Let’s Get to Know Itasha-Style Cars, Together
When you mix cars and anime, you get Itasha.
Happy Race Day, especially to whomever makes this all-women’s Fast and the Furious spin-off happen.
I had a whole volcano of thoughts while watching the President celebrated during the Daytona 500 last weekend. But Fred Smith of Jalopnik already said it.
I will only add that cars and politics have always crossed paths. My book includes the story of a champion racer who as a young girl was only allowed to watch the Indy 500 garages through a chain-link fence. I’m working with a writer now who was once forcibly removed from the NASCAR pits while prepping a car for the race. I’m reading another, ‘Faster,’ by Neal Bascomb, about the incredible story of a banned Jewish driver taking down the legendary Hitler-backed Silver Arrows in the throes of the Third Reich.
We as motorsports fans have made plenty of mistakes, and still have a long way to go. But many, like the Earnhardts, have also gone to great lengths to correct them and build a better future. Now NASCAR has another image with which it will one day have to reckon. Hopefully soon.
But enough of that. Let’s get into the week in car culture, including a guided tour through Itasha-style livery schemes as seen here:
Culture
Here’s a beautiful ode to a Japanese TV show from the ‘90s that featured racing drivers in minivans.
The latest big motorsports event that will attract huge crowds is just a paint scheme reveal. Hoonigan and stunt driver Ken Block will unveil his latest livery at the Irwindale Speedway on Feb. 29. A ticket gets you admission to see it, and watch his crew of outlaws burn rubber in their makeshift drift course too.
Rookie F1 driver Lando Norris became a darling of the racing community last year for his bubbling personality and embrace of social media. But now he says he’ll tone it down after a small percentage of negative voices started to get under his skin. Many are mourning a truly likable character in a profession that encourages drivers to tamp down their fun sides. We’ll miss him here too, but here’s hoping that whatever Norris decides is best for his health and career in the long run.
A moronic driver in a BMW M4 hit a roundabout at 100 mph and launched the car into the air. Luckily no one was hurt, but this is a few short miles from where I live. Please be safe out there.
The question of what to call these cool little hood wing thingies sparked some amazing answers:
Video Reel
Loved this clip of car photographers ignoring a supercar to drool over… a regular-ass wagon.
YouTuber and friend of Slow Car Fast Emelia Hartford has started to dip her toe into making car meme videos on Instragam and, reader, I’m happy to report that they are funny.
A Ferrari F40 (good!) caught fire in Monaco yesterday (bad!) This very sad moment led to a very good photo, but we are down one iconic ‘80s supercar. RIP.
Last season saw a big rise in drone footage of F1 and other motorsports. For 2020 the drones are back, and they’re faster and smoother. This rocks:
The trailer for Season 2 of Netflix’s series Formula 1: Drive to Survive, is here. This is required viewing.
Race Results
Fanatic scene in Mexico City where the all-electric Formula E series stormed into town in front of a packed house. FE continues to build on its rapidly growing momentum. Really nice recap here.
The story of Rally Sweden 2020 will be: unseasonably warm temps melting the snow and kicking up gravel; and the arrival of 19-year-old rookie Kalle Rovanperä. The Toyota driver won his first career stage and shot to the front of the leaders. Definitely one to watch in what’s shaping up to be a fun season ahead.
Congrats to Igor Fraga, newly-crowned Toyota Racing Series 2020 champion, proving you can go from an e-sports title to a real-life title.
Speaking of video games, an incredible fight to the finish in the Gran Turismo FIAGTC final in Sydney over the weekend.
Autoweek has a great piece talking with NASCAR drivers, who fly private planes and helicopters all the time, about their thoughts following the Kobe Bryant tragedy.
New investment has spurred Aston Martin to pull out of the upcoming Hypercar class in the WEC series, before it ever began. There are still some heavy hitters expected to join, but this is a disappointment to many fans.
Ask A Millennial! Kyiv Derevko, 27
It’s gotten to the point where I can tell an owner has a great story just by looking at their car. I got that feeling when I met Kyiv. His Mercedes C43 AMG had a striking wrap featuring the main character from the anime series Fate Stay Night—a thing which I know nothing about. Kyiv told me that not only was it a special series to him, but the exact livery had been used in competition by a Mercedes team at the 2019 24 Hours of Spa. Kyiv emailed the team and they sent the file for the wrap right over. Great car, great story. I asked him to share more about the crossroads of anime and cars. Here is an edited version of our conversation.
One cool trend is where owners will wrap their car in a livery from a racecar. Think of the Martini and Gulf liveries. I had a personalized 1994-97 Mercedes DTM livery and my current wrap is off an AMG GT3 run last year at Spa. One of my other Mercedes had the Vodafone livery off a mid-2000s Mercedes DTM car.
In the U.S. it’s more about being "different" and tying in your favorite show. In Japan, half of Itasha owners aren't into cars at all. They're just epic nerds. Here, very seldomly you'll find someone with an Itasha that’s not into cars. Ultimately it’s just nice to make a cool design with your favorite character or show.
The classic car anime is Initial D. But another that never got the same light is called Wangan Midnight. It’s semi-recent, made in ’07, but the style is of the ‘90s so it’s kinda weird. It’s about a 240Z and a 993 Turbo who have it out and everyone wants a piece of the action. It’s really good. Others that aren't necessarily car related but are easy to get into: Sword Art Online, the Fate series, Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions, Last Exile and Durarara!
My first Itasha design was only moderately accepted. They thought it was German rice. Over the years the perception has changed. You can see it in awarded car shows—there's recently been a best livery category, which is cool.
This current livery has only been around a few months but it’s made waves. Non-car people even enjoy seeing it—you'll pull up to a light and the next person will have a perplexed look or a smile. Maybe times have changed. Or it could be anime has a much larger foothold than before—almost mainstream. Finally anime has rid itself of the Hentai label.
Auction Block
The most ‘90s Porsche 944 of all time is up for sale at Amelia Island in March.
And Finally…
Happy ninth birthday to Nostalgia, Ultra by Frank Ocean, possibly the best debut mixtape with an E30 M3 on the cover ever made.
Drive hard and be safe.
Want your event included? Shoot me a note with subject line “Race Day” at ryan@carrarabooks.com.
Don’t forget to follow Carrara Media on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and visit our store to order your copy of Slow Car Fast in paperback or eBook.