Bakugan Battle Brawlers

Bakugan Battle Brawlers
Bakugan DVD Volume 13 (Japanese).jpg
Japanese DVD cover of Bakugan Battle Brawlers volume 13 featuring the main characters are Dan, Runo, Shun, Marucho, Julie and Alice
爆丸バトルブローラーズ
(Bakugan Batoru Burōrāzu)
Genre Action adventure, fantasy
TV anime
Directed by Mitsuo Hashimoto
Studio TMS Entertainment
Japan Vistec
Licensed by Nelvana
Network TV Tokyo
English network

Teletoon

Cartoon Network
Original run April 5, 2007 – March 20, 2008
Episodes 52 (List of episodes)
TV anime
Bakugan Battle Brawlers: New Vestroia
Directed by Mitsuo Hashimoto
Studio TMS Entertainment
Japan Vistec
Licensed by Nelvana
Network TV Tokyo
English network Teletoon
Cartoon Network
Original run April 12, 2009 – May 9, 2010
Episodes 52 (List of episodes)
TV anime
Bakugan Battle Brawlers: Gundalian Invaders
Directed by Mitsuo Hashimoto
Studio TMS Entertainment
Japan Vistec
Licensed by Nelvana
English network Teletoon
Cartoon Network
Original run May 23, 2010 – ongoing
Episodes 39[1] (List of episodes)
Anime and Manga Portal

Bakugan Battle Brawlers (爆丸バトルブローラーズ Bakugan Batoru Burōrāzu?) is a Japanese action adventure[2] anime television series produced by TMS Entertainment and Japan Vistec under the direction of Mitsuo Hashimoto. The story centers on the lives of creatures called Bakugan and the battle brawlers who possess them. Though initially a failure in Japan, the series became popular in the United States and Canada, prompting the creation of a second series, New Vestroia, which aired in other countries before Japan. The third season, Gundalian Invaders, is currently broadcasting in the Canadian and US markets.[3]

Contents

Plot

In the parallel world of Vestroia, a powerful Bakugan in search for power (a small marble magnetic sphere which when thrown on a gate card turns into a highly strong and powerful warrior) named Naga decides to absorb the energy of the two opposing cores that preserve the balance and peace in Vestroia. However he absorbed too much power and energy found within the Silent Core, the source of negative energy. The Infinity Core, the source of positive energy had been absorbed by Wavern.

In the first season, the story centers on six friends who find metallic cards which have fallen from the sky or to be more precise, Vestroia itself. They name themselves the Bakugan Battle Brawlers and consist of seven children: Dan, Shun, Runo, Marucho, Julie, Alice, and later Joe. Together they learn more about the origin of the Bakugan, Vestroia, the game involving them, and the battle against the Doom Beings.

In New Vestroia, Dan, Marucho, and Shun are called to the newly restored Vestroia to stop an alien race called the Vestals who invaded it. They allied with the Bakugan Battle Brawlers Resistance: Mira, Ace, and Baron in order to stop an evil group known as the Vexos from taking over New Vestroia, and possibly, the whole universe.

In Gundalian Invaders, Dan, Marucho and Shun get caught up in a war between two different alien factions in another universe, and teaming up with three new brawlers, Princess Fabia (Princess of Neathia), Jake (who is Human), and Ren (who is an undercover Gundalian) in order to stop the evil Gundalian Protectors, the Twelve Orders from destroying Neathia, and possibly, Earth. But Ren is secretly trying to get the Gundalians to win the war, so Fabia and her planet has been trusted by the Battle Brawlers and hopefully they'll protect Bakugan Interspace, Neathia (which is Fabia's home planet) and possibly Earth from being ruled by the Gundalians.

Media

Anime

The first fifty-two episodes of the anime television series (produced by TMS Entertainment and Japan Vistec under the direction of Mitsuo Hashimoto), made its debut in Japan on TV Tokyo on April 5, 2007 and was rebroadcast six days later on BS Japan. Nelvana Limited produced the English language version and premiered the series on the Canadian network Teletoon on July 2007 and then on Cartoon Network on February 24, 2008.[4]

New Vestroia

In March 2009, TMS and Nelvana Entertainment companies announced that a follow-up series, Bakugan Battle Brawlers: New Vestroia, consisting of 26 episodes was in production.[5] The series began airing on April 12, 2009 on the Canadian network Teletoon and then on Cartoon Network on May 9, 2009. Due to the ratings in Canada, Teletoon asked that New Vestroia be extended leading to an additional 26 episode order. Because episodes were still being made, Teletoon had to go back to reruns of the last four episodes, but Cartoon Network was able to continue straight on into the next 26 episodes and premiere them one day before Teletoon. Teletoon is ahead of Cartoon Network as of March 14, 2010.

The New Vestroia series in Japan, being released as,Bakugan Battle Brawlers: New Vestroia (爆丸バトルブローラーズ ニューヴェストロイア Bakugan Batoru Burōrāzu Nyū Vesutoroia?) aired on the TV Tokyo Network on March 2, 2010, at 7:00PM. The opening song, titled "Cho! Saikyo! Warriors" is once again done by Psychic Lover, while the ending, "Bang! Bang! Bakugan!", is done by Yoshifumi Ushima.

