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Comic book and manga letterer Dave Lanphear died on August 18 from complications related to diabetes, according to a Bleeding Cool report that his sister Tera Lanphear first shared on Facebook on August 22. He was 58. Lanphear was an award-winning cartoonist, letterer, art director, and story producer. He was born on June 5, 1968, and worked as a newspaper illustrator from 1985 to 1989. He joined Comicraft in 1994, where he helped advance digital lettering techniques, then left in 1999 to lead the lettering department at CrossGen Entertainment. He later co-founded Artmonkeys Studios and worked as a freelance letterer. His comic credits span Marvel, DC, Image, Valiant, Malibu, and Dynamite, with work on titles like Batman: The Long Halloween, Superman '78, Mighty Avengers, and Wonder Woman. In manga, he lettered Beyblade, Bleach, Densha Otoko, and Oyayubihime Infinity. He won two Eisner Awards in 2011 for Return of the Dapper Men and Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, and was nominated for Harvey Awards as Best Letterer in 2012 and 2014. Comic-Con International posted condolences on Thursday, noting his prolific work across major publishers.
Aug 4
Takara Tomy announced on July 29 that it will increase production and hold made-to-order sales for some BEYBLADE X products after shortages continued since spring 2026. The company said demand for the fourth-generation spinning top series has exceeded expectations worldwide, particularly in Asian regions including Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Shortages have persisted since around Golden Week, and even new products released from June to August have not been supplied in sufficient quantities. The increased production will roll out sequentially from the end of July to August, with supply volumes expanding thereafter. Three products will be sold via made-to-order on the Takara Tomy Mall: the CX-16 Start Dash Set C, UX-20 Starter Glory Valkyrie LF, and UX-21 Hells NETHER Deck Set. The application period runs from 12:00 on August 7 to 23:59 on August 11, with shipping scheduled for around mid-January 2027. Orders are limited to one per person or household to prevent resale and hoarding. The BEYBLADE X development team apologized for the shortage in a YouTube video released the same day.
Jul 17
ABC-Mart will release a collaboration sneaker between Beyblade X and the HAWKINS kids' shoe line on July 30. The MACH BEY shoe features a dial-fit system for easy adjustment and quick removal. It costs 6,490 yen and comes with a limited sticker for early buyers. Select stores will also display Beyblade series history panels.
Jul 15
Takara Tomy Mall is running a lottery for the BEYBLADE X UX-21 HellsNesser Deck Set and the BX-57 3on3 Deck Case Black Ver. until July 20, 2026. The deck set includes the balance-type HellsNesser Z blade with a height-switchable blade and a bit combining offense and defense. The case is a black version of the 3on3 case. Both items are scheduled for release on August 8, 2026.
Jul 12
Takara Tomy's BEYBLADE X has announced its first collaboration with the Ultraman series, releasing a starter set themed after Ultraman Tiga on September 12, 2026. The set features interchangeable parts to replicate Tiga's three forms, a special launcher, and a sticker. It will be displayed at events in July and released in eight Asian regions.
Jul 2
Furyu Corporation announced on July 2 that the PlayStation 5 version of Beyblade X: Evol Battle has been confirmed for release. The company also released two new DLC packs for the game on the Nintendo Store: Digital Bey Booster VOL.6 and VOL.7, which add a total of eight new Beyblades. VOL.7 is available for free until July 22 at 23:59 JST. The Steam versions of the DLC are scheduled for July 30. Alongside the DLC, Furyu launched Season Pass VOL.2, Special Blader Pack VOL.2, a Super Ultimate Pack bundling previous and current content, and a Super Ultimate Edition that includes the base game. All four bundles are offered at a 15 percent discount during a launch sale. The Steam versions of the Super Ultimate Pack and Super Ultimate Edition also include a soundtrack. The PS5 version's release date has not been announced.
Jun 17
Takara Tomy announced the UX-00 Starter Samurai Saber 5-60K Metal Coat: Samurai Blue Japan National Football Team Ver. Beyblade will be available for made-to-order sales at the JFA STORE. The product features a Samurai Blue color scheme inspired by the Japan national football team and includes a winder launcher starter and a team sticker. Orders run from June 19 to July 20, 2026, with delivery scheduled for late November 2026.
Jun 3
A collaboration event between Takara Tomy's Beyblade X and the in-station shop TOPPA!!! BASE AKIBA will run from June 13. The event includes a free battle stadium for hands-on play and sales of Beyblade X products, all inside the ticket gates of JR Akihabara Station.
May 20
Takara Tomy announced that certain Beyblade X products are in short supply and experiencing backorders due to demand exceeding expectations. The company is strengthening production capacity and increasing output for domestic and overseas markets, though specific details on scale or timing have not been disclosed.