| Initial D | |
| https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a6/InitialD_vol1_Cover.jpg/290px-InitialD_vol1_Cover.jpg | |
| First appearance | June 26, 1995 |
| Profile | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Japanese |
Characters from the anime, manga and arcade game series Initial D.
Main characters
Takumi Fujiwara
Car: Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX (AE86)
Takumi Fujiwara ("Tak") is the central character in the Initial D series. Although he appears to be just a high school senior with no remarkable traits, he had been subtly groomed by his father into becoming one of the best street racers in the area. This is due to his job of delivering tofu over the mountain roads to Lake Akina every morning for five years while driving a 1983 Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86. He works part-time at a gas station with his best friend Itsuki Takeuchi, and the leader of the Akina Speedstars, Iketani. Although he is totally disinterested in racing, when his friends were discussing drift techniques and Takumi's suggestion of a technique is dismissed as amateur, his boss Yuichi Tachibana realizes Takumi's technique is a much more advanced. After passing Keisuke Takahashi on the roads, he begins to find himself involved in challenges to race, which he initially agrees to do for petty rewards from his father such as getting to use the car for pleasure and having a full tank of gas. He initially disregards comments about him being a street racer and loving to drive, but slowly he accepts the idea that he enjoys the thrill of street racing. Although he is not a member of the Akina Speed Stars, he soon races all sorts of challengers from teams over the region and nearby. In the Fourth Stage storyline, he joins Ryosuke Takahashi's Project D, which aims to conquer street racing teams in other prefectures.
Although Takumi appears docile and weak-minded in the series, he occasionally shows stubbornness and strong will, as he was once coaxed into a fight in junior high. He attracts the affections of classmate Natsuki Mogi. In the Fifth Stage storylines, he begins a friendship with Mika Uehara, a high school senior who is a golfer.
Takumi is voiced by Shin-ichiro Miki in the Japanese anime series, and by Mamoru Miyano in the 2014 film. He is nicknamed Tak in the Tokyopop version, and is voiced by Dave Wittenberg in its English dub. In Funimation's English dub of the anime, he is voiced by Joel McDonald. In the Hong Kong live-action film, Takumi is portrayed by actor Jay Chou.
Bunta Fujiwara
Car: Subaru Impreza WRX type R STi ver. V
Bunta Fujiwara is the owner of the Fujiwara Tofu Shop. The former top downhill racer on Mt. Akina, he passively guides his son Takumi's racing development by making him deliver tofu to Lake Akina using his finely-tuned AE86. When the AE86's engine 4-AGE engine blew out during Takumi's race with Team Emperor, he secretly has the vehicle retrofitted with a much more powerful engine. He later acquires his own vehicle, a 1998 Subaru Impreza WRX STi Type-R Version V, where he has bested Takumi in a casual race, but also makes Takumi drive it on occasion so that the latter can learn how to be a better racer on other cars.
Bunta is voiced by Unshō Ishizuka in the Japanese anime dubs, by Kerrigan Mahan in the Tokyopop English dub, and by Kent Williams in the Funimation English dub. In the Hong Kong live-action film, he is portrayed by Anthony Wong. In the 2014 film, he is voiced by Hiroaki Hirata.
Keisuke Takahashi
Car: Mazda RX-7 (FD3S)
Keisuke Takahashi ("K.T.") is introduced as the member of the Akagi Red Suns, one of the top street racing teams in Gunma Prefecture. He drives a 1992 Mazda RX-7 FD3S. He is rather hot-headed and does not like losing. In the opening chapters and episode of First Stage, he is surprised when he loses a spontaneous race to the Eight-Six that he makes the latter his rival. Prior to street racing, he was a leader of a Bōsōzoku gang. He improves his skills and joins his brother Ryosuke as the uphill driving specialist in Project D (which also recruits Takumi as the downhill part) starting in the storyline's Fourth Stage. Although he has turned down offers to become a professional racer while in Project D, he eventually accepts one at the end of the series.
In the Japanese versions, Keisuke is voiced by Tomokazu Seki in the anime, and by Yuichi Nakamura in the 2014 film. In the Tokyopop version, he is nicknamed "K.T." and is voiced by Steven Blum. In the Funimation dub, he is voiced by Todd Haberkorn. He does not appear in the Hong Kong live-action film as his traits were put onto the other characters.
Ryosuke Takahashi
Car: Mazda RX-7 (FC3S)
Ryosuke Takahashi ("Ry") is the leader of the Akagi Red Suns. He and his younger brother Keisuke have been featured in racing magazines and are regarded highly by other drivers. He drives a 1990 second-generation Mazda RX-7 FC3S. Outside of racing, he is studying medicine at university, and eventually plans on working at his father's clinic. Ryosuke is modeled after the "Drift King" Keiichi Tsuchiya's mentor, retired race car driver Kunimitsu Takahashi.
