Japan’s mid-quest pivot: Itoi becomes the breakout star of Physical: Asia's Battle Rope Relay

Physical: Asia Episode 9 showcased one of the sharpest tactical pivots of the season as Team Japan realized, mid-quest, that they had a hidden trump card in Yoshio Itoi.

What began as a four-way endurance test quickly turned into a two-team showdown where Japan’s clarity — and Itoi’s resilience — became the defining storyline of the Battle Rope Relay.

Physical: Asia - Team Japan unleashes a clever tactic to conquer Quest 4   

The episode opened with teams inspecting the darkened arena, trying to understand the challenge.

Nonoka from Japan expressed immediate confidence, noting that battle ropes were a natural part of her training.

But the standout athlete would prove to be Itoi, whose performance increasingly drew attention as the competition progressed.

The Master explained the rules of the Battle Rope Relay: only three participants per team, one minute per turn, and the top two teams advancing to a second round.

Japan selected Soichi Hashimoto, Itoi, and Yushin Okami — a trio built on technique and endurance.

Yushin articulated their approach,

“If we wanted to be the champions, we had no other choice but to beat Australia.”

During Round One, Itoi’s technical adjustments became clear.

After noticing inconsistent contact, he recalibrated,

I tucked my arms in… which allowed me to better control my hits, with increased speed too.”

That simple shift turned him from a steady contributor into one of the strongest scorers of the round.

His teammates echoed the impact — Kana urged him on, shouting,

“Itoi’s really fast. Nice pace!”

Japan’s Round One performance earned them second place with 1,194 points, behind Australia’s dominant 1,336.

But more importantly, it revealed something crucial: Itoi was their most consistent, controlled, and enduring scorer.

As Australia prepared for Round Two by repeating its powerhouse lineup, Japan recalibrated.

Soichi and Yushin agreed that Itoi should be deployed twice.

Yushin explained the reasoning openly, 

“After that first round, I think all of us realized that Itoi was the stand-out in the battle rope game.”

The decision would become the turning point of Episode 9.

When the whistle signaled the start of Round Two, Itoi entered with renewed determination.

He explained the fire driving him,

“Hearing those words… made me fight even harder. I wasn’t gonna let them down.”

The sense of responsibility was clear as he converted energy, technique, and precision into a scoring run that stunned even rival teams.

Eun-sil, watching from Korea’s lane, observed,

“Itoi’s strong.”

Meanwhile, Australia’s early lead began to crack. Whittaker performed with unbelievable intensity, but when Eddie began to slow down.

Japan seized the opening. After Soichi’s final push, Itoi returned for the last minute of the relay.

As Itoi attacked the rope one last time, the arena watched a veteran competitor perform like he had years of conditioning behind him.

When the Master delivered the results — Japan 1,116, Australia 961 — shock rippled through the teams.

Japan’s victory earned it a direct path to Quest 5, but more importantly, it proved the power of adapting mid-challenge.

Physical: Asia thrives on these unexpected shifts — the moments when strategy intersects perfectly with performance.

In Episode 9, that convergence was embodied by one athlete: Itoi, the quiet technician who became Japan’s anchor.

As Yushin summarized simply,

“I’m grateful for them today.”

Japan identified its advantage, leaned into it, and delivered one of the episode’s biggest upsets.

Stay tuned for more updates.