Kingpin Nobunaga : le sumo doré de Cars 2

Kingpin Nobunaga: the Golden Sumo of Cars 2

664 words | Reading time: 4 minutes

CharacterCars 2Tokyo

A great sumo champion swept out of the ring in a matter of seconds. Kingpin Nobunaga is a gold-painted compact van seen in Cars 2 (2011), during the film's Tokyo stopover. A yokozuna, the highest rank in professional sumo, he wears a lucky purple mawashi for his most important matches. Facing the rikishi Pinion Tanaka, under the eye of referee Kimura Kaizo, he collapses to the laughter of Mater and Lightning McQueen. This portrait details his role, his opponent and the nod to warlord Oda Nobunaga.

Summary

Who is Kingpin Nobunaga?

Kingpin Nobunaga is a character from Cars 2 (2011) seen during the film's Tokyo stopover. He is a gold-painted compact van, a professional sumo wrestler of the highest rank: a yokozuna, the supreme title in the discipline. In the ring, he wears his lucky purple mawashi (belt) during his most important matches.

🥋 Nobunaga saves his purple mawashi for his most important matches; your own seat belt deserves our Cars car seat belt covers just as much.

Kingpin Nobunaga, a compact golden van wearing a fringed purple mawashi, seen from a three-quarter angle on a dark background
Kingpin Nobunaga sports the purple mawashi he saves for his most important bouts.

The Tokyo Sumo Match

While Mater and Lightning McQueen discover the Japanese capital, they attend a car sumo tournament. Kingpin Nobunaga faces the rikishi Pinion Tanaka, under the watchful eye of referee Kimura Kaizo. Despite his champion status, Nobunaga is unceremoniously swept aside by his opponent — a reversal that makes Mater and Lightning laugh in the stands.

😂 Mater and Lightning laugh in the Tokyo stands as the yokozuna is swept out of the ring; to watch the scene again from your couch, settle back against our Cars cushions.

Two vans facing each other at the centre of a sumo ring edged with braided straw, one girded in purple, the other in blue, in front of packed stands
Kingpin Nobunaga, on the left, facing the rikishi Pinion Tanaka: the yokozuna will be swept out of the ring in a matter of seconds.

A Nod to Japanese Culture

Nobunaga is part of the gallery of characters Pixar created to root Cars 2 in Japanese culture, alongside the kabuki dancer Okuni and the peaceful Zen Master. His name likely refers to Oda Nobunaga, the famous 16th-century warlord who began the unification of Japan.

👒 Pixar gave the peaceful Zen Master his gardener's straw hat; on your head, that role goes to our Cars bucket hats.

Zen Master, a small blue three-wheeler wearing a wide conical straw hat, a wooden garden rake set in front of him on a dark background
Zen Master, the gardener in the straw hat: one of the Japanese characters Pixar dreamed up for Cars 2, alongside Nobunaga.

Summary Table

Element Detail
Role Sumo wrestler (yokozuna)
Appearance Gold compact van, purple mawashi
Film Cars 2 (2011)
Scene Tokyo sumo match
Opponent Pinion Tanaka (who beats him)
Reference Oda Nobunaga, Japanese warlord

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who is Kingpin Nobunaga in Cars 2?
    A gold van champion sumo wrestler (yokozuna) seen during a tournament in Tokyo.
  • Does Kingpin Nobunaga win his match?
    No: despite his champion rank, he is easily beaten by Pinion Tanaka, to the laughter of Mater and Lightning.
  • Where does Nobunaga's name come from?
    It refers to Oda Nobunaga, a 16th-century Japanese warlord.
  • What is a yokozuna?
    It is the highest rank in professional sumo, that of Grand Champion — the title Nobunaga holds.
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