Initial D (頭文字D, Inisharu Dī) is an anime adaptation of the manga of the same name by Shuichi Shigeno. The anime is comprised of 11 "stages" (6 main stages, 2 extra stages, and 3 battle stages), which were released between 1998 and 2021.
The series has two English dubs, a dub of the First and Second Stages (including Extra Stage) that were released from 2002 to 2009 by Tokyopop, and a dub by Funimation of First through to Fourth Stage released in 2010-11. Many other languages received dubs, including a Latin Spanish dub (released in 2005), a Spanish dub (released in 2008), a Portuguese dub (released in 2005), a rare Mandarin Chinese dub, an Italian dub (which only dubbed 12 episodes), and a French dub.
The series was followed with the New Initial D the Movie trilogy: Awakening, Racer and Dream. The films are a retelling of the early part of the series, though they are different from the original anime as they follow the manga closer.
Stages[]
Initial D (1998)[]
Initial D (retroactively known as Initial D First Stage) was released from the 18th of April 1998 to the 5th of December 1998 and had 26 episodes.
Synopsis[]
Takumi Fujiwara is an 18-year old high school student uninterested in most things while delivering tofu every day to a hotel in Akina. Along with his best friend Itsuki Takeuchi, they both work part-time at a gas station. One day, while delivering tofu, he begins to become a racer himself just as he passes Keisuke Takahashi and his Mazda RX-7 in an impromptu race. This attracts the attention of the Akagi RedSuns, who seek to defeat the "ghost of Akina". Takumi's victory against Keisuke Takahashi in a rematch attracts other teams who seek to challenge him, including the Myogi NightKids.
Second Stage (1999-2000)[]
Second Stage was released from the 14th of October 1999 to the 6th of January 2000 and had 13 episodes.
Synopsis[]
A new team called Emperor has come to Gunma, defeating street racers on its path until Takumi Fujiwara defeats Seiji Iwaki, breaking their winning streak. In response to this, Kyoichi Sudo decides to challenge Takumi to a race in order to teach him a lesson, resulting in Takumi's Eight-Six blowing its engine. While Takumi tries to have a new engine for his car, Ryosuke Takahashi comes out of retirement to challenge Kyoichi on Akagi. Meanwhile, a fellow driver with another AE86 comes to challenge Takumi to a race!
Extra Stage (2000)[]
Extra Stage was a 2 part OVA released on the 22nd and 29th of February 2000.
Synopsis[]
With the threat of the Emperor team's rise on their Gunma sweep, Mako Sato and Sayuki prepares to face the possible threat of a dangerous battle while Takeshi Nakazato and Shingo Shoji meets up with Impact Blue to warn them about the impending battle. Later on Impact Blue and the NightKids go on a winter vacation, where Mako begins a relationship with one of the NightKids.
Third Stage (2001)[]
Third Stage was a 105 minute (1 hour and 45 minutes) anime film released on the 13th of January 2001.
Synopsis[]
About to graduate from high school, Takumi has been given the offer by Ryosuke Takahashi to join his new team, Project D. Deciding whether or not to join him, he first settles the score with Kyoichi Sudo on Irohazaka, resulting in Takumi winning. However, he feels like the victory was a tie rather than an actual win. Later, the son of an old rival challenges Takumi to a race on the same course after witnessing him defeat Kyoichi Sudo. The movie also shows the appearance of Miki, a former student at the same high school Takumi attended who was once punched by him for bragging about his sexual exploits with Natsuki. As time goes by, Takumi challenges Ryosuke to another race and parts ways with Natsuki after graduating high school, just as he joins the new team.
Battle Stage (2002)[]
Battle Stage was a compilation of every race from the first three stages. It featured brand new animation and a new soundtrack, along with guest commentary by Keiichi Tsuchiya. It was released on the 15th of May 2002. It also features an exclusive battle that was mentioned in the manga.
Fourth Stage (2004-2006)[]
Fourth Stage was released from the 17th of April 2004 to the 18th of February 2006 on Animax and had 24 episodes.
Synopsis[]
The series follows the exploits of the new team founded by Ryosuke, Project D, which is compromised by Ryosuke himself as the team's coach, downhill specialist Takumi, and uphill specialist Keisuke, and a staff compromised of former Akagi RedSuns members. The team travels region by region, challenging other local teams and posting the results of the battles on their website. As Takumi begins to mature, he even begins to develop special techniques such as the Blind Attack and using weight shifting to execute maneuvers similar to the Gutter Run. However, he must also contend with the "Four Wheel Drive Complex" after being overtaken by a Subaru Impreza. But when he finds out that the mysterious driver was his father, he also must learn a lesson in the new car to improve his skills as a driver and to get a feel of the characteristics of modern cars.
