Beet the Vandel Buster

Beet the Vandel Buster
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Beet
冒険王ビィト
(Bōken Ō Bīto)
GenreAdventure, fantasy[1]
Manga
Written byRiku Sanjo
Illustrated byKoji Inada
Published byShueisha
English publisher
ImprintJump Comics
Magazine
DemographicShōnen
Original runMarch 6, 2002 – present
Volumes18 (List of volumes)
Anime television series
Directed byTatsuya Nagamine
Written byYoshimi Narita
Music byHiroshi Takaki
StudioToei Animation
Licensed by
Original networkTV Tokyo
Original run September 30, 2004 – March 30, 2006
Episodes77

Beet the Vandel Buster (Japanese: 冒険王ビィト, Hepburn: Bōken Ō Bīto, lit. 'Adventure King Bee') is a Japanese manga series written by Riku Sanjo and illustrated by Koji Inada. The manga ran in Shueisha's Monthly Shōnen Jump from 2002 to 2006. After a nearly ten-year hiatus, the series resumed in Jump SQ.Crown in 2016, before entering a short-term hiatus. It has been serialized in Jump SQ.Rise since 2018. 18 volumes tankōbon volumes have been released as of October 2024. In North America, Viz Media licensed the manga for English release and published its first twelve volumes between 2004 and 2007.

The series takes place in a fantasy world where humans have been suffering from the attacks of the demon-like Vandels. Humans can fight back by becoming a Vandel Buster, a paid monster and Vandel assassin. Beet is a young boy who becomes a Vandel Buster to be like his heroes, the Zenon Warriors.

A 52-episode anime television series adaptation by Toei Animation was broadcast on TV Tokyo, followed by a sequel, Beet the Vandel Buster: Excellion, which ran for 25 episodes. The anime series was licensed in North America by Illumitoon Entertainment, who only released one DVD in 2007 before discontinuing it.

Story

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Main article: List of Beet the Vandel Buster characters

Set in the Dark Ages, a term referring to the time since Vandels (a portmanteau of "vampire and "devil")[2] appeared and started attacking humans. Beet is a boy who dreams of joining the "Zenon Warriors", a group of "Vandel Busters" who are considered to be the strongest on the continent. When the group comes to protect his village from the Vandel, Beltorze, Beet tries to join them but is rejected. When Beltorze appears, the Zenon Warriors seem to have the upper hand until Beet cheers them on, causing the Vandel to notice his presence. Beltorze attacks Beet, and the Zenon Warriors are forced to break formation to help him. Beltorze uses that moment to attack again, which mortally wounds all of them. Hidden in the smoke, the Zenon Warriors decide to rescue Beet's life by putting their life force into their “Saiga” and giving them to Beet. When Beet complains and asks them why they are doing this, it is revealed that Zenon is Beet's brother. The now weaponless Zenon Warriors then emerge from the smoke and continue to attack Beltorze. When Beet regains consciousness, both Beltorze and the Zenon Warriors are gone. Guilt-ridden and sad, he cries and vows to destroy all the Vandels and end the Dark Ages. He then goes on a three-year training expedition. His childhood friend, Poala, later joins Beet and they form the “Beet Warriors”. As Beet continues his journey, more is learned about the fight between the Zenon Warriors and Beltorze and the fantasy world of Beet is expanded on.

Media

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Manga

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Main article: List of Beet the Vandel Buster chapters

Written by Riku Sanjo and illustrated by Koji Inada, Beet the Vandel Buster was first serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Monthly Shōnen Jump from March 6, 2002,[a] to July 6, 2006.[b] After a nearly ten-year hiatus, the series resumed publication in Jump SQ.Crown on April 15, 2016;[7][8] however, it went on hiatus on October 14 of that same year.[9][10] Jump SQ.Crown ceased publication in January 2018 and the series resumed publication in the inaugural issue of Jump SQ.Rise on April 16, 2018.[11][12] Shueisha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on October 4, 2002.[13] As of October 4, 2024, eighteen volumes have been released.[14]

