Initial D characters and teams
Encyclopedia
This is a list of characters from the anime and manga series. All the car sounds in the series are from actual Hot Version Volumes due to Keiichi Tsuchiya being the Editorial Advisor for the series and recording most sounds for the Anime. Initial D
.
is the main character of the Initial D series and the son of legendary street racer Bunta Fujiwara. Throughout the series, Takumi develops his racing skills to be one of the fastest drivers in Kanto while driving an old Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86. This is due Takumi's job delivering tofu to Lake Akina every morning for 5 years (since 7th grade). Although Takumi believes this to be just a job, he had actually been manipulated subtly by his father into developing driving skills, without being fully aware of Bunta's intent.
Takumi works part-time at a gas station with his best friend Itsuki Takeuchi, and the leader of the Akina Speed Stars, Iketani. Early in the series, both Itsuki and Iketani think that Takumi has no driving ability because of Takumi's total disinterest in cars and racing. But actually, Takumi has far more experience on Mt. Akina than Iketani and Itsuki. The only person that suspects Takumi's superior driving skills is his boss, Yuichi, after Takumi correctly identified the correct technique to a four-wheel drift (much to Iketani and Itsuki's obliviousness).
Bunta aside, Takumi's driving technique is the best on Akina; the very fact that he has managed to win races against far more powerful cars with his Eight-Six Trueno is testament to his driving skills. As a result of constant everyday practice and over 5 years of experience on Akina, Takumi is able to quickly adapt to nearly any situation that presents itself during a race. One factor in his nearly unparalleled driving skill is his ability to visualize the road in his head, thus making up for the lack of visibility no matter how dark the mountain pass may be. This ability only takes effect if he has driven on the road before, which was not the case in some later races. He is an instinctive rather than an intellectual driver. Although the mizo otoshi technique (a technique where the driver drops the inside tires into the rain gutters on the side of the road to defeat centrifugal force) is a great but difficult technique that his father taught him, it led him to many victories throughout the story.
At first, Takumi was not part of any team (he was just loosely affiliated with the Akina Speed Stars), but later joins Project D, a special team created by Ryosuke Takahashi aimed at breaking every course record in the Kanto region
.
Takumi looks docile and weak-minded, but he is stubborn and strong-willed, many remarks have been said about that. Yuuichi realized that Takumi was like his father in his behavior. Because he is not as outwardly ill-tempered as Keisuke, the mechanics of Project D tend to find him docile. However, to those who have raced against him, Takumi possesses tremendous concentration and instinctive insight once behind the wheel (and these qualities are most evident when he is chasing after his opponent). His apparent docility became traps for many opponents. Keisuke asks Takumi to become professional racers together and now Takumi's eventual goal is to become a professional racer with Keisuke. Keisuke and Takumi become rivals that aspire to the same dream.
is the owner of a tofu shop in Akina, and the father of Takumi. He used to be the No.1 downhill racer in Mt. Akina years ago, but he no longer races, preferring to guide Takumi's racing development. He is the original driver of the mysterious "white ghost of Akina" AE86 Sprinter Trueno that holds the record of the fastest downhill time at Akina.
Bunta has a unique way of training his son to drive—every morning when Takumi delivers tofu. Bunta gives Takumi a cup of water which is placed in the drink holder; Takumi must not spill even a drop of it while he is driving. This is ostensibly to prevent breaking the tofu in the boot, but it forces Takumi to drive very smoothly. As for Bunta, he is still considered the best downhill racer in Akina, which is shown early in the series when he pushes the Trueno with Yuichi in the passenger seat, lighting a cigarette while drifting around a corner.
Later in the series, Takumi used the Trueno more than Bunta, so he gave the car to Takumi. While test driving a Subaru Impreza WRX STI Type R Version V on Akina, Bunta defeated his son, inducing a 4WD complex in Takumi. Bunta decided to buy the car, but hid this fact from Takumi for some time. After revealing that he was the driver, he then told Takumi to alternate between the Impreza and his Eight-Six for deliveries—another strategy to improve Takumi as a driver, showing him the potential of modern cars and the characteristics of 4WD. While this shows his training strategy, it is seen that Bunta is, once again, proven to be the most formidable opponent in Akina.
Project D is different from the other mountain racing teams as it has a highly technical regimen and a support team of technicians, who are mostly members of the Akagi Redsuns. Each car has a dedicated mechanic, as well as other support personnel. Kenta Nakamura, being the only member of the RedSuns other than the Takahashi brothers and Fumihiro seen in earlier stages, is part of the Project D support staff; he usually scouts the course before the team and is more or less a gofer
for Keisuke and occasionally drives one of the support vans.
, their home course is Akagi
.
is one of the most skilled drivers in the series (he is the RedSuns' fastest member as well as their leader); he and his younger brother Keisuke (the Takahashi Brothers, also known as the Rotary Brothers because they both drive RX-7's, albeit different generations of the vehicle) have been featured in racing magazines and are regarded highly by other drivers. Ryosuke drives a second-generation Mazda RX-7 (FC3S) and was previously undefeated until he met Takumi Fujiwara. Ryosuke is very serious about racing; he pours over technical data just like any professional driver and he is one of the few drivers with skills as a mechanic to match those he possesses as a driver. He can usually be found in his room going over data on his laptop. He is known to be able to tell what kind of modifications have been made to a car just by hearing it, and what a driver is capable of just by watching the car drift. Ryosuke's fame is so widespread throughout Japan that he has been given the moniker, . He is also referred to by "Akagi's Lone White Comet", possibly in reference to his inherent weariness towards females.
His only rival would be Kyoichi Sudo. They argued about racing theories when Ryosuke ended Kyoichi's winning streak a year before the series' start. Currently, he is enrolled in college studying medicine, and planning to become a doctor to work at his father's clinic. But before retiring from street racing, and with only one year of racing left, he estimates, and assembles a new team (named Project D) aimed at capturing all of the records in Japan. In Fourth Stage, he is a coach for Project D while his brother Keisuke races in his place.
There is a rift in Ryosuke's past involving Rin "Shinigami" Hojo. An altercation between the two in medical school led to another student named Kaori (also another medical student and Rin's girlfriend) taking her life. Rin retreated from the racing scene for years, becoming a recluse, before making an abrupt return against Team Spiral's Leader, Ikeda. Ryosuke races against Rin at Daikan, Kanagawa with Ikeda spectating behind.
Ryosuke is modeled after the "Drift King" Keiichi Tsuchiya's mentor, retired race car driver Kunimitsu Takahashi.
is the number two driver for the RedSuns. Keisuke drives Mazda's third generation RX-7, and is a skilled driver, second only to his brother. Keisuke is a rather hot-headed young man and does not like losing. Keisuke is also known to drive with his emotions, for example if he realises that he cannot win his driving suffers and if he is in the lead he is carefree and much relaxed. Before Ryosuke got Keisuke involved in street racing he was the leader of a Bōsōzoku
gang. He joins his brother's new team and has a rivalry with Takumi. Keisuke races the hillclimb (uphill) on most races, while Takumi races the downhill.
Keisuke isn't analytical like his older brother, and Ryosuke's ability to compute and analyze amazes Keisuke. But at the same time, Keisuke's ability to think less while he is driving, and to do only what he feels amazes Ryosuke. While Ryosuke has decided that he won't race much longer, and that he will become a doctor in the future, Keisuke has dedicated his life to racing, his eventual goal is to become a professional racer. But first he must defeat Takumi. Though visibly getting along, they still have some kind of argumentation over who is the ace, he has respect for Takumi. He stated once he was not as strong minded as Takumi, because Takumi fell asleep really fast before a great battle, making him ask himself if he knew what was pressure.
is one of the youngest members of the Akagi RedSuns and the third best driver of the team. Kenta absolutely adores Keisuke Takahashi and is always eager to prove himself to Keisuke. Kenta was recognized by Keisuke himself for his driving skills, and has been somewhat taken under Keisuke's wing. Kenta specializes in rain conditions, because he had a habit of practicing in the rain since the wet roads wouldn't wear his tires down as much.
In the First Stage, he arrogantly challenged Takumi to a wet race and lost. This was the time when Takumi used Itsuki as ballast, simulating a load of tofu. (Note that Takumi delivers tofu everyday, even if it rains.)
He drives the #2 van for Project D and mostly does the reconnaissance recording of courses before the team actually travels to the locations, and has said once that he uses his S14 for it - only to be criticized by Keisuke for his imprecise driving.
serves as Project D's second in command and handler, setting up and organizing battles with other teams, as well as scouting out prospective courses. In many ways he is also a sort of Executive Assistant to Ryousuke Takahashi. He had the same role during his time with the Akagi RedSuns and, presumably, has known Ryousuke for some time. It is not specifically known whether he has a history as a street racer or how he came into contact with Ryosuke and the RedSuns; his personal car, a Toyota SW20, is only seen once during a daytime meeting with Takahashi Keisuke but is never seen at any races. Fumihiro typically drives the Number 1 van during Project D's events.
is the personal mechanic for Takumi Fujiwara's AE86 and possibly Chief Mechanic for Project D. He is the driver for Project D's support van #3 during their expeditions. In chapter 39 of the manga, Matsumoto was asked by Ryosuke to tune his FC for his anticipated encounter with Rin Hojo.
Another thing to note about Matsumoto is his close relationship with Ryosuke, as he is often seen talking to Ryosuke about Project D. and Takumi during the latter's races.
Keisuke's assigned mechanic in Project D. He's likely the driver of van #4 during the latter part of Project D's expeditions where they go to farther prefectures.
. Named after a Japanese brand of wheel, they are among the weakest teams in the series, not having proper training and using erroneous techniques.
One of Takumi's friends, works at a local gas station with both Takumi and Itsuki. Itsuki admires him, as Iketani is leader of the local racing team, the Akina SpeedStars. Iketani drives a Nissan S13 Silvia. At first, Iketani thinks that the SpeedStars are the best drivers in Akina but later his boss Yuichi tells Iketani of the mysterious driver of an Eight-Six who was the fastest driver in his time, and that he suspects that the driver is the owner of the local tofu shop.
He is an average racer at best, but his skills are decent enough for him to be leader of the Speed Stars.
It is Iketani (along with Itsuki) who explains to Takumi the practice of referring to street-racing cars by their chassis codes, since this is the simplest way of denoting different body style/engine combinations. For example, instead of specifying the 1983-1987 Toyota Sprinter Trueno or Corolla Levin with the 4A-GE engine, one can simply call it an AE86, or more simply, an "Eight-Six".
is Takumi's best friend; he provides the comic relief in the series, and is generally quite loud and obnoxious. Itsuki works part-time at a gas station with Takumi and Iketani; Itsuki plans to use the money he earns to buy an AE86 Corolla Levin (to complement Takumi's AE86 Trueno) but mistakenly buys an inferior (less power, poor brakes, less chassis bracing, and looser suspension) AE85. This upsets him until Takumi takes him for a drive (ultimately racing it downhill), demonstrating that the driver's skill can make a difference. With a car, he is a self proclaimed member of the Akina Speed Stars. He eventually purchases a turbocharger for his Eight-Five.
A member of the Akina Speed Stars and Iketani's best friend, drives a Nissan 180SX. He hangs out at the gas station where Iketani, Takumi and Itsuki work from time to time, usually discussing cars and driving techniques with Iketani and Yuichi. He has respect and admiration for Iketani and Takumi; Iketani since he is the leader of the Speed Stars and Takumi for his driving skills.
Kenji is believed to be the second-best driver of the Speedstars. He was set to race Keisuke in the first battle because Iketani was injured and the mysterious "Tofu Shop Eight-Six" was thought to be a no-show.
To this day, his last name hasn't been revealed in any media form of Initial D. His age has also not been explicitly stated, though judging from Iketani and Itsuki's constant joking in regards to Kenji not having a girlfriend at his age, and that he and Iketani don't address each other as Senpai, it's probably safe to say that he is about the same age as Iketani. His occupation is also unknown, although he often goes to the gas station where his friends work bringing car magazines and racing news.
Team Thunder Fire is an anime-exclusive team, and therefore are not part of the manga series.
. Shingo and Takeshi both show aggressive driving styles, hence why both their races with Akina's Eight-Six ended in a crash.
, also known as the , is the leader of of the Myogi NightKids. He made his first appearance at the race in Akina where Keisuke Takahashi of the RedSuns is to race against Takumi. Surprised that Takumi could defeat Keisuke, Takeshi decides that he is going to be the one to challenge and defeat the "Akina downhill specialist", and that the RedSuns are next on his list.
He is an intelligent and skilled driver, notably recognizing Takumi's the gutter hook technique while observing the Eight-Six's first battle with Keisuke's FD. However, his downfall is his anger and emotions getting in the way of his mind, resulting in poor throttle control. He also races all-out and usually fails to consider tire wear, so in the end, he loses the race, sometimes crashing his car. He is very good at acceleration and is known for his grip driving philosophy. His previous car was a Nissan Silvia (S13), with which he used drifting techniques. He changed to the R32 after a devastating loss to a white (or rather silver) R32 on his home course of Myogi. Following the defeat by the Skyline, his philosophy changed, favoring grip driving techniques over "weak" and "showy" drifting techniques. He also believed that no matter what skill a driver has, a car will not run beyond its capabilities.
Takeshi is the leader of the NightKids team on Mount Myogi and he has shown an interest in Sayuki of Impact Blue.
He is a fan of the GT-R just like Kunimitsu Takahashi.
is a member of the NightKids who drives a red Honda Civic SiR-II (EG-6). Shingo races dangerously: he will nudge his rival's car in order to make the other driver lose control. He doesn't find plain downhill races any fun, preferring to race under a mutual handicap he calls the Duct (Gum) Tape Death Match. In this handicap match, both drivers tape their right hand to the steering wheel for the duration of the race. By doing this, a driver limits their own steering capabilities and it makes turning a challenge in a rear wheel drive car, as "catching" a car's oversteer on the exit becomes quite difficult. In a front-wheel drive car though, the use of the handbrake assists in turning the vehicle in corners. He detests Takeshi Nakazato because he believes that he is unfit to be leader of the NightKids, a position that Shingo openly covets. In terms of racing ability, Shingo is the second best driver on the Night Kids team. He is also a childhood friend of Impact Blue's navigator, Sayuki.
Shingo actually shares many beliefs with Nakazato, but whenever they watch other battles, they stay away from one another so that people won't mistake them as friends. There were also times that he supported his teammate for the Night Kids' sake, like the battle against Seiji Iwaki and his Evo IV.
. It is revealed that Impact Blue is disbanded in Extra Stage 2 due to Mako leaving for Tokyo to race there for a year.
is the driver of the Usui combination; is her co-driver/navigator, a combination similar to that found in the WRC
. Mako is interested in Iketani of the Akina Speed Stars. She originally got close to him in order to race Takumi's Eight-Six in Usui, offering her virginity in exchange. But she and Iketani had true feelings to each other later on. Unfortunately, a misunderstanding kept them apart.
Sayuki is a cheerful, outgoing girl and she is always looking for good looking guys like the Takahashi brothers. She also developed a crush on Takumi, finding him cute and invited him to a pool after his race against them. As navigator, she gives out instructions to Mako when they're racing (when to brake, what drifting technique to use etc.). Her last name is unknown.
Driving a blue Nissan Sileighty, the duo are the fastest in Usui.
s, claiming their cars are the king of the mountains. Based in Tochigi
, their home course is the one-way road of Irohazaka.
is the team leader and driving ace of the Lancer Evolution-only Emperor team from Gunma (according to his license plate), and one of the best drivers in the series. He drives a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III powered up to 350hp equipped with a WRC style misfiring system
. In his philosophy, a car must have a high power turbo and all-wheel drive.
An old acquaintance of Ryosuke Takahashi of the Akagi RedSuns, Kyoichi is much like Ryosuke: he is a calm and composed driver, compared to his teammate Seiji. Eager to show Ryosuke that he and his team are the best, Kyoichi and the Emperor team goes on to beat the various teams of Gunma, including the NightKids. He believes in the ultimate superiority of his race circuit techniques, whilst Ryosuke holds that street racing has its own special requirements. His home course is one-way, so he is unable to fully attack blind corners on two way roads, supporting Ryousuke's view. He is also often considered the first driver to have beaten Takumi, when Takumi blew out his engine at Akagi, but lost during a rematch at Irohazaka. It should be noted however, that the result should normally be considered a tie at best, and the race itself did not last more than one round. Kyoichi declared Takumi as the winner for merely being able to resist being overtaken at the last part of the course where other drivers fell prey to him. To Kyoichi, who takes pride in his ability to win, a tie at his home turf is equivalent to a loss.
