Beyblade (manga)
| Beyblade (manga) | |
| File:BeybladeDVD.jpg Beyblade #3 DVD cover | |
| Anime | |
| Beyblade | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Toshifumi Kawase |
| Studio | Madhouse |
| Anime | |
| Beyblade V-Force | |
| Directed by | Tetsuo Takeuchi, Yoshio Takeuchi |
| Studio | Madhouse |
| Anime | |
| Beyblade G-Revolution | |
| Directed by | Mitsuo Hashimoto, Toshifumi Kawase |
| Studio | Madhouse |
Beyblade (ベイブレード Beiburēdo) is a spinning top toy produced by Takara starting in 1999/7. In 2002, Hasbro produced Beyblade based on the corresponding anime TV series.
In the basic rules of the game, you win by knocking the competitor's beyblade out of a dish (commonly called a Beystadium) or to outspin the competing top(s).
Beyblade System
Basic System
The first Beyblade tops and all tops up to the HMS series are made mostly of plastic, save the Weight Disk and some Base tips. These blades all include five basic parts:
-Bit Chip: A decorative plate inserted into the Attack Ring of the Beyblade. This part displays a mythical creature, or "Bit Beast", which are the companions of the bladers in the anime but are useless in real-life blading.
-Attack Ring: The second topmost part of the Beyblade. This determines the blade's effect when it impacts against its opponent, as this is normally the first part to come into contact with the opposing blade.
-Weight Disk: The part located in the direct center of the Beyblade. This determines the blade's endurance and, most of the time, its central weight.
-Spin Gear: This determines the direction of the Beyblade; clockwise (Right) or counterclockwise (Left).
-Blade Base: The bottom part of the Beyblade. This houses the Spin Gear and is normally the first part of the blade to touch the Beystadium. It determines blade's movement pattern.
The first blades are composed of a four-layer part system: Bit Chip, Weight Disk, and Blade Base. In the Blade Base of a four-layer system blade the Spin Gear is permanently attached. Four-layers usually have six-sided Weight Disks.
Upon the arrival of the S- and F-series of blades a new system was introduced which included detachable and interchangeable Spin Gears, thus creating a five-layer blade system. Along with these Spin Gears, S- and F-series blades use eight-sided Weight Disks.
Magnacore System
Widely distributed during the Beyblade 2000 (V-Force) season, these blades use magnetic Spin Gears and Weight Disks to push or repel blades from each other or the stadium, which can have magnets added beneath the surface to manipulate the blades.
Engine Gear
The Engine Gear is a spinning core containing a winder, which gives the top extra spinning power. This Engine Gear first appeared in the G-Revolution anime series before being translated into the toys. They have 10-sided Weight Disks.
The Types of Engine Gear
4 types of EG (Engine Gear) bases have been produced.
First Clutch: The base that holds the Beyblade's EG releases the clutch as soon as it is launched. (Comes in Metal Driger, Driger G, Dragoon G, Dragoon GT, and Zeus)
Second Clutch: The base that holds the Beyblade's EG releases latter in mid-battle. (Comes in Dranzer G, Draciel G, Gaia Dragoon G, Gigars, and Dranzer GT)
No Clutch: The base has no clutch meaning there isn't anything to prevent the Engine Gear to release. However, the bases allow the EG to release at a steady and slow rate. (Comes in Wolborg IV and Rock Bison)
Gyro EG: This base is the only one of its kind to have a different EG. The only capable EG that can fit with this base is the Gyro EG which comes along with it. It can be spun in either the left or right direction with also the direction of the normal launch. (Comes with Flame Pegasus)
Customizable Engine Weights
For the 4 GT Series Beyblades that were released, the EG that comes with them is able to have a slot for the Customizable Engine Weight(CEW), which is interchangeable with other CEWs.
The EG however can fit with the "Clutch" bases.
The original CEWs that were produced my Takara were the following: Light Sharp(Comes with Zeus(Takara Ver.))
Metal Semi-Flat(Comes with Dranzer GT and Gigars(Hasbro Ver.))
Metal Grip(Comes with Dragoon GT)
Metal Change(Comes with Gigars(Takara Ver.))
Metal Sharp(Comes with Flame Pegasus)
Metal Ball Sharp(Comes with Zeus(Hasbro Ver.))
NOTE: Some of the parts listed may have just been replicated with a new color for several of Hasbro's G2 Series Blades.
