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| Beyblade | |
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| ベイブレード (Beyblade) |
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| Genre | |
| TV anime Beyblade | |
| Directed by | Toshifumi Kawase |
| Studio | Madhouse |
| Network | TV Tokyo |
| Original run | 8 January 2001 – 24 December 2001 |
| No. of episodes | 51 |
| TV anime Beyblade V-Force | |
| Directed by | Tetsuo Takeuchi, Yoshio Takeuchi |
| Studio | Madhouse |
| Network | TV Tokyo |
| Original run | 7 January 2002 – 21 December 2002 |
| No. of episodes | 51 |
| TV anime Beyblade G-Revolution | |
| Directed by | Mitsuo Hashimoto, Toshifumi Kawase |
| Studio | Madhouse |
| Network | TV Tokyo |
| Original run | 6 January 2003 – 29 December 2003 |
| No. of episodes | 52 |
Beyblade (ベイブレード Beiburēdo) is a spinning top toy produced by Takara starting in 1999/7. In 2002, Hasbro produced Beyblade based on the corresponding anime TV series.
In the toy, the basic rule is to by knocking competitor out of the dish named BeyStadium, or to outspin the competing tops.
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The first Beyblade tops and all tops up to the HMS series are made mostly of plastic, save the Weight Disk and some Base tips. These blades all include five basic parts:
-Bit Chip: A decorative plate inserted into the Attack Ring of the Beyblade. This part displays a mythical creature, or "Bit Beast", which are the companions of the bladers in the anime but are useless in real blading
-Attack Ring: The second topmost part of the Beyblade. This determines the blade's effect when it impacts its opponent, as this is normally the first part to come in contact with the opposing blade
-Weight Disk: Part located in the direct center of the Beyblade. Determines blade's endurence and most of the time its central weight.
-Spin Gear: Determines the direction of the Beyblade, clockwise (Right) or counterclockwise (Left)
-Blade Base: Bottom part of the Beyblade. Houses the Spin Gear and is normally the first part of the blade to touch the Beystadium. Determines blade's movement pattern.
The first blades are composed of a four-layer part system: Bit Chip, Weight Disk, and Blade Base. In the Blade Base of a four-layer system blade the Spin Gear is permenantly attached. Four-layers usually have six-sided Weight Disks.
Upon the arrival of the S- and F-series of blades a new system was introduced which included detatchable and interchangable Spin Gears, thus creating a five-layer blade system. Along with these Spin Gears S- and F-series blades use eight-sided Weight Disks.
Widely distributed during the Beyblade 2000 (V-Force) season, these blades use magnetic Spin Gears and Weight Disks to push or repel blades from each other or the stadium, which can have magents added beneath the surface to manipulate the blades.
Engine gear is a spinning core containing a winder, which gives the top extra spinning power. This Engine gear first appeared in the G-revolution series before being translated into the toys.They have 10 sided weight disks
4 types of EG (Engine Gear) bases have been produced.
First Clutch: The base that holds the Beyblade's EG releases the clutch as soon as it is launched. (Comes in Metal Driger, Driger G, Dragoon G, Dragoon GT, and Zeus)
Second Clutch: The base that holds the Beyblade's EG releases latter in mid-battle. (Comes in Dranzer G, Draciel G, Gaia Dragoon G, Gigars, and Dranzer GT)
No Clutch: The base has no clutch meaning there isn't anything to prevent the Engine Gear to release. However, the bases allow the EG to release at a steady and slow rate. (Comes in Wolborg IV and Rock Bison)
Gyro EG: This base is the only one of its kind to have a different EG. The only capable EG that can fit with this base is the Gyro EG which comes along with it. It can be spun in either the Left or in the Right Direction with also the direction of the normal launch. (Comes with Flame Pegasus)
For the 4 GT Series Beyblades that were released, the EG that comes with them is able to have a slot for the Customizable Engine Weight(CEW) which is interchangable with other CEWs.
The EG however can fit with the "Clutch" bases.
