In the late 1990s, Tokyo Broadcasting System started broadcasting a new sports entertainment competition show called Sasuke. The name of the show is a reference to a figure of Japanese folklore called Sarutobi Sasuke, who shows up a lot in Japanese media. In short, Japan went through a period of national fragmentation from the mid 15th century to the early 17th century. Said period came to a conclusion with the Siege of Osaka Castle in 1614 and 1615, which was when the ruling Tokugawa clan finally came up with an excuse to destroy the Toyotomi clan that had preceded it. However, it wasn’t the Toyotomi head Toyotomi Hideyori who managed to capture the imagination of Japanese storytellers so much as the man in charge of the defense – Sanada Yukimura.
Naturally, Japanese storytellers came up with various ways to make Yukimura’s exploits even more interesting for their audiences. One example was the creation of the Sanada Ten Braves, who are said to have been a group of ten ninja who provided assistance to Yukimura in his last battle. The leader of the Sanada Ten Braves was Sarutobi Sasuke, who was said to have possessed monkey-like agility. As such, Sasuke was a very suitable name for the new sports entertainment competition show, though in truth, it sees use pretty much whenever Japanese media needs a default name for a ninja.
By this point, interested individuals might suspect a connection between Sasuke and American Ninja Warrior. If so, they would be right to do so because as it turns out, what proved to be popular in Japan proved to be popular in other countries as well. As a result, the show has shown up in various countries under the name Ninja Warriors, presumably because “ninja” is a term with a lot more international recognition than “Sasuke.” In particular, people in the United States might recall the show being broadcast under the name of Ninja Warriors on G4, which was popular enough for it to become the highest-rated show on the channel ever since it started up.
Eventually, G4 was convinced to make an American version of Ninja Warrior, thus resulting what is now called American Ninja Warrior. Moreover, the show has since proven to be a real hit as well, with the result that it now boasts not one but two spinoffs of its own. One would be American Ninja Warrior: Ninja vs. Ninja, while the other would be American Ninja Warrior Junior.
What Is the Appeal of American Ninja Warrior?
It is difficult to pinpoint American Ninja Warrior’s exact appeal. Presumably, if someone could do that with perfect precision, they would be doing their best to cobble together the next great sports entertainment show. However, it is nonetheless possible to come up with various potential explanations.
For example, American Ninja Warrior is fun in a way that a lot of competition shows are not. The whole show is pretty cheesy when it comes to presentation, but it is important to remember that cheesy isn’t necessarily a bad thing so long as it is used in the right manner. In particular, it is worth mentioning that while the cheesiness makes for very simplistic narratives, those are nonetheless excellent for getting the show’s watchers emotionally invested in the succession of contestants who manage to get on to it.
Moving on, the obstacle courses in American Ninja Warrior present a real challenge for those who choose to take them on. This is important because while the show as a whole might be presented in an unserious manner, there can be no doubt about the fact that there is some incredible athleticism being displayed again and again on the TV screen, not least because those who do well in the obstacle courses must be strong, agile, and fast-moving. Unsurprisingly, people love these shows of athleticism, as shown by the fact that we have been fond of physical competition since at least the start of human civilization and presumably well before that point. As such, American Ninja Warrior can bring in viewers even if they aren’t necessarily fans of the way in which the show is presented.
Finally, there is a surprising element of interactivity when it comes to American Ninja Warrior. Yes, some of the people who have competed on American Ninja Warrior are professional athletes. However, there are plenty of examples who have taken on the challenge in spite of the fact that they are relatively normal people who have managed to hone their physicality to an incredible extent. As such, these people have been known to inspire others to follow in their footsteps, with a famous example being how the success of Kacy Catanzaro in the sixth season inspired a bigger than normal jump in the number of women interested in competing on the show. Simply put, people can relate to the people on American Ninja Warrior, which in turn, means that some of them will be convinced to give obstacle course running a try of their own. Something that tends to make them even more invested in the whole thing.
Can American Ninja Warrior Go On Forever?
Time will tell how long American Ninja Warrior will be able to go on for. Theoretically, everything must come to an end at some point in time, not least because people’s preferences can see significant changes from year to year. Never mind from decade to decade. However, the fundamental factors behind American Ninja Warrior seem to possess lasting appeal of a very widespread nature, which suggests that the show could keep on going for a long, long time to come. For that matter, it should be mentioned that the show is actually pretty flexible in the sense that both its format and its obstacle courses can be changed as needed without causing it to lose its quintessential spirit, which could prove very useful for keeping it fresh in the times to come. Combined, it seems perfectly possible for American Ninja Warrior to keep on going for the foreseeable future so long as the people behind it continue to do their jobs well.
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