00:00Welcome to Japan's legendary Temple of Champions, where athletes gather to face the most difficult
00:14challenges ever conceived.
00:18Testing balance, endurance, and sheer strength, competitors have one goal, beat the course.
00:26But victory is elusive, and the only constant is the bitter taste of defeat.
00:34This is the ultimate competition of man versus obstacle.
00:38Who will top the unbeatable Banzuke?
00:56The course is made up of nine obstacles.
01:24First competitors must face the checkerboard, and then cross the stepping stones.
01:30Next they ascend the stairs, and traverse the precarious suspension bridge.
01:35Then they descend the narrow steps of the down staircase, and enter the Hall of Hammers.
01:41Those that survive this far next face the water trench, and then the log pile.
01:48Finally they must cross the S-curve to reach the finish line.
01:51The racer who completes the entire course in the fastest time will be walking tall.
02:52Akira Omori's step looked sure until he reached the smallest of the stepping stones,
02:57sending the paraglider tumbling into a heap.
03:00Up next is Tomoyuki Watanabe.
03:03Trained at a local equestrian center, he currently works as a riding instructor.
03:07Will he gallop his way to victory?
03:21Or will it be his first obstacle?
03:23He's got a good sense of balance.
03:27He's cleared the first obstacle. His expression is calm.
03:31Will he be able to hold on?
03:33This is the first obstacle, the so-called biggest hurdle.
03:42He's got a good balance.
03:45It's as if he's breathing with a horse.
03:49Will he be able to control a living horse?
03:51He's cleared this difficult obstacle.
03:54He's cleared it.
03:56It's like he's one with the horse.
03:58Tomoyuki Watanabe, a local equestrian instructor, has also cleared the stairs.
04:02He's waiting for the suspension bridge.
04:04The suspension bridge is shaking.
04:06He's waiting for the suspension bridge to turn right.
04:08Will he be able to calm down here?
04:11Watanabe is slowly moving forward.
04:14The suspension bridge is shaking.
04:16It's difficult to keep his balance.
04:19The suspension bridge is shaking.
04:21The suspension bridge is shaking.
04:23He's coming back.
04:26Tomoyuki Watanabe.
04:28Is this horse really alive?
04:30It's like an animal.
04:32He's cleared it.
04:34It's narrow.
04:36It's a 15-centimeter-wide stairway.
04:38If he loses his balance, he may fall at once.
04:40He's careful.
04:42Tomoyuki Watanabe has cleared it carefully.
04:45He failed to climb the stairs.
04:48The final competitor is Katsuya Kimura.
04:51This senior in the Waseda University Wrestling Club placed 5th in the national championship.
04:56Can he muscle his way through this challenge?
05:07Kimura has a lot of support.
05:09His juniors must be watching.
05:11The first obstacle is the 30-centimeter-wide rope.
05:19He cleared it carefully.
05:23Many wrestlers have lost their balance.
05:26There are many cases where they fall down here.
05:28Tobii.
05:34He's careful.
05:38He cleared it.
05:40The third obstacle is the stairway.
05:42It's 30 centimeters wide.
05:44If he goes slowly, he'll be fine.
05:46Katsuya Kimura.
05:48He's a senior in the Waseda University Wrestling Club.
05:50He cleared it.
05:52If he turns to the right, it's a suspension bridge.
05:54This suspension bridge is 2.7 meters long.
05:56The balance between the suspension bridge and the bamboo horse is doubled.
06:01He's swinging.
06:03Katsuya Kimura.
06:05He's controlling the bamboo horse on top of the suspension bridge.
06:09He's a senior in the Waseda University Wrestling Club.
06:11He cleared it.
06:15It's difficult to go step by step.
06:17It's 15 centimeters wide.
06:19He's going carefully.
06:21He cleared it.
06:23He cleared the stairway.
06:25The next obstacle is the cross hammer.
06:27There are four hammers swinging from left to right.
06:31If he hits this, he won't be able to turn.
06:33He can hit it.
06:35He can hit it.
06:37He went through the hammer.
06:39He cleared it.
06:41He cleared it.
06:43Katsuya Kimura has never walked on this road before.
06:47He's swinging.
06:49He's swinging.
06:51He's on his right foot.
06:53He's checking the swing of the bamboo horse.
06:55Katsuya Kimura is very calm.
06:57Katsuya Kimura is very calm.
06:59He's going to hit it again.
07:01He hit it.
07:04Several competitors showed promise,
07:06but the finish line remained well out of reach.
07:09Wrestler Katsuya Kimura claimed
07:11it had been over a decade since he walked on stilts,
07:14but he was the best of the bunch,
07:16at least until he fell.
07:18The Bamboo Derby still has no champion.
07:21In the Bamboo Derby,
07:23how long do we have to wait
07:25for the bamboo horse, Shunma, to appear?
07:27Who will be able to set a new record?
07:30There are many more challenges ahead.
07:33A chance for glory is waiting.
07:35Who will have the courage to catch it?