In North America, the manga was licensed for English release by Viz Media, who released its first twelve volumes from October 19, 2004, to October 2, 2007.[15][16]

Anime

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Beet the Vandel Buster was adapted into a 52-episode anime television series by Toei Animation, which was broadcast on TV Tokyo from September 30, 2004, to September 29, 2005.[17] It was followed by Beet the Vandel Buster: Excellion (冒険王ビィト エクセリオン, Bōken Ō Bīto Ekuserion), which ran for 25 episodes from October 6, 2005, to March 30, 2006.[18]

In North America, both series were licensed by Illumitoon Entertainment in 2006;[19] however, they only released one DVD of the first series in 2007 and discontinued it.[20]

Reception

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By April 2018, the first 13 volumes of the manga had 4 million copies in print.[21]

Notes

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  1. ^ It debuted in the April 2002 issue,[3] released on March 6 of that same year.[4]
  2. ^ Its last chapter in the magazine was published in its August 2006 issue,[5] released on July 6 of that same year.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Ellingwood, Holly (February 20, 2007). "Beet the Vandel Buster: The Sacrifice (Vol. 1)". Active Anime. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  2. ^ "On the Beet." Shōnen Jump Volume 2, Issue 11. November 2004. Viz Media. 8.
  3. ^ 『冒険王ビィト』10年ぶり連載復活へ! 来春発売の増刊号から. Oricon News (in Japanese). Oricon. December 21, 2015. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  4. ^ 2002年3月号 Contents. Monthly Shōnen Jump (in Japanese). Shueisha. March 2002. Table of contents. Archived from the original on June 23, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023. 4月特大号は 02年3月6日 (水) 発売
  5. ^ 「冒険王ビィト」10年ぶりの新刊発売、バロンとの戦いに決着. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. November 4, 2016. Archived from the original on June 23, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  6. ^ 月刊少年ジャンプ ８月号 7月6日発売 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on July 17, 2006. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  7. ^ 「冒険王ビィト」約10年ぶりに復活！ジャンプには三条陸×椎橋寛の読切も. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. December 21, 2015. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  8. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (December 17, 2015). "Riku Sanjo, Kôji Inada Resume Beet the Vandel Buster Manga After Nearly 10 Years". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 18, 2015. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  9. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (October 13, 2016). "Beet the Vandel Buster Manga Goes on Hiatus (Updated)". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 30, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  10. ^ 「冒険王ビィト」バロン編完結！10年ぶりの新刊は11月に. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. October 14, 2016. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  11. ^ Sherman, Jennifer (April 16, 2018). "Twin Star Exorcists Spinoff Manga Ends in 1st Issue of New Jump SQ. Rise Magazine". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 14, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  12. ^ ジャンプSQ.新増刊・RISE発売！小畑健、加藤和恵が互いの作品描くポスターも. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. April 16, 2018. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  13. ^ 冒険王ビィト 1 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on December 30, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  14. ^ 冒険王ビィト 18 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  15. ^ "Beet the Vandel Buster, Vol. 1". Viz Media. Archived from the original on December 22, 2010. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  16. ^ "Beet the Vandel Buster, Vol. 12". Viz Media. Archived from the original on December 22, 2010. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  17. ^ 冒険王 ビィト BEET THE VANDEL BUSTER. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  18. ^ 冒険王ビィト エクセリオン BEET THE VANDEL BUSTER. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  19. ^ Mays, Jonathan (July 12, 2006). "Illumitoon Lights Up With Beet the Vandel Buster". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  20. ^ Loo, Egan (July 26, 2007). "Illumitoon's B'tX, Beet, BoBoBo-Bo DVDs Discontinued (Updated)". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  21. ^ Sherman, Jennifer (April 8, 2018). "Roundup of Newly Revealed Print Counts for Manga, Light Novel Series". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
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