Initial D Is a Great Introduction to Car Culture

"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro) 02/16/2018 at 12:00 • Filed to: initial d, drifting, car culture, discussion, anime, manga, japan, street racing, Embiggen this

56

100

Shuichi Shigeno’s Japan-based street-racing series Initial D began in the mid-’90s and took nearly two decades to complete. The original manga soon took anime form, and was even adapted into video games and live-action film. The franchise is a significant contributor to Japanese car culture, yet works especially well for introducing non-gearheads around the globe to the world of automotive excitement.

This post originally appeared on June 06, 2016.

Spoilers for early parts of Initial D follow.

The story takes place in the mountains of Japan, and is told through the eyes of Takumi Fujiwara. As an only son, Takumi was forced to help out the family tofu business by his single father Bunta, who has him make late-night tofu deliveries, since long before even being old enough to drive. These errands are done in the middle of the night on the winding, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! when traffic is at its lightest.

But Takumi’s no car guy. He hates the chore of driving. Stubborn yet obedient, he tries to get these deliveries over with as quickly as possible. To avoid damage to the tofu, Bunta makes him drive with a cup of water in the dashboard cupholder every night, which Takumi must keep from spilling while transporting cargo, no matter the weather.

This illegal underage driving is kept a secret, even from Takumi’s high-school friends, who happen to be big car geeks. They are soon excited to learn that the Fujiwara family car is no ordinary Toyota, but a lightly-modified AE86. They try to get the uninterested Takumi involved in street racing, which reveals (and tests) more of his uncanny driving skills, and Takumi soon starts to reconsider whether driving really is as boring as he thought.

As the series progresses, each new race teaches Takumi (and the viewer) a new strategy or aspect of performance driving. These lessons are sometimes exaggerated to serve the story, yet remain grounded in reality. During these races, the viewer is exposed to the drivers’ inner monologues as well as the insights offered by supporting characters watching from the galleries. By the time the race is over, the viewer has a full understanding of how and why the victor won.

Image: Initial D Fourth Stage (A.C.G.T, Funimation Entertainment)

Yet even with all this racing, the series keeps its focus away from horsepower, dwelling instead on driver technique. Powerful engines are rendered irrelevant by these mountain roads, which require light weight, good handling, but most of all: finesse.

And that’s part of what makes the series so relatable. It doesn’t matter what you drive. What matters is that you always continue to work on your technique. Whatever your experience, there’s always a higher level of precision to reach for.

Initial D has a little something for everyone. Fans new to car culture can absorb the same lessons that Takumi does, while seasoned gearheads can enjoy some of the other cool bits.

Image: Initial D Fourth Stage (A.C.G.T, Funimation Entertainment)

For example, the anime takes great care in providing detailed depictions of real cars and how they move, using both traditional techniques as well as 3D animation. Every vehicle seems to have a real-world counterpart, even background ones, and the animators never resort to drawing some unidentifiable cartoon car. If you know what you’re looking at, there are cameos to enjoy, both !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

And it wouldn’t be Initial D without drifting. Is it just for style? Is it the fastest way to get through the hairpin? Whatever the reason, it makes for great eye candy. Almost every episode finds some excuse to get sideways.

Image: Initial D First Stage promo materials (Studio Comet, Gallop, Funimation Entertainment)

You can begin watching the anime for free on Funimation’s YouTube channel, in its !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! or !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Don’t miss it!

Nauraushaun > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 09:17

9

You’re so right. In a world where almost every car show is filth, Intial D is pure gold.

YuriHime > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 09:18

0

Okay, you got me to join.

As an anime fan myself, you’re totally correct. This was my introduction to car culture, and many others.

(Just stay away from anything past Fourth Stage, IMO. The new movies are divisive, but I like them.)

I’d also recommend Wangan Midnight to get into tuner culture, another anime/movie/manga/video game series, though it’s been around a lot longer. And you’d have to go through less... Official means.

RT > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 09:25

6

I love this anime. Easily the best car anime around. The early episodes tend to have a few shortcomings, but the further you get in - the better it gets.

Also the soundtrack…

Running in the 90s~

Your boy, BJR > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 09:31

0

I always thought it was incredibly dull myself.

