Initial D (film)

Infobox Film
name = Initial D: Drift Racer


image_size = 179px
director = Andrew Lau
Alan Mak
producer = Andrew Lau
writer = Felix Chong
Shuichi Shigeno (comics)
starring = Jay Chou
Anthony Wong
Edison Chen
Jordan Chan
Shawn Yue
music = Chan Kwong-Wing
cinematography = Lai Yiu Fai
Andrew Lau
editing = Wong Hoi
distributor = flagicon|Japan flagicon|Hong Kong Avex Inc.
flagicon|Hong Kong Media Asia Distribution Ltd.
released = flagicon|Hong Kong June 23, 2005
runtime = 110 min.
language = Cantonese
budget = $12,000,000 (estimated)
imdb_id = 0439630

"Initial D" is a 2005 Hong Kong live-action film adaptation of the Japanese "Initial D" manga and anime series. It is directed by famed Hong Kong directors Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, whose credits include the smash hit "Infernal Affairs" trilogy and 1999's "The Legend of Speed" (directed by Lau), a previous street racing melodrama. The catchphrase for the movie is "It's not what you drive, but what drives you".

Cast

* Major Characters
** Jay Chou - Takumi Fujiwara
** Anthony Wong - Bunta Fujiwara
** Edison Chen - Ryosuke Takahashi
** Anne Suzuki - Natsuki Mogi
** Shawn Yue - Takeshi Nakazato
** Chapman To - Itsuki Tachibana
** Kenny Bee - Yuichi Tachibana
** Jordan Chan - Kyouichi Sudou
** Will Liu - Seiji Iwaki (Kyouichi's partner)

* Minor Characters
** [http://yaplog.jp/challechie/ Chie Tanaka] - Miya (Gas station girl / Itsuki's love interest)
** [http://www.horipro.co.jp/talent/PM036/ Tsuyoshi Abe] - Kenji (One of the gasoline boys)
** Kazuyuki Tsumura - Mr. X (Natsuki's "papa")

Plot

Taking place in the Gunma prefecture in Japan, the film concerns a young tofu-delivery driver named Takumi Fujiwara. He has incredible skill in taking on the hairpin curves of Mt. Akina (Mt. Haruna in real-life). The film chronicles his evolution from an uninterested delivery boy into a hardened touge racer.

Takumi drives his father's (Bunta) Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX (AE86). It is seemingly unmodified but is perfectly suited for the downhill corners of Mt. Akina and gains the attention of local street racers all across the prefecture. Some ultimately challenge Takumi to battles on Akina's downhill. Ryousuke Takahashi, a driver of the Mazda RX-7 (FC3S) helps out Takumi along the way by giving him advice. While following the path of a street racer, Takumi must deal with his alcoholic father and his girlfriend who secretly engages in compensated dating.

Changes from previous versions

The movie differs from the manga and anime in several distinct ways. Some changes are significant, while others are minor.

Release

"Initial D" was released on June 23, 2005 in several Asian markets including Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and mainland China, where it topped the box office in its first week. The film made its North American debut at The Imaginasian Theater in New York City. It went straight to DVD in Australia on October 21, 2005. It was also released in the United Kingdom on April 28, and the Philippines on July 12, 2006. Tai Seng Entertainment, the distributor of "Initial D" to the USA, released "Initial D" on Blu-ray on January 22, 2008. This is an exclusive release for the Blu-ray format.

External links

*
* [http://avex.jp/initial-d/cast.html Initial D - Avex Side] live-action cast (Japanese)
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=3394 Anime News Network - Initial D (live-action movie)] anime encyclopedia entry