Danball Senki W Episode 1 · Premium Quality
No good first episode is complete without a mystery. Right as Hiro celebrates his victory, a cryptic transmission interrupts his LBX’s comms: a distress signal from a familiar face. Van Yamano, the hero of the original series, is in trouble—and he’s not on Earth. Without spoiling too much, the final scene reveals that Danball Senki W is expanding its scope beyond Japan, hinting at a global (and maybe even intercontinental) conspiracy.
Episode 1, titled “The Arrival of the New Saviour,” wastes no time establishing a shift in tone. We’re introduced to Hiro Ōzora, a cheerful, tech-savvy middle schooler who feels like a spiritual successor to the original protagonist, Van Yamano—but with his own flair. Hiro is an LBX mechanic prodigy, and his passion for building and battling is infectious.
The episode cleverly doesn’t abandon legacy fans. Within the first ten minutes, we catch a glimpse of a news report mentioning the events of the first series, confirming that Danball Senki W takes place one year after the original. The world has changed: LBX battles are now legalized, mainstream, and even have professional leagues. Peace, however, never lasts long in a mecha anime.
The Good:
The “Wait and See”:
The episode opens not with chaos, but with peace. A title card reveals that two years have passed since the events of the original Danball Senki (the battle against the Innovators and the destruction of the Eternal Gunner).
We are reintroduced to Ban Yamano, our spiky-haired hero, who is now a fifth-grader. He seems to have matured slightly, but his love for LBX battles is as fiery as ever. He is still living in the peaceful town of Kami-machi, where LBX battles have become a normalized, legalized hobby rather than a tool for shadow warfare. danball senki w episode 1
However, the peace is deceptive. Ban is visited by his old ally, Amachi, who comes bearing urgent news: a new global threat is emerging, this time tied to an illegal LBX battle tournament known as the "W Tournament."
The episode quickly shifts tone when a mysterious, sleek, white-and-blue LBX appears in town, controlled by a silent, glasses-wearing boy named Hiro Ōzora. Unlike Ban’s fighting style, which relies on passion and instinct, Hiro fights with cold, mathematical precision. Their first encounter isn’t just a friendly spar—it’s a clash of ideologies.
Title: "The Catastrophic Night" (Japanese Title: "Saijaku no Yoru") No good first episode is complete without a mystery
Premiering in 2012, Danball Senki W serves as the second installment of the Little Battlers eXperience (LBX) anime franchise. Following the conclusion of the first season, where young Ban Yamamoto (Ban Yamano in the dub) saved the world from the nefarious organization known as the Innovators, the series returns with higher stakes, larger threats, and a new rival. Episode 1 does not simply reset the board; it expands the universe, introducing a darker atmosphere that signals this season is not just a continuation, but an escalation.
Looking back, Danball Senki W Episode 1 successfully did what few sequels dare to do: it split the protagonist role. This risk paid off. Hiro became just as beloved as Ban in Japan, and the "buddy mecha" dynamic influenced later Level-5 works like Inazuma Eleven GO.
For newcomers, this episode serves as a decent soft reboot. You don’t need to have seen the first 44 episodes of the original to understand the plot, though you’ll miss the emotional weight of Ban’s growth. The “Wait and See”: The episode opens not
For returning fans, episode 1 is a promise: bigger battles, higher stakes, and a darker world. The moment Hiro says, "I don't fight for justice. I fight to atone," you know this isn’t your little brother’s LBX anime anymore.