YTV plans to "Let it Rip!" with the premiere of Beyblade: Metal Fusion

With 51 new episodes and a fresh cast of characters, the action-packed Beyblade phenomenon is back, beginning Saturday, May 15 at 12 p.m.

Hasbro, d-rights and Nelvana Enterprises introduce the new Beyblade toy line with high performance battling tops

TORONTO, April 21 /CNW/ - The second wave of Beyblade, the worldwide hit of the early 2000's that took over TV screens, playgrounds and attracted thousands to tournaments around the globe, returns this May with the highly-anticipated Beyblade: Metal Fusion. This new franchise introduces a fresh new cast of characters that are set to the take the world by storm. From Corus Entertainment's Nelvana and Japan's d-rights, Beyblade: Metal Fusion launches on YTV with a four episode stunt event on Saturday, May 15 at 12 p.m.

"When the Beyblade series and spinning tops were first launched in 2002, it quickly became an extraordinary phenomenon, galvanizing and thrilling kids in more than 100 countries around the world," said Jocelyn Hamilton, Vice President, Programming and Production, Corus Kids. "No one could have predicted that Beyblade would ignite the imaginations of kids in the way that it did. 'Beyblading' became a figure of speech among kids and pop-up tournaments generated excitement everywhere. And now, with a new series in place, Beyblade is back for a whole new generation of kids."

Beyblade: Metal Fusion follows Gingka and his faithful group of loyal super bladers as they undertake the battle against a rising dangerous group, The Dark Nebula. The Dark Nebula's only wish is to take over the world and to unleash evil - the person standing in its way is Gingka, the only one strong enough to defeat the Nebula. However, despite his strength, Gingka is constantly tested as foes become friends and friends become foes.

Following the special programming stunt event, the series will air weekly on YTV on Saturdays at 12 p.m. ET/PT. Viewers can use YTV's online video player at www.YTV.com/videos to catch clips of the show, and starting April 29, viewers can also go online to the rich Beyblade show page at www.Beyblade.ytv.com to play games and learn more about the show.

Canadian kids can get into the action this summer with YTV's grass-roots summer tour W.O.W!, who will be joining in on the Beyblade: Metal Fusion fun. Kids across Canada will have the opportunity to Let it Rip at W.O.W! in the Beyblade Metal Fusion Battle Zone, building, customizing and battling different types of Beyblades at festivals and fairs across the country. Tour information will be available starting May 19 at www.YTV.com/wow.

Master toy partner Hasbro and Nelvana Enterprises have partnered to launch the Beyblade: Metal Fusion toy line in Canada this spring. The comprehensive line of battling-tops allows kids to collect, customize and compete like never before with a new, metal gear system and the introduction of an online virtual battle component at www.Beybladebattles.com. With a focus on customization and high-performance competition, each top in the Beyblade: Metal Fusion toy line comes with five interchangeable parts, ready for kids to build and rebuild to maximize performance for battle. Since the toys re-launch in Japan in 2008 by Tomy Company, Ltd., over 17 million tops and accessories have been sold, accelerated by the start of the broadcast of the new series in April 2009.

The original Beyblade franchise was introduced to the world in 2001. The series aired in over 100 countries, and the toy line was a massive hit with boys, selling out in stores and attracting thousands of competitors to tournaments around the world, capturing kids' attention through innovation and competitive play.

About d-rights Inc.

d-rights Inc. is a 100% owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation, one of the world's biggest general trading company, handling entertainment content for a variety of Media, offering services in every aspect of content business including production, rights management, financing and merchandising. Check our properties at http://www.d-rights.com.

About Hasbro, Inc.

Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS) is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time products and services with a rich portfolio of brands and entertainment properties that provides some of the highest quality and most recognizable play and recreational experiences in the world. As a brand-driven, consumer-focused global company, Hasbro brings to market a range of toys, games and licensed products, from traditional to high-tech and digital, under such powerful brand names as TRANSFORMERS, PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, CRANIUM and WIZARDS OF THE COAST. Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com (C) 2010 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

About Corus Entertainment Inc.

Corus Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, advertising services, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's animation. The company's multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, Nickelodeon (Canada), W Network, CosmoTV, VIVA, Sundance Channel (Canada), Movie Central, HBO Canada, Nelvana, Kids Can Press and radio stations including CKNW, CFOX, CKOI, 98,5 FM, Q107 and 102.1 the Edge. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto (CJR.B) and New York (CJR) exchanges. Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.

For further information: For high-resolution images, please visit: http://mediacentre.corusent.com; For more information, please contact: Corus Entertainment: Lindsay Sutcliffe, Corus Entertainment, [phone], [email protected], Hasbro inquiries: Marisa Pedatella, Hasbro Canada, [phone] x 282, [email protected]