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At just 19 years old, Ryo Hirakawa, the series winner in the All-Japan Formula 3 Championship and the Porsche Carrera Cup Japan, will compete for the first time in the Japanese Championship Super Formula, the top race in the country. On his vehicle will be the logo from Space Battleship Yamato 2199.
Racing cars decorated in anime logos or official colors from anime titles have been increasing in recent years. This has been a strategy to target anime fans within the racing world, and Hirakawa's vehicle is meant to do just the same.
Space Battleship Yamato is an anime that boasts a great deal of popularity among those in their 40s and 50s. Aiming to attract a new generation of racing fans, the hope with this collaboration is that it will appeal to fathers who are fans of Yamato and those fathers will bring their children with them to the race track.
Hirakawa will make his debut in the opening races, which will be held from April 13-14. Space Battleship Yamato 2199 began airing on MBS/TBS networks on April 7. It's likely the show will gain more attention with each appearance of Hirakawa on the racetrack.
Source:
http://animeanime.jp/article/2013/03/04/13179.html (Japanese)
