Initial D

Initial D
Company type	Manga series
Industry	Manga, anime, entertainment
Founded	July 17, 1995; 31 years ago
Founder	Shuichi Shigeno
Defunct	July 29, 2013
Fate	Ended serialization
Successor	MF Ghost (by same author)
Headquarters	Tokyo, Japan
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Shuichi Shigeno (creator), Keiichi Tsuchiya (editorial supervisor)
Products	Manga, anime television series, OVAs, films, video games, live-action film
Owner	Kodansha
Parent	Kodansha
Website	kodansha.us/series/initial-d/

is a Japanese street racing manga created and illustrated by Shuichi Shigeno. It was serialized from 1995 to 2013 in Kodansha's seinen manga publication Weekly Young Magazine, spanning a total of 48 volumes. The story revolves around illegal street racing in Japan, focusing mainly on mountain roads in the Kantō region and highlighting the drifting technique. Editorial supervision was provided by professional racer and drift pioneer Keiichi Tsuchiya. Although some settings are fictionalized, many are inspired by actual locations in Gunma Prefecture and nearby areas.

Initial D has been adapted into several anime television series and original video animations produced by studios such as OB Studio Comet, Studio Gallop, Pastel, A.C.G.T, and SynergySP. A live-action movie, co-produced by Avex Group and Media Asia Entertainment Group, premiered in 2005. The North American license for the anime initially belonged to Tokyopop (2002–2009) before transferring to Funimation (now Crunchyroll), while the manga was re-licensed by Kodansha USA in 2019.

By April 2021, Initial D had achieved global sales exceeding 55 million copies, placing it among the top-selling manga franchises worldwide.

Plot

Takumi Fujiwara is a high school student who works part-time at a gas station in Gunma Prefecture. Secretly, he has developed remarkable driving abilities through delivering tofu for his father Bunta using their old Toyota Sprinter Trueno (AE86). The local racing community, led by the Akina Speed Stars under Koichiro Iketani, confronts a new challenge from the Red Suns, a dominant group from Mount Akagi headed by Ryosuke Takahashi.

The Red Suns’ strong showing initially weakens the resolve of the Speed Stars. However, Keisuke Takahashi of the Red Suns, piloting a powerful Mazda RX-7, suffers an unexpected defeat at the hands of an enigmatic AE86. Though initially thought to be Bunta behind the wheel, it is revealed that Takumi is the racer employing a unique "gutter run" technique—driving with wheels positioned in drainage channels to maintain speed through sharp hairpin bends—securing a crucial victory. This triumph earns Takumi the nickname "Legendary Eight-Six of Akina," drawing challengers from across the region and igniting his enthusiasm for racing.

Takumi's abilities are further tested against rival teams like the Emperors, who specialize in Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution vehicles. After losing to their leader Kyoichi Sudo and sustaining engine damage, the Red Suns defeat the Emperors to uphold Gunma’s racing prestige. With Bunta replacing the AE86’s engine and support from friends, Takumi refines his skills. Following graduation, he continues competing, overcoming opponents such as Wataru Akiyama in a Toyota Levin and avenging previous defeats on demanding routes like Nikko Irohazaka. Personal trials include rescuing his kidnapped girlfriend Natsuki Mogi at Lake Akina; their relationship concludes on friendly terms.

Aspiring for higher-level competition, Takumi joins Project D—an elite team established by Ryosuke and Keisuke Takahashi to demonstrate their status as Japan’s fastest drivers. They face adversaries from Todo Racing School, Northern Saitama Alliance, and the Tsuchisaka Lancer Evolution squad. A key moment arises when Bunta defeats Takumi while driving a Subaru Impreza WRX STI, challenging Takumi to master four-wheel-drive vehicle dynamics. During this time, Takumi develops a relationship with Mika Uehara while Ryosuke confronts a rival connected to past tragedy.

Project D’s campaign culminates in an intense race against Shinji Inui of Team Sidewinder. Despite suffering engine failure mid-race, Takumi manages to coast backward across the finish line to secure victory. He retires the AE86 from competitive racing to restore it gradually. Ryosuke dissolves Project D to concentrate on training new drivers; Keisuke pursues professional racing endeavors while Takumi returns to delivering tofu in his father’s Subaru.

Years later, Takumi embarks on rally racing and achieves world championship status, paving the way for MF Ghost, another series by Shigeno.

Manga

Created and illustrated by Shuichi Shigeno, Initial D was serialized over an eighteen-year span by Kodansha in the seinen manga publication Weekly Young Magazine. Its serialization began on July 17, 1995, and concluded on July 29, 2013. Kodansha compiled the series' 719 chapters into forty-eight volumes, which were published from November 6, 1995, through November 6, 2013.

In North America, the manga and anime rights were acquired by Tokyopop in 2001. Tokyopop adapted character names to match those used in Western versions of the Initial D Arcade Stage video games, edited out brief nudity, and introduced street slang into their translations. They released thirty-three volumes between May 21, 2002, and January 13, 2009, until their licensing agreement with Kodansha ended in August 2009.

