Sean Connery drove the Toyota 2000GT in the 1967 Bond movie “You Only Live Twice.” In Japan, a 13-year-old boy called Michio saw the iconic Toyota on the cinema screen, and it became his dream car. The 2000GT was Japan’s first supercar, extremely expensive and very rare. This mini documentary is the story of how Michio spent the next 40 years striving to achieve his goal.

We filmed the interview and driving sequences in winter 2019 and spring 2020 just before COVID-19, and I spent lockdown editing when possible. Murata-san, his wife (a jazz singer whose tracks are used in the documentary), and his 2000GT are doing well. He’s even started restoration on an early VW Beetle convertible.

I’ve had the pleasure of photographing Murata-san’s various restored cars over the last decade. And although I haven’t driven any, there are a few pictures I’ve shot that make Yuki and I look like we’ve upgraded our vehicles recently!

I hope others enjoy watching this documentary as much as we enjoyed making it. Murata-san has introduced us to the local Okinawa car community, so there may be another video later in the year, it may even include an orange and black Nissan with the numbers 432 on its side.

Daniel Craig has stated that the Toyota 2000GT is his favorite Bond car of all time. As for me, I actually own my favorite Bond car, it even has a working ejector seat!