Kasso (stylised ) is a skateboarding gameshow television series originating from Japan. The series was created by Tokyo Broadcasting System Television (TBS), a network known for large-format obstacle course series such as Takeshi's Castle, Ninja Warrior, and Unbeatable Banzuke. Billed as the "Ninja Warrior of Skateboarding", Kasso has competitors attempt a series of obstacle courses with the goal of surviving through them all to win the title of .

The concept for Kasso originated on the TBS series Unbeatable Banzuke, with a one-stage skateboarding obstacle course in the 1990s. In the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan, skateboarding debuted as a new discipline, with Japan setting a commanding lead with 3 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze medal. Following this, skateboarding saw a large uptick in popularity in Japan. In the leadup to the 2024 Summer Olympics, TBS sought to capitalize on this success and commissioned a new series based on skateboarding.

The debut tournament of Kasso premiered in Mar 2024 as a late-night pilot series. Following low viewership and the unexpected payout of five () grand prizes, the staff apologized for the balance and reception of the program. The day after the broadcast, the Kasso team uploaded a 13-minute highlight reel to YouTube, which became an unexpected viral success, reaching several million views. TBS decided to capitalize on this and announced that Kasso's second season would get a subtitled livestream in English and a heavy social media presence. It debuted to huge success, with many social media clips surpassing 10 million views.

Since this point in time, TBS has launched KASSO events in the United States and China, with the Japanese team travelling abroad to ensure consistent quality. TBS has indicated talks to expand to several other regions. In TBS's 2025 Investor Meeting, they announced intent to host a Kasso World Cup event in the future once more regions have established shows.

Rules

Basic rules In each stage, competitors are tasked with completing a designated obstacle course. The initial rounds do not require competitors to clear, opting to instead eliminate the competitors with the lowest performance. The final rounds are survival-based, where competitors must completely clear the course to advance.

Competitors are allowed to kick off at any time and can use their hands to maintain balance. Falling into water is always an elimination; however, whether or not falling off your board is a fail depends on the stage. Stages that are races or are timed typically do allow competitors to fall off their board, as the time it takes to recover is still a hindrance. In all stages, the competitor must have their board to hit the buzzer and complete the stage.

Competitors are given an open practice period where they may attempt all of the stages prior to recording; however, during the official tournament, the number of attempts on each course is limited to only 1 unless otherwise noted. In Kasso 4, competitors were given two attempts at Rail Coaster to counteract the historically low scores on this event. Additionally, competitors were given a second attempt at Million Jump LB at the request of the audience following weak overall results.

Format Each tournament consists of four to five stages broken into two phases: The Elimination Phase, where between 1 and 4 competitors with the worst overall performance are eliminated from the competition, and the Survival Phase, where failing the course will result in the end of the competitor's run. Of these stages, there are five categories of stages that appear in a fixed order:

Downhill Stage Each season begins with a downhill stage. This stage is a time trial through a downhill course with some basic jumps, ollies, and ramps and can typically be completed in around 1 minute, with the slowest competitors being eliminated.

Rail Stage The second stage of the series is based upon rail grinding and balance. Progress is measured by the percentage of each competitor that made it through the course, with the weakest results dropping out. The first version, Uzushio, featured a spiral with narrowing width and sharper turns until it became a rail. The following Rail Coaster versions featured a straight rail with drops, humps, seesaws, and slight curves.

Balance Stage It has appeared as the 3rd stage in approximately half of the tournaments. These stages feature harshly angled courses, measured by the percentage completion. These stages often feature no flat surfaces and difficult drops requiring high momentum and balance to complete. The first version, Origami, featured a large origami shape with all angled platforms. The second version, Grasshopper, featured 7 curved lilypads, all placed angled with large drops.

Course Stage Appeared as the penultimate stage in Kasso seasons 1-3. Competitors must complete a timed obstacle course that includes half-pipes, humps, grinds, and gap jumps within a specified time limit. In the first two seasons, the time limit was a strict 31 seconds. In Kasso III, the course's time limit was increased to 63 seconds with four optional hidden buzzers that awarded two additional seconds. To accommodate the increased time limit, the course was made significantly more difficult.