Heavy Metal System
Beyblade HMS (Heavy Metal System) was released after the Engine Gear line of blades in respect to the anime series. This series, unlike ones in the past, use smaller pieces of mainly metal.
These blades are composed of a four-layer part system:
-Bit Protector: This holds the parts together, unlike its plastic counterpart, the Bit Chip, which was merely decorative.
-Attack Ring: This is composed of a inner metal part screwed to an outer ASB caul.
-Weight Disk: HMS Weight Disks are completely circular, unlike plastic Weight Disks which were shaped as hexa-, octa-, and decagons. There are also Customizable Weight Disks, which have plastic and metal parts, the plastic parts giving the Weight Disk a certain property.
-Running Core: The Blade Base of HMS.
HMS do not use Spin Gears nor do they require them since the blade can be launched from both spin directions. This is possible through the HMS Neo Duel Launcher, which allows such spin-changing.
Other parts
Like the TV show, some Beyblade tops can be controlled after they are launched. For head-to-head battle between 2 RC tops, 2 RC launchers with separate frequencies are required.
Entertainment Media
In anime and manga, the story is about a group of children battling with highly powerful spinning tops enchanted with sacred 'bit beasts' or spirits of mythical and powerful creatures.
The show focuses on the battles between beyblading teams. The protagonist team, the Blade Breakers, includes Takao Kinomiya (Tyson Granger in the dubbed English version), Kai Hiwatari, Max Mizuhara (Max Tate), Rei Kon (Ray Kon/Ray Kong), and Kyouju (Kenny) who battle it out against teams across the globe to be the world's best beybladers.
The Beyblade anime is licensed by Nelvana in North America. The Beyblade manga, made by Takao Aoki, is published in English in North America by VIZ Mediaand keeps its original right to left format, though names are changed to match the English anime version. In Singapore, it is published in English by Chuang Yi.
There have also been several video games based on the show, spanning the Game Boy Advance, PlayStation and GameCube. However, as is the case with many video games based on licensed properties these games have been critically panned.
TV Series
Beyblade has a total of 3 seasons with about 51 episodes in each. The Japanese names for each season have been put in the brackets. In season one the beyblades were drawn by hand only, but in seasons two and three they were brought to life with a mix of drawings and CGI.
Beyblade (Beyblade 2000)
The main teams opposing the protagonists are often quartets with some trait(s) in common.
- White Tigers (China) - Four neko-jins from the same rural clan; Ray's old friends and former team who felt he has betrayed them, they are captained by Ray's former best friend, Lee.
- All Starz (USA) - Four jocks/athletes playing typical American sports: [Michael](baseball), [Eddy] (basketball), [Steve] (American football), and [Emily] (tennis).
- Dark Bladers - Four evil bladers put under a curse when all four were defeated by the team members of the Majestics.
- Majestics (Europe) - Four extremely wealthy young men; each an excellent blader in his own right, but when they are forced to work together they prove to be poor teammates.
- Demolition Boys (Russia) - Four young men trained in a harsh paramilitary environment; they wear clothing reminiscient of Soviet military garb and carry gun-style launchers.
Beyblade Teams (in order of appearance)
- Blade Sharks (Do not appear after Season 1) - A team formally led by Kai Hiwatari. With the exception of Kai, the Blade Sharks' most successful member was Carlos.
- All Starz (Season 3 Name: PPB All Starz)- The top American Beyblade team, they are coached by Max's mom, Judy. The team utilizes their amazing athletic ablities in battle. Their team captain is Michael. In G-Rev, Max joins this team along with his new teammate Rick to fill the tag team spots for the World Championship.
- Majestics (Make only 1 cameo appearance after season 1)- A team of rich European bladers that encounters the Bladebreakers (Team BBA) as they train themselves for the World Championships in Season 1. Their team captain is Robert. In G-Rev, the Majestics are the first to fall prey to the Barthez Soldiers'/Batallion's dirty tricks, losing their spot as the European representative for the World Championship.
