Speed Racer is an English adaptation of the Japanese manga and anime, Mach GoGoGo (マッハGoGoGo Mahha GōGōGō) which centered on automobile racing. Mach GoGoGo was originally serialized in Shueisha's Shonen Book, and was released in tankobon form by Sun Wide Comics, re-released in Japan by Fusosha. Selected chapters of the manga were released by NOW Comics under the title Speed Racer Classics, later released by the DC Comics division, Wildstorm Productions under the title Speed Racer: The Original Manga. Under the name of its Americanized title, Speed Racer, Mach GoGoGo, in its entirety, was re-published in the United States by Digital Manga Publishing and was released as a box set in commemoration of the franchise's 40th anniversary. It was published under the title Speed Racer: Mach Go Go Go as part of the company's DMP Platinum imprint. The series is an early example of an anime becoming a successful franchise in the United States.

Although the series was full of action, technology, and danger, the plot of the original series was pretty simple. The plot follows the adventures around the world of an ambitious young man who falls in love with racing and becomes a professional racing car driver. In every episode, the plot is backed up by perilous story lines and intense action, putting the show's main characters in a deep predicament, leaving viewers at the edge of their seats and making the show notable to many to this day. The plot is also backed up by several other back stories, such as the story of Speed's older brother.

The English rights to Mach GoGoGo were immediately acquired by American syndicator Trans-Lux. The main character Go Mifune was given the name "Speed Racer" in the English version. A major editing and dubbing effort was undertaken by producer Peter Fernandez, who also provided the voices of many of the characters, most notably Racer X and Speed Racer himself. Fernandez was also responsible for a rearrangement of the theme song's melody and subsequently wrote its English lyrics.

In a 2008 interview with Chicago Tribune DVD columnist Louis R. Carlozo, Fernandez recalled that he landed the job working on "Speed Racer" after ghost-writing scripts for "Astro-Boy" and "Gigantor." Simultaneously with "Speed Racer," Fernandez also voiced the main character and wrote scripts for another anime series, "Marine Boy," sometimes taping both shows in the same day in New York City. Fernandez also said he could not possibly have predicted "Speed Racer's" lasting appeal at the time or in the decades that followed. Reflecting on the series' staying power, he commented: "There was the family relationship. You knew about Speed's family, you knew them well. They were all involved in each race. And we all play with cars as little kids, we love cars. The Mach 5 was a hot car, and there all sorts of cars throughout all episodes. I still think the Mach Five is ahead of its time."

In an effort to squeeze the complicated plots into existing lip movements, the frenetic pace of the dubbing made Speed Racer famous-—and famously parodied-—for its quirky "fast" dialogue.

In the early 1990s the series made a comeback as reruns on MTV broadcast in the early morning hours. In 1993, the series was rebroadcast in syndication concurrently with a new American-created remake courtesy of the newly established "Speed Racer Enterprises", with distribution by Group W's international unit. In this version, all references to Trans-Lux were removed, with the opening sequence including a recreated logo, and with the episode titles and closing credits recreated (with the latter sequence including three typographical errors: Jack Grimes is misspelled Jack "Crimes", Hiroshi Sasagawa is misspelled Hiroshi "Sasacawa", and "Yomiko" is misspelled "Yumiko"); this is the version that later aired on the Cartoon Network in the late afternoon (and later on in late night/overnight) programming, and is also the version released on Region 1 DVD. This version can also be seen on the streaming video service Hulu (although oddly enough, episode 31--Gang of Assassins, Part 1--is missing; otherwise the complete series is available).

In 2008, a revival of the show developed in the United States with permission from Lions Gate Entertainment and Speed Racer Enterprises, Inc., made by various companies and studios. A live-action film was released under Warner Bros., written and directed by the Wachowski brothers, as well as multiple tie-ins with toy companies. A new animated series called Speed Racer: The Next Generation was made as a Nicktoon and continues to air through the year.

- From Wikipedia