Ryosuke is a very cerebral driver who frequently pours over technical data on his laptop. He is able to tell what kind of modifications have been made to a car just by hearing it, and what a driver is capable of just by watching the car drift. Prior to forming the Red Suns, he was nicknamed "Akagi's White Comet", and has been undefeated prior to his race with Takumi. His closest rival would be Kyoichi Sudo of Team Emperor, with whom they have argued over racing theories. After facing Takumi in First Stage, he decides to retire from actively racing and manage behind the scenes He founds and assembles a new team called Project D, whose goal is to conquer the street racing scene throughout Japan. For most of Fourth Stage and Fifth Stage, he is the leader and primary coach for Project D and does not personally race, leaving the driving to Takumi and Keisuke. In Fifth Stage, he is involved in a storyline with medical school classmate Rin "Shinigami" Hojo where Ryosuke comes out of retirement to race him. After the disbanding of Project D, he continues to look out for new gifted racers.
Ryosuke is voiced by Takehito Koyasu in the Japanese anime, and by Daisuke Ono in the 2014 film. In the Tokyopop English version, he is nicknamed Ry, and is voiced by Lex Lang. In the Funimation English version, he is voiced by J. Michael Tatum. In the Hong Kong live-action film, he is portrayed by Edison Chen.
Akina Speedstars
Koichiro Iketani
Car: Nissan Silvia K's (S13)
Koichiro Iketani ("Cole") is the leader of the Akina Speedstars. He works at a local gas station with both Takumi and Itsuki. He drives a Nissan Silvia K's (S13). He gets Itsuki and Takumi involved in the street racing scene. One of the stories has him involved with meeting and falling in love with driver Mako Sato of Impact Blue, but when he learns she liked Ryosuke, he misses his chance to be with her; in Extra Stage 2 he has another chance but the circumstances still do not work out.
Koichiro is voiced by Kazuki Yao in the Japanese anime, and by Hiroshi Tsuchida in the 2014 film. In the English Tokyopop version, he is named Cole and is voiced by Crispin Freeman. In Funimation's dub of the series, he is voiced by Eric Vale. In the Hong Kong live-action film, he is portrayed by actor Kiyohiko Ueki, but assumes a supporting role as just a member of the Speedstars, with the leadership role being done by Itsuki.
Itsuki Takeuchi
Car: Toyota Corolla Levin SR (AE85)
Itsuki Takeuchi ("Iggy") is Takumi's best friend. He serves as comic relief in the series, acting loud and obnoxious but having little to back it up. He works part-time at a gas station with Takumi and Iketani, and hopes to buy an AE86 Corolla Levin to compete with Takumi's Trueno and join the Speedstars. When he mistakenly buys an inferior AE85, he gets upset until Takumi takes him for a drive and a spontaneous race, showing that the driver's skill can make up the difference. He eventually puts a Speedstars sticker on his Eight Five. He later installs a turbo onto his 85 to produce more power. Some of the side stories in the series have him trying to start a relationship with some girls.
Itsuki is voiced by Mitsuo Iwata in the Japanese anime, and by Minoru Shiraishi in the 2014 film. In the Tokyopop English version, he is named Iggy, and is voiced by Robbie Rist. In the Funimation English dub, he is voiced by Josh Grelle. In the Hong Kong live-action film, Itsuki Tachibana, portrayed by Chapman To, is the son of the garage owner Yuuichi Tachibana and leads the Akina SpeedStars.
Kenji
Car: Nissan 180SX Type II (RPS13)
Kenji is the number-two driver in the Akina Speedstars. He drives a Nissan 180SX. He frequently hangs out at the gas station where Iketani, Takumi and Itsuki work from time to time, usually discussing cars and driving techniques with Iketani and Yuichi. He and Iketani have been friends since high school. A running gag is that he, along with the other Speedstars, does not have a girlfriend.
In the Japanese anime, Kenji is voiced by Wataru Takagi, and by Anri Katsui in the 2014 film. In the English dubs, he is voiced by Jason Spisak in the Tokyopop version, and by Christopher Bevins in the Funimation dub. He is portrayed by Tsuyoshi Abe in the Hong Kong live-action film.
Myogi Night Kids
Takeshi Nakazato
Car: Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II (BNR32)
Takeshi Nakazato ("Zack") is the leader of the Myogi Night Kids. He first appears at the race between Keisuke and Takumi. After seeing the outcome, he challenges Takumi with his black 1994 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II (BNR32). He originally raced with a Nissan Silvia S13 where he used drift techniques, however, after losing to a racer with an R-32, he favors grip driving.
Takeshi is voiced by Nobuyuki Hiyama in the Japanese dub, and by Junichi Suwabe in the 2014 film. In the Tokyopop version, he's named "Zack" and is voiced by Wally Wingert in the anime's English dub. In the Funimation dub, he is voiced by Chris Burnett for First Stage and Second Stage, and by John Burgmeier in the Third Stage film. In the Hong Kong live-action film, he is portrayed by Shawn Yue.
