List of Initial D characters

This is a list of characters from the anime and manga series Initial D.

Main characters

Takumi Fujiwara

Takumi Fujiwara (藤原 拓海 Fujiwara Takumi, "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 an 1986 Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86. He works part-time at a gas station with his best friend Itsuki Takeuchi, and the leader of the Akina Speed Stars, Iketani.Ch. 1 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.[lower-alpha 1]Ch. 3 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.Ch. 7 He initially disregards comment 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 storylines, 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.Ch. 1, 19 He attracts the affections of classmate Natsuki Mogi, but their relationship sours when he discovers the latter has been doing enjo kosai (subsidized dating / teenage prostitution). 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,[lower-alpha 2] and by Mamoru Miyano in the 2014 film.[2014 film] He is nicknamed Tak in the Tokyopop version, and is voiced by Dave Wittenberg in its English dub in the 1990s.[lower-alpha 2] In Funimation's English dub of the anime in the 2000s, he is voiced by Joel McDonald.[lower-alpha 2] In the Hong Kong live-action film, Takumi is portrayed by actor Jay Chou.[LA]

Bunta Fujiwara

Bunta Fujiwara (藤原 文太 Fujiwara Bunta) 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.Ch. 38 When the AE86's engine blows 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 Subaru Impreza WRX, 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

Keisuke Takahashi (高橋 啓介 Takahashi Keisuke, "K.T.") is introduced as the member of the Akagi RedSuns, one of the top street racing teams in Gunma Prefecture. He drives a Mazda RX-7 FD3S.Ch. 2, 11 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.Vol. 1 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,[lower-alpha 2] and by Yuichi Nakamura in the 2014 film.[2014 film] In the Tokyopop version, he is nicknamed "K.T." and is voiced by Steven Jay Blum. In the Funimation dub, he is voiced by Todd Haberkorn.[lower-alpha 2] He does not appear in the Hong Kong live-action film as his traits were put onto the other characters.[LA]

Ryosuke Takahashi

Ryosuke Takahashi (高橋 涼介 Takahashi Ryōsuke, "Ry") is the leader of the Akagi RedSuns. He and his younger brother Keisuke have been featured in racing magazines and are regarded highly by other drivers. He drives a second-generation Mazda RX-7 FC3S.Ch. 2, 18, 44 Outside of racing, he is studying medicine at university, and eventually plans on working at his father's clinic.Ch. 8, 39 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 pores over technical data on his laptop.Ch. 7, 30 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.Ch. 7 Prior to forming the RedSuns, he was nicknamed "Akagi's White Comet" (赤城の白い彗星 Akagi no Shiroi Suisei), and has been undefeated prior to his race with Takumi.Ch. 39, 43 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.Ch. 65 He founds and assembles a new team called Project D, whose goal is to conquer the street racing scene throughout Japan.Ch. 65 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.

Racing teams and groups

These are the teams from their respective cities or regions, as well as their key members.

Akina Speed Stars

The Akina Speed Stars (秋名スピードスターズ Akina Supīdosutāzu) is a team made up from a bunch of friends who like to race in their leisure time. Based in Gunma, their home course is Akina.Ch. 2 Takumi unofficially drives with the team in the First Stage and Second Stage storylines prior to being recruited for Project D.

Koichiro Iketani

Koichiro Iketani (池谷 浩一郎 Iketani Kōichirō, "Cole") is the leader of the Akina Speed Stars. 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.[lower-alpha 2]Ch. 1, 16 One of the stories has him involved with meeting and falling in love with driver Mako Sato of Impact Blue,Ch. 51 but when he learns she liked Ryosuke, he misses his chance to be with her;Ch. 63 in Extra Stage 2 he has another chance but the circumstances still do not work out.[ES 2] Koichiro is voiced by Kazuki Yao in the Japanese anime, and by Hiroshi Tsuchida in the 2014 film.[2014 film] In the English Tokyopop version, he is nicknamed Cole and is voiced by Crispin Freeman. In Funimation's dub of the series, he is voiced by Eric Vale.[lower-alpha 2] 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 Speed Stars, with much of the leadership role done by Itsuki.[LA]

Itsuki Takeuchi

Itsuki Takeuchi (武内 樹 Takeuchi Itsuki, "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.[lower-alpha 2]Ch. 19 He works part-time at a gas station with Takumi and Iketani,Ch. 1 and hopes to buy an AE86 Corolla Levin to complement Takumi's Trueno and join the Speed Stars. 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 a difference.Ch. 27 He later has a Speed Stars sticker on his Eight Five.Ch. 37 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 nicknamed Iggy, and is voiced by Robbie Rist. In the Funimation English dub, he is voiced by Josh Grelle.[lower-alpha 2] In the Hong Kong live-action film, Itsuki, portrayed by Chapman To, is a more arrogant son of a garage owner and a delinquent at school.[LA]

Kenji

Kenji (健二) is the number-two driver in the Akina Speed Stars. He drives a Nissan 180SX.Ch. 8 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.Vol. 1 He and Iketani have been friends since high school.Ch. 52 A running gag is that he, along with the other Speed Stars, 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 NightKids

The NightKids are a team hailing from Myogi in the Gunma Prefecture. They challenge the Akagi RedSuns and also Takumi and the Eight-Six. They have also unsuccessfully faced Team Emperor. Its most notable members are Takeshi Nakazato and Shingo Shoji.

