Apple TV has been tinkering with a live-action anime adaptation from J.J. Abrams for a few years, and it could be coming at a perfect time. J.J. Abrams has been in the wilderness since his time directing the first and third movies in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, the peak of his career that began in earnest with Lost, Fringe, and Star Trek.
Since 2019, Abrams has mostly served as a producer or executive producer on a handful of TV shows and movies, most of which have come and gone without a lot of fanfare. The one series he helped develop, Duster, was canceled after one season, and his first feature film since Rise of Skywalker, The Great Beyond, will come out in November 2026, 7 years later.
Abrams has been working on something that may thrust him back into the spotlight, however: a live-action adaptation of the Speed Racer anime series. The series was first announced in May 2022, with Apple giving the show a series order, with Abrams’ production company, Bad Robot, attached.
Speed Racer is based on the 1966 anime of the same name. The show is centered around an auto racer who goes by the name of Speed Racer and his lightning-fast car, Mach 5. With his girlfriend, Trixie; his little brother, Spritle; his pet chimp Chim-Chim; and his father, Pops Racer, Speed Racer goes around racing rivals.
While there hasn’t been much news about the adaptation since it was first announced, neither Apple nor Abrams has said anything to suggest that the show has been canceled. It would be a waste of an opportunity if they did, because the series would come at a time when anime are getting respectable live-action adaptations.
One Piece, Alice in Borderland, and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure are some of the best live-action anime adaptations ever, and they’ve all come out in the last decade. Like when Guardians of the Galaxy proved audiences could handle the oddest of Marvel characters in live-action, the recent anime adaptations have proven that audiences are ready for crazy panels and scenes of manga and anime brought to real life.
Speed Racer’s Upcoming TV Show Can Make Up For The Poor Movie Version
Emile Hirsch and Christina Ricci in Speed Racer
We know very little about what J.J. Abrams’ Speed Racer is going to look like, but it has a very good chance of righting the ship of the franchise after the 2008 movie version from the Wachowski sisters. That Speed Racer stars Emile Hirsch as the titular car driver, with Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, and Matthew Fox rounding out the main cast.
The Ultimate · Straw Hat Challenge Set Sail for Trivia “I’m gonna be King of the Pirates!”
⚕CrewNakama!
🌊SeasEast Blue
🍋Devil FruitsGomu Gomu!
☠VillainsFear the sea
🏆DreamsOne Piece!
01
Monkey D. Luffy accidentally ate a Devil Fruit as a child, giving him rubber-like abilities. What is the name of that fruit?
✓ Correct! The Gum-Gum Fruit (Gomu Gomu no Mi) turned Luffy’s body into rubber. He ate it from Shanks’ treasure chest as a kid, gaining stretchy powers but losing the ability to swim forever.
✗ Overboard! The answer is the Gum-Gum Fruit. The Chop-Chop Fruit belongs to Buggy, the Flame-Flame Fruit to Ace, and the Smoke-Smoke Fruit to Captain Smoker — but Luffy’s rubber powers come from the Gomu Gomu no Mi.
02
Luffy’s iconic straw hat was given to him as a child by a famous pirate who inspired his dream. Who gave Luffy the hat?
✓ Correct! Red-Haired Shanks entrusted his straw hat to young Luffy in Foosha Village, telling him to return it when he becomes a great pirate. That promise drives Luffy’s entire journey.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Red-Haired Shanks. While Gold Roger originally wore the hat, it was Shanks who passed it down to Luffy after saving his life from a Sea King — a defining moment in the series.
03
Before joining the Straw Hats, Sanji works as a sous chef at a floating restaurant on the ocean. What is the name of this restaurant?
✓ Correct! The Baratie is the ocean-going restaurant run by Chef Zeff, Sanji’s mentor. In the live-action series, it’s one of the most stunning sets — a fully realized ship-restaurant on the open sea.
✗ Overboard! The answer is The Baratie. Run by the legendary pirate-turned-chef “Red Leg” Zeff, this floating restaurant is where Luffy recruits Sanji as the Straw Hats’ cook.
04
Roronoa Zoro is famous for his unique sword-fighting technique. How many swords does he wield in his signature style?
✓ Correct! Zoro uses Three-Sword Style (Santoryu), wielding one sword in each hand and a third in his mouth. His dream is to become the world’s greatest swordsman by defeating Dracule Mihawk.
✗ Overboard! The answer is three. Zoro’s iconic Three-Sword Style places one blade in each hand and a third clenched between his teeth — a fighting technique unique to him in the One Piece world.
05
Each Straw Hat crew member has a personal dream. What is Nami’s ultimate goal that drives her journey?
✓ Correct! Nami’s dream is to draw a map of the entire world. Her cartography skills and navigation talent make her indispensable to the crew, and her passion for mapmaking was nurtured by her adoptive mother Bell-mère.
✗ Overboard! The answer is to draw a complete map of the world. Nami is a gifted cartographer whose dream goes beyond just sailing — she wants to chart every sea and island so no one is ever lost again.
06
A powerful Marine Vice Admiral is revealed to have a surprising family connection to Luffy. Who is this high-ranking Marine?
✓ Correct! Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp is Luffy’s grandfather. Known as “Garp the Fist,” he’s a Marine hero who wanted Luffy to become a Marine — not a pirate. Their family dynamic is a major subplot in the live-action series.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Vice Admiral Garp. Monkey D. Garp is Luffy’s grandfather and one of the most legendary Marines alive. Despite being on opposite sides of the law, their bond runs deep.
07
Usopp is recruited into the Straw Hat crew after the pirates help defend his home village from Captain Kuro’s Black Cat Pirates. What is the name of Usopp’s village?
✓ Correct! Syrup Village is Usopp’s peaceful hometown where he was known for telling tall tales. It’s also where Kaya lives, and where the crew acquires the Going Merry from her estate.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Syrup Village. Foosha Village is Luffy’s hometown, Shells Town is where Zoro was held captive, and Coco Village (Cocoyasi) is Nami’s home — but Usopp hails from Syrup Village.
08
The Netflix live-action adaptation was praised for its casting. Which actor plays Monkey D. Luffy?
✓ Correct! Mexican actor Iñaki Godoy won fans over with his infectious energy and earnest portrayal of Luffy. Mackenyu plays Zoro, Taz Skylar is Sanji, and Jacob Romero Gibson plays Usopp.
✗ Overboard! The answer is Iñaki Godoy. The young Mexican actor perfectly captured Luffy’s boundless enthusiasm. The other actors all play Straw Hat crew members — but Luffy is all Iñaki.
Voyage Complete Your Pirate Record
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Are you King of the Pirates — or lost at sea?
The film has a 42% on Rotten Tomatoes, and was a dud at the box office, earning only $93.9 million over its $120 million budget (via BoxOfficeMojo). While Speed Racer has been reappraised as a cult classic in recent years, particularly for its special effects and visual style, there are still some major problems with it.
The visuals clearly came first over the storytelling in Speed Racer, whose plot is all but put aside to make way for increasingly bizarre VFX and grandiose set pieces. These scenes get exhausting even if you do enjoy them at first. The visuals matching the anime is just one part of making a good live-action anime series.
Shows like One Piece haven’t earned acclaim just because Arlong (McKinley Belcher III) actually has a sawfish nose; it’s because he has a sawfish nose, and the series has a big heart with characters who have clear motivations and relationships with one another. That’s what J.J. Abrams can bring to Speed Racer.
