Producer(s) Ushio Higuchi | ||
Genre Sports Entertainment,Variety Show,Game Show Presented by Ichirou FurutachiRyuuta Mine Picture format NTSC in Japan and the United States |
Kinniku Banzuke (筋肉番付, lit. Muscle Ranking) a.k.a. Unbeatable Banzuke was a weekly Japanese television program and the premier sports entertainment variety show of the Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS). Its successors were Taiiku Oukoku (体育王国, Physical Education Kingdom) and Ougon Kinniku (黄金筋肉, Golden Muscle). They succeeded by Muscle Musical. Several seasonal specials were also made, such as Pro Sportsman No.1 and Sasuke.
Contents
- Sudden cancellation
- Broadcast time
- Hosts
- Courses
- Champions Grouped by Course
- Courses obstacles
- United States
- Canada
- Australia
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Finland
- Hungary
- Estonia
- Lithuania
- Sweden
- France
- Spain
- South Africa
- Portugal
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Germany
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Serbia
- Russia
- Croatia
- India
- Venezuela
- Malaysia
- Spinoffs
- Worldwide
- References
Originally a late night Friday broadcast, the television special was popular and started airing in prime time on October 14, 1995. It was broadcast every season and gained popularity as Sportsman No.1 Ketteisen (スポーツマンNo.1決定戦, Sportsman No.1 Playoffs). Through various games reverting to the origins of sports, professional players and general participants challenged the limits of physical strength and technique, winning prizes if all targets were successfully destroyed.
Kane Kosugi's Shaolin Temple training and Akira Oomori's Muay Thai bouts were also documented in the broadcasts. The popularity of the displays of amazing physical strength and technique by professional players and luck of general participants drove TV Asahi to move its anime time slot up one hour and caused the cancellation of Heisei Kyouikuiinkai (平成教育委員会, Heisei Board of Education) on Fuji TV.
The use of the program's mascot, Kongou-kun (金剛くん, Adamantium Boy), originally only featured during the broadcast, expanded in 1999 into the program's opening sequence and every game's introduction. Simultaneously, a brandmark for the program, different from its logotype, was created: the English initials, "MR". However, that same autumn, only the mascot remained, and the "MR" brandmark vanished, having only appeared for that brief time.
Sudden cancellation
On May 5, 2002, two show participants injured their cervical vertebrae during the filming of an episode entitled "Chikarajima" ("Power Island"), an obstacle course with a temple like setting stationed outside. The accidents occurred during the "rock attack" and "rock valley" obstacle portions.
In rock attack, contestants try to catch a giant ball that comes down a 15-degree slope, they must then push the ball back up the slope where a platform leads to the rock valley waterway. In rock valley, they try to walk on the ball, which weighs about 30 kg and has a diameter of 1.8 meters, across the aforementioned waterway 2.5 meters wide and 1.4 meters deep. Wei Tao, a 19-year-old Chinese freshman at Kyoto University, fell into the waterway during the rock valley obstacle. Takunori Isa, a 20-year-old junior at Tokai University, was knocked down when he tried to catch the ball in rock attack and was rolled over by the ball.
It would prove to be the final episode of Kinniku Banzuke. Show production was officially put on hiatus, and the show was effectively cancelled. The dormant space was filled with a special edition of Count Down TV, CDTV Gold, entitled Za! Gekitou! Daikazoku!! (ザ!激闘!大家族!!, The! Intensely Fighting! Large Family!!). It was revived in 2008, and aired in first-run episodes on G4 and MYX TV in America and Challenge in the UK.
Broadcast time
Saturday at 19:00 JST (Except for TV Yamaguchi. At first, it was not broadcast on TV Kouchi either but started midway in April 2000. At that time, TV Kouchi had a time slot open on Kouchi Sun Sun TV when a Fuji TV drama was moved to a different slot, and thereafter, the network started broadcasting TV Asahi's programs at a different time. In addition, TV Yamaguchi was once a Fuji Network System affiliate and syndicated some Fuji TV programs.)
Hosts
Courses
Courses that are defeated are then recreated in an attempt to be made more difficult and thus "unbeatable". This is why there are different versions (I, II, III, IV, V) next to some names. Sometimes an obstacle is changed between attempts to conquer this game, so there are letters (A, B) next to the versions. This is most likely done because of the injuries caused by this obstacle. Some of these events have "break zones", where any competitor who reaches that point is allowed to take a 30-second break before they must continue on with the course.
"Struck Out", "Kick Target", etc. – The contest for the 2 million yen prize consisted of many games that formed the "2 Million Yen Dream Plan".
Champions (Grouped by Course)
Courses' obstacles
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United States
This show was seen on America's G4 network under the name Unbeatable Banzuke with Rome Kanda from I Survived a Japanese Game Show (aka Kei Kato) as the host. It aired in half-hour episodes, two or three games per episode, in its original Japanese language and partial original broadcast also with English subtitles. The player profiles, rules, and replays, however, are narrated by voice actor Dave Wittenberg, who also narrates Ninja Warrior. For a long period of time, Unbeatable Banzuke has been absent from G4's programming, and with the upcoming transition to The Esquire Network, whether the show will return or not is unknown.
