Fourth Stage MV Series Part 2

Continuing with the theme of upscaling old anime music video using AI upscaling software, we have the Part 2 of the Fourth Stage MV from BurningRacer. As mentioned in the previous post, all the sequence you see in this MV were... sourced from DVD (480p) which was then upscaled to 720p. The upscaling software took it a step further to 2K quality (1440p)
Check it out and remember to subscribe!
[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/8He5A2iaGY4[/YOUTUBE]

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Fourth Stage MV Series Part 1

Greetings, Initial D World. Time flies; it has been a decade since this MV by BurningRacer was released. At the time, the best quality video available was sourced from DVD (480p), and it was then upscaled to 720p for the music... video.

Since it's the 10th anniversary of the release of this video, we thought it's appropriate to upscale the 720p version to 1440p using AI video software. Let's see how animation from two decades ago fares using modern technology. (Fourth Stage first aired in April 2004!)

Check out the 1440p QHD upscale video here and don't forget to subscribe!
[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/IJBtt6n5fdc[/YOUTUBE]

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Happy New Year 2020

As the 𝐃ecade is coming to an end, a new one is right around the corner. Have you been following your 𝐃ream in the past 10 years? What were some of the problems that you had to overcome in order to achieve that?... Share with us your story of what 𝐃rives you in the new year.

With that being said, we would like to wish you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020 !!! Celebrate with us on our Discord today: https://discord.gg/XVaf3bM

| Credits |
» Blurred new year 2020 background Vector | https://tinyurl.com/vcgp9po

| Source |
» 頭文字D画集(Young Magazine Special Edition) page 24-25


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Initial D Live Action Movie 2 Trailer

Breaking News! Avex has released an exclusive trailer on Initial D Live Action Movie 2. We've been waiting for this for over a decade. The trailer shows one of the battles in Fourth Stage, specifically the R34 vs FD... race. It also shows a little Q & A between the original Takumi Fujiwara's voice actor Shinichiro Miki and Initial D's creator Shuichi Shigeno.

Watch 'til the end of the release date!

slooℲ lᴉɹd∀ ʎddɐH

| Editor's Comment |
Recently, a fan asked us what happened to the Initial D Live Action 2. The plan fell through aparently. 寰亞電影 Media Asia Film is not releasing any further details since 2014. It's been exactly four years since they released this trailer: https://goo.gl/1oAuf8 which is quite annoying. From what we can tell, even if somehow everything is green light, they are not going to get the same cast set. For one, Jay Chou is married and approaching 40. It'll be unconvincing to portrait as a teenager. And for two, the logistics side of the whole operation will be a nightmare. You'll need a private film company with hundreds of millions backing this. In short, this isn't happening any time soon if at all. And if it ever comes out, it won't be in the form that we anticipated.


[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aljl_a0o_Ig[/YOUTUBE]

(Repost) Returning to the Root

Do you still remember the first time when you were introduced to Initial D? For me it was the summer of 1999 when a cousin of mine introduced the series to me. At that time, First Stage was not completely released yet and we had... to wait for each episode to release on VCD and rent it in order to watch it. I still vividly remember the very first moment when the opening theme started playing. I was instantly hooked on this strange yet exciting way for the car to turn in such a way around the corner. And the rest was history as they say. Initial D defined my youth and reshaped the way I look at cars and street racing. It is a life style and a positive attitude towards life and achieving your goal.

| Editor's Note |
This is a repost from 2012, but we re-did the image with higher quality screenshots. Enjoy!

| Original Post |
» Returning to the Root | http://facebook.com/go2id/photos/468531349829202

| Sources |
» Screenshots from Initial D First Stage OP | m.o.v.e - around the world


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Throwback: AE86 Festival 2014

(Throwback) The AE86 just look beautiful in any lights. If it wasn't for Initial D, this car would not be as well-known as it is today. Some have developed a strong feeling with the car after watching Initial D. And it's... interesting to think that, an anime or comic drawing can make one feel such a way. Perhaps, that is the magic of Initial D.