Starting in April 2019, ComiXology and Kodansha USA launched digital English editions of volumes 1 through 38, followed by volumes 39 to 48 in July of the same year. In August 2023, Kodansha USA announced a new omnibus reissue featuring updated translations and lettering slated for release in 2024. The initial omnibus volume was issued on March 19, 2024, offering three distinct cover options: a Kodansha USA edition, a Crunchyroll/direct market exclusive, and a Kinokuniya Books variant. By December 3, 2024, four omnibus volumes had been published.

Anime

Avex distributed the anime across multiple installments known as Stages, distinguished by their heavy incorporation of Eurobeat music, particularly tracks performed by Italian artists.

Initial D (First Stage): 26 episodes (1998)
Initial D Second Stage: 13 episodes (1999)
Initial D Extra Stage: two-episode OVA side story (2000)
Initial D Third Stage: feature-length film of 104 minutes (2001)
Initial D Fourth Stage: 24 episodes (2004–2006)
Initial D Extra Stage 2: 50-minute OVA side story (2008)
Initial D Fifth Stage: 14 episodes (2012–2013)
Initial D Final Stage: four episodes (2014)
New Initial D the Movie - Legend 1: Awakening: theatrical film (2014)
New Initial D the Movie - Legend 2: Racer: theatrical film (2015)
New Initial D the Movie - Legend 3: Dream: theatrical film (2016)

The Battle Stages are music-focused compilations featuring race sequences with minimal dialogue and fresh soundtracks:

Initial D Battle Stage (2002): A compilation of races from the first three series stages with CGI-enhanced animation.
Initial D Battle Stage 2 (2007): Showcases Fourth Stage races including previously unreleased battles.
Initial D Battle Stage 3 (2021): Covers all races from Fifth and Final Stages without additional battles or dialogue.
New Initial D the Movie Battle Digest (2022): A summary of the movie trilogy supplemented with extra test-driving footage.

The original anime premiered on Fuji TV in April 1998 with a run of twenty-six episodes. Later stages were broadcast via pay-per-view platforms such as SKY PerfecTV! and Animax, with episodes released intermittently between 1999 and 2014. Side stories focusing on the Impact Blue team further enriched the franchise's storyline.

Japanese group m.o.v.e provided most of the opening and ending theme songs throughout the series, maintaining a cohesive musical identity. Their contributions include "Around the World" for First Stage and "Outsoar The Rainbow" for Final Stage.

Tokyopop adapted the anime for Western markets by modifying character names and slang expressions and substituting Eurobeat tracks with rap and hip-hop music produced under CEO Stu Levy. Subsequently, Funimation secured distribution rights and released DVD sets featuring original Japanese soundtracks alongside newly produced English dubs, which enhanced international audience reception.

Between 2009 and later years, Funimation reissued several stages in uncut formats that preserved original music while providing updated English voiceovers.

Animated feature film trilogy

In July 2013, a new trilogy of feature films under the title New Initial D the Movie was unveiled concurrently with the concluding anime series, Initial D Final Stage. This trilogy revisits the initial story arcs featuring an entirely new cast of voice actors:

Legend 1: Awakening (August 2014)
Legend 2: Racer (May 2015)
Legend 3: Dream (February 2016)

Video game adaptations

The franchise boasts a wide-ranging collection of video games spanning multiple platforms:

Early releases on Game Boy, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, PC/Mac, and PlayStation 2
An arcade series launched in 2002 with successive versions running on Sega's NAOMI, Lindbergh, and RingEdge hardware
Console editions including PSP's Initial D Street Stage and PS3's Initial D Extreme Stage
A free-to-play title for Nintendo 3DS eShop released in 2014
Recent years have seen mobile RPGs and pachislot arcade machines introduced
The latest arcade installments are Initial D Arcade Stage Zero (2017), Initial D The Arcade (2021), and P Initial D (2022)

This comprehensive gaming lineup has played a significant role in sustaining the franchise’s popularity across varied audiences.

Live-action adaptation

The live-action film debuted in Asia on June 23, 2005. It was a collaborative production between Japan’s Avex Inc. and Hong Kong’s Media Asia Group, directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, known for their work on Infernal Affairs. Taiwanese singer Jay Chou portrayed Takumi Fujiwara, supported by notable Hong Kong actors Edison Chen and Shawn Yue. Although the storyline diverged from the original manga and anime, the film garnered favorable reviews and earned several nominations at both the Hong Kong Film Awards and Golden Horse Awards.

In October 2023, actor Sung Kang revealed plans to develop a new live-action adaptation of the series, with potential involvement as director.

Reception

By July 2013, cumulative manga sales had reached roughly 48 million copies; this figure increased to over 55 million by April 2021. Critics widely praised the series; The Anime Review awarded it an A− grade for its compelling narrative and animation quality. Anime News Network rated it B−, recommending it to a broad audience.

The Western localization by Tokyopop faced criticism due to extensive content edits, alterations in voice acting, and replacement of original music. Funimation’s subsequent re-releases remedied many of these issues by restoring original soundtracks and offering uncut editions.

Initial D is frequently compared to the Fast & Furious film series—particularly Tokyo Drift—with stunt coordination contributions and cameo appearances from consultant Keiichi Tsuchiya across various adaptations.

External links