History Characters / SpeedRacer

PsychopathicManchild: Rigs races for profit, actually thinks cheating if '''fun.''' And hates Speed with a passion to the point of wanting to ruin his career and kill his family, [[DisproportionateRetribution all because Speed refused to join his team.]]

** His ChronicHeroSyndrome, while admirable, has almost gotten him (and Trixi too) killed on many occasions. More often than not, he usually always ends up in over his head with no backup plan or way out, and must rely on another character (Usually Spritle & [=ChimChim=], or Racer X) to come bail them out. It's even cause him to forfiet and lose many races. Something X finally calls him out on in the final episode.

* TheRival: They're the closest thing Speed has to one outside of [[StealthMentor Racer X.]]

** His ChronicHeroSyndrome, while admirable, has almost gotten him (and Trixi too) killed on many occasions. More often than not, he usually always ends up in over his head with no backup plan or way out, and must rely on another character (Usually Spritle & ChimChim, or Racer X) to come bail them out. It's even cause him to forfiet and lose many races. Something X finally calls him out on in the final episode.

* FatalFlaw: Speed's desire to become a professional racer tends to make him rather reckless. Desperate to practice before his race against Racer X, Speed sneaks out of the house and drives in the middle of a thunderstorm, which is actually a serious risk in real life. Needless to say, Speed has to deal with heavy rain, strong winds, and fallen debris, nearly crashing and killing himself in the process.

** There's also how Hap himself really wasn't helping his own case by how he was behaving to Speed throughout the whole episode. From his false accusations of Speed (harming his sister, sabotaging his car, and destroying his [[ItMakesSenseInContext Pineapple]]), and trying to steal Speed's pineapple for the race and still treating Speed like trash, even [[UngratefulBastard After Speed saves Hap's life.]]

** There's also how Hap himself really wasn't helping his own case by how he was behaving to Speed throughout the whole episode. From his false accusations of Speed (harming his sister, sabotaging his car, and destroying his [[ItMakesSenseInContext Pineapple]]), and trying to steal Speed's pineapple for the race and still treating Speed like trash, even [[UngratefulBastar After Speed saves Hap's life.]]

* FaceHeelTurn: He asks Speed for help wining the Crucible to avoid Royalton buying his company from him, and they race in The Crucible together as teammates. [[spoiler:Later it is revealed that he only intended to win the Crucible to increase the price of his companies stock, so he could sell out to Royalton for more money.]]

* AffablyEvil: [[spoiler:While calling him "evil" might be pushing it a bit, Taejo is extremely polite and friendly towards Speed, even cheering for him as Speed wins the Grand Prix]].

* FaceHeelTurn: He asks Speed for help wining the Crucible to avoid Royalton buying his company from him, and they race in The Crucible together as teammates. Later it is revealed that he only intended to win the Crucible to increase the price of his companies stock, so he could sell out to Royalton for more money. While Speed feels betrayed by this, Taejo does not harbor any ill will towards Speed and even cheers for him during the Grand Prix at the end of the movie. [[spoiler:Reinforced in the end, evidenced by a displayed newspaper headline stating Taejo testifying against Royalton and Block, which leads to their convictions for fixing the WRL.]]

* LoopholeAbuse: After her father and brother Taejo swindle a victory at the Casa Cristo 5000 (using Speed Racer, Racer X and Inspector Detector as dupes), an incensed Horuko undermines their efforts to sell the family company to Royalton (at an inflated price) by giving Speed a invitation to the Grand Prix, which (according to the rules), Speed may participate in by virtue of being part of the "winning team" at Casa Cristo. Speed's eventual victory at the Prix dismantles her family's evil scheme.

* NiceGirl: Unlike the rest of her family, Horuko's a sweetheart, and totally honest.

* SpannerInTheWorks: Her father and brother's scheme to jack up the value of their company by tricking Speed Racer and Racer X to help them win the Casa Cristo 5000 would have gone flawlessly but for her interference. Disgusted at her family's duplicity, she presents Speed with an invitation to the Grand Prix, [[spoiler: which he ultimately wins]].

* BrokenPedestal: Poor Speed, in regards to his racing hero, when he learns that [[spoiler: the Grand Prix is always fixed and Burns and several of the racers he looked up to are nothing but corporate shills whose "wins" were always planned.]]
-->'''Speed:''' Mr [[spoiler:Burns? The '43 Prix. Did...you know you were going to win?]]\\
'''[[spoiler:Ben Burns]]:''' Y'know, everybody thought that me and Stickleton hated each other. Funny, ain't it?
* KarmaHoudini: Was just as crooked as the other racing champions, but it looks like he'll never have to answer for it. Though most likely he was never happy with the situation in the first place.
* PrecisionFStrike:
** He gets one when Speed shows up to the final race. "Holy sh[*bleep*]!" The DoubleTake his fellow commentator Cass Jones gives him is just icing on the cake.

* {{Bishonen}}: Complete with big, blue Bambi eyes, and insanely long lashes!
** The original manga covers took this even further, giving him red lips and rosy cheeks.

* HappilyMarried: Loves his wife dearly.

* MotorMouth: He has a tendency to talk rather fast. This is due of course to the show's [[HongKongDub infamously crappy dubbing]].

* MotorMouth: His words fly nearly as fast as the cars he designs. Again, [[HongKongDub shitty dubbing]].

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He can be very loud, grouchy and quick to anger at times, but underneath it all, he loves his family with all his heart.

* AintTooProudToBeg: When Cruncher Block threatens to have [[spoiler: [[{{Fingore}} his hands eaten by piranhas.]]]]
--> '''Taejo''': No, please!