Very few children’s animated television shows have been able to stand the test of time as well as Speed Racer has. This show has grow to a cult status, and 35 years after it’s debut, still holds a loyal fan base. Sure, both the animation and the story are very dated, but that adds to the allure of the Speed Racer phenomenon.

”The world’s favorite high-octane animated hero is back! Roaring into action aboard his trusty Mach 5, it’s the intrepid young racecar driver who sparked an international cult phe…omenon: the one-and-only SPEED RACER!

Now, for the first time ever, the first eleven episodes of this classic, hugely popular “Japanimation” series are brought together in this special limited edition DVD. Turbo-charged with all of Speed Racer’s trademark animated thrills, off-beat humor, unforgettable characters and cliff-hanger racing action, these collectible, specially re-mastered episodes are the stuff of every fan’s dream.

So fasten your seatbelts - and join Speed, girlfriend Trixie, Speed’s two brothers, one mischievous monkey and an outrageous assortment of villains for one fast lane, no-brakes, non-stop adventure after another! Ready… Set… Go Speed Racer Go!” – Artisan

Audio

This show has probably never sounded this good… but that being said, this disc still does not sound very good. The Mono audio track is very, well, mono. Both the sound and dialog sound muffled and dry. As can be expected from a 1966 mono track, the soundstage is not used at all. If you were expecting an re-mastered 5.1 track, you will be disappointed here.

Video

Considering the age of this transfer, it looks quite good. The print is marred by the expected scratches/dust/debris that come with a 35 year old master, but the digitally remastered video looks good. Due to the source, the colors are muted and far from vibrant… but any sensible person cannot expect this show to look as good as Ice Age or Monsters Inc. Compared to the original televised episodes of Sped Racer, this transfer is very sharp.

Special Features

The extras found on this disc are a lot of nothing. All you get are very “fluffy” features that are very insignificant. The Villians Gallery textually outlines the main villains and shows short clips from the show. The Interactive MACH-5 Control Demonstration pretty much just shows how the car works through simple animation. This disc also includes extras such as: Production Notes, Theme Song Sing-Along, two clips from more current Speed Racer spin-offs, U.S. translation notes, and even a merchandise gallery.

One very cool aspect of this set is the Limited Edition collectable packaging. This disc uses the traditional Artisan Special Edition slipcover, but with a twist. The slipcover is made of tire-tread rubber. That’s right… the front cover looks, feels, and smells like tire rubber. The Speed Racer logo is etched within the tire-treads… Very ingenious!

Final Thoughts

Any fan of this show should really add this DVD to their collection. The quality is good considering the age of the source, and though the extras are weak, the content makes up for it. Make sure you buy this set soon… you do not want to miss out on the cool Limited Edition packaging!

Special Features List

• Limited-edition “rubber tire” packaging
• Theme song info and lyrics
• Interactive Mach 5
• Villains gallery
• Clip from The New Adventures of Speed Racer
• Merchandise gallery
• U.S. translation notes
• Info about Tatsunoko Productions
• Biographies of U.S. voice cast