Speed Racer X

Speed Racer X, known in Japan as Mach GoGoGo (マッハGoGoGo, Mahha GōGōGō) and sometimes referred to as New Mach GoGoGo (新・マッハGoGoGo, Shin Mahha GōGōGō), is a 1997 remake of the original 1967 series Speed Racer by Tatsunoko Productions, the original producers. The show originally aired in Japan in 1997 on TV Tokyo and lasted only 34 episodes of a planned 52.

Speed Racer X
新・マッハGoGoGo
(Shin Mahha GōGōGō)
GenreAction, Racing
Anime television series
Directed byHiroshi Sasagawa (chief)
Hiroyuki Fukushima (1-21)
Tsuneo Tominaga (22-34)
Produced byYumi Murase → Makiko Iwata (TV Tokyo)
Minoru Ohno (Yomiko Advertising)
Masatoshi Yui (Tatsunoko Pro)
Written byMasaaki Sakurai
Music byMichiru Ōshima
StudioTatsunoko Productions
Licensed by
DIC Entertainment Corporation (2002-2003)
Funimation (2017-present)
Original networkTV Tokyo
English network
Original run January 9, 1997 – September 25, 1997
Episodes34[1]

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.[2]

Another English adaptation, Speed Racer X, was later produced by DIC Entertainment Corporation and aired in the United States on Nickelodeon's short-lived action block, "SLAM!", in 2002.[3] Unfortunately, this show was quickly taken off the air (with only 13 episodes dubbed) due to a lawsuit between DiC Entertainment and the Santa Monica-based Speed Racer Enterprises, the company which owned the American rights to the franchise at the time.[4]

The series got a Blu-ray release in Japan on April 21, 2017.[5] Funimation released the series under the name Mach Go Go Go: Restart with English subtitles.[6]

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 (as opposed to being Speed's younger brother in the original).[7]

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 Pops is still called Daisuke, Mom Racer (Aya Mifune in the original) is now known as Misuzu. Chim-Chim's name is this version is Rocky. The English dub uses the same names from the original Speed Racer English dub, though the family's team is still called "Mifune Motors".

Later on the series involved time traveling. When the Mach 5 hits 555 km/h, it sends Speed 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.[2]

