After spawning a toy fad in Japan (see 'Anime Ignites Tokyo Toy Craze'), the anime series Beyblade has become one of the most highly rated shows on the ABC Family Network, where it anchors a daily hour-long anime block.  Based on the high-tech spinning tops, which are marketed in the U.S. by toy giant Hasbro, the Beyblade anime series uses a sports competition theme to lure kids, who are also fascinated by the top-spining tips and techniques demonstrated on the show. 

 

The Beyblade anime series, which is adapted for the North American market by the Canadian company, Nelvana, has dramatically increased the ABC Family Channel's appeal to boys in the 6-11 demographic, and the success of the Beyblade series has encouraged ABC Family to experiment with other anime series including the highly imaginative Tokyo Pig (see 'Anime With Echoes of Calvin & Hobbes Debuts').