How to become a Beyblade champion: 25-year Beyblade veteran Tatsuki reveals his path from Bakuten Shoot Beyblade G1 winner to becoming Japan’s Beyblade X National Champion

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[日本語版はこちらをクリック]

An interview with Japan’s Beyblade X champion, Tatsuki

Beyblade recently celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2024. 

Countless children around the world have grown up enjoying each successive generation of the game, from Bakuten Shoot Beyblade, to Metal Fight Beyblade, Beyblade Burst, and Beyblade X. 

But very few have achieved success at the highest level of official competition across both the original generation “Bakuten Shoot Beyblade” and the latest, “Beyblade X”.

How is this possible?

What can 25 years of experience teach you about Beyblade?

What does it take to become strong?

What does it take to become a champion?

How is it possible to remain motivated to play for such a long time?

Everyone’s path is unique, but I set out to find the answers to questions like these from Tatsuki, the 2024 Japan Beyblade X National Champion and two-time Bakuten Shoot Beyblade G1 Champion.

In this interview you will learn from Tatsuki, a Beyblade veteran with 25 years of experience in the competitive scene in Japan, the birthplace of Beyblade. He spoke to me about his history with the game, philosophy, impressions and opinions of various generations, as well as each of the two major tournaments that led him to representing Japan at the the Beyblade X Asia Championship 2024.

Of all the participating countries in the championship, the path to qualifying for the Asia Championship in Japan may have been the most difficult. In order to earn the right to represent Japan, Tatsuki needed to not only finish within the top two in one of the four 512 player G1 qualifying tournaments across Japan, but also win the highest level national event–the Grand Prix–against seven regional representatives who also had done the same thing.

After the interview, at the end you’ll find my own thoughts on the answers he provided to my questions, how I connect it to my own journey as a Beyblade player, and how you can hopefully do the same. 

The insight from Tatsuki and myself in this article represents knowledge drawn from a combined total of nearly 50 years of Beyblade experience.

If you have any interest in becoming a stronger Beyblade player or simply in the history of Beyblade, this is a must-read. Enjoy!

Accolades from the Beyblade Community

Don’t just take my word for it. Read a few of the accolades the interview has received from members of the Beyblade community:

A great article please go read it!

Zankye

This interview is amazing, it’s long one though but so many great insights.

SapphireBlaze

This was a great read. It’s cool seeing the mind of a Beyblade champ.

og_pinoy_beyblader

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Who is Tatsuki?

Blader Kei: Can you introduce yourself? Where are you from?

Tatsuki: I’m from Tokyo and I’m turning 30 this year. My real name is “Tatsuki”. I use it as my blader name too. My younger brother and some of my friends also call me “Tacchan.”

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History with Beyblade

… I still feel that it was a valuable experience to experience the fundamental principle of competition, “It’s fun to win, and it’s frustrating to lose,” as an elementary school student …

Tatsuki

Discovering Beyblade

Kei: How did you discover Beyblade? How long have you been playing it?

Tatsuki: I first learned about Beyblade when I was 5 years old. A friend let me play at his house. I remember being given a “Kids Draciel” and taking it home, but playing without a stadium and getting told off.

I’ve been playing for 25 years since then.

Experience with each generation

K: Can you describe your experience with each generation of Beyblade? Have you always been active competitively?

T: I played Beyblade as a player from the first to the fourth grade of elementary school. The boom came to an end during the Bakuten HMS series when I was in fourth grade. After that, I stepped back from playing and took on the role of a supporter, focusing on spectating and providing assistance.

During the Metal Fight series, I supported my younger brother. And during the Burst series, I supported the regular members of my team. Then, with the X series, I returned as a player.

Although I say “returned,” in reality, I continued playing through all generations and consistently remained at the forefront of major tournaments, so there was no real break. On the contrary, I gained many insights through my experiences as a supporter, which allowed me to return to competition as a more refined player.

Winning G1 tournaments during the Bakuten Shoot Beyblade generation

K: Prior to Beyblade X, you won a G1 during the Bakuten Shoot Beyblade generation. Can you describe your memories of that experience and what it was like to play during that generation?

T: I started competing when I was about 7 years old. Before that, I was just a boy who played with Beyblades as a toy.

I met a strong blader at a local tournament and started thinking about how I could become stronger. At my parents’ suggestion, I even asked the child and his parents for advice directly.

Interestingly, that family was one of the original members of “Wari-Bey,” which would later represent Japan.

I gained knowledge and experience, and was able to win two G1 tournaments in the HMS series. The environment at the time was good, but in order to achieve results in large tournaments, it was very important to have friends to practice and check with, and a place to test your strength.

I still feel that it was a valuable experience to experience the fundamental principle of competition, “It’s fun to win, and it’s frustrating to lose,” as an elementary school student, and to work towards becoming the best in Japan and the world.

Favourite generation and combos

K: What is your favourite generation of Beyblade? And why?

T: You might find it surprising, but my favorite is the Metal Fight series. Despite its simple part configurations, I was impressed by how much the strategic possibilities expanded just by changing the height with the track, even using the same combination. Additionally, I feel it was the series with the highest overall level of perfection as spinning tops, including aspects like center of gravity and balance.

I suppose I should probably mention the X series or the Bakuten and HMS series that I played with… (laughs)

K: What are the top three combinations across all generations of Beyblade that you have the fondest memories of using? What made them so memorable?

T: Do I come across as a defensive player who reliably withstands attacks? In truth, my roots are in attack strategies.

Back during the Bakuten series, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t win in stamina battles against the top players of that time. As a countermeasure, I started using attack-focused strategies. My thinking was, “If I can send everything flying with an attack, I’ll win,” and that led to a very aggressive playstyle.

Wizard Rod holds a special place in my heart because it’s the Beyblade that secured my GP championship victory and also reignited my passion as a player. That said, for those familiar with my GP finals battle, Wizard Rod might also seem like an attack Beyblade in their eyes (laughs).

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Impressions of Beyblade X

This may be an extreme view, but looking at the current environment, it doesn’t seem to be based on stamina-based strategies or strong players continuing to win.

Tatsuki

Impression of the series

Kei: What is your impression of Beyblade X so far? What do you like? Dislike?

Tatsuki: I think it’s incredibly enjoyable.

When I experienced it last summer, I was a bit unsettled by the uncertainty of winning and losing. 

However, I feel that the unique stadium, its shape, and its mechanisms enable a lot of things that wouldn’t be possible otherwise, and they add a significant level of skill-based intervention to the game.

I’m not sure if “dislike” is the right term, but one concern I have is the uncertainty of being able to participate in tournaments. As the boom accelerates and the player base grows, the loss of opportunities for strong players to compete in tournaments becomes a major issue for the competitive scene.

Uncertainty of being able to participate in tournaments

K: I agree that the uncertainty of being able to participate in tournaments is a big problem.

The introduction of the S1 event system for officially promoting fan-hosted tournaments is a step in the right direction to help solve this problem. But at the same time, we both know that S1 events are not the same as official tournaments at B4 stores or those hosted by Takara-Tomy. The volume of B4 store events and Takara-Tomy hosted events is clearly not enough.

It seems to me that in terms of Takara-Tomy hosted events, they are limited to some degree by the size of their core development and event team. Recently, they have experimented with introducing “Bladers’ Judges”, which might be a way to help them scale up the volume of official tournaments in the future. Do you think this is a good idea?

Are there any other things you think they should consider in order to provide more opportunities for meaningful, high level competition?

T: I don’t think it’s a good idea for players to double as judges (operators) in competitions. This is because it may lead to biased judgments and make it difficult to make fair judgments. Also, as a player, there is a concern that they may steal other players’ techniques and thoughts through judging and checking.

During the Burst series, when I was working as a supporter for a team, I suggested that I wanted to join the operation, but I was told, “If that’s the case, I’ll have to leave the team.” I believe that the positions of players and judges should be clearly separated.

There is a difficult issue regarding the number of tournaments. In the past, there were few cases of lotteries being called for, but now the number of competitors has increased, and it costs a lot of money to prepare places to hold tournaments and events. In the 2024 season, only those who were eligible continued to play in tournaments, from G1 to GP and ACS. Because of the progression of this tournament circuit, the on- and off-season periods became extremely divided for everyone.

In 2025, I hope that the annual schedule will be well distributed and many tournaments will be held in various places.

A new way of fighting created by the Xtreme Stadium

K: From a skill-based perspective, what does the Xtreme Stadium enable that wasn’t possible in previous generations? What should players who want to improve in this stadium pay attention to?

T: The good thing about it is that it’s easier to deal with stamina and defense, especially attacks. On the other hand, the bad thing is that it’s harder to land attacks.

Until now, there was no effective way to “receive” attacks in any series, and the most common tactic was to “avoid” them. However, the introduction of the Xtreme Stadium changed the situation. The structure of the stadium with the Over Zone on one side and the presence of gears have established a new way of fighting, creating an environment where attacks are difficult to get through.

I recommend that players who want to improve establish their own style while understanding this environmental structure. There are many videos of me publicly available, so you might find some hints in them.

