Itasha, literally “painful cars,” are vehicles tricked out with all kinds of crazy body work and paint jobs so that they look like something out of an anime and are supposed to “hurt” just to look at. There’s a vibrant subculture of itasha owners and fans in Japan and they meet up every now and then to show off their wheels and talk shop. Take a look at our photo gallery and see if you don’t get a little depressed over your own car’s lack of fins.
▼ Looks cool, but this monster is easily defeated by its nemesis, Speed Bump.
▼ We imagine car stereos blasting I Believe I Can Fly…
▼ Pikachu-mobile
▼ Who says 3 tons of steel couldn’t be cutesy?
▼ You may think this is a lo-fi version, but check out what it’s got in the back!
▼ Comfy sleeping quarters and a slot machine to pass the time!
▼ Careful not to get into a fender-bender with these guys. You may lose an eye!
▼ I don’t even…
▼ Even Disney gets a nod.
▼ The Batmobile has had some work done, apparently.
▼ Bat-ception
▼ Check out the tail lights on this one.
▼ These may be the ultimate expressions of fandom.
▼ Not sure how Pooh would feel about this noise pollution…
▼ But Doraemon would be sure to love this homage.
▼ The phenomena isn’t limited to vans, either. Regular cars, motorcycles and even bikes can be gussied up too.
▼ You know you love the Lambo doors.
Source: My Game News Flash via Byokan Sunday
Images: Speed Hunters, Itasha Blog