Woots. As in my nick, 头文字 D which is Initial D in chinese is going to hit the Singapore cinemas on the 23rd of June in live action (meaning real humans act as characters in the anime and manga). So let me give you guys a preview of what it is....
Initial D originated from a manga drawn by artist Shuichi Shigeno and then later the anime version came out. It's a world of car drifting where the battlefield is the mountain road in Mt Akina, Japan. It's a story about the fastest street racer of Mt Akina, Japan. For 5 years,18 year old Takumi has been delivering tofu in his father's obsolescent Toyota AE86 Trueno every morning. Not only has he become a good racer, but he has also unwittingly perfected the art of drifting. He was never an aficionado of hill racing until he is asked by his father to drive his AE86 in a race against Red Suns Keisuke's FD. A glorious but unexpected victory awakens the competitive genes in his blood, while his overnight fame inevitably leads to hellraising races one after another, each one more perilous and exciting than the previous one.
The D of the title stands for Drifting. A racing technique of braking the rear tires loose in a controlled manner right before an uncontrolled skid. Drifting is the fastest way through a corner. A car is considered to be drifting when all of its wheels are slipping, however the front wheels are still pointed in the direction of the corner, or at least straight.
So that's about the brief introduction about the anime. Now to the movie which is jointly produced by a Japan company and Hong Kong company directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak. The stars includes, Jay Chou as Fujiwara Takumi, Edison Chen as Ryosuke Takahashi, Shawn Yue as Takeshi Nazakato, Jordan Chan as Kyouchi Sudou, Anne Suzuki as Natsuki Mogi and Anthony Wong as Fujiwara Bunta, Kenny Bee as Yuuichi Tachibana and Chapman To as Itsuki Takeuchi.
Here's a picture of the main cast...
Brief introduction of their characters in the show...
Fujiwara Takumi as above in paragraph 2.
Ryosuke Takahashi
One of the more highly skilled drivers in the series, he and his younger brother Keisuke in the team Akagi Red Suns have been featured in racing magazines and is regarded highly by other drivers. Ryousuke drives a Mazda FC3S RX-7 and has never been defeated in a race before until he met Fujiwara Takumi.
Takeshi Nazakato
Takeshi Nakazato of the Myogi NightKids, who is also known as the Black Lightning, first makes his appearance at the race in Akina where Keisuke Takahashi of the Red Suns is to race against Takumi. Surprised that Takumi, Takeshi decides that he's going to be the one to challenge the 'Akina downhill specialist' with his Nissan Skyline GT-R, and that the Red Suns are next on his list.
Kyouchi Sudou
From Nikko, Tochigi and rated as one of the best drivers in the series, Kyouchi Sudou is the team leader and driving ace of the Lancer Evolution-only Emperor team, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III. He is also the first to defeat Takumi in the show.
Natsuki Mogi
A senior high student in Gunma Province, Natsuki has been Takumi's classmate since elementary school. She was the love interest of Takumi, but alas when Takumi found out that she sidelines as an social escort, he decided to alienate from her.
Fujiwara Bunta
Bunta Fujiwara is the owner of a tofu shop in Akina and the father of Takumi, he is the best driver in the series. He is the original driver of the mysterious AE86 that holds the record of the fastest downhill time at Mt. Akina.
Yuuichi Tachibana
The boss of the gas station that Takumi worked in. An old friend of Bunta's, and a racer in his youth.
Itsuki Takeuchi
Itsuki is Takumi's best friend; he provides the comic relief in the series but quite loud and obnoxious. Itsuki works part-time at a gas station with Takumi and Iketani. He drives an AE85 Levin.
It is also rumoured that the "Drift King" of Japan, Keiichi Tsuchiya, is signed to do the drifts for the movie. He is known as the "Drift King" for his nontraditional use of drifting in non-drifting racing events, and his role in popularizing drifting as a motorsport. He is also known for mountain pass driving. The car he is most famous for driving is a Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno which is what Takumi drives. So be sure to catch this movie because it's definitely one hell of a power one this year.
More pictures of the movie...
Fujiwara Tofu Shop
Keisuke Takahashi's Mazda FD3S RX-7. AWESOME.
