Unlike his friends, Takumi Fujiwara is not particularly interested in cars, with little to no knowledge about the world of car enthusiasts and street racers. The son of a tofu shop owner, he is tasked to deliver tofu every morning without fail, driving along the mountain of Akina. Thus, conversations regarding cars or driving in general would only remind Takumi of the tiring daily routine forced upon him.
One night, the Akagi Red Suns, an infamous team of street racers, visit the town of Akina to challenge the local mountain pass. Led by their two aces, Ryousuke and Keisuke Takahashi, the Red Suns plan to conquer every racing course in Kanto, establishing themselves as the fastest crew in the region. However, much to their disbelief, one of their aces is overtaken by an old Toyota AE86 during a drive back home from Akina. After the incident, the Takahashi brothers are cautious of a mysterious driver geared with remarkable technique and experience in the local roads—the AE86 of Mount Akina.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
lowell
I never thought a story about street car racing would be this entertaining. And if I had known what I would be watching when my friend made me watch the first few episodes, I would have said thanks, but no thanks. ...Boy, am I glad I didn't know. Story: On the surface, it's about a pretty bland high school guy who's got a bunch of car-crazy friends... and turns out to be the 2nd fastest driver in Akina. (Who's first? Ooooh, don't you wanna know?) Below the surface...? Okay, pretty much the same thing. ;) Most of the"story" is just a bunch of kids in cars racing through dark mountain passes ...or talking about racing through dark mountain passes. I know it doesn't sound interesting if you're not into car races, but it was. There's something about the speed and the pressure and the tension that sucks you into the show. And of course, there's also your normal sports anime type general plot of competition and desire, rising to the challenge, overcoming obstacles, etc.
Art: I have to say, this is the biggest downside of the show. Especially in the first season. Thankfully, by the fourth season, there's a remarkable improvement overall in animation quality. One of the most jarring things is the awkward usage of computer graphics for the racing scenes in the first season. There's kind of an old-school feel to the way the people look and the brightness of the show... and then all of sudden out of no where, there's a cgi car that looks like it's from a different decade than the guy driving it. I don't think I ever got used to that.
Sound: Personally, I always prefer subs to dubs. Here, I would really suggest the subs... the voices for English dub didn't feel anywhere near as "right" as the Japanese actors. Whenever I heard the dub, I felt like the voices made me like the characters less. The downside of watching the sub, however, is the Japanese soundtrack. Maybe it's my close-minded American taste, but I would have preferred hearing the hip-hop on the dub to whatever that was used originally.
Character: The main character, Takumi, was somewhat atypical for this genre, I think, and I liked it. Unlike the normal archetypes like the loser who tries really hard or the cocky natural-born genius, Takumi is sort of actually unique: he doesn't know anything about cars and doesn't even really like driving. It was a nice way for the series to start because I didn't care about street racing when I started the show either. So, even though they toss around a little bit of racing lingo, I was never more behind than the main character was... and, as a viewer, I got a chance to become interested in street racing while Takumi got interested in it. I really liked that his development on the show kind of went down the same road that mine did as a viewer. So I thought they did a great job on his character design and development because his attitude and experience is what hooks you and reels you in to what I assume would be an otherwise complicated and technical world of street racing.
Enjoyment: I think you can tell I enjoyed it, right? I had to make mental notes to slow down while driving for a bit after watching the show. Thankfully, I'm too cowardly to try drifting for real! ...And let me tell you, my Corolla never drove like the 86. ;) I think it was also really appealling because Takumi starts off the show as what seems like a normal, typical driver -- it made me feel like there was an inner Takumi just waiting to be woken up buried somewhere in me. (There's not, unfortunately, but I like to delude myself sometimes.)
FAKEANIMEGIRL
(Check out my profile for a link to my site containing more up-to-date reviews and bonus media!) Vroom vroom vroom it’s anime’s most popular racing series, Initial D. Initial D stars Takumi Fujiwara, a constantly spaced-out and quiet gas station worker with no hobbies or interests in life. The normally reserved Takumi is forced into the spotlight when his incredible talent for street racing is discovered, honed by years of doing tofu deliveries for his father’s business. Takumi is forcibly encouraged by his coworkers and friends into putting his racing abilities to the test in order to defend Akina’s hometown pride. Takumi, who first considers racingcompletely uninteresting and cars a bore, gradually discovers the sense of accomplishment and pride his new skills bring, and he’s even more desperate to prove himself as a racer when his carsick love interest compliments his smooth driving.
Takumi is supported by his best friend and racing fanatic Itsuki, as well as upperclassman and lead racer of the Akina Speed Stars, Iketani. Also important are the opponents Takumi races against, most notably the Takahashi brothers, elite racers whose region-ruling elder brother Takahashi analytically plots to defeat the new unstoppable racer. Initial D’s cast is generally realistic and likeable, with mild yet distinct personality archetypes. Characters are passionate about their hobby and take it seriously, but winning or losing at the sport is hardly considered the end of the world. Takumi’s interest in cars and racing grows at an appropriately slow pace and noticing the nuances of his changed perspective on the subject is rewarding and feels natural, but beyond that little of the cast evolves as people. Takumi’s hobby brings out a competitive spirit in him, but he remains unassertive and distant throughout the season. It’s endearing at first when Takumi is the underdog, his lack of charisma going full circle and becoming genuine charisma when contrasted with his confident opponents, but the small range of his personality gets old. His incompetent relationship with Natsuki is cute and does evolve throughout the show, but is otherwise uninteresting to follow. Natsuki has no involvement with the part of the show having to do with racing, and their chemistry is only supported by the childhood friend angle. I have no idea why Natsuki would be interested in a guy who only gives one word responses, doesn’t start conversations, and has no interests or hobbies, but she’s all over him. The supporting cast is weak because everyone plays diffident comic cheerleader to Takumi. The screeching and melodramatic Itsuki straddles the fine line between endearing and unbelievably annoying, just barely landing on the former because of the few subplots in which his incompetency with racing and people despite his passion garners genuine sympathy from the viewer. Iketani ends up listless outside of a short romantic subplot. He’s supposed to be Akina’s number one racer until Takumi shows up, but what little we see of his driving ability is completely unimpressive and far from knowledgeable about racing compared to the rest of the cast. Takumi is also observed in the shadows by his father Bunta, a former street racer who was legendary in his time, and his boss Yuuichi, an experienced driver and friend of Bunta.
The main attraction of Initial D are the races, but there can be a lot of time between them spent on developing the next opponent, preparation, or comedy/daily life between the main characters. Probably more so than most sports anime. This can occasionally be a drag as the races themselves are never in more than three episodes, with even the final race being a meager two. The anime does assume a fair bit of prior knowledge regarding racing and car terminology on the viewer, and it’s arbitrary which parts are explained and to what detail. I had a particularly problem following the physical logic of the races, where characters would explain how a technique was pulled off but without any kind of visual aid. With little racing knowledge such as myself, hearing about how one of the cars moved by shifting gravity and whatnot seems sensible, but it’s difficult to envision and perfectly understand just through dialogue and the simple racing animations which also makes it harder to appreciate the creativity behind the races and the technique itself.
