Danball Senki W Episode 1

The episode opens not in the cheerful atmosphere of Ban’s daily life, but in the deserts of Egypt. A private investigator named Jackalhot has tracked down a mysterious, sentient LBX known as "Mizel." The encounter is brief and disastrous; Jackalhot’s LBX, a high-performance model, is effortlessly destroyed by Mizel. The episode establishes immediately that this new antagonist is on a completely different level than anything seen in the previous season.

Meanwhile, in Japan, Ban Yamamoto has become a local celebrity for his victory in the Artemis tournament. He is seen enjoying his summer vacation with his friends—Kazuya, Ami, and Gouda Hanasaki. However, the peace is short-lived. Ban receives a mysterious message on his CCM (the controller device for LBXs) from an unknown sender. Simultaneously, a massive, unexplained blackout hits Tokyo.

Following the signal, Ban encounters a cloaked figure who claims to be an ally of the Innovators' remnants. The stranger reveals that a new threat has emerged, one that seeks the "Eternal Cycler." To protect his friends, Ban engages in a battle, but his skills are pushed to the limit. The episode culminates in a cliffhanger that threatens to destroy Ban’s beloved LBX, the Odin.

One of the biggest risks of any sequel is replacing or sidelining beloved characters. Danball Senki W Episode 1 cleverly avoids that pitfall by introducing a co-protagonist.

Hiro Ōzora is the standout addition. Orphaned and reserved, Hiro carries a dark secret: his father was the creator of the dangerous “Detector System” that threatens to weaponize LBXs across the globe. Unlike Ban, who fights for fun, Hiro fights out of guilt and responsibility. His LBX, Hyper Function Achilles (ACHILLES) , is an upgraded, faster, and more fragile machine compared to Ban’s all-rounder Odysseus. danball senki w episode 1

The episode spends significant time contrasting the two:

Their forced partnership—brokered by the newly formed LBX Monitoring Organization—is the engine that will drive the entire series. By the end of episode 1, they are reluctantly teamed up, but not before a spectacular battle that leaves both machines heavily damaged.

Series: Danball Senki W (Little Battlers eXperience W) Season: 2 Episode: 1 Japanese Air Date: January 18, 2012 English Dub Title: "The Beginnings of W"

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 opens not in the cheerful atmosphere

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.

As of 2025, Danball Senki W is available on:

The English dub (titled LBX: Little Battlers eXperience W) is harder to find but exists on DVD collections from Dentsu Entertainment USA. Their forced partnership—brokered by the newly formed LBX

For fans of Level-5’s cult classic mecha franchise, few titles evoke as much nostalgia as Danball Senki (known as LBX: Little Battlers eXperience in the West). Following the massive success of the first season, anticipation was sky-high for its direct sequel. Danball Senki W Episode 1—titled "Arata naru Tabidachi" (A New Journey)—premiered as the gateway to a larger, more explosive world. But does this episode successfully reboot the stakes, introduce new characters, and recapture the magic of the original?

Let’s break down the plot, character introductions, action sequences, and the long-term implications of this pivotal first episode.