A Fling for Cars
A Fling for Cars
Coming across anime as the ultimate source of perfection for all things in the world, it was tough to hold off my excitement for the first-ever car anime I watched. And what could be better than starting this genre with the masterpiece of its time, “Initial D”?
Initial D is a well-known anime series that debuted in 1998 and is based on the Shuichi Shigeno manga of the same name. Takumi Fujiwara, a high school student, drives his customized Toyota AE86 to carry tofu for his father’s business and discovers a personal flair for street racing. While the anime itself is known for its 90s style and special touches, it still has a certain street factor.
The challenges that the characters face on the side of street racing, as well as all of the benefits and drawbacks that come with it The series Initial D is renowned for its tight racing sequences, exhilarating score, and distinct fusion of drama and humor. Particularly in the racing moments, where the automobiles are realistically depicted with a strong sense of speed and motion, the animation is well-done.
Succumbing to the interest in the anime after just 2 episodes, I found myself watching the complete thing and getting an interest in cars myself. While it may sound a little hard to believe, Initial D portrays the love of cars in such a way that you just cannot help but fall in love with those classic beasts yourself. Initial D’s portrayal of street racing and its associated culture is among its most recognized features.
The risks and hazards of illegal racing, as well as the myriad rites and rituals connected to the street racing subculture, are realistically shown in the series. It has a type of connection with cars that are rarely seen in other animes, and with its love for cars, you just cannot help but compare it with “Food Wars” (Shokugeki no Souma) or even “Haikyuu!” Just like “Food Wars” and “Haikyuu,” this anime series also takes a complete turn when it comes to cars and street racing, making it one of the best sports-type anime that the world has ever seen.
Initial D, like those two, keeps its story limited to cars and street or illegal racing, where we get to learn and understand a lot about cars and form an emotional connection with them. From learning about the different classes of engines, the types of fuel and boost, and even the different mods and upgrades needed on every one of them, Initial D goes all the way when it comes down to teaching and entertaining you about cars.
It makes you feel a connection with cars unlike anything else and gives these lifeless beasts a heart of their own, where you must connect with it from head to toe and with your soul to perform at your absolute best. And if these were not enough to make you fall in love with the anime, the series also has character growth as another facet that sticks out. Takumi and the other characters experience significant growth and change throughout the series as they overcome obstacles in their personal lives and strive to improve as racers.
Overall, Initial D is a well-done anime that blends exciting racing sequences with likable characters and an interesting plot. Due to its success, multiple live-action movies, anime adaptations, and spin-off comics have been produced, and you can even see resemblances in some of them, like in the Fast and Furious series, especially in “Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift,” where the final street race between D.K. and Sean seems similar to that of Takumi and Shinji.
From the race track and roads that look similar to the path in Tokyo Drift to their highly modified cars that look like they came straight out of the anime, Tokyo Drift is unlike any other cars or street racing movies. And if we are going to be talking about cars and Initial D in general, then I think it is only fair to mention that after the anime, you are going to be addicted to cars unlike anything else.
I mean, from the decals to the stickers, and from car mats to hoodies and tees, Initial D rocks your mind in such a manner that you cannot help but focus on all the different types of merchandise that the anime has to offer. And to let out a little secret, I too got addicted to the different types of merchandise that were made for the anime.
