00:00Welcome to Japan's legendary Temple of Champions, where athletes gather to face the most difficult
00:14challenges ever conceived.
00:17Testing 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?
00:56In this new, redesigned hand-walk course, competitors must cross seven levels of increasing
01:26difficulty.
01:27They start on the level platform, and proceed to the grid of rails.
01:31Next they face the hill and staircase, followed by the water hazard, all before reaching the
01:36brake zone.
01:37They only have 30 seconds to rest before taking on the mountain of logs, and then the suspension
01:43bridge.
01:44Then comes the uneven steps, and finally, the S-curve.
01:48Time is a factor, so competitors will need to move quickly.
01:51Can anyone survive this redesigned maze of total physical punishment?
01:57In the first hand-walk challenge, only two competitors were able to clear all the obstacles.
02:02Hand-walk master Yukio Iketani blazed through the course in a record 54 seconds, while Chinese
02:08gymnast Aizu Nai was slower and more cautious, completing the course in 2 minutes, 11 seconds.
02:14Many new competitors, and some returning, will try their luck on the new hand-walk
02:19course.
03:19Next is 22-year-old Kazumichi Endo.
03:22He's a member of his university's gymnastics club.
03:49Next up is 20-year-old Junya Nakano.
03:54The last time we saw Nakano, he blazed through the first half of hand-walk 1, but he lost
03:59it all when he came face-to-face with Heartbreak Hill.
04:02Will he save face on the new, more difficult hand-walk 2 course?
04:19Let's take a look.
04:49Only
05:12inches before the break zone, Junya Nakano's strength gave way, and once again, his face
05:18paid the price.
05:20Up next is waiter and aspiring actor Tsutomu Shintani, age 24.
05:35Up next is Tomohiko Nakamura, age 19.
05:39He's a gymnast who specializes in the rings.
05:47Let's take a look.
06:18Next up is Tomohiko Nakamura, age 19.
06:21He's a gymnast who specializes in the rings.
06:24Let's take a look.
06:25Up next is Tomohiko Nakamura, age 19.
06:28He's a gymnast who specializes in the rings.
06:31Let's take a look.
06:32Up next is Tomohiko Nakamura, age 19.
06:35He's a gymnast who specializes in the rings.
06:38Let's take a look.
06:39Up next is Tomohiko Nakamura, age 19.
06:42He's a gymnast who specializes in the rings.
06:45No one has come close to surviving the course.
07:04Coming up, more competitors give it their all.
07:07Unfortunately, their all looks something like this.
07:15Welcome back to Muscle Band.
07:18Hand Walk 2 is a cruel and difficult course
07:21that hurts the confidence of the competitors.
07:24No one has come close to surviving the course.
07:27Can anyone maintain a long-term balance
07:30and secure a spot in the Hand Walk 2?
07:33and secure a spot in the Hand Walk 2?
07:36Next up is Tomoyuki Suzuki.
07:39He's a gymnastics instructor who has competed in the Olympics.
07:42Next up is Tomoyuki Suzuki.
07:45He's a gymnast who specializes in the rings.
07:48No one has come close to surviving the course.
07:51Can anyone maintain a long-term balance
07:54and secure a spot in the Hand Walk 2?
07:57Next up is Tomoyuki Suzuki.
08:00He's a gymnast who specializes in the rings.
08:03No one has come close to surviving the course.
08:06Can anyone maintain a long-term balance
08:09and secure a spot in the Hand Walk 2?
08:28Next up we have Yoshinobu Sato,
08:31a 21-year-old member of his university's gymnastics team.
08:34He's competed in this event before.
08:37How will he handle the new obstacles?
09:07He's climbed up the stairs.
09:10He's going down the steep slope.
09:13He's going down the steep slope.
09:16He's going down the steep slope.
09:19If he clears the slope, it's a break point!
09:22Can he do it? He did it!
09:25He's got his balance back.
09:28He's got his balance back.
09:31He's got his balance back.
09:34He's made it.
09:40He's Mittens in 15 years.
09:43He's got his hand on the bench.
09:46He's entered the 3rd step.
09:49He's cleared the 4th step.
09:52He's cleared the bench.
09:55He's headed to the centre of the hike.
09:58He's cleared the hike.
10:01He's going down the stairs! He's going down the stairs!
10:03He did it!
10:07Yoshinobu Sato survived the suspension bridge,
10:10but while descending the uneven steps,
10:12he gained too much momentum and walked straight off the course.
10:17Next up is Masaaki Isome,
10:19a member of an elite group of renowned acrobats.
10:22He's going down the stairs!
10:29First, it's important to clear the first area, the suspension bridge.
10:36He's using his long legs and hands well.
10:39He's going down the stairs!
10:41He cleared the steep hill!
10:44He's going down the stairs!
10:46He's going down the stairs!
10:48He's gone all the way up!
10:51He's going down the stairs!
10:53It's dangerous to go too fast.
10:55This is probably the most difficult area to keep your balance.
10:58He cleared it!
11:00His hands are slipping!
11:02He's trying to go carefully, but...
11:05What will he do?
11:07If he goes over the water, it's a break zone!
11:09If he goes over the water, it's a break zone!
11:13What will he do?
11:15He's holding on!
11:17He made it to the break zone!
11:19He made it to the break zone!
11:23He's calming down.
11:25Masaaki Isome is about to restart.
11:28He's going down the stairs, the suspension bridge, and the last step.
11:34He's waiting for the slope.
11:37He's restarting!
11:40He's exhausted.
11:42He's exhausted.
11:44He's going down the stairs!
11:46He failed!
11:50With inches to go, Isome lost his balance and recovery seemed impossible.
11:55Somehow, the acrobat pulled from his reserve strength and managed to reach the break zone.
