2001 · Drama · Racing

Wangan Midnight

Wangan Midnight is the first video game adaptation based on the Wangan Midnight manga. The cabinet consists of two racing units with a chair and steering wheel. Similar to the concept of the Tokyo Xtreme Racer \ Shutokō Battle series, players roam the Metropolitan Expressway in Tokyo that has been divided into eight tracks. The Story mode adapts parts of the manga as the player's character seeks out and defeats increasingly challenging opponents.

Released: 2 February 2001
Platforms: Arcade
Genres: Drama Racing
Developers: —
Publishers: —
Country: Japan

About

Wangan Midnight (Japanese: 湾岸ミッドナイト, Hepburn: Wangan Middonaito) is a Japanese racing manga series written and illustrated by Michiharu Kusunoki. It was first serialized in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits in 1990, but was later serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Young Magazine from 1992 to 2008. The manga was compiled into 42 volumes published by Kodansha. A second manga series titled Wangan Midnight: C1 Runner was published from 2008 to 2012.

A third manga series, Ginkai no Speed Star, was published from 2014 to 2015. A fourth manga series, Shutoko SPL – Ginkai no Speedster, started in 2016.

Keywords

anime
based on - anime

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Story

The series revolves around street racing on Tokyo's Bayshore Route (湾岸, Wangan), as well as other roads on the Shuto Expressway network. The story begins with high-school student Akio Asakura encountering a black Porsche 911 Turbo nicknamed "Blackbird" on the Wangan. Akio attempts to give chase, but is unable to keep up with the Blackbird, which is driven by a medical doctor named Tatsuya Shima.

Determined to drive a faster car, Akio visits a junkyard and is drawn to an old blue Nissan Fairlady Z (S30) with a highly tuned L28 engine. He learns that the car is supposedly "cursed," being extremely difficult to drive and having a history of multiple accidents, earning it the name "The Devil Z" (悪魔のZ, Akuma no Zetto). This does not dissuade him, and he restores the car back to its former glory. When racing with Blackbird, Akio tries to win, only to crash multiple times. He also gets to meet Eriko Asakura, the sister of the original driver who shares the same name as the current Akio, who previously died in a car accident while racing with Blackbird.