Completed Anime
Initial D First Stage

“Apathetic tofu-delivery teen becomes legendary Akina downhill racer in his humble AE86, stunning street-racing elites.”

Initial D First Stage

8.37
257 rank · 442,137 viewers · 14,060 favorites
Action Drama Racing Seinen
26 episodes · 25 min per ep min · Spring 1998 · Gallop · PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
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Episodes · 26 26/26 aired
EP 01 EP 26

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Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...

However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...

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Synopsis

Apathetic tofu-delivery teen becomes legendary Akina downhill racer in his humble AE86, stunning street-racing elites.

Unlike his friends, Takumi Fujiwara is not particularly interested in cars, with little to no knowledge about the world of car enthusiasts and street racers. The son of a tofu shop owner, he is tasked to deliver tofu every morning without fail, driving along the mountain of Akina. Thus, conversations regarding cars or driving in general would only remind Takumi of the tiring daily routine forced upon him. One night, the Akagi Red Suns, an infamous team of street racers, visit the town of Akina to challenge the local mountain pass. Led by their two aces, Ryousuke and Keisuke Takahashi, the Red Suns plan to conquer every racing course in Kanto, establishing themselves as the fastest crew in the region. However, much to their disbelief, one of their aces is overtaken by an old Toyota AE86 during a drive back home from Akina. After the incident, the Takahashi brothers are cautious of a mysterious driver geared with remarkable technique and experience in the local roads—the AE86 of Mount Akina.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

What people say

Community consensus

Derived from 109 sampled reviews

8.5 /10

What 109 viewers settled on.

99% recommend
Score distribution
median 9 mode 8 σ 1.37
1510
Agreement

Mostly aligned

σ 1.37 · some divergence

mixed
The polarity gap

5.8 pts

Recommenders 8.8 · others 3.0

Yes
No
Score over time

↑ 0.51

Running avg · Sep 2007 → Feb 2026

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Production slate

A Tv Production · Spring 1998

Gallop.
in association with

OB Planning · Fuji TV

  • Format 26 × 25′ eps × min
  • Total runtime 10h 50m all episodes
  • Aired Apr 1998 – Dec 1998 Spring 1998
  • Source Tv media type
  • Rated PG 13 - Teens 13 or older
  • Ref. BS-0163 catalog

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