Racing lovers and speedsters aren’t left out of the world of anime, as there have been some very impressive racing series and films released over the years. Better yet, they cover different types of racing, from car races, to horse riding, cycling competitions, and even go-karting. Packed with a ton of adrenaline — and with solid plots to boot — different worlds and adventures are introduced with these racing stories.
With gripping storylines and competitive energy spreading to the audience, here is an exciting ranking of the best racing anime that will have you rooting for the underdog.
éX-Driver
The anime series and follow up movie are set in the future, where cars are controlled by artificial intelligence and lose control every now and then. The story follows a group of high school students and racers: Lisa, Souichi, and Lorna, who have gasoline-powered vehicles and work to keep the accident-prone AI-vehicles under control. The trio also wish to participate in the race competition, éX-Driver, held in Santa Monica, California. Together, they work hard to win first place.
Speed Racer
The 1967 anime follows the life of world champion aspirant Go Mifune on his journey to becoming the greatest racer in history. Much to Mifune’s disappointment , his father is against his racing, but with the help of his girlfriend, younger brother, and his special automobile, nicknamed Mach 5, he remains undeterred. However, things begin to prove complicated for the teenager as he is faced with extremely skilled adversaries on the track, particularly the mysterious Racer X. Speed Racer is one of the most popular racing anime of all time, and an English live-action adaptation was released in 2008, starring Emile Hirsch as the titular racer.
Uma Musume Pretty Derby
For the horse racing fans, Uma Musume provides a fun and exciting watch with a twist. In this world, great horses from the past are reborn as “horse girls”, with horse ears and tails to boot. Armed with endurance and speed, they are enrolled in a special school called Traces Academy where the best of them can become famous expert racers and celebrities. When a young girl called Special Week is reincarnated as a horse girl, and joins the academy, she begins the journey to becoming the best racer in the entire school, and fulfill her promise to her mother.
Nasu: A Migratory Bird with Suitcase
This is an anime based on the sport of cycling, and offers enough adrenaline-packed action to keep viewers glued to their seats. It is also the sequel to the popular film, Nasu: Summer in Andalusia. The sports drama follows Pépé Benengeli and his teammate Ciocci as they tackle the upcoming Japan Cup Cycle Road Race. The problem is that motivation is extremely low because legendary racer Marco Rondanini has just passed away. This anime pairs an emotional story about loss and friendship with the perfect amount of sports action and gorgeous animated scenery focusing on the cycling routes.
Wangan Midnight
Wangan Midnight is a car racing anime that was released in 2007. The story follows the freshly defeated Akio Asakura, who had lost to the legendary street racer, Blackbird. His search for solitude leads him to finding a Nissan S30 named Devil Z at a junkyard. Akio decides to work on the car and modify it so that he can become the fastest street racer ever… and possibly surpass Blackbird.
Immortal Grand Prix
Immortal Grand Prix has a very straightforward plot, but with speed-defying motor vehicles and exciting martial arts moments, you’d be hard pressed to find a more adrenaline-packed anime. Set in a futuristic world where racing is all that truly matters, the Immortal Grand Prix is the greatest racing competition there is. The competition is such a major event that an entire city with customized lanes was built for it so that drivers can freely use their high-tech battle machines to race at speeds over 350mph! In the midst of it all, we meet Team Satoshi, an untested rookie team with big dreams of winning the IGPX against skilled and ruthless competitors.
Capeta
The vehicle of choice in this inspiring anime is the go-kart. Capeta is a 10-year-old boy who is having quite the rough childhood. When his father stumbles upon some go-kart racers, he decides to build his son a go-kart made from abandoned car parts acquired from a junkyard. When Capeta discovers his new gift, something awakens in him and thus begins his journey to becoming a speed racer.
Yowamushi Pedal
Yowamushi Pedal is a 2014 anime series that follows the life of Sakamichi Onoda and the Sohoku High School cycling team. Sakamichi is an otaku who travels long distances on his worn-out bicycle in search of manga and games. One day, he runs into a fellow cyclist who appreciates his skills despite the condition of his bike. The two eventually start a friendship, and Sakamichi is introduced to the exciting and competitive world of cycling.
Redline
This 2009 anime film follows daredevil racer JP on his journey to participate in the biggest racing event in the galaxy, Redline. The event takes place every five years, and is notorious for pushing racers to their absolute limits, as well as giving the audience a huge dose of adrenaline. This year, Redline is about to become even more dangerous than it usually is because it is taking place on the infamous Planet Roboworld, known for housing criminals who would do just about anything to win. JP doesn’t let this faze him however, as he plans to become the reigning champion no matter what.
Initial D
With numerous show episodes, films, and video games in its franchise, Initial D holds the top spot on this list of racing anime. The anime series ran from 1998 to 2016 with over 80 episodes combined, and spawned four feature films. The exciting story follows the adventures of 18-year-old delivery boy, Takumi Fujiwara. His father runs a tofu shop and to help out, Takumi has been driving up Mount Akina to deliver tofu to a hotel there every day for five years. Due to his daily deliveries, he has become an expert at mountain drift racing, and his skills come in handy when local street racers from Mount Akagi challenge the local team at Mount Akina to a race.