While the framerate of Initial D can be choppy and there might not be a lot of movement, the art itself is solid and pleasant to look at – for the most part. Many criticize the “fish-like” eyes and lips of the character designs, but they’re meant to resemble original manga artist Shigeno Shuuichi’s art style and it’s distinct otherwise, so I like it. By far the most controversial aspect of Initial D’s animation is its use of computer-generated 3D renders for the cars. CG animation was starting to catch on around this time with many studios believing it was the natural evolution of animation. Initial D’s studios jumped the gun on what was still a niche form of animation and haphazardly shoved it into their series in an attempt to look hip and progressive. The irony, as we know now, is that the CG is immediately the aspect of Initial D that dates it the most. Even though CG was a newer animation form than the cel animation used otherwise, the older form is professionally done by experienced animators and has hit around a universal standard of quality in anime, while the CG is technologically primitive and employed by people who have less experience using it. Initial D’s CG cars are basic models that lack texture to give them a realistic surface and have bold, flat colors that contrast heavily with the surrounding environment of 2D animation. So the animation styles clash, look ugly, and break the series cohesion, but what else?
Initial D’s studios also use the CG as an excuse to cut corners (as is often the case with CG ever since). One of the most noticeable things about scenes with CG in the frames is that the 2D cels they’re on will be completely unanimated. Not only is this awkward if you take the time to notice how everyone and everything in the background is as still as a tree as a car pulls up, but any attempts to mask this lack of moving frames is hilariously embarrassing. A constant technique used is to have a CG car pass in front of a group of people in the background, such as driving across a road horizontally, and then have that still frame of spectators swapped another single frame of them looking in the other direction. Cheap animation has been a part of anime since its inception, but not often will you find a 90s anime that reminds you of Astro Boy of all things. And It really is laziness – I can count on one hand the amount of times the series has 2D animation in the same frame as CG animation, but they can clearly do it. There are also occasional instances of disproportional scales and perspective, where a person standing by a car is way bigger than they should be given their distance. Use of CG also discourages use of traditional animation techniques to emphasize a sense of speed. There’s no motion lines, blur, or anything of that sort to drive that sense of whiplash in your face.
This makes the way the races are directed and portrayed far duller than they have to be, or should be. Without such things as those traditional techniques noted earlier there are no ways to distinguish how fast the cars are going in the animation other than speeding up the rate at which the CG model is dragged across the screen, which could look ridiculous. The visual dynamic of the races is extremely hindered in this way, as the cars going across the screen looks the same no matter how many times they do it throughout the series. This means the drama and intensity of the races is primarily conveyed to the viewer literally, by characters commenting on what’s happening during the race or the sense of speed. But the audience should feel like a front row spectator, not needing to have it explained to them in a visual medium about racing what the stakes are or what the rhythm of the race is. The visuals should shift throughout the races to mimic the adrenaline rush and conflicts of the drivers themselves and recreate the dramatic perspective of what the characters are experiencing, rather than have it delivered in such a plain, flavorless manner that it doesn’t sell the intensity of the race but instead dilutes it by having it conflict with the excitement of the literal narrative as delivered through the dialogue. This is, without a doubt, the weakest part of Initial D. The CG cars are not cute or endearing, nor do they simply look aesthetically unappealing as they clash with the primary animation style. The real issue is that they’re an active detriment to the very core purpose of the series, that are used to circumvent positive direction and animation techniques that would make the series more exciting. The studios didn’t have the ambition to take Initial D to the level it should have been and the most important part of the show, the races, suffer greatly for it. Basically, watch Redline and note the masterful ways it manipulates the motion of its animation to emphasize fluidity and speed and notice how none of them are used in Initial D. Even noting the fact that Redline is a blatant fantasy while Initial D is more grounded, that’s no excuse why a series in that vein can’t attempt more tactful use of such techniques to push the action without crossing the line into absurdity. If it’s not even going to try any of that, then what’s the point of animating?
I’m definitely interested in the future of Initial D. While storytelling progress in this first season has been leisurely at best, it hasn’t paused for long enough to give me the impression that Initial D has reached its full potential. Shuuichi Shigeno seems to realize the basics of having to introduce twists to keep the races interesting, and as he should predictably become more desperate he’ll hopefully bring more dramatic and significant deviations to the formula. This is all presumption though, as it still depends on Shigeno’s intelligence and ambition to take Initial D to the next level. Improvements in directing and animation could also be a major help. Though Initial D is a lukewarm thriller so far, there are enough hints of promise to keep me curious in where it could go so I’ll probably watch to its completion. A street racing anime is a fine concept, but it hasn’t come close to full throttle.
lilithilk
I like watching sports anime. People who know me and have accepted the fact that I am a hardcore couch-potato find this hilarious. But the irony doesn't end there. I am a member of minority who does not possess a driving license nor has the faintest clue about driving. After my Yawara "Brain-Imploding-Annoyance-Rage" I was rather desperate. There were very few sports animes left I hadn't watched yet. And I was - still am actually, I can't take bludgeoned faces!- digging my heels in not to watch Hajime no Ippo. Barring any alternatives I gave in to desperation and started watching Initial D though inmy couch potato opinion Street-Car-Racing is no sport.
The art took some getting used to. Every time I saw one of those "fish-on-land-gasping-for-air" mouths I just wanted to smash my fist into it. But then pretty soon something weird happened. I got sucked into the Takumi-Bunta duo.
The story itself is nothing world-moving; the synopsis tells it perfectly accurate.
Like ParaParaJMo says, this anime's hook for me was and is Takumi. He is not only a reluctant hero, but rather a lethargic hero. He breaths, he talks and he walks and he helps out his father with the tofu shop by driving out the goods but driving, it is a chore, that must be done. His heart is not in it. It is not that he is lazy but he has no passion nor any direction in life. Enter the "woman" and the rock starts rolling.
God knows, I would have been as much interested if not more if this was Bunta's -Takumi's father- story, because Bunta is a character like Hiruma & Co (Eyeshield 21). He does things with a purpose even if the main character doesn't have the dream of a clue why. In that manner, Bunta started his son on driving 5 years ago, when he was barely out of diapers and from what we understand he was a strict master. And the fruits of that are now very visible in Takumi.
I like an anime if I like the characters. I have watched and liked animes, anime-lovers would diss. I watch sports animes; yet I barely know the rules of any of the sports; just because I like the characters. The characters here grew on me too. Well most of them anyway. And in Itsuki's case (Takumi's best friend) it was rather like fungus. The development and growth of the characters drives the story on. Even though it is a repeated plot reel, - there is a challenge, Takumi drives, Takumi wins- weirdly it never gets old and you find yourself engaged time and again.
The music is just awesome. It had me wiggling around on my couch so much so that I had a b.tt-print on it every time I watched it.
I would have enjoyed it to the max if the female folk wasn't in there. And that is my only gripe about this anime. Honestly, I think the Mangaka needed to get laid really bad, or may be I am too outlandish but the female folk of this anime is just horrendous. Here is a summary of the female cast in this anime
Takumi's first love interest: A teenage prostitute. Literally. Also rather "I haven't exposed myself in the last 30 seconds so let me show you my panties" type. Color me stiff but if my girlfriend is ok with showing her panties to my father, I'd be rather "peeved"!
