Rules and Real World/Road Rules Challenge series, as well as G-Hole...
and Alison Haislip
Alison Haislip
Alison Fesq Haislip is an American actress and former TV correspondent for Attack of the Show! on G4 and NBC's The Voice. She resides in Los Angeles, California.-Early life:...
. Competitors included famed freerunners Levi Meeuwenburg and Brian Orosco, mixed martial artist Jason "Mayhem" Miller, and Hollywood stuntman Rich King
Rich King
Richard Thomas King is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1st round of the 1991 NBA Draft out of the University of Nebraska. A 7'2", 260-lb...
.
American Ninja Warrior Finalists
1st Competition (Sasuke 23)| 1st Place | 95 | - | 2nd Place | 78 | Failed Shin-Cliff Hanger |
| 3rd Place | Travis Furlanic | 44 | Failed Jumping Spider | ||
| 4th Place | Paul Darnell | 43 | Failed Half Pipe Attack | ||
| 5th Place | Rich King | 42 | Failed Unstable Bridge | ||
| 6th Place | Caine Sinclair | 41 | Failed Rope Ladder | ||
| 7th Place | Shane Daniels | Failed Tarzan Rope | |||
| 8th Place | Geoff Iida | Failed Warped Wall | |||
| 9th Place | Joop Katana | Failed Slider Jump | |||
| 10th Place | Rick Huelga | Failed Slider Jump | |||
Season 1 competitors performance at Sasuke 23 (Mt. Midoriyama)
Stage 1: only Rich King, Levi Meeuwenberg and Brian Orosco successfully completed this stage. The majority of the American Ninja Warrior competitors ran out of time.Stage 2: Levi Meeuwenberg was the only American competitor to complete this stage.
Stage 3: Levi Meeuwenberg was the only American competitor to advance to this stage, but he fell on the "Shin-Cliffhanger".
American Ninja Warrior 2 (2010)
The second season called American Ninja Warrior 2 began on December 8, 2010 in Venice Beach, California where 300 competitors took on the course. The 15 semi-finalist will move on to "Ninja Warrior Boot Camp" in the remote CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
mountains, where they compete in a series of team challenges. Then the final 10 will move on to compete in the season finale of American Ninja Warrior 2 at Mt. Midoriyama in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. This season was hosted by Matt Iseman
Matt Iseman
Matthew C. "Matt" Iseman is an American comedian, actor, and television host, who began his career as a physician.- Early life and medical career :...
and Jimmy Smith
Jimmy Smith (fighter)
Jimmy Smith is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He is the co-host of the television show Fight Quest, with Doug Anderson, on the Discovery Channel. He was primarily trained in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.- Early life :...
, with Alison Haislip
Alison Haislip
Alison Fesq Haislip is an American actress and former TV correspondent for Attack of the Show! on G4 and NBC's The Voice. She resides in Los Angeles, California.-Early life:...
as a sideline reporter.
American Ninja Warrior 2 Finalists
The 15 semi-finalists headed to "Ninja Warrior Boot Camp" where they were broken down into three teams: Red Dragons, White Tigers, and Blue Monkeys. From then on, 5 were eliminated from competition and 10 moved onto Mt. Midoriyama in Japan to compete in the season finale of American Ninja Warrior 2 for a chance to win $250,000 and be the first "American Ninja Warrior".The 10 finalists earned the chance to compete at Sasuke
Sasuke (TV series)
Sasuke is a Japanese sports entertainment television special in which 100 competitors attempt to complete a four stage obstacle course. An edited version, renamed Ninja Warrior, is screened in at least 18 other countries....
26 (Ninja Warrior) which aired on January 2, 2011 on G4.
Final 10: In order they received their American flag "colors" (bandannas):
Red Dragons:
| Order # | Competitor |
|---|---|
| 1 | Brent Steffensen |
| 2 | Travis Furlanic |
| 3 | Paul Kasemir |
| 4 | David Campbell |
White Tigers:
| Order # | Competitor |
|---|---|
| 1 | Shane Daniels |
| 2 | Levi Meeuwenberg |
Blue Monkeys:
| Order # | Competitor |
|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Orosco |
| 2 | Patrick Cusic |
| 3 | Adam Truesdell |
| 4 | Evan Dollard |
Season Finale of American Ninja Warrior 2 in Japan
Narrator: "In 25 seasons, 2,500 competitors thought they were tough enough to conquer Japan's legendary Mt. Midoriyama. Only three (Kazuhiko Akiyama, Makoto NaganoMakoto Nagano
is a commercial fisherman and the captain of his vessel, and musician. He is regularly seen on the Japanese television show Sasuke where he is one of the "SASUKE All-Stars," a group of favored competitors who possess the greatest potential in completing the four grueling obstacle courses of Ninja...