He is also a graduate of the racing school, the Todo School.
is the number two driver in the Lancer Evolution-only Emperor team, therefore he drives the Lancer Evolution IV. Seiji is a driver with good racing skills, but he is rather arrogant and overconfident and occasionally imprudent. He has won many races driving for Emperor against other teams, including Takeshi Nakazato of the NightKids and a member of Thunder.
After defeating various teams in Gunma, the Emperor team then set their sights on the Akina Speed Stars, aiming to beat Akina's infamous Eight-Six. Seiji volunteered to race for the Emperor team in his Evo IV against Takumi's Eight-Six, but he was humiliated when his overconfidence and impatience led to his downfall, causing Kyoichi, the team leader, having to race the Eight-Six before the team could move on to the next opponent. It was also verbally stated that Seiji lost to Kai Kogashiwa in Irohazaka, but no actual battle was shown in the series. In Battle Stage, his Evo IV also raced Keisuke's FD, and lost.
One of Seiji's trademarks is to take the team sticker of teams he has defeated, cut it in half, and stick it on the sideblade of his spoiler upside-down, emulating the "kill" markers that fighter pilots paint on their planes.
is the downhill racer for the Seven Star Leaf team and known for his reckless, kamikaze
downhill style. Tohru is also the only driver in the series who actually has a decent relationship; he has a girlfriend called Nao. Nao cares for him very much and she doesn't really approve of him racing, especially that he is practically broke almost all of the time and borrows money from her often.
When the Seven Star Leaf team is challenged by Ryosuke's Project D. Tohru is slated to race against Takumi. Again he borrows money from his girlfriend for a new set of tires. She agreed, with a condition: if he is defeated, he'll have to stop racing, or they will have to break up. He lost when he tried to emulate Takumi's weight-shifting technique of bypassing the uncovered gutters: his right front wheel snagged on the open gutter, flipping his car over once before coming to a standstill.
is the hillclimb racer and the leader of the Tochigi-based Seven Star Leaf. He seems to be a decent enough driver, again favouring the grip racing techniques, but his mastery of it is uncomparable to that of Takeshi Nakazato. His car is powered up to 400hp.
Atsuro races against Keisuke during Project D's first expedition in Tochigi.
The Todo School exclusively use parts from Spoon Sports
to modify their cars.
The ace and current student of the Todo School, is one of the better drivers of the series. Driving a yellow Civic Type R (EK9), Daiki races against Takumi of Project D in a downhill battle. He excels in braking, being able to release the brake pedal in the perfect spot during a corner, every time. Daiki is also one of the school's all time three best downhill drivers.
Another driver and current student of the Todo School, is one of Daiki's friends and drives an Integra Type R equipped with an aftermarket turbocharger. Sakai races against Keisuke of Project D in a hillclimb battle. He uses two techniques to race, first, using high speeds to enter a corner to get the other person to do the same, then correcting his speed during the turn. The other trick is to brake-test his opponent, forcing them to back off while he speeds away. His face tenses up when he is racing to make him look like he is smiling, hence his nickname, "Smiley" Sakai.
Judging by the way that Daiki refers to him with the san honorific
(Smiley-san), it can be inferred that Smiley is a senior student of the Todo School, and probably the reason why he knows much of Todo's experiences in racing, especially the school's rivalry with Purple Shadow and their top racers.
The Todo School could not live with their team being completely annihilated by outsiders, so they invited , a graduate of the school who is now a professional racer, to have a rematch against Project D on Happogahara, which is a course that consists of both downhill and hill climb sections. Tachi took Ninomiya's EK9 and beat Takumi's downhill record in one try, without pushing the car to the limit. Tachi agreed to use the school's top car, the Spoon-tuned demonstration EK9, at Happogahara. Tachi tuned the Civic the best he could to be able to compete with the FD on the straights, but surprisingly, Ryosuke decided to send out the Eight-Six. He lost the race to Takumi when he steered off the center of the road to avoid hitting a racoon
that crossed the street near the finish line. Because of this dodging he creates enough space for Takumi to pass him in his Eight-Six. Afterwards Takumi asks Tachi why he suddenly created space for Takumi to pass. Tachi responded that he saw a raccoon jump across the road and because of his racing reflexes immediately dodged it. Takumi's headlights were turned off as part of his technique.
It is highly speculated that his professional racing outfit seems to be based on the racing outfit that Keiichi Tsuchiya wears during his racing days and his appearances in Best Motoring. The Green Racing suit, Green Kei Office(now K1Planning) gloves and the red Onitsuka Tiger racing shoes are evidence to this speculation.
He attended the Todo School with Kyoichi Sudo.
. Included in this alliance, is the team that Nobuhiko and Kyoko are on, which remains unnamed, and also includes Wataru. They joined together to meet the challenge they knew would be coming from Project D. Nobuhiko Akiyama is the leader of the Alliance. The Alliance faces Project D twice, on two different courses. The Alliance throws the first downhill race against Project D so that Nobuhiko can gather enough information on Takumi to defeat him during the second set of races. Nobuhiko recruits Sakamoto for the job of defeating Takumi and all of the Alliance members (except Kyoko) chip in to purchase a Suzuki Cappuccino
for Sakamoto to use in the race.
was one of the first racers from Saitama to actually race against Takumi with his Singled-Boost (which lags a lot) turbocharged Levin, he appeared later in the Project D arc, this time replacing the turbocharger with a supercharger for more linear acceleration. Wataru is a skilled driver who honed his skills on the treacherous Shomaru Pass. He came to Gunma in hopes of facing new racers to challenge. As well as to watch over his sister Kazumi, who just got a job at a hotel with her aunt. Wataru is Nobuhiko's cousin, as seen when he watches Takumi race against the Northern Saitama Alliance in the hopes of finding a weak spot.
Wataru later raced against Keisuke Takahashi in a wet-weather race, but when his tires lost grip upon touching a metal gutter while he adjusted his wipers, he was defeated.
Some time later, Wataru confronts the imposter Project D somewhere in Saitama and helps the real Project D expose them as the frauds they are.
The leader the Northwest Saitama Alliance, is very intelligent and analytical. His skills as a driver, however, are not very good. Because of this, he usually recruits other highly skilled drivers and uses his technical data to further tune their cars according to each course. Nobuhiko did race against Takumi once on the downhill, but was left behind after the first hairpin and only because Takumi was letting him keep up, upon Ryousuke's instruction. It is revealed that Nobuhiko is Wataru Akiyama's cousin (as they share the same surname and looks pretty similar).
A skilled uphill driving ace in the Northwest Saitama Alliance, was originally the fastest in the alliance, but after racing against Keisuke Takahashi, she falls in love with her opponent. This creates a conflict of interest between defeating Project D and supporting her love. Love prevailed. Attesting to this, Kyoko later lent her FD to Keisuke after he damaged the left front suspension of his own FD in an accident during a trial run on Tsuchisaka. Keisuke went on to win the race with her car, instead of the loaned FD Ryosuke planned for him to use. Unfortunately for her, Keisuke chooses to focus on Project D to the exclusion of all romantic relationships, although he admits liking her.
Kyoko's FD is a single turbo (compared to Keisuke's twin-turbo FD). Because of this, it has less torque and more turbo lag despite the power output being almost the same.
is a rally driver who trains almost exclusively on mountain passes. He has the uncanny ability to take any car and put it in a drift on a mountain pass, usually to figure a car's characteristics and limitations. He was outsourced by Wataru Akiyama, recruited by Nobuhiko in a desperate measure to defeat Takumi Fujiwara of Project D in a downhill race using a Suzuki Cappuccino, a Kei Car
lighter than the Eight-Six. His speciality is driving Front engine, rear drive layout
cars.
, known as the Man in Evo V in Arcade Stage Ver.3 and Kuro Waru in Battle Stage 2, is the uphill racer for the final team that Project D races in the Saitama Prefecture. He faces Keisuke on the uphill run on the Tsuchisaka pass. Unlike previous opponents, both Aikawa and his racing partner Ichijo are more than willing to use cheap, unfair tactics, such as spilling oil on the road, to defeat Project D (albeit they want to win only to promote a garage they are affiliated with). It is due to this team's slicking of the road with oil that leads to Keisuke spinning out on the road and damaging his FD to such a state that it cannot be used in the race.
As a person, Aikawa is depicted as being an "ugly", mid to late 20s, arrogant jerk, an example of which occurs when he confronts Project D after Keisuke crashes his FD, at which point he acts innocent in regards as to who was at fault for slicking the road. In his race versus Keisuke (who drove Kyoko's black FD), he displays little skill (Keisuke compares him to Atsuro Kawai, the ER34 Skyline driver of Seven Star Leaf) and considers the Lancer Evolution to be in a totally different class apart from the Mazda RX-7 FD. He loses when he was spooked as Keisuke takes the inside when the two cars drive along a long straightaway with a barricade on the left side of the road. He was humiliated when he was given a lecture by Keisuke when he complained of "reckless driving."
In Arcade Stage 3 and in the PSP version, the Evo V is an RS, while the anime is a GSR.
known as the Man in Evo VI in Arcade Stage 3 and Shiro Waru in Battle Stage 2, is the downhill racer for this team. Unlike Aikawa, Ichijo is more cunning and tactful, in that he arranges for the oil spill on the road and bringing a group of gangsters (via another team member) to beat up Project D's members should Project D win. Although there is no mention of who the leader of this team is, it seems that Shiro shows more of a leadership role than his teammate. Prior to his race against Takumi, he advises for Takumi to lose his match otherwise there will be dire repercussions.
As a racer, he is depicted as having good braking skill, but in comparison to Bunta, his skill is not as good. In the race with Takumi, he takes the runner position and leads for a fair share of the race until they hit the corner where the oil had been spilled earlier. Ichijo manages to slip on a bit of the oil and slides to the outside, allowing Takumi to easily pass him and take the lead. There were plenty of chances to outrun him, but he was spooked by Takumi's drifting of the Trueno on the final corner. There he finds out that Takumi is a different, terrifying animal once he is driving, unlike the timid guy he tried to scare before the race.
.
is one of the two leaders of Purple Shadow, known as due to his one-handed steering and his ability to control the car's yaw rate with very delicate steering/throttle inputs. He is the downhill half of the two-man Purple Shadow team. He battles in a refined intellectual style, intentionally pulling his punches for his own private satisfaction.
Joshima's techniques also include gutter jumps and the ability to confuse his chaser by manipulating his race line. Some of his team consider his methods very cruel, especially given the irony that he is a doctor. During Takumi's battle with Joshima, Takumi felt as if he were being chased by Bunta in the Impreza. Initially Joshima toyed with Takumi, hiding his true ability, trying to instill confusion and self-doubt, confident he could dominate the battle. After Joshima finally sprang his tactical trap, Takumi recovered and retook the lead. The astonished Joshima eventually had to abandon his game, and used his ultimate time attack line to pull away. Takumi broke his suspension trying desperately to catch up, and was reduced to limping down the mountain. This would have been a loss for Takumi, except that Joshima's fatigue from multiple rounds of downhill got to him and forced him to make a vomit stop. The crippled Trueno hobbled past to a technical victory. After the race, Joshima admits that Takumi's comeback put him under so much pressure that he was forced to put his left hand back on the steering wheel, something that hadn't ever happened to him.
However, Takumi did not feel that his victory was justified. Afterwards, Takumi requests a favor from Joshima, asking him to ride in his S2000 as he drives down the mountain again so that Takumi could watch God Arm's technique firsthand and hopefully improve upon his own techniques.
is one of the two leaders of Purple Shadow, known by the name of due to his extraordinary acceleration control (he has the ability to drift a Skyline GT-R with the ATTESA-ETS AWD system activated, which is considered almost impossible). He shouts exclamations during a race in order to keep himself from over-concentrating. If he becomes silent and concentrates too hard, he will drive without braking. He races Keisuke Takahashi in a full lap (uphill and downhill) battle, demonstrating his sense of fairness, as the FD3S would have no chance against the GT-R Nür uphill. He has owned a total of 4 GT-Rs: an R32, an R33 in which he was disappointed with, another R32, and finally the R34 in which he uses in the race against Project D. He displays incredible control of his accelerator and brake pedals, but his heavier car is chased down by Keisuke's lighter FD in the first run although it barely wins the first run. The second run displays Hoshino's cunning as he overtakes Keisuke on the uphill/downhill pylon, though his heavier GT-R begins losing traction. Keisuke's doggedness inspires Hoshino to initiate a drift battle which make his tires suffer even more. Near the goal line, Hoshino drifts too far because of his tires, allowing Keisuke to attempt to pass him on the outside. Although Hoshino's weaker tires made him bump Keisuke slightly, the FD pulled out in front and finished the second round in the lead. Hoshino conceded the match as his traction was now not enough to win another run.
After his race with Keisuke, he offers to introduce him to his professional racing contacts. Keisuke refuses the offer, as he has unfinished business he wishes to take care of first. Although he lost, his time attack record still remains unbeaten, even by Keisuke no matter how hard he tried.
His last name may be a nod to Kazuyoshi Hoshino
, a professional race driver known for driving Skylines and other Nissans in several major Japanese circuits, and the founder of Impul.
. Racing in Yabitsu, they are direct rivals to Team Sidewinder, another team located in the Shizuoka Prefecture
. According to Bunta and Ryosuke, Shizuoka is the center of street (drift) racing, notable for its mountainous regions (Mount Fuji
is located there) as well as the Fuji Speedway
. Therefore, Shizuoka attracts many racers, amateur and professionals alike.
Team 246 has many members, where representatives for a race are voted by its 31 members. The representative who will race against Keisuke on the uphill: Kobayakawa received 26 out of 31 votes, and races with a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (which Fumihiro has made fun of, as he is an emerging FD Evo Killer). Takumi will race against 246's leader: Omiya, who unanimously received 31 votes to represent Team 246 on the downhill. He will be driving a heavily modified Mazda Roadster.
is Team 246's leader and downhill representative who drives a 2nd generation Mazda Roadster. After seeing Kobayakawa's defeat, he decides to lead in the downhill planning to take the same approach as Keisuke. During the race, he also holds back until he sees an opening to go all out against Takumi. When he finally did so, his superior braking technique began to show. While miraculously keeping up, Takumi is distraught to see that he loses in terms of braking technique.
The race becomes so intense that while a rear wing would normally be considered purely cosmetic in the touge, Eiji Kubo of team Sidewinder notes that at the speed that both cars is enough to let aerodynamics be a possible deciding factor in the race. Trying to find any method of speeding up, Takumi turns his headlights off to reduce the Eight-Six's coefficient of drag. Omiya, after deciding earlier on not to look back and turns his rear-view mirror away, does not notice the eight-six disappearing and so, would negate the usual effect of the blind attack. However, when approaching a corner, Takumi decides to turn on his headlights again. Seeing that the road ahead was suddenly lit up, Omiya is led to believe that there is an oncoming car and brakes early while leaving the outside lane open. Takumi jumps in to go side-by-side, but Omiya refuses to budge and maintains the inside. However, because the line was so tight, the Roadster's wing collided with a road sign, leaving it hanging on the car, imbalancing its aerodynamics.
Ryosuke mentions how Mazda's FR layout cars are naturally oversteery because their rear ends are always uniquely higher than the front, making the rear very light. He notes that while the FD makes good use of these dynamics, the Roadster suffers from excessive oversteer and that an imbalance to the car would be Takumi's best opening. This manifests itself after Omiya retakes the lead but oversteers the last corner and spins out, losing the race.
is Team 246's uphill representative who drives a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII. Sure of his own skill and of 4WD's abilities on the uphill, he chooses to chase behind Keisuke with the plan of observing his opponent from behind; confident that he can overtake if Keisuke is underwhelming. Keisuke tunes his FD with as much power as possible with the plan of outrunning his opponent in the first round. This has a disadvantage, however, because the extra power causes the FD to become oversteery and would wear the rear tires very quickly (Kobayakawa notes during the race that the FD was looking clumsy). Kobayakawa becomes aware that Keisuke plans to lose him and attempts to anticipate when the FD driver plans to attack. The race progresses, however, without a sign of Keisuke's attack and Kobayakawa lowers his guard. Just when he did this, however, Keisuke initiated his attack and pulled away. Kobayakawa was unable to catch up and lost the race by a margin of 7 seconds.
is a street racer from Tochigi prefecture, and a son to a legendary Downhill ace and Bunta's rival, Ken Kogashiwa. Ken taught Kai in the racing world from a young age, participating in karting competitions which made him specialised in midships (colloquial term for mid engine, rear drive). Before his transition to street racing, Kai was the fastest motorcyclist on Irohazaka. It can be seen that Kai's speciality on Irohazaka is similar to Takumi on Akina as he lives at Lake Chuzenji (which is at the top of Irohazaka) and takes the road during his daily commute to the bottom.
