Hump Day Husbandos: JP (REDLINE)

Given how much I enjoyed REDLINE, I felt it important that I write about it more than once here at Rice Digital. So for today’s Hump Day Husbandos article, I am dedicating my attention to REDLINE’s main lead character, and the biggest pull of the movie outside of its gorgeous visual style: “Sweet” JP.

So come with me as I attempt to convince you lovely readers once more of how masterful a visual treat this animated cult classic is, because doing so just once was never going to be enough.

Please note that minor spoilers are mentioned.

Who is JP?

Joshua Punkhead (JP) is the protagonist of REDLINE. He lives for the thrill of racing, even if it’s at the cost of his body getting thrown out of every single vehicle he crashes during test runs. When he’s actually serious during races, he is driven to push and exceed the limits in the most fearless of feats. His goal is to outperform every single other racer while giving onlookers a spectacle through the sheer speed he achieves – destroying buildings, zooming past cameras, the whole lot.

This is all done while he acts as the most badass pacifist ever. He is the only driver across the movie to not use weapons in the races. It’s the reason for his racer nickname being “Sweet”. Instead, his charm and ability to make both the movie universe characters and audience root for him are apparent in two very specific ways.

Firstly, the way he comes alive when he drives never fails to be entertaining. He shows his infectious energy through vocalisations and expressive excitement, clearly loving the adrenaline rush. But it’s his personal and emotional links to those around him that help build up his character to greater heights outside the races. We really feel for him and want to see him succeed — not just for the sake of his own happiness, but also for the amount of work and support those around him also put into his dreams.

The sheer importance that the dangerous sport holds to him and those he values most becomes further amplified across the movie, culminating in his own friends doing everything in their power to see him win. Who knew REDLINE could be as wholesome as it is badass?

Why you will love him

JP is one of the few human characters we get to see and really understand in REDLINE, a movie set in a world that builds up giant galactic wacky races that pits all kinds of racers against one another. With the titular race of the movie being the big one to look out for, since it only occurs once every five years, JP hopes to use his sheer love for the sport to achieve victory.

As the underdog of the story, JP is all spectacle and charm without needing to trample over his competition. Instead, he keeps a cool head throughout in the hope of experiencing the crowning of being the best racer in the galaxy alongside Sonoshee as they spur one another’s dreams on.

At the very same time, he keeps the momentum up even when the weight of the world is on his shoulders. He does not let everything that is set out to hold him back bring him down, ever – that encompasses a mob, a debt pile and how others perceive him for joining the titular race only as a back-up option due to drop outs.

What also helps perfect his character is his signature design being both vintage and fresh. His iconic pompadour not only helps sell the very best part of the movie — the clean and sharp visuals — by exaggerating the velocity of its races, but his hair even disappears out of the screen at times to better represent the sheer speed of his car. But most importantly, it ends up being a secret, harmless weapon of his to secure the win in the end. It’s cool and functional!

Why we love him

REDLINE is something truly special, not just in what it represents for animation standards, but as something that can move you one way or another. As an absolute sap for romance, JP and Sonoshee are now one of my favourite couples to come out of an anime movie. JP’s affection for her comes from a genuine and heartfelt place as revealed to us in a flashback — it’s quite unlike all the other leering guys around him who are gawking at her.

JP instead starts to truly appreciate her for her determination during a race from when they were both younger. This moment is actually the original inspiration for JP to take up racing, in contrast with what one of the opening scenes wants us to think. It’s a nice red herring that makes JP all that more lovable for having such a simple and endearing desire.

For everything I have already praised to the sun and back about REDLINE, JP is just as much of a major selling point to its everlasting appeal back then during its initial release and even to this very day. If you also have been putting off watching this movie, don’t leave it much longer!

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