Speed Racer started out in Japan as a manga called "Mach Go Go." Wanting to break into an international market, the name (Go Mifune) was changed to Speed Racer. First premiering in 1967 (by Trans-Lux), the anime, about a boy and his race car the Mach 5, was an instant hit with young audiences. Thirty years later the cartoon series has returned to television and is once again a hit with kids.