Anime · ANIMAX
Initial D
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Shin-ichiro Miki
Takumi Fujiwara (voice)
81 eps
Atsushi Abe
Shinji Inui (voice)
9 eps
Takehito Koyasu
Ryosuke Takahashi (voice)
67 eps
Tomokazu Seki
Keisuke Takahashi (voice)
72 eps
Hidenobu Kiuchi
Go Hojo (voice)
16 eps
Yasuyuki Kase
Eiji Kubo (voice)
15 eps
Yuuka Hirose
Shinji's Mother (voice)
7 eps
Mitsuo Iwata
Itsuki Takeuchi (voice)
70 eps
Kazuki Yao
Koichiro Iketani (voice)
71 eps
Unsho Ishizuka
Bunta Fujiwara (voice)
47 eps
Ayako Kawasumi
Natsuki Mogi (voice)
29 eps
Tomomichi Nishimura
Yuichi Tachibana (voice)
40 eps
Toru Furusawa
Papa (voice)
3 eps
Wataru Takagi
Kenji (voice)
63 eps
Makiko Miyagi
Woman (voice)
4 eps
Nobuyuki Hiyama
Takeshi Nakazato (voice)
21 eps
Nobuyuki Tanaka
Man (voice)
28 eps
Yuka Nagayoshi
Woman (voice)
4 eps
Atsushi Suzuki
Man (voice)
11 eps
Keiji Fujiwara
Shingo Shoji (voice)
13 eps
Yumi Kakazu
Sayuki (voice)
15 eps
Osamu Hosoi
Fumihiro (voice)
72 eps
Michiko Neya
Mako Sato (voice)
13 eps
Masahiko Tanaka
Kyoichi Sudo (voice)
11 eps
Kazuhisa Kawahara
Seiji Iwaki (voice)
10 eps
Koji Yusa
Man (voice)
3 eps
Kouichi Ikai
Man (voice)
5 eps
Yasunori Matsumoto
Wataru Akiyama (voice)
15 eps
Ryoka Yuzuki
Kazumi Akiyama (voice)
10 eps
Nobutoshi Canna
Kai Kogashiwa (voice)
5 eps
Kousuke Okano
Kenta Nakamura (voice)
38 eps
Koji Ishii
Masashi Suzuki (voice)
10 eps
Rintaro Nishi
Shuichi Matsumoto (voice)
30 eps
Kazuhiro Nakata
Tomoyuki Tachi (voice)
3 eps
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Daiki Ninomiya (voice)
11 eps
Takaya Hashi
Mr. Todo (voice)
5 eps
Akimitsu Takase
'Smiley' Sakai (voice)
11 eps
Yoshinori Sonobe
Yamashita (voice)
3 eps
Megumi Toyoguchi
Kyoko Iwase (voice)
7 eps
Naomi Wakabayashi
Kyoko's Friend (voice)
3 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Initial D actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Initial D reads strongest on Character Depth, Spectacle and Bingeability.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
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.
The run
Seasons
5 seasons · 81 episodes.
Season 0 · Complete
Specials
20018 episodes
Best episode · S00E06 Battle Stage 2
Season 1 · Complete
First Stage
199826 episodes
8.2IMDbThe story begins when street racers called the RedSuns, a team from Mt. Akagi, come to challenge Mt. Akina's local SpeedStars team to a "friendly" race. After seeing how skilled the RedSuns are, the SpeedStars treat it as a race for pride, determined not to be humiliated on their home turf. However, the SpeedStars are left in a bind when their team leader and primary downhill driver Iketani has an accident during a practice run.
Best episode · S01E26 The New Downhill Legend
Season 2 · Complete
Second Stage
199913 episodes
8.2IMDbFollowing his victory over RedSuns leader Ryosuke Takahashi, AE86 driver Takumi Fujiwara is challenged by the Lancer EVO-based "Emperor," a group known for taking decals of racing teams they defeat, cutting them up and placing them on their cars like a fighter plane kill board. Takumi's undefeated streak is on the line as his AE86 is virtually no match against the more powerful and more agile four-wheel-drive EVOs of the Emperor team.
