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Beyblade: Metal Fusion to Premiere in Canada on May 15

posted on by Egan Loo
Debut of English version; only anime listed by YTV after April besides Pokémon

The Canadian television production company Corus Entertainment has announced on Monday that the Beyblade: Metal Fusion anime series will premiere on Canada's YTV channel with a feature-length episode on May 15 at 12:00 p.m. As the newest anime series based on the Beyblade spinning top game and manga franchise, Beyblade: Metal Fusion premiered in Japan last April under the name Metal Fight Beyblade. The "Metal" in the new anime and toy line's name is a reference to the use of metal in the new tops, instead of just plastic as in the earlier incarnations.

Corus describes the plot as the following:

Following the Let it Rip phenomena that took over the TV screens and playgrounds in 2002, Beyblade makes its much anticipated return with a brand new generation of characters who take on the battle between good and evil. Competing for dominance with their spinning Beyblade tops, the perilous organization of the Dark Nebula is vying for world domination. The only person standing in their way is teenager Gingka, who struggles to find his strength to honour Beyblade and save the world.

The North American production company Nelvana Enterprises is co-producing the anime with Japan's d-rights. In fact, Martin Kucaj, the composer of the music in the English versions of the previous Beyblade projects and Medabots, had written the opening theme song for Japanese version. Takara-Tomy is producing the toys which Hasbro will sell worldwide except in the Middle East and Asia starting this spring. Nelvana, d-rights, Takara-Tomy, and Hasbro had partnered on all the previous Beyblade incarnations. The Beyblade Battle Association is planning new tournaments in North America.

The Nihon Keizai (Nikkei) Shimbun newspaper reported in April of 2008 that Takara-Tomy is reviving the franchise after four years. Takara-Tomy launched the original game franchise in 1999, and sponsored three anime series between 2001 and 2003: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade, Bakuten Shoot Beyblade 2002 (Beyblade: V-Force), and Bakuten Shoot Beyblade G-Revolution. New Beyblade episodes have not aired in the United States since 2005. Viz Media released Takao Aoki's original Beyblade manga, and Takafumi Adachi launched his new Metal Fight Beyblade manga in Shogakukan's Coro-Coro Comic magazine in 2008.

Besides Pokémon, Beyblade: Metal Fusion is the only anime series on YTV's schedule after April 24. Two other anime series, Dinosaur King and Pretty Cure, are not currently on YTV's schedule after that date.

Thanks to Primus for the news tip.

[Via Zannen for the YTV schedule news]

Image © Takafumi Adachi, MFBB Project, TV Tokyo


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