Beyblade (爆転シュート ベイブレード Bakuten Shūto Beyblade?) is an anime and manga series about a group of kids battling with highly powerful spinning tops enchanted with sacred bit-beasts or spirits of mythical and powerful creatures. The show focuses on the battles between Beyblading teams as they compete to become the world champions. The main characters are the Bladebreakers, a team consisting of Tyson Granger, Kai Hiwatari, Ray Kon and Max Tate. During their quest to become Beyblade champions, Tyson and his friends meet many new friends, enemies and competitors whilst overcoming problems. Beyblade is an immensely popular series internationally, attracting millions and millions of viewers since its inception.
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 began in 2001 ended in 2004 in Japan. The anime is aimed at younger elementary/primary-school aged children. It is a Kodomo Shonen anime.
The Beyblade anime is licensed by Nelvana in North America. The Beyblade manga, made byTakao Aoki, is published in English in North America by VIZ Media, some names are changed to match the English anime version.
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Plot
[edit]Anime
[edit]Beyblade
(Beyblade (爆転シュート ベイブレード Bakuten Shūto Beyblade?))
The first season's plot was linear. The Bladebreakers were mostly concerned with winning the World Beyblading Championships. Tyson enters The Japanese Regional Beyblade Qualifying Tournament in hope to be the best Beyblader in Japan. Tyson finds himself up against Ray Kon, after defeating him, Tyson runs into Kai Hiwatari, who will eventually become Tyson's greatest and eternal rival. After Tyson defeats Kai, it is revealed that Tyson, Kai, Ray and Max are to form a team called The Bladebreakers to represent Japan in the Beyblade World Championships. Tyson and his friends head off to Chinato match up against Ray's old team, The White Tigers. It is seen that Ray's old team holds a grudge against him for leaving them, but towards the end of the Chinese Tournament, Ray and his ex team mates make amends, and the Bladebreakers win the tournament. After this, Tyson and his friends arrive in the USA to fight The All Starz, who are coached by Max's mother. After they defeat the All Starz, the team find themselves stranded in Europe. In order to get to Russia to register for the World Championships, they must battle the Majestics who are Europe's top bladers. Once in Russia, Tyson and his friends find themselves up against The Demolition Boys, the Russian Champions, who are ruthless and obsessed with power. The Bladebreakers then discover that The Demolition Boys are merely tools for the BIOVOLT Corporation, run by Kai's grandfather, Voltaire, and Boris, a criminal mastermind. Initially, Kai was pursued by Boris to join the Demolition Boys in the ultimate quest for power, the Black Dranzer bitbeast which Kai was seeking to become the best beyblader. But later he realized his folly and joined the Bladebreakers once again. The Bladebreakers defeat the Demolition Boys in the finals, with Tyson defeating their leader, Tala, and becoming the world champion.
[edit]V-Force
(Beyblade V-Force (爆転シュート ベイブレード2002 Bakuten Shūto Beyblade 2002?))
The second season finds Tyson and his friends separated. Ray has returned to his home village in China, Max has returned to America to help his mother research Beyblading, and Kai has been sent to an all boys boarding school. The teams are reunited however when a mysterious Beyblading group named The Saint Shields arrive and defeat everyone of them except Kai. The Bladebreakers come together to defeat this new foe who they learn wants to capture their four sacred bitbeasts and seal them away. After this, The Bladebreakers learn of a new criminal organization and a Beyblade team named Team Psykick who are also out to capture their bitbeasts by the villainous Gideon & Doctor B and use them for evil. Tyson and his friends are successful, but only by chance and Tyson is put into hospital for a short time. During the new Beyblade World Championships, Tyson must overcome his friend Zeo Zagart who needs to take Tyson, Kai, Ray and Max's bitbeast to make him human (it is revealed he is a robot).
[edit]G-Revolution
(Beyblade G-Revolution (爆転シュート ベイブレード Gレボリューション Bakuten Shūto Beyblade G-Revolution?))
It begins with Tyson teaching children at his Beyblading Summer School, when a new blader named Daichi Sumeragi appears and demands to fight Tyson. Tyson accepts and discovers that Daichi's bitbeast is similar to his own, as are his attacks. When the World Championships are announced, Max and Ray tell Tyson that they will not be blading as Bladebreakers and leave the team. Ray returns to China to enter with The White Tigers as Max returns to America to join The All Starz. Tyson believes he, Daichi and Kai will form a new team, but is shocked when he discovers Kai has also left to rejoin The Demolition Boys who have now renamed their team, The Blitzkrieg Boys. Tyson feels betrayed but forms a tag team with Daichi and name themselves the BBA Revolution. During the World Championships, Tyson must face his old team mates and several new teams including F Dynasty and Barthez Battalion. After the championships, Tyson is shocked to find that the BBA (Beyblade Battle Association) has been brought down only to be replaced by a new professional Beyblade League known as BEGA (Beyblade Entertainment Global Association). Tyson joins up with Ray, Max and Daichi in order to bring down this new league when they realize that Boris has returned and is now using BEGA as another attempt at world domination. Tyson is shocked when Kai joins up with The BEGA League, but relieved when he later returns to help Tyson fight the BEGA League. In the finale, Tyson defeats the ultimate Beyblade Warrior, Brooklyn (BEGA). After the official fight, Tyson and Brooklyn have a beybattle for pure fun. Mr. Dickenson and Tyson's grandfather begin to rebuild the BBA soon after, and the adventures of the Bladebreakers come to a close as Tyson and Kai have a friendly battle with their friends and teammates at their side.
[edit]Differences Between Anime and Manga versions
The Beyblade manga by Takao Aoki differs from the anime in many aspects. Characters such as Kai and Tala have differing backgrounds. Kai's in particular being fleshed out more, giving a deeper understanding of his upbringing and motives.
The characters behave very differently in the manga than the anime series. Kai Hiwatari is a lot more selfish, mean, and cold. Tala Valkov is shown as being less loyal to Boris during his BIOVOLT days, and will do anything to win. Ray Kon is a lot more mysterious. Hilary Tachibanawasn't shown in the manga at all.
Several characters who were shown in the manga books weren't featured in the anime for unknown reasons, as were some characters weren't shown in the manga but appeared in the anime.
The Beyblade manga continued for 14 volumes, and was translated and sold in many countries. The books also have epilogues from Aoki Takao (the creator of Beyblade), which involved Tyson and the gang teaching their children how to beybattle.
Additionally, the manga focuses on Daichi's story, detailing his life before he joins with the Bladebreakers. In the course of his quest to become the best beyblader in Japan he meets many friends and competitors, who do not appear in the anime at all, such as Hikaru Tomonji and Kennosuke Shishi. However, they did appear in the fourth and final season of Beyblade, which did not make it to North America.
[edit]Media
[edit]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 Beyblade OST 2" The second season has no original soundtracks. The Beyblade Movie: Takao VS Daichi, has an Original Soundtrack. The last Beyblade series G Revolution has an Original Soundtrack also.
[edit]Movie
Beyblade: The Movie - Fierce Battle (爆転シュート ベイブレード THE MOVIE 激闘!!タカオVS大地 Bakuten Shūto Beyblade The Movie: Gekitou!! Takao vs Daichi?) is chronologically set between second and third seasons, even though Daichi appears in the movie. A new Beyblade team named Shadow Bladers (consisting of new beybladers Steven, Ashley, Daniel, and Henry) was introduced.
After Tyson won 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
[edit]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 2001 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 got dubbed by Nelvana, the USA DVDs all 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. Volume five and six were released but no new releases have been confirmed.
