Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
KaijuBattle
This anime is for someone who loves Tokyo Drift. The anime is about street racers who race in the winding hills of Japan. The racing is well done and has great music. The characters are great as well. Takumi is a high school student who races through the winding curves while delivering tofu. He gets noticed by a racer after he passes him on a delivery. The anime is very fun and well done. The anime does not have any flaws because it’s 26 episodes and does not feel rushed. The anime is in the typical 2000s style and is realistic slice of life racing.
Read at the sourcefh1478
He Deliver Tofu While Never Spilling
Initial D First Stage is an anime all about ambition, and how the entire cast of characters, is trying to get a fire under the main characters ass.
Compare to many racing anime, what this does so different is the main character. he laid back attitude and humility, just make him so different from the flock. And, of course, how he was groomed by his father to become a great street racer.
It also hits the nice 90s street racer vibe with music and dialogue, the art style looks good, and it has cell animated look that looks a bit rough, but works well with the street aesthetic.
Compare to MG ghost the creators latest work, this one doesn't feel as sterile, and really has the 90s dude in T-shirt vibe. It also does an amazing job of mixing up the different…
Read at the sourceSchwail
If you are wondering if you should watch this, YES, even if you aren't into cars or racing at all. Watch and enjoy the beginning of Takumi Fujiwara's journey.
The first thing you’ll probably notice is the animation and it might even being the thing causing you to be on the fence of watching in the first place. It looks rough at first, with that old CG for the cars and kind of stiff character art. The hand-drawn, cel-animated characters makes it feel very human and expressive, paired with the early CG cars, it creates this really unique style that’s oddly immersive once you get used to it. Before you know it, you’re attached to the look of this series. And if you're wondering, the animation, especially the car models get progressively better and become amazing throughout the next seasons.…
Read at the sourcelapiscosta
Very rarely does a piece of media change the way you look at life. For me, Initial D was one of those pieces. On the surface, it's a fun story about Japanese street racing culture. But when you step back and take it all in, you realise how much more than that it is. From the serene artstyle of 90s anime, to the perfectly picked score for each awe-inspiring moment, the art direction of this anime is the first piece of this puzzle. It ensures your not just watching this anime, but feeling it. The next piece of it is the story. There's a reason no racing anime can ever touch the impact Initial D has. This story isn't just about cars, its so much more. It's about friendship, and those nights after class filled with laughter, dumb choices, and unforgettable memories. It's about young love, and…
Read at the sourceGintokiee
where should i start i never thought i would have this much fun watching a racing anime..This anime in it's race without huge stakes of world saving or etc just made me so much invested with its races and mc i just can't tell you enough how much i loved watching this ....
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from his dad to the sometime janky animation i loved it all ....the songs such bangers each and every one of them with the perfectly paced bgms what exhilarating tracks just bangers in this show....it feels so late watching this wish i could've watched this ever sooner .....for me this was like the old school ruroni kensen totally different anime but felt the same...this made me a fan a total goofball a full fan of this kind of racing ..great anime can't recommend enough ...
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want to watch something good this can be gr…
Read at the sourceCoveklija
Initial D is about finding passion in the things you may don't like but do every single day.
Story is well written although I don't really know why they changed some stuff from manga. I don't have major complaints except for its weird timeline and how certain cars just don't match with the time but I think that it isn't really important considering that some average viewer will focus on the story and not on the timeline that it takes place in.
Animation is very nice, CGI was also very good for the time and they made races feel interesting. Some scenes are very beautiful and they really show the beauty of Japan in its own way. Those random sounds during the night before the race and sounds of cars are truly well made. I don't have a single complaint about the animation but sometimes cars…
Read at the sourceTsmiley
This anime bounced me back time and time again from anime watching block. This anime created my interest in cars and learning more about them and I couldn’t be happier. The town of Akina feels very lived in, it captures a vibrant that nothing else does. All the characters are great and I feel like this show makes a “monster of the week” format really work and you start getting more and more interested in racing and cars just like Takumi. Cant wait to learn more about all these characters especially Takumi’s dad and his background with street racing.
My only gripe with the show is the dated 3D animated car races, they are ripe with energy but lack style that I think full 2D would have had. Would love to see a reboot/reanimation of the show.
