00:00Like a Pierrot 4
00:24Next up is Asumi Hoshiba, age 11.
00:27This 6th grader has been practicing diligently to beat the course.
00:57The stairs to her goal are getting closer.
01:01This time it's the stairs she practiced in the park.
01:05How will her practice turn out?
01:08First step.
01:10Second step.
01:12We can see the results of her practice.
01:15She did it! She did it!
01:17She did it!
01:20She climbed the stairs.
01:22She slipped!
01:24She did it!
01:26The stairs were worth the practice.
01:32The next competitor is Daiki Izumida, age 18.
01:36This internationally ranked unicyclist already holds a spot on the list of champions after he defeated Like a Pierrot 2.
01:43The new course is much harder though.
01:46Will he be able to repeat his past success?
01:55He has been an unicyclist for 9 years.
01:58He has won many international and national competitions.
02:02He is 18 years old.
02:04His body is stable.
02:06His upper body doesn't shake at all.
02:08He has a beautiful form.
02:10He's coming.
02:12Time trial zone clear.
02:13Time trial zone clear.
02:19But when it comes to a level like Izumida's, the real battle starts now.
02:24Slalom and climbing stairs.
02:27He looks calm.
02:29He's good!
02:31He's going down.
02:35He has been an unicyclist for 9 years.
02:37Now he's studying to become an aeronautical engineer.
02:40He's going down well.
02:41He's going down well.
02:43He looks a bit embarrassed.
02:45Izumida is leaving a young boy's face.
02:49He's going up.
02:51He's going left and right.
02:53He's going for it!
02:55He's going for it!
02:57He's going too far!
02:59Is he drowning?
03:02Izumida raced through the hammers in one quick shot.
03:05Unfortunately, then he couldn't find the brakes.
03:09First up is 19-year-old Seiji Ishii.
03:12He has competed in the previous Like a Pierrot courses, but never managed to achieve total victory.
03:18Will today be the day he joins the list of champions?
03:22Everyone wants to be an unicyclist.
03:26I want to be an unicyclist until I'm 50.
03:29An unicyclist is a part of your body.
03:39Seiji Ishii has won many championships since he was a child.
03:44He has been an unicyclist for 13 years.
03:48He's increasing his pace in the time trial zone.
03:53He's holding the saddle.
03:56He's cleared it.
03:58The floor is going up.
04:01The course is connected.
04:03It's getting more and more difficult from here.
04:05He's climbing the stairs.
04:08He's climbing at a fast pace.
04:10He's climbed all the way up.
04:12He's raising his right hand high.
04:15But it's too early to be happy.
04:17It's too early to be happy.
04:19He's going down the slope.
04:22This time, the obstacles are three hammers.
04:25He's aiming for the feet of the unicycle.
04:30He can't go on if he's hesitating.
04:33He's cleared the first one.
04:35It's a direct hit!
04:39It's a direct hit!
04:43Ishii thought he could slip through the hammers.
04:46But instead, he just got pounded.
04:49The next competitor will be Takashi Ashino, age 23.
04:53This unicyclist ran into trouble in Laika Pierrot 3
04:56when he was toppled by the crosshammers.
04:59The hammers have been redesigned.
05:01Can he survive the new version of his old foe?
05:06Ashino, age 23, has won many competitions.
05:14He's in danger!
05:16Is he going to be okay?
05:18He seems to have recovered.
05:20He's circling again.
05:22He doesn't seem to be good at curves.
05:26He's done it.
05:29He's cleared the time trial zone.
05:36Laika Pierrot 2, 3.
05:38He's made it to the second half.
05:41Ashino is good at obstacles.
05:45He's pushed back by the crowd.
05:48He's climbing the stairs.
05:50He's going downhill.
05:52He's got a good angle.
05:54He's got his hands on the saddle.
05:58What's he going to do?
06:00He's got three hammers.
06:02Is he going to make it?
06:03He's got his hands on the saddle.
06:05Is he going to make it?
06:07He's got his hands on the saddle.
06:09He's got his hands on the saddle.
06:11He's got his hands on the saddle.
