Warning for 'Superman Challenge' in Japan
"It's so dangerous, how did it become popular?"
As the so-called 'Superman Challenge' becomes popular among children and adolescents in Japan, educational authorities have issued warnings.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 5th (local time), the Japanese Minister of Education recently expressed concern over the increasing number of students injured while attempting the 'Superman Challenge.' The 'Superman Challenge' involves jumping onto the arms of people lined up in two rows to mimic the flying posture of Superman, bouncing off, and landing perfectly.
However, injuries from this challenge continue to occur. In December last year, a middle school student, A, living in Tokyo, was injured while attempting the challenge, suffering fractures in both wrists and a broken front tooth, and was transported to the hospital. Videos taken at the time show A’s friends throwing him 2 to 3 meters high. During this process, A lost balance and hit his face first on the concrete floor, causing the injuries.
A’s attending physician, Mr. Kishibe, said, "I wonder how such a dangerous game became popular," but A said, "I saw people laughing and having fun in other challenge videos, so I thought it was just a game."
Another middle school student, B, from Aomori Prefecture, also injured the back of his head while filming the 'Superman Challenge.' B’s mother expressed concern, saying, "If he injures his neck or back, it could be a serious injury that changes his entire life. This is not just a simple game."
The Japanese Asahi Shimbun reported that the challenge carries a high risk of injury. If participants bounce too high, they could hit the ceiling, among other dangers. Following similar accidents, educational authorities across Japan have warned elementary and middle schools to raise awareness about the 'Superman Challenge.' ByteDance Japan, the parent company of TikTok, has also taken measures to prevent videos related to the 'Superman Challenge' from being searchable through hashtag keywords. However, the Superman Challenge is known to be popular not only in Japan but also in countries such as Spain, North Macedonia, and Romania.
Meanwhile, this is not the first time a dangerous challenge on TikTok has sparked controversy. In recent years, there have been several cases of deaths caused by the 'Blackout Challenge,' which involves self-strangulation until losing consciousness and became widely popular among teenage TikTok users since 2021. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that at least 80 people have died from this challenge.
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