Niko's Work Account > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 09:52

17

*EUROBEAT INTENSIFIES*

Someone Else's Projects > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 10:53

2

4AGE ITBs? I’m sold.

Billy Suter > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 10:54

9

WEEABOO WEEABOO WEEABOO!

Farabomb > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 10:56

1

The woman hates to read her TV but after the first few episodes she really got into it. A gradual diet of that, TG, track events and races and I’ve converted her from a white knuckled passenger to someone who comes off the track as a passenger and asks when can I drive?

zetec duratec ECOTEC > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 10:59

12

It’s worth saying, if you’ve tried to get into Initial D in the past, whether you used the old fansubs or the original dub, give it another try.

Funimation made a new dub that’s pretty much perfect, and there are official subs now as well that are as good or better than the old fansubs.

I’ve been rewatching it from the beginning, and it’s a much better experience this time around. With the dub, I actually get to watch the races instead of staring at the bottom of the screen.

AfromanGTO > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:00

24

After Initial D, Wangan Midnight should be read/watched. It is another great car/racing based magna/anime based loosely on real life. Tokyobayskyline has discussed Wangan Midnight and the Japanese Race club in more detail. Countach is another good magna, especially for the Italian car fans.

cesariojpn > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:01

4

The anime is not a good intro. It’s responsible for the untold deaths of many AE86 and S13 chassis in the USA.

zetec duratec ECOTEC > Farabomb 06/06/2016 at 11:01

0

Give the new Funimation dub a try if subs are a problem. They finally fixed the atrocious original dub, now it’s perfect. Funimation.com has it streamable.

mattdizzle > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:03

0

Are any new racing anime likely to be developed? Wangan midnight started strong but really tailed off, “Capeta” is fun as well (its about karting), but thats about it. For such a car country you’d think there would be dozens of car anime, like there are dozens of martial arts anime.

I like the detail about the eunos roadster having the same useless $20 “strut brace” that everyone seems to throw on their miata (I certainly had one at some point)

flabberboozled > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:07

1

Here comes the corner.

Let us never speak of the live action abomination, though.

Timeforjeans > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:07

1

Ultra Super Late Brake Technique!!!!

One of my favorite parts. That and when the Blue Subaru beats him.

shurkon93 > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:10

0

I tried watching this on Netflix and I can enjoy it but the annoying best friend drove me crazy.

Urambo Tauro > AfromanGTO 06/06/2016 at 11:10

5

Agreed. Many of the characters in Initial D show a lot of teenage angst, maturing a bit over the course of the series. But Wangan Midnight is even more grown-up, and gets into some pretty deep territory regarding life choices and motivation.

If your eyes are still dry at the end of episode 10, you have no soul.

Keith Moon > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:12

10

Initial D was my introduction to car culture, and that explains why I still like Japanese sports cars more than European ones. When I started watching it, I was a 15 year old with zero knowledge about cars. My parents had a Suzuki with a tiny 800cc engine, but despite driving the car since I turned 14, I didn’t even know if the power went to the front or the rear wheels. Everything changed when I became interested in Takumi and his 86, though I didn’t know at that time that the cars on the show were real (none of them were sold in my country). I recently introduced my wife to Initial D, and it did more to get her interested in cars than anything I had said or done before. It is also amusing that I own the FR-S, the tribute to the 86 in the show. The interesting thing is that I thought the gutter run, weight shifting, and other stuff shown there were just made-up shit only intended to make the show entertaining, but later realized that they were actually based in sound theory, but exaggerated to a degree.

Timeforjeans > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:12

0

OH and I would not recommend the Tokyo-pop dubbed in English version. I think it ruins the atmosphere of the whole show.

Devon A. > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:14

0

“Spoilers for early parts...”

Who hasn't seen Initial D yet?

EivlEvo Blockchain > AfromanGTO 06/06/2016 at 11:15

1

Tell me more about this Wangan Midnight? I’m reading there are many arcs, and reboots (like ID)... which ones should I be looking for?

The Devil Drives a Mustang (Rotary Pending) > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:16

13

I will get more into this later when I get home and after dinner, but I think Wangan Midnight is a better look on car culture.

