Akiyama Kazuhiko

Akiyamavision — A comparison between normal vision from 1.5m away compared to Akiyama's vision

Akiyama Kazuhiko (秋山和彦) is a SASUKE All-Star who became the first man to achieve Kanzenseiha, doing so in SASUKE 4. He has not been able to repeat his success however, due in part to an eye condition known as degenerative retinosis that has plagued him for years. His eye condition also forced him to retire from crab trapping, and he is now a sports massage therapist. He has also been a soldier in Japan's Self Defence Force, and a Greco-Roman Wrestler. His victory in SASUKE 4 was his only trip to the Final Stage. Of the 19 tournaments he has entered, he has cleared the First Stage 6 times, the Second Stage three times, the Third and Final Stages once.

Early Competitions

Akiyama was given #100 in SASUKE 2, due to setting a record in Kinniku Banzuke's Quick Muscle event, however he was unable to clear the Second Stage because he took too much time on the Spider Walk and he hesitated on the Goren Hammer, and as a result he timed out on the Wall Lifting. He made the same mistakes in SASUKE 3 and timed out at the exact same spot.

Kanzenseiha

Not being seen as a serious threat to achieve kanzenseiha, he was given #86 in the fourth tournament. He was able to clear the Goren Hammer fairly quickly and finished off a second stage clear with a backflip. In the redesigned Third Stage, Akiyama fell just short of the platform at the end of the Pipe Slider, but was able to hold himself out of the water and climb up to the top. He was the only person to reach the Final Stage, where he cleared the 15 meter Rope Climb in just 24 seconds, becoming the first person in SASUKE history to achieve kanzenseiha.

After Kanzenseiha

Akiyama took SASUKE 5 off and returned in the fall of 2000 on SASUKE 6. However, he was met with three straight defeats at the hands of the Jump Hang. Prior to the ninth tournament, Akiyama built a replica Jump Hang at his house. However, he failed the first obstacle, the Godantobi, the only #100 ever to do so. He did manage to clear the Jump Hang in the tenth tournament, but timed out in the Soritatsu Kabe. Finally, seven tournaments after his kanzenseiha, Akiyama cleared the First Stage with just 0.03 seconds. Only Jordan Jovtchev(0.00), Fukayama Tadanori(0.08) and Nathaniel Spencer (0.00) are the others who cleared the First Stage with less than 1/10 of a second. This began a streak of two consecutive Third Stage appearances, failing the Body Prop and Pipe Slider, respectively. In SASUKE 13, however, he failed the Neshireta Kabe, perhaps because he didn't see the rope. In SASUKE 14 and SASUKE 15, he failed again the Soritatsu Kabe. He cleared the First Stage in SASUKE 16 but failed the Metal Spin in the Second Stage. In SASUKE 17, he took a wrong step on the trampoline and failed the Circle Slider.

Following Nagano's kanzenseiha, Akiyama vowed to retire, skipping the next two competitions. However he returned to SASUKE 20 and wore #1901 (the equivalent of the #1) as an honor for the 20th competition. However, like many that day, he failed the Half-Pipe Attack. He returned in SASUKE 22, and again went out on the Half-Pipe Attack. He returned again for SASUKE 24 and SASUKE 25, where he failed the Soritatsu Kabe both times. His final appearance was in SASUKE 28, where he failed the Spin Bridge.

Trivia

Akiyama's younger brother, Kimihiro, competed with him in SASUKE 11 and SASUKE 17.
Akiyama also competed on Viking, failing the Swing Mast, the next-to-last obstacle in the first stage.
He competed on Kinniku Banzuke's Quick Muscle event, setting the record by doing 307 push-ups in 3 minutes. This is why he was granted #100 in his first SASUKE competition.
He is the only competitor to wear both #1 (SASUKE 20) and #100 (SASUKE 2, 6, and 9).
He is also the only SASUKE All-Star to never failed a spider walking obstacle and only one to never attempt the Flying Chute.
He and Shiratori Bunpei are the only All-Stars to have never failed the Cliffhanger obstacle.
Akiyama is the only All-Star with a "prop" entrance, always appearing at the starting line with a string of crabs.
He is the only competitor to wear the last five numbers (#96, #97,#98, #99, and #100).
He is the only All-Star to never fail the Jumping Spider.
He and Yamada Katsumi are the only All-Stars to never attempt the Arm Ring and Curtain Cling.
He is the only person to achieve Kanzenseiha with a number not in the 90s.
He is the only person to achieve Kanzenseiha to never have a run cut from the Japanese broadcast. (Nagano, Sasuke 7) (Yuuji, Sasuke 21) (Yūsuke, Sasuke 21 and Sasuke 22)
He is only Kanzenseiha to wear number 100 in the first tournament he complete (SASUKE 2).
He is only Candidates make in to the Final Stage ( SASUKE 4 )
He is only Kanzenseiha to make in to the Final Stage 1 time.

Results

SASUKE	#	Result	Notes
2	100	Failed Wall Lifting (Second Stage)	Time Out. Second Wall.
3	99	Failed Wall Lifting (Second Stage)	Time Out. First Wall.
4	86	Kanzenseiha	6.0 seconds left.
6	100	Failed Jump Hang (First Stage)	Mis-hit the trampoline.
7	99	Failed Jump Hang (First Stage)
8	99	Failed Jump Hang (First Stage)
9	100	Failed Godantobi (First Stage)	Course Out. The tip of his foot touched the water.
10	981	Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	Time Out.
11	99	Failed Body Prop (Third Stage)
12	97	Failed Pipe Slider (Third Stage)	Failed Jump.
13	91	Failed Nejireta Kabe (First Stage)	Misjudged distance to the rope.
14	71	Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	Time Out.
15	81	Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	Time Out.
16	71	Failed Metal Spin (Second Stage)
17	71	Failed Circle Slider (First Stage)	Mis-hit springboard.
20	1901	Failed Half-Pipe Attack (First Stage)	Lost his grip on the rope.
22	20	Failed Half-Pipe Attack (First Stage)	He slipped at the beginning when he ran up the half-pipe and dove into the water.
24	62	Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	Time Out.
25	98	Failed Soritatsu Kabe (First Stage)	Time Out.
28	96	Failed Spin Bridge (First Stage)

VIKING

VIKING	#	Result	Notes
2	50	Failed Swing Mast (First Stage)