One anime episode with her son led to a 25-year love story with an RX-7
Published on Jun 07, 2025 at 5:03 PM (UTC+4)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on Jun 03, 2025 at 5:21 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Fenton
This woman watched an episode of anime with her son, and it started a love story that lasted for 25 years with her beloved silver Mazda RX-7.
Meet Naoko Nishimoto, an 80-year-old from Nagasaki, who learnt to drive in 1965 – when it was still rare for women to drive in Japan.
After watching Initial D with her son, she fell in love with the Mazda RX-7, which was included in the show, and decided she must have one of her own.
After 25 years together, Nishimoto is surrendering her license and has decided to give the Mazda back to the automaker, thanking it for 25 strong years of friendship in an emotional farewell.
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“This car is my friend. A friend who was always there for me,” said the Japanese mother of her beloved car, a silver Mazda RX-7.
After learning to drive in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1965 at the age of 21, Nishimoto decided to buy a car. When that car ran its course, she decided to buy herself a new one.
That turned out to be the Mazda RX-7, which was just like the one featured in Initial D.
At the Mazda dealership, she asked for a blue one like the one in the brochure, but the dealership thought she’d be better suited to silver – and she is so glad they changed her mind.
From this, Nishimoto and her beloved Mazda travelled Japan together, being close companions through the trials and tribulations of life.
However, at the age of 80, the octogenarian is surrendering her license – and her beloved Mazda.
The automaker is actually taking the spotless 25-year-old car back from Nishimoto for advertising purposes, but the woman was clearly emotional taking her beloved car for one last spin.
Taking some photos with her car looking out over the Nagasaki skyline, she said : “I’m saying farewell to a dear friend, but that’s okay. Because thanks to this old friend, I’ve made many more new friends.”
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Daisy Edwards is a Content Writer at supercarblondie.com. Daisy has more than five years’ experience as a qualified journalist, having graduated with a History and Journalism degree from Goldsmiths, University of London and a dissertation in vintage electric vehicles. Daisy specializes in writing about cars, EVs, tech and luxury lifestyle. When she's not writing, she's at a country music concert or working on one of her many unfinished craft projects.