Initial D is almost what us gearheads fantasize of car culture being. That we can freely race on rural public roads in the middle of the night with no interference. That we can do anything to our cars that we can imagine without worries of a budget.

I think that Wangan Midnight shows car culture more accurately. It captures the sheer absurdity of our almost cult like devotion to these machines. One of my favorite scenes is when Akio’s teacher Mrs Shimada is riding with him, and she remarks at how he just goes in circles all night, driving on the Wangan, getting off, and going back to the beginning over and over constantly chasing the high of going fast.

And on occasion, the show does show accidents occuring on the highway. It shows at least some of the consequences that follow; police coming out, shutting down part of the highway, looking for the drivers reported racing.

Another sequence that was very poignant but I confess made me uncomfortable is when Mr. Hiramoto becomes obsessed with chasing Reina’s car. He even sinks his family’s life savings into his car and neglects his obligations to his pregnant wife. I think it shows that cars are extremely expensive and if you aren’t careful their costs can affect your family around you. Initial D is great, but it glosses over some of the consequences of participation in “car culture”.

ED9man2 > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:17

0

The English dub versions are total shit.

Giant Lobster Monster > Someone Else's Projects 06/06/2016 at 11:18

0

I know right? I love me some velocity stacks. Although I think that shot of the red engine bay is from Toru’s Miata (NA6C). I could be wrong though.

syaieya > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:18

0

As someone who made the strange life choices to be into cars and anime well before initial D, it gave me such a relief to finally have a crossing point between my friends when i discovered this show. Sure they still dont understand why or how i like both at the same time, but any breaking the barrier of those cultures is a good one. Even if explaining racing miku was a stretch.

Tatanko > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:18

0

This show is largely responsible for getting me started with cars when I was in my early teen’s. I didn’t give a crap about cars until I was ~13 years old and saw a video with a bunch of high-horsepower Supras. Somewhere along the line I heard about Initial D, and I was already a fan of anime, so it was a natural fit.

Japanese car culture took hold of me pretty quickly, and I still identify with that way more than American or European culture despite the fact that I live in the US and grew up in a hick town full of Mustangs and Camaros (and now drive a German car).

jtso > The Devil Drives a Mustang (Rotary Pending) 06/06/2016 at 11:25

8

One other area that’s accurate in Wangan Midnight is showing Akio working endless on the car.

Darmok eats Challah at 12Nagra > AfromanGTO 06/06/2016 at 11:26

1

Wangan Midnight led me to that comic about those lowriders that scrape the sidewalk.

Darmok eats Challah at 12Nagra > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:28

0

Initial D is responsible for me liking racing video games, even when the tone is wildly different than the show itself. That being said, I highly prefer the first season, and consider it to be one of the best anime I’ve ever seen outside of a Ghibli movie.

AfromanGTO > EivlEvo Blockchain 06/06/2016 at 11:29

0

Look for Wangan Midnight. There was some video games, a live action movie, and the anime is available in English on a certain well used/known website. There was an article written on opposite lock about the Porsche.

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/wangans-infamo…

AfromanGTO > Darmok eats Challah at 12Nagra 06/06/2016 at 11:31

0

I started reading Countach afterwards. It is about a guy getting a Countach. It is pretty good.

Ducky > AfromanGTO 06/06/2016 at 11:31

3

I would actually go as far as recommend Wangan over Initial D if you’re more “technical” driven than story. The anime for example, actually shows the trials and tribulations of tuning the car, including the conversion to a computer controlled spark ignition system and torque curves.

Initial D is more story driven, but what bugs me is that their “tuning” isn’t entirely based on reality and neither are the driving techniques.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:34

7

It hasn’t influenced me, my love for lightweight/nimble FR Toyotas, or taste in wheels at all...

Nope, not one bit.

Ducky > The Devil Drives a Mustang (Rotary Pending) 06/06/2016 at 11:35

1

Agreed, and as I mentioned in another post, the technical aspects is also much better/clearer. The anime for example, actually shows the trials and tribulations of tuning the car, including the conversion to a computer controlled spark ignition system and tuning for torque curves.