06:13He's holding on.
06:15He's got the third hammer.
06:17He's made it.
06:19He's got a thick grip.
06:21He's thrown a three-step slope.
06:23The hammers are no match for him.
06:25He's used the three-step slope.
06:27He's turned but he fell!
06:29He fell!
06:31He's done for!
06:33This is Yuichiro Kato. Kato made short work of the last two incarnations of Like a Pierrot and was proclaimed the undisputed king of the unicycle.
06:42With a victory here, he can add his name to the list of champions for a third consecutive time.
06:48Yuichiro Kato, who has a long career and a lot of experience.
06:52His younger brother has retired.
06:58Will he be able to show us what he's made of?
07:00Will he be able to win the Like a Pierrot 2 and 3?
07:09He looks calm.
07:13He's overflowing with confidence.
07:15Yuichiro Kato, the world champion of the unicycle.
07:24There's no danger at all around here.
07:33The show is about to begin.
07:36Kato Yuichiro, the world champion of the unicycle.
07:39It's beautiful. He's riding on the unicycle as if it were flowing.
07:46The stairs are so beautiful.
07:49He got down the hill in no time.
07:51It's a three-hammer.
07:55Will he go for it?
07:56He cleared the first one and passed the second one.
07:58Oh, he hit the third one here!
08:00Kato Yuichiro!
08:02No way!
08:06He cleared the first hammer beautifully.
08:08But after the second, he went a little too far.
08:11One direct hit sent the world champion flying.
08:15Next up is businessman Tadamasa Takagi.
08:18Despite high expectations, he struggled on the previous version of the course.
08:22Can he learn from past mistakes?
08:28He's riding at full speed.
08:31The speed of an adult.
08:33Go, go, go!
08:34He's fast!
08:35He's fast!
08:36It's as if he's trying to calm himself down.
08:38But the speed of the unicycle doesn't stop.
08:40He's fast, he's fast!
08:42He cleared the time trial zone in no time.
08:49In the previous Like a Piero 3, he retired midway.
08:52He's frustrated about that.
08:54Tadamasa Takagi, 24 years old.
08:56How will he climb the stairs?
08:58He's changing direction.
08:59He's hopping carefully.
09:01He's riding at full speed.
09:03The descent is quite steep.
09:05If he speeds up too much, he'll fall.
09:08But he landed well.
09:11And the third hammer.
09:13He's aiming for the unicycle.
09:15He's swinging right and left.
09:17He needs timing and courage here.
09:20The first one.
09:21OK.
09:23And he's changed direction.
09:25He's passed the second one.
09:28And he's passed the third one.
09:33He's come to this zigzag uphill.
09:37There's a sword ahead.
09:39The sword ahead.
09:43As expected.
09:46What's wrong, Takagi?
09:47He's retired midway again.
09:52Next will be 15-year-old freshman Makoto Maeda.
09:56I've been riding unicycles for 11 years.
09:58I don't have any special skills.
10:00I just ride unicycles to get rid of the wind.
10:02That's what he said.
10:10First of all, the time trial.
10:12He has to ride this red course within 30 seconds.
10:19He's got 20 seconds left.
10:2215 seconds left.
10:36The course is connected.
10:38Slalom.
10:39And stairs.
10:44He's riding well.
10:45He's riding well.
10:47He's riding well.
10:48He's riding well.
10:50It's a little dangerous downhill.
10:52He's riding well.
10:54And he's riding a unicycle.
10:57He's got three hammers.
11:00Now, 15-year-old Makoto Maeda
11:02is going to face three hammers.
11:04He's passed the first one.
11:08He's riding a unicycle.
11:09He's passed the second one.
11:11And he's...
11:14He's fallen.
11:17That's it.
11:19The deadly hammers stopped for no one.
11:22Maeda's timing was only slightly off.
11:24And he was crushed.
11:26The new and improved obstacles made Laica Piero 4
11:29the most unforgiving course to date.
11:31Top competitors gave their all.
11:33But one by one, they met their match.
11:36Previous courses have been conquered.
11:38But today, no champions rode all the way to the finish.
