Honda Chief Engineer Goes Viral for Hairstyle, Formerly Led EV Dynamic Tuning

RobertJul 31, 2025, 12:29 PM

【PCauto】With a hairstyle that looks just like a character from a Japanese anime, Honda’s chief engineer Shotaro Odate has caught a lot of attention online. Back in May 2024, Japanese media first picked up on him because of his unusual look.

Recently, Shotaro Odate has gone viral again, this time in China, where people are fascinated by his distinctive hairstyle and his role at Honda. With all the buzz, Honda China officially invited him to respond to the growing public interest on social media.

Shotaro Odate Responds to Hairstyle Buzz on Chinese Social Media

When Shotaro Odate brushed aside his signature thick bangs in front of the camera, smiled, and said in Chinese, “Thank you all for your attention,” he was quietly reshaping the typical image of engineers in his own way.

The striking contrast between his relaxed hairstyle and his role as a precise automotive safety engineer quickly caught fire on social media worldwide. But what started as curiosity about his looks soon turned into respect for his technical skills. Shotaro Odate’s expertise in automotive engineering shines far brighter than his hairstyle.

“I just kept the naturally fluffy look my hair gets when I wake up in the morning. It feels unique,” Odate casually explained the origin of his much-talked-about hairstyle in the video.

Shotaro Odate Used to Led Honda’s ADAS Project

Shotaro Odate joined Honda in 2003, starting his career working on basic safety components like seat belts and non-contact seat belt buckle switches. Over time, he steadily built up his technical expertise. In 2013, he shifted his focus to passenger state detection technology for autonomous driving. By January 2015, he officially took the lead on Honda’s ADAS project, marking a key phase in the company’s tech development.