Battle Stage 2 (2007)[]
Battle Stage 2 was a compilation of every race from Fourth Stage. It was released on the 30th of May 2007. It also features battles that didnt appear in Fourth Stage, specifically Keisuke's race against Atsuro and his race against Smiley Sakai.
Extra Stage 2 (2008)[]
Extra Stage 2 was an OVA released on the 3rd of October 2008. This marks the 10 year anniversary of the Initial D anime.
Synopsis[]
Impact Blue decides to hone their skills in the hill pass of Usui before Mako decides to retire from street racing into a pro, as they are confronted by two men in an Altezza who battles with them after the latter mocks the former. Later on it is seen that after Koichiro Iketani messes up his chance to meet up with Mako earlier, he finally gets a chance to meet her again. But this time, he lands in more trouble as he has to help an old man get to his destination, while Mako patiently waits up for him. Will he able to meet up with her just in time and tell her about his true feelings to her?
Fifth Stage (2012-2013)[]
Fifth Stage was released from the 9th of November 2012 to the 10th of May 2013 on Animax PPV and had 14 episodes.
Synopsis[]
Still working as part of Project D, Takumi and Keisuke continue to challenge courses and teams in the Kanagawa Prefecture. Takumi attracts the attention of a young golf phenom after having an encounter with imposters, while Ryosuke settles a score from the past, revealing their backstory. Meanwhile, a young silent spectator in a similar AE86 watches Takumi's races.
Final Stage (2014)[]
Final Stage was released from the 16th of May 2014 to the 22nd of June 2014 and had 4 episodes.
Synopsis[]
With every team defeated by Project D, it comes down to one final race. Takumi has never lost a race before, but when his new opponent is using an AE86 just like him, it turns out to be one final battle of the AE86. Will Project D succeed in the final and most difficult race? With characters going to different paths, Takumi's dream of being the "fastest one out there" will never end.
Battle Stage 3 (2021)[]
Battle Stage 3 was a compilation of every race from Fifth Stage and Final Stage. Unlike the previous battle stages, this battle stage doesn't feature any new content (except for its soundtrack) and doesn't feature any character dialogue. It was released on the 5th of March 2021.
Cast[]
First Stage[]
| Character | Japanese VA | Tokyopop VA | Funimation VA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Takumi Fujiwara | Shin-ichiro Miki | Dave Wittenberg | Joel McDonald |
| Itsuki Takeuchi | Mitsuo Iwata | Robbie Rist | Josh Grelle |
| Koichiro Iketani | Kazuki Yao | Crispin Freeman | Eric Vale |
| Kenji | Wataru Takagi | Jason Spisak | Christopher Bevins |
| Natsuki Mogi | Ayako Kawasumi | Kat Cressida | Brina Palencia |
| Bunta Fujiwara | Unshō Ishizuka | Kerrigan Mahan | Kent Williams |
| Yuichi Tachibana | Tomomichi Nishimura | Michael McConnohie | Chuck Huber |
| Keisuke Takahashi | Tomokazu Seki | Steve Blum | Todd Haberkorn |
| Ryosuke Takahashi | Takehito Koyasu | Lex Lang | J. Michael Tatum |
| Fumihiro | Osamu Hosoi | ? | Chris Cason |
| Shingo Shoji | Keiji Fujiwara | Quinton Flynn | Vic Mignogna |
| Takeshi Nakazato | Nobuyuki Hiyama | Wally Wingert | Chris Burnett |
| Mako Sato | Michiko Neya | Bridget Hoffman | Colleen Clinkenbeard |
| Sayuki | Yumi Kakazu | Kate Higgins | Monica Rial |
| Kenta Nakamura | Kōsuke Okano | David Rasner | Greg Ayres |
| Papa | Toru Furusawa | Steve Blum | Jerry Russell |
| Saori | Orine Fukushima | Colleen O'Shaughnessey | Jamie Marchi |
| Miki | Wataru Takagi | Michael Lindsay | Christopher Ayres |
Second Stage[]
| Character | Japanese VA | Tokyopop VA | Funimation VA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Takumi Fujiwara | Shin-ichiro Miki | Dave Wittenberg | Joel McDonald |
| Itsuki Takeuchi | Mitsuo Iwata | Robbie Rist | Josh Grelle |
| Koichiro Iketani | Kazuki Yao | Crispin Freeman | Eric Vale |
| Kenji | Wataru Takagi | Jason Spisak | Christopher Bevins |
| Natsuki Mogi | Ayako Kawasumi | Kat Cressida | Brina Palencia |
| Bunta Fujiwara | Unshō Ishizuka | Kerrigan Mahan | Kent Williams |
| Yuichi Tachibana | Tomomichi Nishimura | Michael McConnohie | Chuck Huber |
| Keisuke Takahashi | Tomokazu Seki | Steve Blum | Todd Haberkorn |
| Ryosuke Takahashi | Takehito Koyasu | Lex Lang | J. Michael Tatum |
| Fumihiro | Osamu Hosoi | ? | Chris Cason |
| Kyoichi Sudo | Masahiko Tanaka | Richard Cansino | Christopher Sabat |
| Seiji Iwaki | Kazuhisa Kawahara | Grant George | Jason Douglas |
| Wataru Akiyama | Yasunori Matsumoto | Michael Lindsay | Robert McCollum |
| Kazumi Akiyama | Ryoka Yuzuki | Melissa Fahn | Cherami Leigh |
| Shingo Shoji | Keiji Fujiwara | Quinton Flynn | Vic Mignogna |
| Takeshi Nakazato | Nobuyuki Hiyama | Wally Wingert | Chris Burnett |
| Kenta Nakamura | Kōsuke Okano | David Rasner | Greg Ayres |
| Papa | Hidenari Ugaki | Steve Blum | Jerry Russell |
Extra Stage[]
| Character | Japanese VA | Tokyopop VA | Funimation VA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mako Sato | Michiko Neya | Bridget Hoffman | Colleen Clinkenbeard |
| Sayuki | Yumi Kakazu | Kate Higgins | Monica Rial |
| Shingo Shoji | Keiji Fujiwara | Quinton Flynn | Vic Mignogna |
| Takeshi Nakazato | Nobuyuki Hiyama | Wally Wingert | Chris Burnett |
| Seiji Iwaki | Kazuhisa Kawahara | Grant George | Jason Douglas |
| Ren Nogami | Koji Yusa | Doug Erholtz | ? |
| Satake | Kiyoyuki Yanada | Richard Cansino | ? |
| Miyahara | Tomoyuki Shimura | Yuri Lowenthal | Regan Adair |
| Keisuke Takahashi | Tomokazu Seki | Steve Blum | Todd Haberkorn |
| Ryosuke Takahashi | Takehito Koyasu | Lex Lang | J. Michael Tatum |
| Itsuki Takeuchi | Mitsuo Iwata | Robbie Rist | Josh Grelle |
| Koichiro Iketani | Kazuki Yao | Crispin Freeman | Eric Vale |
| Kenji | Wataru Takagi | Jason Spisak | Christopher Bevins |
| Yuichi Tachibana | Tomomichi Nishimura | Michael McConnohie | Chuck Huber |
Third Stage[]
| Character | Japanese VA | Funimation VA |
|---|---|---|
| Takumi Fujiwara | Shin-ichiro Miki | Joel McDonald |
| Itsuki Takeuchi | Mitsuo Iwata | Josh Grelle |
| Koichiro Iketani | Kazuki Yao | Eric Vale |
| Kenji | Wataru Takagi | Christopher Bevins |
| Natsuki Mogi | Ayako Kawasumi | Brina Palencia |
| Bunta Fujiwara | Unshō Ishizuka | Kent Williams |
| Yuichi Tachibana | Tomomichi Nishimura | Chuck Huber |
| Keisuke Takahashi | Tomokazu Seki | Todd Haberkorn |
| Ryosuke Takahashi | Takehito Koyasu | J. Michael Tatum |
| Kyoichi Sudo | Masahiko Tanaka | Christopher Sabat |
