Introduction
The Mach 5 is one of the fastest and most technologically advanced race cars built by man. Equipped with various gadgets and a powerful engine, it provides a challenge for anyone who would dare race against it. The driver of this amazing vehicle is Gou Mifune, a teenager who dreams of breaking into the world of professional racing.
In spite of this, Gou's father and the creator of the Mach 5, Daisuke Mifune, does not want his son anywhere near a racetrack. Undeterred, his girlfriend Michi, younger brother Kurio, and Kurio's monkey sidekick Sanpei become Gou's biggest fans as he sets out to become the greatest racer of all time.
However, Gou soon learns that becoming a professional racer is not easy. From the underhanded plots of corrupt businessmen to stiff competition in the form of his rival, Racer X, Gou faces many obstacles on the road ahead, and has a lot to prove before he can cross the finish line.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience reviews
9 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
Desslok
Look, I get it. You're sitting there right now thinking, "How in the world is Speed Racer a NINE?!?"
The animation is ancient and creaky, with HEAVY use of stock footage. The dub is bizarre and done by three voice actors, the plots are utterly ridiculous, the characterization is simple and static.
So why the nine? Because Speed Racer fundamentally changed my relationship with the medium.
Yeah, yeah - I will freely admit it has weird pacing, ridiculous villains, animation shortcuts, and a nonstop stream of "wait, what?" moments. But the charm is overwhelming, and sometimes a show doesn't achieve greatness by being polished; sometimes it achieves greatness by committing to its own insanity with every ounce of its soul.
If you want a modern racing drama, watch Initial D or Redline. Watch…
Read at the sourceLetande
Mach GoGoGo is a bloody legend. After getting its English cut called Speed Racer, it even became a cultural phenomenon in some countries. It was also... weird. At first glance, at least. By the time it came around, Tatsuo Yoshida (a very important figure for early anime) had already created a manga series with a racing motif. A manga called Pilot Ace. And you can clearly see that, in a way, Mach GoGoGo was pretty much more of the same. But.
The thing is, despite Tatsunoko Production being founded strictly as a manga-oriented studio, a lot of things had changed since then. By the time Mach GoGoGo appeared, they were heavily involved in animation. Doing one heck of a job too, pushing into realism (early anime examples are known to be overly simplified).
What I'm trying to say is that the M…
Read at the sourcejoemaamah
Another of the earliest Japanese productions that made it to American TV, although it showed up later than stuff like Kimba, Astroboy and Gigantor. It also was notably much better in it's artwork, animation, characterizations and writing. Not brilliant by any stretch of the imagination, but there certainly is an evolutionary leap seen taken here by the studios of the day.
Now don't get me wrong. Speed Racer is still cheesy as hell. I was just getting into my teens when it first showed up on US TV, and I was impressed it wasn't a total kiddy show. I started to see the potential that the vision of Japanese animation had, as opposed to the mass produced Hanna-Barbera crap that was coming out at the time. It intrigued me greatly. I'm still hooked 50 years later.
Is this title suitable for a…
Read at the sourcejoos_boi
REUPLOADED. As a young man in his 20s and *not* a woman, I cannot fathom a series that has brought me more enjoyment or amusement. The characters undergo indescribable arcs, and the multiple renditions of the speed leitmotif are nothing short of stunning. Truly, if you gain no enjoyment from this show, you are living a half-life. Objectively, I think women over the age of 39 would not enjoy this show. It really works since it's focused on cool cars; exactly my cup of tea. Based - this show came out a long time ago, but just saying. It's really one of those shows where you *have* to watch in order, to keep up with the racer X character development, there's not just a new adventure in each episode about a "good-looking guy" (with a neck scarf) who goes epic zoom zoom fast. Oof.
Read at the sourcehalimede
Maybe because I'm a woman in my mid-twenties, I watched this anime only because I watched one episode so I had to finish it. Objectively, I think boys under the age of 10 would enjoy this show, (or would have, for 90s babies). For me, it doesn't really work since it's focused on cool cars; not really my cup of tea (also if you're a 90s baby or younger, it looks less cool because of the old style. Not judging based on that, obviously since this show came out a long time ago, but just saying). It's really one of those shows where you don't even have to watch in order, there's just a new adventure in each episode about a good-looking guy (with a neck scarf) who goes zoom zoom fast. Eh.
Read at the sourcemcmuffin1105
As a kid i really loved watching the dub, and now at almost 18, i see how bad it really was. I mean it honestly isnt meant for the average anime fan, but more as a cartoon for kids, which at the time, i was a round 6 or 7. I dont think an anime like this would have fared well in the 90s, with mega hits like evangelion, or dragon ball, or one piece. I think it was just a quick little thing that was meant to appeal to little kids. Overall, i loved it as a kid, and honestly, i had no idea it was an anime as a kid. I only started watching anime in fall 2020. I think however it will remain a classic among one of the earliest animes, and it being unique to its time.
Read at the sourcebennitori
Nostalgia free review here. I feel so bad about the review I'm about to write. Speed Racer did great things for anime. Many people claim that the show has simply aged too much to be enjoyable, despite the great things the show has done. The issue I have is that I feel like I'm reviewing two different shows at once. There are parts of the show that deserve to be hailed as timeless and classic, and then there are some parts that are absolutely ridiculous.
Story:6
This is the main issue for me. There are episodes in this show that I would've rated 8/10. Certain arcs like the Acrobatic Racing Team, most of the Racer X episodes, and the GRX story are absolutely timeless. I think most people know this too, since these are the stories that get the most references in modern media.
The problem…
Read at the sourceliteraturenerd
Of all the anime ever to be brought over to the United States, very few have become household names to non-anime fans and have dominated America's stereotypes about anime. Speed Racer was one of the first anime ever brought over along with Astro Boy and it is still 50 years later probably the anime that best exemplifies the view middle aged Americans have of the medium. Hell, Tarantino's character even wears a Speed Racer T-shirt in Pulp Fiction! This was actually the first anime I ever saw on TV as a kid when I was about 5. It is also probably the reason I was rather reluctant towards anime until Dragonball Z and Pokemon came out. Speed Racer may be an oldie, but a goody it ain't.
The art is absolute crap, the dub is LEGENDARILY horrible because the US studio didn't want to change the li…
Read at the sourceanonymousjoe
As a child i would watch the dub and loved it. I recently rewatched it as an adult and couldn't help but laugh at the horrible plot lines and script. But iit wasn't ment for adults it was made for children. I think most children would like it for some of the outdated humor and really really rallly bad puns. The childlike drama of it makes it great for children in 6-10 age range. Its a classic, thats pretty much all you can say about it...
Read at the source