This past weekend’s Beyblade X National Qualifier at Anime Expo wasn’t just a tournament—it was a landmark moment for the 25-year-old franchise. The event marked the first official U.S. competition for the Beyblade X generation, a qualifier for the upcoming World Championship in Japan, and the first time U.S. bladers over the age of 12 were eligible to compete in an officially sanctioned tournament.
Fans entered the venue in large waves where more than 350 players flooded the Los Angeles Convention Center, with many waiting in line before dawn for a chance to claim one of just 128 tournament slots. After the 128 players were selected and the brackets were set, the battle for the best blader began!
The single-elimination format whittled the competition down quickly and by the afternoon, only eight players remained. The top cut featured competitors from across the country, including a few local Southern California favorites and a standout newcomer: ElenaBEY, the tournament’s only female finalist and an immediate crowd favorite.
After a series of hard-fought matches, the finals moved to the main stage, where the crowd swelled into the surrounding booths. In the end, it was ElenaBEY who came out on top, securing her spot to represent the United States at the Beyblade X World Championship in Japan. A Los Angeles native who only started playing earlier this year, Elena credited her friends for helping her prepare, but made it clear: “Buster Dran was all me.”
Takara Tomy executives, in attendance for the event, were visibly impressed. According to staff on the show floor, it was the company’s first time witnessing the scale and passion of the Western Beyblade community in person. Many players and fans are now hopeful this will lead to more official support for the game, and more tournaments across North America.
Despite early hiccups, the qualifier was an undeniable success, setting a powerful precedent for what competitive Beyblade in the U.S. can become. Whether this momentum leads to a true global league or more local support remains to be seen. But for hundreds of bladers who gathered in L.A., Anime Expo 2025 will be remembered as the weekend Beyblade finally made their presence known in the Beyblade community.
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