Speed Racer X
Speed Racer X | |
マッハGoGoGo (Mach GoGoGo) | |
---|---|
Genre | Action, Racing |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Hiroshi Sasagawa |
Produced by |
Yumi Murase → Makiko Iwata (TV Tokyo) Minoru Ohno (Yomiko Advertising) Masatoshi Yui (Tatsunoko Pro) |
Written by | Masaaki Sakurai |
Music by | Michiru Ōshima |
Studio | Tatsunoko Production |
Licensed by | |
Network | TV Tokyo |
English network | |
Original run | January 9, 1997 – September 25, 1997 |
Episodes | 34[1] |
Speed Racer X, known in Japan as Mach Go Go Go (マッハGoGoGo Mahha Go Go Go), is a remake of the original 1967 series produced by Tatsunoko Production, the same studio that did the original. The show originally aired in Japan in 1997 on TV Tokyo and lasted only 34 episodes of a planned 52.
In 1998, Speed Racer Enterprises planned to release an English dub of the series in the United States as Speed Racer Y2K, though the project did not succeed and only the third episode, "Silver Phantom", was dubbed.
Another English adaptation was later produced by DIC Entertainment and aired in the United States on Nickelodeon's short-lived action block, Slam. This show was quickly taken off the air (with only thirteen episodes dubbed) due to a lawsuit between DiC and the Santa Monica-based Speed Racer Enterprises, the company which owned the American rights of the franchise.[2]
Differences from the original series
In this version, Rex Racer does not run away, but is presumed dead after an accident while testing out the Mach 5. His father, Pops, later rebuilds the Mach 5 with a new safety system called "Safety Seven", which protects its driver. Rex's younger brother and Pops' second son, Speed, decides to follow up on his brother's footsteps. Trixie appears in this series as a reporter who befriends Speed, with Spritle being her younger brother now (as opposed to being Speed's younger brother in the original).[3]
There are also differences that exist even in the original Japanese version. Aside from Gō's different surname (Hibiki), other characters were replaced entirely, but have similar roles. For instance, Mai Kazami is the "Michi Shimura" (the original Trixie) of this series, with her younger brother Wataru representing "Kurio Mifune" (the original Spritle). Although Gō's father is still called Daisuke, his mother (Aya Mifune in the original) is now known as Misuzu. The chimpanzee representing Chim-Chim that Wataru is taking care of is named Rocky. Later on in the series involves time traveling. When the Mach 5 hits 555 km/h, it sends Gō and his friends to the year 2555 where the world is ruled by a blue-skinned alien named Handler, who plans to use a device called the Ezekiel Wheel to rule time.[4]
Voice cast
Mach Go Go Go Japanese version
- Kōichi Tōchika - Go Hibiki (響 剛 Hibiki Go)[1]
- Kazusa Murai - Mai Kazami (風見 舞 Kazami Mai)
- Motoko Kumai - Wataru Kazami (風見 ワタル Kazami Wataru)
- Minoru Inaba - Daisuke Hibiki (響 大輔 Hibiki Daisuke)
- Yoko Soumi - Misuzu Hibiki (響 美鈴 Hibiki Misuzu)
- Toshiyuki Morikawa - Masked Racer (覆面レーサー Fukumen Rehsaa)/Ken'ichi Hibiki (響 健一 Hibiki Ken'ichi)
Speed Racer X English version
- Dave Wittenberg - Speed Racer
- Dan Woren - Pops Racer
- Tifanie Christun - Trixie Fontaine, Spritle Fontaine
- Michelle Ruff - Mom Racer
- Joshua Seth - Sparky
Speed Racer X Episodes
References
- 1 2 作品データベース. Tatsunoko Production (in Japanese). Retrieved 2008-10-06.
- ↑ Kroll, Justin (2003-04-23). "DIC takes 'Speed' to court". Variety. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
- ↑ "Tatsunoko Pro". Tatsunoko Production. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
- ↑ "The Aftermath of Speed". Retrieved 2016-01-18.
External links
- Anime Admirers
- Speed Racer X at the Internet Movie Database
- Speed Racer X (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia