Beyblade (franchise)

Beyblade (爆転シュート ベイブレー Bakuten Shūto Beiburedo, literally translates to Explosive Shooting Beyblade) is an anime and manga series about a group of kids who form teams with which they battle one another using highly powerful spinning tops called "Beyblades." Beyblade is an immensely popular series internationally, attracting millions of viewers since its inception and has been translated into different languages around the world.

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 Media, some names are changed to match the English anime version.

Development
Beyblade began during 1999 as a manga and a series of toys in Japan. After the manga became a success, Beyblade was made into an anime, that premeried in Japan, and was later dubbed and played in several other countries. Beyblade had three seasons, a few video games and a vast line of merchandise. The show originally was broadcast from 2001 and ended in 2004 in Japan. Although it was brought back in 2009 with a new anime based on a manga called Beyblade: Metal Fusion (Metal Fight Beyblade). The anime is aimed at younger elementary/primary-school aged children. It has a very young and light storyline with a younger and lighter tone in nature. It is a Shōnen or kodomo anime.

Aoki's most well-known work is Beyblade, which became a franchise around children who battle with spinning tops. He also made "Bakufu Slash;Kizna", "A War Story of Metal Walker" and "Mini-4WD Fighter V". Most of Aoki's manga revolve around video games or toys. His works are highly liked.

Anime details
List of Beyblade Episodes

Beyblade
Tyson Granger, a young boy and his friend, Kenny enter the Japanese Regional Beyblade Qualifying Tournament. There he meets Ray Kon, Max Tate and Kai Hiwatari and organize a team named the BladeBreakers in order to win the World Championship.

Beyblade: V-Force
The BladeBreakers have disbanded but their enemy teams reunite them quickly enough. Two new teams, Team Psykick and Saint Shields attack them by trying to steal their Bit-Beasts' for their own purposes. Hilary Tachibana (Hiromi) joins the team and throughout the season she learns Beyblade isn't a stupid game.

Beyblade: G-Revolution
Tyson, Max, Ray and Kai have once again disbanded the team and rejoined their old teams so they have a chance to beat each-other at the World Championship. This leaves Tyson, Kenny and Hilary left on the team but a new Blader, Daichi Sumeragi and Tyson's older brother Hiro Granger join them. However when the team needs new Bey's, the shops only sell them to another team, BEGA. But, Kenny makes new Beys for the team using different parts. However the team needs one more member to get in the World Championship. Kai, returns to the group after failing to join team BEGA. The team then partake in the World Championship to become the best BeyBlader in the world.

Beyblade: Metal Fusion
Gingka Hagane, a Beyblader from the Beyblading residence, Koma Village, travels the country in search of strong Bladers. Along the way he meets Kenta Yumiya a strong but timid Beyblader and Madoka Amano, a bey repairer. They are joined by Benkei Hanawa and Kyoya Tategami who start out as enemies but put aside their differences and develop friendly rivalries. Eventually it is revealed that he is searching for the forbidden Bey, Lightning L Drago after it was stolen by Ryuga and Doji of Dark Nebula, a secret organization with dark plans. They plan to use L-Drago to assume control of the world.

Beyblade: Metal Masters
Gingka and his friends meet a new Beyblader named Masamune Kadoya. Masamune is a new Blader who joins Gingka's group and will stop at nothing to defeat him. Gingka and Masamune in a new Beyblade Tag Tournament. This time instead of the tournament being in one place it is set around the world. So the Bladers compete to be the best Blader Team in the world.

Differences Between Anime and Manga versions
In the manga, most characters in the anime have slightly or significantly different backgrounds. For example, Tala Valkov (Yuriy Ivanov in Japanese) is less loyal to Boris/Bolkov while he was a part of Biovolt, mostly because he did not want to take other peoples' Bit Beasts away. Another example is Kai, who was a lot more ruthless, and slightly more sinister in the Manga than his appearance in the Anime. While he may have been heartless and cold at times during the Anime, his representation in the Manga was slightly more evil.

Merchandise
Main Article: Beyblade (toy) 

Beyblade has toys based on the Beyblades' seen in the anime and manga. Beyblade are high-performance spinning tops that launch into an arena via their rip cord and battle another Beyblade.

Original Soundtracks

In the English language there are two different soundtracks, one of them which was made in Canada called "Let it Rip!" and the other soundtrack was made in the UK and was called "Beyblade Let it Rip!"

In Japan there are two Original Soundtracks for the first season Beyblade OST 1 and Beyblade OST 2" The second season has no original soundtracks. Beyblade The Movie - Fierce Battle, has an Original Soundtrack. The last Beyblade series G-Revolution has an Original Soundtrack also.