Voice cast

Japanese

English

Episodes
# Title Written by Original airdate (Japan) Original airdate (U.S.)
1"Its Name is Mach 5!!" / "Race to the Start"
"Sono Na wa Mahha-gō!!" (その名はマッハ号!!)		Kuniaki Yamashita9 January 1997 (1997-01-09)25 August 2002
2"Dead Heat Pursue" / "Race to the Finish"
"Tsuigeki no Deddo Hīto" (追撃のデッドヒート)		Masashi Kubota16 January 1997 (1997-01-16)1 September 2002
3"Ghost Lurking in the Highway" / "Silver Phantom"
"Haiuei ni Hisomu Bōrei" (ハイウェイに潜む亡霊)		Kuniaki Yamashita23 January 1997 (1997-01-23)8 September 2002
4"Deep Sea Express Great Rescue Mission" / "Rivals"
"Shinkai Tokkyū Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen" (深海特急・救出大作戦)		Nobuaki Kishima30 January 1997 (1997-01-30)15 September 2002
5"A Challenge from the Champion" / "The Mysterious Racer X"
"Chanpion kara no Chōsen-jō" (チャンピオンからの挑戦状)		Masashi Kubota6 February 1997 (1997-02-06)22 September 2002
6"Friend or Foe? The Mysterious Racer X" / "The Terminizer"
"Teki ka Mikata ka? Nazo no Rēsā Ekkusu" (敵か味方か?謎のレーサー・X)		Hiroyuki Fukushima13 February 1997 (1997-02-13)29 September 2002
7"Assault! Mephistopheles" / "Crasher Kid"
"Kyōshū! Mefisutoferesu" (強襲!メフィストフェレス)		Masashi Kubota20 February 1997 (1997-02-20)6 October 2002
8"Marriage Dance!? The Boy Racer who Called the Storm" / "Race Against X"
"Mai ga Kekkon!? Arashi wo Yobu Shōnen Rēsā" (舞が結婚!?嵐を呼ぶ少年レーサー)		Kuniaki Yamashita27 February 1997 (1997-02-27)13 October 2002
9"Ninja of Light! Revealing the Secret of the Shadow!!" / "Good Sport"
"Hikari no Ninja! Shadō no Himitsu wo Abake!!" (光の忍者!シャドウの秘密を暴け!!)		Manabu Nakamura6 March 1997 (1997-03-06)20 October 2002
10"Showdown! Masked Racer X" / "The Big Test"
"Taiketsu! Fukumen Rēsā Ekkusu" (対決!覆面レーサーX)		Hidemi Kamata13 March 1997 (1997-03-13)27 October 2002
11"Revive! Pegsasus' Glory Bet on Ressurecrion" / "Terminal Velocity"
"Yomigaere! Fukkatsu ni Kaketa Eikō no Pegasasu" (蘇れ!復活に賭けた栄光のペガサス)		Koichi Mizuide20 March 1997 (1997-03-20)3 November 2002
12"Mysterious Attack!? Jetson Targeted!" / "The Jinx of Racer X"
"Nazo no Shūgeki!? Nerawareta Jettoson!" (謎の襲撃!?狙われたジェットソン!)		Masashi Kubota27 March 1997 (1997-03-27)10 November 2002
13"Enter the Warp 5! Strange Love for the Genius Professor" / "Race to the Finals"
"Wāpu-gō Tōjō! Tensai Kyōju no Ijō na Aijō" (ワープ号登場!天才教授の異常な愛情)		Nobuaki Kishima3 April 1997 (1997-04-03)17 November 2002
14"Runaway Devil! Awakening of Gargoyle"
"Akuma to Bōsō! Gāgoiru no Mezame" (悪魔と暴走!ガーゴイルのめざめ)		Hidemi Kamata10 April 1997 (1997-04-10)-
15"Who Assaulted the Weathervane Reporter X Dance!?"
"Kazami Mai no Totsugeki Repōto Ekkusu wa Dare da!?" (風見舞の突撃レポートXは誰だ!?)		Kuniaki Yamashita17 April 1997 (1997-04-17)-
16"Big City Dread! Continuous Bomb Warning"
"Dai Tokai no Senritsu! Fukushū no Renzoku Bakuha Yokoku" (大都会の戦慄!復讐の連続爆破予告)		Koichi Mizuide24 April 1997 (1997-04-24)-
17"Shadow of the Mach 5 Albatross"
"Kage no Mahha-gō Arubatorosu" (影のマッハ号・アルバトロス)		Hiroyuki Fukushima1 May 1997 (1997-05-01)-
18"Amazon Grand Prix: The Akihabara Professor's Trap"
"Amazon Guran Puri-hen: Akihabara Kyōju no Wana" (アマゾングランプリ編 秋葉原教授の罠)		Masaaki Sakurai8 May 1997 (1997-05-08)-
19"Amazon Grand Prix: Sleeping Golden Image"
"Amazon Guran Puri-hen: Nemureru Kogane zō" (アマゾングランプリ編 眠れる黄金像)		Masaaki Sakurai15 May 1997 (1997-05-15)-
20"Fastest Beast Soldier: Cheetah King"
"Saisoku no Yajū Heishi: Chītā Kingu" (最速の野獣兵士 チーターキング)		Masaaki Sakurai22 May 1997 (1997-05-22)-
21"Earth Grand Prix's Desprate Mirage Shoot"
