DVD review: Speed Racer – The Complete Classic Series Collection
All 52 episodes of the 1960s animated series “Speed Racer” are avail-able in one limited-edition box set. These episodes have been released in single volumes before, each with a variety of special knickknacks, so if you already own those, there’s not anything new here to justify a new purchase. But, if you don’t yet own the series, this set provides “Speed Racer” for under a buck an episode.
The series comes in an oversized “Mach 5” tin case that may not fit on your DVD shelf. Inside, the discs are in a cardboard fold-out sleeve that’s about the height of a CD case. So, packaging wise, the “Complete Classic Series” is kind of an odd fit.
“Speed Racer” is the English adaptation of the Japanese anime “Mach GoGoGo.” Speed Racer is a young hotshot driver who competes in races around the world, and often gets entangled in action-packed adventures. Racer X, Speed’s closest competitor, is secretly Speed’s brother Rex, thought dead. “Speed Racer” was one of the first cartoon series to bring anime to the United States, and while it’s certainly kid-focused and a bit dated, it’s a powerful nostalgic thrill for those of the right age.
— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
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Comments
First, Rex Racer was never thought to be dead. He ran away from home “many years ago” because he got in an argument with his father, Pops Racer, over racing, because he wrecked a race car and Pops thought he was not experienced enough to race.
I bought the box set, too, for $37 at Wal-Mart here in the Philadelphia area. Instead of “living” in my DVD collection, it occupies a “spot of honor” on my entertainment center.
What I didn’t like about the box set is that disc 4 did not allow you to skip over the four previews – you could, instead, fast forward over them.
Only discs 1 & 2 had special features, but there is a sixth disc with the history of the cartoon and a preview of the “next generation” cartoon.
An odd thing that I saw was that Episode 52 (Race Around The World, Part 2 – the last episode) had a voiceover at the end saying “don’t miss the next exciting episode of Speed Racer!” There aren’t any next episodes!!
I do like that the original creators placed Trixie in a “Curved Dash” Oldsmobile (made from 1901-1907 – hers was probably an ‘04-’07) in the end credits.
I attended an all-Oldsmobile “homecoming” car show in Lansing, Mich. in June 2007 and they had about a dozen of the Curved Dash models on display, all privately-owned. They formed a motorcade and drove around the show grounds late in the day. Impressive for cars that are all over a century old!
Bill S.
Co-president, GM Skywagon Club
Bucks County, PA
I have been debating if I should get the complete set or not, despite the odd size. Each one of the separate sets were of odd shape and didn’t quite fit a shelf right. Just to have them all in one place appeals to me more than its size.
One of my favorite cartoons to watch as a kid. I think Channel 34 might have shown them in the afternoon after I got home from school.