Final Stage The last stage. A mad dash to the end! This course features a rail and a sliding gate and typically takes around 10 seconds to complete. Rather than a typical time limit, this course's final gate is constantly moving, increasing the difficulty over time.

Course Overview by Season Source:

+Elimination RoundSurvival Round#Downhill StageRail StageBalance StageCourse StageFinal Stage1Midoriyama DownhillUzushio—Tokyo Upside DownMillion Gate2Midoriyama Downhill SERail CoasterOrigamiTokyo Upside Down SEMillion Jump3Rail Coaster GM—Da Park4Long Beach DownhillRail Coaster Big Boy FoyGrasshopper—Million Jump LB

Series Overview

KASSO

+KASSO Episodes#Episode TitleLocation# of ContestantsOriginal Release Date1AKASSO IYokohama, Japan9March 18, 20241B9March 25, 20242KASSO II15October 7 & 14, 20243KASSO IIIYokohama, Japan14March 13 & 16, 20254KASSO Fest: Skate and SoundLong Beach, United States30March 22, 2026

KASSO Gaiden Gaiden, the Japanese word for "side story," are smaller, 1-stage trial events. While compilation videos have been released, these events have not received an official broadcast.

+KASSO Gaiden Events#Episode TitleLocation# of ContestantsFilming DateGD1KASSO GDSan Francisco, United StatesFebruary 15, 2025GD2KASSO GD IECPIkebukuro, Japan12March 26, 2025GD3KASSO GD: AranyaAranya, ChinaOctober 6, 2025

Skateboarder The predecessor to Kasso, made by the same network, Skateboarder, featured a single, untimed course stage featuring 9 obstacles. Unlike Kasso, competitors were not allowed to come to a complete stop unless stalling and might not put their foot down or kick off at any time.

+Skateboarder Seasons#Episode TitleLocation# of ContestantsOriginal Release DateS1SkateboarderYokohama, Japan321997S2Skateboarder II321999

Mini KASSO A special side season where competitors complete a small course, where points are awarded for each successful obstacle clear as well as for tricks +Mini Kasso Seasons#Episode TitleLocation# of ContestantsOriginal Release DateM1SkateboarderJapan6July 19 to August 3, 2024

Other Media A mobile Endless runner game called "KASSO Gaiden: Escape from the Skaterverse" was released for iOS and Android in February 26th, 2026

Season Summaries

Stage completed Stage failed Stage failed, but made it far enough, fast enough to advance to the next Stage Stage cleared, but competitor was eliminated due to having a slow time Withdrew from the competition due to injury or last-minute scheduling conflict

KASSO 1 - Group A

+CompetitorElimination PhaseSurvival PhaseCountryNameMidoriyama DownhillUzushioTokyo Upside-DownMillion GateHayate Kamimura 0:58.33Kuta Inukawa 1:00.96 85%——Mana Sasaki 1:01.86 92%PENPEN 1:02.84———Rinku Konishi 0:58.30Ryo Sagawa 1:06.65 93%Shogo Tanaka———Taiyo Shibasaki 1:02.02 95%—Yuto Sugawara 1:01.66 85%—Total Attempts9764

KASSO 1 - Group B

+CompetitorElimination PhaseSurvival PhaseCountryNameMidoriyama DownhillUzushioTokyo Upside-DownMillion GateAiki Arakaki 1:07.52Ayaru Matsuki 1:07.83 73%—Daisuke Nakamura 1:08.16 70%——Kento Urano 1:02.09 81%Ren Suematsu 0:58.67 99%Sora Negishi 1:03.31 95%Takuya Ishizuka 1:09.25———Wakyo Sakamoto 1:07.73 94%Yuta Ishizuka 1:10.19———Total Attempts9765