Films
'Beyblade: The Movie - Fierce Battle (Explosive Shooting Beyblade The Movie: Battle!! Takao VS Daichi (爆転シュート ベイブレード THE MOVIE 激闘!!タカオVS大地 Bakuten Shūto Beiburedo THE MOVIE: Gekitou!! Takao VS Daichi?) is chronologically set between V-Force and G-Revolution, even though Daichi appears in the movie but, it is not-canon to the anime. A new Beyblade team named Shadow Bladers (consisting of new Beybladers Steven, Ashley, Daniel, and Henry) was 'introduced. It was released on August 17, 2002 in theaters in Japan and March 22, 2005 on DVD in the U.S.

After Tyson won the Japanese BBA tournament, Daichi challenges him inside the stadium. Meanwhile, Professor Tengai discovers an ancient warning of the dark spirits inside a cave on the island. When Daichi's Beyblade starts glowing during the Beybattle, the dark Bit-Beast from the Demon Rock Island starts possessing Tengai's students. The Shadow Bladers seek Daichi's bit beast, Strata Dragoon, in order to release the Bit-Beasts from the ruins. After the Shadow Bladers captured Daichi and Strata Dragoon, the dark Bit-Beasts possess Daichi and are intent to reunite with the four sacred beasts, Dragoon, Dranzer, Driger, and Draciel.

The original movie storyline was also featured in volume 14 of the Beyblade manga books, but ended on a cliff hanger due to being released on DVD. Characters in the original timeline also include China, Ping Pong, and Sarenia.

Metal Fight Beyblade VS the Sun: Sol Blaze, the Scorching-hot Invader is a film based on the Beyblade: Metal Fusion series. It was released in Japan in August 21, 2010. An English version has yet to be announced.

It's summer vacation and Gingka and his friends are excited about a Beyblade tournament but Helios, a mysterious young boy stand in their way. He possesses "Sol Blaze", a Beyblade that has been passed down since ancient times. As an intense battle between Gingka and Helios unfolds, extreme weather develops throughout the world.

VHS/DVD Releases
The popularity of Beyblade in Japan was popular enough to have VHS and DVD releases of the show. In Japan all of the episodes have been released on VHS and DVD. The Beyblade DVDs first two volumes had three episodes a piece and were sold new at 4,200 yen per DVD. The rest of season one that had five episodes were sold new at 5,500 yen. The Japanese Beyblade DVDs first season titles were Called SHOOT (plus the volume number). The Beyblade 2002 DVDs were released in two separate titles. Blader Project (Vol 1~10) and BB Victory (Vol 1~8). G-Revolution the volumes were called by the series name G Revolution and the volume number. There are 17 DVD volumes in G Revolution.

When Beyblade was dubbed by Nelvana, the USA DVDs of the first season were only released in Nelvana TV dub edited. The second season V-Force DVDs have only got released in Australia in a box set of 12 episodes for now at least. When Beyblade G-Revolution was the next season that Nelvana dubbed, Funimation released them on DVD. Volumes one to four were edited-only English dub, but then due to fan outcry, Volume five onwards contains the original Japanese episodes as well as the dubbed version. Volumes five and six were released but no new releases have been confirmed.

Video Games
There have been many video-games based on the show, spanning the Game Boy Advance and the Playstation. However, as is the case with many video games based on licensed properties these games have been critically panned.


 * V Force Adventure (Game Boy Advance)
 * Beyblade (Game Boy Color, Japan Only)
 * Beyblade (PlayStation)
 * Beyblade 2 (PlayStation, Japan Only)
 * Beyblade: V-Force - Super Tournament Battle (Nintendo Gamecube)
 * Beyblade: G-Revolution (Game Boy Advance),
 * Beyblade: V-Force - Ultimate Blader Jam (Game Boy Advance)
 * Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2002: Takao Version (Game Boy Advance, Japan Only)
 * Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2002: Daichi Version (Game Boy Advance, Japan Only)
 * Beyblade V-Force 2 In 1 TV Game (Plug-and-Play)
 * Metal Fight Beyblade DS (Nintendo DS, Japan Only)
 * Beyblade: Metal Fusion (Nintendo DS)
 * Beyblade: Metal Fusion - Battle Fortress (Wii)

Broadcasting
Beyblade, Beyblade: V-Force, and Beyblade: G-Revolution
 * Japan: TV Tokyo
 * Brazil: Jetix (and some time ago, Globo (TV XUXA's block), Cartoon Network (2002 - 2003.)
 * Denmark: Cartoon Network (Toonami block)
 * Pakistan: Cartoon Network (Toonami)(not broadcasted any more)
 * Ireland: RTE TWO (The Den block)
 * Nepal: Ntv {not broadcasted any more}
 * Poland: Jetix (and some time ago, Polsat, but not any more.)
 * Portugal: TVI and Canal Panda
 * Netherlands: Yorin, Toonami (not anymore)
 * United Kingdom: Toonami, Five, S4C (In wales/Welsh language only on Planed Plant), Cartoon Network (2002 - 2004), POP (January 28, 2008 - ), Kix! (May 19, 2008 - )

