Super Formula‘s upcoming anime HIGHSPEED Étoile has gained increased backing from one of its top organisations as Team Mugen is now a technical advisor on the project. Announced Thursday, the team will invite the show’s staff into their paddock for this weekend’s season finale at Suzuka Circuit to observe and analyse at-track activities.
Announced in 2022, HIGHSPEED Étoile is a joint project between Super Formula, King Amusement, Good Smile Company, and Yostar Pictures, to celebrate the championship’s golden anniversary. Although those working on the show were already attending Super Formula races, Mugen offered to provide additional access into the garage to ensure realism.
“Until now, Mugen gave project members information on the world of motorsport by providing explanations and supervision of race machines and race strategies, vehicle maintenance work in the maintenance garage, and during race week, the team operated by Mugen,” reads a team statement. “By watching races from the Mugen pit and experiencing the realistic facial expressions and atmosphere of the drivers, engineers, and mechanics, we have worked to reflect more realistic race scenes in our work.
“As a member of Super Formula, Mugen aims to expand the scope of motorsport, convey the joy of motorsport to the next generation of children, and introduce HIGHSPEED Étoile to as many people as possible. Through our cooperation in the production of HIGHSPEED Étoile, we will continue to work for the further development of racing.”
The anime is a futuristic take on motorsport, though some present-day elements are retained. Its first full trailer as well as a teaser in March both depict the “NEX Race” series competing at Fuji Speedway, while Mobility Resort Motegi has also appeared in key visuals. The cars and driver suits also feature actual sponsors: thirty companies signed on as HSE partners including Super Formula’s engine suppliers Honda and Toyota Gazoo Racing and even giants like SEGA and Takara Tomy, the latter two indicating the project’s eventual goal of expanding into other forms of media.
One of HSE‘s first non-anime works is a manga titled L’Entrée de Towa et Kanata, a spin-off that follows supporting characters Towa Komachi and Kanata Asakawa. Written by Chiaki Misono with support from Suzuka Circuit, it began serialisation on Akita Shoten’s Manga Cross on 23 October. Towa and Kanata’s voice actresses Shiori Izawa and Yoko Hikasa also co-host a bimonthly radio programme with Fuka Izumi, who plays protagonist Rin Rindoh, while Izumi ran a talk show with Super Formula driver Ren Sato at the series’ rounds at Suzuka and Fuji in April and July.
Credit: Yostar
The anime is slated to premiere in April 2024. It comes two seasons after a pair of other racing-related shows in Overtake! and MF Ghost. Like HSE, Overtake! was produced in collaboration with a real-life championship as the GT Association, which oversees the F4 Japanese Championship and Super GT, is a key partner though its story takes place in the modern day.
Entering Suzuka, Mugen’s Liam Lawson and Tomoki Nojiri respectively sit second and third in points. Lawson, currently in his Super Formula rookie season, is a development driver for Red Bull Racing who recently ran five Formula One events as a substitute at AlphaTauri. Nojiri won the 2021 and 2022 titles for Mugen.