Benkei Hanawa

is a former-member of the Face Hunters and a character in the anime and manga series, Beyblade: Metal Fusion. His partner and Beyblade is Dark Bull H145SD. His alter-ego is The Masked Bull in Metal Masters during his time as a member of Team Wild Fang. His tag partner is Demure. He admires Kyoya and wants to be just like him although Kyoya just ignores him. His best friends are Kenta, Gingka, and Kyoya.

Appearance:
Benkei is portrayed as a tough and physically strong person. He has a big built body, short purple hair that is normally covered by his white beanie hat that has a red bull's skull on it and red eyes. He wears a black and red jacket with red strip on both the front side that's usually zipped on his torso, white bands around his wrists, gray shorts on his legs, and black shoes on his huge feet. He also has a brown belt with a holster covered by his jacket in which he keeps his Bey gear. He is currently the largest character that is in the Metal Saga.

Personality:
He seems tough and burly on the outside and looks like a typical bully, but he is actually very kind and has a good heart. Though when that part of him shows, he tries to cover it up because he doesn't want other people to think of him as soft. He also admires Kyoya very much, which causes him to tear up, or cry when Kyoya has his moments; going as far as to hug him in Episode 11, when he sees that Kyoya had awakened. He also follows him about when he wanders off. He is a very determined Blader, and does not give up easily in hard situations. In Episode 3, he seems to know about Dark Wolf. Benkei was a former member of the "Face Hunters" gang. He was then removed when they found out that he had helped and trained Kenta Yumiya. Since then, Kenta and him have been very good friends.

Beyblade: Metal Fusion
In the Anime, Benkei is first seen in a gang called the Face Hunters, a gang of mischievous Bladers, that battle opponents to steal their Bey points. After Kenta Yumiya had defeated his opponent in a Beybattle, awaiting him were Benkei and 3 other member from the Face Hunters, ready to steal his points. Benkei pressures Kenta into battling him,

Kenta, refusing to battle because what they were doing was wrong, had no other choice. Meanwhile Benkei and Kenta battle and just before Benkei was about to deliver the finishing move, Gingka Hagane appears and interrupts the battle and saves Kenta from a brutal defeat. Benkei furiously challenges Gingka and the remaining Face Hunters join into the battle to give Gingka a handicap. But Gingka easily defeats them and Benkei retreats, swearing that he will pay Gingka back for what he did.

Benkei and the gang retreat to their leader Kyoya Tategami and tell him what has happened. But Kyoya is not pleased that they lost and tells them that they should challenge Gingka again and defeat him by whatever means necessary. Near the river where Gingka is taking a nap, he awakens to see Benkei and a group of Face Hunters, awaiting him to battle. Benkei takes Gingka to an old construction site and he gives Gingka a 100 vs 1 handicap, and Gingka accepts the challenge. Gingka defeats Benkei and he retreats from the battlefield once again. Due to his idol Gingka Hagane defeated Kyoya, Benkei found Tetsuya Watarigani, a Blader who was obsessed with crabs (Owner of Dark/Mad Gasher/Cancer), and asked him to set a crab trap on Gingka. Tetsuya then captured Madoka and used her as bait for Gingka. Benkei, however set Madoka free, believing that you should play fair to battle someone. Later on, Benkei found Hikaru Hasama (owner of Storm Aquario), and asked her to beat Gingka. Hikaru searched the city for Gingka, but because he was sick, Kenta replaced him and said he was Gingka. Kenta was badly beaten multiple times by Hikaru until he lost all of his Beypoints,and Benkei who was appalled by Kenta's defeat(s) decided to train Kenta to make him more powerful as a Blader. Here's when Benkei becomes more mature and "good". His voice becomes more high-pitched and he becomes friendly to the gang, but doesn't admit their friendship. Benkei helped Kenta master his special move and so Kenta defeated Hikaru. At the end of the same episode, Tetsuya snitches on Benkei and tells the face hunters that Benkei helped Kenta, and so he was kicked out. At this time Kyoya was away and Tetsuya tries to be in charge of the Face Hunters. However later Kyoya returns and Benkei and Kenta team up on a battle against Kyoya and they lose miserably. Kyoya tells them to find Gingka and he wanted to battle him one more time. However Benkei had collapsed so Kenta carried him to B-Pit where they found Gingka and Madoka. They make Benkei rest and he weakly tells Gingka to battle Kyoya and bring back his Bladers spirit, Gingka agrees and Benkei collapses satisfied. They think he is dead and nearly start crying but then Benkei starts snoring. Later that episode Gingka was losing but Benkei had quickly recovered and started cheering him on. As this happens Gingka defeated Kyoya. Doji then knocks over a sculpture which was going to hit Kenta and Madoka but Benkei aids them. Next Benkei follows Gingka when he follows Doji. Benkei is helping Gingka infiltrate the Dark Nebula and then watching Gingka lose to Ryuga, Gingka's all time rival. Benkei is seen as a main character and during the survival tournament he Kenta and Hikaru are defeated by Yuu and his Libra. Benkei also enters battle Bladers and various tournaments. Benkei is seen battling Tetsuya Watarigani and loses due to Tetsuya's cheating.

