Bit-Beast

Bit-Beasts or Sacred Spirits (聖獣 Seijū) are powerful spirits that dwell in Beyblades (Bit-Chips). Bit-Beasts were utilized in the Original Series, consisting of Beyblade: 2000, Beyblade: V-Force and Beyblade: G-Revolution and in the Bakuten Shoot Beyblade Manga.

Developement
The bit beasts went through a series of development stages and were originally much different to what many fans came to know.

In the original Jisedai Bēgoma Battle Beyblade video game released in 1999, bit-beast first appeared. Several even would evolve and change. Each bit beast had its own unique attack and would affect the way the player fought in the arena. This game shows many early beyblade ideas in prototype form. While certain concepts survived to the main series, none of the bit beasts seen survived. A few, however, did appear on some of the very early beyblades released in Japan.

In Beyblade Fighting Tournament (2000) they were more closer to the final bit beast styles as seen in the series. They were divided into a series ("Kid", "Night", "Dark", "Master", etc) and would appear as one of 4 archetypes (Dranzer, Driger, Draceil or Dragoon). At the start of the game, the player entered a code. If the code was correct, they would have one of the 4 archetypes. Each series was released in the games shop. Over the course of the game, stronger bits would be released of their selected choice as they won each tournament. At first, this kind of introduction to bit beasts is briefly touched upon in the manga, with the bladers bits upgrading and changing in the very early chapters on a few occasions.

When the Bakuten Shoot Beyblade video game (2001) was released, the manga had already began production. The TV series was also released by the time the game had came out. Bit beasts were more closely related to their status as seen in the anime and later manga. The focus this time was just on Daichi's bit-beast. Since Daichi had no canon bit at this point, he was given a substitution. He started out as a Kid Dragoon and over the course of the game would upgrade as he won tournaments up to the American tournament, as this was how far the manga had reached. At this point, he had a cyborg-looking Dragoon. This Dragoon also appeared in Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2002 Team Battle! Kiryū no Akira Daichi / Takao Hen, although that was the last appearance as Strata Dragon debuted at this point.

Other bit beasts were introduced which gave uniqueness to the bladers within the series. However, by the end of the original Beyblade series, the pictures of the bit beasts were changed to just symbols representing the beasts. While the anime ended before the manga reached this point, even the main characters were seen with this style of bit on their Beyblades by the end of the manga. This tradition carries on even with the new beyblades.

Information
The Bit-beat overall represented the joint "Fighting Spirit" of Blader and Beyblade, when the fighting spirit was strong, the Bit-Beast's spirit would influence the Beyblade, enhancing attack and signature moves. By unleashing them, the flow of a battle can shift dramatically even when the Beyblade parts haven't changed. It also expands the range of strategic possibilities.

Bit Beasts may not only be sealed inside a Beyblade. Dragoon was originally inside a sword before entering Tyson's Beyblade and becoming his Bit-Beast. Draciel was also trapped within a locket.

Bit Beasts seem to be sentient. Dragoon has also been shown to be able to talk. There are many characters who have Bit Beasts, and sometimes there seems to be a bond between the Bit-Beast and it's owner. It seems that some Bit Beasts do care about their masters, such as during Tyson's first battle with Enrique when Amphilyon tried to attack Tyson, and Dragoon got in the way. This was also shown during Ray's battle against Bryan in the World Finals, when Driger put his existence on line to save Ray who had been badly injured by Falborg's attacks. When Draciel was first placed in Max's Beyblade, the other Bit-beasts sensed the new fighting spirit of Max and his Draciel.

List of Bit-Beasts
See here for more information.

Trivia

 * Bit-Beasts translates to Bit Dyr (Bit-Animal) in Danish, Bit Power in Italian and Feras Bit in Brazilian Portuguese.
 * In the Japanese version, all bit-beasts are referred to using genderless pronouns, which usually translates to it. They were officially genderless. However, overseas translations have often assigned gendered pronouns to the Bit Beasts, such as Dragoon being referred to with male pronouns like "he".
 * Excluding the Cyber Bit-Beasts, since they are man-made, alternative versions of Bit-Beasts have been seen in the Anime: Black Dranzer, Metal Driger and Strata Dragoon. These are call backs to the 2000 period and Beyblade Fighting Tournament wherein Bit-beasts.
 * There is recurring theme in the Anime where Bit-Beasts from the same team start with the same prefix or end with the same suffix:
 * Bladebreakers (Four Sacred Bit-Beasts): start with Dr-
 * White Tigers: starts with Gal-.
 * All Starz: starts with Try-.
 * Majestics: ends with -lyon.
 * Demolition Boys: ends with -borg.
 * Dark Bladers: ends with -lor.
 * There are at least three examples of bladers changing their bit beasts;
 * Daichi's Bit-beast was not Strata Dragon in the early video games, but as a cyborg-esque Dragoon instead.
 * Takao's Dragoon appears in both manga and anime as the image of Master Dragoon.
 * In the Jisedai Begoma Battle Beyblade Kai, Tako and Hiro Granger (as Jin) are shown using several different bits. Though Takao's is based on player choice.
 * Kai's Dranzer and Tyson's Dragoon get their names from Spin Dragoon and Ultimate Frostic Dranzer. Both appear in Jisedai Begoma Battle Beyblade.   Both are the final metamorphosis of their "signature" bits of the game (Tyson's bit, however is optional). Driger and Draciel came in with Beyblade Fighting Tournament when Rei and Max were added.
 * Strange visions of Bit Beast like characters appear in the Metal Saga, Beyblade Burst, Beywarriors: BeyRaiderz, and BeyWheelz during battles, but aren't acknowledged by the characters or referred to as Bit Beasts.