Maybe it's because some of us belong to the generation that was raised on the Need for Speed games and early Fast & Furious movies alongside the Top Gear show that believes cars deserve a certain special place in our hearts. Maybe we just like cool-looking cars that have their own character.
Anyway, anime features a lot of really cool vehicles that can be considered separate characters with their own behavior and needs, so we have a list of these.
We're cheating here: Catbus is sentient, so he definitely has character. A huge cat that has a body that can host passengers always has a blinding smile and uses its eyes as lights as it navigates the realm. It doesn't have much screen time in the movie, but that doesn't stop the Catbus from becoming one of the most iconic Ghibli characters of all time. It's cute, fluffy, and useful! What more could we ask for?
Lupin III has a lot of car chase scenes, and the cars that are used in these scenes are nothing but iconic, becoming pop culture staples. The first few seasons feature Mercedes Benz SSK — the fastest car of its time, absolutely chic looking, but poor in handling. One of the world's greatest thieves will surely use one of the world's most expensive cars, even if it's not really useful but it looks cool. This car is a mirror of young Lupin's personality, in a way. Fiat 500, however, shows us a more seasoned Lupin, one who doesn't flaunt his skills but settles with more mundane things. Lupin matured, and his choice of car shows that.
Redline is centered around cars — or, rather, around a brutal intergalactic life-or-death race where a perfect car will ensure the driver's survival. And this modified Trans Am, based on one of the 70s models, ticks every box on the list of cool car parameters. It's powerful, it looks awesome, with this yellow and black color scheme, it has a lot of gimmicks and secrets under its hood that allow Sweet JP, the main character of the show and its driver, to stay alive in this high-octane adventure. The team spent seven years animating this show, and it shows: the details are amazing.
Devil Z (Wangan Midnight)
This car is also based on a real model — a 1969 Nissan Fairlady Z S30Z. The main difference is that it seems to be cursed — hence the name. The downside of the so-called curse is that its owners die in horrible accidents. The upside, though, is that it allows the car to travel at impressive speeds, which is quite useful in the street racing franchise. In reality, it's not the curse: the car was so heavily modified that it became almost impossible to use it safely. If you don't have the skills to tame it, that is.
F-1 (Tailenders)
This anime is only one episode long, but it's enough to fall in love with F-1: an incredibly stylish, frighteningly powerful, and overall cool car that participates in a race for those who were banned from the official race. The story of the show is weird but captivating, and the pace keeps you on the edge of your seat — and the incredible F-1 helps in that.
Look us in the eyes and tell us that Principal Uchiyamada's Toyota Cresta isn't cool. We dare you. When you're a family man who has to look after a school filled with delinquents (and that applies not only to the kids but to the teachers, too), you need something that tethers you to reality. A trusty sedan is one of the things that helps him to unwind, but the car has a very unfortunate fate and gets mutilated too often for Uchiyamada's liking. And it's never his fault.
Lotus Super 7 (eX-Driver)
This short OVA series consisting of six episodes showcases our near future when we're no longer driving cars — cars drive themselves by the usage of AI. But one day AI gets corrupted and now humans have to rely on their driving skills once again. But not many of us possess them, and those who do rely on rear-drive older mechanical cars, because they quite often use drifting techniques when they're taking down the corrupted AI-powered vehicles. Lotus Super 7 is a lightweight sports car originally sold as a DIY kit, and its driver, Soichi, knows how to deal with this ancient beast of a car despite being only 13 years old.
Toyota AE86 (Initial D)
The classics of car-related anime. Initial D is old, but even now it's still stylish, and hey, it was an inspiration for the Fast & Furious and Need for Speed franchises, ones that shaped some of us. Toyota AE86 that Fujiwara uses is still a staple in the street racing and drifting culture, and it cemented its spot in the list of iconic and the coolest anime cars for a reason. Its specs combined with the driver's skills allow their tandem to win races against seasoned professionals — and do that in style.
Mach 5 (Speed Racer)
This car is the reason this list exists. Incredible design, over-the-top functionality, inherent charisma — Mach 5 has it all. Its looks were conceived more than half a century ago and are still recognizable, the retro-futuristic vibe and mix of sharp angles and rounded sides creating an image that burns into your retinas.