Read at the sourceJJMFREAP
Initial D is an absolute classic and there isn't much to say that hasn't been said already. If you love cars and motorsports, watch Initial D, it's made for you. If you don't love cars, watch it anyway, it's so good you'll still like it. If you love eurobeat, watch Initial D, it's heaven for you. If you don't love eurobeat, watch it anyway and that will no longer be the case. Point is, this anime is among the best, do yourself a favour and watch it.
I personally love deep, intricate, emotionally invested stories. However, often times, it just feels really good to unwind with something fun, simple and straightforward. Initial D is one of the best in the latter category. This is a classic anime built solely for one purpose - to be fun as hell! Regardless of what your disposition is going in…
Read at the sourceHoneyBees05
I really recommend everyone to watch this! The story and characters are amazing!
I got to find new songs/music from it and they are BANGERS.
As a car mechanic my friend recommended me to watch it and since I and my friend are working at a Toyota dealership, I like JDM and Japan cars, racing, Japan itself, Anime etc. I and my friend are working in there total for 5-6 months and I will leave working in there in 2025 summer because I am still a student finishing 12th grade(I need to complete the car mechanic exam). So I thought why wouldn't I start watching it, and I did start watching it.
I watched almost everyday at least 1 ep a day of Initial D stage 1. Sometimes I was just so excited when very interesting moments came and it put a smile on my face when I watched it. There were sometimes…
Read at the sourceIChooseGod
Initial D is the ultimate nostalgia anime for me—it’s truly a masterpiece in every sense of the word. There aren’t many series like this, which makes it all the more unique and special. The story revolves around Takumi Fujiwara, an initially unassuming high school student who transforms into a skilled street racer. His character development is one of the most compelling aspects of the series. Watching him grow, both as a driver and as a person, is so satisfying.
And then there are the cars—they’re simply stunning. Each race is beautifully animated, capturing the thrill and precision of street racing in a way that feels authentic and exhilarating. The late ’90s vibe of the series adds a timeless charm that enhances the entire experience. The style, atmosphere, and attention to detail immer…
Read at the sourcePajebok
For someone who doesn't have any knowledge in the automotive's world this anime is like a new fresh air to breathe. The story pretty much being told from the perspective of a school boy who doesn't have any interest to that world at all yet slowly start to open his eyes to the excitement of cars and street racing. From that point the MC (and the watcher) will start to learn what is so fantastic about cars while also being served with a lot of exhilarating racing throughout the story. Thus making this anime unique with the storytelling that always keep the watchers interest up.
Read at the sourceCasualfanofanime
Make no mistake. Initial D is not (solely) a show about cars. It's a show about self improvement, to become the greatest possible version of yourself. It's about going past your circumstances, and learning to use them to your advantage. And of course, Initial D is a show about JDM cars and a badass soundtrack.
Initial D is (besides the Matrix and Nirvana) peak 90s. Initial D is the embodiment of everything 90s anime is, for better or for worse. Surprisingly, the CGI is great, and the only animation gripe I really have is some character designs. It's not all balls to the wall action, and some might dislike the more drama focused episodes. I feel it gives a certain charm to it, like GTO (also a great car). Hey, maybe you'll even like their antics.
The story of the main character resonates…
Read at the sourceTomiTomsen
I like the 90 vibes I get, the music is the most memorable of all Anime I watched
I'm even scared of driving my car with Initial D music.
A Kid who finds his interest in car racing, Art Style fits the timeline
Characters were good, even the mysterious father
The Comedy is good too
If you like competitive Anime, this is for you
I'm not really interested in cars, but this one caught me good
Animation gets better every Season, did not really care that the first season had an old animation Overall I must say the Emotions I feel in this Anime are astonishing
Read at the sourceAphyHentai
I watch again all Initial D season for maybe the 20th time, but here my reviews because i will say what i didn't like, Takumi is a VERY GOOD characters, as a MC he's cool, lunatics and really want to improve and i love it.
And also he's shy which is very cute.. sadly other characters are very bad, his girlfriend is good, (beside the story with sugar daddy).