Urambo Tauro > zetec duratec ECOTEC 06/06/2016 at 11:38

7

Funimation’s dubbing is pretty great. The voices are good matches to the original seiy, and the acting feels much more natural than other, more halfhearted dubs. It’s also neat that they kept the original music in the mix, rather than trying to “Americanize” it like the old Tokyopop version.

Subs are often hit-and-miss, though. Official and fan versions are both pretty good, but every once in a while something falls through the cracks. Like when Itsuki’s “heel and toe” was somehow turned into “hell and tear”, or when Sakamoto was described as a “Ferrari racer” instead of a “rally racer”.

ferric oxide > Billy Suter 06/06/2016 at 11:38

0

So this is the car version of otaku? (japanese anime “enthusiast”)

While I find this car wildly overrated, let us not forget that in the year 1986 120ish hp was actually quite decent in a light car.

I mean...let’s see.

1986 Pontiac Trans AM? A heavy car with only 205 net hp.

1986 Honda CRX? Why yes that is a FWD AE86...literally spec for spec.

It’s just wrong wheel drive.

MantisToboggan > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:41

0

Also has that sweet, sweet eurobeat.

RUNNNING IN THE NINETIES!!!!!!

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > zetec duratec ECOTEC 06/06/2016 at 11:41

1

I started to rewatch it awhile ago, then got caught up with other stuff and forgot where I left off. So I’ve decided to start all over again. haha

xenol > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:42

0

A lot of the techniques discussed in Initial D are outright dangerous to try if not implausible. Like all that jumping the MR-2 does in Third Stage.

But the metagaming and mind games the racers play on each other is where I find its charm.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > flabberboozled 06/06/2016 at 11:42

1

I actually thought that the live action film was pretty entertaining. I knew it’d be awful, but that’s the point. I mean what else would you expect from a live action Chinese film of a Japanese anime? lol

jtso > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:45

2

The emphasis of driver skill over the car is what drew me in. It also helped that the cars weren’t as flamboyant as in F&F.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Keith Moon 06/06/2016 at 11:46

0

Pretty similar to my experience as well.

But the show totally didn’t influence the cars and wheels that I love...

Uranium > AfromanGTO 06/06/2016 at 11:47

4

Is there a good source for a sub/dub of Wangan Midnight?

I’m wondering because.... reasons.. (those reasons happening to be... holy crap, there’s an anime starring my Z!)

Which in a weird coincidence shares the garage with this:

Invinciblejets > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 11:48

0

Wish it was still on Netflix...

technoir1984 > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 06/06/2016 at 11:50

1

Nice job, keep being subtle.

AfromanGTO > Uranium 06/06/2016 at 11:51

3

There is actually. It is called you tube. Almost all of the episodes are/were on there. If not in English there is subtitled ones.

Very nice Z! It is based off a S130Z. Here’s a picture of the real car.

http://www.rhdjapan.com/abr-hosoki-eng…

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > technoir1984 06/06/2016 at 11:53

3

I prefer the subtle details that only the people who really know what they’re looking at will appreciate.

I shared a photo of my car with the wheels, and used some clever wording to elude to the fact that they’re Watanabes, to a FR-S/BRZ group on FB that is know for being full of loud-mouthed and ill-informed hard parkers. I said something to the effect of, “Who likes my new wheels? I couldn’t afford the Rota RKRs, but these knock-offs I got look pretty similar!” Very few people who commented got the joke or actually knew what they were looking at. lol

Ducky > EivlEvo Blockchain 06/06/2016 at 11:56

3

Just watch the anime, it consists of 26 episodes

RevengencerAlf > zetec duratec ECOTEC 06/06/2016 at 11:58

1

I agree. The phrase “yeah but it’s not tokypop anymore” comes up all the time when I’m talking to people who fell out of favor with it in the earlier 2000s. I’m past the age now where I’m willing to sit there and watch fansubs all the time, as are most of my friends, so a dub that’s at least decent (and leaves the music intact instead of whatever the fuck that atrocity on the tokyopop dub was) is relatively important.

Ducky > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 06/06/2016 at 11:59

1

The driving sequences were great, but they completely f***ed the storyline.