| Seiji Iwaki | Kazuhisa Kawahara | Jason Douglas |
| Kai Kogashiwa | Nobutoshi Canna | Will Short |
| Ken Kogashiwa | Kinryu Arimoto | Bruce Carey |
| Miki | Takumi Yamazaki | Christopher Ayres |
| Shingo Shoji | Keiji Fujiwara | Vic Mignogna |
| Takeshi Nakazato | Nobuyuki Hiyama | John Burgmeier |
| Mako Sato | Michiko Neya | Colleen Clinkenbeard |
| Sayuki | Yumi Kakazu | Monica Rial |
| Fumihiro | Osamu Hosoi | Chris Cason |
| Kenta Nakamura | Kōsuke Okano | Greg Ayres |
Battle Stage[]
Voice actors performances are reused from previous stages
| Character | Japanese VA |
|---|---|
| Takumi Fujiwara | Shin-ichiro Miki |
| Keisuke Takahashi | Tomokazu Seki |
| Takeshi Nakazato | Nobuyuki Hiyama |
| Shingo Shoji | Keiji Fujiwara |
| Mako Sato | Michiko Neya |
| Sayuki | Yumi Kakazu |
| Kenta Nakamura | Kōsuke Okano |
| Ryosuke Takahashi | Takehito Koyasu |
| Seiji Iwaki | Kazuhisa Kawahara |
| Kyoichi Sudo | Masahiko Tanaka |
| Wataru Akiyama | Yasunori Matsumoto |
| Kai Kogashiwa | Nobutoshi Canna |
| Miki | Wataru Takagi |
Fourth Stage[]
| Character | Japanese VA | Funimation VA |
|---|---|---|
| Takumi Fujiwara | Shin-ichiro Miki | Joel McDonald |
| Keisuke Takahashi | Tomokazu Seki | Todd Haberkorn |
| Ryosuke Takahashi | Takehito Koyasu | J. Michael Tatum |
| Fumihiro | Osamu Hosoi | Chris Cason |
| Tomiguchi | Ryoukichi Takahashi | Jean-Luc Hester |
| Shuichi Matsumoto | Rintarō Nishi | Mike McFarland |
| Kenta Nakamura | Kōsuke Okano | Greg Ayres |
| Toru Suetsugu | Daiki Nakamura | Chris Patton |
| Atsuro Kawai | Seiji Sasaki | Scott Freeman |
| Nao | Miki Nagasawa | Leah Clark |
| Shinichi | Hiro Yuuki | Nathanael Harrison |
| Daiki Ninomiya | Toshiyuki Morikawa | Ian Sinclair |
| Smiley Sakai | Akimitsu Takase | Anthony Bowling |
| Todo | Takaya Hashi | ? |
| Tomoyuki Tachi | Kazuhiro Nakata | Jeff Johnson |
| Kyoichi Sudo | Masahiko Tanaka | Christopher Sabat |
| Seiji Iwaki | Kazuhisa Kawahara | Jason Douglas |
| Kyoko Iwase | Megumi Toyoguchi | Caitlin Glass |
| Kyoko's Friend | Naomi Wakabayashi | Anastasia Munoz |
| Nobuhiko Akiyama | Jin Horikawa | Justin Pate |
| Sakamoto | Hiroyuki Yoshino | Orion Pitts |
| Wataru Akiyama | Yasunori Matsumoto | Michael Lindsay |
| Kazumi Akiyama | Ryoka Yuzuki | Cherami Leigh |
| Ichijo | Mitsuaki Madono | Jonathan Brooks |
| Aikawa | Masuo Amada | Bryan Massey |
| Toshiya Joshima | Masashi Ebara | R. Bruce Elliott |
| Kozo Hoshino | Ryūzaburō Ōtomo | John Swasey |
| Itsuki Takeuchi | Mitsuo Iwata | Josh Grelle |
| Koichiro Iketani | Kazuki Yao | Eric Vale |
| Kenji | Wataru Takagi | Christopher Bevins |
| Bunta Fujiwara | Unshō Ishizuka | Kent Williams |
| Yuichi Tachibana | Tomomichi Nishimura | Chuck Huber |
Battle Stage 2[]
Voice actors performances are reused from Fourth Stage
| Character | Japanese VA |
|---|---|
| Takumi Fujiwara | Shin-ichiro Miki |
| Keisuke Takahashi | Tomokazu Seki |
| Toru Suetsugu | Daiki Nakamura |
| Atsuro Kawai | Seiji Sasaki |
| Daiki Ninomiya | Toshiyuki Morikawa |
| Smiley Sakai | Akimitsu Takase |
| Tomoyuki Tachi | Kazuhiro Nakata |
| Kyoko Iwase | Megumi Toyoguchi |
| Nobuhiko Akiyama | Jin Horikawa |
| Sakamoto | Hiroyuki Yoshino |
| Wataru Akiyama | Yasunori Matsumoto |
| Aikawa | Masuo Amada |
| Ichijo | Mitsuaki Madono |
