Stephen Amell Using the salmon ladder on Arrow Stephen Amell Wants to Compete on American Ninja Warrior The reality-based competition show for the supremely athletic, American Ninja Warrior, has been going strong on NBC since 2009. Based on the same premise as Japanese show Sasuke (itself a highly popular show currently in its 30th season), American Ninja Warrior has become popular among athletes across a variety of sports and athletic activities. From football players, to track and field stars, to skaters, to those skilled in parkour, no one sport seems to have a greater advantage than the other.