[cite web | url=http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/kodansha.shtml | author=Joel Hahn | title=Kodansha Manga Awards | work=Comic Book Awards Almanac | accessdate=2007-08-21] ]The series consists of three separate arcs. The first is of Capeta in his first experiences with kart racing. The next is Capeta a few years later having to deal with mounting monetary issues. The third is Capeta trying to realize his dream of beating his rival and becoming a professional racer. The anime is known forFact|date=December 2007 numerous references and homages to "Initial D" and "Best Motoring International" references, as well as Formula One. In addition to this, there are many karting and racing references that not only add flesh to the story, but are also factual (such as comments about racing lines, tire usage, slipstreaming and general commentary on the world of four-wheel racing).
Plot
Nihongo|Kappeita Taira|平 勝平太|Taira Kappeita, otherwise known as Nihongo|"Capeta"|カペタ|Kapeta, is a ten-year old boy whose single-parent father, Nihongo|Shigeo Taira|平 茂雄|Taira Shigeo, works for a paving company. While completing a paving job at a go-kart track, his father sees a young boy racing at the track and amazed at the speed and seeming thrill of the sport. Realizing that his young son has an interest in racing cars (particularly Formula 1), Shigeo asks the circuit steward as to whether he is able to take some old worn-down parts out of the circuit's trash pile. Taking these back to his workplace, he manages to construct a rundown yet driveable kart. Shigeo's boss, Mr. Ikari, (initially begrudgingly) supplies a generator engine to power the kart.
Determined, Capeta, in his first time on a race track, manages to not only master the mangled racer, but also overtakes other racers in much faster, better karts. One of the people he catches and attempts to overtake on the inside line is Nihongo|Naomi Minamoto|源 奈臣|Minamoto Naomi, a talented young racer who drives for a works karting team, Endless Autohouse Racing. This overtaking maneuver shocks Naomi so much so that he drops the accelerator of his kart, accelerates past Capeta. This infuriates his mother and team manager, Nihongo|Nanako Minamoto|源 奈々子|Minamoto Nanako, as he overrevved a brand new engine which he was supposed to be merely running in.
Capeta, unaware of the difference in machinery between his own kart and Naomi's works-grade kart, does not understand why it was impossible for him to catch Naomi. Nonetheless, onlookers are amazed that a child from out of the blue is able to outrace the regular drivers of the track, let alone unnerve the track's local hotshot. Nanako, also amazed, offers to help Capeta's entry into the world of kart racing, secretly as a rival for her son. After what is a difficult conversation for Capeta, the Taira father and son turn down the offer to enroll Capeta in the Endless Autohouse Racing team and run their own single kart team on their own instead.
References
External links
* [http://www.capeta-tv.com/ Anime official website] jp icon
* [http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/capeta/ TV Tokyo's "Capeta" website] jp icon
* [http://www.avexmovie.jp/lineup/capeta/index.html Avex Mode's "Capeta" website] jp icon
