抄録
The term “supercar” is proper English, but it was in Japan in 1977 that the word gained widespread
recognition and unique cultural significance. It all began when manga artist Satoshi IKEZAWA (born in
1950) featured beautifully designed Italian high-performance cars—such as the Maserati Bora and
Lamborghini Countach—in his street racing manga Circuit no Ookami (The Wolf of the Circuit ), referring
to them as “supercars.”
Supercar shows sprang up across Japan for children eager to see the real thing, captivating nearly every
upper-grade elementary school boy. Rooms overflowed with supercar books, posters, trading cards, toys,
and stationery. Armed with old, worn-out cameras handed down from their fathers or grandfathers, these
children wandered through downtown streets in search of cool cars.
Of course, encountering a true supercar was rare. More often, they were drawn to photograph not only
mass-produced American icons like the Chevrolet Corvette, but also cult favorites like the Lotus Europa
beloved by the manga’s protagonist, the BMW 2002 Turbo driven by the hero’s lover in the film adaptation
of Circuit no Ookami, and affordable mid-engine cars like the Porsche 914 and Fiat X1/9. This is why the
Japanese concept of a “supercar” differs from the English definition, often encompassing sports cars with
relatively modest performance.
The popularity of supercars also had a significant impact on Japan’s automotive industry. Although
sports cars faced official disapproval during the oil crisis triggered by the Fourth Middle East War, Mazda
launched the RX-7 in March 1978. With its retractable headlights—a feature children considered essential
for any true supercar—it became a global sensation. Unfortunately, Japan’s true supercar, the Dome Zero,
unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show around the same time, never reached production. However, the 1980s
saw the emergence of various Japanese cars featuring retractable headlights. Among them was the stylish
Mitsubishi Starion, which appeared in Cannonball Run II and stepped in to showcase supercar credentials
in place of the Lamborghini Countach.
The Japanese automotive industry's dream of creating a car to rival Italy’s Lamborghini and Ferrari
faced setbacks, notably with Nissan’s MID4 project, which failed to progress beyond two prototype
unveilings at the Tokyo Motor Show. However, Honda ultimately fulfilled this ambition by launching the
NSX in 1990. Satoshi IKEZAWA, who had personally owned numerous Italian supercars, immediately
purchased one. In Ken of Modena , the sequel to The Wolf of the Circuit , he gave the NSX his seal of
approval, declaring it a “Japanese supercar” capable of rivaling Ferrari.
Japanese people, who cherish democratic values, held the relatively affordable Lotus Europa in high
regard as a beloved supercar. As a result, Japanese automakers began producing numerous “supercars” in
the Japanese sense—meaning vehicles that were accessible to anyone who desired one. The Toyota MR2,
for example, featured a Ferrari-like appearance. Accessible and popular Japanese cars like the AE86—
featuring retractable headlights and an iconic role in Initial D , the manga that gained popularity across
Asia—emerged as a direct result of the 1977 supercar boom.
