Racing Anime: 22 Best Car and Racing Shows

Size matters not when it comes to Dash! Yonkuro. This one proves that even miniature 4WD race cars can deliver mega entertainment. The story follows Yonkuro Hinomaru, a young racer whose skill and determination will have you cheering louder than for any F1 champ. Small cars, giant-sized excitement and heart.

Who said rescue missions couldn’t be exhilarating? In Drive Head’s futuristic Tokyo, children pilot transforming cars to handle crises regular authorities can’t. It’s got the perfect mix of high-speed chases, daring rescues, and some seriously cool car transformations. Fair warning: you may come away wishing your own car could morph into a super robot.

Buckle up and head back to the ’80s with Shakotan Boogie, an old-is-gold gem about two high-school friends, their daring high-speed adventures, and their love for Shakotan-style cars (think lowered bodies and over-the-top exhaust pipes). The action is as slick as the cars and the humor is as infectious as the engines. If you have a soft spot for retro aesthetics and classic JDM, this one’s for you.

Who needs self-driving cars when you’ve got teens in vintage rides? eX-Driver is set in a future where AI-controlled vehicles run the roads, until the AI starts malfunctioning, and it falls to a group of skilled drivers in their classic, analog cars to save the day. It’s a quirky blend of old-school style and futuristic mishaps, and it spans both the original OVA series and a follow-up movie, so there’s plenty here if you fall for it.

Picture a car anime with racing, action, and robots. That’s Dorvack, which has a great twist: the cars transform into combat mechas. Follow the special-forces team as they battle alien invaders with their incredible vehicles. Combining high-speed racing with epic robot battles, it keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

Step into the future with Cyber Spin, set in the then-far-off year 2020 (which, admittedly, doesn’t feel so futuristic now). It takes us through international motor-racing championships with a healthy dash of espionage and adventure. Follow race-car driver Shin as he navigates both the track and the dangers around it. A must-watch if you love fast cars and high-stakes stories.

Who said racing anime was just about cars? Idaten Jump is all about mountain bikes. When Sho Yamato is transported to a world where mountain-bike races decide everything, he has to rely on his riding skills to get home. It’s packed with high-speed races, big stunts, and a touch of mystery, so even diehard car fans should give it a spin.

This is the one that started it all. Mach GoGoGo is the original 1967 Japanese series that became the beloved Speed Racer in the West, the classic that introduced the world to high-octane animated motor racing. Even if you’ve never seen an episode, the Mach 5 is as iconic as the Batmobile. Consider this your nostalgia-fueled drive through anime history.

How about a universe where racing is an intergalactic pastime? In Scan2Go, kids across the galaxy compete using customizable cars. It’s the ultimate space derby, proving once and for all that the need for speed is universal.

What happens when a playboy heir survives a deadly car crash? He becomes a world-class racer, of course. Arrow Emblem: Grand Prix no Taka takes you from a life-threatening disaster to the thrill of the F1 circuit, a perfect example of how a near-death experience can turbocharge someone’s ambitions.

Not your traditional car anime, but Bakusō Kyōdai Let’s & Go brings the thrill of racing right into your living room. It’s a world where mini 4WD cars are the heroes and kids become racing legends. A great reminder that sometimes the smallest things pack the biggest punch (and the show that fueled a real-world Tamiya mini-4WD boom).

Imagine a future where pilots race in high-speed mechanized suits. That’s IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix, where your car mechanic and IT guy might be the same person. It’s full of unexpected pit stops, mind games, team dynamics, and a surprising number of cats. Fasten your seatbelt, this mech-racing series is a wild ride.

Goddamn takes us off-road and onto the muddy terrain of rally racing. Forget polished street circuits, this one’s a bumpy, thrilling ride alongside car-loving protagonist Gen Todoroki. If you want grit and dirt over chrome and neon, this is your pit stop.

SK8 the Infinity, from 2021, channels a late-’90s vibe through a ruthless underground skating scene in Okinawa, where racers compete fiercely for bragging rights and more. It hooks you with striking visuals and characters who exude real passion, centering on the dynamic friendship between Reki Kyan and Langa Hasegawa as they dive into Okinawa’s perilous skate world.

Anime fans fondly remember Super Grand Prix, a classic from the ’70s. Takaya dreams of being an F1 racer; after he walks away unhurt from a stock-car crash, a mysterious man notices his luck and offers him a spot on a renowned racing team driving an innovative prototype. It’s full of delightful nods to classic Formula 1, with characters inspired by legends like Mario Andretti and James Hunt.

Run with the Wind, one of the best sports anime of the 2010s, appeals to far more than genre fans, courtesy of Production I.G. Centered on running, it follows Kansei University’s track club: once-great runner Kakeru lands at the club’s live-in dorm after a rough stretch at university, and ignited by their captain’s dream of competing in the Hakone Ekiden, a mismatched group chases a goal none of them imagined, growing as people along the way.

When you picture a car anime, you don’t usually imagine a hero named after a legume. Riding Bean brings the action to the streets of Chicago with Bean Bandit, a getaway courier so good he’d make any delivery driver jealous. Don’t let the name fool you, this bean has a lead foot and a heart of gold, and it’s a bite-sized blast with plenty of horsepower.

Future GPX Cyber Formula is a perfect fusion of racing anime and sci-fi. Who knew a young boy with a super-AI-equipped car could outpace the pros? It’s like Knight Rider met Speed Racer and they had a tech-savvy anime baby. No matter how fast your own machine is, it won’t keep pace with this one.

Would you rather buy a sports car or a tofu-delivery vehicle? If you’re a fan of the cult classic Initial D, you might second-guess that brand-new Porsche. This is the show that can make a rundown Toyota AE86 feel more exciting than any Lamborghini. Forget high-tech simulations, Initial D’s old-school touge drifting will have you dropping the clutch around every corner, even on a grocery run. (Side effect: an irrational love of ’80s cars and a sudden craving for tofu.)

Get ready for the need for Japanese street speed. Wangan Midnight makes nighttime highway runs through Tokyo feel more thrilling than any blockbuster chase scene. When protagonist Akio Asakura takes the wheel of his cursed Nissan Fairlady Z (the “Devil Z”), you’ll be hanging onto the edge of your seat, heartbeat racing faster than its turbo. Maybe not one for viewers who value their sleep.

You might assume Capeta is just a kids’ show, but this heartfelt story of a boy and his love for kart racing can move grown adults to tears (and not only when a kid outpaces them). From junkyard kart building to high-speed competition, it’s the kind of underdog story that makes you believe in miracles. Be warned: it’s addictive enough that you might find yourself shopping for a go-kart.

How many racing anime feature a dystopian world, intergalactic races, and gravity-defying stunts? Welcome to Redline, where surrealism meets gasoline in a high-octane symphony of speed. Watch JP, a man with gravity-defying hair and the driving skills to match, compete in the universe’s most dangerous race. Famous for its hand-drawn animation, it’s so out of this world it makes other car anime feel like a leisurely Sunday drive.

That’s 22 of the best car and racing anime, from tofu-hauling AE86s to mecha grand prix to a hand-drawn intergalactic fever dream. Which one had you reaching for the keys, or which did I miss? Let me know in the comments.