Canada
Same as the American version. It is presented on the Canadian version of G4 called G4 Canada.
Australia
The Australian version is presented on SBS Two. It is currently broadcast every weekday at 6 p.m., and has been since the relaunch of SBS2. Previously, it was not shown very often but was still broadcast every now and again.
Ukraine
In Ukraine Kinniku Banzuke is named "Базука" (pronounced as "Bazooka") and broadcast by the Mega channel.
United Kingdom
Under the title Unbeatable Banzuke, the show commenced transmission in the UK on October 6, 2008 on Challenge. It is similar to the US broadcast in length, language and partial original broadcast, but unlike the American version has no subtitles. Brian Blessed is the host and voice-over as costumed character Banzuke Brian (who is meant to be the creator of the challenges) over the whole show, including replays, profiles and course attempts.
Finland
In Finland the show is called Banzuke and it is broadcast on Jim. The show airs on Friday and Saturday nights at 11 pm with two episodes sequentially. The version is same as the American, but with Finnish subtitles.
Hungary
Under the title Verhetetlen Banzuke, the show commenced broadcast in Hungary on November 27, 2010 on Animax. The show is completely dubbed to Hungarian.
Estonia
In Estonia the show is called Lyömättömään Banzuke and it is broadcast on TV3. The show airs on Weeknights at 9 pm with two episodes sequentially. The version is the same as the other international versions, but with Estonian.
Lithuania
In Lithuania the show is called Nenugalimas Banzuke and it is broadcast on TV6. The show airs Weekdays at 2 pm with two episodes sequentially. The version is the same as the other international versions, but with Lithuanian.
Sweden
In Sweden the show is called Oslagbar Banzuke and it is broadcast on TV4. The show airs on Weekdays at 1 pm with two episodes sequentially. The version is the same as the other international versions, but with Swedish.
France
In France the show is called Imbattable Banzuke and it is broadcast on TF1. The show airs on Weekdays at 9 am with two episodes sequentially. The version is the same as the Australian version, but with French.
Spain
In Spain the show is called Unbeatable Banzuke and is broadcast by La Siete (owned by Telecinco). The host is the same as in the USA version. The show is completely dubbed into Spanish.
South Africa
Broadcast as Unbeatable Banzuke on Animax (as of 2010 at least). Since broadcast on Sony Max under the same name.
Portugal
In Portugal the show is called Todos ao Molho and it is broadcast on SIC Radical. The version is the same as the other international versions, but with Portuguese commentary.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
In Bosnia and Herzegovina Kinniku Banzuke is named Nepobjedive banzuke and broadcast on Program plus (Alternativna TV and Hayat TV).
Germany
In Germany the show is called Unschlagbare Banzuke and it is broadcast on RTL II. The show airs on Weeknights at 7 pm with two episodes sequentially. The version is the same as the other international versions, but with German.
Italy
In Italy the show can be seen on GXT. The show airs Weekdays at 5 pm with two episodes sequentially. The version is the same as the other international versions, but with Italian.
Netherlands
In the Netherlands the show is called Onklopbare Banzuke and it is broadcast on RTL 4. The show airs Weekdays at 12:30 pm with three episodes sequentially. The version is the same as the other international versions, but with Dutch.
Serbia
Broadcast by B92 after the end of Ninja Warrior. Voiced-over by voicers from Ninja Warrior.
Russia
In Russia the show is called Непобедимый Банзуке and it is broadcast on Channel One with host Maxim Galkin. The show airs on Weeknights at 10 pm with two episodes sequentially. The version is the same as the other international versions, but with Russian.
Croatia
In Croatia the show is called Nepobjediv Banzuke and it is broadcast on RTL Televizija. The show airs on Weekdays at 12 pm with two episodes sequentially. The version is the same as the other international versions, but with Croatian.
India
In India Kinniku Banzuke is named Unbeatable Banzuke and broadcast on Pogo TV.
Venezuela
In Venezuela the show is called Inmejorable Banzuke and it is broadcast on Venevisión. The show airs Friday and Saturday nights at 7 pm with two episodes sequentially. The version is same as the American, but with Spanish subtitles.
Malaysia
In Malaysia, Kinniku Banzuke is named Unbeatable Banzuke and broadcast on TV3, starting 5 June 2011 every Sunday.
Spinoffs
In the UK, Channel 5 made their own version of this show called Under Pressure. It featured many similar events, namely Hand Walk, Super Rider, Neko de Drive and Sponge Bridge. Games like Kick Target were separate segments normally attempted by athletes at various training facilities. For pictures of this version, check: UKgameshows
In Germany, Sat.1 made their own version of the show called Champions Day. It was similar in style to Under Pressure and again featured many similar events. It lasted four episodes. For pictures of this version, check: Here
Worldwide
Unbeatable Banzuke is also broadcast in other countries around the world: