Speed Racer: The Next Generation
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| Speed Racer: The Next Generation | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Larry Schwarz (based on the original series created by Tatsuo Yoshida) |
| Developed by | Nickelodeon Studios |
| Written by | Ben Gruber Allan Neuwirth Marv Wolfman Susan Kim Justin Gray Jimmy Palmiotti Aaron Bergeron |
| Directed by | Stephen Moverly John Holt |
| Starring | Kurt Csolak Sahra Mellesse Carter Jackson Peter Fernandez Michael Sinterniklaas Robbie Sublett David Zen Mansley |
| Opening theme | "Go Speed Racer Go!", rearranged by John Angier |
| Ending theme | "Go Speed Racer Go!" (w/o vocals) |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
Larry Schwarz James Rocknowski John Rocknowski |
| Producer(s) | Larry Schwarz Ken Katsumoto James Rocknowski John Rocknowski Sergei Aniskov Sean Lahey Christopher Fauci Michael Gold Doug MacLennon |
| Running time | 23 minutes (approx.) |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Nickelodeon (2008) Nicktoons Network (2008-present) |
| Original run | April 27, 2008 – Present |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Speed Racer Speed Racer X |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
| IMDb profile | |
| TV.com summary | |
Speed Racer: The Next Generation is an American animated children's television series based on the classic Speed Racer franchise, in which the internal events take place decades after those in the 1967 Japanese series. It is the third television adaptation of the franchise, and is executive produced by Lions Gate Entertainment, Larry Schwarz, and Ken Katsumoto. It is the first Nicktoon not to be based on an original property. Animation Collective produces the series. Lionsgate is marketing this show as a direct continuation of the Japanese 1967 show, but whether or not this is an accurate, canonical succeeder is debatable.
The show exists partly to promote the live-action film, and the pilot movie premiered on Nicktoons Network on May 2, a week before the feature film adaptation was released in theatres.[1] However, both projects are produced independently from one another and feature different generations of "Speed Racers" (with the film featuring the original generation), though both feature a Mach 6. After the film leaves theaters, the show will exist on its own.
Contents |
[edit] Premise
This series takes place either in the present, or in the near future. Prior to the events of the series, the original Speed Racer has disappeared for unknown reasons, but the main characters know that he is alive. Only one of the original characters, Spritle, has a major role in this show. Speed Racer is seen briefly at the end of "The Note". The rest of the original cast are unseen, and their whereabouts are unknown.
The series follows the adventures of an orphan teenager named Speed who dreams of being a famed car racer like the one he is named after. He takes a bus to the elite Racing Academy, founded by the Racer family, and soon experiences the difficulties of fitting in and competing with X, the best racer/student in the school, and Speed Racer's son. Spritle himself is now the headmaster.
In the pilot movie, Speed discovers that he is the other son of Speed Racer, meaning that X is his brother. Through the rest of the series, Speed and his new allies set out on a quest to get through the courses, discover the mystery of Speed Racer's disappearance, and try and build the Mach Six, a car that captures the spirit and gadgets of the Mach 5 for new generations, and the first car to contain a gasless engine.
[edit] Main Characters
[edit] Speed Racer Jr.
Voiced by: Kurt Colak
The main character of the series, Speed Jr. is the second son of the original Speed Racer from the 1967 Japanese anime series. He was hidden from the public by his parents, for unknown reasons. Speed grew up in an orphanage for the majority of his childhood. His parents had left him a special key and a red ascot, both of which he kept with him. He is often awkward and shy, but being behind the wheel brings out the best in him. Speed's skills on the racetrack are on par with those of the top ranking students at the Racing Academy. Despite his amazing talent, he is generally quite modest about his abilities and claims that his maneuvers are a result of instinct rather than skill. He is not in it for money or fame - he just wants to be "the best in the world", and to have fun.
[edit] X Racer
Voiced by: Robbie Sublett
The oldest son of the original Speed Racer, X is the number one racer at the Racing Academy. Known for his skills and abilities on the track, he is slick, handsome, and popular among the girls at school. While X appears to be a tough guy on the outside, he has a more kind-hearted personality than he leads other people to believe. He is initially shocked to find out that Speed is his younger brother, but X becomes more accepting of the fact and develops a tough, brotherly bond with him and is always there to give advice. But just because Speed's his brother, doesn't mean X is going to go easy on him. They are constantly each others' rivals on the track. He usually hangs out with Jared, Jesse, and his girlfriend, Annalise.
[edit] Headmaster Spritle Racer
Voiced by: Peter Fernandez
As he and Speed Racer are the only members of the original cast from the Japanese series in a major role, Spritle was once the brother of the original Speed Racer who traveled with him in his trunk, and now runs the Academy founded by the Racer Family. While he is Speed and X's uncle and provides fatherly wisdom from time to time, he never bends the school rules for his nephews' sake.
[edit] Lucy
Voiced by: Sahra Mellesse
A good friend of Speed and Conor, Lucy is the sensible one of the group. Strict, open-minded, and studious, she often assists Conor with his work, but is known to be a little bit bossy at times. While she is generally a friendly and calm individual, Lucy will occasionally insult Conor and bombard Speed with criticism. She always makes up for it by helping her friends.
[edit] Conor
Voiced by: Carter Jackson
A poor racer, but a great mechanic like Sparky, Conor is good friends with Speed and Lucy. One of his most defining characteristics is that he is a huge fan of the original Speed Racer to the point where his interest borders on obsession. He often cosplays in his Speed Racer outfit, has tons of memorabilia and merchandise in his dorm room, and knows everything there is to know about him and the Mach 5. His nerdish, hyperactive behavior and interests prevent him from making many friends- when Speed accepts him as one, he is eternally grateful and proves to be a reliable companion.
[edit] Chim-Chim
Conor built this robot based on the original pet chimpanzee the headmaster used to own, but added countless gadgets and professional engineering skills. He is entirely loyal to Conor. Chim-Chim has a seemingly unlimited amount of uses, from transforming into a scooter, to storing anything inside the compartment in his stomach, to repairing the Mach Six while it's moving. However, that doesn't stop him from eating necessary car parts, or creating the usual kind of mischief all monkeys make. As a pantomime character, like R2-D2, he talks in electronic beeps.
[edit] Annalise Zazic
Voiced by: Michal the Girl
Annalise is X's girlfriend, and the second best racer in the school. A spoiled, selfish, whiny material girl, Annalise gets whatever she wants from her father, Zile Zazic, since they come from a rich family. She immediately dislikes Speed upon meeting him, since he's the new kid who gets picked upon in every school, and calls him "Newb" and "Speed Bump". Her discovery of him being X's brother only heightens her animosity for him, as he could be a possible competition for her own boyfriend, and becomes one of Speed's top enemies.
[edit] Zile Zazic
Voiced by: Dave Skigen
The academy would be nothing without Zile Zazic- he paid for, designed, and had the Academy's racing track "built for him". He also donated many buildings and additions to the school, and is on great terms with the headmaster and views X as the star student of the school. However, he has a vague, mysterious vendetta against Speed Racer from long ago, and once he discovers "Little Speed Jr." has built the Mach 6 from the Mach 5, he becomes his enemy in secret, carrying out undercover hits on him from his lair. This makes sense, since he is a rich oil tycoon, and the Mach 6's eco-friendly design could ruin him.
[edit] Minor Characters
[edit] Speed Racer
Voiced By: Peter Fernandez
Speed Racer is the father of Speed and X, which makes him the second known cast member from the 1967 Japanese show to appear here. He first appeared for a brief moment in the episode, "The Note". He states that he is not able to see Speed and X now, but he hopes to see them soon. They currently know that Speed Racer is not dead or missing, but is waiting for the right time to meet them face-to-face, when the time comes.
[edit] Jared and Jesse
Voiced by: Michael Sinterniklaas
Two twins who are part of X's student entourage, Jared and Jesse act as a team, and share the rank as the third best racers in the school. Normally rude and unpleasant, they often act as Annalise's bullish lackies. While they do their best to get the job done, both twins are equally incompetent. On the track, Jared and Jesse are a fearsome team. Although they race together in a single vehicle, the actual car has the ability to split into two pieces which both of them can operate separately for periods of time. They use this technique to surround a single opponent from both sides on the race track.
