Home > Video > VIDEO> AE86 Life with Taka Aono

VIDEO> AE86 Life with Taka Aono

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11 Dec 2009
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21 Comments

Taka Aono 2009 Formula D video from Ross Fairfield on Vimeo.

When Ross Fairfield told me that his new video featuring Taka Aono and his AE86 was almost complete, I immediately told him to send me the link as soon as it was finished… I couldn’t wait to put this video up on the site, even though I had never before seen it until now. After all, Taka Aono is one of my favorite AE86 drivers ever… he is hardcore, and drives his AE86 with every ounce of commitment and heart that a driver could put into their car or their driving effort.

Taka Aono is one of those drivers that doesn’t need to get on top of the podium at every Formula Drift event in order to have a huge fanbase. Just look… there are plenty of guys who podium all the time, yet fans love to hate them, right? Taka isn’t one of those guys. Taka doesn’t measure his results by the trophies he’s earned or the amount of media exposure he’s gotten. Instead, he concentrates on being there. Taka is out at almost every grassroots drifting event in California, either as a driver or as a judge or an instructor. He focuses his efforts on making a real difference in the grassroots drifting community, and we can see that. We love Taka Aono! Hopefully more of the bigtime drifters follow in Taka’s footsteps and focus more of their efforts on giving back to the grassroots drifting community, building new drifters and helping new drivers come up through the ranks!

Support Taka Aono in 2010! Big ups to Ross Fairfield for choosing to debut this video on Motor Mavens!

:: Antonio Alvendia

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About Post Author
I am... a nonstop buyer of Japanese car magazines even though I can't read them, a long-time collector of rare steering wheels, horn buttons, deep offset wheels, fresh Kangols, hip hop mixtapes, and vintage Japanese automobilia. My background is in shooting advertisements and editorial photos for print magazines, as well as working with major motion picture studios in Hollywood. I love cars. I have a huge collection of vintage Toyota memorabilia and rare parts to go with all the cars in my collection. My life revolves around photography, cars and car culture. At the same time, I grew up around the culture of hip hop music, with a reverence for graffiti art and underground mixtapes. I've been involved with the emerging drifting scene in the USA since the late 1990s (as a fan), and began working with print magazines all over the world as a photographer in 2003. I eventually decided to travel all over the world to document drifting as it evolved from Japanese subculture to pop culture and authored my first hardcover book, entitled "Drifting: Sideways from Japan to America," in 2006 - the first book ever produced on the topic of drifting. One year later, I was contracted to create the first mass-produced and internationally distributed calendar on the same topic (2008 release). These projects were just a labor of love for me, so I never expected to randomly see my book or calendar on bookshelves and coffee tables in other countries. These projects certainly opened a lot of new doors though, like being contracted to help launch car culture editorial outlets for big corporations, like Speedhunters for EA Games' Need for Speed franchise, Driving Line for Nitto Tire, and NBC Universal's Fast & Furious franchise. Our website and brand has come a long way since it first started in 2009. Since then, we have launched events like 86FEST, V8BUILDS, and MotorMassive. Thank you to everyone who has supported us in our mission to share our website and our authentic passion for the automotive scene! -Antonio Alvendia • www.ANTONIOSURESHOT.com • @AntonioSureshot on Instagram

21 Responses

  1. MaydayJohnP

    Man, that is a Great Car. Though I personally have never met Taka Aono, when I went out to Irwindale for Pro-Ams, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE from every part of the nation had nothing but GREAT things to say about this guy! A fitting song for this video, great production Ross :).

  3. La Carrera

    Man, it sounds as if Taka were running for mayor, you’d be the first one to vote, Antonio. Can’t blame you though. He DOES do a lot for the community.

  4. Kelemer

    My fondest memories of Taka are of him either standing next to or on top of his car next to the wall. Because Taka always rides the razor’s edge – almost literally balls to the wall. Heart can NOT be MEASURED!

  5. Tree

    Taka is hands down the ambassador to grassroots drifting. He (as well as Hiro) have instructed a majority of the drivers competing in FD today. I really wish he had more financial support to help in his journeys. Even with his full sponsorships, hes always been a humble dude.

    Ross..AWESOME job on this video. Probably my favorite video from you.

    Support Taka and Hiro!

  7. deadpirate

    holy shit…the response i have gotten on this video is amazing. im so glad everyone likes this video so much 😀 i know its more because taka is awesome over my sweet video skills…but still hahahahaha.

    MOTORMAVENS 4 LYFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  9. Showa Kuruma

    Taka Aono FTW!!!!!!!

    I want to see Taka battle Ueo with AE86s!!! That would be bad ass!!! Wonder who would win?

  10. deadpirate

    showa…that battle would last until the end of time..the trumpets sound….gods locked in a battle for eternity

  11. zack geng

    great video ross, and taka aono is amazing, despite the fact he drives an 86 (haha) hes a very cool and talented guy. defiantly one of the more popular drivers.

  14. deadpirate

    @ antonio.., my “sweet video skills” are still improving…i gotta step up so that i will get to be an author on motormavens and get my name nice and big like yours in 😉

  15. Absolution

    GO TAKA.

    As much as I love his style and resiliency, I gotta say, the “Flying 86” would be suited better for Hibino. We’ve seen him roll at Irwindale, take down monsters, but Hibino and his 86’s always fly in all D1 seasons, especially now in the old Yoshioka86.

    Still, eternal props to Taka, and best of luck in 2010.

  17. Terry Pham

    Very great video for one of the best heart-felt drifters ever! Taka deserves the best because he is one of the best, however, he is very modest and motivational.

  18. evox

    I remember meeting Taka at one of the southeast drift events in atlanta after formula d this year. He handed me his phone with alex pfeiffer on the line in regards the the lotus 7 I drift. What a great moment with a great friend of the drifting community.

  19. ontrack

    Great job Ross!

    I would personally like to thank Taka publicly for all of his support and dedication to the motorsports community. He has been, and continues to be, a source of inspiration for all who know him and many who don’t.

    THANK YOU TAKA!!!!!

  20. Nathan T.

    Taka,

    I am so proud of your accomplishments this year! Everything looked like it was starting to come together! I’m always down to help you man! Let me know whenever you are ready to make any changes to the program or fine tune what you have.

    Have a great holiday and give me a call if you need anything at all for the 2010 season!

    Motec Nate

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