This is another one of my favorite animated/anime shows of all time. This is also another childhood favorite of mine, when I was about ten, I was really fascinated with Japanese Anime which at the time was an underground thing.
Once I saw the show "Macross" I wanted more and wondered if there was more, of course I soon came across this show of course which turned out to be another one of them, so I rented a lot of episodes of the show on VHS at my local video store "AV Video/Video Update" (good gravy I really miss those stores) as well as reruns on Cartoon Network. After seeing the show in the words of Maverick from "Top Gun" "I feel the need for Speed".
Speed Racer was a cult phenomenon at the time as it really was one of the ones that help start up the gearhead subgenre in the action genre. In car shows there's actually a real-life replica of the Mach 5 in display that does have those actual functions from the car. There were some video games, three of them are actually good from the PSone and the game based on the live action film; but my absolute favorite in the arcade game from Namco which is awesome and one of my favorite but underrated racing/licensed video games.
There was as I mention before a live action film which I really like, and I feel is an under the radar gem but that's a story for another time. This show was also was a partial inspiration to the TV show "Knight Rider" as well as other shows that featured amazing super cars.
Looking back on the show now I still really love it. It's true like with most retro relic it's not without certain kincks, from some of the plotlines of the show are really outlandish, out there, far fetched and any other fancy terms you can think of. Nor is there a great amount of character depth and drama, dialog at times isn't so great. Like a lot of those pulp hero and adventure stories they were never concerned about logic, character drama and realism, in fact they just shelved it and focused on what really mattered action, adventure and fun, and that to me is the charm of the show.
Animation presentation is solid, it's true it looks a little dated and not so amazing. But you have to realize back then Japanese Animation wasn't a common thing back them, let alone this was also one of the stepping stones in the evolution of its animation in that region. And it was one big, good step; when you take a step back into the mindset of yesteryear it's easy to see why people were blown away by this animation.
From the human character designs which wasn't a common thing at the time as there weren't many animated shows back then that featured humans as characters. But some of the human characters designs are unique as there are some that look comical but other looks striking human Speed, Trixie, Racer X and some others. Seeing them along with the action going on at times it was easy to forget you were watching an animated show.
Even background animation was pretty good, though it's mainly in the automotive and effects pieces where it excels. I really like how the show really created the illusion of speed, it's true it's now a rather primitive effect now but again you have to understand that there wasn't anything like this at the time and to this day I still think it looks good, you really felt like those cars were really moving at top speed.
The cars were pretty cool, I really like how in each episode there were sometimes some really unique and creative cars, though a little absurd in their physics but hey it's pulp adventure you roll with it. In one episode there were assassin cars that looked like bats.
The GRX which was the fastest but most deadly car in the world which is true as it looks so sinister with those headlights that look like evil eyes. Acrobatic cars which look like any race cars except they can to a bunch of acrobatic tricks.
The Mammoth Car which looks more like a freight train, was really intimidating from its gigantic size and how much space it can occupy, racing against it is literally a David vs Goliath battle. But of course, the main automotive star is the Mach 5 which I'll talk about latter.
Characters are pretty good even though their two dimensional and not the most well rounded, but hey this was anime/animated shows in the long-gone era what are you going to do. But their all unique and have some personalities to make them slightly stand out.
Racer X he's was really cool he's sort of the gear head version of "The Lone Ranger" as he's always has that really cool mask on. He was sort of the guardian angel element as he's the mysterious stranger helping the main protagonist in times of need or when things get too harry for the protagonist; much like Tuxedo Mask is for "Sailor Moon".
I really like there is this sense of enigma to him despite knowing his real identity we really know nothing about most of his life like why did he really leave his family, what secret agent organization he's affiliated with, why does he still have to keep his identity a secret from Speed (seriously wouldn't opening up to people you trust increase their protection and gain more allies)? Sadly due to the depth never paid much attention to, well never really know.
Trixie who of course is Speed significant other, she's another honorable mention in favorite animated females. I remember as a kid (I said I was a kid) I really had a crush on this character as she not just was pretty but presented strong character. What I like about her is how she's not a stereotypical damsel in distress, even though she does get in some bind but hey when you in the realm of action/adventure crap happens to everyone.
Anyway, I really love how she's actually shows some strength as she's able to hold her own against danger, is useful as she's able to ride the Mach 5 and help Speed out anyway she can, but also it's not just Speed that saves her life every time but even Trixie gets to sometimes which I feel is what any good girlfriend as well as boyfriend should do. I also like some of her personality as she's smart, energetic, and has a lot of spunk.
Speed Racer he's sort of an honorable mention in my personal favorite pulp heroes. But anyway, he's part of a pantheon of pulp heroes like "Dick Tracy", "Doc Savage", "MacGyver", "Doctor Who" and many more. Speed I always though was cool with that retro 60's racing outfit blue T shirt and red scarf, though it was really the racing helmet I like it made him look a bit like a jet fighter pilot but actually was very useful, from what he goes though it's a good thing he keeps it on. Yeah, his persona may come off as a bit bland but in a good way.