Takeshi Nakazato

Takeshi Nakazato (中里 毅 Nakazato Takeshi, "Zack") is the leader of the Myogi NightKids. He first appears at the race between Keisuke and Takumi.Ch. 10 After seeing the outcome, he challenges Takumi with his black Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II (BNR32).Ch. 18, 22 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.Ch. 21

Takeshi is voiced by Nobuyuki Hiyama in the Japanese dub, and by Junichi Suwabe in the 2014 film.[2014 film] In the Tokyopop version, his nickname is "Zack" and he 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.[LA]

Shingo Shoji

Shingo Shoji (庄司 真吾 Shōji Shingo) is a member of the NightKids 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", in which each of the drivers in the race have a hand duct-taped to the steering wheel. He thinks he should lead the NightKids. He drives a red 1994 Honda Civic SiR-II (EG6).Ch. 31 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.Ch. 45 In Extra Stage 2 it is revealed he and Sayuki are childhood friends.

Shingo is voiced by Keiji Fujiwara in the Japanese anime dub, and by Shūhei Sakaguchi in the anime film.[2014 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 RedSuns

The Akagi RedSuns (赤城レッドサンズ Akagi Reddosanzu) hail from Mount Akagi in the Gunma Prefecture. They are led by the two Takahashi brothers: Keisuke and Ryosuke.Ch. 2 Their team has made a policy to always race on their opponents' course,Ch. 66 having found their home course boring. In the Fourth Stage storylines, the members formed a new racing team called Project D.

Kenta Nakamura

Kenta Nakamura (中村 賢太 Nakamura Kenta, "Kent") is one of the youngest members of the Akagi RedSuns, 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).Ch. 66 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. 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

Impact Blue (インパクトブルー Inpakuto Burū) is a racing team consisting of two girls. Mako Sato operates as the driver of their Sileighty while Sayuki rides shotgun as a navigator.Ch. 53, 58 Their speciality is pursuit racing which is used in narrow roads such as their home course of Usui.Ch. 43 They first get involved in the story when Iketani meets Mako and they later challenge Takumi at Usui. They are the main characters in the Initial D: Extra Stage 2 OVAs. In Initial D Arcade Stage 4, the duo races the player in Myogi, the home of the Myogi NightKids.

Mako Sato

Mako Sato (佐藤 真子 Satō Mako, "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.Ch. 50 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 by offering her virginity.Ch. 55 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.Ch. 64 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. 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.[lower-alpha 3]

Sayuki

Sayuki (沙雪, "Simone") is Mako's on-board navigator. She is a cheerful, outgoing girl who regularly searches for good-looking guys like the Takahashi brothers.Ch. 43 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.Ch. 50 Sayuki is voiced by Yumi Kakazu in the Japanese dub. 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.[lower-alpha 3]

Emperor

Emperor (エンペラー Enperā) is a highly skilled team that gets involved in the series in the Second Stage. The team's racing vehicles are Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions (or Lancer Evos for short), which they claim are the king of the mountains. Based in Tochigi, their home course is the one-way road of Irohazaka. They are an extremely aggressive team that sports a collection of decals of their defeated opponents' logos slashed in half and mounted upside-down on Seiji Iwaki's car's spoiler.

Kyoichi Sudo

Kyoichi Sudo (須藤 京一 Sudō Kyōichi, "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 in an official 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 first round of racing. 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 nicknamed 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

Seiji Iwaki (岩城 清次 Iwaki Seiji, "Hawk") is the number two driver in the Lancer Evolution-only Emperor team, therefore he drives the Lancer Evolution IV RS (CN9A). Seiji is a driver with 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.

Seiji is voiced by Kazuhisa Kawahara in the Japanese anime. In the Tokyopop English version, he is nicknamed 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.

Project D

Project D (プロジェクトD Purojekuto Dī, Stylized as Project.D) is a racing team created by Ryosuke. Its purpose is to take the best drivers in the Gunma area (Takumi and Keisuke), and travel to challenge other teams in various prefectures. During his recruitment of Takumi, Ryosuke noted that the project would last about a year before he would be transitioning to work on other job.

Supporting the team are Kenta Nakamura from the RedSuns, and the following crew members:


Seven Star Leaf

One of the first teams that Project D faces at the beginning of Fourth Stage.


