Max Tate

Max Tate (Max Mizuhara (水原 マックス, Mizuhara Makkusu in the Japanese version) is a character in the manga and anime series Beyblade. His partner and Beyblade is Draciel.

About
Max is a happy, good-natured kid who always sees the best in everything and everyone. He is like a brother to Tyson and loves to laugh at whatever life throws at him. Max is a highly skilled Beyblader specializing in a defensive style. Max strongly believes that the key to beyblading lies in the player, and not the Beyblade. For him, Beyblading is a family affair. His father has a Beyblade shop and helps Tyson to build a better Beyblade.

Personality
Max is most known for his perky, upbeat nature and his defensive beyblading skills which has won him many friends throughout the series. He always seen with a smile on his face and is rarely down. He is a very patient and enthusiastic person. His bit-beast is Draciel, the water turtle (derived from the ancient Chinese turtle God of the North, Genbu). He is also a Ladies man, often being chivalry and a gentleman toward them, such as when he allowed Emily to go first and choose a stadium and how he acts toward Hilary during V-Force when she would get left out during any of the activity's they do.

Max is voiced by Ai Orikasa in the Japanese version and Gage Knox in the North American version.

Family
Taro Tate: Max's father is Japanese and runs a local hobby shop specializing in beyblades.

Judy Tate: Max's Mom is American and is a research scientist at a top-secret BBA facility. Judy is also the coach of the American Beyblade team, the All Starz.

Beyblades
SPIN GEAR


 * Draciel Shield - Metal Ball Defense
 * Draciel Fortress - Fortress Defense

MGCORE
 * Draciel Viper - Viper Wall
 * Draciel Viper 2 - Heavy Viper Wall

ENGINE GEAR


 * Draciel Gravity - Gravity Control. Ultra Gravity Control, Tidal Wave

HARD METAL SYSTEM
 * Draciel Metal Shield - Aqua Shield

Beyblade
One sees Max, in the first season, as a Blader full of energy. Max was the first to befriend Tyson and Kenny. He meets them by the river when Tyson attempts to save a drowning dog, but fails; thus leading Max into the rescue. At first, Kenny is jealous because he showed up out of the blue with great Beyblading skills and was also somewhat jealous of his relationship with Tyson, but this soon passes. Max, along with Tyson and Kenny, agree to enter the Japan Qualifying Tournament being hosted by the BBA, and comes in first place in Block B. In the semi-finals, he faces Kai and loses. Even though he lost, he offers Kai his hand in order to congratulate him, but Kai scoffs and walks off; a sign of his disregard for Max's skills at the time. Once Tyson beats Ray and Kai and becomes the national champion, Mr. Dickenson forms them into a team, named "Bladebreakers" by Tyson (Team BBA in the original version.) They then go off to compete in the championships. He play's a significant role in the American Tournament in which he desires to compete in order to prove himself to his Mom who is on the opposing team. All hope seem's lost for the BladeBreakers at Lake Baikai until Max jumps in and saves the day with his upgraded Beyblade having such high defences that not even Kai's Black Dranzer could penetrate. During the Battle with the Demolition Boys Max loses Draciel to them, than later Tyson defeats Tala and Draciel is returned back to his Beyblade.

Throughout the season, Max is a usual Blader for the team, and wins most of his battles. After the tournament, he moves back to America with his mom until a little later in Beyblade V-Force. Max uses 4 Beyblades in season 1: Draciel Shield, Draciel Fortress

V-Force
After the end of the Beyblade World Championships, Max moves back to America with his mother Judy to help her with Beyblade research (most likely for the American BBA).

Max is first seen walking in a parking lot listening to music when he is approached by a mysterious cloaked female beyblader (who is later revealed as Mariam) who challenges him to a battle. Max tells her he won't go easy on her just because he's a champion. When it looked like it was time for Max to go on the offensive, the female beyblader charges for Draciel and wins the battle. Stunned by his loss, Max emails Kenny about the incident and learns Tyson, Ray, and Kai have also been targeted by cloaked beybladers. They all lost their matches except Kai, who tied his match with his opponent, Dunga. This and another organization known as Team Psykick targeting the Bladebreakers prompts Mr. Dickenson to have the team reunite.

The Bladebreakers have their falling-outs this season, with Max trying to be somewhat of a voice of reason when others lose their way. He also grows a bond with the Saint Shield member, Mariam. At the end of the second championships, he and Tyson are crowned the winners.

Max has 3 Beyblades in this season: Draciel Fortress, Draciel Viper, Draciel Viper 2

Max lost Draciel twice to the Psykicks and Zeo

G-Revolution
Bright, cheerful and always ready to take on a new Beyblade challenge, Max returns in G-Revolution. He is the first to hear about the new tag-team format of the Beyblade World Championships and alerts the rest of the team. Like Ray and Kai, Max realizes there is a chance he might not be able to compete if he fights with Tyson, so he leaves the Bladebreakers to join the PPB All Starz and gains a new partner, Rick Anderson. Max and his team tie with White Tiger X for fourth place. He seems to be a bit more serious this season.

After the tournament, Daichi Sumeragi takes a liking to Max and sees him as sort of a "person to beat" in order to become world champion, getting tired of being associated with Tyson.

Max's last 3 blades this season were: Draciel Viper 2, Draciel Gravity, Draciel Metal Shield

Gallery
For a full gallery of images of Max, see Max Tate/Gallery.

Trivia

 * Max seems to like the Saint Shield Blader, Mariam and has a soft spot for her.
 * Max likes to put mayonnaise on noodles which he then eats with a great relish. In the North American version, mayonnaise has been translated as mustard.
 * In the Japanese and manga series, Max occasionally speaks American English along with Japanese.
 * Max is somewhat of a flirt in the series, as stated by Kenny when he calls Hilary cute. Also in the dub of the Beyblade movie, Fierce Battle, Ms. Kincaid's mother points out that Max dyes his hair to try to impress girls, causing Max to cover his head and sheepishly say, "You... can tell?" This may also explain why Max's hair is a darker blonde in V-Force then it is in season one or G-Revolution, although it may just be the coloring of the art style.
 * At the end of the manga, Max takes his mother's place as head director of the American BBA.
 * Max is the only blader who mainly uses the defensive style.
 * It has been speculated by fans that the "M" on Max's shirt in G-Revolution does not not stand for his name but for Mayonnaise/Mustard, which would contribute to the running gag of the season.
 * Max looses Draciel three times in Beyblade against the Demolition Boys and in Beyblade V-Force he lost Draciel again two times against Jim of Psykicks and Zeo.
 * Max has a mouth which curves in somewhat like a cat or puppy. The only other person to have this is Mariah.