I think what I really like about him is he's sort of that wishfulment hero as well as a bit of an underdog. From the fact he's a young teen full of energy, that get to do one of the things he does best in life racing as well as go on adventures and kick some ass; that's the kind of thing a lot of young boys and girl dream of being able to drive fast cars but go wherever we want to go and have adventures. I really like that this guy is one with a dream of simply being the best in racing but at the same time just to simply be a good person willing to do the right thing.
Of course, this show we're all in it for the action and that beautiful automotive the Mach 5. Each of the adventures are always something different you never really know what the next adventure or what kind of adventure or opponents Speed had to deal with. The action was always top notch, okay not quite as the choreography can look a little choppy sometimes, though that's mainly because of animation techniques not very well advanced and hardware limitations at the time.
But still from what they were able to do they did well, and what I like was how surprising violent it really was as you do see people die in this show. Personally I like that because it gave the show the jeopardy element which made me all the more care about Speed and Trixie's lives. It really showed that the race of life and death is not a game, there is no second or third place; it's a race Speed, Trixie and company better place first because they won't get another chance.
I really love the episodes arc which was another thing that made the show unique for it's time, the episode would end on a cliffhanger. Much like with "Batman 66" Speed and Trixie would sometimes get themselves into some jams and death traps and I remember having to wait till either next week or tomorrow. Both felt like an eternity for me as I just always held on to that delayed suspenseful tension always wonder how the heck Speed and Trixie were going to get out of this.
The Mach 5 is one of my favorite automotives in the visual medium of all time up there with the "Batmoble", James Bond's Aston Martin, Barracuda from "Phantasm" and plenty of others. Really like the design of it which was unique and still is as it had that futuristic look to it, though now it's retro futuristic.
The Mach 5 wasn't just a fast car but was like a swiss army knife on wheels as it had a bunch of buttons to give the car some nifty and handy tricks. Two of my favorites are the buzzsaw blades that can cut away at tree lines to make a pathway for the car but also useful at cutting off the enemies tires. Of course my absolute favorite are the Jacks which not just prop up the car to be fixed but can make the car jump which I though was really cool, also love the sound of them which is just music to my ears.
Speed Racer is a vintage classic that has plenty of millage for fun.
Rating: 4 stars
Once I saw the show "Macross" I wanted more and wondered if there was more, of course I soon came across this show of course which turned out to be another one of them, so I rented a lot of episodes of the show on VHS at my local video store "AV Video/Video Update" (good gravy I really miss those stores) as well as reruns on Cartoon Network. After seeing the show in the words of Maverick from "Top Gun" "I feel the need for Speed".
Speed Racer was a cult phenomenon at the time as it really was one of the ones that help start up the gearhead subgenre in the action genre. In car shows there's actually a real-life replica of the Mach 5 in display that does have those actual functions from the car. There were some video games, three of them are actually good from the PSone and the game based on the live action film; but my absolute favorite in the arcade game from Namco which is awesome and one of my favorite but underrated racing/licensed video games.
There was as I mention before a live action film which I really like, and I feel is an under the radar gem but that's a story for another time. This show was also was a partial inspiration to the TV show "Knight Rider" as well as other shows that featured amazing super cars.
Looking back on the show now I still really love it. It's true like with most retro relic it's not without certain kincks, from some of the plotlines of the show are really outlandish, out there, far fetched and any other fancy terms you can think of. Nor is there a great amount of character depth and drama, dialog at times isn't so great. Like a lot of those pulp hero and adventure stories they were never concerned about logic, character drama and realism, in fact they just shelved it and focused on what really mattered action, adventure and fun, and that to me is the charm of the show.
Animation presentation is solid, it's true it looks a little dated and not so amazing. But you have to realize back then Japanese Animation wasn't a common thing back them, let alone this was also one of the stepping stones in the evolution of its animation in that region. And it was one big, good step; when you take a step back into the mindset of yesteryear it's easy to see why people were blown away by this animation.
From the human character designs which wasn't a common thing at the time as there weren't many animated shows back then that featured humans as characters. But some of the human characters designs are unique as there are some that look comical but other looks striking human Speed, Trixie, Racer X and some others. Seeing them along with the action going on at times it was easy to forget you were watching an animated show.
Even background animation was pretty good, though it's mainly in the automotive and effects pieces where it excels. I really like how the show really created the illusion of speed, it's true it's now a rather primitive effect now but again you have to understand that there wasn't anything like this at the time and to this day I still think it looks good, you really felt like those cars were really moving at top speed.
