GetBackers vs. Lupin the Third...sort of

The scene of the ultimate showdown.
A straight fight between GetBackers and Lupin III

Sorry folks. We're not comparing two anime shows that you know. We're comparing the two cars that were seen in anime shows. The original Fiat 500 which was Lupin the Third's car of choice while the memorable Subaru 360 was the car of choice for the Getbackers. How can we settle those classic minis? Let's find out, "Top Gear at the Movies" style.

Firstly, let's start with the Subaru 360. Ah yes. The little Subaru...The little Subaru 360....It maybe the first Subaru kei car ever built but undeniably, this car is the brainchild of the Subaru brand. This is the pride and joy of Fuji Heavy Industries when they're starting the Subaru brand in the 1950's. Even in today's standards, the Subaru 360 is still unique in the eyes of car enthusiasts. The Subaru 360 is powered by the 356cc engine, which was the standard kei car displacement in the 50's, that produces about 16HP of power and it was positioned at the (wait for it) back! Nope, the 360 is not a midship but it is the first and only rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive production car from Subaru. I have no wonder why did Ban Mido and Ginji Amano prefer that machine so much on their missions but still a great car for many. That model was launched in 1958, two years after the post war period was declared over, and production ended in 1971, replaced by the Subaru R-2. There is just one fact that this car is nicknamed the "ladybug", just when the original Volkswagen 1100 was called, and once approved, Beetle. So, are there any Subaru 360 owners clubs around the world? If there's any, well, count me in because I want to see how people love their Subaru 360 so much, they retain it in their garages even by today's standards.

Okay, we've done about the GetBackers' ride, how about the ride of our favorite master thief and a misfit that is Lupin the Third? If you were the kind of dashing debonair who spends most of the time at the heist of the world's most precious artifacts and treasures, be sure that your heists are not complete without this nippy little Italian rascal, the original Fiat 500. It looks similar to the ride Lupin III and the gang rode on The Castle of Cagliostro, which is a Hayao Miyazaki masterpiece but due to constraints, we can't show you the film, perhaps if Hammond and May didn't feature it on 2011's Top Gear at the Movies DVD. If that was featured, imagine if Hammond or May recreate the scene after the Monaco casino robbery from The Castle of Cagliostro film.

Anyway, for a quick history lesson, the original Cinquecento was launched in 1957 and it was heavily inspired from the Topolino compact but this compact car can accommodate up to four people, two more than the Topolino. Like the Subaru 360, the original Fiat 500 is a rear engine, rear wheel drive compact, meaning that its 479cc engine was at the back of it. As for the 479cc engine, it produces 15HP of power and it has a top speed of just 90kph. Not quite good for the highway trip but it looks perfect on the city streets. The one I featured here is the 1968 Fiat 500 F, it has a 499.5cc engine that produces 17HP of power and 22.4ft-lb of torque. This car weighs 520kg, which is somewhat heavier than the Subaru 360.

Okay, if I was going to be more like "Clarkson Duel", let's just say...Who is better? GetBackers or Lupin the Third? To find out, I've fully tuned both of my Subaru 360 and the 1968 Fiat 500 F and I chose "The Top Gear Test Track" as the venue. Both are fitted with Comfort Medium Tires and let's find out which of these two anime shows are better.

I started with the Subaru 360, which is the GetBackers' car of choice, and it did it in...

2:03.8

...then, it was the turn of Lupin the III's car, the 1968 Fiat 500 F. Guess my tuned 500 F has more power than my tuned Subaru 360, which makes it a bit more painful to ask. So then, same track, same driver. Lupin III's car is underway and it did it in...

1:47.1

...which means, the oldies anime was proven better than the anime that was aired in the 2000's! It was proven that Lupin the Third was better than GetBackers! The 1968 Fiat 500 F was proven to be quicker than the Subaru 360! No wonder! A very old anime that was beaten by a very very very old anime! Oh bugger! If only Top Gear made a DVD about the anime cars with Richard Hammond and James May on it, this would be it and this would be called TOP GEAR AT THE ANIMES! I hope Andy Wilman, executive producer of Top Gear, got that memo!