Thoughts on Beyblade X’s design philosophy

K: You mentioned that the Metal Fight Beyblade series has the “highest overall level of perfection as spinning tops, including aspects like center of gravity and balance”. With this perspective, how do you feel about the design philosophy of Beyblade X? For instance, many parts seem to be intentionally imbalanced in order to make it harder to perfect their center of gravity and balance. As far as I can recall, this was much less common in Metal Fight Beyblade.

T: This may be an extreme view, but looking at the current environment, it doesn’t seem to be based on stamina-based strategies or strong players continuing to win. Looking at the trend of unbalanced parts and products, it seems that they place emphasis on accidental victories and one-hit battles with big attacks.

If that’s the case, I think Beyblade X is pursuing the fun of being a “toy.” On the other hand, if this is a sport and they aim to become more professional, I think they need a system that allows top players to continue winning stably.

At the moment, it’s not clear which direction they will steer, but I feel that the choice will have a big impact on the nature of the content, such as future product development and the format of tournaments. I would like to keep an eye on the vision that Beyblade X aims for.

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X-TREME CUP GP 2024 Qualifying G1 Osaka Report

The moment I lost, my mind went blank. Up until then, my friends had won in Sendai and Fukuoka and were representing the team, so I felt that since I had defeated my brother in the semi-finals, I was responsible for that.

Tatsuki

What was the event like?

Kei: You placed second in the X-TREME CUP GP 2024 Qualifying G1 Osaka tournament hosted by TAKARA-TOMY. Next, I’d like to ask you about that experience.

Can you describe what the event was like? Were there any memorable moments?

Tatsuki: This isn’t an answer specifically about G1 Osaka, but I attended all the G1 venues, including the Japan Championship (JCS).

As expected from large-scale tournaments during a period of heightened excitement, I truly felt the sheer number of participants in the competitive scene.

The JCS Tokyo qualifiers, in particular, had a level of tension reminiscent of past G1 tournaments from previous series, which brought back some nostalgic moments for me.

Additionally, I realized once again that I prefer tournaments held as part of large-scale events, where a variety of people can watch, rather than in settings limited to participants selected through a lottery system.

Qualifying rounds

K: Can you describe your matches from each of the qualifying rounds during the G1? What Beyblades did you and your opponents use? 

T: I used Wizard Rod 3-60B in all the qualifying rounds.

The Osaka qualifiers were held just two days after the release of Cobalt Dragoon, but there were very few bladers using it. My opponent in the third round was using the default Cobalt Dragoon, but all of my other matches were against Wizard Rod + Ball customizations. I got the impression that there were fewer attack types used here compared to the qualifiers in other regions.

At the time, many players would choose attack types when they knew they were up against me, so this was a bit surprising.

However, there were many accidents where the Wizard Rod would be accidentally knocked out in battles between Wizard Rods, so it was very important to take care of that. I had to aim for a Spin Finish while considering all the risks, and I felt that it was a very difficult qualifier.

Most difficult match

K: What was your most difficult match at the G1 tournament and why?

T: It was a match where my Wizard Rod faced another Wizard Rod, and I was hit by the initial strike, leading to an Xtreme Finish.

In battles between Wizard Rods, many players might remember moments where the tops unintentionally bounced off each other. This type of situation leaves a strong impression when you are subject to it.

Being in a situation where losing one more point would mean defeat, I had to carefully manage the initial strike while ensuring a Spin Finish. Having to score four consecutive points against an opponent whose skill level was unknown required immense focus.

On top of that, when my opponent realized they couldn’t win through spin alone, they adjusted their launching technique or increased their power. This made the battle even more challenging for me.

Final match

K: Can you describe what happened during the final match of the G1?

T: The Osaka G1 was a major tournament right after the release of Cobalt Dragoon, and I think everyone was conscious of how much rotation it could absorb from right spinning Blades when they collide with opposite spin directions, as the first left spinning Blade.

It seems surprising now, but at the time, most people passed on using Cobalt Dragoon.

I put it in the third slot of my deck. The reason I did so was because it would be fun to win using it. That was the biggest reason.

I practiced it before using it, but I still had a strong desire to win with something that no one else was using.

However, I never expected the final to end like that.

I’m sure he was the main character at the time. I think it was a good match.

The moment I lost, my mind went blank.

Up until then, my friends had won in Sendai and Fukuoka and were representing the team, so I felt that since I had defeated my brother in the semi-finals, I was responsible for that.

If my brother had fought instead of me, would he have won?

If someone else had won instead of me, would he have won?

I was thinking about these things on the day I came in second place.

Winning Beyblades

Kei: What Beyblades did you use to win the G1? Can you describe why you used each one? And what you like about them?

T: These are the Beyblades I used the most at the time.

② I chose C instead of R to focus on acceleration.

③, as mentioned above, is mainly because it’s fun.

In terms of the trends at the time, some people may be concerned about the fact that I didn’t use Tyranno Beat.

In fact, I used Tyranno Beat 5-60R several times in the store G3 tournament, and it was in my case.

However, I didn’t have a very good impression of it, and I couldn’t imagine winning even if I used it, so I used Cobalt Dragoon for ③.

I think that building your deck according to trends can be a shortcut to success. But it’s important to be familiar with what you choose and have a vision of winning with it, even if it’s just a Ratchet.

I think the most important thing is to practice hard with the Beyblade you use and to have an attachment to it without any compromise.

Beyblade X experience prior to the G1

K: Before becoming a GP representative through this G1 tournament, how had your experience with Beyblade X been up to that point? Had you won any tournaments before? Did you have any periods of failure or lessons you learned along the way which helped you to eventually reach the finals of this G1?

For instance, I believe that when we were both at the G2 Beyblade X X-Treme Cup 2023 in Fukuoka you lost in the first or second round. The path to victory is never a straight one, isn’t it?

T: I have fond memories of the Fukuoka G2 in 2023.

It was surprising to people around me, but in fact, until I became a representative in the Osaka G1, I had never won any grade. Throughout 2024, I only won one store G2 tournament and one G3 tournament.

Looking back, it’s not that I failed, but rather that I started facing Beyblade X late in the first place. Previously, I was in a position to support the players as a supporter, and I didn’t prioritize winning myself. I only participated in the Fukuoka G2 as a kind of trip.

It’s difficult to explain why I became a representative in the G1 and won the GP, but my biggest motivation was the desire to “stand on the stage again and win with everyone’s cheers on.” This feeling was especially strong when Mokky won the Fukuoka G1. Also, around this time I was enjoying building and adjusting my own Beyblade. The realization that I had reached a level where I could compete on an equal footing with my team members was a major driving force.

I am the type of person who is not satisfied unless I push myself to the very end. Therefore, when I worked on something and felt the possibility, or when I felt the desire to win, I practiced many times to make sure I could grab the victory. Even if I did not win, I believed that my efforts up to that point were not wrong. Because I was convinced that if I did not lose the one match in front of me, I would eventually see victory.

There are countless things to work on in order to win, but first of all, it is important to believe in your own confidence. Confidence that wavers after losing once or twice is not real. If there is something wrong, push yourself further and improve it. And it is important to be prepared to overcome pressure and perform at your best in any situation.

Even if you have great skills, it is meaningless if you cannot demonstrate them in the real thing. The things you work on will change depending on whether you are conscious of the qualifying tournament or G3, or whether you are aiming for a stage or GP. First of all, you need to have confidence, cultivate a spirit that never gives up, and be prepared to make a decision on the stage. All of these things lead to confidence. Please try to think about what kind of player you want to be and what kind of play you want to win with.

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X-TREME CUP GP 2024 Report

If you’re going to win anyway, isn’t it more interesting to win with an explosive finish in an intense match?

Tatsuki

What was the event like?

Kei: You won the X-TREME CUP GP 2024 tournament hosted by TAKARA-TOMY to become the Japanese national Beyblade X champion. Next, I’d like to ask you about that experience.

Can you describe what the event was like? Were there any memorable moments?

Tatsuki: Even though the tournament was only for representatives, a lot of people came to watch.

When I think about how many people came to witness the moment when Japan’s best player was decided, I feel incredibly happy to have been able to stand on that stage.

Three people from my team, including myself, participated as representatives. So, I went in with the determination that one of us, or myself, would win.

Most difficult match

K: What was your most difficult match at the GP tournament and why?

T: It was the semi-final against my teammate Mokky.

That match was the worst deck matchup, and I still think it’s amazing that we were able to win.

I think each of our choices led to the result; I played aggressively, knowing that I might overshoot, and then played carefully, keeping in mind my safety.

When I led by a score of 3-1, I think we took a long time to choose our deck. But given the deck matchup, it was a match where a comeback loss was entirely possible, so it was an extremely tough fight.

If there are matches that you can win safely and with certainty, then that semi-final was a match that we couldn’t win unless we were aggressive.

Final match

K: Can you describe what happened during the final match of the GP?

T: The moment I defeated my teammate in the semi-finals and made it to the finals reminded me of the Osaka G1.

Still, strangely, I wasn’t anxious, and I thought, “I have to do it, I have to win,” which I think is because I had practiced and prepared for them.

That match was the most calm and enjoyable match of the day. I had prepared for all the players’ decks and habits, so I was confident that I could win no matter who I was up against.

