Manta Ray Jr.

* Original
* VS

The **Manta Ray Junior** (Japanese: マンタレイJr., *Manta Rei Junia*) is a Racing Mini 4WD car released by Tamiya on July 9, 1991. It was based on the Manta Ray 1/10 scale R/C buggy by the same company.

It was featured as one of the Black Mistral's team members' machine in the manga and anime *Dash! Yonkuro* where it was colored black. It was also featured in the *Bakusou Kyoudai Let's & Go!* series as Go Seiba's first minicar, which was then replaced by Magnum Saber. In the anime adaptation of the *Let's & Go!* manga, Jun Sagami owns a customized version of the Manta Ray, known as the **Homerun Manta Ray**.

## General info

As its name implies, the body design was inspired by the manta ray, one of the batoidea species belonging to the genus Manta. There's a large rear spoiler that was attached onto the rear and the 4 damper props that were placed near the wheels. For some reasons, all models comes with the optional air intake parts for better motor heat dissipation.

Unless noted, most models were equipped with the new, large diameter 6-spoke Manta Ray-type wheels paired with the Avante-type slick tires.

### Original model and VS variant

Both the original Manta Ray and the VS variant features the silver body color, with two-tone blues highlights and red trims on it. There's a large 'Devilsome!' decal on the rear spoiler, with the 'Devil Fisher' decal below it.

Both were equipped with white wheels and black tires. The original model has its chassis and A parts molded in gray, while the VS variant has its chassis and A parts molded in black.

### Black Special variant

The Black Special features the smoke black body color, with red and silver highlights on it. There's the 'Black Special' decal on the top of the spoiler.

It was equipped with neon orange wheels and black tires. The chassis and A parts were molded in gray.

### Orange Special variant

The limited Orange Special features the orange body color, with yellow and red highlights on it.

It was equipped with the camel yellow, large diameter 6-spoke lightweight narrow wheels paired with the orange arch tires. The chassis and A parts were molded in camel yellow.

### Triton

The Charatoru-exclusive Triton variants features the body decals with blue highlights, with red and cyan stripes on it. they comes in four colors: blue, pink, black and white.

The white and black models were equipped with black tires, blue chassis frame and black A parts, while the blue and pink models were equipped with white blue tires, white chassis frame and blue A parts. All models were equipped with the silver plated wheels.

## About the Manta Ray 1/10 R/C buggy

Released in 1990, the Manta Ray is a entry-level 4WD R/C buggy released by Tamiya. It supersedes the Thunder Shot line of R/C buggies.

The new bathtub chassis has the honeycomb structure and nylon upperdeck which increases the chassis's rigidity. The gearboxes were designed to be more compact, allowing better center-of-gravity, better power efficiency and longer suspension arms. The new lower suspension arms were stronger as they were molded from soild plastic instead of frame design. The design change in chassis also allows much simpler maintanence. Ball-thrust differantials as well as torque slipper hop-ups designed for the Avante line R/C buggies are compatible with the Manta Ray.

Just like its predecessors, the Manta Ray's chassis is supports by the 4-wheel independant suspensions, but with the long travel dampers on the rear suspensions for smoother transitions over bumpy surfaces. It was equipped with the white dish-type wheels with high-profile spike tires.

It was powered by the Mabuchi-made RS-540SH motor.

The Manta Ray's chassis was later used by Tamiya to create the on-road TA-01 R/C car chassis. It was re-released in limited quantity on 2005. The chassis can been seen as a prototype to the DF-01 chassis.

## In media

### *Bakusou Kyoudai Let's & Go!*

In the first chapter/episode of the *Let's & Go!* series, Go Seiba used his Manta Ray in a race tournament. Unfortunately, It was overspeeds during a corner and as a result, not only Go's Manta Ray was crashed out of the circuit but also collides with Retsu's Super Astute Jr., causing both car to course out.

Go's Manta Ray was tuned for top speed on the straightline, but is not very stable in cornering, which result in the aforementioned double course out.

## Gallery

### Boxarts

Boxart of the original Manta Ray Jr.Boxart of Black Special.Boxart of Orange Special.
### Images

The Manta Ray, with Manta Ray Mk.II and Aero Manta Ray.
### Manga and anime

Go's Manta Ray collides with Retsu's Super Astute. (Anime)
## See also

### Manta Ray series

* Manta Ray Mk.II
* Aero Manta Ray

### Related cars

* Top-Force Jr.
* Terra Conqueror Jr.

## External links

### Tamiya Japan

* Manta Ray Jr. at Tamiya Japan
* Manta Ray Jr. (VS Chassis) at Tamiya Japan (Japanese)

### Charatoru

* Manta Ray Jr. Triton at Charatoru (Japanese)

### R/C buggy that the Mini 4WD car is based on

* 1/10 scale R/C buggy Manta Ray at Tamiya Japan
* 1/10 scale R/C buggy Manta Ray (2005) at Tamiya America