Speed Racer (originally known in Japanese as Mach GoGoGo) is a Japanese animated series about automobile racing, based on the original manga by Tatsuo Yoshida and directed by Hiroshi Sasagawa. The series was produced by Tatsunoko Productions and originally broadcast with a total of 52 episodes on Fuji TV in Japan and CBS in the United States, between 1967 and 1968.
The show is an early example of an anime becoming a successful franchise in the United States.
Dubbing History[]
The English rights to Mach GoGoGo were acquired by syndicator Trans-Lux, and premiered on American television in the fall of 1967 under the title Speed Racer. The show was edited for American Television, with the characters names changed to more Western-sounding alternatives, and some of the more violent moments toned down. Much of the responsibilities were taken up by Peter Fernandez, who had previously worked as a ghost-writer for Astro Boy and Gigantor. Fernandez deliberately cast only his close friends Jack Grimes, Corinne Orr and Jack Curtis.
The English dub of the show is famous for its racy, fast-paced dialogue. This was due to trying to squeeze the complicated plots into the characters' dialogue. Much of this can be attributed to the fact that Fernandez had been given only two days to script and record for each episode. Fernandez also worked simultaneously scripting and voice directing the English dub of Marine Boy as well, sometimes taping both shows in the same day. Fernandez was also responsible for the rearrangement of the theme song's melody, written by Nobuyoshi Koshibe, and subsequently wrote its English lyrics. The theme was performed in the opening and closing titles by an uncredited Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass.
Cast[]
| Image | Character | Original Name | Original Actor (Seiyū) | English Voice Actor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Speed Racer | Gō Mifune | Katsuji Mori | Peter Fernandez |
|
Spritle | Kurio Mifune | Junko Hori | Corinne Orr |
|
Chim-Chim | Sanpei | Hiroshi Ōtake | Jack Grimes |
|
Pops Racer | Daisuke Mifune | Teiji Ōmiya | Jack Curtis |
|
Mom Racer | Aya Mifune | Ryōko Kinomiya | Corinne Orr |
|
Racer X (Rex Racer) | Masked Racer X | Kinya Aikawa | Peter Fernandez |
|
Trixie | Michi Shimura | Yoshiko Matsuo | Corinne Orr |
| Michiko Nomura | ||||
|
Sparky | Sabu | Kei Tomiyama | Jack Grimes |
|
Inspector Detector | Inspector Rokugō | Kenji Utsumi | Jack Curtis |
|
Narrator | N/A | ||
Additional Voices[]
Transmission[]
| Date(s) | Channel | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967-1968 | CBS | United States | 
|
| 1993 | MTV | ||
| 1996-2002 | Cartoon Network | ||
Video Releases[]
| Distributor | Year | Format | Contents | Region | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOW Video | 1989 | 
|
14 Episodes | NTSC | United States |
|
| 7 Volumes | ||||||
| VIDAmerica | 1990-1991 | 7 Episodes | ||||
| 7 Volumes | ||||||
| Streamline Pictures | 1991 | 13 Episodes | ||||
| 13 Volumes | ||||||
|
1993 | 8 Episodes | ||||
| 4 Volumes | ||||||
|
|
2003-2006 | 
|
The Complete Series | 1 NTSC | ||
| 5 Volumes | ||||||
| 2008 | The Complete Series | |||||
| 6 Discs | ||||||
|
2017 | 
|
The Complete Series | A DVB-T | ||
| 5 Discs | ||||||
See Also[]
External Links[]
- Speed Racer at the Internet Movie Database
- Speed Racer (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia