Initial D
Seen it?1998 | 5 seasons | 25 min | Animation, Action & Adventure, Drama
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It's still drawing plenty of interest. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for action fans and animation lovers. If you loved Samurai Jack, start here.
- The mood
- Exciting.
- The pace
- 5 seasons: a few months of evenings, short, snackable episodes, about 34 hours in all.
- What might put you off
- Rated TV-14. Probably too much for younger kids.
- It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
Takumi’s job as a tofu delivery boy has turned him into one of the most formidable drivers around. Behind the wheel of his Eight-Six, he’s one with the road—and his life shifts into high gear when the underground street racing world takes notice. Drivers from across the region are lining up for a shot at the new guy. Takumi’s not just focused on winning—he’s out to prove he’s the best.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsNot counted
Not enough reviews on record yet
- AudiencesSolid
8.0 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Ran for 5 seasons and reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 337K people sought it out in the past year
Season by season
The show overall is a Sunday Safe Bet. Here's how each season stacks up; Final Stage is the high point.
First Stage1998 · 26 episodes · 8.2 out of 10Saturday- Second Stage1999 · 13 episodes · 8.2 out of 10Saturday
Fourth Stage2004 · 24 episodes · 8.3 out of 10Friday- Fifth Stage2012 · 14 episodes · 8.1 out of 10Saturday
- Final Stage2014 · 4 episodes · 8.4 out of 10Friday
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Cast & crew
- Shin-ichiro MikiTakumi Fujiwara (voice)
- Atsushi AbeShinji Inui (voice)
- Takehito KoyasuRyosuke Takahashi (voice)
- Tomokazu SekiKeisuke Takahashi (voice)
- Hidenobu KiuchiGo Hojo (voice)
- Yasuyuki KaseEiji Kubo (voice)
- Yuuka HiroseShinji's Mother (voice)