12:00However, this amazing feat must have depleted his energy.
12:05Last to face the course is top-ranked gymnast Yoichi Sako, age 27.
12:17He has a lot of experience in acrobatics.
12:26He's crossing the small cliff.
12:29He's going down the stairs.
12:31He's going down the stairs.
12:33He's going down the stairs.
12:35He's going down the stairs.
12:37Is he trying to reach the break zone without using too much energy?
12:42Uzumaki administrator is sliding in the water.
12:45The withdrawal of his body from the water is being described as the most difficult.
12:49Use the break zone!
12:53The time is approximately 37.65 seconds.
12:57His shoulders and his arm muscles are dominant today.
13:03With an astonishing second round!
13:06With an astonishing second round!
13:07The next match will be between Tairi and Oku.
13:14They are getting more and more tired, but if they don't overcome this, they won't be able to reach the finish line.
13:21It's Tsuribashi.
13:23It's difficult to keep the balance.
13:25Yureru Tsuribashi.
13:26Yureru Tsuribashi has made it to the finish line.
13:30They've made it to the finish line.
13:32There's a step on the stairs.
13:35He's going to fall.
13:36Oh no!
13:38He's going to run out of energy.
13:42It's over.
13:44He's used up 120% of his energy.
13:50With Sako's defeat, the Hand Walk 2 challenge comes to a close.
13:54No one had the strength and stamina needed to survive all seven obstacles.
13:59As a result, no competitor earned the honor of adding his name to the banzuke.
14:05In the Hand Walk 2 challenge, you have to work hard step by step.
14:10Next, Dendo will present the second event of the day.
14:14Don't even think about moving.
14:16The competition will begin soon.
14:20When we return, a brand new challenge awaits.
14:23Will anyone walk their way to the finish line?
14:26Or is this one bridge over troubled styrofoam?
14:37Welcome back to the muscle banzuke.
14:39Dendo is now dominated by a giant domino.
14:43There's only one meaning to that.
14:45It's time for the second event.
14:50Sponge Bridge
14:52The course consists of 63 styrofoam boards delicately balanced over three sections of increasing difficulty.
14:59Competitors must first traverse the green boards, which are all level.
15:03Next, they face the yellow boards that are rounded at the top.
15:07Finally, they will enter the red zone, where the boards get taller and more precarious with each step.
15:12Competitors will need to be light on their feet or see their hopes topple.
15:18Aoyama Street
15:20If you walk on Aoyama Street in Tokyo, you will definitely see a good looking man.
15:24Kentaro Matsunaga
15:26He is 179cm tall and weighs 62kg.
15:29We want to see his slim body.
15:39He looks like he can do it.
15:41His name is Mae Balance.
15:44Matsunaga has started weight training two months ago and is very motivated.
15:48He has passed the green zone.
15:51He is serious.
15:57Is this what life is like?
15:59Next up is 20-year-old university student Yusuke Watanabe.
16:04He has stepped on the sponge and is ready to go.
16:14He is good at balancing.
16:21The only aspect of the sponge bridge Yusuke Watanabe excelled at was destroying part of the course.
16:28Next up is 20-year-old Satoshi Iguchi.
16:32He is 190cm tall.
16:35He is tall and has long legs.
16:38We want to see his legs.
16:44He has started.
16:46He is going for it.
16:50Next on deck is 23-year-old office worker Miwa Komori.
16:54He is going for it.
17:01He is not hesitating.
17:03This is good.
17:07Next is 18-year-old university judo team member Tatsunobu Takeuchi.
17:12Will his training aid him in crossing this bridge?
17:31Coming up, more hopefuls hop on the sponge bridge.
17:35No one said surviving this new challenge was going to be easy.
17:42Welcome to the muscle bridge.
17:44No one has ever been able to cross all three levels on the sponge bridge.
17:49Only two challengers remain.
17:51Will one of them make it to the far end of the bridge and write their name on the sponge bridge?
18:00Next to face the sponge bridge is Saori Kon, a 21-year-old freelance worker.
18:05She is a professional figure skater.
18:08Next to face the sponge bridge is Saori Kon, a 21-year-old freelance worker.
18:13The key to success is to think of yourself as successful.
18:17Saori Kon has a positive attitude.
18:20She wants to use her 45kg body weight.
18:28She is going for it.
18:30She is fast.
18:32She made it.
18:34She surprised herself.
18:36She crossed the bridge in a flash.
18:38Saori Kon is calm.
18:42She has 45kg.
18:44She is like a female rat.
18:47She is going for it.
18:51She is going for the prey.
18:53Saori Kon is good.
18:56She is going for the sponge bridge.
18:58She made it.
19:01Saori Kon looked sure-footed as she skipped across the red zone.
19:05With the finish line in sight, she made only one mistake.
19:08But in sponge bridge, one mistake is all it takes.
19:13Last to go is actor Toshihiro Ogura.
19:16Will he give a winning performance today?
19:21He is going for it.
19:23He is going for it.
19:26He is good at crossing the bridge.
19:28He is good at crossing the bridge.
19:31He is good at crossing the bridge.
19:36He is a true actor.
19:38He is going for the yellow board.
19:41He is going for the yellow board.
19:44He is going for the yellow board.
19:46He is going for the yellow board.
19:48He is going for the yellow board.
19:52In the history of the champion,
19:54even the strongest athlete can fall.
19:58We have to be humble.
20:01Let's take a look at today's two events.
20:32We couldn't add a new name to the champion's list.
20:36Defeat is in the air.
20:39Today's event has come to an end.
20:42But there will be more challenges.
20:45I'm Kei Kato.
20:47All the doors to the champion's power are sealed.