It doesn’t even really have anything to do with the fact that it’s a Chinese production. There was a Japanese live action adaption of Wangan midnight, and it was similarly terrible. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a good live-action anime/manga adaptation outside of Rurouni Kenshin.

RevengencerAlf > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 12:01

2

It helps when the people subbing something like Initial D are into the car culture too. You get a lot less little mistakes like that (though I can live with them when I can follow the point around them). The best subs were usually the more or less independent fansubs, done by people who just really liked initial D and happened to be fluent as opposed to some of the bigger organized groups but the downside there is it was rare to get one of them to bother subbing a full season before getting bored or busy.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Ducky 06/06/2016 at 12:03

3

I actually really liked the way the storyline ended. Any U.S. movie would have the guy saving the girl from her life of prostitution, but in the movie Takumi kicked that lying ho to the curb. As he damn well should have. lol

Churba > AfromanGTO 06/06/2016 at 12:05

0

Oh god no, definitely not read Initial D. The show is great, but the manga is literally 99% filler trash.

It took them almost THREE FUCKING YEARS to finish two races - literally 50+ chapters per race. And most of those race chapters were nearly identical pictures of the drivers driving, and the cars going around almost indistinguishable corners, with maybe a hundred words of dialog, if that, per chapter, much of it repeating or re-iterating what’s been said before.

700 chapters, and only maybe 100 of them advance the story in any way. Closer to 50 or 60, if you only want to count in a meaningful way, as opposed to just “Yay, Tak took another inevitable victory” - and even then, I’m erring on the high side rather than the low side.

If you want to read a racing manga, instead of just stare at drawings of cars until the tedium of it makes you want to tear your eyeballs out, read Wangan Midnight, Capeta, Kanojo no Carrera, Countash, or especially Over Rev!. ANYTHING but Initial D, just watch the show instead.

SgtFancypants > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 12:10

0

Something like 14 years ago I remember purchasing a bootleg captioned version of this on ebay. It’s on the cheesy side, but it is a good show.

The reason horsepower is so unimportant in this series is because the racing focuses almost entirely on downhill sections. I think the first time in the series they really hit this point is when he has to race the guy in the black R32 GT-R, where it was made apparent that the extra weight was a big liability when it came to brakes and heat.

Churba > Ducky 06/06/2016 at 12:14

1

If you’re into a more technical, but story driven Manga, try Over Rev!.

The exclamation point is part of the title, I’m not just shouting it. But anyway - it’s technical, story driven, and somewhat more realistic. Instead of an MC who doesn’t give a shit about cars or racing, you get an MC who fucking loves cars and is actively trying to learn about them, works in a junkyard to afford parts and petrol, and lives cheap because cars are fucking expensive.

She’s not a drifting god from mysterious training, she can’t even drive when the series starts, and has to learn - and even the comparatively highly skilled drivers around her are pretty amateur hour, but improve and learn over time. No fucking magic, physics-defying arse-pull drifting here. She loses races. When she blows her engine, she doesn’t have Deus Ex Dad-ina fix everything for her with a mid-series power upgrade off-panel, she mucks in and replaces her own engine, learning as she goes.

It’s not fully translated, but there’s a decent amount availiable, and it’s slowly being worked on over time.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Ducky 06/06/2016 at 12:15

1

The plot twist in the Chinese movie was jarring and poorly adapted, but the racing action was good.

I have never ever seen a Japanese live-action adaptation and left thinking, “OK, that was pretty good.” Most of them made me cringe, and the cheesy costumes and low-budget sets didn’t help.

Without having read the manga, the Wangan Midnight PS3 game was also decent, although heavily dependent on drawn mod/handicap “cards” like Yu-gi-oh.

Churba > ferric oxide 06/06/2016 at 12:19

1

Nah, Weeaboo is sort of like an insulting version of Otaku. Or more insulting depending on if you think Otaku is an insult. Basically someone who is obsessed with the weird pastiche of Japanese culture they get from translated Japanese media, or at least, some sections of it.

