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Speed Racer is a 1960s Japanese cartoon about a young racing driver named Speed, his family, and friends. The American version was created by Peter Fernandez, who changed the main character’s name and removed much of the violence. Speed’s famous car, the Mach 5, has special features that help him win races and fight bad guys. Racer X is Speed’s older brother Rex, who works as a secret agent for the International Police. The cartoon became an instant classic and has since been adapted into a feature film and a new version of the cartoon.
Speed Racer is a 1960s cartoon initially created by Tatsuo Yoshida, a Japanese comic book artist. Yoshida was influenced by James Bond and Elvis as he began to create the main character for his Japanese series Him. The program was called Mach Go Go Go. Soon an American syndicate bought the rights to the popular anime program and hired director Peter Fernandez to change the cartoon so that it could appeal to US audiences.
After stripping much of the violence from the Japanese version, Fernandez changed the main character’s name from “Go” to “Speed”. A catchy theme song was created and the US version first aired in 1967. Speed Racer became an instant classic, watched by millions of kids every afternoon. For nearly 20 years, the American version of the cartoon aired on TV five afternoons a week.
Speed Racer is the story of a young racing driver named Speed who has exciting adventures in his quest to conquer the racing world. A variety of characters support him in his pursuit of him, including his parents, Mom and Pops Racer, his girlfriend Trixie, his little brother Spritle, his best friend Sparky, and the family’s pet chimpanzee named Chim Chim. A mysterious race car driver named Racer X also plays an important role in the series.
Speed Racer’s famous car is called Mach 5. It was built by Pops Racer, who maintains the car together with mechanic Sparky. The ingenious Mach 5 comes with a dizzying array of features that allow Speed to defend itself against any obstacle or criminal that happens to come its way. These specialized components make the Speed Racer’s car one of the most intimidating cars on the racing circuit.
Throughout the cartoon series, Speed Racer fights bad guys while participating in prestigious car races around the world. Sometimes Speed misses races on purpose to rush to the aid of a stranger. Other times, he wins races while helping the Inspector Detector character.
Speed Racer’s friends and family support his efforts to become the best race car driver in the world. For example, his girlfriend Trixie is a helicopter pilot who flies her helicopter above the current race. Whenever Speed needs help avoiding sneaky competitors, he’s always there to help.
Spritle and Chim Chim often slip into the trunk of the Mach 5 when no one is looking. They are also known for pulling Speed out of a jam, popping out at just the right time. Sparky helps with last minute car repairs to help get Speed back into a race. Pops is often loud and overbearing, but always supportive of Speed, while Mom is the traditional cookie-baking mother that he loves to take care of.
Racer X is the most enigmatic character of all the people surrounding Speed. None of the other characters realize that Racer X is really Speed Racer’s older brother Rex. Rex ran away from home years ago after an argument with Pops. Determined to prove to Dad that he could be a world-class driver, Rex has perfected his craft over the years. Using his secret identity Racer X, he is feared and respected by all other race car drivers. He also works as a secret agent for the International Police.
The characters that populate this particular animated series have intrigued children since the show first aired on television in the 1960s. A feature film based on the series was released on May 9, 2008, and a new version of the cartoon airs on cable. People who like the original series can also buy the DVD cartoons.
