▁he ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁" S AS U KE ▁All - St ars ," ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁fav ored ▁compet itors ▁who ▁were ▁thought ▁to ▁possess ▁the ▁greatest ▁potential ▁in ▁comple ting ▁the ▁obst acle ▁courses . ▁He ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁seen ▁on ▁the ▁less er ▁known ▁prec ursor ▁to ▁Nin ja ▁War rior , ▁Vik ing : ▁The ▁Ult imate , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁compet itor ▁to ▁make ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁final ▁round . ▁ ▁Win ning ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁S as u ke ▁competition ▁( 2 0 0 6 ) ▁he ▁is ▁the ▁second ▁of ▁only ▁four ▁vict ors ▁of ▁the ▁competition . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁he ▁retired ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁he ▁had ▁competed ▁in ▁ 2 6 ▁versions ▁of ▁S as u ke . ▁ ▁S as u ke ▁career ▁ ▁Training ▁Nag ano ▁spent ▁ 3 0 0 ▁days ▁a ▁year ▁training ▁on ▁his ▁fish ing ▁ship ▁for ▁the ▁S as u ke ▁compet itions . ▁ ▁Ret irement ▁Le ading ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁ 3 2 nd ▁competition ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Nag ano ▁formally ▁announced ▁his ▁ret irement ▁from ▁S as u ke , ▁with ▁his ▁" last ▁run " ▁making ▁up ▁a ▁significant ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁broadcast ▁and ▁prom ot ional ▁material ▁for ▁the ▁tournament . ▁This ▁involved ▁several ▁g ifts ▁from ▁fans ▁and ▁fellow ▁compet itors ▁al ike , ▁including ▁a ▁" fin ish " ▁button ▁normally ▁found ▁at ▁the ▁end