Beyblade (ベイブレード, Beiburēdo, diminutive Bey, from the diminutive of beigoma) is a line of spinning-top toys originally developed by Takara, first released in Japan in July 1999, along with its debut series. Following Takara's merger with Tomy in 2006, Beyblades are now developed by Takara Tomy. Various toy companies around the world have licensed Beyblade toys for their own regions, including Hasbro in most Western countries, Sonokong in South Korea, and Takara Tomy for most Eastern countries.
Both the toys and their names were inspired by the beigoma, a traditional Japanese spinning top. The concept is similar to Battling Tops, another spinning top game developed in 1968. The toy line was introduced with an accompanying manga series of the same name in 1999. In 2002, Hasbro began to sell Beyblade toys internationally (under license from Takara) along with a coordinated country-by-country release of localized versions of the TV series. On July 12, 2008, Takara Tomy released Metal Fight: Beyblade, the second iteration of the toy. The third iteration, titled Beyblade Burst, was released by Takara Tomy on July 18, 2015. The fourth iteration of the toyline, Beyblade X, was released on July 15, 2023.
Game and rules
Aside from informal play, a game with specific rules was published for the initial toyline. The guidelines may undergo occasional modifications based on the specific circumstances and the individuals participating. In the official competition, a minimum of two players engage in the game. Each participant is permitted a maximum of three Beyblades; however, it's important to note that once a match commences, swapping out parts is strictly prohibited. For each battle within a match, players retain the flexibility to select any of their three available Beyblades.
In Metal Fight Beyblade, a points system was introduced. In the Beyblade Burst line of toys, Hasbro releases its own rule-set for its toyline. In general, the first player to 3 points will win a match.[1]
Players receive points based on the appearance of their Beyblade, as the names of certain Beyblades can differ depending on the region. The scoring system takes into account both Hasbro and Takara Tomy terminologies, with points awarded accordingly. The Beyblade's visual appeal becomes a key factor in determining the player's score, as the Hasbro terminology is followed by the Takara Tomy names. This ensures a fair evaluation, considering the regional variations in Beyblade names. The scoring process reflects the diverse naming conventions used by both Hasbro and Takara Tomy, enhancing the overall fairness and inclusivity of the competition. In essence, the evaluation system accommodates the unique characteristics of Beyblades from different regions.
One point is awarded if the opponent's Beyblade stops spinning (Sleep Out/Survivor/Spin Finish).
One point is awarded if the opponent's Beyblade is knocked out of the stadium or falls into a pocket in the stadium (Stadium Out/Ring Out/Over Finish/KO/Knockout Finish).
Beginning with Beyblade Burst, two points are awarded if the opponent's top disassembles during a battle (Crash Out/Burst Finish).
Beginning with Beyblade X, Over Finishes count for two points, and three points are awarded if the opponent's top is knocked through the Xtreme Pocket in the special Xtreme Stadium (Xtreme Finish).
In the event of a draw (which results if both Beyblades either exit the ring simultaneously, stop spinning simultaneously, or burst at the same time), no points are awarded to either player. The stadium's pockets and entrance are sometimes referred to as "extended play area" as opposed to "primary play area" since if a Beyblade gets into one of the pockets but is able to escape, it will not count as a knockout. For the stadium's entrance, if a Beyblade flies there, gets caught there and goes around the stadium but doesn't fall out of the stadium, it will also not be counted as a knockout.
Types of Beyblades
There are four main types of Beyblades. There are Defense types, Attack types, Stamina types, and Balance types. The first three of those types have intransitive effectiveness, with Defense generally supposed to be effective against Attack, Attack against Stamina, and Stamina against Defense. However, due to the high variability of the custom designs, especially in the metal series, this is not a hard rule. Balance types may be strong or weak to any of the others depending on specific parts. However, they generally don't exceed in any aspect.
Attack
Attack Beyblades are great at in attacking other Beyblades. They are used to knock out other Beyblade, or in the case of the burst series, burst the other Beyblades at the cost of having poor stamina. They tend to outperform Stamina Beyblades, which have a lack of defense. Attack Beyblades are heavy as to be able to knock others out. They usually have flat or rubber performance tips and have layers that can grip the opponent.
Defense
Defense Beyblades are used to withstand attacks. They tend to travel slowly and are heavier than other types, resulting in opponents being deflected. Their weight also causes them to launch slower, resulting in less stamina. They tend to wear down Attack-types but are outlasted by Stamina. They tend to be made of thicker metals and have wide ball-like performance tips.
Stamina
Stamina Beyblades attempt to outlast opposing Beyblades. They are used to out-spin the enemy Beyblade. In exchange for a lack of power, they can outlast other types of Beyblades, making them naturally advantageous over Defense-Types, which focus on resisting hits. They have sharp cone-shaped performance tips.
Balance
Balance Beyblades specialize in a combination of the other three types listed above, giving them no glaring strengths or weaknesses. Regardless of their strength, they combine Attack, Defense, and Stamina Beyblades but do not excel at any of them. Some Balance Beyblades have Attack, Defense, and Stamina Modes, and their performance tips can vary.
Beybattle
An arena called a Beystadium is sold by both Takara Tomy and Hasbro. It is mmade of thin plastic and shaped like a shallow bowl but may have other features dependent on the purpose of the particular stadium.
Different stadiums were released in different markets. Takara Tomy and Sonokong produce Beystadiums similar to those featured in the manga and animeadaptations, with open sections in the walls and openings on the sides to launch into. Hasbro produces stadiums with walls that are about 3.7 in (94 mm) tall and pockets that count as a ring-out instead.
