The 2012 Hot Wheels Mad Manga marked the highly popular debut of this original casting designed by Jun Imai. Representing #44 of the 50 "New Models" for the year (and collector number 044/247 in the mainline), it introduced collectors to the dramatic Japanese bōsōzoku custom car culture. The design features an aggressive "shark nose," massive overfenders, a prominent front-mounted oil cooler, and sky-high, exaggerated exhaust pipes.
(Red): Mattel followed up the purple debut later in the 2012 mainline with a vibrant red recolor variant featuring identical graphic patterns and 5-spoke wheels.