With the checkered flag on the horizon and a bitter rival in close pursuit, a brash driver puts the pedal to the metal as they seek ultimate glory. Thebest racing animeare absolute thrill rides defined by breathtaking action, larger-than-life characters, and cool cars. While not producing all that many series, particularly over the last few years, this genre has some true classics under its belt, delivering stories that hold eternal nostalgic value or are just plain old timeless.
Car racing animetend to fall under the shonen banner, meaning they often focus on young underdog characters who are taking their first steps into the competitive world of driving. The theme often shares similarities with conventional sports shows, and fans of the latter are likely to enjoy them. Let’s take a look at the greatest racing anime of all time.
Updated July 14, 2025 by Mark Sammut:AsWinter 2025is almost done and there has yet to be anything resembling a race, it is not time to look toward Spring 2025. Unfortunately, the season has no car anime. Fortunately, it has a racing anime.
Does The Upcoming Spring 2025 Season Have Any Racing Anime?
The Winter 2025 season had no racing anime. The lineup contained pretty much no shows that involved cars in a meaningful way, and that seems set to remain the case untilMF Ghostdrops its third season, which is not scheduled to happen until 2026. On paper, 2025 will likely be a bad year for driving fans; however, it might still produce one of thebest racing animeever. Spring 2025 might not have vehicles battling it out for track supremacy, but it will have horsegirls.
Uma Musumeis far, far more popular in Japan than in Western nations. Part of that has to do with the franchise’s gacha game never leaving its home country, naturally limiting its international appeal. Furthermore, the stories are largely based on the history of Japanese horseracing, which is a niche subcategory of an already niche topic. Lastly, the idea of “horsegirls” might just turn some people off, at least conceptually. In practice,Uma Musumeis essentially about girls running track, with just a few bells and whistles added on top.
Pretty Derbyhas produced three seasons and a spin-off, all of which feature different protagonists and are, at the bare minimum, solid. While season 1 is almost a slice of life, the sequels are just straight-up sports anime, and mature ones at that. The main series is worth seeking out and ranks among the greatest racing anime of all time.
That brings the discussion to Spring 2025’sUma Musume: Cinderella Gray, a new season that is based on a seinen manga. Newcomers might be worried about jumping into what is effectively the fifth series in the anime, but they need not worry asCinderella Grayshould be relatively stand-alone. As suggested by its “seinen” demographic, this manga and its anime are probably the “darkest” entries in the franchise, telling stories that are just as much about crushing defeats as they are about triumphant victories.Uma Musumealways prioritizes the girls' mental states, andCinderella Grayshould take things a step further thanPretty Derby.
Outside of Japan, most people’s first exposure toSpeed Racerwas likely the 2008 movie, one of the more divisive anime adaptations. The original series is iconic and influential, but it is not the easiest show to revisit in this day and age; alternatively, there is always the 1997 reboot. At the bare minimum, its animation has aged slightly better than its more decorated predecessor.
Speed Racer Xwas a failed attempt to revive the franchise, to the point that a 52-episode run was cut short to only 34. The series struggled to find an identity, opting to chase trends that were common during the ’90s. Some fun can still be had for those who like a bit of cheese, but otherwise, this show should only be watched by completionists.
In the span of two years,eX-Driverreleased six OVAs, a single prequel OVA episode, and a movie in 2002. The anime takes place in a future where humans have forgotten how to drive since every vehicle is controlled by A.I. The only exceptions are the eponymous “eX-Drivers,” and these people are tasked with stopping rogue A.I. when things go haywire.
eX-Driveris a dumb show that takes itself a bit too seriously at times. However, the driving sequences are generally great, particularly in the movie. While it is not that easy to care about the characters, the show gets its action right, even if they aren’t technically taking part in races.
Lupin the Thirdhas been around for half a century, and the anime has been shockingly consistent. The late 2010s was a particularly strong era for the legendary thief, withLupin the Third Part 5being generally regarded as the best entry in the series. Right in the middle of that run, the anime dropped a special episode to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the manga, which debuted in 1967.Is Lupin Still Burning?does its own thing, serving as a celebration of the franchise’s impressive history. Consequently, this OVA is designed solely with die-hard fans in mind, so any newcomers or people who have only caught a handful of episodes will likely not get much out of this 30-minute trip.
Starting as a remake of the very firstLupin the Thirdcaper, Lupin finds himself invited to take part in a race, which he accepts despite being fully aware that it is a trap. From there,Is Lupin Still Burning?says goodbye to any form of logic and transforms into a time-jumping extravaganza that revisits some of the character’s most iconic episodes. Ultimately, the race aspect is a fairly small footnote, but the episode is still fun.