Kai had challenged Takumi on the Emperor's home course of Irohazaka. Kai had defeated Seiji Iwaki of Emperor and wanted to defeat Kyoichi as well, but set his sights on Takumi after Sudo's defeat. Kai uses a trick taught to him by his father to overtake Takumi by jumping a turn in a break in the guard rail on 33rd corner. However, he spins out on the final straightaway after his car loses traction from landing on leaves on the side of the road and was defeated.
Kai reappears as an opponent for Project D in Kanagawa prefecture. Kai represents the downhill ace for R.T. Katagiri against the Eight-Six. However, he spins out at the last sector costing him the race.
Originally, Kai drives his father's Toyota SW20 MR2 but later switches to a silver Toyota MR-S ZZW30(3rd Generation MR2 Roadster), leaving the SW20 to his father.
is a professional racer who represents Racing Team Katagiri as their uphill ace. On Hakone, he races against Keisuke and decides to go all out in an attempt to pressure Keisuke into making a mistake and capitalize, causing their tires to wear. He concedes the race after lightly tapping Keisuke's rear bumper.
is the leader of Team Spiral and referred to as Zero. Ikeda's father is a wealthy head priest of a temple and as a result had ample funds to finance his car racing.
Ikeda believes in a theory he created known as "Zero Theory" in which car and driver come together to become a single entity. To do so, a great deal of tuning has to be done to a car in order to match the characteristics of the driver to attain a higher level of racing. Ikeda is an older racer and is very calm and level headed even in the heat of a race. He prepares for races by zoning out. When asked by Junichi Sakamoto, the number 2 driver of Team Spiral, what he thinks about when zoning out, Ikeda replies with "I don't think about anything. It's how I empty my mind and focus."
Shortly before Team Spiral's race with Project D, Ikeda is challenged to an unofficial race by Shinigami. Ikeda is pushed to his limits and bows out of the race in an attempt to prevent any damage to his car before the race with Project D. During the race with Project D, he remains in a confident position until he reaches a section of the track where it had been fogged over. This makes Ikeda hesitate, which goes against his zero theory. Keisuke, with assistance from Kenta, passes Ikeda at the start of a higher speed section near the end.
is the number 1 driver or Zero 1. Okuyama too believes in Ikeda's "Zero Theory" and is disappointed when he won't be able to use his car's full potential due to the rain. Okuyama, unlike Ikeda is very arrogant and confident in his abilities. He also refuses to greet Project D upon meeting them. His battle against Takumi is raced in the team's first fog battle, but the result was similar to Takumi's battle against Nobuhiko of the Saitama Alliance: Takumi used half his potential until the first hairpin, where he left Okuyama behind.
is the number 2 driver of Team Spiral. It is not known what car he drives and is only briefly seen talking to Ikeda before his race with Keisuke.
is the Chief Driver of this team. He seems to have known Ryosuke Takahashi well as he mentioned him many times in the recent manga volumes. However, he does not have any past connections or quarrels with Ryosuke. Instead Hojo reveals that his elder brother known as "Shinigami" is the one who had a past quarrel (or connection) with Ryosuke alluding to a girl named Kaori.
Hojo helps the Chief Mechanic of Sidewinder named Eiji Kubo to evaluate Project D's weaknesses.
makes his debut during Project D's battle against Team Spiral. Shinji is a member of Sidewinder and therefore second driver of this team. Shinji appears to be a boy (possibly younger than Takumi) but seems very intelligent. Shinji's car is the notchback
coupe
variant of the AE86 Trueno (not to be confused with Takumi's Eight-Six). He is the third character to drive a Toyota AE86
model, after Wataru's Levin AE86.
, known as "Shinigami
", is Go Hojo's elder brother and a legendary driver of Kanagawa. Apparently in Volume 39, Hojo stated that Ryosuke has a past connection or quarrel with Rin. It also becomes apparent that the long-standing feud between Ryosuke and Rin (according to Tsuyoshi) is because of a girl named Kaori, who was Rin's fiance at the time. There is a possibility that she took her life because an altercation between Ryosuke and Rin. Rin left the racing scene and became a recluse, locking himself in his home for years, before making a surprising return and racing (unofficially) against Team Spiral's leader, Ikeda. Rin is an extremely skilled driver who utilizes a dangerous driving style. He races against Ryosuke in an attempt to make him pay for a past incident involving Kaori.
is the Chief Mechanic of Sidewinder. Kubo appears to have a high amount of knowledge about a car's performance and capabilities as well as race theories. He can make very precise anticipations as he did during Project D races against Team 246. As seen in the manga, Kubo has been entrusted to analyze and evaluate Project D's weaknesses.
is Takumi's initial love interest, and one of the few characters who does not get scared when riding in a car being driven by Takumi. She is known to have been with at least three males in the series: Miki (Takumi's classmate), "Papa", and Takumi. Before she hooked up with Takumi, she engaged in enjo kosai
to make some extra money with a middle-aged man driving a white Mercedes (nicknamed "Papa"). It is also revealed in First Stage that Miki, Takumi's classmate, has had sexual relations with her before. After getting to know Takumi, she falls in love with him and ends her relationship with "Papa". Mogi decides to free herself from her stained past by working hard to enter a university in Tokyo.
The status of her relationship with Takumi is somewhat unclear at this point: in volume 17 of the manga (and at the end of 3rd Stage), she and Takumi appear to mutually break up as they are going their separate ways; however, she appears in the first episode of 4th Stage in a flashback sequence where she and Takumi promise to find each other again.
is a character who appeared only in first stage and was Itsuki's first love interest. Later. she breaks up with him after being involved in a car accident caused by Shingo, who mistook Itsuki's Eight-Five for Takumi's Eight-Six. Itsuki negligently engaged in a downhill battle with Shingo while Saori (still in the vehicle) pleaded with him to stop. The reason for the breakup was that if she stayed with Itsuki, her memories of the accident would come back to haunt her, so it would be better to break it off completely.
is the boss of the gas station that Takumi worked in. An old friend of Bunta's and a racer in his youth, Yuichi acts like a father figure to the Akina Speed Stars.
It seems that he drives a black Toyota Chaser
that is seen during some of Takumi's races that he watched, specifically the races against Nakazato's R32 and Ryosuke's FC3S.
is a mechanic with an incredible list of connections that enables Bunta to get even the most outrageous car parts from him, including the engine that he and Bunta installed in the AE86: a TRD
tuned Group A
Silvertop 20V 4A-GE from an AE101 race car (after Takumi blows the engine in a run against Kyoichi). He also was entrusted by Bunta to find him a "suitable" car for him (after he handed the Trueno to Takumi), and as a result he finds him the GC8V (Coupe) Subaru Impreza WRX STi Version V.
is a minor character that appears in the manga around the time of Takumi's race against Kyoichi of Emperor. Tsukamoto was a high school senior when Takumi and Natsuki were freshmen, but now he is mildly involved with the street racing scene in Akagi. Although he believes that his skills are extreme, they are in fact far from it. He soon experiences real extreme driving when Takumi drives his 180SX down Akagi after a request by Natsuki to pass a cocky couple in a Silvia S13, leading to Tsukamoto fainting.
is a character that appeared in Extra Stage, who encountered Mako during a vacation at a ski resort. He had minor interest in racing and planned to replace his car with a more practical family mover. He developed an affection to Mako and asked her to quit racing and settle down, but she invited him to sit with her in the SilEighty, where she drove hard, implying that she still wanted to race.
, who is considered the father of Drift
and who is on the Technical advisory crew for the anime series. In the second episode of First Stage, the Speed Star drivers are shown watching and chatting over his video, The Drift Bible, a beginner's guide to drift. Takumi buys Tsuchiya's Best Motoring Video Special Vol. 41 video in Third Stage. Here in the series, Keiichi and Bunta appear to be old friends. The younger Tsuchiya is voiced by Yuji Ueda
in Japanese. In English, Tsuchiya is voiced by Neil Kaplan
in the Tokyopop dub and Kyle Hebert
in the Funimation dub, respectively.
is Wataru's younger sister. She was Itsuki's second love interest after Saori "left" him. She is an impatient girl that came to Gunma from Saitama to work in her aunt's inn, but left due to being framed by a senior worker (in 2nd Stage). Kazumi appeared in 4th Stage in Saitama with Wataru against the race with Project D, then after started spending some time with Itsuki and she reveals she broke up with a working adult man then after she patched up with him again (after he begged for her forgiveness), leaving Itsuki heartbroken.
is Kai's father and Bunta's life-long rival when Bunta was still racing with the AE86 Trueno.
is a senior in the football (soccer) club of the school that Takumi attended. He drives a Celica GT-Four (ST205)
. He was punched in the changing rooms by Takumi in 1st Stage for bragging about his sexual exploits with Natsuki, during the time when Takumi was ignorant of the truth. During winter, he kidnaps Natsuki and forces her to come to Lake Akina with him. His plans are foiled by Takumi who gets Natsuki's call for help and chases Miki with his Trueno until he spins out on the snow and Natsuki escapes his Celica.
These racers are originally from Tokyo, the capital of Japan. During a visit to the Gunma area they chance upon Itsuki and Iketani while they are driving up to the top of Mt. Akina. They appear out of nowhere with their Nissan Silvia S15 and quickly blow by both cars. When Itsuki and friends reach the top and check out the newly installed turbo in his Eight-Five, these two guys reappear in their S15. They begin making insults about Itsuki's car and gloat about the experience they've obtained by racing on circuit tracks. Iketani tells them to get lost. The two boys get in and wait for Iketani to descend the mountain to force him into a race to defend his honor as a racer. The S15 passes Iketani relatively quickly but is subsequently passed themselves by Takumi driving Itsuki's AE85. Being passed by such a "lowly" car persuaded them to stop picking any more battles with the local racers.
Based on Gunma Prefecture
(as same as Project D), the Bosozoku
Gang Leader is also Keisuke Takahashi's old friend, as Keisuke was a gang leader himself at one point. This gang appears in Tsuchisaka as a bunch of gangsters defeated by Project D call them to beat up Project D, but they end up turning on their would-be employers.
are Two guys that pose as Takumi and Keisuke. These imposters go around living off Project D's success. Posing as Takumi and Keisuke, they talk down to people that ask them questions, gloat about their "skills" and try to pick up women. Their antics are quickly put to an end when they are confronted by the real members of Project D and were humiliated.
is Takumi's love interest during the latter part of the Project D story arc. When the Fake Takumi blows off her best friend Tomoko, she gets angry and decides to confront Takumi about it (not knowing it wasn't the real Takumi that did it). She takes the train out to Yuichi's gas station and asks to see Takumi; when he arrives, she slaps him hard in the face. Bewildered to why she did this, Mika tells her story to Takumi and his friends. They in turn ask Mika to send a photo of Takumi via cell phone to her friend to confirm if the real Takumi was the guy that blew her off. She comes to find out from her friend that the real Takumi had nothing to do with it. Later, Takumi drives out to Saitama (where she lives) to see her. She apologizes for her previous actions and they talk for several hours. After exposing the imposters, the Fake Takumi apologizes to Mika's friend. Mika thanks Takumi and they continue to see each other as the story progresses.
Mika is a senior in high school and is exceptionally talented at playing golf. Her father has raised her to play golf early in life the same way that Bunta raised Takumi to drive early in his life.
Mika's father. He supervises Mika as she practices golfing at the golfing range.
Initial D
is a manga by Shuichi Shigeno which has been serialized in Kodansha's Young Magazine since 1995. It has been adapted into a long-running anime series by OB Planning, Studio Comet, Studio Gallop, Pastel, and A.C.G.T, and a live action film by Avex and Media Asia...
.
Takumi Fujiwara
| Age | 18/19 |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX (AE86) Toyota AE86 The AE86 generation of the Toyota Corolla Levin and Toyota Sprinter Trueno is a small, lightweight coupe introduced by Toyota in 1983 as part of the fifth generation Toyota Corolla lineup. For the purpose of brevity, the insider-chassis code of "AE86" is used to describe the whole range... |
| Year | 1983 (Without the digital styled cluster) |
| Color | High Tech Two-Tone |
| Engine | a TRD Group A AE101 20v Silvertop 4A-GEU (installed in 2nd stage on episode 8) with 240/250HP and revs to 11,000 RPM |
| Custom Parts | Cibié T353 Fog Lights, RS Watanabe Eight Spoke F8-Type Wheels (Black), Fujitsubo MC50 Muffler, OEM Door Visor, ItalVolanti Admiral Red Trim Steering Wheel, Smiths 12,000 RPM Tachometer, Smiths auxiliary gauges (Oil Pressure/Water Temperature), 2 TRD Sports Seats, Vent Cup Holder, TRD Carbon Fiber Hood, Carbon Fiber Headlight units, and Bridgestone Potenza RE01 tires, |
| Japanese voice actor | Shinichiro Miki Shinichiro Miki is a Japanese voice actor. He is a member of 81 Produce.Miki is most known for the roles of Kojiro , Takumi Fujiwara , Kisuke Urahara , Akira Yuki , Lockon Stratos , and Roy Mustang .According to the Anime News Network, as of Spring 2007, Miki is... |
| English voice actor | Dave Wittenberg Dave Wittenberg David Richard Paul "Dave" Wittenberg is a prolific South African-born American video game and anime voice actor with nearly one hundred titles to his credit. While Wittenberg was born in a hospital in South Africa, he was primarily raised in Boston... (Tokyopop dub), Joel McDonald (Funimation dub) |
| Actor | Jay Chou Jay Chou Jay Chou is a Taiwanese musician, singer-songwriter, music and film producer, actor and director who has won the World Music Award four times. In 1998 he was discovered in a talent contest where he displayed his piano and song-writing skills. Over the next two years, he was hired to compose for... |
is the main character of the Initial D series and the son of legendary street racer Bunta Fujiwara. Throughout the series, Takumi develops his racing skills to be one of the fastest drivers in Kanto while driving an old Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86. This is due Takumi's job delivering tofu to Lake Akina every morning for 5 years (since 7th grade). Although Takumi believes this to be just a job, he had actually been manipulated subtly by his father into developing driving skills, without being fully aware of Bunta's intent.
Takumi works part-time at a gas station with his best friend Itsuki Takeuchi, and the leader of the Akina Speed Stars, Iketani. Early in the series, both Itsuki and Iketani think that Takumi has no driving ability because of Takumi's total disinterest in cars and racing. But actually, Takumi has far more experience on Mt. Akina than Iketani and Itsuki. The only person that suspects Takumi's superior driving skills is his boss, Yuichi, after Takumi correctly identified the correct technique to a four-wheel drift (much to Iketani and Itsuki's obliviousness).
Bunta aside, Takumi's driving technique is the best on Akina; the very fact that he has managed to win races against far more powerful cars with his Eight-Six Trueno is testament to his driving skills. As a result of constant everyday practice and over 5 years of experience on Akina, Takumi is able to quickly adapt to nearly any situation that presents itself during a race. One factor in his nearly unparalleled driving skill is his ability to visualize the road in his head, thus making up for the lack of visibility no matter how dark the mountain pass may be. This ability only takes effect if he has driven on the road before, which was not the case in some later races. He is an instinctive rather than an intellectual driver. Although the mizo otoshi technique (a technique where the driver drops the inside tires into the rain gutters on the side of the road to defeat centrifugal force) is a great but difficult technique that his father taught him, it led him to many victories throughout the story.
At first, Takumi was not part of any team (he was just loosely affiliated with the Akina Speed Stars), but later joins Project D, a special team created by Ryosuke Takahashi aimed at breaking every course record in the Kanto region
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
.
Takumi looks docile and weak-minded, but he is stubborn and strong-willed, many remarks have been said about that. Yuuichi realized that Takumi was like his father in his behavior. Because he is not as outwardly ill-tempered as Keisuke, the mechanics of Project D tend to find him docile. However, to those who have raced against him, Takumi possesses tremendous concentration and instinctive insight once behind the wheel (and these qualities are most evident when he is chasing after his opponent). His apparent docility became traps for many opponents. Keisuke asks Takumi to become professional racers together and now Takumi's eventual goal is to become a professional racer with Keisuke. Keisuke and Takumi become rivals that aspire to the same dream.