Best episode · S02E12 Eight-Six vs. Eight-Six
Season 3 · Complete
Fourth Stage
200424 episodes
8.3IMDbTakumi Fujiwara and brothers Keisuke and Ryousuke Takahashi have formed "Project D," a racing team aimed at bringing their driving skills to their full potential outside their prefecture. Using the internet, Project D issues challenges to other racing teams and posts results of their races. Managed by Ryousuke, the team has Takumi engaging in downhill battles with his AE86, while Keisuke challenges opponents uphill. Among their rivals are the Seven-Star Leaf (SSR) and Todo-juku.
Best episode · S03E06 Blind Attack
Season 4 · Complete
Fifth Stage
201214 episodes
8.1IMDbStill working as part of the Project D driving team, Takumi Fujiwara and Keisuke Takahashi continue to challenge courses and teams in the Kanagawa Prefecture. Meanwhile, a young golf phenom catches Takumi's eye, and Ryosuke Takahashi settles a score from his past.
Best episode · S04E14 Conclusion! Extreme Hill Climb
Season 5 · Complete
Final Stage
20144 episodes
8.4IMDbAfter a long break, after every racing team in the prefecture is defeated, everything comes down to one last race. Takumi Fujiwara has never lost a race, but when his opponent is also using an AE86, it turns into a battle of the AE86. Will Project D succeed in the final and most difficult race of Initial D?
Best episode · S05E04 Dream
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E26
The New Downhill Legend
The drivers fly toward the finish line, with only one curve to go. Ryosuke and Takumi have earned their reputations - but the winner of this race will go down in history.
- Directed by Hiroshi Tsuruta
- Written by Hiroshi Toda
S03E06
Blind Attack
The Toudou School's driver knows all about exploiting a challenger's blind spot. If Takumi hopes to win, he'll have to find a way to leave his opponent in the dark.
- Directed by Hiroshi Kimura
- Written by Nobuaki Kishima
S03E16
Hillclimb of Fury
The damage to Keisuke's car might prevent him from driving in the uphill race. Just as it looks like he's out of options, Kyoko arrives on the scene in her FD.
- Directed by Susumu Kudo
- Written by Nobuaki Kishima
S01E09
Battle To the Limit
The race is underway with Takumi behind the wheel of the Eight-Six. His competition, Takeshi, drives the Three-Two with undeniable skill - but he can’t seem to pull away from Takumi!
- Directed by Mihiro Yamaguchi
- Written by Nobuaki Kishima
S03E15
4WD Complex
Takumi continues wrestling with the differences in his Eight-Six and the Impreza. Later, when Keisuke falls prey to a trap set by Project D's next opponents, the upcoming race could be over before it begins.
- Directed by Hiroshi Kimura
- Written by Nobuaki Kishima
S03E20
The Unmatched GT-R!
Keisuke climbs behind the wheel of his newly modified FD to take on the legendary God Foot's GT-R! The race will be tougher - and longer - than normal. Luckily, Ryosuke's got a plan.
- Directed by Kenichi Kuhara
- Written by Nobuaki Kishima
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S00E08
Battle Stage 3
S05E03
Dangerous Scent
- Directed by Taiki Nishimura
- Written by Nobuaki Kishima
S05E02
The Strongest Enemy
- Directed by Osamu Sekita
- Written by Nobuaki Kishima
S04E13
Unexpected Battle
- Directed by Osamu Sekita
- Written by Nobuaki Kishima
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Hiromichi MogakiProducer
- Ren UsamiExecutive Producer
- Kayo FukudaProducer
Writing
- Nobuaki KishimaWriter
- Hiroshi TodaWriter
Direction
- Mihiro YamaguchiDirector
- Yukihiro ShinoDirector
- Shin MisawaDirector
- Hiroshi TsurutaDirector
- Kazuyoshi YokotaDirector
- Shinya HanaiDirector
Cinematography
- Shinji IkegamiDirector of Photography
- Sadanori KanedaDirector of Photography
- Kenji AkazawaDirector of Photography
- Masaki NakamuraDirector of Photography
- Seiichi MorishitaDirector of Photography
Music
- Ryuichi KatsumataOriginal Music Composer
- Atsushi UmeboriOriginal Music Composer
- Dennis MartinOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
Checking regional listings…
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