Acura’s anime racing series returns with new episodes

Dive Brief:

Acura’s anime series “Chiaki’s Journey” debuted its second season at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 14, according to information shared with Marketing Dive.
The first release of “Chiaki’s Journey” is Acura’s most successfully viewed campaign to date having been watched nearly 275 million times. The 2024 Integra Type S is at the center of season two, which continues the story of young racer Chiaki and her uncle Noboru.
Uncle Noboru’s garage from the videos was brought to life for the weekend race. Four new 60-second episodes are available on YouTube and are being supported across targeted media like Crunchyroll.

Dive Insight:

A second season of “Chiaki’s Journey” sees Acura continuing to explore how to reach young premium drivers in unique and impactful ways. The success of the initial effort and the decision to return with a second season could be a reflection of how anime continues to resonate with consumers. As of 2022, demand for anime had increased by 118% over the prior two years.

The anime campaign, developed with MullenLowe Los Angeles, is available on YouTube and Acura’s website. Additionally, it will be supported on digital lifestyle properties, such as Crunchyroll, Kotaku, Jalopnik and Fandom. Streaming and social media campaigns will also be undertaken, as well as outdoor placements in major U.S. markets, such as Miami, Los Angeles and New York.

To make the series accessible, each installment will have a Spanish-language voice over. The soundtrack for the series will again be provided by the Japanese all-female metal band Nemophila.

The real-life Acura Integra Type S will make its motorsport debut at The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 25. The car will be driven by Loni Unser, who made her debut at last year’s Pikes Peak race. Unser is a fourth-generation race car driver, with members of her family having won nine Indy 500 championships.

“Chiaki’s Journey” was first launched in 2022 to reach young premium drivers, and has been viewed hundreds of millions of times. Season two continues the story of Chiaki and his Uncle Noboru, and sees Chiaki learn more about his father, Ichiro, as the young protege prepares to race the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in the 2024 Integra Type S.