Beyblade: Metal Fusion and Beyblade: Metal Masters
 * United States: ABC Family (JETIX block) and Toon Disney (not broadcast anymore)
 * Germany: RTL 2, Jetix (nowadays not broadcasted)
 * Austria: ATV
 * Czech Republic: TV NOVA (nowadays not broadcasted)
 * Italy: Italia 1
 * Latin America: Jetix (before it was Fox Kids).
 * Costa Rica: Repretel canal 4, only G-Revolution
 * Canada: YTV (not broadcasted any more)
 * India: Cartoon Network (Toonami) (not broadcasted any more)
 * Israel: (nowadays not broadcasted)
 * Japan: TV Tokyo
 * Canada: 'YTV
 * United States: Cartoon Network
 * United Kingdom: Nicktoons

Changes in the English version
Beyblade was significantly changed to make it more palatable for a western audience. The most notable of the changes include:

Beyblade, Beyblade: V-Force, and Beyblade: G-Revolution


 * The phrase "Go Shoot" was replaced with "Let it Rip", possibly to avoid references to gun violence, but the official reasoning is unknown.
 * New intro/opening sequences.
 * Several characters' names were changed, many characters having their Japanese names changed to English alternatives. The original ones can be found on the list of Beyblade characters.
 * Instrumental soundtracks were changed to punk and metal style music, with lyrics. There wasn't any original Japanese soundtrack remaining.
 * Sound effects are changed to familiar American sound effects. There weren't any original Japanese sound effects remaining.
 * Logos originally displayed in Japanese were redesigned in English.
 * In V-Force dubbing, the name of Ray's new beyblade Driger-V was mistakenly(?) called "Driger 5". However, the "V" actually stands for "Vulcan". But seeing as "V" is the Roman numeral for "5", it's easy to guess how this mix-up occurred.
 * AJ Topper and Brad Best were added to make comments about the tournaments. They did not exist in the original instead, Blader DJ filled this role.
 * Kenny's bitbeast, Dizzara (aka "Dizzi"), was added for comic relief during the first two seasons. It was said in the dub version that she accidentally entered his laptop causing her to speak. Dizzi 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.
 * Every episode and season had its title changed from its Japanese counterpart, except for the third season's title (G-Revolution).
 * Many team names were changed in the English dub. (e.g. Team BBA was changed to Bladebreakers). The only two teams to not have their names changed were the BBA Revolution and BEGA (also known as Justice 5), both of which come from G-Revolution.
 * Originally the Beyblade name and the bit-beast name was different; for example, instead of Dragoon for both the blade and the bit-beast, it was Dragoon for the blade and Seiryuu for the bit-beast.
 * The characters were younger in the original with Tyson starting the series at 13 instead of 12, with the rest of the team aged accordingly.
 * Darker and mature themes such as violence, punching, grabbing and nudity are removed in the dub for censorship to appeal American audiences.
 * The text edits are performed for cultural streaming, such as having scenes showing Japanese text and kanji cut in the dub.

Fan reaction to these changes were mixed. Hardcore fans disliked the dubbed version of Beyblade and used the original Japanese versions as references instead. It should be noted that in the pilot, Tyson says winder, the original name of the tool, rather than ripcord. It should also be noted that in V-Force, whenever a bit-beasts' data was shown, its original name is shown (e.g. Seiryu rather than Dragoon).

Beyblade: Metal Fusion


 * Changed name from Metal Fight Beyblade to Beyblade: Metal Fusion.


 * Darker and mature themes such as violence, punching, grabbing and nudity are removed in the dub for censorship to appeal American audiences.


 * Kept most of the characters names.


 * Changed the logo.


 * Changed some of the episodes names.


 * Changed the opening intro.
 * Kept "Let it Rip!" instead of "Go Shoot!" when launching a bey into battle.

Seasonal Themes
Beyblade:
 * Let's Beyblade (opening theme) - Lukas Rossi
 * Never gonna take me down - Anthony Vanderburgh
 * Let's go Beybladers - Krystal Band
 * Heavyweight Generation Beyblades
 * All Across the Nation - The Black Europeans
 * Swing Low

V-Force:
 * Underdog - Mudd
 * Always be in the game - Jason Dean Bennison
 * Switchblade - Lenz

G-Revolution:
 * Rise Above the Storm
 * I'm Not Going Down
 * Hang On and Bonus Edition, Bladers At Chronic

Japanese

 * Official d-rights homepage
 * Takara Toys' Beyblade website