Pictured here is from the AE86 Festival with Initial D took place in October 2014. Initial D fans drove their beloved AE86 out for a spin on the track, showing appreciation and love for the series.

Has Initial D changed your views on cars and racing? Share your story with us. 'html/emoticons/smile.gif'

| Extra Photos |
» Tofu Delivery Fleet ① | https://i.imgur.com/SVlbCen.jpg
» Tofu Delivery Fleet ② | https://i.imgur.com/rdk1Bs1.jpg
» Tofu Delivery Fleet ③ | https://i.imgur.com/4WFCfl7.jpg
» Tofu Delivery Fleet ④ | https://i.imgur.com/Bvh2QUn.jpg
» Tofu Delivery Fleet ⑤ | https://i.imgur.com/Ao5JhFz.jpg

| Previous Post |
» 14th Round: AE86 Festival 2013 with Initial D | https://goo.gl/k5x6ky
» AE86 Festival 2013 with Initial D | https://goo.gl/NpP8eA
» AE86 Festival 2013 Sneak Peek | https://goo.gl/sH8CnL

| Sources |
» AE86カツオ | http://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/280715
» 続・第15回 AE86フェスティバル 2014 with 頭文字D | https://goo.gl/b7jgVg


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Tokyo Auto Salon 2018

The 東京オートサロン2018 (Tokyo Auto Salon) is in full swing. Started yesterday (12th), the annual auto show takes place in Makuhari Messe, Chiba City for Performance and custom... dress-up parts and technology display. The event is hosted by the Nippon Auto Parts Aftermarket Committee and last for three days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)

This year they have a MFゴースト (MF Ghost) booth that specifically promotes the latest work from Shuichi Shigeno, the author of Initial D. As we reported couple days ago, MF Ghost is a work based in the near future (202X) and focus on a young genius driver named カナタ (Kanata), who just graduated from a UK racing school. His purpose of coming to Japan? To take the fastest title in MFG, which is a motorsport competition in the storyline.

Be sure to check out videos of car show models dressing up (cosplay) as MFG Angels as portrayed in the manga. Judging by the resources and efforts Young Magazine is putting into this, it seems they are serious about the success of this series. Let's hope the series get animated in the near future.

| Videos |
» Yume Hayashi showing us MF Ghost Vol.1 | https://goo.gl/a818Hz
» Yume Hayashi dressing up as MFG Angel | https://goo.gl/2h8U2b
» Ken Block drifting | https://goo.gl/Yw7sF1

| Sources |
» TOKYO AUTO SALON 2018 | 東京オートサロン公式サイト
http://www.tokyoautosalon.jp/2018
» 新公道最速伝説『MFゴースト』公式 | https://goo.gl/eFaVQh
» みんカラスタッフブログ | https://goo.gl/ToHGPA
» 早くも実写化？ | https://goo.gl/e8mxiF
» 林ゆめ (Yume Hayashi) | Twitter | https://goo.gl/FnEYFY
» 東京オートサロン Twitter Search | https://goo.gl/2XpNrC


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Karuizawa Station Anime vs Real Life

There are always new things to discover and explore when it comes to Initial D. Re-watching episode 16 from First Stage, it shows Iketani goes on a date with Mako for the first time. Kenji, Itsuki and Takumi decided to follow... Iketani secretly to find out who this Mako girl is. Unfortunately, Kenji had very poor following skill and somehow caught by Iketani.

They pulled into a rest stop on the side of the highway. This is a real life location in 横川 (Yokokawa). (See links below to check it out) The next scene brings us to the 軽井沢駅 (Karuizawa Station) where the three could not believe their eyes of how beautiful Mako is. The next scene brings us to a cafe where Iketani and Mako chat and hang out. There is a brief moment where it shows a real life building in the town of Karuizawa.

