Ryusaku Hitomi x ACE: A Special Talk (I)
- Jun 24
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 2
Today, June 24th, marks HPI’s anniversary.
Since our founding in 1998, we have been running for 28 years.
To celebrate this milestone, we are launching a special project🎂
Interviewer Introduction:
ACE The hot-blooded test pilot and mood-maker of HPI!
With his signature catchphrase,
"With these parts, I can push it even harder!"
ACE is a cool robot in red and black.
A drift master who pilots an S15 Silvia,
he loves racing and passionate driving above all else.
At events, no one speaks about HPI’s
"passion for driving" with more fervor than ACE—
he truly is HPI's ace.
Ryusaku Hitomi x ACE: A Special Talk
ACE: Every day, I push machines to their limits on the test track,
feeling in my very core how much a single part can change a car’s performance.
That’s exactly why I wanted to touch the "root of the strictness" behind the President’s approach to craftsmanship.
President Hitomi, could you spare a moment? I want to hear about your roots!
Hitomi: That’s an interesting project. Sure, why not?
My interest in "moving things" started when I was 10 or 11 years old.
I was fascinated by the way a chain moved over a sprocket,
and I wanted a bicycle so badly.
Since my family were farmers, I helped out with the farm work to earn one.
Then, I encountered another "moving thing"—a tractor. It was so mysterious.
It obviously had an engine, but you couldn’t see it from the outside.
So, even though I was just an elementary school kid, I climbed in and
managed to drive it somehow.
Eventually, I got that bicycle I wanted, but I immediately took it apart piece by piece.
I just wanted to understand the mechanism as fast as possible.
I never thought about how to put it back together, so
I ended up with a pile of parts and no idea where they went.
My parents were stunned. (Laughs)
ACE: A tractor in elementary school!
So that’s where the same obsession with machinery that
we have today was ignited. That gives me chills!
Hitomi: Exactly. When I was 11 or 12 years old, my older brother bought a motorcycle. Instead of asking for a ride, my first thought was, "I want to take that apart, too."
Our farmhouse shed had all the tools needed for tractor maintenance, so
I snuck in and dismantled his motorcycle behind his back.
Again, I didn't think about reassembly, and it had far more parts than the bicycle.
My brother was furious when he found out—
I got the beating of a lifetime. (Laughs sheepishly)
ACE: I see. For you, disassembling was a process of understanding.
It’s the same way I read a machine’s behavior on the circuit.
What was the first car you owned, President?
Hitomi: I bought a used Kawasaki W1 back when it was at the absolute peak of its popularity. It was delivered on a Saturday, and I was planning to take it out
for a real ride on Sunday. After a quick test ride around the neighborhood,
I was washing it, feeling absolutely pumped.
Then, a friend who loved bikes came over and asked, "Let me ride it."
I hadn’t even really ridden it myself yet, but I let him take it, and I hopped on the back for a tandem ride. We ended up getting into an accident and totaled the bike.
I didn't even have a chance to take it apart.
I was unconscious for two days because of that crash, and I learned my lesson—
I swore to myself right then that I was done with motorcycles.
ACE: Oh my... totaled the day after delivery, and unconscious...
It’s hard to imagine the President like that today.
But perhaps the reason HPI products are so obsessed with "safety" and "reliability" is rooted in that very experience.
After swearing off bikes, why did you choose to go back to "driving" and “manufacturing"?
Hitomi: After I graduated from high school, I rented a room in Setagaya, Tokyo, and
got a job at a Toyota dealership. Even though I was working for Toyota,
my first real car was a Mazda Presto Rotary.
I used it for commuting every day and went out driving every single night.
Back then, "tuning" basically meant welding the differential, and
since you couldn't just buy wide wheels, we’d modify steel rims—
what we called "steelie wides.” (custom-widened steel rims)
We just drove the streets with pure guts. I formed a team with a few guys, and
we’d go touring together.
I still vividly remember the "Aoyama Zero-Yon"(the local drag racing scene) meets back then—Mr. Amemiya (Representative of RE Amemiya) would be there too.
Whenever the man they called the "God of Rotary" showed up,
the whole atmosphere at the venue would explode with energy.
He had that kind of overwhelming presence even back then.
ACE: Starting from modifying steel wheels is truly the origin of ingenuity.
Hearing about your encounter with Mr. Amemiya really captures the intensity of
those days. I’ve heard that back then, people used to say,
"Hitomi’s driving is on the edge."
Hitomi: Yeah, I became famous on Route 246 for having "edgy driving."
Back then, I was just obsessed with speed, but driving on public roads always carried danger.
After witnessing two life-threatening accidents, I realized something profound:
"True speed and technology can only be pursued in a protected environment."
That’s when I decided to graduate from street racing and challenge myself in the world of formal racing.
ACE: I see. You channeled your passion for speed into a path of safety and technological innovation.
Knowing the weight of a human life is what created HPI’s current "commitment to performance." That’s such a deep story.
Hitomi: First, I went to Fuji Speedway just to see what racing was like.
I had no money, so at first, I watched from outside the guardrail.
The first thing I saw was a 240Z (S30) tearing up the track. I was shocked.
I later found out it was just a test run.
Seeing that, I was so moved by how incredible racing cars were.
I saved up money, finally got onto the circuit, and was blown away by the size of the main grandstand!
The track was so wide, I thought, "Maybe I can do this too." That was the spark.
ACE: From watching from behind the guardrail to standing on that very field—
it’s amazing to think that HPI parts today were born from that "shock" you felt that day. It really makes my heart race.
Hitomi: Anyway, I bought a KE10 Corolla to start racing.
Four of us formed a privateer team and rented a garage near the circuit.
We spent every weekend there for maintenance and practice.
I entered the "Freshman" class, but I couldn't reach the top.
Back then—and even now—well-funded teams are just strong.
They have the leeway to blow an engine and still keep going.
I realized, "I have to do this for real."
I quit my job and started working part-time for a transport company.
Why? Because I figured I could borrow a truck to transport the race car and save costs.
I poured almost my entire salary into racing and gained experience as a driver.
In the middle of all that, I had my race engine tuned by a place called
Fukagawa Internal Combustion (Fukagawa Nainenki), and
that’s where I had a fateful encounter that changed my life.
ACE: To beat the big-budget teams, you shaved away your own efforts,
sharpened your wits, and through dialogues with professionals like
Fukagawa Internal Combustion, pushed the machine’s potential to the absolute limit.
President, thank you for sharing your incredibly passionate origins!
ACE: Everyone, this is just the beginning of the President's roots!
Next time, we’ll dive into the adventure called "Founding the Company,"
where the President's life takes a dramatic turn.
Stay tuned for the next installment of this special talk between President Hitomi and me, ACE, where we touch the very core of "HPI’s roots."
HPI will continue to accelerate our "passion for driving" with all of you! 🏎️🔥
(Note: The street driving mentioned in this article reflects the traffic environment and social context of that era.
It should not be interpreted as acceptable under modern traffic laws or safety standards.
HPI prioritizes strict adherence to traffic regulations and promotes only safe and legal motorsports activities.)
