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An unconventional Japanese car company, the Mitsuoka’s unique approach to styling often border on the insane, yet, some of its cars are really cool.

Weird and downright bizarre, you could never accuse Mitsuoka of producing boring cars. Even if they border on the insane. Every gearhead has heard of the crazy Manga-styled Orochi built over an Acura floorpan. But, the craziness didn't start there, and it continues today with a mixed bag of good and bad results. Brace yourself!

Mitsuoka has been around since 1968 making weird cars for gearheads with odd tastes. At least, that's how best we can think to describe the Japanese car company.

Under the creative styling of all Mitsuoka cars, you'll find a Japanese donor car. Cars that deserved better than morphing into a wheeled freak show. Most often, Mazda MX-5s, Nissans, and in the 1991 Doce, a Fox Body Mustang. It seems whatever fits, is fair game.

For all Mitsuoka's craziness, the car world needs those brave enough to be different. If only they weren't quite so ugly.

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Both Caterham and Westfield offer modern updates of the Lotus Seven. Did we need another clone? It's a tricky question considering these home-build specials accommodate engines of various makes.

The Zero1 didn't come with a wide range of performance trim levels. Mitsuoka instead used the running gear from a first generation MX-5 NA. Yet, produced in lower numbers than its peers, the Zero1 attracts gearheads with cash to spend. The example shown here fetched $27,000 at auction earlier this year.

How does Mitsuoka arrive at its model names? The Ryoga first appeared in 1998 and has undergone a facelift, that hasn't improved things. Billed as a classic sedan based on the Nissan Primera, the Ryoga is anything but a classic.

Besides the worsening cosmetic tweaks, Mitsuoka made other changes beneath the skin. The first cars shipped with either 1.8- or 2.0-liter engine while its successor was down scaled to a 1.5-liter unit. For the record, Ryoga can mean, refreshing, cool, nice, and elegant. Of course, it does... now, we understand where Mitsuoka was coming from.

The Rockstar is sure to shock gearheads expecting another quirky Japanese sports car. But, there is nothing oddball about this two-seater roadster. It's not hard to see the Corvette C2's influence with Stingray front and rear end fused with modern lights. Mitsuoka can, when it wants, design good cars.

As good as the Rockstar is, there are some pros and cons to consider. On the positive side, the Mazda 1.5-liter engine is reliable if not particularly powerful with 132 hp on tap. But, the biggest issue is the asking price. At $220,000, you buy the real thing for less with a V8 under the hood.

We're not sure what BUBU means, but in the company of these two Mitsuoka cars, it can only be bad. First up, the BUBU 505-C mimics Morgan's Plus4 Roadster. Until you get up close and realize it's a micro car powered by a single cylinder engine putting out 5 hp

At least the quirky pyramid-shaped BUBU 501 doesn't pretend to be a sports car. Tucked away beneath the plastic shell is the same 50 cc single cylinder engine. Yet, for reasons that defy logic, the engine revs to 9,000 rpm before delivering its identical 5 hp. There is a market for small city cars, and the Kei car fits the bill better.

As soon as gearheads had written Mitsuoka off as a maker of oddballs, out came the BUBU 356 Speedster. Up close and devoid of badges, telling this Porsche 356 clone apart from the original is tricky. In reality, Mitsuoka copied the Porsche down to the smallest of details.

Slung out back, you get an air-cooled 1.6-liter flat-four putting down 70 hp in a chassis weighing 1,520 lbs. But, with less weight and a modern 5-speed manual box the Mitsuoka is faster topping out at 124 mph.

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Sixties throw-back styling done in epic proportions, the Le-Seyde is anything but subtle. Long, wide, and lower than you might imagine at 54 inches tall, the Le-Seyde was a re-skin of a Nissan Silvia S13. Adding 22-inches puts the Mitsuoka on par with a modern Mercedes S-Class, only with fewer doors.

Given the vast size and tiny 1.8-liter engine, finding buyers willing to part with their cash is surprising. However, Mitsuoka's unique coupe attracted 500 willing customers. This success led to a second generation Le-Seyde based on the later S15 chassis.

Another period inspired design that misleads with more than its tiny body and build. Once assembled, (yes, that's right, this oddity is a kit-car) you'll struggle to fit inside. For added disappointment, Type-R has nothing to do with Honda's famous Civic hot hatch.

Only produced in 2006, the K-4 is a '50s era inspired micro car sporting a tiny two-stroke 50 cc engine. Fast, it isn't topping out at 31 mph with a single speed automatic transmission. In its only year of production, Mitsuoka claims to have produced 200 examples.

Sedan or wagon, the Ryugi suffers with Mitsuoka's obsessive pursuit of retro styling. We could at a push live with the quirky Jaguar-esque nose job if only the proportions matched the rest of the car. But, they don't, and as a result, the Ryugi sticks out like a sore thumb.

Launched in 2016, the Ryugi is Mitsuoka's latest offering and uses a modern donor platform. Why Toyota allowed Mitsuoka to make the Corolla even less appealing is a question we'd like an answer to. Peel away the Ryugi's clumsy body, and you're left with nothing more exciting than a 1.5-liter engine.

Approach from the side and hints of McLarens F1 hypercar are present in the Orochi's doors. However, any connections with sporting greats evaporate when viewed from any other angle. The Orochi is worthy of its place among the ugliest cars ever. Think, deep-sea monster on wheels, and you're in the right ballpark.

Child scaring looks aside, the Orochi is better than most gearheads give it credit for. Mitsuoka fused the chassis from the NSX with a Toyota 230 hp 3.3-liter V6, giving a claimed top speed of 155 mph.

RELATED: Mitsuoka Orochi: costs, Facts, And Figures

Can you guess what it is? Any gearhead entertaining Jaguar Mk.II ideas should hang their heads in shame. Launched in 1993, the Viewt is still in production and has shifted 12,000 examples. Peeling away the retro-styled exterior leaves the much prettier Nissan Micra. Each time Nissan updates the sub-compact, Mitsuoka follows suit.

The latest Viewt comes with a 107 hp 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine and CVT box driving the front wheels. No official performance figures exist. But we'd expect the Viewt to be on par with the K13 Micra, topping out at 106 mph.

Raised in a car-obsessed environment from an early age ensured a keen interest in anything car-related. first and foremost an F1 fan, but also an avid follower of other motorsports. Professional background working closely with a well established UK based Supercar manufacturer in recent years.