Initial D

Initial D is a Japanese anime, manga and video game franchise. The manga is published in English by TokyoPop.

Anime/Manga

The Initial D anime focuses on the world of illegal Japanese street racing, and the drift racing style in particular, although drifting gradually vanishes as the story progresses. The manga is drawn by artist Shuichi Shigeno, who started publishing the manga in 1995 on magazine on a weekly basis. The anime published by Avex.

Avex released the anime in several parts. One noticeable feature is that it uses Eurobeat music as background music in race scenes.

• Initial D First Stage (26 episodes)
• Initial D Second Stage (13 episodes)
• Initial D Third Stage (2 hour movie)
• Initial D Fourth Stage (8 episodes aired so far, as of October 16 2004)
• Initial D Extra Stage OVA (2 hour side-story movie)
• Initial D Battle Stage (45 minute movie of every major battle from 1st, 2nd and 3rd stage. graphics are generally redone)

Plot

Set in the late 1990s, it follows the adventures of Takumi Fujiwara, a teenager who helps his father run a tofu shop by delivering every morning to a hotel over Mt. Akina in Gunma prefecture with his father's Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX. Having driven the mountain pass every morning for five years before his first race, Takumi's skill is highly developed. The story begins with a racing team from a neighboring area (the Akagi Redsuns) throwing down the gauntlet a challenge to the local racers, namely Akina Speedstars. Takumi shows his skill by defeating racers in higher-powered cars. Eventually, he is invited by Ryosuke Takahashi, originally leader of the Akagi Redsuns, to join a special racing team; Project.D, whose goal is to set all the fastest records in Japan.

As the story unfolds, Takumi races in other mountain passes, including Akagi, Myogi, Usui, Irohazaka, Momiji Line, Enna Pass

The list of Prefectures/Teams:

1. Gunma Prefecture
   • Takumi Fujiwara - Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno - Akina Downhill
     When the story starts, Takumi did not belong to a particular team, but will join Project D later on.
   • Bunta Fujiwara - Subaru Impreza WRX Type R Version V - Akina Downhill
   • Akina SpeedStars
     • Iketani Kouichirou - Nissan S13 Silvia K's - Akina Downhill
     • Kenji - Nissan RPS13 180SX Type X - Akina HillClimb
     • Itsuki Takeuchi - Toyota AE85 Levin SR - Akina Downhill
   • Akagi RedSuns
     • Ryousuke Takahashi - Mazda Savanna FC3S RX-7 - Akagi Downhill
     • Keisuke Takahashi - Mazda Enfini FD3S RX-7 - Akagi HillClimb
     • Kenta Nakamura - Nissan S14 Silvia Q's - Akagi Downhill
   • Myogi NightKids
     • Takeshi Nakazato - Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 V-Spec II - Myogi HillClimb
     • Shingo Shouji - Honda Civic SiR II EG-6 - Myogi Downhill
   • Usui ImpactBlue
     • Mako Satou and Sayuki - Nissan SilEighty - Usui Downhill
       Mako and Sayuki are partners in races
2. Tochigi Prefecture
   • Kai Kogashiwa - Toyota SW20 MR2 G-Limited - Irohazaha Downhill
   • Emperor
     • Kyouichi Sudou - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III GSR Misfiring - Irohazaka Downhill
     • Seiji Iwaki - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV RS - Irohazaka Downhill
   • Toudou Juku
     • Tomoyuki Tachi - Honda Civic EK-9 Type R - Happogahara
     • Sakai - Honda Integra DC2 Type-R Turbo - Enna HillClimb
     • Daiki Nimomiya - Honda Civic EK-9 Type R - Enna Downhill
   • Seven Star Leaf
     • Atsurou Kawai - Nissan Skyline 25GT Turbo ER34 - Momiji HillClimb
     • Tooru Suetsugu - Mazda "NA8C" MX-5 Eunos Roadster - Momiji Downhill
3. Saitama Prefecture
   • Wataru Akiyama - Toyota AE86 Levin Corolla GT Apex - Syomaru Pass
   • Northwest Saitama Alliance
     • Nobuhiko - Toyota Altezza - Syomaru Pass(?)
     • Kyouko Iwase - Mazda Enfini FD3S RX-7 - Sadamine Pass
     • Sukamoto - Suzuki Cappuccino - Syomaru Pass(?)
   • Tsuchizaka
     • Evolution V Driver - Tsuchizaka Hillclimb
     • Evolution VI Driver - Tsuchizaka Downhill
       These two characters were not named
4. Ibaraki Prefecture
   • Purple Shadow
     • Hoshino - Foot of God- Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 V-Spec II
     • Jojima - Arm of God - Honda S2000

Please add if there are more cars

Game

There are several games that is based on the anime. The most famous is probably Initial D Arcade Stage published by Sega, which is for arcade. Currently, it is in its Third Version. Sega also released Special Stage for home use on the PlayStation 2.

See also

• Lonely driver