KASSO 2

+CompetitorElimination PhaseSurvival PhaseCountryNameMidoriyama Downhill SERail CoasterOrigamiTokyo Upside-Down SEMillion JumpAoi Ishimaru 0:57.31————Ayahiro Uratsuka 0:59.56————Hayate Kamimura 0:56.41 31% 89%Leo Romero 0:54.75 16% 71%—Madars Aspe 0:48.81 12% 68%—Mana Sasaki 0:52.03 24% 73%Ren Suematsu 0:49.95 72% 72%—Rinku Konishi 0:50.06 16% 70%—Ryo Motohashi 0:50.93 27% 92%—Shogo Tanaka 0:53.44 9% 67%——Sora Negishi 0:55.64 15% 70%—Wes Kramer 0:54.75 20% 67%—Yurin Fujii 0:55.65 8%———Yuno Takahashi 0:50.14 10% 68%—Yuro Nagahara 0:55.11 Withdrew———Total Attempts151211102

KASSO 3

+CompetitorElimination PhaseSurvival PhaseCountryNameMidoriyama Downhill SERail Coaster GMDa ParkMillion JumpAimu Yamazuki 0:55.13 14%—Cordano Russell 0:48.76 15%—Greyson Fletcher 0:48.22 16%—Hayate Kamimura 0:55.82 20%—Issei Sakurai 0:51.05 28%—Jamie Foy 0:48.10 14%—Jiro Platt 0:50.35 21%Mason Silva 0:50.31 16%Mei Sugawara 1:00.45———Ren Suematsu 0:49.96 22%—Rinku Konishi 0:54.42 28%—Roman Hager 0:50.37 19%—Ryo Motohashi 0:52.34 20%—Yuno Takahashi 0:50.67 11%——Total Attempts1413112

KASSO 4 Groups A and B competed separately for the elimination phase and then completed the survival phase together. Downhill results with no time indicate the time is not known as it was not included in the broadcast.

+CompetitorElimination PhaseSurvival PhaseCountryNameGroupMidoriyama Downhill LBRail Coaster BBFGrasshopperMillion JumpAttempt 1Attempt 2Aaron HomokiA 0:49.74 ————Ayahiro UratsukaA 0:50.80————Braden HobanA 37% 4——CJ CollinsB 0:40.36 14%———Cordano RussellB 0:37.90 27% 3——Dashawn JordanA 29% 6David LoyA 22% 6Dominick WalkerB 0:45.66————Gavin BottgerB 0:37.09 49%Georgia MartinB 0:44.06 12%———Greyson FletcherB 0:45.59————Hayate KamimuraB 0:37.99 33%Jamie FoyA 48% 7Jiro PlattB 0:37.94 37%Julian LewisB 0:39.26 21% 2——Kento UranoB 0:36.83 41% 3——Kevin BaekkelB 0:35.89 39% 2——Kyle WalkerA >37% 4——Leo RomeroB 0:38.66 46% 2——Olan PrenattA Withdrew————Pedro DelfinoB 0:38.26 21% 2——Poe PinsonB 0:43.64 22% 3——Raphae UedaA 44% 4——Ren SuematsuB 0:42.73 19% 7——Sora NegishiA 18%———Taylor KirbyA 23% 1——Tom SchaarA >18%——Torey PudwillA 21% 1——Yurin FujiiA 16%———Yuro NagaharaA 21% 4——Total Attempts29252166

List of Winners

KASSO

+Main Season Winners#SeasonCountryCompetitorPrize11Rinku Konishi¥1,000,0002Hayate Kamimura3Wakyo Sakamoto4Ren Suematsu5Aiki Arakaki63Jiro Platt74$10,000 USD

KASSO Gaiden The list of known winners of Kasso Gaiden. It is known that there were at least 4 additional clears in Kasso Gaiden 1; however, their identity is currently not known.

+Gaiden WinnersSeasonCountryCompetitorPrizeGD1Louie Lopez—Dashawn Jordan—MacGregor Munson—GD2—GD3Sora Negishi¥50,000 RMB

Skeboarder

+Skeboarder WinnersSeasonCountryCompetitorPrizeS1Kentaro Tanaka¥3,000,000S2Moses Itkonen¥3,000,000

Mini KASSO

+Mini KASSO WinnersSeasonCountryCompetitorNotesM1Kaede TerauchiWon with a top score of 1,100 points for clear all obstacles and landing a BS Flip

List of Course Records Below are a list of the best

+EventVersionSeasonBest ResultClear Time