"The 267th Neo Yokio Grand Prix promises to be the best yet. The eyes of the world are on this glamorous city-state as the best of the best gather for one of sport's most elegant and dangerous competitions. The race is 20 miles through the streets of Neo Yokio. The course is challenging, running through the narrow pathways of Long Island Walled City, the halls of The Guggenheim and even dipping underwater for the infamous Sea Beneath 14th St. Tunnel.
The current world champ, Mark Radicchio of Giappone, is the favorite. He'll have his work cut out for him against drivers like Dave 1 of French Canada and Mila Malevich of the Soviet Union.
We wish the drivers the best of luck, and we pray to the God of Death to spare as many of them as possible."
The current world champ, Mark Radicchio of Giappone, is the favorite. He'll have his work cut out for him against drivers like Dave 1 of French Canada and Mila Malevich of the Soviet Union.
We wish the drivers the best of luck, and we pray to the God of Death to spare as many of them as possible."
Television Announcer, on the excitement surrounding the 267th Neo Yokio Grand Prix
Kaz and his friends vow to help Helena escape the Rememberancer's clutches, but the Grand Prix complicates their escape plans.
I'm Starting to Think Neo Yokio's Not the Greatest City in the World Contains Examples of:
- Does Not Drive: Helena grew up in the city — she doesn't know how to drive a car, and while she can wear Mila's costume before the race to avoid suspicion, she can't use the race as an opportunity to sneak into the Lincoln Tunnel. That means Kaz is stuck in the driver's seat.
- Draw Aggro: When the French-Canadian driver tracks down the Russian car (with Kaz disguised as Mila in the driver's seat), he's more focused on wrecking Mila's car than he is on winning. Arcangelo, who's made a truce with Kaz, keeps the French-Canadian driver busy while Kaz escapes.
- French Jerk: The French-Canadian racer Dave 1. He is rude to the other racers, and accuses the Russian/ Soviet racer Mila of "stealing" previous victories from him.
- Friend-or-Idol Decision: During the last stretch of the Grand Prix, Kaz has to decide whether to drive his car over the finish line (thus embarrassing the current world champion Mark Radicchio, who is Cathy's new boyfriend), or to aid Helena in her escape from Neo Yokio by taking the Lincoln Tunnel. He foregoes showing up Cathy's new boyfriend and makes a break for New Jersey (even though it is revealed that Helena was using Kaz and the race car as a decoy).
- Hobos: Many of the denizens of the Walled City, the slummiest slums in Neo Yokio.
- In-Series Nickname: Helena St. Tessoro is dubbed "Helena Saint Terrorist," but that could just be Lexy and Gottlieb's usual lingo.
- Out-of-Genre Experience: The series has so far been a slice-of-life comedy with some supernatural drama thrown in, but during the last half of the last episode it turns into a racing anime.
- Rivals Team Up: After Helena destroyed the Bachelor Board, Arcangelo drops his pretentious attitude and offers Kaz an olive branch, expressing his wish to be friends. When Kaz takes Mila's place as the driver of the Soviet Union's race car, he ends up attracting the violent attentions of the French-Canadian driver Dave 1 (who was itching to even the score with Mila). Arcangelo offers to Draw Aggro "for a homie," and gets Kaz to admit that they are friends before sacrificing his own car to take out Dave 1, helping Kaz to complete his escape.Arcangelo: Kaz? What are you doing here?Kaz: Long story, but I can't have anyone hit my car. Will you help me?Arcangelo: I'd do it for a homie. Are we homies?Kaz: Yes.Arcangelo: Say it. Say I'm your homie.Kaz: Fine. You're my homie.Arcangelo: That's what I thought. See you on the other side, homie.
- The End... Or Is It?: Three weeks after Helena escapes, Kaz narrates that Neo Yokio is slowly getting back to normal, with his friends preparing for a new field hockey season, and him and Archangelo becoming rivals again now that the Bachelor Board is repaired. Even so, he's concerned that something is going to happen that will once again shake the city to its core.
- Title Drop: Said by Kaz after a harrowing drive through the slums of Neo Yokio opens his eyes to the extent of poverty and social stratification in Neo Yokio:Charles: Brace yourself, sir. You're heading into the Walled City.Kaz: The Walled City? But don't people live there?Charles: Sir, Neo Yokio doesn't concern itself with the safety of its slum denizens.Kaz: I'm starting to think Neo Yokio's not the greatest city in the world.
- Villainous Breakdown: When the Remembrancer discovers that Helena isn't inside the bag hidden in the nosecone of the Soviet race car (it's a rather smug Sadie instead), he begins to curse and demand that Kaz reveal where Helena is hiding — a far cry from his normal composed and sinister demeanor.