The cars were pretty cool, I really like how in each episode there were sometimes some really unique and creative cars, though a little absurd in their physics but hey it's pulp adventure you roll with it. In one episode there were assassin cars that looked like bats.
The GRX which was the fastest but most deadly car in the world which is true as it looks so sinister with those headlights that look like evil eyes. Acrobatic cars which look like any race cars except they can to a bunch of acrobatic tricks.
The Mammoth Car which looks more like a freight train, was really intimidating from its gigantic size and how much space it can occupy, racing against it is literally a David vs Goliath battle. But of course, the main automotive star is the Mach 5 which I'll talk about latter.
Characters are pretty good even though their two dimensional and not the most well rounded, but hey this was anime/animated shows in the long-gone era what are you going to do. But their all unique and have some personalities to make them slightly stand out.
Racer X he's was really cool he's sort of the gear head version of "The Lone Ranger" as he's always has that really cool mask on. He was sort of the guardian angel element as he's the mysterious stranger helping the main protagonist in times of need or when things get too harry for the protagonist; much like Tuxedo Mask is for "Sailor Moon".
I really like there is this sense of enigma to him despite knowing his real identity we really know nothing about most of his life like why did he really leave his family, what secret agent organization he's affiliated with, why does he still have to keep his identity a secret from Speed (seriously wouldn't opening up to people you trust increase their protection and gain more allies)? Sadly due to the depth never paid much attention to, well never really know.
Trixie who of course is Speed significant other, she's another honorable mention in favorite animated females. I remember as a kid (I said I was a kid) I really had a crush on this character as she not just was pretty but presented strong character. What I like about her is how she's not a stereotypical damsel in distress, even though she does get in some bind but hey when you in the realm of action/adventure crap happens to everyone.
Anyway, I really love how she's actually shows some strength as she's able to hold her own against danger, is useful as she's able to ride the Mach 5 and help Speed out anyway she can, but also it's not just Speed that saves her life every time but even Trixie gets to sometimes which I feel is what any good girlfriend as well as boyfriend should do. I also like some of her personality as she's smart, energetic, and has a lot of spunk.
Speed Racer he's sort of an honorable mention in my personal favorite pulp heroes. But anyway, he's part of a pantheon of pulp heroes like "Dick Tracy", "Doc Savage", "MacGyver", "Doctor Who" and many more. Speed I always though was cool with that retro 60's racing outfit blue T shirt and red scarf, though it was really the racing helmet I like it made him look a bit like a jet fighter pilot but actually was very useful, from what he goes though it's a good thing he keeps it on. Yeah, his persona may come off as a bit bland but in a good way.
I think what I really like about him is he's sort of that wishfulment hero as well as a bit of an underdog. From the fact he's a young teen full of energy, that get to do one of the things he does best in life racing as well as go on adventures and kick some ass; that's the kind of thing a lot of young boys and girl dream of being able to drive fast cars but go wherever we want to go and have adventures. I really like that this guy is one with a dream of simply being the best in racing but at the same time just to simply be a good person willing to do the right thing.
Of course, this show we're all in it for the action and that beautiful automotive the Mach 5. Each of the adventures are always something different you never really know what the next adventure or what kind of adventure or opponents Speed had to deal with. The action was always top notch, okay not quite as the choreography can look a little choppy sometimes, though that's mainly because of animation techniques not very well advanced and hardware limitations at the time.
But still from what they were able to do they did well, and what I like was how surprising violent it really was as you do see people die in this show. Personally I like that because it gave the show the jeopardy element which made me all the more care about Speed and Trixie's lives. It really showed that the race of life and death is not a game, there is no second or third place; it's a race Speed, Trixie and company better place first because they won't get another chance.
I really love the episodes arc which was another thing that made the show unique for it's time, the episode would end on a cliffhanger. Much like with "Batman 66" Speed and Trixie would sometimes get themselves into some jams and death traps and I remember having to wait till either next week or tomorrow. Both felt like an eternity for me as I just always held on to that delayed suspenseful tension always wonder how the heck Speed and Trixie were going to get out of this.
The Mach 5 is one of my favorite automotives in the visual medium of all time up there with the "Batmoble", James Bond's Aston Martin, Barracuda from "Phantasm" and plenty of others. Really like the design of it which was unique and still is as it had that futuristic look to it, though now it's retro futuristic.
The Mach 5 wasn't just a fast car but was like a swiss army knife on wheels as it had a bunch of buttons to give the car some nifty and handy tricks. Two of my favorites are the buzzsaw blades that can cut away at tree lines to make a pathway for the car but also useful at cutting off the enemies tires. Of course my absolute favorite are the Jacks which not just prop up the car to be fixed but can make the car jump which I though was really cool, also love the sound of them which is just music to my ears.
Speed Racer is a vintage classic that has plenty of millage for fun.
Rating: 4 stars