Mako: a challenger, also a love interest to Iketani, one of Takumi's friends/Sempai; here is what she says to Iketani: If you make the race happen between me and Takumi I will sleep with you.
Kyoko, a love interest to Keisuke: 3 Seconds after she sees him, he is her "Darling" and she is a whiny, clingy, .... something.
Oh and the mother is not even mentioned.
The art does get better, And by that I mean, thank God they do lose their utmost annoying fish mouths. And the girls are not always there so my annoyance was kept in check, which is why Initial D gets 9 Enjoyment points and 8 overall.
I recommend trying out Initial D. And extend the 3 episode rule to 4 if you are still undecided because Takumi doesn't officially race before the 4th episode. Initial D is worth at least that much of your time.
jmoriarty84
At first, I’ll admit that I did not think I would like the concept at first, but other factors which I will further elaborate on would keep on pulling me into this franchise and would like it more and more. I know it’s not the most exciting or appealing anime, and that I’m not the biggest gear head, but I felt something special about this one. Even though Takumi is not exactly the most appealing anime character of all time, it’s kind of weird that his lack of charisma in some ways makes him charismatic at the same time because he does all his talkingbehind the wheel and he’s a monster at it, and yet, he thinks his abilities are nothing special. The cast is well rounded and they all get equal attention for the most part. There’s not much that goes with story, but the characters is what really drives this anime. But it still has a lot of elements such as some romance, lots of comedy, and it’s a different kind of coming of age story.
I’ll admit the character design isn’t really the most beautiful, nor is the coloring the most glossy. Yes, it’s nothing really great, but the character design is diverse and distinctive in lets say in comparison to Gundam SEED’s, nor way too generic like History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi. I’ll admit Shigeno, the manga artist has a weird way of drawing, but he does have a style of making some of his characters, especially Ryosuke, look distinctively Japanese rather than relying too much on the trademark anime big eyes. Plus, there is none of this wacky hairstyle or hair color bull crap that is so trendy, so I was able to be glad to be away from that.
Plus, the designs of the cars are of course accurate to that of the real cars themselves. I really like how they used CG for the races and it brings a trademark trait to this show. Granted the CG isn’t that impressive looking, but this was 1998. Look at the other CG cartoons that were out back then and compare it to where CG is now in 2008. But despite that, the physics for the most part I will probably have to assume are 95% real because the drift king himself, Tsuchiya Keiichi, was an advisor to the races. A lot of environmental factors are put into play with the outcome such as gutter gripping on the corners for traction. Also, all of the courses present in the show are real life mountains, except Akina is really named Haruna and from what I have heard, they are accurately represented. The show has a lot of technical jargon in relation to the cars and driving techniques. If you don’t have any prior knowledge, it will be hard to understand but at least you’re getting something educational in some bizarre regard.
Now time to really talk about what made me a fan, the Eurobeat music. I first got into this anime in 2000 and was a junior in high school, and I was playing Para Para Paradise every weekend at my local arcade. I loved the music and even found other non-game dance routines on the internet and got addicted to the music. Then one day, my friend gave me this anime to watch and told me to watch it. I thought the opening theme, Around the World by Move, was pretty cool and catchy. Then, the moment things got underway, I immediately recognized the first song, Space Boy by Dave Rodgers and the last song, No One Sleeps in Tokyo by Edo Boys, and I thought, hey, this soundtrack alone has me sold. The Eurobeat in this anime is as synomous and central as is the jazz in Cowboy Bebop. I never watched the dub and to this day, I will refuse to watch it. I heard they change the music to 7th grade level grunge rock and to me, doing that is like replacing the jazz in Cowboy Bebop to Achy Breaky Heart! But trying to put a portion of my biases aside, I felt that the fast paced nature of Eurobeat really suits the fast paced atmosphere of this anime in its own unique way like that.
The Japanese voice cast is also very excellent and multi-talented. I think Miki Shin’ichiro does a great job as Takumi. He does a great job of being quiet and unassuming, but in certain moments, he knows how to sound enraged if you push the right buttons on him. And the voice of Kaneda from Akira, Iwata Mitsuo, is funny as Itsuki. I just love it when he goes Kuuuuuu sound when he’s excited. And I really loved Koyasu Takehito as Ryosuke and his role in playing Ryosuke is why he’s my favorite character. He’s very serious about what he does and he is very charismatic and intimidating, but yet, knows how to act approachable at the same time. Tomokazu Seki as Keisuke I like him being so moody, hot tempered, and is straight out no nonsense. And to conclude, the sounds of the car engines are actually based on the real cars themselves. I saw a documentary on Initial D one time and they showed how they got the real car engine sounds and applied them to the anime. Unfortunately, I will restate I have never seen the dub, but have heard only bad things about it.
OK, I’ll admit that you might not be able to relate to this anime nor most of its characters, or more specifically their situations. It’s definitely not for casual anime fans, or those who like Naruto, Bleach or DBZ. Hell, it’s not even for a lot more dedicated anime fans as well. But as a Para Para Paradise veteran, I just felt the music alone was something I could relate to and I know it’s weird to get into some animes based on that. But eventually, I personally came to embrace Initial D the anime itself. I just felt because it was something out of the norm, I was able to enjoy it. So if you’re truly looking for something different, I say give Initial D a try. I know this anime is not for everyone, but it takes the right circumstances when you get into it to enjoy it for some people.
KanseiDorifuto
Vroom Vroom, if you're into street racing then you'll love initial D. Tak is so gosh darn thicc and irresistible, and my homeboy Shingo can hit a drift faster than anybody can smack that nae nae. Whevever my homeboy Tak does a drift everyone goes zoo wee mama, including me. Bunta is smarter than any Rick and Morty and he smokes really cool. Because of him i've become a heavy smoker and my life expectancy has gone down to 30 years. My boy itsuki sucks at drifting, but he is such a qt π and he does the most epic fails xD. Overall, I'd giveinitial d a 69/10 but i can only rate it out of 10 so whatever :P
JJMFREAP
Initial D is an absolute classic and there isn't much to say that hasn't been said already. If you love cars and motorsports, watch Initial D, it's made for you. If you don't love cars, watch it anyway, it's so good you'll still like it. If you love eurobeat, watch Initial D, it's heaven for you. If you don't love eurobeat, watch it anyway and that will no longer be the case. Point is, this anime is among the best, do yourself a favour and watch it. I personally love deep, intricate, emotionally invested stories. However, often times, it just feels really good to unwind withsomething fun, simple and straightforward. Initial D is one of the best in the latter category. This is a classic anime built solely for one purpose - to be fun as hell! Regardless of what your disposition is going in, after the godly opening from m.o.v.e. finishes, you see those first few shots of Akina pass as the AE86 zips by and the moment you hear Dave Rodgers' supple voice shout "I'M A SPAAAAACE BOOOOY WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH". you're instantly hooked and you know you're in for a good time!
