This is so much like ZZ that it practically doesn't even register as a different show to me. ZZ Gaiden basically.
The Director is Kawase Toshifumi, who worked on many episodes of ZZ as a storyboard artist and director, many Tomino-isms that he learned on ZZ carry over here, such as the use of cut-out paneling to zoom in on specific parts of the frame, action choreography sense, and character staging. Though there are still some techniques used here that set it apart from Tomino's sensibilities, like the heavy use of background animation.
The Character Designer, Kobayashi Toshimitsu, was a frequent drawing director on ZZ, and the
style remains largely intact. Tons of key animator crossover too. ZZ's use of lots of varied, difficult to drawn angles for the faces, heavy squash and stretch for quick motions, great mechanical drawings with high quality in-out motion are all present. The drawing style just completely exudes ZZ. The designs are perhaps a bit more warped and funny looking, but that adds to the tone Dead Heat is going for.
Endou Akinori was scriptwriter for both, and there are tons of similarities in the story department as well. Very similar sense of humor, has the same basic setup of a scrappy group of kids being given experimental machinery and managing to pull through with white knuckle determination.
The main character is voiced by Yao Kazuki (Judau), has a similar personality, along with a similar overall dynamic with his group of friends. Some other ZZ actors are here as well.
You wont get the political or dramatic intensity in ZZ, but other than that it's remarkable how similar these shows are. I like both these shows, but even if I didn't, I would have still written this recommendation because they really do just feel like the same show and am surprised no-one else has stated the connection between them. read more 
