Kinniku Banzuke (筋肉番付) a.k.a. Unbeatable Banzuke is a Japanese television program that aired weekly and was the premier sports entertainment variety show of TBS. Its successors were Taiiku Oukoku (体育王国) and Ougon Kinniku (黄金筋肉). They were succeeded by Muscle Musical. Several seasonal specials were also made, such as Pro Sportsman No.1 and Sasuke. 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). 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) on Fuji TV. The use of the program's mascot, Kongou-kun (金剛くん), originally only featured during the broadcast, expanded in 1996 into the program's opening sequence and every game's introduction. Simultaneously in 1999, a brandmark for the program, different from its logotype, was created: the English initials, "MR". However, as of 2000, only the mascot remained, and the "MR" brandmark vanished, having only appeared for that brief time.

History

Injuries and 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 was later revealed that at least two other contestants suffered spinal injuries while participating on the show as well. College student Takahiro Saito, 19, was hospitalized after falling more than six feet into a four-foot-deep water-filled moat, while another contestant was hospitalized after trying to catch a 100-pound plastic ball, nearly six feet in diameter. The May 5, 2002 episode 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!!). 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 Television Yamaguchi. At first, it was not broadcast on TV Kochi either but started midway in April 2000. At that time, TV Kouchi had a time slot open on Kochi Sun Sun Broadcasting 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".

The Banzuke (The List of Champions) (Grouped by Course)

Courses' obstacles

BREAK ZONE BREAK ZONE BREAK ZONE BREAK ZONE BREAK ZONE

Broadcast

Canada

Same as the American version. It is presented on the Canadian version of G4 called G4 Canada.

Czech Republic

Under the title "Bezkonkurenční Banzuke". Just like in Hungary, the show commenced broadcast in Czech Republic on November 27, 2010, until 2013 on Animax, but the show was completely dubbed to Czech.

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. The show also reran on Channel One until its closure in 2011.

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 Banzukė 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 was first broadcast on SIC K and later 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.

United States

This show can be 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 airs 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. Upon the network's relaunch, the preview segment before the opening sequence has been removed.

Episodes G4

• If the letters are gold, that means the challenge was defeated.

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 An anime was produced by Bandai Visual titled Kinniku Banzuke: Kongou-kun no Daibouken! The anime was loosely based on the show, and featured a group of children invited to an island to fight to the death. It lasted three episodes.

Worldwide

Unbeatable Banzuke is also broadcast in other countries around the world: