Imagine a Cars & Coffee where the organizers intentionally ask for all the most hideous cars in town. While the concept might not fly here, an event known as “Itasha Heaven” held in a parking lot in Odaiba, Japan, has attracted hundreds of “interesting” cars, to say the least.
“Ita-sha” means “painful car” in Japanese; the term is essentially used for cars that are painful to look at. But for Itasha enthusiasts, it’s a subculture that gives them an opportunity to combine their passion for cars as well as their passion for anime girls, lewd video games and schoolgirl singing idols.
YouTuber Alexi Smith of Noriyaro attended this particular “Itasha Heaven” show and took us around all the strangest and most unique Itasha builds in attendance. It’s a crash course in Hatsune Miku, Love Live, Girls und Panzer, and apparently, no car is off-limits; even the mighty R35 Nissan GT-R wasn’t spared of humiliation. But we also see a lot of Kei cars—which makes sense, since the bright vinyl wraps can be more affordable if there’s less surface area to cover.
While most cars are lightly modified, the wraps itself are extremely elaborate and can cost upwards of $1,000. It’s a shocking level of commitment, especially for a loud aesthetic modification that causes some polarizing reactions.
By far the best part of Noriyaro’s vlog is when Alexi thinks out loud, “I wonder if these guys ever have to go pick up their girlfriends at the train station in these things…oh wait, who am I kidding?”
What are your thoughts about Itasha? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