Bunta Fujiwara
| Age | 43/44 |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Subaru Impreza WRX STI Coupe Type R Version V (GC8) Subaru Impreza WRX STI The Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has the highest trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.In the late 1980s, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International division to coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities... |
| Year | 1998 |
| Color | Sonic Blue Mica (Anime, Arcade Stage 4, 5 and 6 AA)/Gunmetal Gray Mica (Manga, Arcade Stage 1, 2, 3 and Street Stage) |
| Custom Parts | STI Subaru Tecnica International , or STi, is Fuji Heavy Industries' motorsports division. STi, along with Prodrive of the UK specializes in the preparation of a variety of vehicles for the Subaru World Rally Team which competed in the World Rally Championship... WR-typed front bumper (difference from those of limited car 22B STi Version), STI Sports interior trim (red accented), STI Sports Momo MOMO (company) MOMO Srl is a design company headquartered in Milan, Italy that makes accessories and parts for automobiles.- Company history :MOMO was founded by gentleman racer Giampiero Moretti in the 1960s. MOMO are the initials for Moretti-Monza. Monza is a region in the Province of Milan.In 1969 MOMO opened... steering wheel (black with red accents), Bridgestone Bridgestone The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese.... Potenza RE-01 tires, STI Sports exhaust. |
| Japanese voice actor | Unshō Ishizuka |
| English voice actor | Kerrigan Mahan Kerrigan Mahan Kerrigan Mahan is an American voice actor, also known as Ryan O'Flannigan.Mahan was born in Los Angeles, California. His voice ranges from young and exuberant to sneering and Lee Van Cleef-ish... (Tokyopop dub), Kent Williams Kent Williams Kent Robert Williams is an American painter and graphic novel artist.A graduate of the Pratt Institute in New York City, Williams, a consummate draftsman and painter, has realized his work through various other artistic channels as well; that of the illustrated word and the graphic novel ,... (Funimation dub) |
| Actor | Anthony Wong |
is the owner of a tofu shop in Akina, and the father of Takumi. He used to be the No.1 downhill racer in Mt. Akina years ago, but he no longer races, preferring to guide Takumi's racing development. He is the original driver of the mysterious "white ghost of Akina" AE86 Sprinter Trueno that holds the record of the fastest downhill time at Akina.
Bunta has a unique way of training his son to drive—every morning when Takumi delivers tofu. Bunta gives Takumi a cup of water which is placed in the drink holder; Takumi must not spill even a drop of it while he is driving. This is ostensibly to prevent breaking the tofu in the boot, but it forces Takumi to drive very smoothly. As for Bunta, he is still considered the best downhill racer in Akina, which is shown early in the series when he pushes the Trueno with Yuichi in the passenger seat, lighting a cigarette while drifting around a corner.
Later in the series, Takumi used the Trueno more than Bunta, so he gave the car to Takumi. While test driving a Subaru Impreza WRX STI Type R Version V on Akina, Bunta defeated his son, inducing a 4WD complex in Takumi. Bunta decided to buy the car, but hid this fact from Takumi for some time. After revealing that he was the driver, he then told Takumi to alternate between the Impreza and his Eight-Six for deliveries—another strategy to improve Takumi as a driver, showing him the potential of modern cars and the characteristics of 4WD. While this shows his training strategy, it is seen that Bunta is, once again, proven to be the most formidable opponent in Akina.
Project D
is a racing team created by Ryosuke Takahashi with the purpose of taking the best drivers in the Gunma Area (Takumi and Keisuke), and traveling to challenge other teams in various prefectures. While he vocalizes the purpose of Project D to establish a legend, it is apparent that the primary reason of D is to develop the skills of its drivers to a new and extraordinary level. Ryosuke points out before the formation of Project D that he has only one year left to realize his dream. While it is never revealed why this is the case, a commonly held belief is that Ryosuke pursuing a career in the medical profession prevents him from remaining involved in racing. While he never states anything explicitly, Ryosuke reveals on separate occasions as 4th Stage progresses that both the purpose of "D" and the true meaning of "the initial" will come to light.Project D is different from the other mountain racing teams as it has a highly technical regimen and a support team of technicians, who are mostly members of the Akagi Redsuns. Each car has a dedicated mechanic, as well as other support personnel. Kenta Nakamura, being the only member of the RedSuns other than the Takahashi brothers and Fumihiro seen in earlier stages, is part of the Project D support staff; he usually scouts the course before the team and is more or less a gofer
Gofer
A gofer or go-fer is an employee who is often sent on errands. "Gofer" reflects the likelihood of instructions to go for coffee, dry cleaning, or stamps, or to make other straightforward or familiar procurements. The term gofer originated in North America...
for Keisuke and occasionally drives one of the support vans.
Akagi RedSuns
The is a highly skilled team led by Ryosuke Takahashi. The RedSuns' team policy is not to race on their home course, because, according to Keisuke, they "can't get excited about it". Based in GunmaGunma Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...
, their home course is Akagi
Akagi, Gunma
Akagi was a village located in Seta District, Gunma, Japan.On February 20, 2006 Akagi, along with the town of Ikaho, the villages of Komochi and Onogami, all from Kitagunma District, and the village of Kitatachibana, also from Seta District, was merged into the expanded city of Shibukawa.As of...
.
Ryosuke Takahashi
| Age | 23/24 |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Mazda Savanna Infini III RX-7 (FC3S) Mazda RX-7 Series 1 is commonly referred to as the "SA22C" from the first alphanumerics of the vehicle identification number. This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located license plate, called by Werner Buhrer of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."In 1980... |
| Year | 1990 |
| Color | Crystal White |
| Custom Parts (RedSuns) | Cibié T353 Fog Lights, Fujita Engineering Front Lip, MazdaSpeed Single Exhaust, 2.0 Boost Meter, MS 01 Rims (Episode 1 of 2nd Stage and 1st Stage), Works Meister S13 Rims (Battle Stage of 1st Series), RS Watanabe Eight Spoke F8 Rims (Episode 7 of 2nd Stage-3rd Stage), Ryosuke-Made Side Mirrors, Bucket Racing Seats, MazdaSpeed Steering Wheel and RedSuns Sticker. |
| Custom Parts (Project.D) | Cibié T353 Fog Lights, Fujita Engineering Front Lip Bumper, MazdaSpeed Single Exhaust, 2.0 Boost Meter, Repainted Frontlip, Work Meister S13 Rims (Silver), Ryosuke-Made Side Mirrors, Bucket Racing Seats and MazdaSpeed Steering Wheel. |
| Japanese voice actor | Takehito Koyasu Takehito Koyasu is a Japanese voice actor.-Career:Koyasu is part of the voice actor quartet Weiß consisting of Weiß Kreuz voice castmates Shinichiro Miki, Tomokazu Seki, and Yuuki Hiro... |
| English voice actor | Lex Lang Lex Lang Walter Alexis "Lex" Lang is a two-time Emmy Award–winning American voice actor, producer and entrepreneur. He is the cofounder of The Love Planet Foundation, a non-profit organization which creates educational materials for children on the importance of recycling, world water awareness, and the... (Tokyopop dub), J. Michael Tatum J. Michael Tatum John Michael Tatum is an American voice actor, ADR Director, and Script writer who works for anime series at Funimation Entertainment and OkraTron 5000... (Funimation dub) |
is one of the most skilled drivers in the series (he is the RedSuns' fastest member as well as their leader); he and his younger brother Keisuke (the Takahashi Brothers, also known as the Rotary Brothers because they both drive RX-7's, albeit different generations of the vehicle) have been featured in racing magazines and are regarded highly by other drivers. Ryosuke drives a second-generation Mazda RX-7 (FC3S) and was previously undefeated until he met Takumi Fujiwara. Ryosuke is very serious about racing; he pours over technical data just like any professional driver and he is one of the few drivers with skills as a mechanic to match those he possesses as a driver. He can usually be found in his room going over data on his laptop. He is known to be able to tell what kind of modifications have been made to a car just by hearing it, and what a driver is capable of just by watching the car drift. Ryosuke's fame is so widespread throughout Japan that he has been given the moniker, . He is also referred to by "Akagi's Lone White Comet", possibly in reference to his inherent weariness towards females.
His only rival would be Kyoichi Sudo. They argued about racing theories when Ryosuke ended Kyoichi's winning streak a year before the series' start. Currently, he is enrolled in college studying medicine, and planning to become a doctor to work at his father's clinic. But before retiring from street racing, and with only one year of racing left, he estimates, and assembles a new team (named Project D) aimed at capturing all of the records in Japan. In Fourth Stage, he is a coach for Project D while his brother Keisuke races in his place.
There is a rift in Ryosuke's past involving Rin "Shinigami" Hojo. An altercation between the two in medical school led to another student named Kaori (also another medical student and Rin's girlfriend) taking her life. Rin retreated from the racing scene for years, becoming a recluse, before making an abrupt return against Team Spiral's Leader, Ikeda. Ryosuke races against Rin at Daikan, Kanagawa with Ikeda spectating behind.
Ryosuke is modeled after the "Drift King" Keiichi Tsuchiya's mentor, retired race car driver Kunimitsu Takahashi.
Keisuke Takahashi
| Age | 21/22 |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Mazda Ẽfini RX-7 Type R (FD3S) |
| Year | 1993 |
| Color | Competition Yellow Mica |
| Custom Parts (RedSuns) | Fujita Engineering FRP Lip(1st-2nd), Mazdaspeed A-Spec Spoiler Type II (look too big in 1st Stage because of CGI), MS-01 Rims (1st Stage-2nd Stage), MS 02 Rims (Battle Stage and 3rd Stage ), Mazdaspeed Turbo Gauge, Mazdaspeed Muffler, Recaro Bucket Racing Seats, MazdaSpeed A-Spec Front Bumper(3rd Stage), Mazdaspeed Steering Wheel and RedSuns Sticker. |
| Custom Parts (Early Project.D) | MazdaSpeed Steering Wheel, MazdaSpeed Muffler, MazdaSpeed A-Spec Front Bumper Type II, MazdaSpeed MS-02(Black)Rims, MazdaSpeed Muffler, MazdaSpeed A-Spec Spoiler Type II, 2.0 MazdaSpeed Turbo Gauge, and Bucket Racing Seats |
| Custom Parts (Later Project.D) | RE Amemiya GT-AD aero with Carbon Fiber Canards, RE Amemiya AD9 Hood, RE Amemiya Fixed HID Headlights, RE Amemiya GT II Wing, A'PEXi Power FC, RE Amemiya TA Dolphin Tail Muffler, SSR Type C(Bronze)Rims, RE Amemiya AD Mirror Type 1, RE Amemiya Steering Wheel, 1.5 RE Amemiya Turbo Gauge, and Roll Cage |
| Japanese voice actor | Tomokazu Seki Tomokazu Seki is a Japanese voice actor. He formerly worked for Haikyou and is now the head of Atomic Monkey.-About:Some of his most notable roles include Shinichi Chiaki from Nodame Cantabile, Gilgamesh from Fate/stay night, Rob Lucci from One Piece, Gundam characters Domon Kasshu and Yzak Joule, from G Gundam... |
| English voice actor | Steven Jay Blum (Tokyopop dub), Todd Haberkorn Todd Haberkorn Todd Michael Haberkorn is an American actor, voice actor, ADR Director and Script writer at Funimation Entertainment and OkraTron 5000... (Funimation dub) |
is the number two driver for the RedSuns. Keisuke drives Mazda's third generation RX-7, and is a skilled driver, second only to his brother. Keisuke is a rather hot-headed young man and does not like losing. Keisuke is also known to drive with his emotions, for example if he realises that he cannot win his driving suffers and if he is in the lead he is carefree and much relaxed. Before Ryosuke got Keisuke involved in street racing he was the leader of a Bōsōzoku
Bosozoku
is a Japanese subculture associated with motorcycle clubs and gangs.-Traits and history:The word bōsōzoku is also applied to motorcycle gangs, who share an interest in modifications for motorcycles, such as removing the mufflers so that more noise is produced...
gang. He joins his brother's new team and has a rivalry with Takumi. Keisuke races the hillclimb (uphill) on most races, while Takumi races the downhill.
Keisuke isn't analytical like his older brother, and Ryosuke's ability to compute and analyze amazes Keisuke. But at the same time, Keisuke's ability to think less while he is driving, and to do only what he feels amazes Ryosuke. While Ryosuke has decided that he won't race much longer, and that he will become a doctor in the future, Keisuke has dedicated his life to racing, his eventual goal is to become a professional racer. But first he must defeat Takumi. Though visibly getting along, they still have some kind of argumentation over who is the ace, he has respect for Takumi. He stated once he was not as strong minded as Takumi, because Takumi fell asleep really fast before a great battle, making him ask himself if he knew what was pressure.
Kenta Nakamura
| Age | 19/20 (?) |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Nissan Silvia Q's Aero (S14) |
| Year | 1993(Zenki) |
| Color | Orange (Anime)/ Super Clear Red (Game) |
| Custom Parts | Nissan Smoke Film, RedSuns Sticker (Until 4th Stage), |
| Japanese voice actor | Kousuke Okano Kousuke Okano is a Japanese voice actor often featured on Japanese anime television network Animax as narrator along with fellow voice actor Yukari Tamura.-Notable voice roles:*Taichi Miyamoto in Bleach*Recca Hanabishi in Flame of Recca*Russell Tringum in Fullmetal Alchemist... |
| English voice actor | David Rasner (Tokyopop dub), Greg Ayres Greg Ayres Gregory Scott Ayres is an American voice actor who works for anime series at Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital, and OkraTron 5000. He has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films... (Funimation dub) |
is one of the youngest members of the Akagi RedSuns and the third best driver of the team. Kenta absolutely adores Keisuke Takahashi and is always eager to prove himself to Keisuke. Kenta was recognized by Keisuke himself for his driving skills, and has been somewhat taken under Keisuke's wing. Kenta specializes in rain conditions, because he had a habit of practicing in the rain since the wet roads wouldn't wear his tires down as much.
In the First Stage, he arrogantly challenged Takumi to a wet race and lost. This was the time when Takumi used Itsuki as ballast, simulating a load of tofu. (Note that Takumi delivers tofu everyday, even if it rains.)
He drives the #2 van for Project D and mostly does the reconnaissance recording of courses before the team actually travels to the locations, and has said once that he uses his S14 for it - only to be criticized by Keisuke for his imprecise driving.
Hiroshi Fumihiro
| Age | Late 20's |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Toyota MR2 GT-S (SW20) or Mazda Roadster (NA6C) |
| Color | Silver (MR2), Red (NA6C) |
| Japanese voice actor | Osamu Hosoi Osamu Hosoi is a Japanese voice actor.-Notable anime and video game voice roles:*JigSaw in Death Note: The Hidden Rules*John Smith in ROD The TV*Kurama in Elfen Lied*Dan Hibiki in Street Fighter Alpha*Allen Snider in Street Fighter EX... |
| English voice actor | Chris Cason Chris Cason Christopher L. Cason is an American voice actor, ADR Director and Script who works for anime series of Funimation Entertainment... |
serves as Project D's second in command and handler, setting up and organizing battles with other teams, as well as scouting out prospective courses. In many ways he is also a sort of Executive Assistant to Ryousuke Takahashi. He had the same role during his time with the Akagi RedSuns and, presumably, has known Ryousuke for some time. It is not specifically known whether he has a history as a street racer or how he came into contact with Ryosuke and the RedSuns; his personal car, a Toyota SW20, is only seen once during a daytime meeting with Takahashi Keisuke but is never seen at any races. Fumihiro typically drives the Number 1 van during Project D's events.
Shuichi Matsumoto
| Age | Unknown (Likely late 20's, early 30's) |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Nissan 180SX Type S (RPS13) Nissan 180SX The Nissan 180SX was a hatchback coupe based on the S13 chassis from the Nissan S platform, and sold in Japan; and in some other countries under the 200SX name.... |
| Japanese voice actor | Rintarō Nishi |
| English voice actor | Mike McFarland Mike McFarland Michael Charles McFarland is an American voice actor, ADR Director, Script, and Line Producer at Funimation Entertainment. He also did work with ADV Films, Bang Zoom! Entertainment, New Generation Pictures and Okatron 5000... |
is the personal mechanic for Takumi Fujiwara's AE86 and possibly Chief Mechanic for Project D. He is the driver for Project D's support van #3 during their expeditions. In chapter 39 of the manga, Matsumoto was asked by Ryosuke to tune his FC for his anticipated encounter with Rin Hojo.