MonkeePuzzle > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 12:20

25

I have never read such a perfect summary of Initial D

Keith Moon > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 06/06/2016 at 12:20

1

Well, I had zero interest in cars before this, so I didn’t know the names of all the Lamborghinis and Ferraris, unlike some of my classmates. And after Initial D, I just stuck to Japanese sports cars till I discovered Top Gear. So now I do like non-Japanese sports cars, but I don’t think I’d be buying something like an Alfa Romeo. I’d definitely be in the market for a Focus RS though :P

4AGE > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 12:23

0

And because of it I cannot find a Corolla GT-S that hasn’t been owned by some boy racer who poorly modified it, stripped the interior out and threw it away, and wants no less than $5K for his poorly slapped together ‘drift missile’.

I'm a little salty yes.

Wheelerguy > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 12:28

3

Also worth mentioning: Over Rev!

http://m.mangafox.me/manga/over_rev…

I first learned about it on Speedhunters.

www.speedhunters.com/2013/08/auto-otaku-library-over-rev-a-girls-story/

Really good series, this. Mostly female cast of characters, amazing art, on-point car selection, and great story. Somehow this hasn’t gotten on TV as a series.

RayMon > Niko's Work Account 06/06/2016 at 12:30

0

Wagons-Midwest > zetec duratec ECOTEC 06/06/2016 at 12:33

1

The fansubs for 1-3 were well done, but I lost interest after finishing the 4th stage, even with a Subaru tossed in.

xenol > Billy Suter 06/06/2016 at 12:34

1

Except the reviewer said he really wanted to hate this car. He walked in expecting to loathe it.

He walked out wanting to drive it more.

lzaffuto > Wagons-Midwest 06/06/2016 at 12:39

1

1-3 is really the best arc anyway in terms of where it left all the characters off at. They could have easily ended the story there. 4-5 is a lot more racing and a lot less of the insides of the characters lives unfortunately.

technoir1984 > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 06/06/2016 at 12:39

1

Ha ha, nice. Its a good way to weed out the posers.

ncasolowork3 > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 12:39

1

I am having a hard time processing this post. The original dub work years ago is the worst dub work I've ever seen. Like it's not even close. I just don't even

lzaffuto > Keith Moon 06/06/2016 at 12:42

0

Initial D came at the perfect time in my life. Takumi is just getting his first car (and getting interested in cars and car culture), getting into trouble with girls, graduating high school, etc. It all lined up perfectly with what was going on in my life at the time. I personally felt and experienced a lot of the emotional beats the characters went through at the same time I was watching the series. It will always be special to me for that reason.

Skippy the McWaffle > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 12:42

0

Right after watching the EG civic Gum-tape death match or whatever, I found an EF hatch with a B16A swap for 2K. I jumped at that thing as if it was the last one I’d ever see. It’s all downhill from there.

TysMagic > zetec duratec ECOTEC 06/06/2016 at 12:46

0

Are these dubs the ones that were on Netflix? I watched the series there and midway through something definitely changed in what they were using as they went from the full length episodes to very obviously americanized shortened versions.

dragon88 > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 12:53

0

Loved Initial D...glad they re-released it with better graphics. I was lucky to be able to pick up an 85 GTS hatch before the prices skyrocketed. Wangan Midnight was great, too....wish I could understand Japanese so I can play the PS3 game..

AfromanGTO > Ducky 06/06/2016 at 12:54

1

It is so good too!

baelim > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 12:54

0

a lot of folks here who knew about the AE86 got massively excited when the BRZ/FRS came to production. almost made me want to ditch my v6 mustang. almost.

Fatty Mcfatfat > Wheelerguy 06/06/2016 at 13:06

2

Over Rev is pretty unique, since it focuses on a female cast and their lifestyle in contrast to a male-dominant culture. I would also recommend "Countach!!!" as well. A lot of us can identify with what it is covet a dream car, and lose sight of that goal in the face of life.