In fact, let's just get the elephant out of the room right away - the music! There are many anime out there with legendary soundtracks, but I can't think of any other series that gets so much of its fun factor and power from the music alone. And how could it not, the pairing of the energetic eurobeat songs with their catchy choruses and infectious synth melodies are just a perfect fit for a racing story and to this day, fast driving, especially drifting, and eurobeat are inseparable. The songs on here are absolutely legendary bangers and raise the entire experience to another level. In the downtime between races, we also get lots of city pop, synthpop, funk, electronic and more that are just as cool and fit the vibe perfectly. Because of memes, it feels almost weird hearing these songs in their original context, like seeing a legendary landmark in person for the first time, but they fit the vibe so well that the feeling quickly dissipates as you're just immersed in the fun and just fully enjoying the moment. What else can you ask for from an anime soundtrack.
Initial D isn't just a killer playlist with some animation attached though, the whole experience is just solid. Now, this is a pretty old anime and the visual are a bit rough by modern standards. They can be stiff, not too dynamic and watching it in not-potato quality can be a hassle. Plus there's some jank in the artstyle too, which some kind of generic faces, stiff posing and what I have dubbed "monkey mouths". You'll know what I mean when you see it. Granted, that last part stems from the manga, as that's what it looks like there. Beyond that though, the visuals are still dynamic and lively enough to keep the story going and my immersion in the story was never broken. When the races kick in, the cars are obviously CGI, but despite its age these visuals look awesome! Clean, fluid and clear as to what is happening. Every single race looked amazing and the CGI allowed the shots to be more dramatic and dynamic. They even bothered with some good rain effects, which was probably pretty impressive for the time.
Story-wise, it's the simplicity of Initial D that really makes it work so well. The story is direct and straightforward with little distractions, the character interactions are quite natural and engaging and the motivations are clear and believable. The voice acting is pretty strong with several big names making some of their earliest big profile appearances. Because of the premise, there are basically no villains here, just rivals that need to be overcome, which helps the story feel really wholesome and laid back in a way, while also keeping you excited for what comes next. In a way, it feels so refreshing and enjoyable, almost like a modern-ish fable of sorts - no philosophical undertones, no deep allegory, no attempt at social commentary. Just the youthful story of a boy and how he fell in love with driving. It's a tale about finding something you're passionate about and then learning to follow it with all your heart. Even the romance was kind of cute and sweet, showing youthful innocence in a really wholesome way and showing how you can find both passions and people that makes your heart flutter. There were some exceptions though as some romantic scenes and subplots were a bit odd. Can't blame them too much though, after all the source material was written by someone who's only ever been intimate with cars. Oh, and Itsuki can be a bit annoying, although he does grow on me a bit by the end. And none of this is anything that detracts from the enjoyment in any significant way.
I've always said that a good mecha anime only works if it's built on the premise that giant robots are cool. In the same vein, a car story needs to be built on the intrinsic coolness and awesomeness of cars and Initial D is the prime example of it. If you love cars, this anime will be custom made for you. Without going into laborious detail or over-the-top explanations of techniques, it tells you all kinds of cool stuff about the vehicles, their drivers, the bond they have and the respect for the course they race. Made in the golden era of affordable Japanese sports cars (aka the prime shitboxes of today), Initial D is a beautiful and oddly timeless microcosm of oldschool motor culture and passion for racing. No overly dramatic cop chases, no illegal shenanigans, no forced interpersonal drama. Just love for the art of driving, love for the cars and a bond with all the drivers. As it should be.
All in all, Initial D has one simple goal and that's to be a straightforward and fun story about racing and at that, it's absolutely God-tier. Nothing even compares. This is what Fast & Furious wishes that it was. Great visuals for the time, simple engaging story and a soundtrack so unbelievably amazing that it defined an entire culture. This anime single handedly made eurobeat a massive sensation in Japan, before helping make it a global phenomenon and something forever associated with racing. This anime is every car enthusiast's wet dream and it's just so perfect for it. Even beyond that though, it's just such a classic and fun story that I firmly believe that everyone, regardless of how much they care about cars, should still watch it. I checked this out with my best friend who knows little about automotive topics and yet we were both equally engaged. Just shows you the timeless and undeniable quality of Initial D. It was made with a lot of love and genuine passion and it shows.
So get in and enjoy the ride!
Bensonas
Round of applause for Initial D Season one. I have absolutely no idea why I waited so long to watch this but I am so so glad I did after watching some average to only just good anime series'. Like another reviewer has said before me, who knew a story about street racing would be so entertaining, and to add to this statement, so exciting. I've not been this excited for a long time while watching anime. Firstly I'm going to begin with the biggest and frankly only hurdle I had to overcome. You are treated to lovely hand drawn animation. The characters look great,the scenes are great and the cars are great. It really is prime animation for it's time. However, when you see the animation for the moving vehicles for the first time, you may be as surprised as I was. Initially I thought, 'what in the name of Sega 1990s arcade cabinets is going on here?'. Very quickly, I got used to it, and by the time I finished this season, I loved it. It really does work towards the end of the season so if you find it off putting, bare with it, it's worth it. To summarise the animation, front to back it's perfection. For it's time, it's perfection anyway. Judging the animation against the animation we have 25 years later isn't fair. Technology has advanced to much since 1998 that technically, it's better now. I would argue however, it has more character and charm back then. Initial D also is a shining beacon of the charm and character of 90s animation I describe and definitely one of the decades best.
Story wise, I'm not sure you need any more than it delivers. Expert pacing, riveting plot, excellent character building, great characters, it has everything. It's really quite funny at times too. Often I find when watching anime over 2 decades old, the 'comedy' doesn't really cut it. Every time this show tried to be funny it made me laugh. Every time without fail. This is down to the superb writing. Very frequently there is comedic relief in amine. Most of the time these characters just arnt funny. Other times they are really over the top and irritating. Both of which fail to serve this purpose. Initial D has Itsuki Takeuchi and absolutely nails it. Not only is he funny he is a genuinely believable character. Itsuki, along with all the other characters are honestly perfect. Brilliantly written and serve their purposes perfectly.
The only negative I have is that the first end credits song is terrible. I am damn sure I would have found this terrible at the time too if my 7 year old self would have watched it. That being said, you can't judge the quality of an anime based on its opening and closing themes. What you can judge it on is the music within the episodes. Yet again, there is not complaints. The music ranges from the cheesy Sega 90s arcade music, for which I challenge anyone to say they genuinely dislike, no one genuinely does, to breakbeat, big beat, 303 tinged goodness. The music fits the show perfectly.
In summary, I scored this show as a 9 before writing this review, the more I wrote, the more I found myself challenging that score, wondering if there is actually anything negative to say. I also have Full Metal Brotherhood and Bebop, among few others, in my 10 rankings. This always makes me measure other 9s against them. Given I can genuinely find no fault with this show, and given their are different levels to the animes I give a 10, looks like my score has changed from a 9 to a 10 whilst writing.
Well done Initial D. Honestly Its one of the most enjoyable animes I've watched and I could watch it again.
