Beyblade

This article is about the manga. For the toy, see Beyblade (toy).

Beyblades
The logo of the first season of Beyblade
爆転シュート ベイブレード (Bakuten Shūto Beiburēdo)
Genre	Science fantasy, comedy-drama, sports
Manga
Written by	Takao Aoki
Published by	Shogakukan
English publisher	Viz Media
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	CoroCoro Comic
Original run	2000 – 2004
Volumes	14
Anime television series
Directed by	Toshifumi Kawase
Produced by	tokyan shakion
Music by	Yoshihisa Hirano
Studio	Madhouse
Licensed by	Nelvana Limited
Network	TV Tokyo
English network	Network Ten, Cartoon Network YTV, Télétoon Cartoon Network, Toonami Five, POP!, S4C, Kix! Jetix, Toon Disney, ABC Family
Original run	January 8, 2001 – December 24, 2001
Episodes	51
Anime television series
Beyblade: VForce
Directed by	Yoshio Takeuchi
Studio	Nihon Animedia
Licensed by	Nelvana Limited
Network	TV Tokyo
English network	Network Ten, Cartoon Network Jetix, Toon Disney, ABC Family
Original run	January 7, 2002 – December 30, 2002
Episodes	51
Anime television series
Beyblade: G-Revolution
Directed by	Mitsuo Hashimoto
Studio	Nihon Animedia
Licensed by	Nelvana Limited
Network	TV Tokyo
English network	Network Ten, Cartoon Network Jetix, Toon Disney, ABC Family
Original run	January 6, 2004 – December 29, 2004
Episodes	52
Anime television series
Beyblade: Metal Fusion
Studio	Tatsunoko Productions, Synergy SP, Nelvana
Licensed by	Nelvana Limited
Network	TV Tokyo
English network	Network Ten, Eleven, Cartoon Network YTV Cartoon Network Nicktoons, CITV and Kix!
Original run	April 5, 2009 – March 28, 2010
Episodes	51
Anime television series
Beyblade: Metal Masters
Studio	Tatsunoko Productions, Synergy SP, Nelvana
Licensed by	Nelvana Limited
Network	TV Tokyo
English network	Network Ten, Eleven, Cartoon Network YTV Cartoon Network Nicktoons and Kix!
Original run	April 4, 2010 – March 27, 2011
Episodes	51
Anime television series
Beyblade: Metal Fury
Studio	Tatsunoko Productions, Synergy SP, Nelvana
Licensed by	Nelvana Limited
Network	TV Tokyo
English network	Network Ten, Eleven, Cartoon Network YTV Cartoon Network Nicktoons and Kix!
Original run	April 3, 2011 – April 1, 2012
Episodes	52 (Japan), 39 (International)
Anime television series
Beyblade: Shogun Steel
Directed by	Kunihisa Sugishima
Written by	Katsumi Hasegawa
Studio	Synergy SP, Nelvana
Licensed by	Nelvana Limited
Network	TV Tokyo
English network	YTV Cartoon Network Nickelodeon
Original run	April 8, 2012 – December 23, 2012
Episodes	38 (Japan), 19 (International)
Anime television series
BeyWheelz (Powered by Beyblade)
Studio	Nelvana
Network	Cartoon Network
Original run	August 11, 2012 – ongoing
Episodes	26 (13 aired)

Beyblade (爆転シュート ベイブレード, Bakuten Shūto Beiburēdo, lit. "Explosive Shoot Beyblade") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Takao Aoki in order to promote sales of spinning tops called "Beyblades". Originally serialized in CoroCoro Comic from 2000 to 2002, the individual chapters were collected and published in 14 tankōbon by Shogakukan. The series focuses on a group of kids who form teams with which they battle one another using Beyblades.

The manga is licensed for English language release in North America by Viz Media. An anime adaptation, also titled Beyblade and spanning 51 episodes, aired in Japan on TV Tokyo from January 8, 2001 to December 24, 2001. The second, Beyblade V-Force, ran for another 51 episodes from January 7, 2002 until December 30, 2002. Beyblade G Revolution, the third and final adaptation, also spanned 51 episodes (the 51st was a double-length special but was split into two episodes for the Western release) and aired from January 6, 2003, until its conclusion on December 29, 2003. Nelvana licensed the anime for an English-language release. Takara Tomy also developed the Beyblade toy line.

