Capeta
A boy's kart racing dream drives him toward Formula One.
Capeta, a Japanese manga by Masahito Soda, won the 2005 Kodansha Manga Award for shōnen. It charts a boy's path from age 10 in kart racing to Formula Three, with three arcs covering his debut, financial struggles, and pursuit of a professional dream.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Sports
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Kappeita Taira, called Capeta, is a ten-year-old boy raised by his single father Shigei Taira, who works for a paving company. While paving at a go-kart track, Shigei sees a young racer and is struck by the sport's speed and thrill. Noticing his son's interest in racing cars, especially Formula One, Shigei asks the circuit steward for discarded parts from the track's trash pile. He builds a crude but drivable kart, and his boss Mr. Ikari reluctantly supplies a 4-stroke generator engine. In his first race, Capeta briefly overtakes Naomi Minamoto, the top racer of Endless Autohouse, angering Naomi's mother and team manager Nanako Minamoto. Capeta's friends Nobu Andou and Monami Suzuki support him as technical assistant and self-appointed team manager. Capeta does not grasp why he cannot catch Naomi despite the machinery gap, but onlookers are impressed by his performance. He and his father decline an offer to join Autohouse and form Team Capeta. Capeta wins a race in the SL Class, beating both Endless Autohouse drivers on the final lap. At age 14, after winning the junior karting class, he moves to the ICA Class and finds winning harder without a well-funded team. In a torrential downpour at Haruna Autodrome, he narrowly loses to rival Ryou Shiba on the last lap and fractures a rib.
Characters
Capeta Taira is ten years old at the anime's start, fourteen in the second arc, and sixteen in the third. He enters kart racing after his father builds him a kart, having already shown an interest in cars. He is talented, with adaptability, balance, and brilliance on the track, and many people are drawn to his racing. His mother died when he was young, so he handled housework from an early age. Capeta eventually races in Formula One. Naomi Minamoto is his greatest rival; Capeta wants to race him but feels Naomi is always ahead. Sarukki is a monkey who serves as the team's mascot. Originally owned by Momotarou and named Reinhardt III, he was renamed after taking a liking to Team Capeta and was given to Capeta as a gift. Shigei Taira, Capeta's father, works for a paving company and is often away. Initially seeing Capeta as obedient and quiet, he realizes after seeing him in the kart that Capeta had been reserved. He later supports his son's racing career. Monami Suzuki is a gravure idol-turned-singer and childhood friend who calls herself the team's biggest supporter. Nobu Andou initially bullied Capeta for seeming unserious but became friends after seeing him motivated. He wants to be the best racing manager and stay with Capeta until the end. Naomi Minamoto, one year older than Capeta, is serious about karts and cars, never loses a race, and is hard on himself and others. He recognizes the world's unfairness and is convinced he will reach Formula One. Mr. Ikari, Shigei's boss, supplies Capeta's first engine and supports him throughout his career, offering advice from his business experience. Ada is a sports journalist who follows Capeta's performances with passion and has extensive knowledge of karts and sports cars.
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