Hime’s deck itself was a very sharp composition with three attack units, but his playstyle was very careful and bold, so I was conscious of how I could adapt to the way he wanted to play. On the other hand, if he changed his playstyle, it would be difficult for me to counter him, so I was careful.

From the semi-finals onwards, I switched my second and third units based on my philosophy.

I think that “it would be good if the moment of victory is exciting,” and in X, I think that takes the form of an Over Finish or Xtreme Finish.

If you’re going to win anyway, isn’t it more interesting to win with an explosive finish in an intense match? So my vision was to get two Spin Finishes, and then score two points via Over Finish to win.

But it’s not that easy.

I think I wasn’t able to launch Aero Pegasus, my third Beyblade, well because I was anxious about something in my mind.

This experience would later have a big impact on my feelings at the ACS.

My deck choices from the fourth battle onwards ended up betraying the above thinking.

I chose Wizard Rod, Silver Wolf, and Aero Pegasus, in that order. With this choice, I wouldn’t achieve my goal of “it would be good if the moment of victory is exciting.”

When I was choosing my deck, I even thought, “I hope the others will forgive me for winning with a Spin Finish.”

In that sense, I was very calm (laughs).

I think you all know the result, so I’ll give you a little backstory.

There was a reason why I switched it from the first round.

I thought Hime would want to win with Dran Sword. Dran Sword was definitely his key Beyblade and the core of his point-getting.

When we looked at the point allocation, I didn’t imagine the match would be a close one until the sixth battle, so I think we were both looking at the fifth battle.

Looking at it with that in mind, the Dran Sword and Wizard Rod Blades actually don’t have great compatibility, so we decided to leave it out of that position.

Also, because of the shape of Silver Wolf Elevate, it can roll into the Xtreme Zone and lose, so we chose Wizard Rod as our fourth Beyblade to ensure that we wouldn’t lose three points.

In the end, the match ended in a dramatic way that no one expected.

I probably had the best luck among all the tournament participants that day.

If the third battle had been a score of two or more points for him instead of a Spin Finish, or if it had been a Spin Finish for me, my selected fourth Beyblade and the result would have been completely different.

3on3 battle philosophy

K: Can you talk a little bit more about your philosophy for 3on3 battles? Specifically, how you think about what to choose for fourth, fifth, and sixth battles.

In this tournament, you mentioned that your vision was to score two Spin Finishes and then finish the match with an Over Finish. But you alluded to the fact that your Beyblade choice may have been different depending on the outcome of the third battle.

How does the score of a match after the third battle influence your decision?

T: Regarding 3on3 battles, I believe it is important to have a clear awareness of which battle number you want to win by in the end. The key is to choose the Beyblades in the proper order by comparing what you and your opponent have in your hands and assuming when both sides are aiming for victory. Especially in the second round (battles 4-6) within the same match, this concept has a significant impact on the winner.

For example, in a situation where the point distribution is 3-to-3 or 3-to-2, there is a lot of pressure that the match may end next. By extension, in a 2-to-1 situation, you must be aware of “how many pieces the match will last until” and anticipate the moves of both you and your opponent.

As a hypothetical example, consider the following point distribution.

Pattern in which Battle 1 was Over Finished and it became 3-to-1

In this case, the opponent is likely to use a Beyblade that he is confident of getting a point for sure, since there is no time left.

Pattern in which Battle 3 ends in an Extreme Finish and the score becomes 2-to-3

The opponent only needs one more point to decide the winner. Therefore, there is a possibility that he will choose an aggressive Beyblade that aims to settle the game in the next round, or that he will choose to connect to the next round even if he is outclassed.

I am sure that in this situation, my opponent would bring out Dran Sword as his fourth Beyblade. I need to consider how to respond to that idea of my opponent.

As a result, in allocating the scores for the day, I don’t think either of us thought that the fourth battle would decide the winner. In fact, I did not think that way. I came to that choice after thinking through how I wanted to win and how my opponent wanted to win, assuming that the game would continue until the “fifth battle” with an eye toward the final victory.

Of course, these are not all applicable to everyone, as different people have different strategies and mindsets. However, I believe that making choices while also considering the situation and psychology of your opponent, rather than making choices based on your own selfishness, will lead to a higher winning rate.

Winning Beyblades

K: What Beyblades did you use to win the GP? Can you describe why you used each one? And what you like about them?

T: My composition changed a lot from Osaka G1, but I think it matched my playstyle very well.

I used Silver Wolf E as a countermeasure against Cobalt Dragoon E, which was rampant in the environment at that time.

I’m sure there were almost no people using Silver Wolf E at that time.

The opponent that Silver Wolf E is weak against is definitely Wizard Rod B. This is still the same now.

However, it was worth using it because it can withstand attacks, you can win as long as you don’t draw Wizard Rod, and it can keep Dragoon E in check.

There was a risk that the Elevate Bit would burst, but surprisingly this didn’t happen.

I tested it many times and if I understood the characteristics of the Elevate Bit and Silver Wolf well, it was an area that I could take care of with skill. As a result, I used it twice in the semi-finals and as the first one in the finals.

This also ties into my desire to try and win with something that no one else is using, which is why I used Cobalt Dragoon in the Osaka G1.

Conversely, I couldn’t use Cobalt Dragoon at that time (laughs).

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Beyblade X Asia Championship 2024 Report

Watching my Beyblade enter the Xtreme Zone more slowly than it had at the Osaka G1, I realized that “I’ve done something I shouldn’t have done again.”

Tatsuki

What was the event like?

Kei: As the Japanese national champion, you played in the Beyblade X Asia Championship 2024 tournament hosted by TAKARA-TOMY. Next, I’d like to ask you about that experience.

Can you describe what the event was like? Were there any memorable moments?

Tatsuki: As it was an international tournament, the atmosphere was different from usual.

Still, it was a very comfortable feeling to think that most of the people who had come to support Japan and me.

I no longer felt the responsibility or pressure to win.

However, I felt very lonely, including at the reception.

I’m used to being alone, and I can perform as well as usual even by myself, but I had to pay more attention to my surroundings than usual.

Match versus Taipei representative, Jerry

K: Can you describe what happened during your match at the ACS with Jerry, the Taipei representative?

T: In conclusion, I didn’t think I would lose in such a place.

I thought I had taken care of everything perfectly.

That’s why I still don’t know why I lost or what I was missing.

I launched the first Aero Pegasus horizontally and strongly. This was part of my preparation for the ACS, and I was always conscious of “attacking aggressively on stage”.

As a result of practicing with the idea of ​​”being able to use it when it matters and being able to perform at my best when it matters”, I aimed for an Over or Xtreme Finish rather than a Spin Finish in that battle.

In the end, I got a Spin Finish, but I have no regrets because it was the result of attacking.

I was a little worried about the third battle, but I think I did everything I could. But it still knocked out, and I was speechless.

Watching my Beyblade enter the Xtreme Zone more slowly than it had at the Osaka G1, I realized that “I’ve done something I shouldn’t have done again.”

Used Beyblades

K: What Beyblades did you use in the ACS? Can you describe why you used each one? And what you like about them? Did you make any changes from the GP to the ACS?

T: I reused the configuration I used in GP almost exactly as it was.

As for Aero Pegasus, I think R is the best for all-purpose use, so I changed it back to R from LF used in GP.

In GP, ​​I used LF because there were many games I couldn’t win without attacking, but in ACS I placed emphasis on flexible operation according to the situation.

In GP, ​​Silver Wolf was the key in many matches, but in ACS I was thinking of developing the deck around Aero Pegasus. This intention is reflected in the policy of placing Aero Pegasus first.

3on3 deck changing policy at the GP and Asia Championship

K: Across this tournament and the GP, can you describe what the policy was for changing the Beyblades in your deck? From what I understand, usually you cannot change your deck once you enter the top 4.

T: In both tournaments, players were not allowed to change their configuration after the semi-finals.

In the GP, players were required to prepare two configurations: one for the Top 8, and one for the Top 4 and beyond.

On the other hand, in ACS, if there were a large number of matches, players could prepare up to three configurations: one for the Top 16, one for the Top 8, and one for the Top 4 and beyond.

Asia Championship tournament bracket format

K: This tournament featured 10 players in a single elimination tournament bracket. As a result, some players advanced automatically to the second round, making their path to victory easier. How did you feel about this as a competitor?

T: When I heard that it would be a 10-person tournament, I thought that we would split into groups of five, with two players from each group advancing and then the top four would begin.

As a player, I have some doubts about the difference in the number of matches played by each person. However, the positive side of having more matches is that there are more opportunities to recheck your condition on the day. On the other hand, the negative side is that it puts a greater burden on you, so I think there are pros and cons to both.

Still, I think most people would feel that having one extra match is a disadvantage.

Thoughts on the controversial call made during the Zane vs. Por match

K: Many Beyblade fans question if the right decision was made in the match between Zane, the Singapore representative, and Por, the Bangkok representative.

On video, it appears that there is a round where Por’s Aero Pegasus bursted Zane’s Wizard Rod, but the judge decided that Wizard Rod scored the Burst Finish first. This may have been due to the viewing angle of the judge.