Clocking in at less than 30 minutes,Tailendersmoves by at an absolutely blistering pace, and the movie manages to accomplish quite a lot despite its short runtime. Set in a world ravaged by Earthquakes, two rivals compete in races to try and match the record set by Loser King, a racer who vanished approximately a hundred years prior to the story’s events. After one race leaves Tomoe Shiro on the verge of death, a woman shows up to make him an offer he cannot refuse.
While its animation cannot compare to something likeRedline,Tailendersis nevertheless a treat for the eyes, courtesy of its flashy and vibrant visuals. The story doesn’t have the time to fully flesh out its ideas, but it sprinkles in enough surprises to keep things interesting. This movie is mostly style but there is a hint of substance.
As Sunrise’sFuture GPX Cyber Formulahas been largely forgotten, it might be surprising to learn that this series was active for roughly a decade, producing four ova sequels to the main show. The franchise even has a2018 video game. When revisiting this car anime, its success becomes quite understandable – this is a pretty entertaining watch that benefits fromSunrise’s solid animation and pacing.
In this universe, cars are largely automated, although the anime’s central cyber system needs to be navigated by a human partner. Packed with intense races that go to some wild places,Future GPX Cyber Formulais a blast from the past that holds up shockingly well.
The originalSpeed Racerfrom the ’60s may have had some issues with recycling animation a bit too much and being a bit cheesy, but it’s still fondly remembered. Its iconic opening theme is still stuck in the heads of many viewers to this day. The classic anime inspired 1997’sSpeed Racer X,a live-action movie, and even a spinoff focused on girls calledMach Girl.
Speed Raceris one of those shows that is difficult to place in this day and age. Except forInitial D, it is the most well-known and, arguably, influential racing anime of all time, and its reach extends far beyond most shows that lean into this theme. However, the anime has just not aged particularly well, making it almost impossible to recommend to most people.
Not all racing shows have to have big suped-up cars!Bakusou Kyoudai Let’s & Gois the perfect show for anyone who loved remote-controlled racing cars as a kid. Retsu and Go’s racing adventures spanned more than 100 episodes across two seasons and even inspired a movie. The show was successful enough to spawn a third season focusing on new characters.
Bakusou Kyoudai Let’s & Gocan be difficult to recommend since it primarily works as a gateway anime for children, but it is hardly accessible enough to fulfill that role. Still, the show is charming in its own right. It’s an enjoyable ’90s release for fans to dig into if they want something longer to watch.
Madhouse’sRideBackis difficult to classify due to the story having two distinct halves that do not 100% combine to create a really satisfying whole. Set in a future with fairly advanced robotics and an overwhelming organization known as the GGP,RideBackstarts as a heartwarming tale about persevering in the face of tragedy. A talented ballerina, Rin’s dream is taken away following a significant leg injury, causing her to go into a depressive state as she struggles to find a goal that can push her forward. However, one day, she stumbles upon the RideBack invention, which is basically a cross between a motorbike and a robot. Along with greatly enhancing her mobility, the technology propels Rin into the world of motorsport, igniting a flame that she feared had gone out permanently.
RideBackis arguably at its best when focusing on Rin’s newfound passion, telling a sweet story that combines character development and fun races. However, the anime is also part of the cyberpunk genre, resulting in the introduction of a more political angle that can be quite jarring compared to the story’s early chapters. That’s not to sayRideBackfalls off a cliff in terms of quality, as it is good throughout, but this shift complicates what was initially shaping up to be a simple but effective storyline.
Pui Pui Molcaris one of the most highly reviewed children’s shows from Japan of all time. While it might not pack in the heart-racing action that other shows about cars might, its adorable guinea pig cars are undeniably kawaii.
The show originally gained popularity as a bit of a meme but has become loved by fans as an iyashikei anime — a show meant to have a healing effect on the soul. At only 2 minutes an episode, it’s the perfect show to relax to andbinge in a single day.
Tokyo’s Shuto Expressway is subject to a lot of street racing in real life, which is what inspired the story ofWangan Midnight. After losing a race quite badly against a doctor, third-year high school student Akio goes to the graveyard for parts only to discover a pristine Fairlady Z for purchase.
It turns out every previous owner of the car has been in terrible accidents due to it being touched up beyond safe levels. The story follows his racing adventures as he tries to eventually defeat the doctor in a race that originally humiliated him behind the wheel.