But like a lot of people i HATE Itsuki, he's just annoying, at a moment he want to see takumi win and beside insult him of monster (in a bad way not a good way) say that takumi is stupid and else, also his love story is boring and annoying by the fact that he's lying way too much ! "Yeah i'm better than him, yeah i'm part of this team, Yeah this, yeah that" i know people consider him as a trundere, but he's not at all.
Iketani is bad t…
Read at the sourceDonQuigeek
I came to Initial D after having watched the first epiode of MF Ghost and learned that it was a sequel. Until very recently, I was never into mechanics, racing, speed, cars or even wheels. You do not care, but this shows that such an anime can have a very strong appeal (and Wangan Midnight after it) on even this kind of audience.
Basically, the whole plot is : "Okay guys, let's see who's the best street racer around here and… who's this youngster with that old car?". It's paper-thin, but it manages to deliver a very straightforward story, good characters, passion, and loads of adrenaline until the very last episode, which is six seasons (and much better visuals) later.
Despite its old age, Initial D was still a great watch, to my own surprise. There are two reasons to that, which I would…
Read at the sourceNDskies
From my notes after watching the first episode: "Not crazy about some of the character designs, and wasn't too keen about watching a racing anime to begin with, but by the end it interested me enough to keep going." Which turned out to be a very good thing indeed since it produced hours of tense race-watching pleasure. And that's saying a lot from someone who has never been interested in cars, let alone racing.
My biggest qualms are mostly qualms with the sports genre in general. Such as the cliched story of taking an underdog (or someone completely new to a sport) and turning him into a sort of wunderkind who remains an underdog throughout by continually stacking the deck against him even as he levels up (so to speak). But it was executed well and, unlike most other sports series, you h…
Read at the sourceBensonas
Round of applause for Initial D Season one. I have absolutely no idea why I waited so long to watch this but I am so so glad I did after watching some average to only just good anime series'. Like another reviewer has said before me, who knew a story about street racing would be so entertaining, and to add to this statement, so exciting. I've not been this excited for a long time while watching anime.
Firstly I'm going to begin with the biggest and frankly only hurdle I had to overcome. You are treated to lovely hand drawn animation. The characters look great, the scenes are great and the cars are great. It really is prime animation for it's time. However, when you see the animation for the moving vehicles for the first time, you may be as surprised as I was. Initially I thought, 'what i…
Read at the sourceJDMOverlord
Amazing anime in every aspect! The story is about Takumi Fujiwara, a boy who delievers tofu and initially hates driving, then he progressively gets into the world of street racing and cars. The story itself is cool, even though it does not contain many unexpected twists, the characters are well written and each one has a unique personality that reflects their car and their driving style.
The anime is filled with awesome JDM cars, accurate technical details and an iconic soundtrack!
The best part are obviously the racing scenes. They will take your breath away and make you cheer for Takumi (or other characters), the drift scenes are amazing and the tension is to the stars! The racing is quite realistic except for a few stunts that are just beyond reality.
If this does not get you into JD…
Read at the sourceVleugel7
Do you like cars? Do you like street racing? Do you like drifting, 90's music, nostalgia, or even tofu? You're so stupid, go watch this show.
Yes, the first season's cars cgi (yes there is cgi), looks like a playstation 1 had a stroke, but they were limited by the technology of their time, possibly also funding, don't worry though, it gets way way better during the seasons after.
Apart from the awesome and hype 90's eurobeat music that's very fitting, there are also ending songs ranging from hilarious to horrendous.
Which might've had something to do with the fact that the company providing the funding for this anime at the time was a J-POP talent agency, which unfortunately (or for maybe fortunately for us) had more funding than talent.
Even if you don't like cars, it will keep you on t…
Read at the sourceMalifalittiko
It is about the story of a high school student becoming a car racer. The main character is someone who doesn't like cars, but as time goes on, he starts to like cars.
The drawing quality is at a very good level when watching with music, at a normal level when watching without music.
Takumi is ambitious and a quick learner. Takumi is identified with the Toyota AE86 car. For me, Mako is very nice and a good racer.
The anime takes place in present-day Japan. We have seen every city in Japan with this series.
This anime is not loved because of the image quality. I didn't like cars, but after watching this anime, I started to like cars.
Read at the source