, Yuuji Urushihara) have successfully reached its towering peak, earning the title of "Grand Champion". None of them have been American!"
None of the American Ninja Warrior season 2 competitors were able to complete stage 3, but half (5 out of 10) completed stage 1 and progressed onto stage 2, where 4 out of 5 made it onto stage 3.
Stage 1
| Order # | Finalist | Outcome | Obstacle/Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adam Laplante** | Failed | Half-Pipe Attack |
| 2 | Patrick Cusic | Failed | Rolling Escargot |
| 3 | Paul Kasemir | Completed | Time 129.15 |
| 4 | Adam Truesdell | Failed | Giant Swing |
| 5 | Evan Dollard | Failed | Rolling Escargot |
| 6 | Brent Steffensen | Completed | Time 121.29 |
| 7 | Travis Furlanic | Completed | Time 115.27 |
| 8 | Shane Daniels | Failed | Timed Out Final Climb |
| 9 | David Campbell | Completed | Time 108.49 |
| 10 | Brian Orosco | Completed | Time 109.04 |
**(Alternate, replaced Levi Meeuwenberg who broke his wrist during a taping of Jump City: Seattle
Jump City: Seattle
Jump City: Seattle is an American television series on G4 that features four of the top freerunning and parkour teams in the United States all coming together for the first U.S. freerunning competition...
.)
Stage 2
| Order # | Finalist | Outcome | Obstacle/Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Kasemir | Completed | Time left 2.57 |
| 2 | Brent Steffensen | Completed | Time left 21.64 |
| 3 | Travis Furlanic | Failed | Balance Tank |
| 4 | David Campbell | Completed | Time left 23.43 |
| 5 | Brian Orosco | Completed | Time left 5.76 |
Stage 3
| Order # | Finalist | Outcome | Obstacle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Kasemir | Failed | Doorknob Grasper |
| 2 | Brent Steffensen | Failed | Ultimate Cliffhanger |
| 3 | David Campbell | Failed | Ultimate Cliffhanger |
| 4 | Brian Orosco | Failed | Roulette Cylinder |
Season 2 competitors performance at Sasuke 26 (Mt. Midoriyama)
Note: SasukeSasuke (TV series)
Sasuke is a Japanese sports entertainment television special in which 100 competitors attempt to complete a four stage obstacle course. An edited version, renamed Ninja Warrior, is screened in at least 18 other countries....
26 (Ninja Warrior) aired on January 2, 2011 on G4. The American Ninja Warrior competitors who competed and their performances are listed below.
| No. | Competitor | Stage | Outcome | Obstacle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | Paul Kasemir | Third | Failed | Doorknob Grasper (second doorknob) |
| 74 | Brent Steffensen | Third | Failed | Ultimate Cliff Hanger (third ledge) |
| 84 | David Campbell | Third | Failed | Ultimate Cliff Hanger (fourth ledge) |
| 92 | Brian Orosco | Third | Failed | Roulette Cylinder |
American Ninja Warrior 3 (2011)
The third American Ninja Challenge began airing on July 31, 2011 on G4. Tryouts took place May, 2011 at Venice Beach, California. After tryouts, the top 15 competitors compete in Ninja Warrior Bootcamp with the top 10 moving on to Japan for the finals of the competition and a chance at becoming the first American to conquer the course and win a $500,000 endorsement deal with K-SwissK-Swiss
K-Swiss, Inc. is an American footwear company based in Westlake Village, California. The company designs, develops, and markets a range of athletic shoes under the K-Swiss brand.- History :...
. Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Matthew Willis appeared on the show. No competitors made it beyond stage 3.
The final episode aired on August 22, 2011 as a two-hour primetime special on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
.
This season was once again hosted by Iseman and Smith, with Haislip as a sideline reporter.