Beyblade: Metal Masters
Benkei returns entering the "Big Bang Bladers" tournament. He competes on "Team Wild Fang" with Kyoya, Nile and, Demure. However he has now taken up an alter-ego called "The Masked Bull " but can still be seen Blading in his original clothes in Episode 45 and onwards

Beyblade: Metal Fury
In this series Benkei isn't a big part of it, but he follows Kyoya around a lot in Metal Fury.

Beyblade: Zero-G
Benkei appears in Beyblade: Zero-G as the owner of a fast-food restaurant that Zero Kurogane and Mal seem to enjoy. He agrees to help Zero train in "Metal Fight Beyblade Zero-G: Episode 2" to become strong enough to defeat Shinobu Hiryuuin and Shinobi Saramanda SW145SD.

It is also revealed in "Metal Fight Beyblade Zero-G: Episode 2" that he has not seen Kyoya in a very long time, to most fan's surprise. We can only wonder how they were separated...

Manga
Like in the Anime, Benkei is a member of Face Hunters. He is shown battling Kenta and lost. Then, he battles Gingka along with other Face Hunter Members, and defeated easily.

In Battle Bladers, he battles Ryuga and lost ultimately. His Dark Bull was destroyed into pieces by Lightning L-Drago. Benkei was put in coma.

Benkei reappeared in the nomination of Gan Gan Galaxy, where he is defeated by Masamune, along with Kenta.

In WBBA party, Benkei reappeared. Team Starbreaker would crash the party, and Damian Hart defeats Julian and the other bladers that come to the party, including Benkei. When Ginga defeated Damian, the energies that been taken by Hades Kerbecs is put back to its rightful owner, including Benkei.

Relationships
Kyoya Tategami: Benkei has a great relationship with Kyoya, whom he looks up to. Benkei was originally part of the Face Hunters when Kyoya abandoned them. Benkei cries out, "That's my Kyoya!", whenever Kyoya does something great.

Kenta Yumiya: Benkei views Kenta as a "little brother" type figure and is protective of him. In Metal Fusion, when he see's Kenta losing badly with Hikaru, he comes to aid Kenta and he gives him the "Secret Training", with which Kenta is able to later defeat Hikaru Hasama. He cared for him when Kenta's hand was fractured due to Tetsuya's trap.

Beyblades

 * Bull 125SF is Benkei's first Beyblade in the manga.


 * Heat Leone 125SF: Benkei's first Beyblade in the anime. He used this blade in the first 3 episodes of Metal Fusion since he later got Dark Bull.


 * Dark Bull H145SD is Benkei's second Beyblade, was given to him by Doji . He uses Dark Bull in both the anime and manga. Dark Bull is a Balance type Beyblade.


 * Dark Bull C145SD: Benkei used this Beyblade when he switched Spin Tracks with Kenta Yumiya.

Bull
Bull is the beast inside Benkei's Beyblade.

Special Moves:

 * Bull Upper: Benkei's first finishing move is Benkei first used this attack on Episode 4.


 * Red Horn Uppercut: Benkei's second finishing move is, first used in Episode 16.


 * Tornado Bull Upper: Benkei's third finishing move is, first used in Episode 19.


 * Maximum Stampede : Benkei's fourth finishing move, first used in Episode 43.

Trivia

 * Benkei is the name of a Japanese folk hero who took the swords from passing swordsmen.
 * In Japanese, Benkei's name is 弁慶 which means "strong man".
 * It is unknown why he always gets hit in the groin when he loses in the first few episodes.
 * His voice actor is the same voice for Drago from Bakugan
 * In the dub, he always says "B-b-b-b-b-b-bull!" before launching his Bey.
 * His body figure is also like that of a bull.
 * Benkei is currently the largest character in the Metal Saga anime (Not Manga), his feet even being as big as most character's heads. Aguma and Klaus have come in as a close second, but even his structure is not as huge as Benkei's large "Bull-like" body in the anime.
 * It is unknown why he chose a nickname for the Beyblade World Championships.
 * He returns in the Zero-G anime, and works in a hamburger store, it is most likely noticed that his apron has a Bull on it, as he focuses on bulls a lot. The sign above the door also is shaped like a bull above a burger.
 * When Blader DJ announces Benkei's name he says: "B-b-b-b-Benkei!!!!!!". He is actually somewhat mocking him.
 * He was the first character to receive his Bey from Doji, followed by Dan and Rekei and then Tetsuya.
 * It is unknown why Doji gave Dark Bull to Benkei to Defeat Gingka Hagane because Benkei has got some enemy's and most of them are from the Dark Nebula.One is Doji.
 * He is the only member of Team Wild Fang who doesn't use a plain 145 spin track.
 * Benkei is the only member of Team Wild Fang that uses a Balance Type Bey.
 * Benkei is only member who uses Mask in his dressings.
 * It is unknown why he became a burger shop owner in Zero-G.
 * Despite the fact that it was Doji that gave him Dark Bull, Benkei is very attached to his bey and is like a bull himself, as his friend, Kyoya, is like a lion.
 * Benkei is a bey teacher to many characters, especially in Metal Fusion and Zero-G.