"Speed Racer" (1967) "Mahha GoGoGo" (original title), TV series 1967-1968

Creator:

Tatsuo Yoshida
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

23 September 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Family | Sci-Fi | Sport

Tagline:

Faster, Speed!

Plot:

Teenager Gô Mifune aspires to be the world's best race-car champion with the help of his friends, family and his father's high-tech race-car, the Mach 5.

Plot Keywords:

Cult TV | Based On Manga | Gadget Car | Racing | Driving

Cast

Katsuji Mori	...	Gô Mifune (52 episodes, 1967-1968)
Peter Fernandez	...	Speed Racer / ... (52 episodes, 1967-1968)
Corinne Orr	...	Mom Racer / ... (52 episodes, 1967-1968)
Jack Grimes	...	Chim-Chim / ... (52 episodes, 1967-1968)
Jack Curtis	...	Pops Racer / ... (52 episodes, 1967-1968)

Series Directed by
Seitarô Hara		(12 episodes, 1967-1968)
Ippei Kuri		(10 episodes, 1967)
Hisayuki Toriumi		(9 episodes, 1968)
Takashi Nishioka		(6 episodes, 1967-1968)
Mineo Fuji		(2 episodes, 1968)

Series Writing credits
Tatsuo Yoshida		(52 episodes, 1967-1968)
Jinzô Toriumi		(42 episodes, 1967-1968)
Tadashi Hirose		(14 episodes, 1967-1968)
Takashi Kusakawa		(4 episodes, 1967-1968)
Minoru Kume		(4 episodes, 1967)
Taketo Tsukui		(4 episodes, 1967)
Kahei Chikara		(2 episodes, 1967)
Peter Fernandez		(unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Nobuyoshi Koshibe		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Mitsuki Nakamura		(unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mineo Fuji	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Seitarô Hara	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Ippei Kuri	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Takashi Nishioka	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)
Hisaishi Toriumi	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Animation Department
Jûji Mizumura	....	animation director (unknown episodes)
Takashi Nishioka	....	animation director (unknown episodes)
Takashi Saijô	....	animation director (unknown episodes)
Masami Suda	....	animation director (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Hiroshi Sasagawa	....	chief director (52 episodes, 1967-1968)
Peter Fernandez	....	voice director (unknown episodes)
Jinzô Toriumi	....	planner (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Tatsunoko Productions Company
• Yomiko Advertising

Distributors

• Tatsunoko Productions Company (1967) (Japan) (all media)
• Fuji Television Network (1967) (Japan) (TV)
• Trans Lux (1967) (USA) (TV) (dubbed)
• Club Super 3 (2000) (Spain) (TV)
• Lions Gate Films (2003) (North America) (all media) (dubbed version)
• Mistar (1980s) (Finland) (video)

Other Companies

• Tatsunoko Productions Company  animation
• K. Fujita Associates Inc.  production supervision
• Zavala-Riss Productions  production coordination (US version)

Also Known As:

"Mahha GoGoGo" - Japan (original title)

Runtime:

30 min (52 episodes)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Brazil:Livre | USA:TV-Y7

Company:

Tatsunoko Productions Company

Trivia:

In 1993, the series was re-mastered and rebroadcast concurrently with "Speed Racer" (1994). In this version all references to Trans-Lux (the original syndicator of the series in the 1960s) were removed with the opening titles featuring a recreated logo, as well as the episode titles and closing credits being re-created.

Goofs:

Continuity: In several episodes, Speed is wearing a helmet in the long shots when he driving the Mach 5,but not in the close-ups.

Quotes:

[Japanese theme song]
Chorus:Maha Go, Go, Go! / His wind shakes the hairpin curve / What a thrilling crossing, Go! Go, go! / The Mach Five with its white body / Strength is his inheritance / If he starts to race, he won't finish in behind / He'll keep going, till he reaches the finish line...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Samson vs. the Vampire Women (#7.24)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

Go Speed Racer, Go!

Mmmmm . . . That's Good Cheese!!!

Speed Racer "Mahha Go Go Go" (1967) is arguably the seminal anime of all time. The only thing in the states that predates it, aside from a feature film like, Alakazam The Great "Saiyu-Ki" (1960-61)and other Peter Fenadez efforts like Asto Boy, Marine Boy, Gigantor etc . . . is a series called 8-MAN "Eitoman" (1963). It was an excellent series about an android, who looks strangely similar to Racer X, that "powers-up" by reaching behind the 8 into his chest and smoking a "Power Cigarette". You can see why that series didn't make it out of the 60's. Speed Racer, however, is and remains a timeless classic. Everything is so over the top, on has to wonder if Peter Fenandez and crew even had a proper translation to work from. Maybe they didn't, but it doesn't matter. The have one of the coolest cars in the world! Right up there with the Batmobile, The Green Hornet's Black Beauty and Mad Max's Interceptor is the Mach 5. You can's drive it and not look cool in doing it, especially with Trixie by your side, not to mention Spridle and Chim Chim hiding in the trunk.

But Speed is impetuous. Always trying to win the race by leaping before he looks. But, luckily for him Kabala of Ka-pe-ta-pek (You have to say it that way or it's just not funny) is really Racer X, who is really Speed'solderbrotherRexwhoranawayfromhomeyearsago. (You have to say it that way too. In fact the stilted and slurred together English as the voice actors try to match the story elements to the Japanese lip movements is part of it's charm. That and the fact that the Mach 5 can drive straight up the side of a mountain with little or no problem at all.

And you can never get enough of all the "Joke Names", like Snake Oiler of the Car Acrobatic Team. Speed Racer maybe one of the few anime that's actually better than the original Japanese. As well as the most violent cartoons since the original Johnny Quest (1964). But only the baddies get killed in them. So there's always that rewarding sense of poetic justice, so it's okay. Sure, The Malange or anything equipped with the GR-X engine may be faster, but they're just too dangerous to drive. So strap yourself into the Mach 5 and hold on! OOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!