Initial D

About

Initial D is a Japanese sports manga series written and illustrated by Shuichi Shigeno, which is centered around a group of street racers in the Kantō region of Japan. The manga has been adapted into several anime series, video games and a live action film.

History

On November 6th, 1995, the first volume of the Initial D manga was released, running for 48 volumes until July 2013. In 1998, the original Initial D anime series premiered, often referred to as "First Stage" by fans, followed by the release of seven additional television series over the next 16 years. In 2002, the manga and anime were licensed to the North American publisher Tokyopop.

Video Games

In 2002, the first Initial D video game was released for the Sega NAOMI 2 console, in which players race against various opponents with customized cars. Over the next 12 years, over 20 more Initial D games were released for various platforms.

Live-Action Film

On June 23rd, 2005, the Initial D live-action film was released in Asia, starring Taiwanese singer Jay Chou as the character Takumi Fujiwara with Hong Kong actors Edison Chen as Ryosuke Takahashi and Shawn Yue as Takeshi Nakazato.

Online Presence

On June 7th, 2009, the Initial D Wiki^[7] site was created, gathering more than 165 pages over the next seven years. On April 13th, 2011, the Fuck Yeah Initial D Tumblr^[10] blog was created, featuring various Intial D-related content. On November 19th, a page for Initial D was created on TV Tropes.^[8] On December 23rd, the /r/initiald^[9] subreddit was launched for discussions about the manga and anime series. On November 29th, 2012, the Initial D-themed Tumblr^[11] blog TakahashiKeisuke was created.

Reception

Some fans have criticized Tokyopop for their extensive editing and other changes made to the English-language version of the manga.^[3] Similar critiques were made towards their English dub's script and voice acting, as well as the removal of the original music from the anime series.^[4]

Impact

Toyota Sprinter Trueno (AE86)

Initial D protagonist Takumi Fujiwara is known for driving the iconic Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno, often abbreviated a "AE86_ or "Eight-Six", a lightweight coupe that was in production from 1983 to 1987. The car has remained popular in the racing world thanks to its lightweight and rear-wheel drive configuration. Additionally, race car driver, Keiichi Tsuchiya, who helped with the editorial supervision of Initial D^[5], is known for driving the AE86 throughout much of his career.

Search Interest

External References