"Āsu Guran Puri Kesshi no Mirāju Shūto" (アースグランプリ決死のミラージュシュート)		Kuniaki Yamashita
Hidemi Kamata		29 May 1997 (1997-05-29)-
22"The Mach 5's New Journey"
"Mahha Gō Arata Naru Tabidachi" (マッハ号新たなる旅立ち)		Masaaki Sakurai8 June 1997 (1997-06-08)-
23"Competition! The Mysterious Disk Sleeping in the West"
"Sōdatsu-sen! Seibu ni Nemuru Nazo no Enban" (争奪戦!西部に眠る謎の円盤)		Kuniaki Yamashita15 June 1997 (1997-06-15)-
24"Protect the Lives of the Ancient Dinosaur Paradise!"
"Kyōryū no Rakuen Taiko no Inochi wo Mamore!" (恐竜の楽園太古の命を守れ!)		Koichi Mizuide22 June 1997 (1997-06-22)-
25"Fierce Fight of the Near Future - Battle Race Betting Life and Death"
"Gekitō no Kin Mirai - Seishi wo Kaketa Batoru Rēsu" (激闘の近未来 生死を賭けたバトルレース)		Hidemi Kamata29 June 1997 (1997-06-29)-
26"Soul of Middle-Aged knight Franky"
"Chūsei no Kishi Furanke no Tamashī" (中世の騎士フランケの魂)		Kuniaki Yamashita6 July 1997 (1997-07-06)-
27"Run to the Mysterious Sun God's Pyramid!"
"Shinpi no Taiyō Shin Piramiddo e Hashire!" (神秘の太陽神ピラミッドへ走れ!)		Koichi Mizuide13 July 1997 (1997-07-13)-
28"The Legendary Atlantis that Sank to the Ocean Floor"
"Kaitei ni Shizunda Densetsu Atorantisu" (海底に沈んだ伝説アトランティス)		Hidemi Kamata20 July 1997 (1997-07-20)-
29"X Again! Smash Handler's Ambition"
"Ekkusu Futatabi! Handorā no Yabō wo Kudake" (Xふたたび!ハンドラーの野望を砕け)		Koichi Mizuide27 July 1997 (1997-07-27)-
30"Chase the Huge Sun Mammoth Hidden in the Glacier!"
"Hyōga ni kakureta Taiyō Kyodai Manmosu wo Oe!" (氷河に隠れた太陽巨大マンモスを追え!)		Kuniaki Yamashita4 August 1997 (1997-08-04)-
31"A Mesage to Heaven - Draw the Ground, Mach 5!"
"Ten e no Messēji Mahha-gō, Chijō Ewokaku!" (天へのメッセージマッハ号、地上絵を描く!)		Koichi Mizuide11 August 1997 (1997-08-11)-
32"Memories Planting Temptating Love from the Underworld"
"Meikai Kara no Yūwaku Ai ni Ueta Omoide-tachi" (冥界からの誘惑愛にうえた思い出たち)		Hidemi Kamata18 August 1997 (1997-08-18)-
33"The Strongest Rival, Revived by Gathering Friendship"
"Yomigaeru Yūjō Shūketsu, Saikyō no Saibaru" (蘇る友情集結、最強のライバル)		Hidemi Kamata25 August 1997 (1997-08-25)-
34"Betting the future of the Collapsed Battle, Handler Castle"
"Mirai wo Kaketa Kessen Hōkai, Handorā-jō" (未来を賭けた決戦崩壊、ハンドラー城)		Masaaki Sakurai24 September 1997 (1997-09-24)-

Other media

A two-volume manga adaptation was published on CoroCoro Comic in 1997. It is a kodomo manga aimed at a younger audience.[8]

A video game based on the series was developed by TOSE and published by Tomy Corporation, exclusively in Japan for the Game Boy. The game also has Super Game Boy support.[9]

References
  1. 作品データベース. Tatsunoko Production (in Japanese). Retrieved 2008-10-06.
  2. "The Aftermath of Speed". Scifijapan.com. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  3. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 774–776. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  4. Kroll, Justin (2003-04-23). "DIC takes 'Speed' to court". Variety. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  5. "'Mach GoGoGo' 1997 Anime Series Gets Blu-ray Release". The Fandom Post. Retrieved 2017-05-23.
  6. "Announced at Otakon 2017! - Funimation - Blog!". FUNimation. 2017-08-12. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  7. "Tatsunoko Pro". Tatsunoko Production. Retrieved 2017-05-23.
  8. "MachGoGoGo! (Speed Racer)". Mangaland.es. 11 May 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  9. "Mach Go Go Go for Game Boy - GameFAQs". Gamefaqs.com. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
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