AuronSurmount
A friend told me about this Series, the other day. I was skeptical when he explained what it was about. He said it was about street racing and mainly about the cars. To be honest, I am not all that interested in cars. I am like the next person and have a mediocre interest, but not enough where I would be overly excited to watch a series about cars. I was hanging out with my friends at his house when he insisted that we watch Initial D. Still skeptical, i try to convince him to put in something else.. but he was dead set onme watching this series. We started watching the series in the morning, and by the time we stopped I had watched nearly every episode in the first stage.
It never accrued to me that I would have any interest in cars or street racing, until i watched this show. I found myself getting excited or anxious about the coming scene. We ended on episode 20 of 26. Immediately upon going home I decided watch the remainder of the stage online.
I won't say this series was the best I had ever watched, because it most definitely falls short of my favorites, but it definitely made my must see list. The series had a couple major downfalls in my eyes. 1: The Animation was little to be desired. 2. The Animation of the cars did not mesh very well with the animation of the characters. However, the plot and entertainment of the series definitely made up for the shortcomings of the two. Besides those two it was very enjoyable. It doesn't matter if you have interests in cars or racing, it is enjoyable nonetheless.
In my eyes the characters were "iffy". I didn't so much enjoy some major traits in a few of the characters. For example Iggy. I understand that some people are naturally like Iggy, but to me he was pretty annoying. Then again, the series wouldn't be what it is without him. I'm just saying, i get frustrated with him while watching. Looking back in retrospect, that was more than likely what the developers had in mind; to keep the viewer interested.
As for the sound: They did very well in the Japanese Version. The opening theme for the Japanese Version is much better than the opening for the English version. The Japanese version seemed to have more crisp sound compared to the English version. It simply fell short. However, I only watch English Dub. So the English Version sufficed.
Overall the series was very enjoyable. It made my must see list. I will recommend this series to anyone. It was worth my time, so I believe it is worth yours too. Rewatch Value: Medium- Very High
ggultra2764
Yeah, this is one of those shows that have a niche audience that I'm not gonna have interest in continuing further with. I've heard quite a bit about Initial D since college where it was popular with street racing fans and even served as a gateway drug to anime for some. It even gets poked fun of for its subpar animation in some comedy anime like Lucky Star and School Rumble, which I'll cover a little later in this review. Pretty much, Initial D's selling point is the various street racing competitions that male lead Takumi and his friends are involved with. Plenty of in-depth terminologyon the various cars and their parts are part of regular conversation between racers as they hype up the capabilities of their car and driving, as well as any reputation that a reputable racer within the series has. The races are genuinely suspenseful, albeit predictable in their outcomes and usually defy real-life physics, as Takumi finds himself regularly challenged by other street racers throughout the course of the series as he adjusts to the street racing craze and improves his skills in later episodes against unique challenges like a "duck tape death match" or racing in unfamiliar territory. The series does delve into backgrounds and developments of some prominent characters in the series, but many are hard to connect with due either to lacking much in personality (mostly applies with Takumi), are archetypal to a great extent or only exist as challengers to Takumi and to gawk at his exceptional driving skills when he beats them. Essentially, Initial D is mostly focused on racing and you will find yourself rather bored of the series if you are expecting anything more out of it.
Visually, Initial D is quite subpar sporting rough lining and washed-out colors for its scenery and characters designs, the latter sticking out quite prominently with the faces of said characters looking quite off. The races and cars within the series are animated entirely in CGI which looks quite a bit on the cheap side in terms of rendering and the audience in said races looking like cardboard cut-outs while races are in action during many shots. On the plus side, Initial D's techno soundtrack is quite catchy and upbeat, going along nicely with many parts of the show and doing well at making the races in the series seem genuinely intense.
Even with said soundtrack though, it isn't enough to have me wanting to see more of Initial D. The title's premise appeals to a rather niche audience and doesn't have much else that sticks out with it beyond its cliched characters and subpar visual presentation. Your mileage will definitely vary with this one.
jonaswood1999
Welcome, to my first ever review on this website! Introduction: Initial D is one of the first anime I've ever watched, back when I was young and did not know much about anime and cars. Every single race that immediately got me hooked on, the mesmerizing euro beat soundtracks on standing out on a league of their own and of course, the characters, changed me. We'll get onto those in detail in a bit. To me, cars and anime were never really my thing, but after watching this show I wanted to get a license, I could not wait until I was legally allowed to get one.It motivated me, to advance in my life.
Story (10/10):
The story of Initial D is quite simple and easy to grasp. You can watch your TV, phone, computer screen, or whatever you watch it on laid back. A high school student works part time at a gas station, where he meets his co-workers, who are car freaks and members of the "Akina Speed Stars". I shall not tell you more about it. If what you read convinced you so far, you should watch it unfold yourself.
Art (7/10):
The weakest point of Initial D. The animation is sometimes fully computer generated, which I am not really judgeful against, it's more of a "save the budget" thing. The artstyle of this anime though, is not far from the manga. Their facial expressions and the way they look in general look exactly how they looked in Shigeno Shuuichi's source material, if not, even better. With sharp details onto the characters that tend to be underlooked at distant angles, but a problem it is not, as it's not a series that focuses the most on its art and animation.
Sound (10/10):
Music
Car racing and Eurobeat go hand-to-hand now, that is because of Initial D. I would not blame anyone that would listen to a 10 hour playlist of just Initial D music and doing a car crash. The music is just so fitting. The uplifting and energetic atmosphere work perfectly mixed together.
Voice Acting (Sub)
I have watched this series with subtitles, therefore, hearing their original "Seiyuus". The voice acting is pretty good. Takumi Fujiwara was one of Shinichiro Miki's first roles and I could not say it was a disappointing one. It managed to portrait the type of a human being Takumi is. The rest of the cast's voices match their personality also, as most of the people chosen to voice are solid voice actors that provided hard work in the industry for decades. I would not go on with this until I talk about Keiji Fujiwara, which was an amazing voice actor. His voice was just so awesome and in character and I would never forget him. May rest in peace, Keiji Fujiwara! Your work shall always be remembered.
Character (10/10):
A strong point to this series are its characters. Takumi Fujiwara, an 18 years old genius. He is not an archetype of a driving series' main character, in fact, his apathic attitude makes him stand out. He is not this overly energetic loud bastard, he is rather reserved but sharp. Looking at him for the first time, you would not think to yourself that he, is the second fastest racer in Mount Akina. The rest of the characters blend in perfectly and their interactions are real. There is rivalry, there is friendship, even a tad bit of romantic atmosphere between some characters.
Enjoyment (10/10):
I absolutely LOVED watching this show. Every single episode, every single minute spent on it felt like a ride. A night ride, that is. This show has actually changed me as a person, as well, as I previously stated in the introduction. Developed an inner love for cars in me that I didn't even know I had.
Overall (10/10):
Treat yourself and start watching this series right now. I could not recommend it to you more. Likeable characters, simple story, absolutely amazing soundtrack and an enjoyable one, that is. Watch it and see for yourself.
If you agree with my review, be sure to give it a "Helpful" button. If you don't agree, haha, well that's unfortunate. Maybe talk to me about it, as I'm open to discussions about this series.