Shingo Shoji
Car: Honda Civic SiR-II (EG6)
Shingo Shoji is a member of the Night Kids who races aggressively and often nudges his opponent's car to make it lose control. He favors and specializes in a race called the "duct tape deathmatch" (Gamu Tapu Deathumatche), in which each of the drivers in the race have a hand duct-taped to the steering wheel. He thinks he should lead the Night Kids. He drives a red 1995 Honda Civic SiR-II (EG6). Sometimes he and Takeshi watch the races between the other teams together, but try to keep their distance from each other so as if they are strangers. In Extra Stage 1 it is revealed he and Sayuki are childhood friends.
Shingo was voiced by Keiji Fujiwara in the Japanese anime dub, and by Shūhei Sakaguchi in the anime film. In the Tokyopop English dub, he is voiced by Quinton Flynn, and in the Funimation's dub, he is voiced by Vic Mignogna.
Akagi Red Suns
Kenta Nakamura
Car:Nissan Silvia Q's Aero (S14)
Kenta Nakamura ("Kent") is one of the youngest members of the Akagi Red Suns, and their best driver after the Takahashi brothers. Kenta absolutely adores Keisuke Takahashi and is eager to prove himself worthy. He drives a Nissan Silvia Q's Aero (S14). His specialty is driving under wet or rainy conditions as he has often practiced during those times to reduce tire wear. During the First Stage storyline, he challenges Takumi to a wet race, thinking Takumi is not used to that condition, but loses as Takumi has already been used to driving in such weather conditions. He joins Project D in the Fourth Stage storylines where he drives one of the support vans and does some of the driving for the reconnaissance videos of the courses.
Kenta is voiced by Kousuke Okano in the Japanese anime dub and by Yoshiya Naruke in the 2014 film. In the Tokypop version, he is called Kent, and is voiced by David Rasner. In the Funmation dub, he is voiced by Greg Ayres. In the English version of the Initial D arcade games, he is named Danny.
Impact Blue
Mako Sato
Car: Nissan Sileighty
Mako Sato ("Maya") is the team's driver, relying on technique and rather than mechanical knowledge. She becomes interested in Iketani after having met him under a billboard sign where he helps get her car started. Upon hearing that Akina is home to the star Eight-Six driver, she coaxes Iketani into setting up a challenge race between Impact Blue and Takumi. Although Impact Blue loses the challenge, she plans to rendezvous with Iketani as the billboard sign, but after waiting several hours, she leaves before Iketani arrives, leaving both of them broken hearted. In the Extra Stage 2 OVA episodes, she and Iketani meet again, but encounter more misunderstandings and another delayed wait. At the end of Extra Stage 2, she disbands Impact Blue and considers going pro, doing so at the end of Final Stage, she becomes a race driver for a professional racing team.
Mako is voiced by Michiko Neya in the Japanese dub and by Yumi Hara in the anime film. In the Tokyopop English version, she is named Maya and is voiced by Bridget Hoffman. In the Funimation dub, she is voiced by Colleen Clinkenbeard.
Sayuki
Sayuki ("Simone") is Mako's on-board navigator. She is a cheerful, outgoing girl who regularly searches for good-looking guys like the Takahashi brothers. She finds Takumi cute and invites him to a pool after his race against them. As the team navigator, she directs Mako on when to brake or drift, and is proficient at the mechanics of racing.
Sayuki is voiced by Yumi Kakazu in the Japanese dub and by Kaya Okuno in the anime film. In the Tokyopop English version, she is named Simone, and is voiced by Kate Higgins. In the Funimation dub, she is voiced by Monica Rial.
Emperor
Kyoichi Sudo
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III GSR (CE9A)
Kyoichi Sudo ("Kyle") is the team leader and driving ace of Emperor. He wears a bandana and drives a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III GSR (CE9A) powered up to 350PS equipped with a WRC style misfiring system. In his philosophy, a car must have "high power turbo plus 4WD". He is a calm and composed driver who believes in the ultimate superiority of his race circuit techniques. In Second Stage, he becomes the first racer to have beaten Takumi but didn't consider it a real race, when the latter had spontaneously challenged him and then blew out his engine at Akagi. However, in a subsequent race in Third Stage held at Irohazaka, he declares Takumi the winner, when Takumi managed to resist being overtaken in the last bridge of his turf. In Fourth Stage, it is revealed he was a graduate of the Todo School.
He is voiced by Masahiko Tanaka in the Japanese anime. In the Tokyopop English version, he is named Kyle, and is voiced by Richard Cansino. In the Funimation dub, he is voiced by Christopher Sabat. In the live-action film, he is portrayed by Jordan Chan.
Seiji Iwaki
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV RS (CN9A)
Seiji Iwaki ("Hawk") is the number-two driver in the Lancer Evolution-only Emperor team, therefore he drives the Lancer Evolution IV RS (CN9A). He has good racing skills, but is rather arrogant and overconfident and occasionally imprudent. He is also responsible for the stickers being slashed in half placed upside down onto his car's rear spoiler.
He is voiced by Kazuhisa Kawahara in the Japanese anime. In the Tokyopop English version, he is named Hawk, and is voiced by Grant George. In the Funimation dub, he is voiced by Jason Douglas. In the live-action film, he is portrayed by Will Liu.