ÉX-Driver
Encyclopedia
is a manga
series by Kōsuke Fujishima
, which was adapted into an anime
series, produced by Bandai Visual
and XEBEC
. The anime series spanned 6 episodes, as well as a feature movie, entitled éX-Driver: The Movie. The complete anime series, including the movie, were broadcast by the anime television network, Animax
, across its respective networks around the world, including East Asia
, Southeast Asia
, South Asia
and other regions.
) computers to drive their cars for them. But when these AI systems start losing control and running wild somebody has to stop them. éX-Drivers are the people who are able to operate the older mechanical non-AI dependent cars who chase down the AI cars and stop them.
A good amount of future and near future technology was featured throughout the series, including automated highway systems and A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) technology. Automated highway systems have been proposed as a solution to the traffic congestion problems.
Anybody regardless of age can be an éX-Driver as long as they possess the required skills. This would explain why one of the main characters can be only 13 years old and drive. The premise of the show is that there are éX-Drivers all over the world but the focus is on the team operating in Japan.
Cars used by éX-Drivers are marked with an éX-D decal. Typically an éX-Driver car would be an older mechanical type car and almost always would be rear-wheel drive with the exception of an AWD (4WD) Subaru Impreza WRC since éX-Drivers usually employ techniques such as drifting when bringing down runaway cars, which is much more difficult with front wheel drive (FWD) cars and in an all wheel drive (AWD) car.
, entitled éX-Driver The Movie, which follows the adventures of Lisa, Lorna and Souichi as they participate in an international éX-Driver race held at Los Angeles
. The movie also consisted of a special prequel
to the series, entitled, éX-Driver - Nina & Rei Danger Zone, which served as the prologue
for the movie, centering on the adventures of two of the former éX-Drivers, Nina and Rei. Three short bonus shorts were also featured with the movie, featuring Lisa, Lorna and Souichi in events set just before where the movie takes off. These bonus shorts are done in comedic style, mainly with camera pans and zooms on still images:
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series by Kōsuke Fujishima
Kosuke Fujishima
is a Japanese manga artist.Born in Chiba, Japan, he first came to public attention as an editor of Puff magazine, his first job after completing high school. Fujishima originally intended to be a draftsman, but took the editorial role after failing to get a drafting apprenticeship...
, which was adapted into an anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series, produced by Bandai Visual
Bandai Visual
, is a Japanese anime, film production and distribution enterprise, established by Bandai Co., Ltd. and a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings, Inc., which is based in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Since the reorganisation of Namco Bandai Holdings in 2006, Bandai Visual now heads the group's Visual and...
and XEBEC
XEBEC
is a subsidiary of the anime studio Production I.G that specialises in the production of television anime. They have worked on many popular series such as Love Hina and Martian Successor Nadesico...
. The anime series spanned 6 episodes, as well as a feature movie, entitled éX-Driver: The Movie. The complete anime series, including the movie, were broadcast by the anime television network, Animax
Animax
is a Japanese anime satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. A subsidiary of Japanese media conglomerate Sony, it is headquartered in in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with its co-founders and shareholders including Sony Pictures Entertainment and the noted anime studios...
, across its respective networks around the world, including East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
, Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and other regions.
Overview
In the distant future people no longer drive cars themselves, instead relying on AI (artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
) computers to drive their cars for them. But when these AI systems start losing control and running wild somebody has to stop them. éX-Drivers are the people who are able to operate the older mechanical non-AI dependent cars who chase down the AI cars and stop them.
A good amount of future and near future technology was featured throughout the series, including automated highway systems and A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) technology. Automated highway systems have been proposed as a solution to the traffic congestion problems.
Anybody regardless of age can be an éX-Driver as long as they possess the required skills. This would explain why one of the main characters can be only 13 years old and drive. The premise of the show is that there are éX-Drivers all over the world but the focus is on the team operating in Japan.