What did you think when you saw this? Do you think any changes should be made to how matches are judged? Especially at high level competitions.

T: This match was after I had been defeated, and to be honest, I didn’t watch it at all when I was there.

When I later rewatched the broadcast and heard about the match, I honestly felt that it was a very difficult issue.

I agree that the result was the same as what the public said it was.

However, under the current rules, only the two players can protest the match.

Therefore, even if it was a major misjudgment, the decision will not be overturned no matter what outsiders, including me, say unless they protest.

One area for improvement would be the introduction of a video review or a system whereby a “second” could challenge a judgement.

However, if this is adopted in large-scale tournaments such as the G1 and GP, there is a possibility that a similar system will be forced to be introduced in small-scale tournaments such as the G2 and G3. This could lead to amateur tactics and the proliferation of local rules in these kinds of events. This point requires great care. In addition, it is expected that there will be cases where someone will bring in a video from outside and try to overturn the decision based on that, so the operating rules need to be clarified.

I feel that the rules are much more detailed than they used to be. As a result, the number of restrictions has increased, and judging and interpretations have become too detailed, leading to cases where the essence of things has been lost.

These are difficult times, but I believe that if we are to establish Beyblade as a sport, this problem is unavoidable.

Thoughts on the stage and stadium setup

K: There have also been complaints made by one of the open class representatives about the safety of the stage and stadium setup. Do you believe the existing stage design is optimal for competitive play? Or should it be the same as what is used in qualifying rounds at all other official tournaments?

T: I’m not particularly dissatisfied with the current stage design.

However, I think a certain number of players will find it difficult to shoot.

When I first stood on the stage at the Osaka G1, I was very surprised at how low the stage was. I remember having a lot of trouble because I couldn’t reproduce my usual techniques as I wanted. However, during my preparation for the GP and ACS, I repeatedly practiced compact shots that were conscious of the stage and adjusted to its height in G3 tournaments, so on the day of the tournament I was able to shoot as usual without any discomfort.

In the end, I came to the conclusion that adaptability and advance preparation are important, and I think this “difficulty” was particularly evident in ACS.

From a design and branding perspective, I think this issue can be solved to some extent by making the same stage available in other countries.

Thoughts on Sousuke, the Beyblade X Regular Class Asia Champion

K: Sousuke, the Regular Class representative for Japan, won the Asia Championship Regular Class division. Can you describe your impression of him as a player? Have you had a chance to play with him before?

T: Sousuke is on a different team, but we’re good friends and always have a good chat whenever we meet at tournaments.

I think we’ve become very close through this GP and JCS.

He’s not only highly skilled and has great shot repeatability, but he’s also a very calm and mature person. He’s surprisingly anxious and humble, but when he’s on a roll or gets cheered on by his teammates, he shows his usual strength. Among the Regular Class players, he’s definitely one of the players who has the least amount of inconsistency and impatience that is typical of children.

I’m not sure if we’ve ever played against each other, but I practiced with him for a long time before ACS. At that time, I was impressed by how much he really enjoyed playing Beyblade. I was also impressed by how he practiced with me with a strong sense of purpose.

I’ve been watching the Regular Class players on my team, and I think Sousuke is definitely one of the players I want to emulate.

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Beyblade Teams

I don’t think it’s important to belong to or form a team. However, if you’re passionate about something, I think it’s very important to have people around you who share the same aspirations and can help you improve.

Tatsuki

The formation of WARIBEY

Kei: You are a member of the Japanese Beyblade team WARIBEY. How did you join?

Tatsuki: I was one of the founding members of the team, so there’s no process of me “joining” the team.

We formed the team when I was 10 years old, so that’s about 20 years ago.

At the time, when the Bakuten HMS World Championships were held, a friend of mine who I often traveled with to in-store tournaments and large tournaments was chosen to represent Japan.

That friend and his family, and I, formed the team together, and that’s how it all began.

The origin and meaning of “WARIBEY”

K: What is the history of WARIBEY?

T: WARIBEY is written as “わりべい” in Japanese, and there is a meaning to this.

At that time, social media was not yet widespread, so we used a bulletin board as a community with friends who we often met at tournaments.

In fact, the name of this bulletin board is the origin of the team name.

At that time, in addition to Beyblade, there were various battle hobbies such as B-Daman and Crash Gear, and we were excited about talking about those.

However, among them, Beyblade was the most talked about, so the bulletin board was named “Warikashi Bey Bulletin Board”.

The name was shortened to “Wari-bey”.

Please remember it if you like (laughs).

When we formed, we were representing Japan at the world tournament, so what we value as a team is to be a team with the strength and determination to “carry Japan on our shoulders and go to conquer the world”.

Perhaps it is thanks to this belief that we have always been at the forefront of the competitive scene and have continued to conquer the top of Japan, Asia, and the world.

We would like to continue to be a team representing Japan.

What WARIBEY means to Tatsuki

K: What does WARIBEY mean to you?

T: In one word, “family.”

It’s just a toy, but through Beyblade I’ve been able to meet all kinds of children and families.

Watching them grow as an extension of the competitive scene and interacting with them outside of Beyblade has allowed me to build relationships that are more than just friends.

When I think about the children I will get angry on behalf of their parents when they do something wrong. On the other hand, when they are happy or when they are sad, I can rejoice and cry with them. As if the experiences were my own. That kind of relationship is amazing, I think.

Now, 20 years later, someone I met through the X series has told me, “The Beyblade players are so close, they’re like a family,” and it made me very happy.

Is being on a Beyblade team important?

K: Do you believe being part of a Beyblade team is important?

T: I don’t think it’s important to belong to or form a team. However, if you’re passionate about something, I think it’s very important to have people around you who share the same aspirations and can help you improve.

It’s good to have friends who you can work hard with and share your excitement with every day.

When people who aim to be at the top of the competitive scene gather together, the results will come naturally. And before you know it, that group will have a name and become a team.

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Mindset & Preparation

When I lose, I try to remember who I lost to. I’m more conscious of who I lost to than how I lost. I remember the times I lose better than the times I win.

Tatsuki

Kei: You often play in tournaments. The readers of my blog BeyBase are the same, so I’d like to now ask some questions about your mindset and preparation for tournaments.

Tournament preparation methodology

K: How do you prepare for tournaments? Is there any difference between your preparation method for a G1 or GP versus a G3?

Tatsuki: Preparation before a tournament involves adjusting the Beyblades to be used, checking their balance and behavior, and practicing things like shooting.

In the G3, the focus is particularly on adjusting the Beyblades and checking their behavior. In the G1 and GP, I was particularly conscious of image training and did a lot of checking things in practical situations.

I’ve always been conscious of this, but how you stand and shoot on stage is also an important element of practice.

Being on stage can be such a stressful situation that you won’t be able to do things you normally can, so it’s important to practice in anticipation of that tension.

Beyblade selection methodology

K: How do you decide what Beyblades to use?

T: I don’t like to bring too many Beyblades, so I plan on using the one that I’m confident in once I’ve put it together.

And I also prepare two copies of each combination which have the same function. So, I think preparing three combinations for a total of six Beyblades is enough for any tournament, even for 3on3 matches.

Beyblade building methodology

K: Do you believe adjusting or tuning your Beyblades is important? If so, how do you do it?

T: I think it’s important.

I can’t tell you how to do it, but here are some hints…

People often look at the individual endurance, but I’ve never measured it myself.

Every match is against an opponent, so I don’t use individual endurance (behavior when no external impact is applied) as a reference.

Also, people often mark the direction of the Ratchet or Bit, but when it comes to endurance-type Beyblades like the Wizard Rod, I build them so that the Bit rotates smoothly no matter where you insert it in the eight places, because I want to avoid the balance being thrown off by the gears turning.

It takes at least a day to build one that you’re satisfied with, so you need to be prepared for that.

The importance of tuning

K: There are many types of Beyblade players. Everyone has their own individual preferences and goals in playing, but it seems to me that there are many people around the world who hate stamina types and resist using them. Some of these people might say that battles between them are “boring”.

As someone who spends time to adjust and tune your Beyblades, how do you feel about this type of sentiment?

T: Everyone has their own way of thinking and playing style, so I have no intention of denying the style of others. I also certainly understand the opinion that it is “boring”.

However, unless you have the skills to reliably use attack types, I think that the outcome would be simpler and clearer with stamina types, and the difference in ability would be clearly visible in the battle. It takes a lot of time and experience to find the fun in this, but once you get past that, I think even deeper fun awaits.

I don’t mean to deny attack types, but if you do use them, you should put as much effort into adjusting and tuning them as you would with stamina types, and make them reliably knock your opponents away. By doing so, you will be able to use them as an “attack choice” rather than just a “runaway choice”.

Please try to reach that level. I’m sure the battle will feel more fascinating and profound.

Handling losses and staying motivated

K: How do you handle losses? What strategies do you adopt to bounce back and stay motivated?

T: When I lose, I try to remember who I lost to.

I’m more conscious of who I lost to than how I lost.

I remember the times I lose better than the times I win.

If you don’t lose, you should be able to win, so I think the most important thing when reflecting on a match is how to avoid losing.

When practicing for tournaments like GP and ACS, where the first match is 3on3, I was conscious of the result of Battle 1 in each match.

