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.

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Links Section and Forum Awards

Links section was updated. I've removed a few dead links and added a new link exchange for Colin Morgan Fan, check them out if you are a fan!

We are running a forum awards currently, vote now if you haven't already! As of this posting, there is barely one day left to vote!

Does Iketani really have no regrets?

From Initial D Extra Stage II (2008), we learned that Mako got accepted into this one-year professional racing program sponsored by a company who will publish her experience on a magazine. Facing with dilemma of whether to tell... Mako his true feelings or let her go with the peace of mind, Iketani chose to hold back his feelings. Many (myself included) criticize the author for not making this relationship to work out in the end. Does Iketani really have no regrets for letting Mako go? If you were Iketani, what would you do? Would you do what Iketani did, encourage her to chase her dream but hold back your feelings for her; or would you confess to her and ask her not go to Tokyo? The way Iketani is being portrayed makes him look like a saint and self-sacrificing. In my own opinion, he is running away from the love of his life not because he lacks the courage, but because he really loves her and wants the best for her.

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Initial D Live Stage

It is a known fact that there are many real life replicas from Initial D in Japan. It begs the question, how many do we have here in North America? Well for starter, we have Takumi Trueno's AE86 and Gabriel's FC3S. This... was an abandoned project from a few years ago. The project was to recreate scenes from Initial D. This is one of the test footage, courtesy of Takumi Trueno and Gabriel. This isn't a scene from the anime or the manga. I guess it would be a side story where Ryosuke and Takumi would go for a relaxing cruise. 'html/emoticons/laugh.gif'

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O8kDw_xAK4[/YOUTUBE]

Manga Vol.44

Initial D Manga Volume 44 was just released in Japan on January 6th, 2012. This entire volume is centered around the battle between Project D's Keisuke (FD3S) and Sidewinder's Go Hojo (NSX-S Zero) and the enjoyment of racing.
To buy the latest volume in Japanese, please visit this link: YesAsia
If you want to get a preview of the new volume, we also have the scans available. [しげの秀一] 頭文字D 第44巻 (64.55MB) (Right Click And Save As)

Initial D Manga Volume 44

Initial D Manga Vol.44 was released in Japan on January 6th, 2012. This is the latest volume for the series. This entire volume is centered around the battle between Keisuke (FD3S) and Go Hojo (NSX). This volume marks the 17th... year that the series are actively being published. Scans are available, keep yourself updated on the latest Initial D adventure on our forums: https://idforums.net For a direct link to the latest manga volume, please visit: https://idforums.net/index.php?showtopic=26...dpost&p=1226928


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Shinn's Motivation

From the latest manga release, Project D is about to come to an end. The last race is highly anticipated with Shinn's AE86 vs Takumi's AE86. Shinn reminds me of the Takumi from the first few episodes of First Stage. He... is always expressionless and seems to be lost in his own world. Remember how Bunta has to trick Takumi into racing Keisuke's FD by promising him a full tank of gas as reward of winning the match? Shinn is just like that in that aspect with no motivation to race. However, with each chapter release, Shigeno is slowly revealing to us that Shinn might finally find a reason and motivation to race Takumi. Let's just say, love is powerful. The desire to be the hero in front of the person that you love might be commending, however, it could also be one's downfall due to pride and ego. (From Ch.653 "Hero Part 2")

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Initial M?

Motorcycles are rarely mentioned in Initial D. The most prominent mention had to be Kai Kogashiwa. In the series, it was mentioned that Kai's the fastest motorcyclist on Mt. Irohazaka before he transitioned to street racing... in his MR2. There are numerous occasions where you can see motorcycles in the background but they are not related to any of the main characters. In this image, Shigeno showed us that he can put motorcycle in the series if he want to. It's not far-fetched to have a battle with motorcycles only. Being Initial D though, maybe we will never see anything like that, not even in a side story. It would certainly be refreshing to watch to say the least.


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The Future Prospect of Project D

From the ending of Third Stage 'til the latest manga release, the timeline in the story world has elapsed almost one year. Takumi revealed to us that he wanted to be faster than the fastest out there. That was his main... reason for joining Project D. It's mind-boggling to see how much he has matured compare to that race with Kai Kogashiwa's SW20. Takumi's potential is limitless, as the author would have us believe. As Ryosuke's one year time limit that he sets for himself is hurtling towards the end, one can't help but wonder about the future prospect of the series. If Initial D does go on after the disbandment of Project D, what would Takumi do? Would he join Keisuke in the world of professional racing, or would he be content with beating himself constantly using the Impreza and the 86? It s safe to say that no matter where the author takes us in the next Initial D adventure, Takumi will continue to amaze us with his gift in racing.


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To be fast, you have to imagine you are.

From the latest manga release Ch.645, we are led to believe that the ultimate key in victory hinges on the mind. Initial D has not explore too much on the psychological effects that a driver has on the actual result of a race.... It seems we are finally at the frontier of the mental state of the driver. From Keisuke's interior monologue, we learned how he is able to stick so close to the opponent before him, despite an initial estimate of a 15 seconds gap. The key is to imagine his brother Ryosuke in the driver seat and burn that mental image in his mind. Keisuke looks up to his brother like no one else. He deeply believes that his brother will always be faster. The author Shigeno is introducing a psychological phenomena known as self-fulfilling prophecy. It is related to "Law Of Attraction." To be faster, you have to imagine you are faster. That is the first step to be faster. I believe that's the message the author is trying to convey in this race. (Inset from Vol.43 - Ch.645)

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