In the spring of 2003, anticipation hung in the air like the lingering odor of a pleasant aerosol spray in the family bathroom. The Japanerrific cel-shaded racing game Auto Modellista was due out soon for the PlayStation2 and the disparate fandoms of anime dorks, racing goobers and Capcom apologists were ready for a video game that would exceed all of their expectations.

The idea was genius: take the cool, cutting-edge cel-shaded 3-D graphics trend and mash it up with high-speed racing. The screenshots were gorgeous. The name (“Autooooooomodelliiiiiiiistaaaaa!”) could be said in a flowing, European way. Players couldn’t wait.

Then they played the game. Then they traded it in for something else.

As great an idea as it was, Auto Modellista was kind of a mess. It wasn’t fun to play, the physics seemed off and something about the depth perception in the game made a stew of your brain that made you want to go gut something from the progeny sack upward. There were no sequels. No spin-offs. No copycats. Though cel-shaded games would continue to thrive in genres like Saturday Morning Cartoon Turned Crappy Fighting Game, Comic Book Non-Adventure Slog and Crazy-Ass Psychological Thriller from Japan Holy Shit!, it was dead as a platform for racing games, forevermore.

Dead, I tell you.

Bad Auto Modellista! Bad!