If you can’t score in Battle 1, it’s the same as losing in a 3on3 match, so I was conscious of scoring in Battle 1 no matter what the situation.

Of course, in the 1on1 Match Type it’s also important to observe your opponent’s condition throughout the path towards scoring the required four points to win, so this way of thinking isn’t always correct.

Rituals and habits

K: Are there any particular rituals or habits you have developed that you believe help improve your performance in tournaments? If so, why are they important?

T: It’s not exactly a routine, but I always try to be conscious of playing at my own pace.

I think many people have experienced being unable to perform as well as usual due to nervousness or unexpected situations, and ending up losing.

Being able to perform as usual and remembering what I’ve practiced is very important even when it comes to a single shot, so I take my time and play at my own pace, remembering those things well.

Non-Beyblade equipment or clothing

K: Other than your Beyblades and launcher, are there any items you use or clothing you wear at tournaments to help increase your chances of success? If so, why?

T: Nothing in particular.

I have something as a prayer, but I don’t use anything to increase my chances of winning.

In major tournaments, I have always tried to wear short sleeves even when it’s cold so that I can always perform well.

I don’t want my clothing to restrict the movement of my arms, so this is an absolute must.

I also always carry a towel to relieve sweaty hands and tension.

Role models

K: Are there any specific players that you admire or consider as role models? Why do they inspire you?

T: I guess it would be my teammate Mu-D, the Beyblade X-treme Cup G1 2023 champion.

I asked him to accompany me to this GP. We practiced together a lot in the lead up to this event.

Since my full-fledged return to playing at the Osaka G1, I have gotten to know him and my perspective as a player, and even now that I’ve won the GP, I am still amazed.

I would be very happy if I have become a role model for him in some way.

It’s great to be in an environment where you have people close by who can help you improve together.

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Advice for Beyblade Players

There may not be many people who will teach you suddenly, but if you explain your strategy and goals in detail, they may be able to give you some advice.

Tatsuki

Participating in tournaments

Kei: Do you have any advice for players who want to play in tournaments?

Tatsuki: First, try visiting a variety of places.

Then, take your time and find your “home.”

After visiting various places, it’s a good idea to create a “home base” that you can always return to.

You’ll be able to see what suits you and what doesn’t, such as the tournament style or player demographic, so be sure to try participating in a variety of stores and tournaments.

How to become a stronger Beyblade player

K: What is the best way to become a stronger player?

T: Find a player you want to emulate.

If possible, play a match against them, and if you lose, think carefully about what you lack.

Then, come up with a strategy and, based on what you have thought, ask the player for tips on how to improve.

There may not be many people who will teach you suddenly, but if you explain your strategy and goals in detail, they may be able to give you some advice.

Daily study and practice are essential to winning a tournament.

It is also important to think about what you are lacking in order to become stronger and how you can get the player to teach you, and then check the results of your practice when you get home.

When I first started playing Beyblade, I went to a tournament at a nearby store and met a strong player there who I couldn’t beat at all.

At the time, I didn’t know what to do and all I could do was ask that person, but from there we started to interact, and later we became teammates, and we became friends who aimed for the top together.

And as a result, after 20 years, I became the number one player in Japan in the X series.

If you have any desire to achieve results in Beyblade, please try using these tips.

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Conclusion

If my back looks big to them, I want them to use it as a goal and soar to even greater heights.

Tatsuki

Suggested improvements to tournament rules and management

Kei: Having participated in all levels of Beyblade X competition, are there any improvements to the rules or management you would like to see made? 

Regarding G1 tournaments

Tatsuki: Regarding the G1 tournament, the first thing to note is the participation method.

In this tournament, there was a restriction of “one person per venue, one time”, so many people applied to each venue. As a result, many of my team members were selected in the first Sendai tournament, but were unsuccessful in the Fukuoka, Osaka, and Tokyo tournaments.

To improve this, I think that applications should be strategically distributed if the application form is consolidated from the beginning and the venue is selectable. In a situation where there seem to be multiple chances according to the rules, it is natural for everyone to want to grab that chance.

In fact, two of the top four players in the GP were players who passed the lottery from the “companion slot” and then won. If there are people who feel that this is unfair, I think the rules should be reconsidered to make it more fair. Although, I have hardly heard any complaints about this recently,

Regarding G2 tournaments

Next, regarding the G2 tournament, I think it is necessary to reset it once or review its status. 

In particular, G2 tournaments being held in stores has resulted in a significant decrease in the value of the launcher, which is a prize. As this may lead to a decline in “official tournaments” hosted by Takara Tomy, I believe that we should once again strengthen the “official tournament” brand and reconsider its value.

To do this, I think it is important to prepare new prizes to replace the launchers and increase the appeal of tournaments again.

Player skill development

K: I’d also like to ask for your opinion about player skill development.

Considering Takara Tomy’s aim to make Beyblade into a sport, do you believe that they could be doing more to encourage the development of highly skilled players? Whether that be through the production of competitively-focused content or official products that more easily enable players to improve their performance or the quality of their Beyblade combinations?

Right now, there is a huge wall that new players face due to the lack of this type of guidance from official sources. Even I–someone who is very deeply invested into the game–still feel like I am learning more about the game not thanks to Takara Tomy, but thanks to direct experience and learning from skilled players like yourself.

And also, for instance, you see a lot of players resorting to using third-party products to help them adjust and tune their Beyblades. To me, this is a symptom of Takara Tomy’s unwillingness, so far, to promote the development of higher skilled players. If Takara Tomy doesn’t do it, players will always take whatever route is necessary to improve their performance.

But this can make it harder for new players because there is no easy path for them to follow to get started. That being said, it is also important to ask, should Takara Tomy even be responsible for this? Or is the problem perhaps that there is no real separate, officially recognized organization outside of Takara Tomy who can work to develop players? In sports, for example, I don’t think it is common for the governing body of that sport to also produce the equipment required to play it.

T: In terms of skill improvement, I get the impression that players are too advanced rather than manufacturers being behind. This is by no means a negative thing, but rather the result of players’ ingenuity and efforts. In particular, tuning using third-party products that users have found on their own can be said to be the crystallization of a wealth of experience and knowledge.

Players make efforts every day using various means, such as participating in regular tournaments, watching the highest level GPs and ACS, and gathering information through social media and articles. I feel that the extent to which manufacturers should respond to these efforts is an important issue.

There are some parts that I have some doubts about the current product development and public relations.

Although manufacturers should be aware of the techniques and trends that players are working on, they do not seem to be willing to popularize them or incorporate them into their products. In addition, there is a tendency for parts that are highly used and desired by players not to be included in new products. This may be due to the company’s policies and strategies, but as a competitive player, I find it a bit disappointing. If they are not aware of this trend, it could be that they are not understanding or assessing the competitive orientation well.

When PR activities are strengthened with an eye on product sales and market expansion, there is a tendency to move away from a competitive mindset. As a result, it is inevitable that there will be a gap between the thinking of manufacturers and users (especially players who aim to win tournaments). However, while I don’t think that manufacturers should take full responsibility for this, I feel that the gap could be bridged at least a little by increasing the amount of content and products that support competitive players.

Mentoring younger players

K: You often spend time training and offering advice to younger players. Why is this important to you?

T: The biggest reason is that I want to see the kids win, and I’d be happy if I could contribute even a little to their growth.

I’ve achieved results as a player now, but in the Metal Fight and Burst series, I’ve always been a supporter and watched the content.

I realized that I was in a position to see the kids from both a player’s and a parent’s perspective, even closer than their parents.

That’s why I was able to understand from my own experience what it’s like to get nervous during a performance and not be able to speak out, not to be able to perform at your usual level, and even all the mistakes they make.

As the “best supporter” who can understand all of this, I have continued to watch over the regular class kids.

I’m still just continuing to doing that.

In hindsight, don’t you think it’s quite interesting that someone who has been a supporter for many years suddenly returns as a player and becomes number one in Japan?

That’s why I was able to do my best.

If my back looks big to them, I want them to use it as a goal and soar to even greater heights.

Is Beyblade a sport?

K: Do you believe Beyblade is a sport?

T: I think it’s a sport.

Being passionate about something, shouting, celebrating, and sometimes even crying – I think that’s all part of the essence of sports.

The cheers that rang out at the GP and ACS are proof of that.

Entertaining the audience and livening up the venue is what sports is all about, and I believe we are also performers within that.

Why do you play Beyblade?

K: Why do you play Beyblade?

T: That’s a difficult question (laughs).

I’ve thought about it for a bit, and I think I’ll continue because I love it.

Of course, sometimes the thought crosses my mind that I want to win.

But to be honest, I haven’t seen my next goal yet.

To be honest, I don’t even know why, or what I should aim for.

But even so, I’m sure I’ll keep playing Beyblade.

And that’s because it’s purely fun.

If the GP, ACS, and WCS are held again, I’ll aim to take part without hesitation.

And when that happens, I want to be a player who can have more fun than anyone else and captivate the audience.

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Afterword

That’s all for my interview with Tatsuki! What did you think? Please let me know in the comments below. 