Another thing to note about Matsumoto is his close relationship with Ryosuke, as he is often seen talking to Ryosuke about Project D. and Takumi during the latter's races.
Tomiguchi
| Age | Unknown (Likely late 20's, early 30's) |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Toyota Hiace Toyota Hiace The Toyota HiAce is a motor vehicle produced by the Japanese manufacturer Toyota. First launched in 1967, the HiAce has since been available in a wide range of configurations, including minivan and minibus, van, pick-up, taxi, and ambulance.... |
| Japanese voice actor | Ryoukichi Takahashi |
Keisuke's assigned mechanic in Project D. He's likely the driver of van #4 during the latter part of Project D's expeditions where they go to farther prefectures.
Akina Speed Stars
The is a team made up from a bunch of friends who like to race in their leisure time. Based in Gunma, their home course is AkinaMount Haruna
is a dormant stratovolcano in Gunma, eastern Honshū, Japan.- Outline :Mount Haruna has many peaks and the tallest one, Mount Kamonga is 1,449 m high. It appeared about 300,000 years ago and the last known eruption was c. 550. The volcano has a summit caldera containing the symmetrical cone of...
. Named after a Japanese brand of wheel, they are among the weakest teams in the series, not having proper training and using erroneous techniques.
| Name | car | section |
|---|---|---|
| Koichiro Iketani | Nissan Silvia K's (S13) | Downhill |
| Kenji | Nissan 180SX Type X (RPS13) | Uphill |
| Itsuki Takeuchi | Toyota Corolla Levin SR (AE85) | Uphill |
Koichiro Iketani
| Age | 21/22 |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Nissan Silvia K's (S13) Nissan Silvia The S12 was produced from 1984 to 1988, with revisions to the exterior trim in 1987 . It was sold in three configurations—a coupe , a hatchback, and a widebody chassis called grandprix .A number of different engines were equipped in the S12 chassis, depending on production year and more... |
| Year | 1988/1992 |
| Color | Lime Green two tone |
| Custom Parts | Nissan Front Lip & Side Skirt |
| Japanese voice actor | Kazuki Yao Kazuki Yao is a veteran voice actor and actor currently represented by Mix Max.- Television animation :* Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple * Astro Boy * Beast Wars * Beast Wars Neo... |
| English voice actor | Crispin Freeman Crispin Freeman Crispin McDougal Freeman is an American voice actor, and Mythology scholar. His roles have included Alucard from Hellsing, Kyon from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Karasu from Noein, Togusa from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, as Holland Novak from Eureka Seven, Touga Kiriyu in... (Tokyopop dub), Eric Vale Eric Vale Christopher Eric Johnson better known by his stage name Eric Vale, is an American voice actor, ADR Director, Script, and Head Writer who is affiliated with Funimation Entertainment... (Funimation dub) |
One of Takumi's friends, works at a local gas station with both Takumi and Itsuki. Itsuki admires him, as Iketani is leader of the local racing team, the Akina SpeedStars. Iketani drives a Nissan S13 Silvia. At first, Iketani thinks that the SpeedStars are the best drivers in Akina but later his boss Yuichi tells Iketani of the mysterious driver of an Eight-Six who was the fastest driver in his time, and that he suspects that the driver is the owner of the local tofu shop.
He is an average racer at best, but his skills are decent enough for him to be leader of the Speed Stars.
It is Iketani (along with Itsuki) who explains to Takumi the practice of referring to street-racing cars by their chassis codes, since this is the simplest way of denoting different body style/engine combinations. For example, instead of specifying the 1983-1987 Toyota Sprinter Trueno or Corolla Levin with the 4A-GE engine, one can simply call it an AE86, or more simply, an "Eight-Six".
Itsuki Takeuchi
| Age | 18/19 |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Toyota Corolla Levin SR (AE85) |
| Year | 1985 |
| Color | High Tech White |
| Custom Parts | Toyota Door Visor, Turbocharger |
| Japanese voice actor | Mitsuo Iwata Mitsuo Iwata Mitsuo Iwata is a seiyū who was born in Tokorozawa, Saitama. He is married to fellow seiyū Rikako Aikawa. Mania.com praised him as "truly one of the greatest seiyū". Otakunews.com complimented him for the role of Tetsuya from Outlanders... |
| English voice actor | Robbie Rist Robbie Rist Robert Anthony Rist is an American actor and musician.-Acting and voiceover work:As a child, Rist played Cousin Oliver in the final six episodes of The Brady Bunch. With the regular children all getting older, his inclusion was intended to reintroduce cute younger children to the series... (Tokyopop dub), Josh Grelle Josh Grelle Joshua Grelle is an American voice actor and ADR Script writer for Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital and OkraTron 5000... (Funimation dub) |
| Actor | Chapman To Chapman To Chapman To Man-chak is a Hong Kong actor, best known for specializing in comedic roles in films such as Infernal Affairs and Initial D.-Career:To began his acting career in TV soap operas and moved to the big screen in 2000... |
is Takumi's best friend; he provides the comic relief in the series, and is generally quite loud and obnoxious. Itsuki works part-time at a gas station with Takumi and Iketani; Itsuki plans to use the money he earns to buy an AE86 Corolla Levin (to complement Takumi's AE86 Trueno) but mistakenly buys an inferior (less power, poor brakes, less chassis bracing, and looser suspension) AE85. This upsets him until Takumi takes him for a drive (ultimately racing it downhill), demonstrating that the driver's skill can make a difference. With a car, he is a self proclaimed member of the Akina Speed Stars. He eventually purchases a turbocharger for his Eight-Five.
Kenji
| Age | 21/22 |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Nissan 180SX Type X(RPS13) Nissan 180SX The Nissan 180SX was a hatchback coupe based on the S13 chassis from the Nissan S platform, and sold in Japan; and in some other countries under the 200SX name.... |
| Year | 1994/1996 |
| Color | White |
| Custom Parts | Nissan Front Grill & Nissan Skirt |
| Japanese voice actor | Wataru Takagi Wataru Takagi is a Japanese seiyū and stage actor from Chiba Prefecture. He is currently affiliated with Arts Vision.He is best known for his roles in Detective Conan , After War Gundam X , Slayers Try , the Beast Wars: Transformers series , GTO , Hajime no Ippo (July 25, 1966 - ) is a Japanese seiyū and stage... |
| English voice actor | Jason Spisak Jason Spisak Jason Spisak is an American voice actor in animation and video games, and a Computer Programmer.Spisak is also the co-leader of the Symphony OS Project. He is the designer of Symphony's unique Mezzo desktop environment and wrote the Laws of Interface Design, for which the project tries to adhere... (Tokyopop dub), Christopher Bevins Christopher Bevins Christopher Bevins is an American voice actor and ADR director who is also known as Chris Bevins... (Funimation dub) |
A member of the Akina Speed Stars and Iketani's best friend, drives a Nissan 180SX. He hangs out at the gas station where Iketani, Takumi and Itsuki work from time to time, usually discussing cars and driving techniques with Iketani and Yuichi. He has respect and admiration for Iketani and Takumi; Iketani since he is the leader of the Speed Stars and Takumi for his driving skills.
Kenji is believed to be the second-best driver of the Speedstars. He was set to race Keisuke in the first battle because Iketani was injured and the mysterious "Tofu Shop Eight-Six" was thought to be a no-show.
To this day, his last name hasn't been revealed in any media form of Initial D. His age has also not been explicitly stated, though judging from Iketani and Itsuki's constant joking in regards to Kenji not having a girlfriend at his age, and that he and Iketani don't address each other as Senpai, it's probably safe to say that he is about the same age as Iketani. His occupation is also unknown, although he often goes to the gas station where his friends work bringing car magazines and racing news.
Thunder Fire
Not much is known about team Thunder Fire and where their home course is. Their symbol is a lightning bolt with the word Thunder Fire written within it. After mistaking Itsuki's Eight-Five as the infamous Eight-Six of Akina and taunting Itsuki himself in front of Takumi, the three team members (two in a black Silvia S13 and one a Gray 180SX) were passed back to back on Akina's downhill by Itsuki's Eight-Five with Takumi behind the wheel. Thunder was the first team that was defeated by Team Emperor in the beginning of Stage Two. A purple 180SX driven by one of the members was beaten by Seiji Iwaki's Evo IV, and tore their team sticker in half and stuck upside down on the spoiler. The same car also hit the guardrail midway in Second Stage, which halted the unofficial race between Keisuke and Wataru. Thunder Fire's prominent team members and skill level are unknown, but like the Akina Speed Stars, Thunder Fire may be just a group of friends who race in their leisure time with little knowledge on proper technique.Team Thunder Fire is an anime-exclusive team, and therefore are not part of the manga series.
Myogi NightKids
The is a team of average skill led by Takeshi Nakazato. Even though the team is united under Takeshi, there seems to be two factions fighting for leadership, aligned with Takeshi and the team's number two driver, Shingo. Based in Gunma, their home course is MyogiMount Myogi
is one of the major mountains in the Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Well known for its rocks weathered into fantastic forms, this famous peak is ranked among Japan's three most noted places of rugged beauty...
. Shingo and Takeshi both show aggressive driving styles, hence why both their races with Akina's Eight-Six ended in a crash.
| Name | car | section |
|---|---|---|
| Takeshi Nakazato | Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II (BNR32) | Uphill |
| Shingo Shoji | Honda Civic SiR II (EG6) | Downhill |
Takeshi Nakazato
| Age | 22 |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II (BNR32) Nissan Skyline GT-R The Nissan Skyline GT-R is a Japanese sports car based on the Nissan Skyline range.The first GT-Rs were produced from 1969–1973. After a 16 year hiatus since the KPGC110 in 1972, the GT-R name was revived in 1989 with the Skyline R32. This car was nicknamed "Godzilla" by the Australian motoring... 380 HP |
| Year | 1994 |
| Color | Black Pearl Metallic |
| Custom Parts | Work Meister S1 3Piece Rims (Manga & Anime), '91 R32 Rims (Battle Stage) TRIAL Front Bumper (manga and arcade), Nismo front bumper (anime only), |
| Japanese voice actor | Nobuyuki Hiyama Nobuyuki Hiyama is a Japanese voice actor currently affiliated with Arts Vision.-Profile:* Sometimes credited as: Shuji Hiyama , Osamuyuki Hiyama * Year Enrolled into the Voice-Acting Industry: 1987... |
| English voice actor | Wally Wingert Wally Wingert Wallace E. "Wally" Wingert is an American actor and voice artist. He is originally from Des Moines, Iowa but he currently works and lives in Los Angeles, California. He is the current announcer for the second incarnation of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and the current voice of Jon Arbuckle in... (Tokyopop dub), John Burgmeier (Funimation dub, Third Stage), Chris Burnett Chris Burnett (voice actor) Chris Burnett is an American voice actor at FUNimation Entertainment. He has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime. He can be seen, alongside Brina Palencia as one of the hosts for Gamestop TV. He is best known for playing Romeo in Romeo x Juliet and Koichi... (Funimation dub, First & Second Stage) |
, also known as the , is the leader of of the Myogi NightKids. He made his first appearance at the race in Akina where Keisuke Takahashi of the RedSuns is to race against Takumi. Surprised that Takumi could defeat Keisuke, Takeshi decides that he is going to be the one to challenge and defeat the "Akina downhill specialist", and that the RedSuns are next on his list.
He is an intelligent and skilled driver, notably recognizing Takumi's the gutter hook technique while observing the Eight-Six's first battle with Keisuke's FD. However, his downfall is his anger and emotions getting in the way of his mind, resulting in poor throttle control. He also races all-out and usually fails to consider tire wear, so in the end, he loses the race, sometimes crashing his car. He is very good at acceleration and is known for his grip driving philosophy. His previous car was a Nissan Silvia (S13), with which he used drifting techniques. He changed to the R32 after a devastating loss to a white (or rather silver) R32 on his home course of Myogi. Following the defeat by the Skyline, his philosophy changed, favoring grip driving techniques over "weak" and "showy" drifting techniques. He also believed that no matter what skill a driver has, a car will not run beyond its capabilities.
Takeshi is the leader of the NightKids team on Mount Myogi and he has shown an interest in Sayuki of Impact Blue.
He is a fan of the GT-R just like Kunimitsu Takahashi.
Shingo Shoji
| Age | 20 |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Honda Civic SiR II (EG6) Honda Civic The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars made and manufactured by Honda. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded... |
| Year | 1995 |
| Color | Milano Red |
| Custom Parts | Mugen RNR Silver Metallic tire, Honda Door Visor, Mugen Aero Set |
| Japanese voice actor | Keiji Fujiwara Keiji Fujiwara is a Japanese voice actor from the Tokyo Metropolitan area who is affiliated with Air Agengy.His best known projects include Crayon Shin-chan as Hiroshi Nohara, Eureka Seven as Holland, Fullmetal Alchemist as Lieutenant-Colonel Hughes, Zoids: Chaotic Century as Irvine, Final Fantasy VII Advent... |
| English voice actor | Quinton Flynn Quinton Flynn Quinton Joseph Flynn , is an American voice actor, actor and writer.... (Tokyopop dub), Vic Mignogna Vic Mignogna Victor Joseph "Vic" Mignogna is an American Anime Award winning voice actor and musician who has done voice work for many anime series, movies, and video games... (Funimation dub) |
is a member of the NightKids who drives a red Honda Civic SiR-II (EG-6). Shingo races dangerously: he will nudge his rival's car in order to make the other driver lose control. He doesn't find plain downhill races any fun, preferring to race under a mutual handicap he calls the Duct (Gum) Tape Death Match. In this handicap match, both drivers tape their right hand to the steering wheel for the duration of the race. By doing this, a driver limits their own steering capabilities and it makes turning a challenge in a rear wheel drive car, as "catching" a car's oversteer on the exit becomes quite difficult. In a front-wheel drive car though, the use of the handbrake assists in turning the vehicle in corners. He detests Takeshi Nakazato because he believes that he is unfit to be leader of the NightKids, a position that Shingo openly covets. In terms of racing ability, Shingo is the second best driver on the Night Kids team. He is also a childhood friend of Impact Blue's navigator, Sayuki.
Shingo actually shares many beliefs with Nakazato, but whenever they watch other battles, they stay away from one another so that people won't mistake them as friends. There were also times that he supported his teammate for the Night Kids' sake, like the battle against Seiji Iwaki and his Evo IV.
Impact Blue
is a partnership between its two members, Mako and Sayuki. Their home course is UsuiUsui Pass
The is a mountain pass that lies between Nagano and Gunma Prefectures in Japan. It has served as one of the major transportation routes in central Japan since at least the eighth century.- Road :...
. It is revealed that Impact Blue is disbanded in Extra Stage 2 due to Mako leaving for Tokyo to race there for a year.
Mako Sato and Sayuki
| Age | Both 20/21 |
| Sex | Female |
| Car | Nissan Sileighty/Sil80 (RPS13) Sileighty A is a Nissan 180SX with a Nissan Silvia's headlights, front fenders, hood, and front bumper installed, hence the 'Sil' in front and the 'eighty' rear.-History:... |
| Year | 1996 (Manga), 1998 (Anime) |
| Color | Midnight Purple Pearl |
| Custom Parts | Nismo Aero side skirts & grill |
| Japanese voice actor | Michiko Neya Michiko Neya is a female Japanese voice actress born in Echizen, Fukui . Neya is a freelancer, although she worked at Arts Vision.-Anime:*Aka-chan to Boku *Cardcaptor Sakura *Chrono Crusade... and Yumi Kakazu Yumi Kakazu is a female seiyū from Kamifukuoka, Saitama . She is currently affiliated with Genki Project... |
| English voice actor | Kate Higgins Kate Higgins Catherine Davis "Kate" Higgins is an American voice actress, singer, and jazz pianist. She was born in Charlottesville, Virginia grew up in Auburn, Alabama, and currently lives in Los Angeles. She is best known as the English voice of Sakura Haruno on the hit anime series Naruto, Talho Yūki from... and Bridget Hoffman Bridget Hoffman Bridget Hoffman is an American actress best known for her work as an anime voice actress. She also serves as an ADR scriptwriter and ADR director... (Tokyopop dub) Colleen Clinkenbeard Colleen Clinkenbeard Colleen Smith Clinkenbeard is an American voice actress, Line Producer, ADR Director, and Script Writer who works for Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, and OkraTron 5000. She has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films and series, most notably, Monkey D... and Monica Rial Monica Rial Monica Jean Rial is an American voice actress, ADR Director, and Script Writer who works for Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital, and OkraTron 5000... (Funimation dub) |
is the driver of the Usui combination; is her co-driver/navigator, a combination similar to that found in the WRC
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
. Mako is interested in Iketani of the Akina Speed Stars. She originally got close to him in order to race Takumi's Eight-Six in Usui, offering her virginity in exchange. But she and Iketani had true feelings to each other later on. Unfortunately, a misunderstanding kept them apart.
