Beyblade battles drive up sales at Hong Kong malls, but how long will the trend last?

The sharp clatter of spinning metal tops, cheers, sighs of frustration and shouts of “Three, two, one … Go shoot!” echo across a shopping centre in Hong Kong’s New Territories on a weekday.Dish-shaped plastic battle arenas known as “Beystadiums” have been set up not only in Tuen Mun Town Plaza, but also across the mall in different shops, where some players challenge shop staff to collect stamps for shopping vouchers.The spinning toy popularised by Japanese anime in the early 2000s made a comeback in Hong Kong and across Asia early this year, with local fans flocking to public arenas to battle against other players and scrambling to buy hot models and rare parts.