Initial D
The car anime: tofu runs at 4 a.m. turn Takumi into the touge legend nobody asked for. The AE86, the four links, 82 episodes in rotation on anime services. The most respected machine in any medium.
Cast & Key People
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Our Review
Cast & Key People
▶
Our Review
Initial D (1998) is a anime and action series from Fuji TV. Episodes run about 25 minutes. It premiered on April 18, 1998. Viewers rate it 8.3 out of 10. It is currently ended. It runs 6 seasons.
What Initial D Is About
Takumi Fujiwara is the son of the owner of a local tofu shop. At night, Fujiwara gets in his souped up AE86 Sprinter Trueno (AE86 Corolla GT-APEX) and races on the seldom-used Japanese mountain roads. One night, the Akagi Red Suns team, a racing club, challenges the Akina Speed Stars to a race on the mountain where Fujiwara lives. Keisuke, one of the leaders of the Red Suns, races his legendary Mazda RX-7 – only to be beaten by the mysterious Fujiwara.
What to Expect When You Watch
Episodes run about 25 minutes, which keeps the pace tight, spread across 6 seasons and it leans into its anime/action roots while leaving room for the quieter character beats.
Performance-wise the series leans on Crispin Freeman, Dave Wittenberg and Unshō Ishizuka to carry the emotional weight, with the rest of the ensemble filling out the world around them.
Cast and Creative Team
Crispin Freeman, Dave Wittenberg, Unshō Ishizuka, Mitsuo Iwata, Jason Spisak and Kathryn Cressida lead the cast.
Key roles include Crispin Freeman as Kouichiro "Cole" Iketani; Dave Wittenberg as Takumi "Tak" Fujiwara; Unshō Ishizuka as Bunta Fujiwara; Mitsuo Iwata as Itsuki Takeuchi; Jason Spisak as Kenji.
Why It Stands Out
Fans of anime, action and drama have a clear reason to give this one a shot. It sits comfortably alongside Fuji TV’s other originals, a 8.3/10 audience score puts it in steady company and it commits to its premise instead of hedging between tones.
Released in 1998 and carried by Fuji TV with the series still ended, it lands hardest with anime and action viewers.
How Initial D Compares
If Initial D lands for you, the next stops are Death Note, Attack on Titan and Hunter x Hunter, which share its anime/action lean.
Each of those sits at a different point on the same spectrum, so they make a natural follow-up once you finish the run here.
Where to Stream
Initial D comes from Fuji TV. Check your preferred platform for current availability, since regional rights move around.
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On the whole Initial D is the kind of series that rewards a patient watch, with Crispin Freeman and Dave Wittenberg doing the heaviest lifting, a tone that stays true to its anime/action roots, It has held up since 1998 and so if the premise sounds like your lane, the execution holds up.
The Bottom Line
Initial D is a safe bet for anyone already inside the anime and action lane, the audience score holds around 8.3/10 and so there is little risk in starting it tonight.
Verdict: 8.3/10. Watch it if you want anime/action you can settle into.
