OVA
Description
Jotaro Kaga, known professionally as Bleed Kaga, is a formidable presence in the racing world, first making his name in dangerous unsanctioned crash races. The extensive skills he honed during this period were later passed on to rookie driver Hayato Kazami after a chance meeting on Japanese highways. Their bond developed from friendship into a professional rivalry, especially after Kaga joined the Aoi ZIP Formula team. This move followed the destruction of his prototype vehicle, the Proto Jaguar, and the team's declining confidence in their existing driver, Naoki Shinjo.
His entry into the official Cyber Formula circuit was marked by controversy, as he secured his Super License through undisclosed means rather than standard qualification. Despite this, he achieved a close second-place finish in his debut race. Initially driven by financial gain, his motivations shifted during the final race of the 2015 season when he refused a monetary offer to sabotage another driver's championship bid, instead withdrawing intentionally to ensure a fair contest.
After sitting out the 2016 and 2017 seasons, during which he claimed two consecutive Indy racing series championships, Kaga returned to Cyber Formula in 2018. This comeback signaled his full dedication to the series and intensified his rivalry with Hayato Kazami. He finished as overall runner-up that year and remained a top contender in subsequent seasons, even after a team-related disqualification in 2020.
The 2022 season brought severe challenges when his team, suffering from a damaged reputation, supplied him with an outdated machine, the Ex-Superion Z/A-10. Following a humiliating first-round defeat, he was given the prototype Ogre AN-21, a vehicle equipped with a lethal bio-computer system responsible for past fatalities. After initial struggles to control its advanced systems, often forcing himself into the Zero Realm to anticipate rival moves, he eventually mastered the machine. This mastery propelled him to the highest level of competition, culminating in a World Championship victory over Kazami. After this final race, he retired from Cyber Formula, returned to the United States, and discarded his "Bleed" alias to reclaim his birth name.
A profound personal history involves his discovery of the predictive state known as the Zero Realm, an event shadowed by a tragic accident that claimed the life of his best friend, Eiji Aizawa. He carried the resulting guilt and grief for years, later perceiving echoes of Eiji in Hayato Kazami, which partly fueled their fierce rivalry. In retirement, he visited Eiji's grave and met his late friend's wife and child.
His driving style is rough and occasionally aggressive, integrating crash-racing techniques that can damage opponents' vehicles, though these are typically used only in extreme circumstances. Despite this demeanor, he is a calculated driver who reads the strategic flow of a race and generally avoids reckless engagements with low odds of success. Outside of racing, he is shy and reserved, with hobbies that include car waxing and a proficiency in abacus operation.
His entry into the official Cyber Formula circuit was marked by controversy, as he secured his Super License through undisclosed means rather than standard qualification. Despite this, he achieved a close second-place finish in his debut race. Initially driven by financial gain, his motivations shifted during the final race of the 2015 season when he refused a monetary offer to sabotage another driver's championship bid, instead withdrawing intentionally to ensure a fair contest.
After sitting out the 2016 and 2017 seasons, during which he claimed two consecutive Indy racing series championships, Kaga returned to Cyber Formula in 2018. This comeback signaled his full dedication to the series and intensified his rivalry with Hayato Kazami. He finished as overall runner-up that year and remained a top contender in subsequent seasons, even after a team-related disqualification in 2020.
The 2022 season brought severe challenges when his team, suffering from a damaged reputation, supplied him with an outdated machine, the Ex-Superion Z/A-10. Following a humiliating first-round defeat, he was given the prototype Ogre AN-21, a vehicle equipped with a lethal bio-computer system responsible for past fatalities. After initial struggles to control its advanced systems, often forcing himself into the Zero Realm to anticipate rival moves, he eventually mastered the machine. This mastery propelled him to the highest level of competition, culminating in a World Championship victory over Kazami. After this final race, he retired from Cyber Formula, returned to the United States, and discarded his "Bleed" alias to reclaim his birth name.
A profound personal history involves his discovery of the predictive state known as the Zero Realm, an event shadowed by a tragic accident that claimed the life of his best friend, Eiji Aizawa. He carried the resulting guilt and grief for years, later perceiving echoes of Eiji in Hayato Kazami, which partly fueled their fierce rivalry. In retirement, he visited Eiji's grave and met his late friend's wife and child.
His driving style is rough and occasionally aggressive, integrating crash-racing techniques that can damage opponents' vehicles, though these are typically used only in extreme circumstances. Despite this demeanor, he is a calculated driver who reads the strategic flow of a race and generally avoids reckless engagements with low odds of success. Outside of racing, he is shy and reserved, with hobbies that include car waxing and a proficiency in abacus operation.