Wangan Midnight anime
 

I never even knew one was in the works, but I ran across the first episode on mininova yesterday. Pretty good animation- it reminds me a lot of the Initial D 4th Stage series. Nothing like a good cartoon to make you wish you could find a twin turbo S30 at your local junkyard.

Oh hell yeah...I watched it too, I'm hooked. I'm a big Initial D fan too and was always hoping someone would do a Wangan Midnight series.

This is where I watched the episode...

http://anime.fansub.tv/episode.php/5...n%20Midnight/1

I like how they play up the Devil Z as being almost supernatural, like how all the previous owners had the same name and had terrible accidents in it. And then the way the main character kind of becomes entranced/obsessed with it, like it has a hold on him, makes it all a very intriguing backstory.

Well it kind of fits. All of us do seem to end up becoming obsessed with our Z cars.

dude, that was like a cartoon about my car.... i freakin LOVED it, are there any more episodes i need to see what happens to him!!!!!

There's only 2 episodes out right now. I just DLed the 2nd one last night.

The next two episodes air on 7/20/07

wow, this animation is new? is it based off a video game only or what? hows it all work you crazy japanimation followers, and wehre did you DL the second episode? I NEED IT!!!! this is like that time i did heroin.... jk (family guy)

Just download from the site I posted above. It started out as a Manga series. Then went to a PS2 game, only in Japan I think, also an arcade game which I've seen in the States. Correct me anyone if I'm wrong on this, this was what I've observed. :) Episode 2 is out with subs on the site I listed above. Enjoy!

http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=cierex&p=r

Episodes on youtube :D

you tube is cool, but as far as these episodes go, i'd rather DL them cause they are sweet (its like watching a cartoon about my car) and the quality is pretty bitchin.... and ummmm.... whats a manga? lol

SORRY i only know how to fly airplanes, and tinker with cars

Manga, is what the Japanese call comics. Anyway yeah this show just started airing, the comic series started way back in the early 90s. They made around 5 to 7 live action movies or something like that. The movies are really hard to get ahold of as most of them were never released on DVD only VHS and for some reason didn't get real big run. If you've ever heard of the Speed Shop Shinohara Fairlady Z they use it in the movie. Then they made an arcade game and a PS2 game. The PS2 game is pretty much like the first arcade game, neither of them were real popular. Eventually they made Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune and then they made a second for the arcade. I see the cabinets pop up at different arcades and stuff. You create a card and you can continue to play and stuff and the game saves your progress to your card. I'm thinking because of the arcade games that's why it finally started to get real popular. Also because of how popular Initial D was, they finally decided to turn it into an anime. They are coming out with a Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune ver. 3 for the arcades, a Wangan Midnight for the PS3, and one for the PSP. Also a new volume of the comic finally came out after there hadn't been any new volumes for a few years.

I really like those two episodes. And Snwy, you dont' have a 240Z much less a Fairlady Z. :D ...your car is just blue. ha!
You see how it has the front side markers as turn signals and the curved running lights up front are split inside between marker light and signal? I wonder if that's really how the Fairlady Z was stock. I should check mine out. I did notice that the lense design is slightly different on my Fairlady. Its more smooth and not "DOT" stamped. :)

and... I found one of those arcade games a while back (did a thread on it) I'm still mad that the stupid game was broken.

I also forgot to mention that back about last year we had Blackcrow who kept pretending he had the Devil Z.

As for the Z in the show I'm not sure if it's still the right car. In the comic the guy uses the USDM style door mirrors and for some reason in the show they have him using the fender mirrors. So I wouldn't neccesarily say it's a 100% correct Fairlady Z.

I guess Best Motoring did a Hot Version DVD where they recreate the Wangan Midnight races.
http://www.bestmotoring.jp/HV/087/images/ph_1_01.jpg

If anyone wants it here's a link to a torrent, I'm currently downloading it:
http://www.mininova.org/tor/754247

JDM lights are not clear though :D

my Z has been setting so long that if it ever hits the road it will be "back from the dead" maybe I should call it ghost Z ? ... eh :(

the tags on the plates are [ 96 ]

Want to sell it to me? I can then go ahead and put my L28ET into it.

$5000 and its yours

dahhhh, why do they keep ending it right in the fawking middle.... i caint WAIT!!!!!

he dies... end of story :D oh, and the girl lives just to tell the tale! Muahahaha!

you sir.... are a liar! lol

http://www.wangan-midnight.com there's a group that's very slowly translating the original comic.

Dont waste your time with that.. download what they have listed and be happy with that. They almost NEVER update with new scanlations. Youre better off watching the anime and waiting for Tokyopop to butcher the series with a totally American translation.. I really don't like the anime that much, the manga IS better. I'm not sure why so many people compare it to initial D, its completely different! Mountain drift racing compared to street freeway straight line racing? Different class of cars too!

Daniel

tokyopop won't make a version of the series, butchered or not. I heard they're dropping out of anime altogether.

Well even if they did pick it up, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't butcher it like they did Initial D. I think they realized how poorly that went over with fans. It was also in part that they were trying to get the show on Adult Swim, so I think they tried to aim it so it could be more watchable on TV, but that fell through and they had it all recorded so they stuck with it.

Besides considering that the arcade game Maximum Tune keeps everything the same as the manga I don't think anyone would change it because people would end up picking it up more than likely because of the game.

Agreed, not only is the racing different, but the pacing and characters are way better in Wangan. I mean, Takumi has no personality whatsoever. And the pacing of the races is broken by the constant breaks to focus in on 2 characters who talk about what's going on just so the audience gets it. How uncool is that? Don't get me wrong, I do like Initial D, but it does have things that bug me.