GarageBoy > cesariojpn 06/06/2016 at 13:08

3

Conversely- many S13s and AE86s would have been scrapped if it wasn’t for the exposure

Fatty Mcfatfat > The Devil Drives a Mustang (Rotary Pending) 06/06/2016 at 13:13

3

Wangan Midnight is definitely more of a seinen manga story, showing the relationship and lifestyle adjustments in relationship to car culture. Because of the focus on the shutoko/expressway, there has to a focus on what it takes to engineer a high speed machine. Initial D is more of a shonen manga story. The focus has to be more about driver skill, handling ability etc as it all about touge/mountain pass driving. There is little focus to how many of the rivals were able to buy and afford their machines, let alone, what most of then do for a living, if at all.

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 13:14

0

To be honest, factually, I wouldn’t call Initial D being the great introduction because of the fact that there’s so many inconsistencies in the manga/anime itself.

For one thing, I’m glad the series finally got off life support.

2wheelmission > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 13:27

0

Can not pass up an opportunity to yell GUMMO TAPE-O DEATH MATCH!!

Those crazy Night Kids!

Ducky > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 06/06/2016 at 13:34

0

Try Kenshin (there were 3 movies). Granted, it’s not particularly difficult to make realistic since it is based on the Meiji period, but it’s actually a pretty good story with great cast, acting, and action. That’s basically the only Live Action that I actually liked.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Ducky 06/06/2016 at 13:41

0

Actually, I did see the first Kenshin movie. You’re right, that was pretty good, and I’m not sure why I forgot about it.

zetec duratec ECOTEC > ncasolowork3 06/06/2016 at 14:13

0

Right? Like, you don’t even have to start with the script. Just the characters. “Tak”? Really? You thought “Tak” would be a good romanization of “Takumi”? You thought american anime fans would run from “Takumi”, but “Tak” is a perfectly acceptable substitute, despite sounding like the noise that your pen makes when you drop it on a hardwood floor?

WTF tokyopop, eat a giant dick. Thank god for Funimation.

zetec duratec ECOTEC > TysMagic 06/06/2016 at 14:14

0

I’m honestly not sure. I always assumed the netflix ones were only subbed. I’ve been watching from Funimation’s website.

ncasolowork3 > zetec duratec ECOTEC 06/06/2016 at 14:15

0

Ignoring the names they actually changed the script in a relatively material way in parts.

zetec duratec ECOTEC > ncasolowork3 06/06/2016 at 14:19

0

Oh, no doubt. But the fact that you don’t even have to go that far to see boneheaded changes really says something. I’d be really curious to know the name of the idiot in charge of all that stuff.

Nimbus The Legend - Riding on air like a cloud > Churba 06/06/2016 at 14:22

1

There is this pretty good anime about Kart racing too...

Decay buys too many beaters > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 14:24

0

It’s certainly had an effect on me, seeing that while I was in high school is likely the reason I’m way more into Japanese cars than European or American. I’m also pretty sure it played a role in the back of my mind when I decided to buy the FR-S.

Keith Moon > lzaffuto 06/06/2016 at 14:26

1

Oh, that is interesting. I guess I was about the same age as Takumi when I first saw Initial D, but I don’t think I could relate to him much. My life at that time revolved around books, soccer, and porn. I wasn’t good with girls, and it would be several years before I’d get a girlfriend, and cars weren’t huge in my country, so we had 5-6 options which were either Japanese with tiny engines (typically around 1 liter or less), or ancient British or Italian copies (Morris Oxford and Fiat 1100D) with inferior engines. I hadn’t even heard of certain manufacturers, like Mazda or Subaru. I don’t even know what it was about the show that got me really interested in it, but I do recall feeling a weird sort of thrill when Takumi raced down Akina with the pedal floored. I still get that feeling when I watch Initial D today.

In a Mini; let them mock me as My Mini Countryman is higher than you > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 14:38

2

THIS THREAD REQUIRE SUPER EUROBEAT:

Quade > RT 06/06/2016 at 14:41

1

I’d argue it peaked in season two but I still watched them all. Got a little gimmicky towards the end. I was expecting Bunta to get roped into at least one race with his STI but it never happened.

I still hear the original voice actor for Itski doing shows even today. Bunta’s VA is everywhere.

Quade > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 14:43

0

I tracked cars for 10 years mainly because of Initial D. Engine swaps and pretty much all brands of Japanese cars. I was sad when it was finally over.

