Go Speed Racer!

I've had the Speed Racer cartoons in the my stacks for many years. I watched some many moons ago when I first acquired them, but somehow never managed to get time to see them all. I have just done that and it's a good thing too. Speed Racer is a flavorful bit of late 60's entertainment, jaunty and energetic and surprisingly intriguing. The animation is fascinating in many ways, limited of course in some ways but with often lovely backgrounds that can dominate the action and mood of a scene. The stories are told with care and a great variety.

I thought of Hanna-Barbera's Jonny Quest as I watched episode after episode of Speed Racer this time. A young man (Speed/Jonny) mentored by an older much respected and accomplished older man (Racer X/Race Bannon) who operates in the larger world with his family along especially a bright accomplished father (Pops / Doctor Bannon). There are comedic antics at times (Spritle and Chim Chim/ Bandit) but they don't undermine the tension, or at least not always.

There are encounters with espionage and bizarre threats both on the track and off it. Now that I've at long last seen the Speed Racer cartoons in toto, I need to sit down and read the manga. Mach Go Go Go as it was originally known looks to be compelling as well in its own way.

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