On December 27th, 18:00 JST, people all over will sit down and watch a handful of Japan’s most athletic people compete in the famous show SASUKE. Among these talents, 7 MEN Samurai’s (7 MEN 侍) Rinne Sugeta is participating for the fourth time.
Rinne Sugeta is a member of 7 MEN Samurai (7 MEN 侍) along with Reia Nakamura, Katsuki Motodaka, Taiki Konno, Rei Yabana, and Taiko Sasaki. The group is currently uploading weekly on YouTube on Fridays and successfully held their summer tour “Make 侍 Noise” earlier this year.
If you’re interested in Rinne and 7 MEN Samurai, make sure to follow them on the following sites!
YouTube | X (Twitter) | X (Twitter) (English) | Instagram | TikTok | Official site
Rinne is their resident fitness guru, who also charmingly refers to himself in the third person. When they play their band setting, he plays either the saxophone or rhythm guitar. He is considered the “genius acrobat” as his skills with acrobatics and similar is highly regarded! Rinne’s amazing physical ability is well-known through their agency as well, and he even ran 12 flights of stairs in just 45 seconds! To top it off, he absolutely loves cats and has plenty of them at home – despite being allergic.
His charm points are his oblique muscles and blood vessels on his arms – something that is a common sight whenever Rinne gets the chance to show off!
About the show
Every year since 1997, SASUKE (also known as Ninja Warrior; Sasuke Rising; Sasuke Ninja Warrior) has been airing on Japanese television at the end of December. The show is a sports entertainment show in which 100 competitors attempt to complete a four-stage obstacle course.
Applicants are interviewed or auditioned and trial rounds are held to test their physical ability until the field is narrowed to 100 competitors. Sasuke consists of four stages of increasing difficulty; competitors must complete a stage to advance.
The object is to hit the buzzer at the end of each course before the allotted time expires. If a competitor goes out of bounds, runs out of time, or comes into contact with the water in any of the pits below the course, they are disqualified from the competition.
First stage
The First Stage primarily tests one’s speed. Typically, 85 to 90 of the 100 original entrants are eliminated in this stage. The stage usually consists of obstacles like the Dragon Glider, Quad Steps, and Warped Wall.
Second stage
Those with enough skill to complete Stage One then take on an even more grueling set of obstacles in Stage Two. Like Stage One, the obstacles alter throughout the competitions. The obstacles determine the time limit, and it is usually between 50 and 100 seconds. On average, 10 to 15 competitors attempt the Second Stage on each competition.
Third stage
The Third Stage has no time limit. Contestants are allowed approximately thirty seconds of rest between obstacles during which they can apply “sticky spray” to improve their grip. While the first two stages focus on speed and agility, this course almost exclusively tests one’s upper body strength and stamina.
Final stage
To date, the Final Stage has known seven forms. Each of these share a single, common goal: reach and hit the button at the top before time expires. If the competitor does not reach the top platform in time, the rope is cut and the competitor falls (they are caught by a safety line). Starting from the 18th competition, the rope is no longer cut. Reaching the top is referred to as “kanzenseiha” (完全制覇), translated roughly as “complete domination”, literally as “complete victory”, and rendered on Ninja Warrior as “total victory”. The Final Stage’s time limit is between 30 and 45 seconds.
One step at a time
2020
In his debut appearance in SASUKE 38, 2020, Rinne beat the first stage with just 01.32 seconds to spare, setting the bar high for his fellow agency friends – Snow Man’s Hikaru Iwamoto and A.B.C-Z’s Ryoichi Tsukada, to follow suit. Although the journey came to an end at the Salmon Ladder Nobori, Rinne surely left a strong impression and impact on many people.
In the YouTube Shorts, we get to see the first time Rinne clears the First Stage, an emotional feat for both him and the viewers. While clearing the stage might be somewhat easy for most of the participants under normal circumstances, it’s definitely not when you’re on limited time and there’s no room for any mistakes. Rinne possesses many talents and charms but one of them is definitely his dedication and passion for SASUKE, and it’s hard to not cheer him on and get caught up in the emotions too.
2021
In SASUKE 39, the following year 2021, he cleared the first stage with 1.69 seconds left, making the audience and fellow participants excited for him to challenge the second stage. While the emotional impact after clearing the first stage might not have been the same as the first year, it’s nonetheless a big win for Rinne to do so a second time in a row.
This time, he cleared the Salmon Ladder Nobori, a nice revenge from the previous year. Once past the ladder, he tried his best to catch up on the time he spent on the ladder but ultimately timed out on the Reverse Conveyor, just a few meters from the goal.
In the video, we get to follow him during his training for the show. His passionate dedication to getting through the second stage is inspiring! He also speaks highly of Hikaru, whom he deeply respects and looks up to and who helped him get through the first stage.
Despite failing the second stage, many of his fellow participants cheered him on and could be heard praising him.
2022
Rinne returned to SASUKE 40 to get his revenge, clear the second stage, and move on to the third stage but to everyone’s disappointment, he did not clear the first stage this year.
When he got to the Dragon Glider, he suddenly dislodged the second bar, perhaps due to too much force from his transition from the first bar. He managed to get the bar back on the track, but with the bar not staying stationary due to the track being curved inwards, he couldn’t swing himself properly to the end platform. Ultimately, with time running out, he made a last-ditch effort to try and make the jump anyway, but he missed and fell into the water below.
It was unfortunate but not isolated, as Hikaru Iwamoto also experienced trouble at the same spot.
Something very heart-warming is the way the SASUKE-team from STARTO are close and cheer each other on, as well as help each other prepare before their turns. While they’re there to participate as individuals, the team spirit is there and they know they have each other’s backs.
2023
It’s December 2023 and it’s time for revenge. With his mind set on getting past the first two stages and getting to the third stage, Rinne has been meticulously practicing for this.
With the third stage close in sight during SASUKE 39, it was quite frustrating when he was so close. Although, he believes he’s able to do it, and keeps wondering how far he could get in the third stage.
Despite the fallout in 2022, where he couldn’t do anything at the Dragon Glider, he won’t give up and is more determined than ever to advance. For this year’s competition, he has focused on practicing on the Dragon Glider but he’s also thinking ahead about the third stage.
“How far can I go with my current abilities?“
With that in mind, he’s been practicing the obstacles for the third stage as well, clearing some of them during practice.
No matter the outcome of this year’s SASUKE, Rinne is showing off his hard work and determination, and one can only admire the mental and physical strength the young idol possesses. Being on SASUKE is a feat in itself, and clearing the first stage, not only once but twice, is also something worth noticing. He’s a clear winner in our hearts no matter what!
As Rinne is no stranger to showing off his hard work and well-trained body, there’s plenty of material to admire on their official TikTok!
Rinne’s pure but passionate determination deserves to be admired and praised. While he’s exceptional at his usual idol-related activities, he shines the brightest in physical challenges like SASUKE – the proof of his physical activities and training showing off in the best light possible.
While most people struggle to carry toilet paper and groceries home, Rinne makes SASUKE look like it’s easy. Just like the callouses left on the palms of his hands from his intense workouts, Rinne is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who watches him challenge SASUKE.
The third stage is not the goal, nor is the final stage of SASUKE. The sky’s the limit when it comes to Rinne and his potential. がんばりんね！
Keep up with updates about SASUKE here!
【X (Twitter)】https://twitter.com/sasuke_tbs
【YouTube】http://youtube.com/c/sasuke_tbs
【TikTok】http://vt.tiktok.com/ZSeSNyfM4/
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