Author Archives: Ben Hsu
QotW: What diecast car should they make next?
Last week it was announced that Tomica, after 42 years making diecast Japanese cars, is finally coming out with the pivotal Datsun Fairlady roadster. We learned too that the first A60 Celica to exist anywhere in 1:64 universe would soon debut, a mere … Continue reading
Posted in minicars, Question of the Week
Tagged 12a, 13b, hot wheels, luce, mazda, minicars, QotW, Question of the Week, rotary, rx-4, rx-7, sa22, savanna
38 Comments
EVENTS: 2012 Nisei Showoff, Part 02
As we mentioned in Part 01, early nisei contributions to car culture went largely unnoticed for decades. This was mainly because 1.) most of the culture revolved around illicit pink-slip showdowns and 2.) it was centered in SoCal. Los Angeles’ … Continue reading
Posted in events, honda
19 Comments
The origins of Nissan’s Ginza Gallery and Miss Fairlady
No trip to Tokyo would be complete without a stop at the Nissan Gallery in the high-end shopping district of Ginza. The showroom doesn’t sell any cars, but serves as prime advertising for the automaker at of one of Japan’s … Continue reading
Posted in Friday Video, nissan
Tagged 1500 sports, 1600 sports, 2000 sports, datsun, fairlady roadster, Ginza, Miss Fairlady, Miyuki-zoku, nissan, nissan gallery, van
4 Comments
Initial D Fifth Stage to premiere November 9
Hang on to your e-brakes because the hit anime Initial D returns November 9. What was originally lost in translation and reported as a reboot is actually a restart, continuing the series where it left off six years ago.
Posted in toyota, Video Games
Tagged ae86, corolla, Fifth Stage, Initial D, levin, sprinter, Takumi Fujiwara, toyota, trueno
25 Comments
QotW: What is the most influential Japanese car?
The western world has often overlooked the influence of Japan’s cars. So this week we put to you the question, one that is bound to stir up plenty of debate. What is the most influential Japanese car? There are so … Continue reading
Posted in mitsubishi, Question of the Week
Tagged dignity, equus, furuta, hyundai, kp61, minicars, mitsubishi, proudia, Question of the Week, starlet, toyota
63 Comments
ART CORNER: Announcing the JNC Ken & Mary Art Contest
In honor of the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Nissan Skyline JNC is proud to announce our first ever art contest. Simply submit an original work that captures the spirit of the Ken & Mary Skyline. The winner will be chosen … Continue reading
Posted in Art Corner, nissan
Tagged c110, diane krey-welsey, gt-r, ken & mary, kenmeri, kgc110, kpgc110, nissan, skyline, yonmeri
12 Comments
QotW: What’s the worst model name?
A few weeks ago we asked JNCers what the best model name was. Well here’s the flipside. Sometimes the best and worst are one in the same but in any case we put the question to you. What’s the worst … Continue reading
Posted in honda, nissan, Question of the Week
Tagged 300zx, charade, cm, cog, daihatsu, honda, nissan, Question of the Week, z32
48 Comments
NEWS: Initial-D anime to get reboot
Speaking of mad mangas, Hollywood isn’t the only one endlessly retooling comic book movies. On Monday Kodansha’s Young Magazine announced that Initial D is getting the reboot treatment as well. Further details have yet to be announced but one thing for … Continue reading
Posted in toyota
Tagged ae86, anime, corolla, Initial D, levin, manga, Shuichi Shigeno, sprinter, Takumi Fujiwara, toyota, trueno
26 Comments
MINICARS: 2012 Hot Wheels Mad Manga now in red and gold
Grease up your rizento because second color of the Mad Manga is coming. Earlier this year, Hot Wheels shocked the minicar world by creating what is almost certainly the first diecast zokusha outside of Japan. A recolor in red and gold is … Continue reading
Posted in bosozoku, minicars
Tagged bosozoku, hot wheels, mad manga, minicars, sharknose, takeyari, zokusha
15 Comments
Britcar 24hrs Toyota GT86 to revive BTCC AE86 Corolla livery
The car you see on two wheels above is an AE86 in its prime, campaigned by the UK’s Chris Hodgetts Motor Sports. With it, CHMS won the British Touring Car Championships during the hachiroku‘s heyday in both 1986 and 1987. This fall its … Continue reading
Posted in mitsubishi, motorsports, toyota
Tagged ae86, BritCar 24 Hrs, British Touring Car Championships, BTCC, CHMS, Chris Hodgetts, fr-s, gt 86, hachiroku, mitsubishi, scion, Silverstone Circuit, starion, toyota, toyota 86
3 Comments
Grand Touring: Up the California Coast in a Toyota FJ Cruiser
In Part 01 of our Bayline Gathering coverage we promised an in-depth examination of the steed that carried us north, away from our familiar SoCal environs and to the Bay Area in search of precious Nihon metal. First, let’s recap. Why exactly did … Continue reading
Posted in Grand Touring, toyota
Tagged akio toyoda, Bayline Gathering, bj25, fj cruiser, fj40, fj45, fj55, Grand Touring, land cruiser, toyota
20 Comments
In Saudi Arabia, rockin’ a Cressida has a whole new meaning
And now for your viewing pleasure, a pair of X30 Cressidas on plinths. Raising cars on makeshift rock structures is apparently all the rage among the youths in Abha, Saudi Arabia. But lest you think this is the Saudi equivalent of … Continue reading
Posted in toyota
Tagged cressida, mark II, mazda, mitsubishi, mx32, plinths, Saudi Arabia, toyota, x30
16 Comments
EVENTS: Mooneyes Mania Cruise Bluebird-Corona Day, Part 01
In the debut article from our newest contributor, Rod Serikaku of AutoNGraphic, we visit the Mooneyes Mania Cruise, an informal, early morning gathering of petrolheads. It’s a Japanese domestic version of Cars & Coffee of Japan except much, much cooler, … Continue reading
2012 Hot Wheels X JNC Mazda RX-7 now in white, Kroger’s mystery pack
Sorry to do this to you guys, but there is now a third Hot Wheels Mazda RX-7 to be look out for, and it’s a beauty. The latest recolor is an ultra-Japanese pearl white with our JNC inkan in classic red on … Continue reading
QotW: What’s the best car commercial from Japan?
Now that the star of one of the most famous Japanese car commercials has been rediscovered, it’s time we asked: What’s the best car commercial from Japan? The 1972 Nissan Skyline hit the market just as Japanese citizens getting hooked … Continue reading
EVENTS: The Bayline Gathering, Part 01
Ever since Motoring J Style faded in 2008 there’s been a void in the NorCal nostalgic scene. The Bay Area is rife with vintage Nihon steel, and it needs a bona fide show to bring the cars out from their garages.
Posted in events, nissan, toyota
Tagged 240k, 240z, 260z, 280z, 510, ae86, aw11, b110, bbs, bluebird, c10, c110, corolla, corona mark II, cressida, datsun, diane krey, fairlady z, fj cruiser, gc10, gt-r, Hakosuka, jdm legends, jzz30, kenmeri, kgc10, kgc110, kpgc10, kpgc110, levin, lexus, lexus sc, mini, MkI, mr2, mx72, nissan, panasport, rs watanabe, s30, skyline, sprinter, ssr, sunny, toyota, trueno, tsurikawa, watanabes, x70
27 Comments
Hungarian in JNC T-shirt makes world’s greatest neo-hachiroku video
Look out, Top Gear. A Hungarian in, at varying times, Initial-D and JNC T-shirts has created what is being hailed as the world’s greatest Toyota GT 86 review. It might even be one of the greatest car review videos, period, neo-hachiroku or … Continue reading
