Beyblade: Shogun Steel

Despite the anime never using the 'crystal-up' mode on the Beys, official setting materials depict the models in that mode.

Ended its Japanese TV broadcast in December instead of the franchise's usual April finish, likely due to a sales slump lasting from 2011 into 2012.

The episode shares part of its title with the English dub name of a Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl episode.

Dashan Wang voices the Japanese opening narration here, whereas the original Japanese broadcast used Gingka Hagane.

Gingka Hagane is no longer the series' main protagonist, replaced by Zyro Kurogane.

This is the first Beyblade: Shogun Steel title card not to feature Samurai Ifrit W145CF, showing Pirate Orochi 145D instead.

Zyro and Shinobu's friendship is likened to that of Tyson Granger and Daichi Sumeragi from the original series, though Zyro and Eight get along more easily.

This is the first episode of the Metal Saga in which Gingka does not appear at all.

Zyro's special move Burning Upper had already appeared in the manga's first chapter before debuting here in the anime.

This is the first episode to feature a title card using the Wind element.

This is the first episode to feature and use Synchrome.

This is also the first episode with a Synchrome Beyblade on its title card.

This episode's title is similar to one from the Metal Fury/4D era.

Shinobu is shown to be a major fan of Tsubasa Otori.

This episode marks the first time a Shogun Steel special move receives an upgrade, with Burning Uppercut becoming Super Burning Uppercut.

This episode is the first to feature a title card using the Wind element.

Kikura Gen uses a Zero-G Light Launcher against Kite but switches to a regular compact launcher against Zyro.

Tsubasa repeatedly says 'This is summer!' throughout the episode.

Sakyo makes his first appearance in this episode.

The premise echoes an earlier episode in which Ryuga re-awakened.

Several earlier left-spin Beyblades — the L-Drago variants, Gravity Destroyer, and Variares — appear as cameos on Kite's research screen.

Orochi's beast form differs between the Japanese and international dubs: the original design has eight heads on a ship-shaped body, while the dub redesigned it as a humanoid pirate snake and dropped the skull-and-crossbones motif.

The Japanese air date, September 9, is the birthday of Kei Shindou, Madoka's Japanese voice actress.

This is the first time a blader (Kira) uses a Synchrom Beyblade without any WBBA involvement.

This is the first Synchrom battle to take place outside a Zero-G Stadium.

The episode confirms Kira and Yoshio are Synchrom partners.

This episode introduces a new opening theme, 'Zero-G Bey! Go!'

Except for Ren, every main character has now battled a DNA member by this point.

Captain Arrow's Beyblade was initially assumed by fans to be Samurai Balro.

This marks the first time Burning Upper fails to score a stadium-out, though Zyro still wins the rematch using it a second time.

This episode establishes Kira as the strongest DNA blader up to this point.

It is the second time Burning Upper fails to immediately KO an opponent's Bey, though Zyro still wins the fight.

A production error has Spike Bourne, and later Genjuro Kamegaki and Captain Arrow, launching with a stance mismatched to the type of launcher shown.

The anime never actually shows Team Garcia giving Kira the Gladiator Bahamoote, unlike his other Beys.

This is the first episode to display the 'God' tier element on its title card.

The episode title is shared with an earlier episode from the Metal Fusion series.

This marks Gingka's first physical appearance in Shogun Steel.

This was the last episode of the run broadcast on Japanese television; the remaining seven episodes were released only on DVD in Japan.

In Japan, the next-episode preview slot instead advertised Cross Fight B-Daman eS, since the anime's broadcast run was ending.

This is one of seven episodes that reached Japan only via DVD release rather than television broadcast.

This episode clarifies that Doji did not actually die falling off a building in an earlier Metal Fury episode, since he landed in water and was rescued by Merci.

Outside Asian countries and Turkey, the episode's special ending segment was cut from broadcast.

Character designer Yoshihiro Nagamori tweeted sketches from that ending showing a scrapped design for both Ryutaro Fukami and Yu Tendo.