Speed Racer: The Next Generation (may 2, 2008 – aug 25, 2013)
Description:
Prior to the events of the series, the original Speed Racer has disappeared to protect his family, but the main characters know that he is alive. Initially only one of the original characters, Spritle, has a major role in this show. Speed Racer is seen briefly at the end of The Note and more recently in Plot for Teacher, and he makes a full appearance in the first episode of Season 2. Another member of the original cast appears at the end of Season 1, Speed Sr.'s original mechanic and friend Sparky, who shows up as an adult posing as a Russian engineer named Chezko (he assumed a false identity to protect himself from Speed's enemies). In the three-part story The Secrets of the Engine, "Dr. Chezko" (Sparky) helps finally perfect the engine of the Mach 6, allowing it to run without gasoline. The rest of the original cast are so far unseen, and their whereabouts currently unknown.
Given the apparent age of Speed Sr., Spritle, and Sparky, it is likely that Mom and Pops Racer, as well as Spritle's living chimpanzee pet Chim-Chim, are likely deceased by the time of the series. Speed Sr.'s girlfriend Trixie is revealed as the mother of Speed Jr. and X, but she plays a radically different role, instead serving as one of the main antagonists of the series.
The series follows the adventures of an orphan teenager named Speed who dreams of being a famed car racer like the one he is named after. He takes a bus to the elite Racing Academy, founded by the Racer family, and soon experiences the difficulties of fitting in and competing with X, the best racer/student in the school, and Speed Racer's son. Spritle himself is now the headmaster. In the pilot movie, Speed discovers that he is the other son of Speed Racer, meaning that X is his brother.
Through the rest of the series, Speed and his new allies set out on a quest to get through the courses, discover the mystery of Speed Racer's disappearance, and try and build the Mach Six, a car that captures the spirit and gadgets of the Mach Five for new generations, and the first car to contain a gasless engine. It is this Eco-friendly design that garners the attention of the oil tycoon Zile Zazic, who wants to destroy the car. It becomes apparent in Season 2 that the Mach 6 also possesses the power to travel through time, which becomes the primary focus for the remainder of the series as the series villains desire to use it for their own gains.
Another major plot device is the Virtual Track, a race track that transports racers to virtual racing environments known as the Virtual World. School faculty have the ability to add as many of their own obstacles as they wish, complying to school safety regulations. Whenever a racer is defeated in the track, they are automatically dispensed into the real world unharmed. However, like all programs, the virtual track can be infected with viruses or hacked, causing anyone trapped in the Virtual World to be affected.
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