Gundalian Invaders

Publicly announced through Bakugan.com, the official My.Bakugan.com community, and other media, Spin Master announced a third series, titled Bakugan Battle Brawlers: Gundalian Invaders. It premiered in Canada on May 23, 2010, and aired in the United States on May 29, 2010. The new series ties into the upcoming online game Bakugan Dimensions through the use of special heat-reveal DNA codes on the new series of Gundalian Invaders Bakugan.[6][7]

Toys/Electronics

In February 2009, Digital Blue announced a new line of Bakugan branded electronics for the 20-55 (as confirmed in an interview of popular toys marketed at kids) age group. Products include branded digital cameras, alarm clocks and other electronics. The line is expected in retail in Spring 2009.[8]

Game

Bakugan
Manufacturer Sega Toys, spin master
Illustrator various artists
Publisher Sega Toys and Spin Master
Years active 2006 to present
Players 2 to 4
Age range 7 years and up
Playing time 10-20 minutes
Skills required Strategy, Arithmetic, Aim,
Website www.bakugan.com

A strategic game called Bakugan was developed by Sega Toys and Spin Master and released in conjunction with the anime series, abeit released a year before the anime even started (2006). The game uses spherical, spring-loaded miniature figures, representing the Bakugan, which pop open when rolled onto special metal Gate cards. The objective of the game is to capture three Gate cards. To win a battle, you need to use the gate cards G-power boost and the Bakugan with the highest wins. You can change the rules of battle with ability cards.[9] Battle is engaged when opposing Bakugan magnetically pop open on the same Gate card. Each Bakugan has an attack strength called "G-Power", which can be modified by the Gate card landed on, Ability cards from players' hands,special optional pieces called Traps and some Bakugan carry Battle Gear; whichever Bakugan ends up with the highest total G-Power wins the battle and captures the Gate.

The game can also be played with up to four people. The rules remain the same as a regular game. Bakugan may also be played in Big game style where players use six Gate Cards, six Ability Cards and six Bakugan, instead of three of each as in a normal game. Instead of capturing three Gate Cards, a player must capture six to win the game.

The game has spawned numerous accessories, such as carry clips to store three Bakugan marbles at a time, launchers to fire the marbles at the game arena, soft plastic and hard plastic play area mats and special gauntlets (based on the ones used in the second season).

Online game

Main article: List of Bakugan Battle Brawlers video games

On April 6th, Spin Master announced on Bakugan.com that they are working diligently on the highly anticipated online game 'Bakugan Dimensions' which will be released online for all Operating Systems that support Adobe Flash. It was released for open Beta on June 2nd, 2010.

Reception

According to IGN, it was one of the leading kids games for the Nintendo DS in 2009.[10] The Toy Industry Association gave Bakugan Battle Brawlers the 2009 Property of the Year award, recognizing the property that has had the greatest success spreading its brand throughout the industry in that year.[11]

References

  1. ↑ http://corusent.com/home/Corporate/PressReleases/tabid/1697/Default.aspx?Id=1896
  2. ↑ "Nelvana Spins New Toy Deal". AWN Headline News. January 22, 2007. http://news.awn.com/index.php?ltype=cat&category1=Licensing&newsitem_no=18917. Retrieved June 11, 2009. 
  3. ↑ "Women Are an Important Market" (PDF). Corus Entertainment. 2009-09-29. http://www.corusent.com/home/CorusentFiles/files/Corporate%20-%20Investor%20Day/InvestorDaySeminar09-slides.pdf. Retrieved 2009-10-11. 
  4. ↑ "Bakugan Battle Brawlers". Anime News Network. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=7738. Retrieved 2008-11-17. 
  5. ↑ "Production is slated to begin for the 2nd series of the worldwide smash hit animated series "BAKUGAN"" (PDF). TMS Entertainment. 2008-12-16. http://www.tms-e.com/english/pdf/tms_news_081216.pdf. Retrieved 2009-03-25. 
  6. ↑ http://www.toonzone.net/forums/showthread.php?p=3595758
  7. ↑ http://teletoon.com/teletoon3/teletoon.php?language=En&func=php|templates/show.php|../tv/bakuganGundalianInvaders/bakuganGundalianInvaders_en.xml&xVar=0
  8. ↑ "Digital Blue to Create Bakugan Branded Electronics". KidsTechReview.com (KidsTechReview.com). 2009-02-13. http://www.kidstechreview.com/2009/02/digital-blue-to-create-bakugan-branded-electronics. Retrieved 2009-02-13. 
  9. ↑ Silver, Alexandra (February 27, 2008). "Bakugan Battle Brawlers - 2008 American International Toy Fair". Time (Time Inc.). http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1715219_1715217_1715552,00.html. Retrieved 2008-11-17. 
  10. ↑ http://ds.ign.com/articles/105/1054985p1.html
  11. ↑ "TIA TOTY Awards". Toy Industry Association, Inc.. 2009-03-28. http://www.toyassociation.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=TOTY_Awards. Retrieved 2009-03-28. 

External links