the wangan widow's origin

  In this section, we'll take a dive into the car's rich history, from its inception, to becoming a sought-after gem in the world of high-performance automobiles. With its unmistakable whale tail and signature design, the '88 Porsche 930 Turbo has earned its spot in the hearts of enthusiasts worldwide on its own. Join us as we explore the Midnight Club connection (where the turbocharged beast roared down The Wangan and the streets of Japan, leaving an unforgettable impression on gaming history), how it inspired a manga series and subsequent video game franchise and discover the real-world inspiration behind the virtual adrenaline rush!

[Devil Z and Blackbird 930 Turbo]

 

  Wangan Midnight (Japanese: 湾岸ミッドナイト, Hepburn: Wangan Middonaito) is a Japanese racing manga series written and illustrated by Michiharu Kusunoki. It was first serialized in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits in 1990, but was later serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Young Magazine from 1992 to 2008. The manga was compiled into 42 volumes published by Kodansha. A second manga series titled Wangan Midnight: C1 Runner was published from 2008 to 2012. A third manga series, Ginkai no Speed Star, was published from 2014 to 2015. A fourth manga series, Shutoko SPL - Ginkai no Speedster, started in 2016.

  The series has been adapted into several live action feature films, video games, and an anime television series. The anime was broadcast in Japan from June 2007 to September 2008 on the anime satellite television network Animax, animated by A.C.G.T and produced by OB Planning.  In 1999, Wangan Midnight won the Kodansha Manga Award for the General category. [cit. wikipedia]

[Tatsuya Shima's car from the Wangan Midnight franchise]

  The Midnight Club series was inspired by the real life Japanese racing group (hashiriya), known as the Mid Night Racing Team, that hosted illegal street runs on the Bayshore Route (known natively as the Wangan) of the Shuto Expressway in the Greater Tokyo Area. Two kanji characters (湾岸, or "wangan") appear in each of the series' logos; the Japanese manga series Wangan Midnight — also inspired by the club — includes the same two characters in its logos. The kanji is removed from the titles in the Japanese versions of Midnight Club: Street Racing and Midnight Club: Los Angeles as to avoid legal conflict with Wangan Midnight rights owners Kodansha.

  In each game, the player begins with a relatively unmodified and slow vehicle. Higher-performance vehicles can be won or purchased by the player after competing in races against other club members. The goal is to defeat each of the other opponents (which include "city champion" and "world champion" racers) en route to becoming the new champion of the Midnight Club. Later installments of the series include real vehicle brands with sophisticated customization options for each, and "club" races, which consist of racers using vehicles of the same class. [cit. wikipedia]

[fb.com/automodejapan]

  

  Lastly, Eiichi Yoshida himself and Mid Might Racing Team, whose stories only gets more and more interesting, and infamous, as the legend ages.  A long-winded description is not necessary here, as this well-produced documentary by Creator: Hunter's Moon on YouTube, masterfully captures the backstory of this Japanese icon;

The Most Infamous Porsche 911 ever made: hunter's moon
[Eichii Yooshida's Infamous 930 Turbo "Blackbird"]
[Cars of Mid Night Club]