Sayuki is a cheerful, outgoing girl and she is always looking for good looking guys like the Takahashi brothers. She also developed a crush on Takumi, finding him cute and invited him to a pool after his race against them. As navigator, she gives out instructions to Mako when they're racing (when to brake, what drifting technique to use etc.). Her last name is unknown.
Driving a blue Nissan Sileighty, the duo are the fastest in Usui.
Emperor
is a highly skilled team led by Kyoichi Sudo. The entire team is made of Mitsubishi Lancer EvolutionMitsubishi Lancer Evolution
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral...
s, claiming their cars are the king of the mountains. Based in Tochigi
Tochigi Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kantō region on the island of Honshū, Japan. The capital is the city of Utsunomiya.Nikkō, whose ancient Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples UNESCO has recognized by naming them a World Heritage Site, is in this prefecture...
, their home course is the one-way road of Irohazaka.
| Name | car | section |
|---|---|---|
| Kyoichi Sudo | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III GSR (CE9A) | Downhill |
| Seiji Iwaki | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV GSR (CN9A) | Downhill |
Kyoichi Sudo
| Age | Unknown (possibly similar to Ryosuke/Nakazato) |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III GSR (CE9A) |
| Year | 1995 |
| Color | Pyreness Black |
| Custom Parts | RALLIART Muffler and Rally-style Anti-Lag "Misfiring System". |
| Japanese voice actor | Masahiko Tanaka Masahiko Tanaka is a Japanese voice actor. - Voice roles :* suicune in Pokemon 4Ever* M'Quve in Mobile Suit Gundam* Mihiramon in Digimon Tamers* Gauron in Full Metal Panic!* Fudou Takuma in Getbackers* Ryo Mashiba in Hajime no Ippo* Kyoichi Sudo in Initial D... |
| English voice actor | Richard Cansino Richard Cansino Richard Cansino is an American voice actor. He is also known as Richard Hayworth because he is the nephew of Rita Hayworth, and occasionally goes by the name Steve Davis after the British snooker player of the same name... (Tokyopop Dub), Christopher Sabat Christopher Sabat Christopher Robin Sabat is an American voice actor, ADR Director, and Line Producer. He has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films and television series, as well as video games... (Funimation dub) |
is the team leader and driving ace of the Lancer Evolution-only Emperor team from Gunma (according to his license plate), and one of the best drivers in the series. He drives a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III powered up to 350hp equipped with a WRC style misfiring system
Anti-lag
An anti-lag system is a system used on turbocharged engines to minimize turbo lag.- Overview :ALS was first used in the early days of turbocharged cars in Formula One racing circa mid to late 1980s, until fuel restrictions made its use unsuitable...
. In his philosophy, a car must have a high power turbo and all-wheel drive.
An old acquaintance of Ryosuke Takahashi of the Akagi RedSuns, Kyoichi is much like Ryosuke: he is a calm and composed driver, compared to his teammate Seiji. Eager to show Ryosuke that he and his team are the best, Kyoichi and the Emperor team goes on to beat the various teams of Gunma, including the NightKids. He believes in the ultimate superiority of his race circuit techniques, whilst Ryosuke holds that street racing has its own special requirements. His home course is one-way, so he is unable to fully attack blind corners on two way roads, supporting Ryousuke's view. He is also often considered the first driver to have beaten Takumi, when Takumi blew out his engine at Akagi, but lost during a rematch at Irohazaka. It should be noted however, that the result should normally be considered a tie at best, and the race itself did not last more than one round. Kyoichi declared Takumi as the winner for merely being able to resist being overtaken at the last part of the course where other drivers fell prey to him. To Kyoichi, who takes pride in his ability to win, a tie at his home turf is equivalent to a loss.
He is also a graduate of the racing school, the Todo School.
Seiji Iwaki
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV RS (CN9A) |
| Year | 1996 |
| Color | Scotia White |
| Custom Parts | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV GSR Rims, and Bucket Racing Seats |
| Japanese voice actor | Kazuhisa Kawahara |
| English voice actor | Grant George (Tokyopop dub), Jason Douglas Jason Douglas Jason Douglas is an American stage and film actor who is gaining increasing visibility of late by breaking into mainstream film and television work. He is also a known anime voice actor who works for Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital, and OkraTron 5000.-Anime Voices:* A.D... (Funimation dub) |
is the number two driver in the Lancer Evolution-only Emperor team, therefore he drives the Lancer Evolution IV. Seiji is a driver with good racing skills, but he is rather arrogant and overconfident and occasionally imprudent. He has won many races driving for Emperor against other teams, including Takeshi Nakazato of the NightKids and a member of Thunder.
After defeating various teams in Gunma, the Emperor team then set their sights on the Akina Speed Stars, aiming to beat Akina's infamous Eight-Six. Seiji volunteered to race for the Emperor team in his Evo IV against Takumi's Eight-Six, but he was humiliated when his overconfidence and impatience led to his downfall, causing Kyoichi, the team leader, having to race the Eight-Six before the team could move on to the next opponent. It was also verbally stated that Seiji lost to Kai Kogashiwa in Irohazaka, but no actual battle was shown in the series. In Battle Stage, his Evo IV also raced Keisuke's FD, and lost.
One of Seiji's trademarks is to take the team sticker of teams he has defeated, cut it in half, and stick it on the sideblade of his spoiler upside-down, emulating the "kill" markers that fighter pilots paint on their planes.
Seven Star Leaf
is an average skilled team, and the first team to face Project D in 4th Stage, there are previous Project D victories mentioned prior to the start of 4th Stage. Based in Tochigi, their home course is the Nichien-Momiji line. Like the Akina Speed Stars, they are named after the same Japanese wheel manufacturer (Speed Star Racing).| Name | car | section |
|---|---|---|
| Tohru Suetsugu | Mazda Eunos Roadster S-Special II (NA6C) | Downhill |
| Atsuro Kawai | Nissan Skyline 25GT - T (ER34) | Uphill |
Tohru Suetsugu
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Mazda Eunos Roadster NA Special Package(NA6C) |
| Year | 1989 |
| Color | Classic Red |
| Custom Parts | Mazda Roadster 1993 Wheel, Mazda Front Lip, Mazda Eunos Roadster Spoiler, Mazda Eunos Roadster Mud Guards, Mazda Mirrors, Mazda Attachable Hard Roof top, Nardi Classic Steering Wheel, Bucket Racing Seats, RS Aizawa Individual Throttle Bodies, and TODA 1800cc Kit |
| Japanese voice actor | Daiki Nakamura Daiki Nakamura is a Japanese voice actor and member of 81 Produce.-Anime:* The Brave Express Might Gaine * Colorful * Cromartie High School * Grandpa Danger... |
| English voice actor | Chris Patton Chris Patton Christopher David Patton is an American voice actor who works on anime for Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital, and OkraTron 5000... |
is the downhill racer for the Seven Star Leaf team and known for his reckless, kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
downhill style. Tohru is also the only driver in the series who actually has a decent relationship; he has a girlfriend called Nao. Nao cares for him very much and she doesn't really approve of him racing, especially that he is practically broke almost all of the time and borrows money from her often.
When the Seven Star Leaf team is challenged by Ryosuke's Project D. Tohru is slated to race against Takumi. Again he borrows money from his girlfriend for a new set of tires. She agreed, with a condition: if he is defeated, he'll have to stop racing, or they will have to break up. He lost when he tried to emulate Takumi's weight-shifting technique of bypassing the uncovered gutters: his right front wheel snagged on the open gutter, flipping his car over once before coming to a standstill.
Atsuro Kawai
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Nissan Skyline GT-T 2.5 Turbo Coupe (ER34) Nissan Skyline The first Skyline was introduced in April 1957, by the Prince Motor Company, and was marketed as a luxury car. It featured a 1.5 L GA-30 engine producing 44 kW @ 4400 rpm. It used a de Dion tube rear suspension and was capable of 140 km/h . The car weighed around 1300 kg... |
| Year | 1998/1999 |
| Color | Dark Blue Pearl |
| Custom Parts | SSR Team Sticker, Sports Muffler, 400hp tune |
| Japanese voice actor | Seiji Sasaki Seiji Sasaki is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Gekidan Subaru. He often dubs over African-American actors.-Television animation:*Allison & Lillia *Ayakashi: Bake Neko *Black Cat *Dragon Ball Kai *Hajime no Ippo... |
| English voice actor | Scott Freeman Scott Freeman (voice actor) Scott Freeman is an American voice actor who works for Funimation Entertainment. He is known for providing voices for Japanese anime.He is best known for playing England in Hetalia: Axis Powers and Yuji Sakamoto in Baka and Test.-Anime roles:... |
is the hillclimb racer and the leader of the Tochigi-based Seven Star Leaf. He seems to be a decent enough driver, again favouring the grip racing techniques, but his mastery of it is uncomparable to that of Takeshi Nakazato. His car is powered up to 400hp.
Atsuro races against Keisuke during Project D's first expedition in Tochigi.
- Note: Atsuro is driving a 2.5L Turbo RWD Nissan GT R34 also known as 25GT-T Skyline not an AWD Nissan Skyline GT-R R34.
Todo School
The is a racing school run by a performance shop owner/ex-rally driver named Todo. They are very highly skilled, with many of their graduates going semi-pro/professional. Interestingly, they prefer FWD cars, particularly Hondas, using the Civic Type R as their best "demonstration" car. Based in Tochigi, their home course is the Enna Skyline or Happogahara.The Todo School exclusively use parts from Spoon Sports
Spoon Sports
Spoon Sports is a Japanese company formed in 1988. It is an engine tuner and parts manufacturer specializing in cars made by Honda. Their concept is to create vehicles that provide "total technology" and "real comfort". The company logo of Spoon Sports is a play of words on Ichishima's name...
to modify their cars.
| Name | car | section |
|---|---|---|
| Daiki Ninomiya | Honda Civic Type R (EK9) | Downhill |
| Smiley Sakai | Honda Integra Type R (DC2) | Uphill |
| Tomoyuki Tachi (OB) | Honda Civic Type R (EK9) | All - around |
Daiki Ninomiya
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Honda Civic Type R (EK9 Kouki) Honda Civic The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars made and manufactured by Honda. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded... |
| Year | 1998 |
| Colour | Sunlight Yellow |
| Custom Parts | Spoon Grill, Spoon Wing, Spoon Muffler, Spoon Mirrors, Todo School-Made Rims |
| Japanese voice actor | Toshiyuki Morikawa Toshiyuki Morikawa is a prolific Japanese male voice actor from Yokohama, Kanagawa, was affiliated with Arts Vision. Lately, however, he has become the head of that a voice actor company he founded in Apr 2011. His name is also sometimes mistranslated as Tomoyuki... |
| English voice actor | Ian Sinclair Ian Sinclair (voice actor) Ian Sinclair is an American ADR director and voice actor for Funimation Entertainment. He is known for playing Dallas Genoard in Baccano!, Dr... |
The ace and current student of the Todo School, is one of the better drivers of the series. Driving a yellow Civic Type R (EK9), Daiki races against Takumi of Project D in a downhill battle. He excels in braking, being able to release the brake pedal in the perfect spot during a corner, every time. Daiki is also one of the school's all time three best downhill drivers.
Smiley Sakai
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Honda Integra Type R (DC2) Honda Integra The Honda Integra is a compact luxury performance coupe made by Honda during the years 1985 to 2006. The sporty front wheel drive car is able to house five passengers with a two door hatch or four door sedan available.The Integra was on Car and Driver magazine's annual Ten Best list six times, in... |
| Year | 1999 |
| Color | Championship White |
| Custom Parts | Spoon Carbon Bonnet, Todo School-Made Muffler, Todo School-Made Rims, Turbo with 1.5 psi |
| Japanese voice actor | Akimitsu Takase Akimitsu Takase ' is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Mausu Promotion.-TV Anime:*Ceres, Celestial Legend *Daphne in the Brilliant Blue *E's Otherwise *Fafner of the Azure *Fullmetal Alchemist... |
| English voice actor | Anthony Bowling Anthony Bowling Anthony Wesley Bowling is an American actor and voice actor, who works for Funimation Entertainment. He has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films and television series.... |
Another driver and current student of the Todo School, is one of Daiki's friends and drives an Integra Type R equipped with an aftermarket turbocharger. Sakai races against Keisuke of Project D in a hillclimb battle. He uses two techniques to race, first, using high speeds to enter a corner to get the other person to do the same, then correcting his speed during the turn. The other trick is to brake-test his opponent, forcing them to back off while he speeds away. His face tenses up when he is racing to make him look like he is smiling, hence his nickname, "Smiley" Sakai.
Judging by the way that Daiki refers to him with the san honorific
Japanese honorifics
The Japanese language has many honorifics, parts of speech which show respect, and their use is mandatory in many social situations. Honorifics in Japanese may be used to emphasize social distance or disparity in rank, or to emphasize social intimacy or similarity in rank.The system of honorifics...
(Smiley-san), it can be inferred that Smiley is a senior student of the Todo School, and probably the reason why he knows much of Todo's experiences in racing, especially the school's rivalry with Purple Shadow and their top racers.
Tomoyuki Tachi
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Todo School Spoon Honda Civic Type R (EK9) Honda Civic Type R The first Civic to receive the 'Type R' name was based on the 6th generation 'EK' Civic. The contributing base model was the JDM Civic 3 door hatchback called SiR, code named EK4... (Demo Car) |
| Year | 1998 |
| Color | Sunlight Yellow |
| Custom Parts | Spoon Rims, Spoon Exhaust, Spoon Mirrors, Spoon Carbon Fiber Hood, Spoon Front Bumper, Bucket Racing Seats, Spoon 11,000 RPM Gauge Cluster, Rear Fixed Suspension, Spoon Coilovers, Spoon Brakes, and Advan Yokohama Rubber Company is a tire company based in Tokyo, Japan. The company founded and started in 1917 in a joint venture between Yokohama Cable Manufacturing and B.F. Goodrich. In 1969 the company expanded to the United States as Yokohama Tire Corporation. The Aspec A300 was the driving force behind its tremendous... Sticker |
| Japanese voice actor | Kazuhiro Nakata Kazuhiro Nakata is a Japanese voice actor from Nagasaki Prefecture. He is currently affiliated with Ken Production. He is best known for his roles in Legend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato , Gear Senshi Dendō , .hack//Sign , Initial D Fourth Stage , Tsubasa Chronicle and Idolmaster: Xenoglossia is a Japanese voice... |
| English voice actor | Jeff Johnson |
The Todo School could not live with their team being completely annihilated by outsiders, so they invited , a graduate of the school who is now a professional racer, to have a rematch against Project D on Happogahara, which is a course that consists of both downhill and hill climb sections. Tachi took Ninomiya's EK9 and beat Takumi's downhill record in one try, without pushing the car to the limit. Tachi agreed to use the school's top car, the Spoon-tuned demonstration EK9, at Happogahara. Tachi tuned the Civic the best he could to be able to compete with the FD on the straights, but surprisingly, Ryosuke decided to send out the Eight-Six. He lost the race to Takumi when he steered off the center of the road to avoid hitting a racoon
Racoon
Racoon is a Dutch rock band, formed in 1997. Their first big appearance was at the 1999 Noorderslagfestival. First album Till Monkeys Fly appeared in January 2000, produced by Michael Schoots . The first single, Feel Like Flying, became a hit and got a lot of airplay on the Dutch radiostation 3FM...
that crossed the street near the finish line. Because of this dodging he creates enough space for Takumi to pass him in his Eight-Six. Afterwards Takumi asks Tachi why he suddenly created space for Takumi to pass. Tachi responded that he saw a raccoon jump across the road and because of his racing reflexes immediately dodged it. Takumi's headlights were turned off as part of his technique.
It is highly speculated that his professional racing outfit seems to be based on the racing outfit that Keiichi Tsuchiya wears during his racing days and his appearances in Best Motoring. The Green Racing suit, Green Kei Office(now K1Planning) gloves and the red Onitsuka Tiger racing shoes are evidence to this speculation.