Below, I talk about my personal history with Tatsuki. I also discuss a few of the things he said which inspired me in some way or connect to my own experiences.

How I met Tatsuki

I first met Tatsuki around 2015 or 2016 during one of my first visits to Japan. This was at the beginning of the Beyblade Burst generation.

As he describes in this interview, he played more of a supporting role during this generation for the members of the team he is a member of, WARIBEY. Although, he did participate in some tournaments at the time such as the WBO x WARIBEY tournament in 2016 and the WARIBEY Burst Cup 2018 Autumn Tournament (he was the champion of this one!).

I met him many times throughout the years since then. Including at and around the time of the Beyblade Burst G1 Burst Cup at the World Hobby Fair 2020 and the Beyblade X Start Dash Event at the CoroCoro Tamashii Festival in Tokyo Toy Show 2023.

The Beyblade X Start Dash Event was the first chance most people had to try out Beyblade X. That included myself and Tatsuki. When I think back to this time to the point now, the progression of skill and knowledge from Tatsuki is impressive.

He also was my companion at the Beyblade X Verification Cup a few weeks after I met him just prior to his match at the Asia Championship. He wasn’t able to play in the end, but stuck around to support me and his friends in the tournament.

The importance of building relationships

Previously, I interviewed Master, the final official Beyblade Burst G1 champion. Both he and Tatsuki have many things in common as members of the same team. One commonality I’d like to highlight is the importance they place on their relationships with people. Whether it be friends, family, or friends that they consider “family”.

This goes for not just Beyblade, but any pursuit in life. Having people around you who share the same aspirations as you will naturally help you. It will help you not only improve your skills and get closer to achieving your goal, but also help you to enjoy what you’re doing more deeply. 

Tatsuki to me is someone who embodies this philosophy. He does so in two ways.

First being through his close relationships with his team members.

And the second being through his efforts across generations to help others succeed. Whether that be his brother or other kids who cross his path. One recent example is Rio, who has achieved third place at the Regular Class Japan Championship G1 Osaka and fourth place in the Fukuoka Open Class Beyblade X X-Treme Cup G1 in 2024.

Ultimately, helping other people also helps you.

This is a big part of the reason why I’ve been involved with the World Beyblade Organization for over 15 years. Why I created BeyBase. And why I host tournaments.

I do it because I know that there are others like me out there. People who are searching for others to connect with to enjoy this game together. People who want to become stronger and more deeply understand it.

Beyblade is a game which requires in-person connection.

“Every match is against an opponent”

It was a brief remark, but one of the other things that Tatsuki said which stood out to me was:

Every match is against an opponent

Tatsuki

When you read this sentence, it seems obvious. Everyone knows this.

But the context matters. He was talking about how when tuning his Beyblades he doesn’t think about their performance in a vacuum. He doesn’t just launch them into the stadium and see how long they spin for. What matters most is how they interact with other Beyblades and with your opponent.

To me, what makes Beyblade an interesting game is the element of human interaction it requires.

The tops themselves are important, but ultimately are merely a vessel for the preparation, will, and intention of the player who wields it. 

The founder of the WBO, Bey Brad, once said to me that Beyblades are like an interface which allows for the players participating to interact with each other. I still believe this. It’s not just two tops battling independently.

Recently, I have placed a lot of emphasis on attempting to improve my ability to build tuned, high performance Beyblades. Reading this comment however, I recognized that perhaps I had reached a point where I was focusing too much on the top, matchups, and myself. I wasn’t focusing enough on the opponent across from me.

The impact of your environment on your success

One excuse for this is that for as long as I can remember, I haven’t had the opportunity to practice in a consistent, focused, intentional manner with other people outside of a tournament environment.

What Tatsuki said helped me recognize that if I want to become better, I need to create an environment around me that will enable me (and others) to practice with real, strong opponents. I am responsible for that.

My focus on hosting tournaments

To date, I have always placed emphasis on creating opportunities for players to participate in tournaments. The reason is because I come from Canada, a place in the world where there is virtually zero official support for Beyblade tournaments.

In fact, in 2024 I created the Ontario Beyblade Battle Community. It is effectively an unofficial subsidiary of the World Beyblade Organization.

While the OBBC is intentionally designed to be open to all forms of organized Beyblade play, the tournaments I hosted myself attempted to mimic the official playing environment and rules as much as possible.

I hosted tournaments nearly every month from January to September 2024, culminating in the invite-only OBBC X-TREME BATTLE GP Vol. 1 in September for the top players in the province. Right before I moved back to Japan.

It was an attempt to elevate the average player skill and experience level in Ontario by giving everyone not only opportunities to play, but opportunities to play in a competitive environment based on the official one.

I wanted to help cultivate stronger players and competition in the area. And offer a sense of purpose or goal to aim for at a provincial level.

I don’t think this was wrong. Tournaments are what every competitive player aims for. They do teach us the greatest lessons, but sometimes the volume of experience they afford you isn’t enough to acquire the knowledge you need to succeed consistently over time at higher levels. 

The value of (two player) practice

Especially in an environment like Japan where Single Elimination format tournaments are the norm, proper two-player practice outside of tournaments becomes paramount.

And Beyblade X is also a series where two-player testing is perhaps more valuable than ever. So, it seems important to focus instead on creating an environment that enables more frequent, intentional practice. Or an environment that encourages closer personal relationships … I guess this sounds a lot like a team, right?

When I think about what brought Tatsuki to the point of becoming Japan’s Beyblade X National Champion, the environment he cultivated around him over the past 25 years is what I think about. 

If you can put yourself in the right environment, with the right people, and have the perseverance required to accumulate both winning and losing experiences, it is only natural that results will follow. 

Thinking and making choices with intention

Tatsuki’s answers also indicated that he is always thinking while playing. 

For instance, you can see this when you look at his comments about the matches between him and Mokky in the finals of the GP, or Hime in the finals. 

Master also said something similar in my previous interview with him. This is a quality that all strong Beyblade players seem to possess.

People who lack experience with Beyblade often see it as purely a game of chance. However, this preconception is shattered the moment you dig a little bit deeper. When you talk to people like Master or Tatsuki, the immense preparation, strategy, understanding, and thought required for them to win consistently over time becomes abundantly apparent. 

The tops may move independently of the user after the “3..2..1..Go Shoot!” countdown, but the choices made by the users are what produces the ensuing action and result. 

As players, what this all means is that we have a choice. We choose when and how we practice. We choose where and how we participate in tournaments. We choose what Beyblade parts to use. We choose how to launch. We choose how to study our opponents. We choose how to react to different situations.

It’s all in our hands.

Official tournament support

However, one thing that is not in our hands is how the company who creates Beyblade and the license holders who distribute it globally handle official tournament support.

Tatsuki expressed in the interview regarding tournament participation that:

one concern I have is the uncertainty of being able to participate in tournaments. As the boom accelerates and the player base grows, the loss of opportunities for strong players to compete in tournaments becomes a major issue for the competitive scene.

Tatsuki

I fully agree with this.

Beyblade tournaments in Japan

First, I’ll speak from a Japan perspective. 

Fighting for the right to play

In my experience, most tournaments in populated areas here are either filled within minutes or hours or a lottery to select participants is held. This goes for both fan-hosted tournaments or S1 events as well as B4 store events and Takara-Tomy hosted events. 

It’s not a huge surprise that G2 or G1 tournaments (capacity of 256-512 players) attract many players. But even some B4 store G3 tournaments contend with 100 or even close to 200 players who want to play in a 16 or 32 player event.

Immediately, this has created a massive problem when it comes to player development. It becomes a fight just to be able to have the right to play, which I can see driving away all but the most dedicated players.

There’s not enough opportunities to play

Takara-Tomy intends to make Beyblade into a sport. With this as the goal, it naturally follows that one core component of achieving it is to create opportunities for people to play. 

To date, at a glance it is fair to say they have done a great job. There are not only tournaments hosted every week around Japan, but trial events, as well as a competitive tournament circuit leading up to the Asia Championship and eventually the World Championship. The introduction of the S1 event system is also a huge step in the right direction. Not to mention all of the collaborations with sports teams and other events that expose new people to the game.

But despite this, the sheer demand from players who want to participate in tournaments isn’t being met.

Takara-Tomy needs to host more tournaments and they also need to encourage B4 stores to host more official tournaments. This would help create an environment where more players can develop their skills. And over time it would increase the level of competition across the country. 

Alternative tournament formats and inconsistent rule application at B4 store tournaments

Right now, many B4 stores that host events run alternative tournament formats. This can impact the competitive legitimacy of the game. Or change it into something completely different than the standard rules used in Takara-Tomy hosted events.

I’ll give you a few examples.

G3 Tournaments

As of writing, as far as I can tell, some G3 tournaments hosted at Toys R Us stores in Japan are run using a single elimination, 1on1, 1 point match format until the top 4 (it then transitions to a normal 3on3, 4 point match). Until then, the first player to score 1 point is the winner of each match.

What this means is that if you lose a single battle in the preliminary rounds, you are eliminated from the tournament.

The positive of this is that it forces players to enhance their preparation and puts pressure on them to perform in the moment.