Kvistis
Whether you're interested in cars or not, Initial D is a fantastic series that will give you the thrill of competition without violence or needless smut. You'll find no explosions, shoot-outs, or gravity-defying shenanigans here, but with its own unique charm, combining the creator's own signature character styles and tasteful use of CGI, and a thoroughly memorable Eurobeat soundtrack, it's nonetheless a series pretty much anyone can get into. On the surface, the story is nothing spectacular: a daydreaming high-school student, Takumi Fujiwara, who works part-time at a gas station is reluctantly drawn into a world he initially has no interest in whatsoever, the worldof street racing. With some years of driving experience delivering tofu for his father's business, he finds that he has a special talent for the sport and over time his discovers a burning passion for it. Throughout it all, we witness his life unfold and the challenges he faces in becoming a man. However, the story alone doesn't make this series. Rather, Initial D is a tapestry of various elements, audio-visual and narrative, that come together so well that it can draw in even those who have absolutely no interest in its main subject. Few works of fiction can do this in such an effective way.
Almost every episode is filled with intense races, often against overconfident, cocky personalities who make you want to see them taken down a peg or two. The idea is rather simple, but it works. There's no profound philosophical commentary here—just a fun, lighthearted ride without pretensions. Similarly, the characters in general aren't super complex, and there's no doubt that Fujiwara himself can seem a bit flat, lacking in emotion, but they're generally endearing or enjoyable to watch either way. When not racing, the show maintains its hook with their progressive personal development.
Of course, the series wouldn't be the same without its legendary music. Even if you've never seen Initial D, or are unfamiliar with anime in general, you've likely heard one or two of the tracks somewhere or other; They've found their way beyond the winding roads of Mount Akina. Eurobeat is made to get the blood pumping through you, ready for any challenge that comes your way, and it works perfectly to bring out the excitement within. You'll be hanging on the edge of your seat as you watch Fujiwara take down smug opponents and better himself in his passion.
As someone who has no passion for cars or racing at all, I remember when I was a teen, the Initial D arcade cabinets were very common in places like cinemas, roller rinks, and, of course, arcades. Along with House of the Dead and Dance Dance Revolution, it was one of the most popular arcade games out there, and that was my first exposure to the franchise. However, I had no interest in racing whatsoever, so I didn't investigate the series itself, and it was only later that I actually gave it a chance. I'm glad I did, as even I found myself rooting for Fujiwara throughout and after each episode daydreaming about drifting down mountains in an 86 myself. So, even if you find other car-related stuff a bore, I encourage anyone to give Initial D a try. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!
Furo
This is my first review and I just finished Initial D so I thought that writing a review could be a good idea. This review is only about the first stage and not the whole franchise. Story: 8/10: The story is pretty classic and is all you might want from an anime about street-racing. It's about recklessness, the will to aim always higher, etc...It's most of the time over the top, but in a good way: after each episode of Initial D you'll get seriously fired up, and even eating a sandwhich afterward will be fucking epic, it will have the taste of sweat and victoryas you headbang to techno music.
Which is my next subject:
Music: 9/10: Damn, that OST is awesome. If you are into Eurobeat, just watch it already, but if you hate that 90s techno music, just go away, this anime is simply not for you and you will dislike it even if you like the characters and the story. However, I did not rate it 10/10 for one reason: when the race start, the music is intense and all, but once it ends and you come back to the daily life of the protagonists, the OST becomes old and unoriginal, sadly.
Character: 9/10: This anime isn't just a race after an other, there's actually a lot of enjoyable characters. The MC, while some people might call him a Gary Stu (his ennemies have literally no chance to win), there's actually some character development and your typical sleepyhead who becomes a beast when driving actually shows some depth. The same can be said about his crew and his opponents.
Also, the interaction between the characters are really interesting in the sense that they are rather mature and it shows (the way they handle the romance, for exemple, isn't the way it would be in your typical anime).
Art: 5/10: And now the worst part. Time wasn't really gentle with that anime. The art isn't great, the animation isn't fluid and worse, the CGI is horrible. Of course, I can easily imagine that at the time it was airing, those who watched it found it outstanding, but CGI gets old really fast, sadly.
Enjoyment: 10/10: It was amazing, I just can't stop listening to Night of Fire at full blast (and my mom now thinks I'm weird) and even if the CGi got old, the anime is still as enjoyable nowadays as it was before because a good anime never really dies and Initial D is definitely one of those.
sp4ce1
*** This is a review of all the stages of Initial D (contains spoilers) *** Initial D is one of my favorite animes of all time. Whilst it arguably doesn’t have the best story and certainty not the best animation/art it has influenced me so much. I happened to find the song “Déjà vu” on YouTube and thought it was kinda good, so I looked into it and found that it was from Initial D. I started watching it not expecting too much but wow, it is just great. This later got me into getting into cars which has now become a huge part of mylife. My favorite stage is stage 3 closely followed by stage 1.
STORY: 8/10
Like I mentioned the story is nowhere revolutionary but, in my opinion, it is still great. The fact that Takumi is winning every race could easily get boring however the races are incredible intense, and it constantly feels impossible that he could win. One thing I also really enjoyed was the relationship between Takumi and Natsuki and I thought it was a little disappointing when she left in stage 3, and nothing replaced her until stage 5 with the golf girl (I don’t remember her name) which they didn’t give her nearly as much screentime. The races are overall good paced and even though some of them are quite long they don’t feel like they are dragged out.
ART: 8/10
The art in the earlier stages is not the best, but it has a charm to it. My favorite art style is probably from stage 3, the character designs are great, and this is the point where the cars and races start looking a lot better. You can still see that it’s not perfect yet, but it’s getting there. Stages 4 – final look fantastic, the cars are realistic, and they have improved a lot. The character designs however are in my opinion a little worse than before, its hard to explain why but I just don’t think they look as good.
SOUND: 10/10
The sound is absolutely phenomenal, the engine sounds are extremely accurate, and the voice acting is really solid. Then there is the Eurobeat, wow. It fits so good with the races and if it weren’t for the music the races wouldn’t be nearly as exiting. It has gotten to the point where I listen to Eurobeat in my everyday life just because I like it that much. The ops and eds are also great with both visuals and music.
CHARACTER: 9/10
The characters are also a highlight. The interactions between Takumi and his friend group are realistic and feels like people I could be friends with. Natsuki is one of the most interesting characters in the series and when Takumi finds out that she is dating a middle-aged man as well as how they interact afterwards are some of my favorite parts. The scene where Takumi races up Akina in the snow to save Natsuki is probably the best in the whole show, and I get chills every time I watch it. The minor antagonists are well established and are not one dimensional.
ENJOYMENT: 10/10
Initial D is a blast to watch especially stages 1 – 3 (and maybe 4). While I enjoyed stage 4 and the races were amazing, I felt as there were too many with no breaks in between. The statement stands for stage 5 and final as well, but they are worse (but nowhere bad) in my opinion. In combination with the great, fleshed out characters, amazing races and fantastic music my enjoyment is through the roof.
