Itasha
As Itasha (痛 车jap ) are referred to in Japanese slang, automobiles, their body parts with drawings of fictional characters from anime, manga and computer games (especially Bishojo games) are provided. Usually this cute female characters are used that are applied by a mixture of paint and printed stickers. While the cars are called Itasha, has prevailed for motorcycles, the term Itansha (痛 単 车) and for bicycles Itachari (痛 チャリ).
Word origin
The word Itasha is derived from the combination of two Japanese words itai (痛い, dt " painful " ) and sha from (车, dt "Vehicle "). The combination of the two words can be used as " painfully embarrassing " or " painful for the wallet " should be understood as the design is usually associated with high costs. At the same Itasha also be referred to a play on words to Italian Automobile (イタリア 車, Itaria -sha), where the term contracts in the vernacular to itasha (イタ 車).
History
The beginnings of such a design can be found in the 1980s. Popular but it was only in the 21st century, when the market for computer games and the Internet expanded greatly. Thus formed only within the last years events that have specialized in itasha. So opened addressed to itasha event, the Auto shows (あうとさろーね, Autosarōne ) in Ariake, near the Comiket, starting in the summer of 2007 the gates. At the same time found the vehicles, mainly in places such as Akihabara (Tokyo), Nipponbashi ( Osaka ) or OSU ( Nagoya ) could be found, even their way into computer games, such as Forza Motorsport 2 and have been a wider audience.
Spreading in motorsports
Itashas were also known by the motor sport. Initially, mainly occurring at events in the amateur class, appeared in 2008 and first Itasha in professional and international racing and received quite a lot of attention by the media. Thus, the known Dōjin store chain Melonbooks sponsored a Honda City in the JN1 class (vehicles with less than 1,400 cc ) at the Japan Rally Champion Chip, which was decorated as itasha. After a commanding start with three wins in a row and another good interim results from the car could win the championship. He was the first itasha, which could be a victory for one of the major competitions.
That same year, the Hatsune Miku study Glad BMW Z4 involved baptized car of study ( a tuning company from BMW in Japan) in Super GT. He was in turn the first itasha of an international race of the Fédération Internationale de l' Automobile ( FIA) took part. Was sponsored by the car under other by Crypton and carried advertising for the Vocaloid - Hatsune Miku voice. Miku Hatsune, advertising character and first synthetic pop icon, this graced all major areas of the body. For the race in 2009, it was announced that the car will take up in a new design, but also Miku Hatsune is used as mascots and advertising.
In the last race at the Fuji International Speedway emerged with the Mola Leopalace Z a second Itasha in the GT300 on, so that the media of a " itasha - rush within the Super GT" spoke. For the first time with the new design of driving, the team succeeded in Mola, despite a sixth place in the final race to win the overall title. The victory but was only later recognized. This added to the media attention in addition that had already celebrated the appearance of a second Itashas.
As Tsuyoshi Tezuka was mentioned that he is also a Itasha Sticker - Churuya -san - during the races in the D1 Grand Prix was on the dashboard of his B324R, he replied stunned that he did not know about and it was the idea of team owner must be.
On the Super GT 2011 Round 2 took in the GT300 class several itasha part: a Hatsune Miku Good Smile BMW - with Good Smile Company is a manufacturer of figures in Manga-/Anime-Stil - a Haruhi Racing Hankook Porsche, a Pacific NAC Ikamusume Ferrari and a Evangelion RT test Type -01 Apple Shiden, which is the second race on 1 May 2011 on the squares 5, 10, 11 landed, the Evangelion car got out after round 8. When training also another Evangelion RT Production Model -02 Direction, but this did not finish this.