But the negatives far outweigh this. It alters the gameplay in ways which force players to deviate from what Takara-Tomy intended. The standard rules call for 4 point matches with differing point values for Spin Finish (1), Over Finish (2), Burst Finish (2), and Xtreme Finish (3).

In this environment, players become inherently incentivized to take the safest path forward. The interplay of action and reaction between the players is lost entirely. The progression normally created in a 4 point match is lost entirely. 

There are surely players participating in these tournaments who have no other opportunity to play in other tournaments which use the standard rules. This means that their skillset is developing in a divergent way. The skills they hone will become different than what Takara-Tomy tests players with in their own higher level official events such as G1s.

There is nothing wrong with playing alternative rulesets for fun. However, if it is the only choice for players who want to participate and grow to become successful in the official tournament circuit, there is a problem.

Tournaments using the Wide Xtreme Stadium

The second example I will preface by saying it is a little bit more opinionated. It’s related to B4 stores which run preliminary rounds doing 3 player matches in the Wide Xtreme Stadium.

I first ran into this at a B4 store G2 tournament I attended.

At this tournament, the first few rounds were done in this way. To win a match, players needed to win two battles. Although this ruleset is considered one of two official options by Takara-Tomy for 3-player battles, this created the same problem I described previously for the Toys R Us G3 tournaments.

Requiring two battles instead of one is good. But under this ruleset the Wide Xtreme Stadium produces poor gameplay. It drove almost all players towards using Wizard Rod on the High Needle Bit. To be fair, it is very much possible to knock out or burst opponents. However, when both of your opponents are using this combination, it seems exceedingly difficult to do it to both of them in order to win the battle.

The competition became about:

1. Who had the strongest balance tuned Wizard Rod on High Needle
2. Who had the strongest launch power
3. Who could get lucky enough to avoid interacting with their opponents the most. This is enabled by the stalling High Needle can achieve if launched to one of the flatter areas of the stadium.

Compounding this is the fact that I heard from Tatsuki that initial lot High Needle Bits tend to have the best performance. Newer production run copies of the Bit have more individual differences, according to him. Presumably, this means it is much more difficult to balance tune the newer copies. This sort of manufacturing inconsistency has the potential to make it near impossible for a newcomer to succeed. Especially in this type of environment.

Now, I am not here to complain about balance tuning. That’s not the problem. In fact, like Tatsuki, I believe it is important.

However, I believe it is important and interesting within the context of standard 2-player battles in the regular Xtreme Stadium to 4 points. The reason is because in this context, balance tuning remains an important factor that may contribute to your ability to win. But it’s not the only factor.

In this type of tournament, an invisible wall is created that you can only pass all the way to the finals if you have come prepared with a balance tuned Wizard Rod on High Needle.

There is nothing wrong with liking this. And I can appreciate the dedication, time, and skill it takes to build a perfect, balance tuned Beyblade.

But to me, 3-player battles in this context change the gameplay of Beyblade significantly. Generally speaking, they reward players who have:

1. Balance tuning skill.
2. Have enough money to buy enough copies of the three parts they need in order to find the best combination of them.
3. Are lucky enough to find and purchase the best performing lot for the parts they need.
4. Have strong launch power.

2-player battles in the regular Xtreme Stadium to 4 points reward all of these things too. However, they also reward research and scouting, launch positioning, launch power adjustments, matchup knowledge, situational awareness, and playing skill more overtly. It’s a more balanced, complete test of a player’s skill. 

In 2-player battles like this, complete perfection across each of these categories is not necessarily required. For instance, you may not have the strongest balance tuning skill or monetary ability to compete with an opponent that has a perfected stamina type. But in 2-player battles, you can overcome this weakness by becoming a strong attack type player.

Tatsuki himself mentioned that:

Back during the Bakuten series, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t win in stamina battles against the top players of that time. As a countermeasure, I started using attack-focused strategies. My thinking was, “If I can send everything flying with an attack, I’ll win,” and that led to a very aggressive playstyle.

When I watched the finals of this tournament, I saw this more balanced demonstration of skill by the players who participated in the 2-player 3on3 matches to 4 points.

Even though those battles featured just two players, I could feel the interplay between the participating players more acutely than I did when watching the 3-player battles. 

This is what Beyblade is to me, personally. It’s what I enjoy.

This is just my opinion, but the other official ruleset for 3-player battles which determine the winner based on who can score 5 points first rather than who can win 2 battles first is, albeit not perfect, closer to being representative of what Beyblade X is intended to be under normal circumstances in the standard stadium with two players.

There’s one thing that bothers me the most about rules which truncate the length of a match significantly. It’s that the decision to use them feels like it has been made in order to save time for the tournament organizers. 

As a tournament organizer myself, I fully understand this concern. Especially in the case of B4 stores:

1. With staff who may not be particularly familiar with the rules.
2. With staff who are unable or unwilling to apply certain rules. 
3. Have extreme space limitations, which is typical of B4 stores in Japan.

If it needs to be this way for them, it needs to be this way. It’s still legitimate in its own way because everyone is under the same conditions.

Considering an expanded event grade structure

But if this is the case, perhaps the grade or classification of such events should be different. Rather than being a G3, if the event doesn’t follow the standard rules, it could be classified differently. 

Tatsuki’s comment about B4 store and Takara-Tomy hosted “G2” tournaments is similar. There are tournaments which have the same official classification, but in reality they aren’t the same.

But as far as decisions made to save time are concerned, even Takara-Tomy is guilty of this. They ran 3-player matches for the Beyblade X Regular Class 2024 Japan Championship. These were considered G1 even though they test skills different from the Open Class X-Treme Cup GP qualifying G1 tournaments. Not to mention some G3 tournaments during the Beyblade Burst era.

If the grade structure is expanded beyond GP, G1, G2, and G3 players could make more informed choices about which events to participate in.

Treating the symptom rather than the cause

I was also told by Blader Ken at the Beyblade X X-Treme Cup G2 – Sendai in 2023 that the choice to run Single Elimination at large official events is basically for time-saving reasons. 

This seems to have been the case in Japan across many generations of Beyblade. I can appreciate Single Elimination as a format, but most people I know outside of Japan hate it. Most people prefer formats like Swiss, for example. I do know that competitive TCGs in Japan use Swiss in large events, though. So, I am not sure why Takara-Tomy seems hesitant to employ it (or other tournament formats) in Japan.

That being said, tournament formats are less of a problem to me than match formats are. If the match format is standardized, it doesn’t matter what the tournament format is. Everyone is, at least, playing the same match whenever they have the opportunity to play.

Rather than choose the standardized, historically traditional, 2-player match format that aligns with what most official high level events use, 3-player matches seem like a solution which attempts to address the problem Japan faces with the volume of players who have interest in playing in tournaments.

This comes across to me as a treatment of the symptom, rather than trying to treat the cause of this problem.

The very obvious way to treat the cause is to find a way to increase the volume of tournaments hosted and to think more carefully about the type of sport we want Beyblade to become.

What must be done to improve official tournament support in Japan

Going down the path of reducing Beyblade towards a stamina-dominated balance tuning competition is a dead end which resulted in the end of the Beyblade Burst era. It also had a negative impact on most other generations in one way or another. 

There is also a danger of going in the opposite direction in Beyblade X towards attack-domination.

When there isn’t balanced representation across types in the metagame it pushes away players and doesn’t excite spectators.

With Beyblade X, Takara Tomy has created arguably the perfect foundation from many angles. 

Miraculously, they created:

1. An incredibly engaging, fresh stadium design. 
2. 2-player battles with great strategic depth.
3. A good range of event types with a comprehensive tournament circuit for all ages.

Moving forward, they must lean into these three things. 

The next step is to continue refining the path for all players to:

1. Find opportunities to play meaningful matches.
2. Develop their skills. 
3. Track their progress.
4. Have goals to aim for with clear checkpoints.

As much as they are selling a product, they need to remember that they are also selling experiences. And more importantly, dreams.

Beyblade tournaments overseas

Next, I’d like to speak about the availability of Beyblade tournaments overseas. Particularly in regions outside of Asia. 

The necessity of fan-run tournaments

I cannot speak for every region around the world, but I have over 15 years of experience playing in and hosting tournaments across Canada and the United States. I have also been deeply involved with the fan-run community, the World Beyblade Organization during that time.

The story of my Beyblade career to this point has been defined in large by a search for opportunities to meet, cultivate, and play with strong players. It’s one of the other reasons why I’m involved with the WBO and why BeyBase exists.

Both of these and other fan-communities or content creators would and should exist even if official tournaments and organized play were more common and sophisticated overseas. But at the same time, this does represent a failure by the official manufacturer and license holders. They are either unaware of or choosing not to meet the demand that does exist for organized play. 

Players in overseas communities in regions like North America suffer from a similar problem to the one facing players in Japan. 

In Japan it’s hard to play due to the sheer number of players versus the available number of tournaments. But the country itself is relatively small and easier to travel across.

In North America, the first thing to remember is how different the geography is. It’s much bigger than Japan. But the second thing to remember is how many people live there. The population of the US and Canada is over three times that of Japan.

So, although Beyblade players are spread out more across both countries … there’s more of them than in Japan. Even Takara Tomy has confirmed the US has the most Beyblade players in the world (ahead of Japan and Korea) in a video on their Beytube Youtube Channel.