07:56Welcome back to Muscle Banzuke.
07:58The final goal is not only to conquer your opponent,
08:01but also to surpass yourself.
08:05Once again, the two men will fight
08:08with their ultimate stamina.
08:11Now, the next event is...
08:17Quick Match.
08:19The rules are simple.
08:21Side by side, two competitors battle it out
08:24in a guts and glory match of speed and endurance.
08:27They will have three minutes to complete
08:29as many push-ups as their muscles will allow.
08:33Quick Muscle champion 17-year-old Koi Asano
08:36has led his high school's canoe polo team
08:38to two consecutive wins,
08:40which has turned him into a young Hercules.
08:43Will he beat his current record of 248 push-ups today?
08:48The challenger is Hiroshi Mori.
08:50Mori lost his older brother on his birthday.
08:53The two had planned to compete in a sibling rivalry challenge,
08:56but it wasn't meant to be.
08:58Will Hiroshi Mori find the strength in his brother's memory
09:01to win today?
09:03Or will reigning champ Koi Asano
09:05overcome his recent elbow injury
09:07and hold on to his title?
09:2715 times.
09:2816 times.
09:2917 times.
09:30Will he be able to beat him in the first half?
09:33How is Koi Asano's right elbow?
09:36He's definitely using his right elbow.
09:38If he loses because of that,
09:40does he have a will to win?
09:42Will he be able to beat Koi Asano?
09:44The challenger is taking the lead.
09:47His record at Kagawa was 201 push-ups.
09:50It's been a long time.
09:52Will he be able to beat his brother
09:54with his new elbow?
09:5783 times.
09:58Will Asano keep his pace?
10:01Will he be able to beat him in the second half?
10:03Will Asano be able to keep his pace?
10:05But he's still worried about his right elbow.
10:0890 times.
10:1090 times.
10:12Asano has a chance to win.
10:14Will Asano keep his pace?
10:16Or will his right elbow be a problem?
10:18115 times.
10:481 minute 30 seconds.
11:182 minutes left.
11:492 minutes 30 seconds.
11:512 minutes 30 seconds.
11:5920 seconds.
12:0910, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
12:18Asano Kouhei, 254 times.
12:21243 times.
12:23The challenger, Morihiro.
12:25He's a special brother.
12:30He's struggling.
12:32Asano Kouhei is trying to keep his pace.
12:38Asano Kouhei has a chance to win.
12:40Asano Kouhei has a chance to win.
12:42Asano Kouhei has a chance to win.
12:43Asano Kouhei has a chance to win.
12:45Asano Kouhei has a chance to win.
12:48Another triumphant victory for Kouhei Asano.
12:51Despite his injured elbow, he remained focused and kept fighting until the win was his.
12:56Hiroshi Mori fought bravely to honor his dead brother.
12:59But in the end, he could only complete 243 push-ups.
13:03Asano's injury prevented him from coming close to his own record.
13:07However, 254 push-ups was enough to win.
13:11He remains the only man to earn a spot on the Banzuke, the list of champions.
13:36When Unbeatable Banzuke returns,
13:38this tower is coming down one way or another.
13:41Who can keep the lucky Daruma standing?
13:46Banzuke
13:51Welcome back to Banzuke.
13:53In this event, the competitors will face each other's cruel challenges
13:57and show their greatness to each other.
14:01The next event is...
14:05Daruma 7
14:07The Daruma is balanced precariously atop a stack of identical blocks.
14:12Competitors must swing a hammer to knock each block free from the bottom up.
14:16Each challenger has a partner to give them strategy and advice.
14:20But they'll need to plan carefully.
14:22If the Daruma topples, then the game is over.
14:42Daruma 7
14:47Daruma 7
14:52Daruma 7
14:57Daruma 7
15:02Daruma 7
15:07Daruma 7
15:12Daruma 7
15:17Daruma 7
15:22Daruma 7
15:27Next up is businessman Tomohiro Tatsukawa, age 31.
15:33He's invited fellow office worker Juichi Kitano to be his advisor today.
15:37Can they close this deal for a victory?
16:02Daruma 7
16:07Daruma 7
16:12Daruma 7
16:17Daruma 7
16:22Daruma 7
16:27Daruma 7
16:32Daruma 7
16:37Daruma 7
16:42Daruma 7
16:47Daruma 7
16:52Daruma 7
16:57After the break, more Daruma 7.
16:59Where else do you need to be delicate with a sledgehammer?
17:04Daruma 7
17:09Welcome back to Muscle Banzuke.
17:11A few competitors tried to win with Daruma 7, but they failed.
17:17Daruma 7
17:22Daruma 7
17:27Daruma 7
17:32Daruma 7
17:37Up next is transportation expert Taizo Kase, age 45.
17:42He will be advised by his younger brother Hideo.
17:45Both men spend their days focused on planning and logistics.
17:48But can they solve the puzzle of the Daruma?
17:52Daruma 7
17:57Daruma 7
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