Initial D references in other media

Since its release, Initial D has been parodied in other entertainment media. Characters, cars, and segments parodying the races from the show. Here are a few references.

Aho Girl
In the episode "Drive! Aho Girl!", Yoshiko rides her dog to Akina and ends up challenging a legendary rider to a race similar to the Initial D series. The race sequence is also in a manga form. It also somewhat resembles "Baribari Legend", a motorbike manga series also produced by Shuichi Shigeno.

Chousuku Henkei Gyrozetter
In Episode 37 of the anime adaptation, Shunsuke, driving a blue Nissan 370Z, races with his former senior Yuzuru (nicknamed "Yuzuru 86), driving a 1983 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX AE86 carrying tofu behind his car. It also has decals in Japanese similar to the one in Initial D, but the word means "Hakkai Tofu Store (Private Use)".

Forza
The Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-Apex was added in the Series 18 update for Forza Horizon 4. The perks available for the car are references to the cars history, including several nods to Initial D.
 * "[Eurobeat Intensifies]" - reference to the meme, spawned from Initial D's use of Eurobeat
 * "Déjà Vu" - referencing the Dave Rodgers song of the same name, prominently featured in Initial D: Second Stage
 * "Pass Master" - a reference to touge racing (touge is Japanese for pass)
 * "Meme Machine" - referencing the many memes that have come out of the Initial D franchise
 * "Step on the Gas" - a reference to Gas Gas Gas by Manuel, first featured in Initial D Arcade Stage 5
 * "Bonus Stage" - referencing the "stage" naming of the Initial D anime and games (e.g. First Stage, Arcade Stage)
 * "Multi-Track Drifting" - a reference to Densha de D, a parody of the Initial D series featuring trains instead of cars
 * "Bring Home the Tofu" - a reference to Bunta Fujiwara's tofu business, as well as Takumi's role as a tofu delivery driver
 * "Kansei Dorifuto" and "NANI?!" - both referencing a scene from the first battle of the series, featured in Chapter 003 of the manga and Act 1 of First Stage, that has been frequently memed

Gran Turismo
The Toyota SPRINTER TRUENO GT-APEX (AE86 Shuichi Shigeno Version) '00 has been featured in every Gran Turismo game since Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec except for Gran Turismo Sport. It is based on a Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX that Shuichi Shigeno owns, based on the Project D version of Takumi's AE86.

Lucky Star
In the episode, "Fixtures of Summer", Nanako and Yui are driving Kagami, Konata, Tsukasa, and Miyuki to the Miuru-kaigan beach area. However, on the way, a yellow Mazda RX-7 begins to pass them, resulting in Yui challenging the unseen driver to a race. It is revealed in the segment that Yui is a skilled driver. During the race, the song "Gravity" is heard and is sung by m.o.v.e, the Japanese group known for doing the opening and ending themes of Initial D.

My Mental Choices are Completely Interfering with my School Romantic Comedy
In the 9th episode, Utage, driving her Toyota Vellfire, is transporting her friends. She then witnesses a black Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 and races against it.

Need for Speed (2015)
The Toyota Sprinter GT-APEX AE86 mentions Initial D in its description.

Pop Team Epic
In episode 4 of the Pop Team Epic anime, SWGP 2018, a character known as "GTR" appears, based on Takeshi Nakazato. His skeleton bobsled is based on the GTR R32, with him saying that the ""R" in GTR stands for the legend who is invincible!". He is promptly blown up with a rocket launcher.

In the Funimation dub GTR is voiced by Joel McDonald, the English voice actor for Takumi Fujiwara.

Steven Universe
The episode "Beach City Drift" parodies Initial D.

The racing site where characters Kevin and Stevonnie raced at resembles Mt. Akina.

The fictional Dondai Supremo driven by Steven Universe in the series (but borrowed by Stevonnie in the episode) is based on a 1992 Volkswagen Golf MK2, with elements borrowed from 1986 Toyota Sprinter Trueno. As such, it resembles the AE86 used by Takumi Fujiwara in the Initial D series (which, like the Supremo, was owned by his father), while Kevin's Himitsu X-12 is based on the 1991 Mazda RX-7 Type-R (FD3S) driven by Keisuke Takahashi. Both are painted similar to their Initial D counterparts, too.

The driving sequence, with the Eurobeat inspired soundtrack and closeups of the pedals, imitates the races from the said series.

Stevonnie's ignorance about the car (knowing it only as a "Dondai", when Ronaldo talks about the "power of Supremo") also references the anime, in which Takumi initially doesn't understand when his car is referred to as an "AE86", as he only knows the "Trueno" name on the badge.

The Fast and The Furious (2006 Video Game)
In the "drift" portion of the main story, the first racing team encountered, called Kansai, is full of members referencing Initial D. The most blatant ones are "Hiroto", who drives an AE86 Trueno identical to Takumi's Fifth Stage AE86 (complete with a kanji sticker on the side door!), "Reisuke", who drives an FD RX-7 very similar to Keisuke's in Third Stage (where it bore the early Project D Mazdaspeed body kit as well as the Red Suns stickers), and "Kyosuke", who drives an FC RX-7 nearly identical to Ryosuke's in the first three stages.

They Are My Noble Masters
In episode 3, Colonel is transporting Ren Usuegi in his personal limousine. However, a black Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 (similar to the one owned by Takeshi Nakazato) passes them. Colonel then challenges the Skyline to a duel, resulting in him drifting easily to beat the car

Tokyo Xtreme Racer
There are several references to the Initial D franchise in the Tokyo Xtreme Racer series.

Wangan Midnight
In the series, there are a few references to Initial D. One of the characters, Kouichi Kijima, drives a Mazda RX-7 FC3S similar to the one driven by Ryosuke Takahashi, while Masaki, drives a yellow Mazda RX-7 FD3S similar to the one driven by Keisuke Takahashi. In the arcade games (starting with Maximum Tune 4 til 5DX+), a group of "Racer Wannabes" drives a modified Toyota AE86 and a yellow Mazda RX-7, cosplaying as the vehicles driven by Takumi Fujiwara and Keisuke Takahashi during the Project D arc in the series. In the anime adaptation, an AE86 makes a cameo appearance in the 5th episode where it is driven by a couple when Yoshiaki Ishida buys a pantyhose from them so he can repair his Ferrari Testarossa.