Plot

Beyblade

A young boy named Tyson (Takao Kinomiya) enters the Japan Regional BeyBlade Qualifying Tournament. Tyson encounters Ray Kon (Rei Kon) and Kai Hiwatari, and after defeating them, they organize a team, known as the Bladebreakers, along with Max Tate (Max Mizuhara). The Bladebreakers tour China to register for the championships, while confronting the White Tigers, Ray's former team. It is seen that Ray's old team holds a grudge against him for leaving them, but towards the end of the Chinese Tournament, Ray and his ex-teammates make amends, and the Bladebreakers win the tournament. After this, Tyson and his friends arrive in the United States to fight the All Starz, who are coached by Max's mother. After winning the American league, the team find themselves stranded in Europe. In order to get to Russia to register for the World Championships, they must battle the Majestics who are Europe's top bladers. Once in Russia, Tyson and his friends find themselves up against the Demolition Boys, the Russian Champions, who are ruthless and obsessed with power. The Bladebreakers then discover that the Demolition Boys are merely tools for the BIOVOLT Corporation, run by Kai's grandfather, Voltaire, and Boris, a criminal mastermind. Initially, Kai was pursued by Boris to join the Demolition Boys in the ultimate quest for power, the Black Dranzer Bit-Beast which Kai was seeking to become the best Beyblader. However, he realizes his mistakes and rejoins the Bladebreakers. During the finals, Kai loses the first round and his Dranzer to Spencer and his bit-beast Seaborg. Ray barely manages to win against Bryan, but has to be taken to hospital after the injuries from the match. Tyson manages to defeat Tala, the leader of the Demolition Boys whose body had been modified by Boris to win the match, in the final round, and manages to win the title of the BBA world champion.

Beyblade: V-Force

The team has gone their separate ways, but Team Psykick and the Saint Shields, attack the Blade-breakers by trying to steal their bit-beasts for their own reasons. Hilary Tachibana (Hiromi Tachibana) joins the Blade-breakers, but takes time to learn the fact that Beyblade isn't just a stupid game as she thinks it is. The first half of the second season ends with the Blade-breakers defeating Team Psykick, who were manipulating their friends Kane, Salima, Goki and Jimmy. The second half of season 2 deals with the truth of why the Saint Shields and Team Psykick are after their bit-beasts and about a rock that Max's mother found that contains bit-beasts, which is stolen by Team Psykick. The Saint Shields' reason is because they wish to seal the bit-beasts in a rock because they fear that the bit-beasts could get out of control like they did in the past. Team Psykick's reason is because the Psykick's leader, Dr. Zagart, wants the bit-beasts to turn his android son (an exact replica of his actual son who died in an accident) into a real human. After defeating the Saint Shields, Zeo, who is one of Tyson's new friends, learns the truth about his past and how he was created by Dr. Zagart, so he uses the rock's strongest bit-beast, Cerberus (pronounced ker-bur-is), to get the bit-beasts.

Beyblade: G-Revolution

Kai, Ray, Max and Tyson went their separate ways and rejoined their old teams so that they have a chance to beat each other at the World Championship. This leaves only Tyson, Hilary, and Kenny on the team, but a new character, Daichi Sumeragi, and Tyson's brother Hiro Granger, join them. One week after the results of the World Championships, Boris, the secondary villain from the first season, says things will return to the way they were before. But he declares that all the Beyblade shops must sell beyblades and their parts to BEGA associated Beybladers only, otherwise they will not be allowed to run the shops.

