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| Credit: IBTimes |
Let's Get Serious!
In the G4 days, the show was pretty basic. The only city where auditions were held was Venice Beach, and the prize was a chance to be a part of Sasuke. Not really all that exciting. But when the show aired on NBC, that's when things got more interesting. Not only did they increase audition cities, but instead of being in a Japanese show, there's actual prize money, starting from $250,000 to $1,000,000, giving far greater incentive to many aspiring bodybuilders and athletes. But almost every competition show gets people some sort of revenue at the end. Surely that must not be it. Well, how about...
Welcome Back, Kotter, or Whatever Your Name Is
With a show like Dancing with the Stars or American Idol, very rarely do you see returnees from other seasons, unless it's for guest star purposes. But not only do people return, but they actually continue to compete. Season 2 competitor David Campbell also competed in seasons 3, 4, 5, and 6, and Season 5 standout Kacy Catanzaro appeared in last season and this season, among others. While it may not seem like much, it actually gives a connection to the player and the viewer. Seeing these people is like seeing your favorite characters: you get to meet them again and enjoy another season of fun and anxiousness. And this anxiousness is shown by the final argument...
Is Anyone Gonna Beat This Thing?
Yes indeed, in all 7 seasons of this show so far, no one has truly become the American Ninja Warrior. You see, the final episodes take place in Las Vegas with Mount Midioriyama, with 4 stages that test the limits of each and every athlete. And yet, no one has ever gotten to stage 4! There are plenty that complete stage 1, but very, very few make it past the second stage, and no one to this day has beaten the third stage. This is done purposefully in order to make people come back. To the viewer, this helps shroud the finale in mystery, as we only see glimpses of Midioriyama's Stage 4. Will it ever be seen in full? How impossible is it? Is there truly an American Ninja Warrior? It's also helped almost every season the obstacles get harder and harder, making it seem even more fruitless. But that's why people come back. We love seeing the underdog fight the big battle, and we love the impossible becoming possible, so every week, the people come back to hopefully see the course slain, and for the true Ninja Warrior to be slain.
Now, in the future, how will Ninja Warrior hold up? By the way things are, it isn't broken, so I see no reason to be fixed. The only real issue is whether the Ninja Warrior will ever arise, which is still debatable and could lead to fleeting interest. But in 2016, expect the Warrior to stay strong.