He attended the Todo School with Kyoichi Sudo.
Northern Saitama Alliance
A racing group made of teams located in the Northern Saitama PrefectureSaitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
. Included in this alliance, is the team that Nobuhiko and Kyoko are on, which remains unnamed, and also includes Wataru. They joined together to meet the challenge they knew would be coming from Project D. Nobuhiko Akiyama is the leader of the Alliance. The Alliance faces Project D twice, on two different courses. The Alliance throws the first downhill race against Project D so that Nobuhiko can gather enough information on Takumi to defeat him during the second set of races. Nobuhiko recruits Sakamoto for the job of defeating Takumi and all of the Alliance members (except Kyoko) chip in to purchase a Suzuki Cappuccino
Suzuki Cappuccino
The Suzuki Cappuccino is a small 2-door, 2-seater demountable hardtop roadster produced by Suzuki Motor Corporation. The vehicle was designed to meet Kei car specifications for lower tax and insurance in Japan. Weighing just , the Cappuccino is powered by a turbocharged, three-cylinder, 657 cc DOHC...
for Sakamoto to use in the race.
| Name | car | section |
|---|---|---|
| Wataru Akiyama | Toyota Corolla Levin GT - Apex (AE86) | Uphill |
| Nobuhiko Akiyama | Toyota Altezza (SXE10) | Downhill |
| Kyoko Iwase | Mazda RX-7 Type R (FD3S) | Uphill |
| Sakamoto | Suzuki Cappuccino (EA21R) | Downhill |
Wataru Akiyama
| Age | 21 (22 in Project D) |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Toyota Corolla Levin GT APEX (AE86) Toyota AE86 The AE86 generation of the Toyota Corolla Levin and Toyota Sprinter Trueno is a small, lightweight coupe introduced by Toyota in 1983 as part of the fifth generation Toyota Corolla lineup. For the purpose of brevity, the insider-chassis code of "AE86" is used to describe the whole range... |
| Year | 1985 |
| Color | High Tech Two Tone |
| Custom Parts (Lone) | TRD Wing, Toyota Door Visor, HKS Single Turbo and Boost Meter, SSR Dori Dori Mesh wheels, Nardi Classic Steering Wheel, TRD Sports Seat, and a 6-point roll bar |
| Custom Parts (Alliance) | TRD Wing, 6-Point Roll Bar, TRD Carbon Fiber Hood, Toyota Door Visor, Toyota Skirt, Toyota 4A-GZE engine swap (stock superchaged 4A-GE), Wataru-Made Rims and ItalVolanti Admiral Red Trim Steering Wheel (seen while turning on the Wipers against the FD) |
| Japanese voice actor | Yasunori Matsumoto Yasunori Matsumoto is a Japanese voice actor. He currently works for Sigma Seven, formerly for Production Baobab.-About:Some of Matsumoto's most notable roles are Wataru Akiyama in Initial D, Jean Havoc in Fullmetal Alchemist, Magnum Ace in Shippū! Iron Leaguer, Gourry Gabriev in Slayers and Ryou in Sonic Soldier... |
| English voice actor | Michael Lindsay Michael Lindsay Michael Lindsay is a voice actor. Lindsay has also been credited under the name Dylan Tully. Lindsay was born in Washington, D.C. but moved at a young age to New York... (Tokyopop dub), Robert McCollum Robert McCollum Robert McCollum is an American voice actor who works for anime series at FUNimation Entertainment. He has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films... (Funimation dub) |
was one of the first racers from Saitama to actually race against Takumi with his Singled-Boost (which lags a lot) turbocharged Levin, he appeared later in the Project D arc, this time replacing the turbocharger with a supercharger for more linear acceleration. Wataru is a skilled driver who honed his skills on the treacherous Shomaru Pass. He came to Gunma in hopes of facing new racers to challenge. As well as to watch over his sister Kazumi, who just got a job at a hotel with her aunt. Wataru is Nobuhiko's cousin, as seen when he watches Takumi race against the Northern Saitama Alliance in the hopes of finding a weak spot.
Wataru later raced against Keisuke Takahashi in a wet-weather race, but when his tires lost grip upon touching a metal gutter while he adjusted his wipers, he was defeated.
Some time later, Wataru confronts the imposter Project D somewhere in Saitama and helps the real Project D expose them as the frauds they are.
Nobuhiko Akiyama
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Toyota Altezza RS200 (SXE10) |
| Year | 2003 |
| Color | Silver Metallic |
| Custom Parts | TRD Wheel, TRD Muffler, TRD Side Skirts, & TRD Grille |
| Japanese voice actor | Jin Horikawa Jin Horikawa is a Japanese voice actor from Hyōgo Prefecture. He is a member of Office Osawa, the same agency that employs distinguished voice actors such as Yuji Ueda, Mitsuo Iwata, and Fumihiko Tachiki... |
| English voice actor | Justin Pate |
The leader the Northwest Saitama Alliance, is very intelligent and analytical. His skills as a driver, however, are not very good. Because of this, he usually recruits other highly skilled drivers and uses his technical data to further tune their cars according to each course. Nobuhiko did race against Takumi once on the downhill, but was left behind after the first hairpin and only because Takumi was letting him keep up, upon Ryousuke's instruction. It is revealed that Nobuhiko is Wataru Akiyama's cousin (as they share the same surname and looks pretty similar).
Kyoko Iwase
| Age | 20 |
| Sex | Female |
| Car | Mazda RX-7 Type R (FD3S) Mazda RX-7 Series 1 is commonly referred to as the "SA22C" from the first alphanumerics of the vehicle identification number. This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located license plate, called by Werner Buhrer of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."In 1980... |
| Year | 1993 |
| Body | Brilliant Black |
| Custom Parts | Kouki FD3S Spoiler, Kyoko-Made Hood, Kyoko-Made Muffler, BORDER Front Bumper, BORDER Side Skirts, Knight Sport Aero Mirrors Type 1, RE-Amemiya AW-7 Rims, and RE Amemiya 1.0 Single Turbine upgrade |
| Japanese voice actor | Megumi Toyoguchi Megumi Toyoguchi is a voice actress, born on January 2, 1978 in Machida, Tokyo, Japan. She is employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce.-Trivia:* Toyoguchi is the only seiyū to have the distinction of appearing in every anime in the Saturday 6 p.m... |
| English voice actor | Caitlin Glass Caitlin Glass Caitlin Tiffany Glass is an American voice actress and ADR director. While still a college student, Glass was hired by Funimation Entertainment while on a tour of the studio. Her first roles were bit parts on Case Closed until she landed the role of Hiyono Yuizaki in Spiral... |
A skilled uphill driving ace in the Northwest Saitama Alliance, was originally the fastest in the alliance, but after racing against Keisuke Takahashi, she falls in love with her opponent. This creates a conflict of interest between defeating Project D and supporting her love. Love prevailed. Attesting to this, Kyoko later lent her FD to Keisuke after he damaged the left front suspension of his own FD in an accident during a trial run on Tsuchisaka. Keisuke went on to win the race with her car, instead of the loaned FD Ryosuke planned for him to use. Unfortunately for her, Keisuke chooses to focus on Project D to the exclusion of all romantic relationships, although he admits liking her.
Kyoko's FD is a single turbo (compared to Keisuke's twin-turbo FD). Because of this, it has less torque and more turbo lag despite the power output being almost the same.
Sakamoto
| Age | 26 |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Suzuki Cappuccino (EA21R) Suzuki Cappuccino The Suzuki Cappuccino is a small 2-door, 2-seater demountable hardtop roadster produced by Suzuki Motor Corporation. The vehicle was designed to meet Kei car specifications for lower tax and insurance in Japan. Weighing just , the Cappuccino is powered by a turbocharged, three-cylinder, 657 cc DOHC... |
| Year | 1995 |
| Color | Antares Red |
| Custom Parts | Elite SPL Front Bumper, Rear Spoiler |
| Japanese voice actor | Hiroyuki Yoshino Hiroyuki Yoshino is a Japanese voice actor. He is part of Sigma Seven.-Anime:*Allison & Lillia *Angel Tails *Aquarian Age *Azumanga Daioh *Baccano! *Black Jack... |
| English voice actor | Orion Pitts |
is a rally driver who trains almost exclusively on mountain passes. He has the uncanny ability to take any car and put it in a drift on a mountain pass, usually to figure a car's characteristics and limitations. He was outsourced by Wataru Akiyama, recruited by Nobuhiko in a desperate measure to defeat Takumi Fujiwara of Project D in a downhill race using a Suzuki Cappuccino, a Kei Car
Kei car
Kei cars, K-cars, or , are a Japanese category of small vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to comply with Japanese government tax and insurance regulations, and in most rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is...
lighter than the Eight-Six. His speciality is driving Front engine, rear drive layout
Front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout
In automotive design, an FR, or Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout is one where the engine is located at the front of the vehicle and driven wheels are located at the rear. This was the traditional automobile layout for most of the 20th century....
cars.
Unnamed Lan Evo Team in Tsuchisaka
This team, composed of two Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions, challenged Project D on Tsuchisaka. They race for money, and they win by all means necessary (including cheating). When they were defeated by Project D, they asked a bunch of bozozoku gangsters (see below on 'Minor characters') to beat them up. Little did they know that these gangsters they called were actually from the Gunma area (the base of Project D), and former subordinates of Keisuke Takahashi. As a result, for the humiliation, the gangsters turned on the losers.| Name | car | section |
|---|---|---|
| Ichijo | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI GSR T.M. Edition (CP9A) | Downhill |
| Aikawa | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V GSR (CP9A) | Uphill |
Aikawa
| Age | mid 20s |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V GSR (CP9A) |
| Year | 1998 |
| Color | Scotia White |
| Custom Parts | VOLK TE37 Rims, Carbon fiber mirrors,and fog light covers |
| Japanese voice actor | Masuo Amada Masuo Amada is a male actor and seiyū from Hyōgo Prefecture. He is affiliated with the Seinenza Theater Company, and graduated from the Osaka University of Arts.-Television animation:*Arc the Lad *Berserk *Black Cat... |
| English voice actor | Bryan Massey Bryan Massey Bryan Massey is an American actor and writer. He also works frequently as a voice actor with Funimation. He currently resides in his hometown of Dallas, Texas with his wife and daughter.-Anime Roles:* Baccano! - Ladd Russo... |
, known as the Man in Evo V in Arcade Stage Ver.3 and Kuro Waru in Battle Stage 2, is the uphill racer for the final team that Project D races in the Saitama Prefecture. He faces Keisuke on the uphill run on the Tsuchisaka pass. Unlike previous opponents, both Aikawa and his racing partner Ichijo are more than willing to use cheap, unfair tactics, such as spilling oil on the road, to defeat Project D (albeit they want to win only to promote a garage they are affiliated with). It is due to this team's slicking of the road with oil that leads to Keisuke spinning out on the road and damaging his FD to such a state that it cannot be used in the race.
As a person, Aikawa is depicted as being an "ugly", mid to late 20s, arrogant jerk, an example of which occurs when he confronts Project D after Keisuke crashes his FD, at which point he acts innocent in regards as to who was at fault for slicking the road. In his race versus Keisuke (who drove Kyoko's black FD), he displays little skill (Keisuke compares him to Atsuro Kawai, the ER34 Skyline driver of Seven Star Leaf) and considers the Lancer Evolution to be in a totally different class apart from the Mazda RX-7 FD. He loses when he was spooked as Keisuke takes the inside when the two cars drive along a long straightaway with a barricade on the left side of the road. He was humiliated when he was given a lecture by Keisuke when he complained of "reckless driving."
In Arcade Stage 3 and in the PSP version, the Evo V is an RS, while the anime is a GSR.
Ichijo
| Age | mid 20s |
| Sex | Male |
| Year | 1999 |
| Color | Scotia White |
| Car | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI GSR( CP9A) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral... |
| Custom Parts | T.M Edition Bodykit (w/o wing) |
| Japanese voice actor | Mitsuaki Madono Mitsuaki Madono is a voice actor who was born in Osaka, Japan. He has a penchant for voicing characters who are supposedly jokers, but sometimes hide a more insidious nature is a voice actor (seiyū) who was born in Osaka, Japan. He has a penchant for voicing characters who are supposedly jokers, but sometimes... |
| English voice actor | Jonathan Brooks |
known as the Man in Evo VI in Arcade Stage 3 and Shiro Waru in Battle Stage 2, is the downhill racer for this team. Unlike Aikawa, Ichijo is more cunning and tactful, in that he arranges for the oil spill on the road and bringing a group of gangsters (via another team member) to beat up Project D's members should Project D win. Although there is no mention of who the leader of this team is, it seems that Shiro shows more of a leadership role than his teammate. Prior to his race against Takumi, he advises for Takumi to lose his match otherwise there will be dire repercussions.
As a racer, he is depicted as having good braking skill, but in comparison to Bunta, his skill is not as good. In the race with Takumi, he takes the runner position and leads for a fair share of the race until they hit the corner where the oil had been spilled earlier. Ichijo manages to slip on a bit of the oil and slides to the outside, allowing Takumi to easily pass him and take the lead. There were plenty of chances to outrun him, but he was spooked by Takumi's drifting of the Trueno on the final corner. There he finds out that Takumi is a different, terrifying animal once he is driving, unlike the timid guy he tried to scare before the race.
Purple Shadow
is a two-man team consisting of Toshiya "God Arm" Joshima and Kozo "God Foot" Hoshino, both of whom are legendary around those parts. Based in Ibaraki, they drive on a course called F-Line. They challenged Project D on Mount TsukubaMount Tsukuba
Mount Tsukuba is an mountain located near Tsukuba, Japan. It is one of the most famous mountains in Japan, particularly well-known for its double peaks, Nyotai-san and Nantai-san . Many people climb the so-called "purple mountain" every year for the panoramic view of the Kantō plain from the...
.
| Name | car | section |
|---|---|---|
| Toshiya Joshima | Honda S2000 (AP1) | Downhill |
| Kozo Hoshino | Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II Nür (BNR34) | Uphill |
Toshiya Joshima
| Age | 40+ |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Honda S2000(AP1) Honda S2000 The Honda S2000 is a roadster that was manufactured by the Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. It was launched in April 1999 and was created to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. The car was first shown as a concept at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1995, following which it was launched in... |
| Year | 2002 |
| Custom Parts | Myumyu Papa Factory Front Bumper, Cusco 30 GT Wing, MUGEN MF-10(Bronze) wheels, J's Racing Type S Bonnet, Myumyu Papa Factory SSP Exhaust, with Late '03 Gauge cluster and Rear Bumper |
| Color | Monte Carlo Blue Pearl |
| Japanese voice actor | Masashi Ebara Masashi Ebara , better known as , is a Japanese voice actor, actor, and narrator from Kanagawa Prefecture. He stands at 175 centimeters and is affiliated with 81 Produce.... |
| English voice actor | R. Bruce Elliott R. Bruce Elliott Robert Bruce Elliott is an American Actor and voice actor who works for Funimation Entertainment. He has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films... |
is one of the two leaders of Purple Shadow, known as due to his one-handed steering and his ability to control the car's yaw rate with very delicate steering/throttle inputs. He is the downhill half of the two-man Purple Shadow team. He battles in a refined intellectual style, intentionally pulling his punches for his own private satisfaction.
Joshima's techniques also include gutter jumps and the ability to confuse his chaser by manipulating his race line. Some of his team consider his methods very cruel, especially given the irony that he is a doctor. During Takumi's battle with Joshima, Takumi felt as if he were being chased by Bunta in the Impreza. Initially Joshima toyed with Takumi, hiding his true ability, trying to instill confusion and self-doubt, confident he could dominate the battle. After Joshima finally sprang his tactical trap, Takumi recovered and retook the lead. The astonished Joshima eventually had to abandon his game, and used his ultimate time attack line to pull away. Takumi broke his suspension trying desperately to catch up, and was reduced to limping down the mountain. This would have been a loss for Takumi, except that Joshima's fatigue from multiple rounds of downhill got to him and forced him to make a vomit stop. The crippled Trueno hobbled past to a technical victory. After the race, Joshima admits that Takumi's comeback put him under so much pressure that he was forced to put his left hand back on the steering wheel, something that hadn't ever happened to him.
However, Takumi did not feel that his victory was justified. Afterwards, Takumi requests a favor from Joshima, asking him to ride in his S2000 as he drives down the mountain again so that Takumi could watch God Arm's technique firsthand and hopefully improve upon his own techniques.