- Team Neoborg (Dub name: Demolition Boys, Blitzkrieg Boys in Season 3)- The elite of the "Beyblade soldiers" trained for Kai's grandfather, Voltaire, under the direction of Boris Balcov and captained by Tala. For a brief time, Kai joins his grandfather's team. This team is the final challenge that the Bladebreakers (Team BBA) face in the first season at the World Championships. After their loss in Season 1, the team learns that they are being used and leave their coach with a grudge. In the second season's manga, Tala's blade, Wolborg, was mentioned as stolen by the duo King and Queen. In G-rev, Kai joins up with Tala to tag-team in the World Championship. The team makes it to the finals, where they lose the World Champion title to team BBA. Neoborg was the first to rebel against BEGA by challenging one of the team's bladers; Garland. Tala is hurt so badly during the battle he slips into a coma, ending Neoborg's advances toward BEGA.
Beyblade V-Force (Beyblade 2002)
For most of the arc, the stories focus on battling an evil organization trying to capture bit beasts, with little mention of world championship towards the end. This season introduces the Magnacore tops. A new main character, Hilary Tatibana (Hiromi Tachibana), is added to the cast.
Beyblade G-Revolution (Same name)
After Tyson have become 2-time world champion, other members of Bladebrakers decide to leave Tyson for a chance to become Beyblade champion. BBA tournament rule is changed to round robin system, with each team having 2 player per match with up to 2 reserve players.
Two new main characters, Daichi (Daichi Sumeragi) and Hiro Granger (Hitoshi Granger in the manga)/Jin of the Gales (Hitoshi Kinomiya/Shippu No Jin) are added to cast. This season introduces the Engine Gear tops, with debut of Hard Metal System tops in BEGA arc.
In the BEGA arc, the former Bladebreakers reunited to battle against BEGA, the Beyblade Entertainment Global Association, in a 5-vs-5 match.
BBA Tournament Teams
BEGA Tournament Teams
- BEGA
- blader: Ming-Ming, Mystel, Crusher(blader), Garland(blader), Brooklyn(blader)
- coach: Hiro, Boris
- G-Revolution
Non-Returning characters
- Ian
- Kane
- Salima
- Goki
- King
- Queen
- Zeo
- Steve
- Dark Bladers
- Voltaire
- Dr. K
- Dr. B
- Gideon
American Changes
Arriving in United States, Beyblade was significantly changed by Nelvana.The most notable of the changes:
- New intro/opening sequences.
- Several characters' names were changed, many characters having their Japanese names changed to English alternatives (presumably easier to pronounce and remember).
- Instrumental soundtracks were changed to pop-punk style music, with lyrics. There wasn't any original Japanese soundtrack remaining.
- Logos originally displayed in Japanese were redesigned in English.
- Some scenes considered inappropriate for children were cut, although Beyblade was not originally designed with only younger viewers in mind.
- In V-Force,Ray's first new beyblade was called Driger 5,but it's original name is Driger V.Nelvana should had been very confused to believe that V was 5 in Roman numerals.
- AJ Topper and Brad Best were added to make comments about the tournaments; these were originally only made by DJ Jazzman.
- Kenny's "bitbeast", Dizzi, was added for comic relief during the first two seasons. It was said in the dub version that she accidentally entered his Labtob casuing it to speak. She did not appear in the third season.
- Before every official fight, a small scene talking about the bladers and the stadium appears. First, it shows the stadium, in different angles, with its name. Then it shows an image of the blader, his/her attack, defense and endurance points, name and special attack. An image and name of the bit beast also appears.
- Elements of the dialogue were also changed, sometimes leading to incongruity between the dialogue and what happens onscreen.
- Every episode had its title changed from its Japanese counterpart.
Presumably most of the show's target audience outside of Japan is unaware of these changes.
Broadcasting
- Australia: Cheez TV
- Brazil: Jetix (and some time ago, Globo, but not any more.)
- Canada: YTV
- Finland: Nelonen
- India: Cartoon Network (Toonami block)
- Ireland: RTÉ Two (The Den block)
- Japan: TV Tokyo
- Korea: SBS (hangul:탑 블레이드, Top Blade)
- New Zealand: TV2
- Norway: TV2
- Pakistan: Cartoon Network Pakistan
- Philippines: ABS-CBN, HERO TV
- Poland: Jetix (and some time ago, Polsat, but not any more.)
- Portugal: TVI and Canal Panda
- Peru: Andina de Television
- Spain: Antena 3
- United Kingdom: Toonami and Five
- United States: ABC Family (JETIX block) and Toon Disney
Movie
'Beyblade: The Movie - Fierce Battle' is chronologically between second and third TV series, but Daichi appeared in the movie. A new Beyblade team named Shadow Bladers (consisting of new beybladers Steven, Ashley, Daniel, and Henry) was introduced.