OVERALL: 10/10
This is in my opinion one of the best animes I’ve ever watched and YES, I am biased. From an objective point of view this surely is not a 10/10 but I just can’t rate it any lower, Initial D will always be one of my favorite and most impactful shows of all time.
phynto
Being someone who despised anime and everything about it growing up, I'm very picky about my anime. If it's all boobs bouncing up and down with no story, I'm not going to enjoy it. If it's boring and repetitive, I am not going to watch it beyond the first season. If there is no story, I am not going to put it on my favorites list. This anime is none of those. First of all, let me say, I find it weird how many people comment on how choppy the animation is. Yes, it's absolutely choppy and cheesy. We're talking about high speed racing and driftingboth drawn and computer generated from the late 90's. Popular mid to late 90's anime always looks great with choppy animation to make up for the lack of ability to animate enough frames per second as popular anime of today. That's just a fact we'll have to accept. Plus the animation gives off a retro vibe and makes it unique from all this unoriginal anime of today.
I always have been, though I lean towards trucks, a car guy. Started out liking American classics, began to eyeball American sports, had a bit of sub-average admiration for European super cars, never was a fan of the Bugatti, always have been and will be a fan of American muscle, in fact, the Hellcat will top my list for a long time, but the Japanese drifting scene is something you cannot overlook. (Update: Since writing this review, Japanese classics have become some of my most favorite cars, but the Hellcat is still my favorite car of all time.)
I'd already had a minor fascination for retro Japanese in-line sixes and understated four banger technology. And, I mean, everybody loves a Skyline, right? But this anime fueled that fascination much further. Being the birthplace of the fame for the 86, it was no surprise how much this show favors it, but it still gave a good look on other vehicles. Watching this show, I learned the terms FR and FF (FR gang) and what a hairpin turn is, and other terms, which was cool. But don't expect to learn anything about actual driving.
You won't learn how to drift from watching this, as everything the characters say is superficial crap, but that far from ruins the immersion and excitement. The fact that everything going on in the show is larger than life and beyond stretched truth without reaching levels of science fiction makes it far more entertaining. Every race is, of course, repetitive, because the show mostly centers around one single stage/track, but always introduces a challenge for our main character and keeps you on the edge of your seat. They also do an amazing job of keeping the races on screen for awhile, but not making it drawn out and boring. The writers must know exactly how to keep someone paying attention, because the transitions between episodes are perfect and will keep you pressing the "next episode" button.
So, to kind of summarize what I've said, short and sweet, the show is pretty great. It's very entertaining and will help you understand the fascination of Japanese sports cars and turn your attention to the drift scene of Japan's past. The races are a bit repetitive but not excessive, even though you pretty much always have no doubt that Takumi will win every single race despite how much the challenger throws at him.
This was an great anime, and now I'm going to sink my life into watching every season and special I can find.
Lucky2525
Honestly this is by far the best racing/car anime I've ever seen. Filled with lots of drifting and lot of different cars such as the AE86, the Mazda RX-7, and many more! I mainly enjoyed Initial D for the variety of cars and the depth that the creators went into when made the anime. Another thing I would like to mention is the music, the music helps add suspense and excitement plus it's just genuinely good music. The art is very good showing different scenes of the cars turning around corners as well as doing pretty well animating it. I encourage you to check itout because you will be in for a wild ride. (great pun)
FireEmblemIke24
First Stage review Who would have thought that the fastest driver in town is just your everyday tofu delivery boy. High schooler Takumi Fujiwara’s perception of driving changes after being encouraged to enter his first street race. Remember it’s illegal! Story – You would think that an anime revolving around street racing would get pretty dull after a couple of races or so but that is not the case with Initial D. The story begins with the laid-back Takumi being forced to enter a street race by his father which was meant to be Ikitani’s problem who is his co-worker at his part-time job. Takumi accepts the proposaland wins it in convincing fashion with an ulterior motive, which is he would be rewarded with a full tank of gas for his date with a girl named Natsuki.
There is romance development but it’s not a major thing in this season from what I’ve seen. After seemingly doing the impossible, Takumi inevitably gains a reputation of being the fastest driver on Mt. Akina that drives a [i]’Toreno 8-6’[/i] which gets rumours spreading mainly about his skill. This results in numerous challenges being thrown at Takumi one after another, with each being under different circumstances that gives rise to an entertaining racing series. After overcoming many challenges, Takumi comes to a realisation that there is more to being a good driver in street racing.
Art –
The computer graphics should be highlighted as it’s either a hit or miss with some people. The fact that it composes 50% of the driving scenes signifies its overall importance as without it, this anime just may not be possible. The fact that the CG used in an anime made in the late 90s makes it kind of surreal in a sense, as the quality was fantastic and maybe on par with series further down the timeline. The CG animation was smooth throughout and never really dragged too much which left a great impression on me. The only real downside to the CG is when certain scenes are used for more impact such as the slow-motion which makes the CG look awkward compared to a faster moving scene that is more natural.
That said, the CG was well choreographed with the human backgrounds being used effectively at certain angles. The hand-drawn art however was tolerable as it used standard designs that are prevalent in many series but I hadn’t set any expectations considering how dated it was anyway. The background art was more pleasing to the eyes than the character designs personally which adds to the overall experience. I’d rather watch this show for the CG which just shows you the sheer difference between the two elements.
Sound -
Probably one of my favourite aspects of the show. The method in which the tracks were used every time a street race would take place would get me excited. The tracks that were used in the races were various and consisted of some very nice vocals. The tempo and pace at which the pace at which the tracks were played is another plus, as they never went on for too long whilst remaining sufficient and appropriate for the different parts. The show had that natural 90s tune every time a slice of life scene came into play which always gets to me. The OP/END themes were OK as they really are there just to get you hyped for the contents of the episode. Skip them and save time.
Characters
Character development for the MC is evident throughout this show and so you must be blind to casually dismiss it. Takumi is very caring and holds much respect to the ones close to him as he detests other making vulgar remarks humiliating his friends which brings consequences. Takumi is quick to act, which is seen from him getting into a physical brawl or through a driving challenge. Takumi before being addicted to street racing would just see driving as a normal thing that helped his family’s business. After his numerous feats against other drivers, he really understood the joy of being in the race and the thrills it gave off to the competitors and even the spectators who are everywhere.
The side characters were also explored in some depth such as his chummy best friend Itsuki and co-worker Ikitani who both had their fair share of problems regarding other drivers. The number of mistakes that led to Takumi being called to correct their faults was numerous, which was something I despised greatly as it gave off the impression that he is truly dependable at any time.
The other challengers were analysed to various levels such as the Takahashi brothers from the Redstuns who were primarily responsible for Takumi’s awakening for the streets. The Night Kids also had some members who literally put Takumi in a tricky situation that may be interpreted as being too extreme. There was also a lot of focus on identity evaluation/perceptions as was the case with the female driver at Uuso pass.
Verdict –
The series was so enjoyable that it didn’t take me that long to finish it. I would recommend this to anyone seeking a competitive racing series with high stakes involved or maybe any car enthusiast as some of the terminology really threw me for a loop. A very good series 8/10.
