In Japan, the 60s manga and anime series known here as Speed Racer is so popular that it’s even spawned a chain of service stations and used car lots. Everything is Speed Racer themed, including the in-store service computer menus.
Except it’s not really Speed Racer per se; the proper Japanese title is Mach GoGoGo, a pun on the word usually following “ready” and “set” and the number 5, which is pronounced “go” in Japanese. That’s why Speed’s car is called the Mach 5. Even Speed’s Japanese name is Goh Mifune.
Follow the jump to see more pics of the Mach 5 service stations.
Here’s the service center computer menu.
The waiting area and counter.
And the obligatory plastic statue.
We’re curious what the American equivalent would be. Turbo Teen Garage?
Turbo Teen!! THATS what it was called. I have been searching my deepest memory banks for the name of that show I used to watch when I was a kid! Every time I would explain it to someone “the kids hands turn into wheels bla bla bla…” they would all laugh at me. Thanks JNC!
Ha! That’s great, because I was just trying to figure that out last week too! My co-workers thought I was an idiot. I said the same thing about the hands and wheels too!
JNC, for all your obscure 80s cartoon needs 😉
I wonder if it hurt when his face stretched out to the width of a Firebird’s hood.
Things like this only happen in Japan, damn, I wanna live in Japan!!
No, the American version is/was the Sinclair station. Many of the older stations had big Fiberglas replicas of the Sinclair “brontosaurus” for the kids to play on. Sinclair also sponsored big dinosaur themed exhibits at the 1934 and 1964 (and maybe others) World’s Fairs.
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That is really cool! I live in Tokyo so I have to ask if this place is near by because I would love to see it for myself.