| Kozo Hoshino | Ryūzaburō Ōtomo |
| Toshiya Joshima | Masashi Ebara |
Extra Stage 2[]
| Character | Japanese VA |
|---|---|
| Mako Sato | Michiko Neya |
| Sayuki | Yumi Kakazu |
| Takumi Fujiwara | Shin-ichiro Miki |
| Itsuki Takeuchi | Mitsuo Iwata |
| Koichiro Iketani | Kazuki Yao |
| Kenji | Wataru Takagi |
| Yuichi Tachibana | Tomomichi Nishimura |
| Mrs. Iketani | Kyouko Terase |
| The Altezza Guys | Anri Katsu (Blonde Hair) Tomoaki Ikeda (Brown Hair) |
| Old Man | ? |
Fifth Stage[]
| Character | Japanese VA |
|---|---|
| Takumi Fujiwara | Shin-ichiro Miki |
| Keisuke Takahashi | Tomokazu Seki |
| Ryosuke Takahashi | Takehito Koyasu |
| Fumihiro | Osamu Hosoi |
| Tomiguchi | Ryoukichi Takahashi |
| Shuichi Matsumoto | Rintarō Nishi |
| Kenta Nakamura | Kōsuke Okano |
| Fake Project D | Anri Katsu (Fake Takumi) Hirokazu Miura (Fake Keisuke) |
| Mika Uehara | Saori Hayami |
| Wataru Akiyama | Yasunori Matsumoto |
| Kobayakawa | Kenji Hamada |
| Satoshi Omiya | Hiroki Tochi |
| Kai Kogashiwa | Nobutoshi Canna |
| Ken Kogashiwa | Kinryu Arimoto |
| Hideo Minagawa | Katsuyuki Konishi |
| Ryuji Ikeda | Kazuya Nakai |
| Hiroya Okuyama | Shuhei Sakaguchi |
| Junichi Sakamoto | Kōsuke Okano |
| Go Hojo | Hidenobu Kiuchi |
| Rin Hojo | Yuichi Nakamura |
| Eiji Kubo | Yasuyuki Kase |
| Shinji Inui | Atsushi Abe |
| Mrs. Inui | Yuuka Hirose |
| Itsuki Takeuchi | Mitsuo Iwata |
| Koichiro Iketani | Kazuki Yao |
| Kenji | Wataru Takagi |
| Bunta Fujiwara | Unshō Ishizuka |
| Mako Sato | Michiko Neya |
| Sayuki | Yumi Kakazu |
| Shingo Shoji | Keiji Fujiwara |
| Takeshi Nakazato | Nobuyuki Hiyama |
Final Stage[]
| Character | Japanese VA |
|---|---|
| Takumi Fujiwara | Shin-ichiro Miki |
| Keisuke Takahashi | Tomokazu Seki |
| Ryosuke Takahashi | Takehito Koyasu |
| Fumihiro | Osamu Hosoi |
| Tomiguchi | Ryoukichi Takahashi |
| Shuichi Matsumoto | Rintarō Nishi |
| Kenta Nakamura | Kōsuke Okano |
| Shinji Inui | Atsushi Abe |
| Mrs. Inui | Yuuka Hirose |
| Go Hojo | Hidenobu Kiuchi |
| Eiji Kubo | Yasuyuki Kase |
| Mika Uehara | Saori Hayami |
| Wataru Akiyama | Yasunori Matsumoto |
| Nobuhiko Akiyama | Jin Horikawa |
| Sakamoto | Hiroyuki Yoshino |
| Kobayakawa | Kenji Hamada |
| Satoshi Omiya | Hiroki Tochi |
| Kai Kogashiwa | Nobutoshi Canna |
| Ken Kogashiwa | Kinryu Arimoto |
| Hideo Minagawa | Katsuyuki Konishi |
| Ryuji Ikeda | Kazuya Nakai |
| Hiroya Okuyama | Shuhei Sakaguchi |
| Junichi Sakamoto | Kōsuke Okano |
| Mako Sato | Michiko Neya |
| Sayuki | Yumi Kakazu |
| Kyoichi Sudo | Masahiko Tanaka |
| Seiji Iwaki | Kazuhisa Kawahara |
| Daiki Ninomiya | Toshiyuki Morikawa |
| Smiley Sakai | Akimitsu Takase |
| Tomoyuki Tachi | Daichi Endo |
| Koichiro Iketani | Kazuki Yao |
| Kenji | Wataru Takagi |
| Bunta Fujiwara | Unshō Ishizuka |
| Yuichi Tachibana | Tomomichi Nishimura |
[]
| Initial D Acts | |
|---|---|
| First Stage | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 |
| Second Stage | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 |
| Extra Stage | 1 • 2 |
| Third Stage | Movie |
| Fourth Stage | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 |
| Extra Stage 2 | OVA |
| Fifth Stage | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 |
| Final Stage | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 |