📝 Highlights & Appeal Light spoilers
01① An original car-action series by Kosuke Fujishima
Conceived and character-designed by Oh My Goddess! creator Kosuke Fujishima, this original series is tailor-made to appeal to car lovers.
02② A near future where 'driving' itself is a rare skill
The unique premise imagines a world where fully autonomous AI Cars are the norm and the very skill of manual driving is on the verge of extinction.
03③ Special drivers who stop runaway AI Cars
The core of the series is the eX-Drivers, who use raw human driving skill to bring runaway, hacked, or malfunctioning AI Cars under control.
04④ Genius returnee boy Soichi Sudo takes the wheel
The story kicks into gear when Soichi Sudo, a mechanically gifted boy who recently returned from England, is assigned to the team to strengthen its lineup.
05⑤ Real engine and exhaust sounds recorded from actual cars
Every engine and exhaust sound heard from the real-world car models featured in the show was recorded directly from the actual vehicles.
06⑥ Each driver has their own distinctive car
Real-world classics like the Caterham Super Seven, Lotus Europa, and Mazda Roadster are drawn with as much personality as the characters who drive them.
07⑦ A hot-blooded opening theme by JAM Project
JAM Project's 'Shippu ni Nare,' featuring Rica Matsumoto and Hironobu Kageyama, amplifies the show's high-speed thrills.
08⑧ The series expanded into theatrical films
After the OVA concluded, the theatrical film eX-Driver the Movie released in 2002, depicting a later story set at a world championship event.
💡 Key Points & Predictions Some spoilers
Many of the runaway AI Car incidents turn out to involve deliberate human malice like hacking rather than simple mechanical failure, so it's worth watching how far Soichi and his fellow eX-Drivers' efforts will extend. How Susumu Todo's arrival affects the story going forward is another key point.
🧾 Story So Far Contains spoilers
In a near future where fully autonomous AI Cars are the norm, genius boy Soichi Sudo — recently returned from England — is newly assigned to the eX-Driver team, a group of special drivers who handle runaway vehicle incidents. Under captain Kei Munakata and alongside teammates like Risa Sakakino and Lorna Endo, Soichi takes on a string of AI Car malfunctions and hijackings.
✅ Recommended Viewing Points
A series that fuses realistic car action built on real vehicle sounds with a unique SF premise of a fully autonomous society — recommended not just for car enthusiasts, but for fans of near-future SF and team-based stories alike.
👀 Trivia & Fun Facts
💫 Unresolved Foreshadowing Contains spoilers
- The identity of the forces behind the malicious hacking that causes many AI Car incidents remains a major mystery throughout the series.
- Why Soichi returned from England and how he came to master such advanced driving skill is another point worth watching.
- How Susumu Todo, a young driver who shares Soichi's exact car model, factors into the story going forward shouldn't be missed.
💌 Predicted Viral Quotes for Next Season
"Even AI Cars can go out of control." — a memorable line exposing the cracks in a fully automated society.
"Let's go, in my Super Seven." — Soichi's signature line as he heads into action with his beloved car.