If you read the Manga you could tell the Author was sick of it towards the end. At least he finished it though.

Nimbus The Legend - Riding on air like a cloud > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 14:51

0

I have a bitter-sweet, love hate relationship with this thing.

Years before this came out, my friends and I would drive roads here in the bay area that were in the woods, scenic and curvy. (84 to 1, 84 to 35-skyline to 92, 84 in the east bay to Calavaras to Milpitas)

I lived on woodside road, and 84 was “my backyard” to the point where i had memorized all the turns from the town of woodside, to the beach at highway 1.

We would go after every new modification to our cars, of we were bored on the weekends, or sometimes I would go for late night drives when I wanted time alone to think.

These roads were empty except for daylight weekend hours. and weekdays and late at night, we, or I was alone on the road. Then Initial D came out and these roads were filled with wanna be drifters, groups of cars with exhausts so loud they would wake the dead. Cops constantly went up and down these roads and then there is the skyline Ax man... who unleashed his fury on a friends of a friend’s E36 M3.

I had to stop going to these roads for a while. My only consolation was more seasons of initial d, and better forzas.

LionZoo > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 15:17

4

These days, I enjoy Wangan Midnight more than Initial D. I think it has to do with the fact that many of my friends are now making life choices and those life choices often lead you away from cars. It really hits home and shows the sacrifices that are required if you want to continue playing with giant expensive toys for no apparent reason.

LionZoo > The Devil Drives a Mustang (Rotary Pending) 06/06/2016 at 15:25

0

Also shows that, as much as we think it’s forever, for most people it’s just a phase in their lives and they then move on to other things with their time in car culture nothing more than a pleasant memory.

JSinclair39 > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 15:57

0

I had been a euro-snob driving classic BMWs and VWs growing up but the Initial D anime got me wanting to try something Japanese and try drifting. I figured, “how accurate can this anime be about this little car?” so I gave it a shot. I built this “rough around the edges” red AE86 then sold it for the white drift car below. It sounds dorky but I learned a lot about car control from watching Initial D and the AE86. I miss the driving purity of the cars but I’m glad I got to experience owning a couple!

MzRtS12 > Wheelerguy 06/06/2016 at 16:35

3

Check out Kanojo no Carrera as well. another great female lead manga. Porsche focus this time. great to see how much her Porsche is costing her financially (it’s a LOT XD).

Also Car Graffiti JK, it just started(being translated) but there’s a lot of potential. This one is more slice of life.

Jmaister > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 17:10

0

really crappy ending tho.

Clearly the kid won, and the other guy blew his engine by pushing too hard.. and and “comes down to dog fight experience.”

LAME

drift240 > Nimbus The Legend - Riding on air like a cloud 06/06/2016 at 17:11

1

84 was a pretty fun road. I spent a week in San Mateo for work and had a toyota corolla for a rental. After work, I just drove around to check out the area and sought out the squiggly roads on google maps and came across 84. Made me wish I had my BRZ instead of the Corolla.

Corolla All The Things > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 17:51

0

Love the series, hate the stereo type it helped cultivate for the AE86 crowd. At it’s peak I just called it the Initial D tax.

But at the same time it likely helped keep the car a bit more popular. So I will likely have enough parts to keep it my daily driver for some time.

SonorousSpeedJoe > Urambo Tauro 06/06/2016 at 19:56

1

Great write-up, and thanks for bringing me back down memory lane with that link back to something that I wrote!

In my opinion, though, the anime adaptation of Fifth Stage was kinda bad from what I can recall. The animation was relatively poor (or perhaps I’m just looking at Fourth Stage with rose-tinted glasses in that regard), and some story details were omitted in favor of focusing on the races. They also didn’t devote as much focus to explaining what was going on during races as they did in previous Stages , so the manga tends to make much more sense. The one time “Ave Maria” played struck me as a bit silly, too.

It seems like most of the effort that would have gone into Fifth Stage is being put into the Legends .

Urambo Tauro > MonkeePuzzle 06/06/2016 at 20:40

2

Thanks! Between Jalopnik and Oppositelock, I hadn’t seen (nor could I find) an existing article talking about the series, so I felt that we needed one.