Todo School

Northern Saitama Alliance

Tsuchisaka Lan Evo Team


Purple Shadow

Team 246

Yabitsu-pass Downhill Start point.
(Kanagawa Chuo Kotsu Bus stop)

Racing Team Katagiri Street Version

Team Spiral

Sidewinder


Supporting characters

Natsuki Mogi

Natsuki Mogi (茂木 なつき Mogi Natsuki, "Natalie") is an attractive schoolmate who befriends Takumi and becomes his potential love interest. Having broken up with her boyfriend Miki in junior high, she has been engaging in enjo kosai (subsidized dating / prostitution) with a middle-aged man she calls "Papa".[lower-alpha 2]Ch. 1 In the manga, when Takumi eventually learns about that relationship, he challenges and suffers his first official racing loss to Team Emperor, while the live-action movie concludes where Takumi discovers the couple coming out of a love hotel.[LA] After the discovery, Natsuki ends her relationship with Papa and tries to reconcile with Takumi; in the manga, she even takes a part-time job at the gas station (in the anime, she takes a part-time job at a fast food restaurant).Vols. 15-17 In volume 17 of the manga, and at the end of Third Stage, she and Takumi part ways for her to find her own dream in Tokyo, and promise to find each other again.Vol.

Natsuki is voiced by Ayako Kawasumi in the Japanese anime, and by Maaya Uchida in the 2014 film. In Tokyopop's English version, her nickname is Natalie, and she is voiced by Kat Cressida.[lower-alpha 2] In Funimation's English version, she is voiced by Brina Palencia.[lower-alpha 2] In the Hong Kong live-action film, she is portrayed by Anne Suzuki.[LA]

Yuichi Tachibana

Yuichi Tachibana (立花 祐一 Tachibana Yūichi, "Boss") is the manager of the gas station where Takumi and friends work.Ch. 1 He and Bunta are old friends,Ch. 2 having raced together in his youth,Ch. 38 and they often converse about Takumi and his involvement in the local races.Vols. 1-2 He acts as a father figure to the guys in the Akina Speed Stars. He is voiced by Tomomichi Nishimura in the Japanese anime. In the Tokyopop version, he is nicknamed Boss, and is voiced by Michael McConnohie. In the Funimation version he is voiced by Chuck Huber.[lower-alpha 2] In the Hong Kong live-action version, he is portrayed by Kenny Bee.[LA]

Kazumi Akiyama

Kazumi Akiyama (秋山 和美 Akiyama Kazumi, "Carrie") is Wataru's younger sister, and was Itsuki's love interest in Second Stage. She came to Gunma from Saitama to work at her aunt's inn, but left after she was framed for some wrongdoing by a senior worker. She spends time with Itsuki during Fourth Stage where she had broken up with a guy, but sees him as just a friend when she listens to Itsuki's advice, eventually making up with her ex, and leaving Itsuki devastated. Kazumi is voiced by Ryoka Yuzuki in the Japanese dub. In the Tokyopop English versions, she is named Carrie, and is voiced by Melissa Fahn. In the Funimation dub, she is voiced by Cherami Leigh.

Miki

Miki (御木) is a member of the soccer club at Takumi's high school. In junior high, when he was in the locker room bragging about his sexual exploits with Natsuki, Takumi was so angry that he punched him (it first turned out to be one of Takumi's nightmares while sleeping in First Stage).Ch. 1 In Third Stage he reunites with Natsuki but tries to abduct her until Takumi chases him down. Although he is not a racer, he drives a Celica GT-Four (ST205) which is an opponent in Initial D Arcade Stage and a playable vehicle in Arcade Stage 8 Infinity. Miki has been voiced by Wataru Takagi in the anime's First Stage and by Takumi Yamazaki in the Third Stage film as well as Arcade Stage 8 Infinity. In the Funimation dub, he is voiced by Christopher Ayres.

Mika Uehara

Mika Uehara (上原 美佳 Uehara Mika) is a high school senior who becomes Takumi's love interest during the Fifth Stage part of the Project D storyline. She first appears where she slaps Takumi for blowing off her best friend Tomoko, but later discovers that that a guy was impersonating Takumi and she apologizes. She is a talented golf player, having been raised by her father to play the sport early in life. Because of their similar life goals, she and Takumi get along, and later become a couple. Uehara is voiced by Saori Hayami in the Japanese dub.

Works cited

Initial D manga series

^ "Ch." and "Vol." are shortened forms for chapter and volume and refer to the appropriate sections in the Initial D manga:

Initial D anime series

Entire series
Series references by episode
  1. ↑ "Revenge! The Rumbling Turbo". Initial D. Season 1. Episode 2.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "The Ultimate Tofu Store Drift". Initial D. Season 1. Episode 1.
  3. 1 2 "Super Drift". Initial D. Season 1. Episode 19.

Other media

Films


Video games

References

    External links

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