Jay by the AE86 with Fujiwara Tofu Shop (Home uses) written on the door.
Interior of AE86.
The cars used in the movie.
Initial D originated from a manga drawn by artist Shuichi Shigeno and then later the anime version came out. It's a world of car drifting where the battlefield is the mountain road in Mt Akina, Japan. It's a story about the fastest street racer of Mt Akina, Japan. For 5 years,18 year old Takumi has been delivering tofu in his father's obsolescent Toyota AE86 Trueno every morning. Not only has he become a good racer, but he has also unwittingly perfected the art of drifting. He was never an aficionado of hill racing until he is asked by his father to drive his AE86 in a race against Red Suns Keisuke's FD. A glorious but unexpected victory awakens the competitive genes in his blood, while his overnight fame inevitably leads to hellraising races one after another, each one more perilous and exciting than the previous one.
The D of the title stands for Drifting. A racing technique of braking the rear tires loose in a controlled manner right before an uncontrolled skid. Drifting is the fastest way through a corner. A car is considered to be drifting when all of its wheels are slipping, however the front wheels are still pointed in the direction of the corner, or at least straight.
So that's about the brief introduction about the anime. Now to the movie which is jointly produced by a Japan company and Hong Kong company directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak. The stars includes, Jay Chou as Fujiwara Takumi, Edison Chen as Ryosuke Takahashi, Shawn Yue as Takeshi Nazakato, Jordan Chan as Kyouchi Sudou, Anne Suzuki as Natsuki Mogi and Anthony Wong as Fujiwara Bunta, Kenny Bee as Yuuichi Tachibana and Chapman To as Itsuki Takeuchi.
Here's a picture of the main cast...
Brief introduction of their characters in the show...
Fujiwara Takumi as above in paragraph 2.
Ryosuke Takahashi
One of the more highly skilled drivers in the series, he and his younger brother Keisuke in the team Akagi Red Suns have been featured in racing magazines and is regarded highly by other drivers. Ryousuke drives a Mazda FC3S RX-7 and has never been defeated in a race before until he met Fujiwara Takumi.
Takeshi Nazakato
Takeshi Nakazato of the Myogi NightKids, who is also known as the Black Lightning, first makes his appearance at the race in Akina where Keisuke Takahashi of the Red Suns is to race against Takumi. Surprised that Takumi, Takeshi decides that he's going to be the one to challenge the 'Akina downhill specialist' with his Nissan Skyline GT-R, and that the Red Suns are next on his list.
Kyouchi Sudou
From Nikko, Tochigi and rated as one of the best drivers in the series, Kyouchi Sudou is the team leader and driving ace of the Lancer Evolution-only Emperor team, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III. He is also the first to defeat Takumi in the show.
Natsuki Mogi
A senior high student in Gunma Province, Natsuki has been Takumi's classmate since elementary school. She was the love interest of Takumi, but alas when Takumi found out that she sidelines as an social escort, he decided to alienate from her.
Fujiwara Bunta
Bunta Fujiwara is the owner of a tofu shop in Akina and the father of Takumi, he is the best driver in the series. He is the original driver of the mysterious AE86 that holds the record of the fastest downhill time at Mt. Akina.
Yuuichi Tachibana
The boss of the gas station that Takumi worked in. An old friend of Bunta's, and a racer in his youth.
Itsuki Takeuchi
Itsuki is Takumi's best friend; he provides the comic relief in the series but quite loud and obnoxious. Itsuki works part-time at a gas station with Takumi and Iketani. He drives an AE85 Levin.
It is also rumoured that the "Drift King" of Japan, Keiichi Tsuchiya, is signed to do the drifts for the movie. He is known as the "Drift King" for his nontraditional use of drifting in non-drifting racing events, and his role in popularizing drifting as a motorsport. He is also known for mountain pass driving. The car he is most famous for driving is a Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno which is what Takumi drives. So be sure to catch this movie because it's definitely one hell of a power one this year.
More pictures of the movie...
Fujiwara Tofu Shop
Keisuke Takahashi's Mazda FD3S RX-7. AWESOME.
Jay by the AE86 with Fujiwara Tofu Shop (Home uses) written on the door.
Interior of AE86.
The cars used in the movie.