[edit] Stan
Voiced by: David "Zen" Mansley
Stan is Zile's personal assistant and second-in-command, despite being clumsy and dimwitted most of the time. His large, monstrous size and gentle composure almost makes him look like a jolly giant, often getting in the way of the evil plans he is supposed to carry out. He is overly polite to everyone, and is deeply apologetic whenever he disobeys his boss. However, Stan is still serious about the job, and his mind is always on Zile's side.
[edit] Professor Armand Aniskov
Voiced by: David "Zen" Mansley
An intructor at the Racing Academy, Professor Aniskov teaches the class on offensive driving techniques. Professional and aloof, he rarely shows any signs of favoritism, and treats all of his students with the same air of indifference. He is probably one of the more critical instructors that the academy has to offer, and is not particularly well-liked by his students.
[edit] Professor Susan Winn
Voiced by: Mami Kimura
Susan Winn is an intelligent and level-headed woman who teaches the class on defensive driving techniques at the Racing Academy. Professor Winn is generally much kinder and more accepting of her students than Professor Aniskov, and is respected because of this. While displaying a sense of strict guidelines and acceptable conduct in her classes, she is a very fair individual.
[edit] Episodes
[edit] Season 1: 2008-present
| # | Title | Director | Writer | Original Release Date | Production code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2-3 | "The Beginning" | Stephen Moverley | Justin Gray, James Palmiotti | (P1) April 27, 2008[2] (P2-P3) May 2, 2008 |
101-102-103 |
|
P1:Speed arrives at the Racing Academy and meets all of the main cast. With no race car of his own, Conor lets him use a junky, spare one for the Qualifying Race. |
|||||
| 4 | "Low Price of Fame" | John Holt | Gerry Duggan | May 9, 2008 | 104 |
| Speed takes advice from X on how to deal with the fame of being Speed Racer's son from his classmates. A crazy stalker student named Mitch spreads a rumor that Speed will have a rivalry race with his brother, X, which spirals into a real race. When Annalise sees X not taking this seriously, she stands up and sabotages Speed's car so X can win. | |||||
| 5 | "Be Cruel To Your School" | John Holt | Marv Wolfman | May 16, 2008 | 105 |
| Speed and X must work together as a team in order to win a multi-school racing tournament. Meanwhile, Zile plans to ruin Speed and X's teamwork during the tournament to also destroy the Mach 6. | |||||
| 6 | "The Note" | John Holt | Aaron Bergeron | May 23, 2008 | 106 |
| Speed gradually receives mysterious notes signed by his father, but he suspects that they could be false. When he receives another letter asking for Speed to come meet him, Speed goes to figure out who the imposter is. At the end of the episode, Speed receives what he and X believe is a real note from their father. | |||||
| 7 | "The Fast Track" | June 27, 2008[3] | 107 | ||
| Speed is surprised at the Redwood Rally by unusual events, which point to tampering with the virtual track. | |||||
| 8 | "TBA" | TBA, 2008 | 108 | ||
| 9 | "TBA" | TBA, 2008 | 109 | ||
| 10 | "TBA" | TBA, 2008 | 110 | ||
[edit] DVD Releases
[edit] Season 1
The first DVD of the new series was released on May 6, 2008 by Lionsgate. It contains the first movie of the new series. The DVD was released on May 6, 2008 in NTSC ares. The PAL release date is unknown so far.
| Volume Name | Release Date | Contains |
|---|---|---|
| Speed Racer: The Next Generation: The Beginning[4] | NTSC: May 6, 2008[4] |
"The Beginning" |
[edit] References
- ^ AWN Headline News
- ^ Nickelodeon aired P1 to show a sneek peak of the new series.
- ^ http://www.tvguide.com/detail/tv-show.aspx?tvobjectid=293428&more=ucepisodelist&episodeid=8012157 Speed Racer: TNG s1 ep7
- ^ a b New Speed Racer Movie released on May 6th, 2008. Lionsgate. Retrieved on 2008-05-24.
- ^ http://www.lionsgateshop.com/product.asp?Id=11137&TitleParentId=4996&View=SpecialFeatures Special Features from the DVD
[edit] External Links
- Official Speed Racer site
- Speed Racer: The Next Generation at the Internet Movie Database
- Speed Racer Deals Cross Finish Line
- NYCC 08: Speed Racer's Next Generation Revealed
- TV Guide's Speed Racer: The Next Generation episodes
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