As a result, players there suffer from the same thing that players are facing in Japan, but even worse. Due to the lack of historical official support for Beyblade organized play.

It’s been a huge missed opportunity for Beyblade historically. The existence of fan-run communities and the thousands upon thousands of tournaments they have facilitated is proof of this.

The lack of official tournament support historically

The most frustrating part however has always been that seemingly since the beginning Hasbro, the international license holder for Beyblade, has in some way always viewed Beyblade as a sport.

A Hasbro representative at the 2010 New York Toy Fair said so. And Steve Bono, a former senior product designer at Hasbro who was involved in the original generation of Beyblade has said that “It’s a sport”.

I say this with the utmost respect for the effort it takes to actually produce and distribute the game at all, but all of their actions related to actual Beyblade events come across to me as merely performative. And if I were to be more pessimistic, as self-serving marketing stunts.

I felt this again recently when visiting the Beyblade Park exhibition in Shibuya. The exhibition itself was well-produced, if not somewhat lacking depth. But ignoring some of the other issues surrounding product availability and the temporary closure of the free battle area, one thing I saw there inspired me to recall this more pessimistic view of Beyblade’s international distribution and development to date.

Inside of the exhibition, there was a display dedicated to overseas Beyblade products. Above the display was a television playing commercials and footage from Beyblade X events around the world. 

The footage from Asia was all related to tournaments leading up to the 2024 Asia Championships. However, the video related to Beyblade X activity overseas featured footage from the Beyblade X Tour conducted in the summer of 2024.

These events were not tournaments, but trial events designed to introduce Beyblade X and give people a chance to try it out. This is great. But what wasn’t so great was the language used on titles throughout the video. 

I cannot remember everything that was written, but the video was essentially an internal marketing tool that is likely being distributed in some way to retailers. Or just to Hasbro and Takara-Tomy from whoever produced the tour. For instance, it boasted about how many “activations” and “impressions” were achieved during the tour.

I understand the utility of this for the business. I don’t question why it exists or its value, but I questioned in my mind why it was being shown at a public event. 

Most visitors are Japanese and wouldn’t be able to read the titles on the video, but they also had English written on many of the displays throughout the exhibition. So, they expect overseas visitors. 

The video reduced the participants to statistics and made me feel like they didn’t care about building a community around the game and promoting the understanding of Beyblade’s potential as a competitive sport.

In fact, this was the single biggest missing piece from the Beyblade Park exhibition. It was entirely focused on the product and anime; there was very little focus on the history of the Beyblade community and development of the competitive scene.

What happened to Beyblade X organized play through the Wizards Play Network?

There was an initial attempt in March of 2024 to build the foundation and connections required for the Wizards Play Network to begin working in tandem with local game stores to organize competitive “regular leagues” for Beyblade X in regions outside of Asia. 

These were scheduled to begin in September 2024. Yet, as of writing, nothing has happened.

In North America, some official events with informal tournaments or demos have been hosted, such as the aforementioned Beyblade X Tour, the Beyblade X booth at Anime Expo in Los Angeles or at Gamestop locations. Outside of this though, all we have are promises that “epic events are coming soon worldwide”. Nothing close to real organized play.

In spite of this, the demand for organized play being generated by Beyblade X seems to be greater than it has ever been in the history of the game. Yet, it is being filled only through unofficial, fan-organized events.

I can see this happening in my Beyblade “hometown” Toronto, record numbers of events being posted on the WBO, as well as countless other fan-run communities and organizations across the globe.

In the end, perhaps this is merely a waiting game. I do have some hope given Hasbro’s indication that they will be working with the Wizards Play Network that something will begin starting in 2025.

There is a report coming from the New York Toy Fair 2025 that there is a “championship series” (presumably a global one) in the works and that the world championship will be held in Japan.

Takara Tomy did clearly indicate their intention to host a Beyblade X World Championship in their 2024 brand movie.

Something is coming, but the lack of clear communication about it has been disappointing. 

And so is the fact that the first eight months of potential official competitive play for Beyblade X in many regions outside of Asia has been wasted. This has exacerbated the player skill development issue. If it’s an issue in Japan, it’s an even bigger issue globally.

Smiling in the face of defeat

I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to not only interview, but to have met Tatsuki almost ten years ago.

Acting with intention

In my “Is Beyblade a Sport?” article, I talked in great detail about my own goals as a Beyblade player and how I think about the game. Part of that includes the importance of making connections with others.

It is through actively working to build relationships that our growth as players and people can continue.

To do this, you have to be present. You have to actively–and with intention–seek to better not only yourself, but others, and the environment you share together. Whether you are able to do this in the end depends on you. 

What do you want? What interests you? What is meaningful to you, right now? What is fun to you? Each person needs to answer these questions for themselves. Interviewing him has reaffirmed my belief in this.

But I also talked in that article about the importance of setting goals, taking action, developing understanding, achieving results, and finally, believing in yourself.

Achieving an “even deeper fun”

One piece that I didn’t fully explain was the importance of “fun”.

To me, “fun” doesn’t just mean the sort of light-hearted pleasure you might take in doing something. That is important, but there is also an enjoyment or “fun” which can only be understood by taking something seriously. It’s the same type of “even deeper fun” Tatsuki mentioned during the interview.

I was struck by the emphasis he placed on having fun in both ways, even in high pressure situations. 

In fact, this might be one of the most important lessons that Tatsuki helped to reinforce for me through doing this interview with him. The “fun” that can be felt by taking something seriously is something I have always felt deeply, but for some time the light-hearted “fun” of playing has, to a degree, been overshadowed in my mind. 

When you set goals for yourself, it’s easy for the weight of those expectations to become a burden over time if you do not achieve them. As I also previously discussed in my “Is Beyblade a Sport?” article, the goals I set for myself have changed a lot over the past several years. I have started to place more emphasis on enjoying the process and content of my efforts than on enjoying the results.

That being said, it’s important to always be aiming for a particular result. So that the “process” has context and meaning. 

For me, the latest embodiment of this is my first Beyblade X G3 tournament win as well as my second G3 tournament win achieved during the process of writing this article. These victories came after winning many S1 and fan-hosted events, and finishing in second place in five G3 tournaments.

I find so often that when I lose it is because I am trapped in my own mind. Rather than thinking about the moment at hand and trusting my experience, preparation, and instinct, past failures creep into my thoughts. And I fail to see the opponent standing across from me. It’s hard to make sound strategic decisions if you allow this mindset to take hold of you. You waver and can’t commit to an action with confidence. And it’s hard to have fun.

When I won these G3 tournaments, as well as whenever I have won any other tournament in the past is when I didn’t allow this mindset to take hold of me. Realizing this is a big reason why I would advocate for you to take what Tatsuki says in this interview seriously if you want to become a better player.

If it can help me, it can help you.

Even before interviewing Tatsuki, I could see the importance he places on “fun” reflected in the huge smile I saw on his face after his loss to Jerry in the Asia Championship. He was carrying the weight of his team and all the Beyblade fans in Japan on his back, yet he was still able to smile after losing.

This reflected to me an innate confidence in himself, his preparation, and execution. I won’t go so far as to say that the only reason he lost was due to luck, but I know that he did everything he possibly could to be able to succeed in that moment.

The worst feeling is losing knowing there is something more you could have realistically done. Or something you just didn’t know or think of. Those losses are easy to understand, but hard to accept.

The losses which might be easier to accept, but hard to understand are ones like the loss Tatsuki suffered to Jerry at the Asia Championship.

In that match, he demonstrated the same unwavering confidence he spoke of during the interview. His actions displayed a deep understanding of what it takes to win in each situation he was presented with. There’s no shame in losing in this way.

What matters is the quality of the journey, not the magnitude of, or external validation bestowed by a singular result. 

High “performance” players

I’ll never forget the excitement in the crowd when he scored the Xtreme Finish on Jerry’s Wizard Rod with Silver Wolf.

In that moment, and many others, he became the “performer” that he believes we all are.

It was in many ways an embodiment of the WARIBEY slogan “High Performance. High Strategy. High Spirited”.

Mu-D did the same thing when he became the champion of the first-ever Beyblade X G1 tournament in December 2023. It was an iconic moment in the history of Beyblade. 

Everyone who has achieved success at any level has contributed in this same way.

If Beyblade is to become a sport, then it needs to manufacture more moments and more players like this. It needs performers who players and spectators can be excited and inspired by. 

What makes a “performer” is not just what a player does to captivate and inspire the audience. It’s also what they do over time to live up to the expectations they set for themselves internally.

It is the interplay between these two forces–the external and the internal–which reflects the beautiful struggle we all face, together.

I want to be a player who can have more fun than anyone else and captivate the audience.

Tatsuki

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Thanks to

Thank you to all of the following people for helping to make this interview possible!

• Tatsuki for providing photos and spending time answering my questions in such detail.
• Yuupi, Piso, and Don Tacos for taking some of the photos of Tatsuki used in this interview.
• Fabel for the “combo highlight” photos.
• ayadora0418 for her help with translating.

And finally, thank you to everyone who has read this far!