Getting Hooked on Haruhiko Oyabu in Junior High School

Starting this year, the F1 Japanese Grand Prix was held in April, amid cherry blossoms in full bloom.

The Red Bull team, powered by Honda engines, scored a splendid victory.

With Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda also finishing in the points, it was a wonderful Grand Prix for Japanese fans.

As I wrote in the previous blog post, the fifth-generation owner also likes cars. I had been wondering when I had developed an interest in cars, having loved trains as a child.

Then I remembered.

It all started with getting hooked on Haruhiko Oyabu in junior high school.

Looking back now, considering the content of his stories, perhaps junior high school was a little young to become so absorbed in them. But at the time, I simply could not get enough of reading them.

Oyabu's literature and cars are inseparably connected, so that is where my interest in cars began.

Recently, I was talking about books with our guest Professor Rinbo—Professor Nozomu Hayashi. When I mentioned that I had been deeply absorbed in Haruhiko Oyabu as a junior high school student, Professor Rinbo told me that he, too, had read every one of Oyabu's works!

I never imagined that the professor had read them, so I was both surprised and delighted.

Today, many Japanese drivers are active in the world of motorsport, and young female drivers such as Juju Noda are also emerging.

When I was in junior high school, I never dreamed that Japanese people would one day be competing on the world stage as they are now, so it truly makes me very happy.

If Haruhiko Oyabu were still alive and could see today's racing world, I am sure he would be delighted.

Perhaps I will watch “The Tarnished Hero” this weekend.