The original CEWs that were produced my Takara were these following CEWs: Light Sharp(Comes with Zeus(Takara Ver.))
Metal Semi-Flat(Comes with Dranzer GT and Gigars(Hasbro Ver.))
Metal Grip(Comes with Dragoon GT)
Metal Change(Comes with Gigars(Takara Ver.))
Metal Sharp(Comes with Flame Pegasus)
Metal Ball Sharp(Comes with Zeus(Hasbro Ver.))
NOTE: Some of the parts listed may have just been replicated with a new color for several of Hasbro's G2 Series Blades.
Beyblade HMS (Heavy Metal System) was released after the Engine Gear line of blades in respect to the anime series. This series, unlike ones in the past, use smaller pieces of mainly metal.
These blades are composed of a four-layer part system: Bit Protector (holds parts together, unlike it's plastic counterpart, the Bit Chip, which was merely decorative), Attack Ring (composed of a inner metal part screwed to an outer ASB caul), Weight Disk (HMS Weight Disks are completely circular, unlike plastic Weight Disks which were shaped as hexa-,octa-, and decagons. There are also Customizable Weight Disks, which have plastic and metal parts, the plastic parts giving that Weight Disk a certain property), and a Running Core (The Blade Base of HMS). HMS do not use Spin Gears nor do they require them since the blade can be launched from both spin directions. This is possible through the HMS Neo Duel Launcher, which allows such spin-changing.
Like the TV show, some Beyblade tops can be controlled after they are launched. For head to head battle between 2 RC tops, 2 RC launchers with seperarte frequencies are required.
In anime and manga, the story is about a group of children battling with highly powered spinning tops enchanted with sacred 'bit beasts' or spirits of mythical and powerful creatures.
The show focuses on the battles between beyblading teams. The hero team, the Blade Breakers, includes Takao Kinomiya (Tyson Granger in the English), Kai Hiwatari, Max Mizuhara (Max Tate), Rei Kon (Ray Kon), and Kyouju (Kenny) who battle it out against teams across the globe to be the world's best beybladers.
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 Mediaand keeps its original right to left format, though names are changed to match the English anime version. In Singapore, it is published in English by Chuang Yi.
There have also been several videogames based on the show, spanning the Game Boy Advance, PlayStation and GameCube. However, as is the case with many videogames based on licensed properties these games have been critically panned.
Beyblade has a total of 3 seasons, though generally quite similar, with about 51 episodes in each. The Japanese names for each season have been put in the brackets. In season one the beyblades were drawn by hand only, in seasons two and three they were brought to life with a mix of drawings and CGI.
The main teams opposing the protagonists are often quartets with some trait in common.
For most of the arc, the stories focus on battling an evil organization trying to capture bit beasts, with little mention of world championship towards the end. This season introduces the Magnacore tops. A new main character, Hilary Tatibana (Hiromi Tachibana), is added to the cast.
After Tyson have become 2-time world champion, other members of Bladebrakers decide to leave Tyson for a chance to become Beyblade champion. BBA tournament rule is changed to round robin system, with each team having 2 player per match with up to 2 reserve players.
Two new main characters, Daichi (Daichi Sumeragi) and Hiro Granger (Hitoshi Granger in the manga)/Jin of the Gales (Hitoshi Kinomiya/Shippu No Jin) are added to cast. This season introduces the Engine Gear tops, with debut of Hard Metal System tops in BEGA arc.
In BEGA arc, former Bladebreakers reunited to battle against BEGA, the Beyblade Entertainment Global Association, in a 5-vs-5 match.
Arriving in United States, Beyblade was significantly changed by Nelvana.The most notable of the changes:
Presumably most of the show's target audience outside of Japan are unaware of these changes.
Beyblade: The Movie - Fierce Battle is chronologically between second and third TV series, but Daichi appeared in the movie. A new Beyblade team named Shadow Bladers, consists of Steven, Ashley, Daniel, Henry, was introduced.