Ryuichi Murai - United (V16/8C+) FA

Ryuichi Murai - United (V16/8C+) FA drops you into the quiet intensity of Mt. Mizugaki, Japan, as Murai goes for the first ascent of United—an 8C+/V16 sit start into the established V14 Decided. In just over five minutes, the film captures the razor-thin margins of top-end bouldering: the rehearsals, the micro-adjustments, and the commitment it takes to turn a daunting line into a finished climb. What makes this worth watching is how clearly it communicates the process behind a cutting-edge send. You’ll see the puzzle of linking low starts into hard existing terrain, the composure required when every move is a potential stopper, and the satisfaction of sticking it all together when the stakes are highest. If you love modern bouldering, first ascents, and the calm focus that separates attempts from history, this is a concentrated hit of inspiration.

mellow · 5:11

Ryuichi on the first ascent of Japan's hardest boulder, United (8C+/V16). The boulder is the sit start to Decided, an established V14 from Toru Nakajima in Mt. Mizugaki.