Common features of a Beystadium include a circular shallow impression, which allows Attack type Beyblades to move around quickly without accidentally knocking themselves out. Other features may be specific to the series that the Beystadium is released in, like the rails from the Beyblade Burst Slingshock toy system, the large, almost bowl-like HyperSphere toy system, the noticeably taller Speedstorm toy system, and QuadDrive toy system, which features a Low Mode and High Mode not unlike its Takara Tomy counterpart along with a detachable, separate Armor tip on the driver, and the similar QuadStrike toy system, the Armor Tips and Stadiums of which are similar to drivers from the HyperSphere system. The metal series stadiums also have a "secondary slope", which is a small area about two centimeters thick that isn't a curve that exists between the tornado ridge and the centre of the stadium and is right next to the tornado ridge. The secondary slope allows Attack Beyblades to perform a circular pattern that goes through the centre of the stadium as opposed to circling around the Beyblade in the middle that allows them to knock the Stamina Beyblade that stays in the middle out easier. This pattern is called the "flower pattern" since the path of the Beyblade resembles a flower.
Launching
A Beyblade Launcher (often referred to as a BeyLauncher) is used to launch the user's Beyblade into battle. Select launchers have different levels of power depending on the gears inside of them and the user's own launch strength. Launchers differ in size and shape, with some of them using Ripcords (long sticks of plastic with grips on the end and teeth on the sides to strike the gears of the launcher that launches the user's Beyblade when pulled) and others using Strings (long strings with grips on the end that are connected to a gear that has a retracting mechanism that strikes the gears of the launcher that launches the user's Beyblade with slightly more power when pulled). String Launchers are preferred by most players because of their launch power. Different series such as 2000/Original, Metal Fight/Fusion, and Burst launchers cannot be used with others.
Launching is often accompanied by a catchphrase. In the Takara Tomy version, this would be "3, 2, 1, Go Shoot!" (3、2、1、ゴーシュート!); in the Hasbro version, this would be "3, 2, 1, Let It Rip!"[1]
Burst Series
These toys are designed so that the top may separate if it has sustained enough hits, which creates a "burst" due to a unlocking mechanism and a spring in the performance tip. The Burst System consists of 3 parts, the "Energy Layer", the "Forge Disc" that contains most of the weight, and the "Driver", which is the equivalent of the metal series "Performance Tip", that controls the behaviour of the Beyblade. For example, Victory Valkyrie B.V has the 'Victory Valkyrie' or 'V2' Energy Layer, 'Boost' Forge Disc, and a 'Variable' Driver.
As the longest-running Beyblade series, Burst has had considerably more subsystems than its predecessors. These are:
The Dual Layer system, where the layers are made of two inseparable plastic parts.
The God Layer/SwitchStrike system, where each "layer" has its own gimmick, and the introduction of the core discs: discs that can now be attached to plastic parts called frames that add weight to the bey and feature their own characteristics.
Takara Tomy's Cho-Z Layer system, in which every "layer" features metal, increasing their weight.
The SlingShock system, Hasbro's counterpart to the Cho-Z system, featuring tops with different modes, designed to climb rails when switched to SlingShock mode. All beys excluding Dread Hades and Breaker Xcalius, however, lacked the metal found in their TT counterparts. This system marked a turning point; Hasbro would start to do their own systems rather than releasing the same beys as Takara Tomy in their main line.
The GT Layer system (GaTinko Layer System), which was released by Takara Tomy and featured customizable "layers," altering performance. Many "discs" in this system also began to have their own gimmicks.
Hasbro's HyperSphere system, released as a counterpart to the GT system, features large, bowl-shaped "performance tips" designed to climb special HyperSphere walls and strike the other Beyblades while descending.
Takara Tomy's Superking/Sparking system altered the construction of the tops by introducing "chassis," replacements for "forge discs" that heavily increased weight. In addition, new launchers were released, which gave off sparks when used, hence the name "sparking".
The SpeedStorm system (Hasbro's equivalent to the Superking/Sparking system), features taller tops designed to gain speed or change direction in the SpeedStorm BeyStadiums.
The Dynamite Battle Layer system, once again features customizable "layers," this time with both a "high" and "low" mode, intended to shift the top's center of gravity. High mode is more aggressive and is easier to knock over. Low mode is more balanced and has more stamina.
The QuadDrive system was released from Hasbro in replacement of the Dynamite Battle layer system. These layers have plastic weights, instead of metal armours, that allow the Beyblade to switch from "Core" and "Apex mode". Their drivers also feature additional pieces (called Armour Tips) that increase the height and variation of how the Beyblade moves along the stadium. A new Stadium was also released that features levels of playing fields that alternate the bey’s path. This Hasbro system is notable for the fact that it is the first one that doesn't rely on the type of stadium to function.
The BU Layer system would be the most current iteration which features the same concept as the Beyblade Burst DB system but is a different line of Beyblades that are callbacks to previous fan favourites which never got an upgrade like Chain Kerbeus or Xiphoid Xcalibur. These Beys do not get an anime season release but can be assumed to be used by their original users from the God Series.
Just like the BU Layer system, the QuadStrike system is supposed to be an upgrade from the QuadDrive system, however, the Armor Tips now are large and bowl-like, similar to the HyperSphere Drivers.
Popularity
Beyblades were the "most sought-after toy for Christmas 2002" in the UK,[3] and won the British Association of Toy Retailers award for "Toy of the year" in 2002.[4] They were the top-selling battling toys in the US in 2011.[5]
