When it comes to sports anime, the premise is usually a group of high school students playing a team-based sport, whether that’s volleyball, baseball, tennis or basketball. However, a few have strayed away from the usage of ball sports to focus on lesser-known or less popular ones such as rock wall climbing or ice hockey. Although some might not think it counts as a sport, competitive car racing has also had its fair share of anime in the industry given its popularity in Japan.
Beginning in the late 1960s with Speed Racer, multiple racing anime have been produced, each one giving off a strong rush of adrenaline. Although its content has dwindled over the years, there are still plenty of more recent and even future anime racing series and films to enjoy, such as the upcoming Highspeed Etoile set to debut in 2024. However, only some have managed to cross the threshold of recognition compared to others.
An Action-Packed Assembly of Car-Racing Anime
Even though street racing is illegal in Japan and often met with strict punishments, the long-running retro series Initial D has been heralded as one of the best racing anime of all time. Unlike his best friend who works at the same gas station as him, Takumi Fujiwara doesn’t care much for cars or racing, as his father-assigned morning tofu delivery job constantly tires him out. As his deliveries require him to drive through mountains and sometimes perilous weather, Takumi has unknowingly set himself up to be a skilled driver, which allows him to pass by a member of a street-racing gang, gaining their attention.
Meanwhile, the highly-praised 2009 film Redline is set on the fictional planet of Dorothy, where the titular race takes place only once every five years. When experienced and adventurous racer JP is allowed to compete, he is filled with excitement and can’t wait to show off his skills to his rivals. However, this particular Redline is stationed on an extremely dangerous planet whose military creates a real life-or-death situation for the racers — which only serves to make JP even more pumped.
Another notable anime entry in the car-racing genre is the decades-old series Mach GoGoGo, also known as Speed Racer. This series focuses on teenager Gou Mifune, who drives one of the world’s most wanted race cars and hopes to someday become a professional. Even though his father doesn’t support this dream, Gou doesn’t let this get to him, knowing he has multiple supporters on his side. Despite his experience, Gou learns that there are many obstacles he must face before entering the professional world, from outlasting his rivals to dealing with corruption in the industry.
Redline Takes Several Artistic Liberties With Car Racing
While some still focus on the typical high school setting, many race car-driving anime have defied that trope, instead being placed in the future or even outer space. Redline proves itself as a major example of this, providing a breath of fresh air in sports-themed anime. Rather than being set on a conventional racetrack, Redline goes the extra mile by putting it on a different planet, complete with several other species, making JP and his fellow racer Sonoshee the only two humans to take part.
Even though race-car driving is primarily about going fast, Redline takes things one step further by adding more threats than the usual collisions that may occur. With the host planet’s robotic military and criminals threatening the lives and safety of the participants, the racers are prompted to max out their speeds and chances of winning, creatively showing that the sport is not meant for the faint of heart.
Redline Doesn’t Hold Back With Its Animation or Production Quality
Having been in production for seven years, Redline went above and beyond to make sure there were little to no slip-ups in its animation. With its hundreds of thousands of frames being purely hand-drawn, every aspect of the film is filled with immensely careful detail, from the seemingly artificial speed that all the cars are going at once to the sheer passion and determination on JP’s face as he drives through the track.
Aside from the visuals, sound design also plays a major role in the film. A lot of the anime’s focus is specifically put on the vehicles, with their engines roaring to life and their tires coming into contact with the racetrack, making it feel as if the viewer is at a live racing event. Redline’s soundtrack also manages to incorporate plenty of electronic dance music throughout the race, adding to the thrill it intends to give off and ultimately, displaying it as something to be excited about and enjoyed.
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