RIDING WITH TOKYO'S LAMBORGHINI BOSOZOKU
We're taken on a ride with Tokyo's Lamborghini Bosozoku, or the Lambosozoku to some. It's a night of flashy lights, neons, crazy wraps and body kits, but there's more to these guys than meets the eye.
'Lambo Runner Tribe' is the literal translation of Lambosozoku, a compound word of the phrase Lamborghini Bosozoku, made famous by Luke Huxham in his short film called Underground Hero. This film introduces us to a character named Morohoshi-san, who "is living between the lines, somewhere in that grey section," of the law-abiding community and the seedy underworld.
Underground Hero inspired Albo, from the DriftHunterAlbo channel on YouTube, to investigate further and to find out more about what this phenomenon is really about.
For seven years, DriftHunterAlbo has been working on this idea, trying to find a contact, a lead, a way into their inner circle. Eventually, through a connection, he's granted the opportunity to join the Lambosozoku for a night, running "the inner city highways of Tokyo; mainly the C1 Loop and Wangan line."
What he finds out is astounding. This group of Lamborghini enthusiasts are not all the same, they're certainly not Ricers as many in the West would categorise them. Instead, many of these guys are high-flying businessmen who look like accountants.
Some of these characters may likely push the boundaries for what's legal, but with an unwritten rule of 'don't ask, don't tell', most know each other only by their digital handle, and ride with the Lamborghini Bosozoku for the sheer enjoyment of these cars.
Although a few would only showcase their vehicle if they were not filmed themselves, many are not connected to the underworld or have any affiliation to the original Bosozoku. Instead, this is a form of escape for them. Once, every fortnight, it's a time where they can be someone else; flashy, loud, fast, whatever makes them feel happy.
Yes, it's a style that most would find garish cruising down Hollywood Boulevard but, in the glowing neon of Tokyo, they seem right at home and very few take exception.
JDM and Bosozoku car culture in Japan is incredible, and this film is a testament to the respect they have for each other's style, no matter who they are.
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