Initial D is a 2005 Hong Kong film directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak. It is a film adaptation of the Japanese Initial D manga and anime series.
Plot
Taking place in the Gunma prefecture in Japan, the film concerns a young tofu-delivery driver named Takumi Fujiwara (Jay Chou). Trained from a young age and way before he could drive to deliver Tofu to the peak of Mt Akina and unknown to himself. He had been trained to an incredible level of skill in taking on the hairpin corners of Mt. Akina (Mt. Haruna in real-life).
The film chronicles his evolution from an uninterested delivery boy into a hardened touge racer, also showing how he learns techniques of racing without affecting his delivery load.
Takumi drives his father, Bunta Fujiwara's (Anthony Wong) Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX (AE86) which is seemingly unmodified but is perfectly suited for the downhill corners of Mt. Akina, which gains the attention of local street racers all across the prefecture. Some ultimately challenge Takumi to races on Akina's downhill. Ryousuke Takahashi (Edison Chen), a driver of the Mazda RX-7 (FC3S) helps out Takumi along the way by giving him advice and teaching him about car Mechanics.
While in the show, his AE86 apparently breaks down mechanically after being bothered from a racer in the Emperor Team, which led to the car's modification to a stronger version.
While following the path of a street racer, Takumi must deal with his alcoholic father and his girlfriend (Anne Suzuki) who secretly engages in extrarelational dating as he takes on more difficult challenges.
At last the showdown on the Emperor Team, Ryousuke and Takumi happen. Ryousuke and Takumi handle their common opponent from the Emperor Team. The Emperor Team car falls down the mountain over a cliff and Takumi succeeds to win the event by beating Ryousuke at the last moment.
Ryousuke offers Takumi a chance on a racing team comprising of expert racers, on which Takumi has been undecided until he realises his girlfriend was engaging in her secret activities. This upsets him and he joins Ryousuke's team eventually as the film ends.
Cast
Major characters
Minor characters
- Chie Tanaka as Miya (Gas station girl / Itsuki's love interest)
- Tsuyoshi Abe as Kenji (One of the gasoline boys/ Member of the Akina SpeedStars)
- Kazuyuki Tsumura as Mr. X (Natsuki's "papa")
Production
The American release of the film (assumed to be the same version in all other English-speaking countries) has a different soundtrack than the original Asian market version.
Changes from previous versions
The film differs from the manga and anime in several distinct ways. Some changes are significant, while others are minor.
| Film |
Anime/Manga/Games |
| Itsuki Tachibana is the spoiled brat and the son of Yuuichi Tachibana, the Gas Station manager. He is the de facto leader of the Akina Speed Stars. |
Kouichiro Iketani is the leader of the Akina Speed Stars, while Itsuki Takeuchi (as he is named in the original series) is an employee like Takumi at the gas station, and is more of a comic relief. Itsuki is not the son of Yuuichi Tachibana nor is he even family related. |
| Bunta Fujiwara is portrayed as an abusive, easily angered, alcoholic womanizer. |
Bunta is portrayed as a wise and often secretive father, who nurtures Takumi's "gift" of touge racing. He likes to drink, but is not an alcoholic. |
| Team Emperor is portrayed as a Bōsōzoku gang. |
Team Emperor is portrayed as a semi-professional street racing team. |
| Itsuki tells Takumi that Natsuki Mogi is cheating on him after noticing Mogi in another man's Mercedes-Benz driving out of a hotel. Takumi then sees Mogi in the Mercedes on the highway. |
In the anime, an anonymous phone call following a number of anonymous notes (later turns out to be the daughter of the middle-aged man, also a friend and classmate of Natsuki) informs Takumi that Natsuki Mogi is engaging in enjo kōsai. Takumi stakes out a family restaurant and sees Mogi entering the Mercedes together with a middle aged man. In the manga, Takumi sees the two come out of a love hotel parking lot. |
| Itsuki drives a Nissan Silvia K's (S13) which he crashes and later on he drives a Toyota Sprinter Trueno (AE86). |
Itsuki mistakenly obtains a Toyota Corolla Levin SR (AE85), thinking it is a Toyota Corolla Levin (AE86), in contrast with Takumi's Trueno. Koichiro Iketani drives the Nissan Silvia K's (S13).But Itsuki only borrowed Nissan Silvia O's (S13) |
| Both Takumi Fujiwara and Ryosuke Takahashi use the gutter technique |
Only Takumi and Bunta are ever seen to use the gutter technique. Ryosuke knows of it but has never actually attempted it. |
| The engine, carbon fiber hood, tachometer, and light weight headlamps are installed all at once |
Each of the modifications are installed separately. First, the 200+ horsepower 4A-GEU engine and then the tachometer are installed during 2nd Stage. During the 4th stage, a carbon fiber hood and light-weight headlamps are installed. |
| Bunta gave Takumi a cup of water to put it onto the cup holder in the AE86 the following day after Takumi breaks the tofu in the AE86's boot. Bunta warned Takumi that he'll be thrown/kicked out of his house for the night if Takumi were to spill even a single drop of it. |
Bunta simply gave Takumi a cup of water right on his very first day of his tofu delivery, Bunta filled the cup up a little more every time. Just telling him not to spill a single drop of it. |
| Takeshi Nakazato drifts when driving his R32 |
Takeshi Nakazato never drifts when driving his R32, as he prefers the "grip" style of driving instead. |
| 'Papa' drives a Mercedes S-Class (although this is shown initially as a W220 and subsequently as a W140) |
'Papa' drives a Mercedes E-class. |
Release
Initial D was released on June 23, 2005 in several Asian markets including Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and mainland China, where it topped the box office in its first week. The film made its North American debut at The Imaginasian Theater in New York City and made its way to DVD soon afterward. It went straight to DVD in Australia on October 21, 2005. It was also released in the United Kingdom on April 28, and the Philippines on July 12, 2006. Tai Seng Entertainment, the distributor of Initial D to the United States, released Initial D on Blu-ray on January 22, 2008. This is an exclusive release for the Blu-ray format.
Awards and nominations
Initial D received 6 wins and 9 nominations.
25th Hong Kong Film Awards
- Winner - Best Supporting Actor (Anthony Wong Chau-Sang)
- Winner - Best New Artist (Jay Chou)
- Winner - Best Sound Design (Kinson Tsang King-Cheung)
- Winner - Best Visual Effects (Victor Wong, Eddy Wong, Bryan Cheung)
- Nomination - Best Picture
- Nomination - Best Director (Andrew Lau Wai-Keung, Alan Mak Siu-Fai)
- Nomination - Best Editing (Wong Hoi)
- Nomination - Best Original Score (Chan Kwong-Wing)
- Nomination - Best Original Song ("Drifting", performed by Jay Chou)
42nd Golden Horse Awards
- Winner - Best Supporting Actor (Anthony Wong Chau-Sang)
- Winner - Best New Performer (Jay Chou)
- Nomination - Best Adapted Screenplay (Felix Chong Man-Keung)
- Nomination - Best Original Song ("Drifting", performed by Jay Chou)
- Nomination - Best Visual Effects (Victor Wong, Eddy Wong, Bryan Cheung)
- Nomination - Best Sound Effects (Kinson Tsang King-Cheung)
External links