Bagietson
THIS THING IS A MASTERPIECE! When I first started watching Initial D, I dodn't like the old CGI and art style, but that's only the first season. And OH MAN is the story good. Also the music is outstanding. The show builds up drama in a very good and entertaining way. From a person that likes cars, I want to say that this is the best show I have ever watched. if you don't like cars/japanese car culture, this could be a great incroduction, but that's not what you watch a show for, so I'll just leave it here. Peace!
Luxbecca
I never know how to begin something like Reviews so I’m going to start right in. This is going to be a very long text, so put on your seatbelts and enjoy the ride. ( I haven’t seen any other sequel, prequel, OVA, Special or Movie of Initial D at this point in time) To kind of give a conclusion of the whole Review right at the beginning: Initial D as an anime is really not for everyone. I will soon enlighten you why that could be the case, but to take your suspicions of me not liking the anime away I will say that I absolutely adorethis anime.
Somehow it drifted elegantly into my heart and raced its way to the 1# spot of my favorite anime of all time. I really did not expect this to happen when I started to watch it.
The simple reason I was giving it a shot was: the Memes.
As a Meme expert and certified Edgelord, as well as a burning anime consumer and defender, it was my royal duty to dive into the past and evaluate the one, the only, the glorious Meme source that was Initial D.
Now, I wasn’t prepared for anything that was about to drift into my life. I was expecting a race car anime with brilliant and hyped music - true - but a decent one at best, concerning that I wasn’t interested in cars or races in Formula 1 -style in the slightest. I’m kind of hot for the bad boy attitude though, what gave me the thought that Initial D could catch my interest with the concept of (very much illegal) street races.
Watching the first episode, I was baffled. It looked ugly as hell.
Now, I knew that Initial D was as old as I was being released in 1998 and rowing itself in the glorious times of the late 90s anime like Sailor Moon and early episodes of One Piece, I was expecting the old way of drawing - but not this.
On the first look it seemed very cheap produced, parts of the face, especially the mouth, were disproportionate all together as well as in scenes that were meant to be serious. In the first episode I had to laugh a few times out loud because of how ridiculous the characters looked.
BUT: It is very, very important that you keep watching! Don’t let the masquerade of a poor production fool you! Because this ‘bad style’ of drawing, I realized later, is Initial D’s very own and unique thing. It gives the whole story and concept a special kind of charm that gives you the mood of light heartedness and childish silliness - the key to an image of a world that is hold together and peaceful from within.
Me, being a person that is never greatly bothered by ‘bad style’, naturally continued watching.
And by the time I finished the second episode I was completely hooked. What makes Initial D so unique and different in comparison to some other anime is that it has not only one, but multiple factors that make it absolutely enjoyable. First of all there are the races. Oh, the races. I tell you, and it’s the absolute truth, that I never had so physical reactions in front of the PC screen than ever before. The races make your heart beat fast, your blood filled with adrenaline and your head nod in the rhythm of glorious Eurodance songs like ‘Running in the 90s’ or ‘Nights of Fire’.
First and a half-ish: When I heard that this ‘primary rock’ anime had 3D-animations in it, I was worried. Most 3D-animations, even today, are a pure disaster and poorly executed, so how bad would it be with this old 90s anime? The answer I found out pretty fast while watching: the 3D-animations were solely used in battles and it made it absolutely amazing. It fit in so well with the tacky style of the show that it enhanced the watching experience greatly.
Second: The main character. Unlike most main characters I’ve seen that are simply stupid, loud and just have a lot of courage and feeling for friendship to make up for it, these character traits are pushed to the side on the protagonist's best friend. Initial D’s main character is quite, spacey and in the beginning lacks in interest for anything. ‘Don’t know’ is probably his favourite phrase. I don’t want to spoil too much here. What happens with Fujiwara Takumi over the course of the anime you have to see for yourself.
I’m Luxbecca. I’m picky, judging and the worst to discuss anime with, but somehow this silly, old anime with topics against all my interests had made its way to my heart.
And it will probably stay there forever.
- Luxbecca
(Excuse grammar and spelling mistakes in this Review or generally when a sentence is built weird, English is not my first language)
Jus1294
Rev your engines and blare the eurobeat, it's time for an Initial D review by yours truly (minor spoilers might be ahead): Story- The story of Initial D as a whole is definitely nothing revolutionary, character who is naturally skilled at drifting finds his desire to win races over the course of the 26 episode span. The technical speak will shine with car enthusiasts, while not being overbearing on newcomers of the interest. Overall, it's a straightforward premise that meets out what it set out to do. Art-This part of the series this early on is 100% its weak point. The animation itself is also pretty muddied and dark in a way that doesn't benefit the look of the anime. Shuuichi Shigeno's character design isn't very pristine or distinguishable at times, where as multiple male characters tend to look rather similar, from their build to even their hairstyles. Takumi, Ryosuke and Kenji look like the same character template at first glance. The priority here absolutely were the cars and boy he did a good job on making them look slick. Now for the big ol' elephant with stage 1 and 2. That CGI, man. Booooooy, it has not aged well. I'll at least give it credit for not being a choppy 10 frames or less nightmare like shit we seem to get now. I get they were running on a limited budget and this season is over 20 years old now, but it did take getting used to.
Sound-
Best anime soundtrack ever. This kind of enhancement the music gave the series is incredibly rare. The only other series that pops to my head that performed on this kind of level is Cowboy Bebop with its symbiotic relationship to Bebop itself. Competing with Yoko Kanno is no small feat and I applaud whoever decided that eurobeat would fit Initial D, because my god, it did.
I only got one word necessary to describe the songs used in this show: Hype
Characters-
Mainly focusing on Takumi, and Takumi's friends, I highly enjoyed most of them and their development. Stage 1 is easily the most narrative driven for Takumi's friends and Stage 4 is where we get to see more of that. Takumi is an air head who really doesn't care for much of anything until he discovers his burning desire to win. Over the course of Stage 1 and 2 we get to see him take the steps into becoming a serious driver while overcoming several obstacles along his way wether it be, well known highly skilled drivers or drivers who'd do basically anything to win. Itsuki is a self-proclaimed member of Iketani's squad and more or less serves as the side-kick, best friend "racer" to Takumi. He comes off as a goober or a dolt a lot of the times, however it's usually in the interest for the best for his friends. Iketani is the coworker of Takumi and Itsuki, whom brings in a lot of the technical jargen to help his juniors understand their cars more. He's somewhat brash and thick headed over Takumi's abilities, but he plays a driving force into Takumi's first steps into a better racer. The Takahashi brothers are great as well, but get most of their development in Stage 4 and beyond. Keisuke is more or less Takumi's rival who's always trying to better himself throughout series, meanwhile Ryosuke the older brother is a cool-headed student of the game type. Always taking hours on end to study the courses and racers under his wing to improve them.
Bonus:
Voice acting-
Both the sub and dub VA were great, I prefer versions of characters in each. Both of Ryosuke's VA's are standouts. Takehito Koyasu and J. Michael Tatum are superb at their jobs.
Pros:
Likeable story and characters
Races are entertaining as hell
Soundtrack is the damn GOAT
Cons:
Animation and CG are clearly dated at this point
Thanks again for taking the time for reading my reviews again everybody. Hope you gained some interest into one of my favorite series.