We want to drive into the bright future.
Maybe it's because some of us belong to the generation that was raised on the Need for Speed games and early Fast & Furious movies alongside the Top Gear show that believes cars deserve a certain special place in our hearts. Maybe we just like cool-looking cars that have their own character.
Anyway, anime features a lot of really cool vehicles that can be considered separate characters with their own behavior and needs, so we have a list of these.
We're cheating here: Catbus is sentient, so he definitely has character. A huge cat that has a body that can host passengers always has a blinding smile and uses its eyes as lights as it navigates the realm. It doesn't have much screen time in the movie, but that doesn't stop the Catbus from becoming one of the most iconic Ghibli characters of all time. It's cute, fluffy, and useful! What more could we ask for?
Lupin III has a lot of car chase scenes, and the cars that are used in these scenes are nothing but iconic, becoming pop culture staples. The first few seasons feature Mercedes Benz SSK — the fastest car of its time, absolutely chic looking, but poor in handling. One of the world's greatest thieves will surely use one of the world's most expensive cars, even if it's not really useful but it looks cool. This car is a mirror of young Lupin's personality, in a way. Fiat 500, however, shows us a more seasoned Lupin, one who doesn't flaunt his skills but settles with more mundane things. Lupin matured, and his choice of car shows that.
Redline is centered around cars — or, rather, around a brutal intergalactic life-or-death race where a perfect car will ensure the driver's survival. And this modified Trans Am, based on one of the 70s models, ticks every box on the list of cool car parameters. It's powerful, it looks awesome, with this yellow and black color scheme, it has a lot of gimmicks and secrets under its hood that allow Sweet JP, the main character of the show and its driver, to stay alive in this high-octane adventure. The team spent seven years animating this show, and it shows: the details are amazing.
Devil Z (Wangan Midnight)
This car is also based on a real model — a 1969 Nissan Fairlady Z S30Z. The main difference is that it seems to be cursed — hence the name. The downside of the so-called curse is that its owners die in horrible accidents. The upside, though, is that it allows the car to travel at impressive speeds, which is quite useful in the street racing franchise. In reality, it's not the curse: the car was so heavily modified that it became almost impossible to use it safely. If you don't have the skills to tame it, that is.
F-1 (Tailenders)
This anime is only one episode long, but it's enough to fall in love with F-1: an incredibly stylish, frighteningly powerful, and overall cool car that participates in a race for those who were banned from the official race. The story of the show is weird but captivating, and the pace keeps you on the edge of your seat — and the incredible F-1 helps in that.
Look us in the eyes and tell us that Principal Uchiyamada's Toyota Cresta isn't cool. We dare you. When you're a family man who has to look after a school filled with delinquents (and that applies not only to the kids but to the teachers, too), you need something that tethers you to reality. A trusty sedan is one of the things that helps him to unwind, but the car has a very unfortunate fate and gets mutilated too often for Uchiyamada's liking. And it's never his fault.
Lotus Super 7 (eX-Driver)
This short OVA series consisting of six episodes showcases our near future when we're no longer driving cars — cars drive themselves by the usage of AI. But one day AI gets corrupted and now humans have to rely on their driving skills once again. But not many of us possess them, and those who do rely on rear-drive older mechanical cars, because they quite often use drifting techniques when they're taking down the corrupted AI-powered vehicles. Lotus Super 7 is a lightweight sports car originally sold as a DIY kit, and its driver, Soichi, knows how to deal with this ancient beast of a car despite being only 13 years old.
Toyota AE86 (Initial D)
The classics of car-related anime. Initial D is old, but even now it's still stylish, and hey, it was an inspiration for the Fast & Furious and Need for Speed franchises, ones that shaped some of us. Toyota AE86 that Fujiwara uses is still a staple in the street racing and drifting culture, and it cemented its spot in the list of iconic and the coolest anime cars for a reason. Its specs combined with the driver's skills allow their tandem to win races against seasoned professionals — and do that in style.
Mach 5 (Speed Racer)
This car is the reason this list exists. Incredible design, over-the-top functionality, inherent charisma — Mach 5 has it all. Its looks were conceived more than half a century ago and are still recognizable, the retro-futuristic vibe and mix of sharp angles and rounded sides creating an image that burns into your retinas.
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