Tyson and the team find some parts at Max's father's store, which are insufficient. Then after sometime Kenny comes with the solution, he makes new type of Beyblades, using different type of parts. But they still needed one more blader, that's when Kai, who tried to join BEGA but lost severely to Brooklyn, rejoins the team. Daichi and Ray lose the first two matches to Ming-Ming and Crusher and Max ends the third match with Mystel in a draw. Then it was Kai's turn to face the unbeaten Brooklyn. Kai then defeats Brooklyn in a match but loses Dranzer later. Then Tyson beats Garland. Brooklyn becomes insane due to his loss to Kai and confronts Tyson. In the ensuing match, Tyson and Brooklyn had a draw match. Tyson was able to get a draw from Brooklyn after his Beyblade Dragoon absorbed the power of all the Sacred Bit Beasts and evolves into the most powerful Beyblade on Earth.

Media

Manga

The chapters of the Beyblade manga were written and illustrated by Takao Aoki. It was serialized in CoroCoro Comic from 2000 to 2004. The manga was licensed for an English-language release by Viz Media.

Anime

Main article: List of Beyblade episodes

A three season anime television adaptation was adapted from the series. The first season, spanning 51 episodes, was produced by Madhouse and aired in Japan on TV Tokyo from January 8, 2001 to December 24, 2001. The second season, produced by Nihon Animedia and titled Beyblade V-Force, ran for another 51 episodes from January 7, 2002 until December 30, 2002. The third season, Beyblade G Revolution was also produced by Nihon Animedia. It spanned 52 episodes and ran from January 6, 2003 until its conclusion on December 29, 2003. All three seasons are licensed for English adaptation, broadcast, and release in North America by Nelvana.

A new Beyblade anime series entitled Metal Fight Beyblade was produced by Tatsunoko and Synergy SP, and is based on the aforementioned Metal Fight Beyblade manga. It premiered on April 5, 2009. Nelvana has licensed the series, which was released in North America as Beyblade: Metal Fusion. It premiered on Cartoon Network in June 2010 with showings on Saturdays and Sundays.

Spin-offs

Beyblade inspired a spin-off series, BeyWheelz.

Merchandise

Beyblade developed a cult following when the series' popular spinning top toy was launched worldwide. Now with the released fourth season of the Metal Fight Beyblade series, Metal Fight Beyblade Zero-G, a toy line which consists of Beyblades from the anime including Samurai Ifraid W145CF, MSF Shinobi Saramanda SW145SD, MSF Pirates Orojya 145D, Thief Phoenic E230GCF, Guardian Reviser 160SB, MSF Archer Gryph C145S, Pirates Killerken A230JSB, and many more are being released in Asia. Beyblade, Let It Rip! The Official Album was released in the UK to coinside with the show's popularity. It featured the anime's opening theme, as well as songs by various artists including Nickleback and Busted.

Toys

Main article: Beyblade (toy)

Originally developed and manufactured by Takara Tomy, first released in 2000. The toys include a 'launcher' – a device for bringing the spinning top up to speed, with either a separate or integral rip-cord. This 'ripping' action causes the tops to be ejected, at the end of the movement. Players eject the tops into a plastic arena known as a Beystadium, with a slightly dished base, where they subsequently strike each other. The last top still spinning wins. Beyblade is largely a game of power and angle,^{[citation needed]} although some players believe a particular launch style can influence the outcome of a game.

Reception

Beyblade was popular among people, especially due to its toys and accessories. It gained notoriety in school playgrounds all across Australia, North America, Latin America and the United Kingdom during the early 2000s and in Pakistan during 2004-2006 and its popularity was replaced by Blazing Teens. It was popular in India between 2004 - 2007, its toys were liked by many. The show was aired by Jetix and Cartoon Network in America as well as in parts of Asia, Europe, and Australia. It has had renewed popularity in the last two years.

There have been many official Beyblade tournaments held across the world, just like in the anime. At official tournaments hosted by Tomy, Sonokong, Mani, or Hasbro, their companies advertise themselves as the World Beyblade Battle Association (WBBA) instead of their company name. Similar to how the WBBA is the company that hosts Beyblade tournaments in the anime.

The show was criticized for being one long, repetitive commercial.

External links

• Official Website
• Beyblade at Internet Movie Database
• Beyblade (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• Beyblade, an external wiki on Wikia
• Beyblade Beywiki, an external Wiki
• Beyblade blog
• Author of the BeyBlade logo - George Peter Gatsis