軽井沢 (Karuizawa) is a very beautiful resort town in the mountains near 佐久, 長野県 (Saku, Nagano Prefecture) With population less than 20,000, it's a small town that has attractions such as skiing, hot springs, golf... etc.

With such realistic backdrop in Initial D, one can't help but wonder if Initial D's fame indirectly promoted tourism for Japan. It's not far-fetched to imagine that countless people visited Japan because of Initial D. Will you visit Japan one day? Where do you want go visit first?

| Address |
» Kenji, Itsuki and Takumi followed Iketani on his first date with Mako. The three apologized to Iketani after they pull into a rest stop. 〒379-0301 群馬県安中市松井田町横川字大林917 (Google Maps - https://goo.gl/maps/nE9SVsTGpuy)
» Iketani introduces Mako to the three for the first time in Karuizawa Station. 〒389-0102 長野県北佐久郡軽井沢町軽井沢1178 (Google Maps - https://goo.gl/maps/Gj4z6Xejf4K2)
» Building shown in First Stage ACT.16 briefly before it shows Iketani and Mako in a cafe. 草軽交通駅舎旧軽井沢 〒389-0102 長野県北佐久郡軽井沢町軽井沢 (Google Maps -
https://goo.gl/maps/3zWYc2oC63k)

| Sources |
» Go Away, Sam: Japan Day 7 Karuizawa + Shibukawa + Tokyo | https://goo.gl/R6rfpk
» 頭文字D遠征～やっと行ったよ碓氷峠～ | https://goo.gl/R6rfpk
» Screenshots from Initial D First Stage ACT.16「碓氷峠のエンジェル」"The Angel of Usui"


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MF Ghost Vol. 1

Since the end of Initial D in July 2013, author しげの 秀一 (Shuichi Shigeno) has taken a well-deserved break. In 2014 he started a short series called 高嶺の花 (Amazing... Hana) that only contained two volumes. It was a love story between a middle-aged divorced manga creator and a young girl. In terms of popularity, it didn't do so well.

From 2015 to 2017, Shigeno-sensei started another series セーラーエース (Sailor Ace), which is a series about baseball. It contains six volumes. This work has done alright, but still nowhere near the popularity its ancestor Initial D has acheived.

In September 2017, just four months ago, Shigeno started a new series called MFゴースト (MF Ghost) Chapters are being serialized in Young Magazine just like Initial D was. And volume 1 containing 13 chapters, just got released few days ago.

Shigeno-sensei has decided to return to his root, street racing. Yes, MF Ghost is about street racing. The story takes place in the near future 2020's when autonomous self-drivng cars are common sight. The storyline focus on a young genius driver Kanata who has just graduated from racing school in England, returns to Japan. His goal? To take the title of fastest street racer.

There have been already numerous references to Initial D in the first few chapters in MF Ghost (Mostly characters referring to things in Initial D). People are already calling this the Initial D sequel. However, I believe the author is trying to pay homage to his previous work. Whether MF Ghost has direct relationship with Initial D is yet to be determined.

One thing worth pointing out is, if MF Ghost gets animated, there is a good chance the Drift King 土屋圭市 Keiichi Tsuchiya will be back as the Technical Consultant for the series. Check out the Drift King taking one of the main character's GT-R for a spin on the touge in the link below.

| Order Links |
» ＭＦゴースト（１）| https://amazon.co.jp/dp/B078HRT139

| Sources |
» 漫画『MFゴースト』公式ページ | http://yanmaga.jp/contents/mfg
» “リアル”MFゴースト 土屋圭市が試してガッテン!! | https://youtu.be/RXxTKdT4jH4


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Surprise Initial D Wedding Proposal

One year ago today, a Japanese Initial D fan proposed to his girlfriend in front of Takumi's AE86 on Mt. Haruna. It was the perfect moment, all witnessed by those who love them.

She said yes.


| Image Source... |
» dzgarage | Twitter | https://twitter.com/dzgarage_makoto


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