Beyblade: V-Force

Beyblade V-Force is the second season of the anime series Beyblade. In the original Japanese version, it was called Bakuten Shoot BeyBlade 2002. There were several changes made in this season that differentiated from the original series; the animation and character designs took a simpler, more stylised approach, and computer generated animation was used for beybattles. The bit-beasts were also given color rather than their ghost-like appearance. A new main character, Hilary Tachibana, was added to the regular cast. The name was changed due to the fact that it was no longer 2002 when it aired in the West. It was aired as Beyblade V-Force on Abc Family in the summer of 2003.

Plot
At the start of the season, the Bladebreakers had split up. Each encountered a mysterious hooded blader who defeated them (except for Kai, who had a draw with his opponent). They later discover that these bladers are Ozuma, Dunga, Joseph and Mariam, a group called the Saint Shields, seeking to seal away the Bladebreakers' bit-beasts, saying that they are sacred spirits whose power must not get into the wrong hands.

Meanwhile, another group goes after the team's bit-beasts. This group is a criminal organization Team Psykick, led by Gideon (Voiced by: Len Carlson) & Doctor B (Voiced by: Kent Williams %28actor%29), seeking to capture the Bladebreakers' bit-beasts using any means possible. First, they lure the team to an island rigged to their advantage, pitting each member of the Bladebreakers against one of their own bladers, and try to capture their bit-beasts with machines. After much deliberation the protagonists are able to beat each one of these bladers and keep their bit-beasts safe, to be rescued from the island by Mr. Dickenson in a helicopter, to Gideon's Battle Tower.

They next create copies of the heroes' bit-beasts, known as "cyber bit-beasts". They recruit Team Psykick, who Tyson and co had befriended very recently, to control the cyber bit-beasts and use them to face the Bladebreakers. Their tournament takes place in the Battle Tower, another location rigged to Gideon's advantage. Max, playing in the first battle, loses his match after Cyber Draciel was repaired twice by a machine. The Saint Shields appear and destroy the repair machine, and this enables the rest of the team to win their battles, and recover Draciel.

After this failure, Gideon and his team of mad scientists are put out of the picture. But, Gideon's Battle Tower was terrible collapses, the scientists was dying for the ceiling is crashed. After that, Gideon pushed the villainous Doctor B, on the computer, and he was slowly dead by electrocution. Gideon is not going back, he's screaming on the ceiling was crashed again, and died for good. Dr. Zagart (Voiced by: Craig Lauzon), who is responsible for trying to steal the Bladebreakers' bit-beasts, steals a rock from the beyblade research center in the USA. The rock is very special as it contains hundreds of bit-beasts, which were sealed up by the Saint Shields' ancestors. Dr. K (Voiced by: Joanne Vannicola), who is employed by Dr. Zagart, retrieves four bit-beasts from the rock and goes against each member of the Bladebreakers, again failing. Dr. Zagart, after hearing that she had tried this four times as he had told her to stop after the first one, fires the evil Dr. K.

The Saint Shields decide to make their move, Ozuma about that story when 10,000 years ago of Ancient Rock from the bit-beasts for our ancestors. Before it is too late. In one battle, Dunga takes on Ray, and manages to win the battle and capture his bit-beast Driger, who is later sealed in a rock. They next challenge the rest of the team to a series of battles at the abandoned fairground. However, Ray is able to get back Driger, who escapes from the rock if for no other reason than his willpower. The Bladebreakers finally beat the Saint Shields, and Ozuma decides that they can be trusted to guard the four sacred bit-beasts themselves.

Zagart reveals his reasoning for trying to steal the four bit-beasts. His son, Zeo, who had become friends with Tyson, had actually died long ago in an accident and Zagart had replaced him with an android. The four sacred bit-beasts power, if combined, could turn Zeo into a real human. Zagart retrieves two more bit-beasts from the rock, one for Zeo, and one for his battle partner to be, Gordo. Gordo and Zeo enter the world beyblade championships, and get to the final battle after taking Kai's Dranzer and Max's Draciel. However, Tyson is able to beat Zeo after a long and intense battle, teaching him a valuable lesson, and returning Dranzer and Draciel to their rightful owners.This is also the season where more information is given on Tyson and Kai.

Songs
Japanese
 * "Off the Chains" by Toss & Turn (eps 1-21) (1st Opening)
 * "Urban Love" by Shiori (eps 1-21) (1st Closing)
 * "ジェット (Jet)" by Fairy Fore (eps 22-51) (2nd Opening)
 * "What's the Answer?" by Retro G-Style (eps 22-51) (2nd Closing)

English
 * "Switchblade" by Lenz
 * "Underdog" by Mudd
 * "Always be in The Game" by Jason Dean Bennison

ベイブレード Beyblade V-Force

Criticism
This series was widely criticised against due to some of the major changes made to it. The characters were said to look 'too young' for their ages and younger than they did in the first series even. Kai Hiwatari's character in particular was disliked by a majority fans. His personality was not as cold as people knew him to be from the first series, the lack of his trademark scarf and general outfit were bashed also.