Cars used by éX-Drivers are marked with an éX-D decal. Typically an éX-Driver car would be an older mechanical type car and almost always would be rear-wheel drive with the exception of an AWD (4WD) Subaru Impreza WRC since éX-Drivers usually employ techniques such as drifting when bringing down runaway cars, which is much more difficult with front wheel drive (FWD) cars and in an all wheel drive (AWD) car.
Characters
- Lisa's ex-Driver partner. She is a good-hearted girl, who drives a Lotus Europa. She also try to keep the team together when Sōichi and Lisa have an initial tense relationship. She has a good relationship between them. In relationship to Sōichi, she acts like a sister to him.
- Lorna's ex-Driver partner. She used to drive a Subaru Impreza WRCSubaru Impreza WRX STIThe Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has the highest trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.In the late 1980s, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International division to coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities...
in the first episode which was wrecked had to be replaced with a Group 4Group 4 (racing)The Group 4 racing class referred to regulations for cars in sportscar racing, GT racing and rallying, as regulated by the FIA. The Group 4 class was replaced by Group B for the 1983 season.-Production requirements:...
specification Lancia Stratos HFLancia Stratos HFThe Lancia Stratos HF, widely and more simply known as Lancia Stratos, is a car made by Italian car manufacturer Lancia. The HF stands for High Fidelity...
from the second episode onwards. She shuns Sōichi when he is selected to lead the team and also when he beats her in race. However, Lisa accepts him as the series progresses.
- An extremely talented 12-year-old. He drives a Caterham Super Seven JPECaterham SevenThe Caterham Seven is a super-lightweight sports car produced by Caterham Cars in the United Kingdom. It is based on the Lotus Seven, a lightweight sports car sold in kit and factory-built form by Lotus Cars, from the late 1950s to the early 1970s...
, though he drove a modified Daihatsu Midget IIDaihatsu MidgetThe Daihatsu Midget is a single-seat mini-truck made by Japanese automaker Daihatsu. Several distinct vehicles have borne the Midget name over the years, but all have had in common a single-seat utilitarian design, with an enclosed or semi-enclosed cab....
on a racetrack. He soon becomes the team's leader. He initially has a tense relationship with Lisa, but they start to gain their trust as the series progresses.
OVA
The OVA series consists of 6 episodes which are - except the last two - independent from each other.- AI vs RECIPRO
- On And On
- No Problem
- Regulations of Love (éX-Rider)
- Crossroads
- The Last Mile
Movie
The éX-Driver anime series was also adapted into an anime movie sequelSequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
, entitled éX-Driver The Movie, which follows the adventures of Lisa, Lorna and Souichi as they participate in an international éX-Driver race held at Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The movie also consisted of a special prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
to the series, entitled, éX-Driver - Nina & Rei Danger Zone, which served as the prologue
Prologue
A prologue is an opening to a story that establishes the setting and gives background details, often some earlier story that ties into the main one, and other miscellaneous information. The Greek prologos included the modern meaning of prologue, but was of wider significance...
for the movie, centering on the adventures of two of the former éX-Drivers, Nina and Rei. Three short bonus shorts were also featured with the movie, featuring Lisa, Lorna and Souichi in events set just before where the movie takes off. These bonus shorts are done in comedic style, mainly with camera pans and zooms on still images:
- Onsen -- set in a hot springOnsenAn is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
- Race Queen -- set in the éX-Driver Base
- Airport -- set in the Airport on their way to Los Angeles
Staff
- Planning, original creator, original character concept: Kōsuke FujishimaKosuke Fujishimais a Japanese manga artist.Born in Chiba, Japan, he first came to public attention as an editor of Puff magazine, his first job after completing high school. Fujishima originally intended to be a draftsman, but took the editorial role after failing to get a drafting apprenticeship...
- Series composition and script: Shinjo Fujita
- éX-Car design: Shunji Murata
- Mecha design: Takeshi Takakura, Hidefumi Kimura (ep.1)
- Music: JAM ProjectJAM ProjectJAM Project is an anime music genre "supergroup" based in Japan, originally founded on July 19, 2000 by famous 1970s theme song artist Ichirou Mizuki...
, Hikaru Nanase - Director: Jun Kawagoe