Image Credit: Brandon Hickman/G4
G4′s cult favorite American Ninja Warrior is getting a huge platform boost thanks to NBC.
The broadcast network will air a two-part season finale of the extreme obstacle course competition this fall after the show returns for its third season on G4 in August. The move represents the first major on-air commitment by NBC to spotlight a program on Comcast’s cable channel group since the companies merged earlier this year, and it’s quite cool that it’s Warrior that’s getting the exposure — the series long has been in the shadow of ABC’s comic version of the same concept, Wipeout.
“Wipeout has its success, but American Ninja Warrior is a true competition to find a real athlete to conquer a course that has only been conquered by three people over 2,600 tries — that’s what makes this drama interesting,” G4 president Neal Tiles told EW.
In the third season, the show will head to Japan and touts the biggest prize yet for the show, a $500,000 K-SWISS endorsement deal and marketing campaign. Also, G4 and the Tokyo Broadcasting System will auction off a chance for a fan to compete with the 10 finalists to benefit American Red Cross relief efforts in Japan. Production starts next month.
“Warrior has really come a long way and nurtured its cult-like status, and this American Idol-like prize structure takes an amateur athlete and elevates them to professional status,” Tiles said.
For those who have never seen the show, here’s a clip that gives you an idea just how hard this course is — and this is just the first round:
Awesome news. I love that show. And it can get funny when you have people in goofy costumes trying the course. Maybe the NFL Players Association could do a special charity event on the show?
that course is no joke. Olympic gymnasts have failed, parkour guys have failed, it’s insanely hard.
Love Ninja Warrior!
So happy to see American Sasuke make it to a major network. Finally a competition show I can get behind, it celebrates the athlete and the individual without rivalry.
I’ve loved this show for years. Great that a msjor network finally will air it.
Hey Mayhem, Red Dragons!
Go Levi!
Sadly this is only the American version. NBC should show the superior Japanese version. Damm you, DirecTV, for depriving me of my Ninja Warrior fix.
Agree, would much prefer to see Ninja Warrior, the original from Japan. For a while G4 showed all the seasons, seemingly 24-7…and we loved it.
They still do show all the seasons, but in MST it is at about 8 am with two 1/2 hour shows back to back. They also show Kinichi(sp?) the women’s sasuke. G-4 rocks, except that American Ninja Warrior seems to prevent them from airing Sasuke every 6 months when it is run. They’ve only been airing one Sasuke a year when there are 2 held. NOT COOL!
In the shadow of Wipe Out? That makes me laugh since Wipeout ripped Ninja Warrior off.
Wow! Didn’t realise the US had done a version of the Chinese/Japanese(?) Ninja Warrior. Much prefer NJ over Wipeout. Wipeout just seems to be all about watching people fail, while in NJ you really want them to succeed, and even the other contestants cheer on their ‘rivals’.
This is going to be EPIC!!!
This is not SASUKE! This is a ripoff.Sasuke has three rounds of numerous obs not three obs in one round. There has only been 3 people beat Sasuke not this crappy thing. G4 got mad that Sasuke wasn’t giving anyone free rides anymore. G4 slaughtered the original show, only showing what they wanted. Watch the contestant number orders sometime. Their subtitling was mediocure. They didn’t even get permission from M9 to start this ripoff. After the blantent disrespect of Olivia during that competion and Levi not following rules, I am shocked that M9 is still running on G4. The disrespect..1)You do not climb into other’s vehicles and act like your sleeping..2) you don’t muscle your way into a shot when an all star is speaking to a contestant..3) you don’t stand around and scream mommy before you run. 4) and when you fail NEVER scream NINJA WARRIOR! Levi was told not to freerun on the course and he did. So let a rich spoiled brat run the course and get hurt..
Hater!
and every’s precious Oliva.. made the injured ANW contenstant run the course with a hurt shoulder..AFTER the NURSE at the course told him not to or he would be more injured… Love G4 all you all want…They are frauds..It’s because of them that american’s by birth couldn’t run the sasuke course unless they had lived in japan for numerous years (almost since birth)
Wait you guys are all confused and real funny and popping off with out any facts. The American Ninja Warrior starts with a open tryout to get selected for Bootcamp. Then they have a week long bootcamp to narrow the field to 10. The 10 that are not eliminated at Boot Camp earn spots to Japan for SASUKE. They end with a final show covering how the Americans did at SASUKE in Japan.
I cant wait to run the course again! ‘The BlueRacer’
I would love for America to send Navy Seals to represent us. I want total victory for the U.S.