Kozo Hoshino
| Age | 40+ |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Nissan Skyline GT-R V-spec II Nür (BNR34) Nissan Skyline GT-R The Nissan Skyline GT-R is a Japanese sports car based on the Nissan Skyline range.The first GT-Rs were produced from 1969–1973. After a 16 year hiatus since the KPGC110 in 1972, the GT-R name was revived in 1989 with the Skyline R32. This car was nicknamed "Godzilla" by the Australian motoring... |
| Year | 2002 |
| Color | Millennium Jade Metallic |
| Custom Parts | Yokohama Super Advan Racing SA3R Silver Wheel, Amuse R1 TITAN exhaust system, Apex'i sports catalyser, Rebuilt RB26DETT N1, Nismo Front bumper (manga only) |
| Japanese voice actor | Ryuzaburo Otomo Ryuzaburo Otomo is a Japanese voice actor, actor and narrator from Tokyo. He is currently affiliated with Aoni Production as of December 2006, and was formerly affiliated with 81 Produce and the Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society.... |
| English voice actor | John Swasey John Swasey John Swasey is an American actor, voice actor, ADR Director, and Script Writer who works at Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital, and OkraTron 5000... |
is one of the two leaders of Purple Shadow, known by the name of due to his extraordinary acceleration control (he has the ability to drift a Skyline GT-R with the ATTESA-ETS AWD system activated, which is considered almost impossible). He shouts exclamations during a race in order to keep himself from over-concentrating. If he becomes silent and concentrates too hard, he will drive without braking. He races Keisuke Takahashi in a full lap (uphill and downhill) battle, demonstrating his sense of fairness, as the FD3S would have no chance against the GT-R Nür uphill. He has owned a total of 4 GT-Rs: an R32, an R33 in which he was disappointed with, another R32, and finally the R34 in which he uses in the race against Project D. He displays incredible control of his accelerator and brake pedals, but his heavier car is chased down by Keisuke's lighter FD in the first run although it barely wins the first run. The second run displays Hoshino's cunning as he overtakes Keisuke on the uphill/downhill pylon, though his heavier GT-R begins losing traction. Keisuke's doggedness inspires Hoshino to initiate a drift battle which make his tires suffer even more. Near the goal line, Hoshino drifts too far because of his tires, allowing Keisuke to attempt to pass him on the outside. Although Hoshino's weaker tires made him bump Keisuke slightly, the FD pulled out in front and finished the second round in the lead. Hoshino conceded the match as his traction was now not enough to win another run.
After his race with Keisuke, he offers to introduce him to his professional racing contacts. Keisuke refuses the offer, as he has unfinished business he wishes to take care of first. Although he lost, his time attack record still remains unbeaten, even by Keisuke no matter how hard he tried.
His last name may be a nod to Kazuyoshi Hoshino
Kazuyoshi Hoshino
is a former racing driver and businessman from Japan.Hoshino's nickname was . He won the Japanese motocross national championships in the 90cc and 125cc classes for Kawasaki in 1968 before switching to cars as a Nissan factory driver in 1969....
, a professional race driver known for driving Skylines and other Nissans in several major Japanese circuits, and the founder of Impul.
Team 246
, also known as "The 246ers", is a team based in the Kanagawa PrefectureKanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
. Racing in Yabitsu, they are direct rivals to Team Sidewinder, another team located in the Shizuoka Prefecture
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
. According to Bunta and Ryosuke, Shizuoka is the center of street (drift) racing, notable for its mountainous regions (Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
is located there) as well as the Fuji Speedway
Fuji Speedway
is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s and hosted the first Formula One race in Japan in 1976. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the FIA World Sportscar Championship and national racing...
. Therefore, Shizuoka attracts many racers, amateur and professionals alike.
| Name | car | section |
|---|---|---|
| Satoshi Omiya | Mazda MX - 5 Roadster (NB8C) | Downhill |
| Kobayakawa | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII GSR (CT9A) | Uphill |
Team 246 has many members, where representatives for a race are voted by its 31 members. The representative who will race against Keisuke on the uphill: Kobayakawa received 26 out of 31 votes, and races with a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (which Fumihiro has made fun of, as he is an emerging FD Evo Killer). Takumi will race against 246's leader: Omiya, who unanimously received 31 votes to represent Team 246 on the downhill. He will be driving a heavily modified Mazda Roadster.
Satoshi Omiya
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Mazda Roadster (NB8C) Mazda MX-5 The MX-5, also known as Miata in North America and Eunos Roadster in Japan, is a lightweight two-seater roadster, of front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, built by Mazda in Hiroshima, Japan. The model was introduced in 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show... (manga) |
| Year | 2004 |
| Colour | Orange/Red |
is Team 246's leader and downhill representative who drives a 2nd generation Mazda Roadster. After seeing Kobayakawa's defeat, he decides to lead in the downhill planning to take the same approach as Keisuke. During the race, he also holds back until he sees an opening to go all out against Takumi. When he finally did so, his superior braking technique began to show. While miraculously keeping up, Takumi is distraught to see that he loses in terms of braking technique.
The race becomes so intense that while a rear wing would normally be considered purely cosmetic in the touge, Eiji Kubo of team Sidewinder notes that at the speed that both cars is enough to let aerodynamics be a possible deciding factor in the race. Trying to find any method of speeding up, Takumi turns his headlights off to reduce the Eight-Six's coefficient of drag. Omiya, after deciding earlier on not to look back and turns his rear-view mirror away, does not notice the eight-six disappearing and so, would negate the usual effect of the blind attack. However, when approaching a corner, Takumi decides to turn on his headlights again. Seeing that the road ahead was suddenly lit up, Omiya is led to believe that there is an oncoming car and brakes early while leaving the outside lane open. Takumi jumps in to go side-by-side, but Omiya refuses to budge and maintains the inside. However, because the line was so tight, the Roadster's wing collided with a road sign, leaving it hanging on the car, imbalancing its aerodynamics.
Ryosuke mentions how Mazda's FR layout cars are naturally oversteery because their rear ends are always uniquely higher than the front, making the rear very light. He notes that while the FD makes good use of these dynamics, the Roadster suffers from excessive oversteer and that an imbalance to the car would be Takumi's best opening. This manifests itself after Omiya retakes the lead but oversteers the last corner and spins out, losing the race.
Kobayakawa
| Age | 20 |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII GSR (CT9A) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral... (manga) |
| Year | 2001 |
| Color | Yellow |
| Custom Parts | C-West Bodykit, Roll Cage, Bucket Racing Seats and Momo Steering Wheel |
| Japanese voice actor | Kenji Hamada Kenji Hamada is a male Japanese voice actor from Fukuoka, Japan who is an affiliate of Mausu Promotion.-Voice roles:*07-Ghost as Hyuuga*Agatha Christie no Meitantei Poirot to Marple as Inspector Craddock... |
is Team 246's uphill representative who drives a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII. Sure of his own skill and of 4WD's abilities on the uphill, he chooses to chase behind Keisuke with the plan of observing his opponent from behind; confident that he can overtake if Keisuke is underwhelming. Keisuke tunes his FD with as much power as possible with the plan of outrunning his opponent in the first round. This has a disadvantage, however, because the extra power causes the FD to become oversteery and would wear the rear tires very quickly (Kobayakawa notes during the race that the FD was looking clumsy). Kobayakawa becomes aware that Keisuke plans to lose him and attempts to anticipate when the FD driver plans to attack. The race progresses, however, without a sign of Keisuke's attack and Kobayakawa lowers his guard. Just when he did this, however, Keisuke initiated his attack and pulled away. Kobayakawa was unable to catch up and lost the race by a margin of 7 seconds.
Racing Team Katagiri Street Version
is a team who is the next opponent for Project D after Team 246. They are also known as "The Second Line". Their home ground is Nagao. The team was named after the real professional racing team, Katagiri.| Name | car | section |
|---|---|---|
| Kai Kogashiwa | Toyota MR-S S - Edition (ZZW30) | Downhill |
| Hideo Minagawa | Toyota Supra SZ - R (JZA80) | Uphill |
Kai Kogashiwa
| Age | 19 (20 in later stage) |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Toyota MR2 G-Limited (SW20) Toyota MR2 The Toyota MR2 is a two-seat, mid-engined, rear wheel drive sports car produced by Central Motors, a part of Toyota, from 1984 until July 2007 when production stopped in Japan... /Toyota MR-S S-Edition (ZZW30) |
| Year | 1996 (SW20)/ 2003 (ZZW30) |
| Color | Dark Purple Mica(SW20)/Silver (ZZW30) |
| Custom Parts (SW20) | TRD Muffler, Wheel and decal |
| Custom Parts (ZZW30) | Techno Pro Spirits Parts, Nardi TRD Steering Wheel, Carbon Mid - Engine hood, TRD GT Wing, Techno Pro Spirits Muffler |
| Japanese voice actor | Nobutoshi Canna Nobutoshi Canna is a seiyū who was born on June 10, 1968 in Tokyo. Canna is currently affiliated with Aoni Production.He is most known for the roles of Tasuki , Ban Mido , Nnoitra , Basara Nekki , Kabuto Yakushi , Guts , Knuckles the Echidna Lee... |
| English voice actor | Will Short |
is a street racer from Tochigi prefecture, and a son to a legendary Downhill ace and Bunta's rival, Ken Kogashiwa. Ken taught Kai in the racing world from a young age, participating in karting competitions which made him specialised in midships (colloquial term for mid engine, rear drive). Before his transition to street racing, Kai was the fastest motorcyclist on Irohazaka. It can be seen that Kai's speciality on Irohazaka is similar to Takumi on Akina as he lives at Lake Chuzenji (which is at the top of Irohazaka) and takes the road during his daily commute to the bottom.
Kai had challenged Takumi on the Emperor's home course of Irohazaka. Kai had defeated Seiji Iwaki of Emperor and wanted to defeat Kyoichi as well, but set his sights on Takumi after Sudo's defeat. Kai uses a trick taught to him by his father to overtake Takumi by jumping a turn in a break in the guard rail on 33rd corner. However, he spins out on the final straightaway after his car loses traction from landing on leaves on the side of the road and was defeated.
Kai reappears as an opponent for Project D in Kanagawa prefecture. Kai represents the downhill ace for R.T. Katagiri against the Eight-Six. However, he spins out at the last sector costing him the race.
Originally, Kai drives his father's Toyota SW20 MR2 but later switches to a silver Toyota MR-S ZZW30(3rd Generation MR2 Roadster), leaving the SW20 to his father.
Hideo Minagawa
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Toyota Supra SZ-R (JZA80) |
| Year | 1996 |
| Color | Super White II |
| Japanese voice actor | Katsuyuki Konishi |
is a professional racer who represents Racing Team Katagiri as their uphill ace. On Hakone, he races against Keisuke and decides to go all out in an attempt to pressure Keisuke into making a mistake and capitalize, causing their tires to wear. He concedes the race after lightly tapping Keisuke's rear bumper.
Team Spiral
Based at Hakone Nanamagari, is the 3rd line in the "4 lines of defense" strategy formulated by team Sidewinder. Their philosophy is tuning a car to bring out its full potential to fit the characteristics and skills of the driver through heavy modification, which is often misconceived as simply buying the most expensive parts. Unlike Racing Team Katagiri, the members of Team Spiral have no professional racing background and have acquired their near professional level skills from racing in the streets. The ranks of Team Spiral are unusual in the fact that Ikeda, while being team leader, is not considered the number 1 driver.| Name | car | section |
|---|---|---|
| Hiroya Okuyama | Nissan Silvia (S15) | Downhill |
| Ryuji Ikeda | Nissan Fairlady Z/350Z (Z33) | Uphill |
Ryuji Ikeda
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Nissan Fairlady Z (Z33) Nissan 350Z The Nissan 350Z is a two seat sports car that was manufactured by Nissan from 2002 to 2009 and marks the fifth generation of Nissan's Z-car line. The 350Z entered production in late 2002 and was sold and marketed as a 2003 model. The first year there was only a coupe, as the roadster did not debut... |
| Year | 2005 |
| Colour | Burning Red |
| Japanese voice actor | Kazuya Nakai Kazuya Nakai is a Japanese voice actor who was born in Hyōgo-ku, Kobe. He is currently attached to Aoni Production.-Overview:Kazuya Nakai debuted in After War Gundam X as Witz Sou.... |
is the leader of Team Spiral and referred to as Zero. Ikeda's father is a wealthy head priest of a temple and as a result had ample funds to finance his car racing.
Ikeda believes in a theory he created known as "Zero Theory" in which car and driver come together to become a single entity. To do so, a great deal of tuning has to be done to a car in order to match the characteristics of the driver to attain a higher level of racing. Ikeda is an older racer and is very calm and level headed even in the heat of a race. He prepares for races by zoning out. When asked by Junichi Sakamoto, the number 2 driver of Team Spiral, what he thinks about when zoning out, Ikeda replies with "I don't think about anything. It's how I empty my mind and focus."
Shortly before Team Spiral's race with Project D, Ikeda is challenged to an unofficial race by Shinigami. Ikeda is pushed to his limits and bows out of the race in an attempt to prevent any damage to his car before the race with Project D. During the race with Project D, he remains in a confident position until he reaches a section of the track where it had been fogged over. This makes Ikeda hesitate, which goes against his zero theory. Keisuke, with assistance from Kenta, passes Ikeda at the start of a higher speed section near the end.
Hiroya Okuyama
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Nissan Silvia Spec R Aero(S15) |
| Year | 2000 |
| Colour | Brilliant Blue |
| Japanese voice actor | Shūhei Sakaguchi Shuhei Sakaguchi is a Japanese voice actor and actor affiliated with D-Color. Sakaguchi is originally from Osaka Prefecture.-TV Anime:*Captain Tsubasa *Fairy Tail *Fighting Beauty Wulong... |
is the number 1 driver or Zero 1. Okuyama too believes in Ikeda's "Zero Theory" and is disappointed when he won't be able to use his car's full potential due to the rain. Okuyama, unlike Ikeda is very arrogant and confident in his abilities. He also refuses to greet Project D upon meeting them. His battle against Takumi is raced in the team's first fog battle, but the result was similar to Takumi's battle against Nobuhiko of the Saitama Alliance: Takumi used half his potential until the first hairpin, where he left Okuyama behind.
Junichi Sakamoto
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Unknown |
is the number 2 driver of Team Spiral. It is not known what car he drives and is only briefly seen talking to Ikeda before his race with Keisuke.
Sidewinder
is the team that organized the "4 lines of defense". Their home course is the Tsubaki Line, but nearby Daikan maybe part of their home course (Ryosuke's battle with Rin Hojo was raced there). There are many rumors that they might be the "fourth line" or the last team in Kanagawa that Project D will compete with. In the storyline this team is trying to analyze Project D's weaknesses. They collect information by watching Project D during their practices and races.| Name | car | section |
|---|---|---|
| Go Hojo | Honda NSX-S Zero (NA1) | Uphill |
| Shinji Inui | Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX Coupe(AE86) | (Possibly) Downhill |
| Rin Hojo | Nissan Skyline R32 GTR V-Spec II (BNR32) | Downhill |
Go Hojo
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Honda NSX-S Zero (NA1) Honda NSX The Honda NSX, or Acura NSX, is a sports car that was produced between 1990 and 2005 by the Japanese automaker Honda. It is equipped with a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, powered by an all-aluminium V6 gasoline engine featuring Honda's Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control ... |
| Year | 1999 |
| Colour | Formula Red |
is the Chief Driver of this team. He seems to have known Ryosuke Takahashi well as he mentioned him many times in the recent manga volumes. However, he does not have any past connections or quarrels with Ryosuke. Instead Hojo reveals that his elder brother known as "Shinigami" is the one who had a past quarrel (or connection) with Ryosuke alluding to a girl named Kaori.
Hojo helps the Chief Mechanic of Sidewinder named Eiji Kubo to evaluate Project D's weaknesses.
Shinji Inui
| Age | Unknown (Younger than or as same age as Takumi) |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX Coupe(AE86) Toyota AE86 The AE86 generation of the Toyota Corolla Levin and Toyota Sprinter Trueno is a small, lightweight coupe introduced by Toyota in 1983 as part of the fifth generation Toyota Corolla lineup. For the purpose of brevity, the insider-chassis code of "AE86" is used to describe the whole range... |
| Year | 1986 |
| Colour | High Tech Two Tone |
makes his debut during Project D's battle against Team Spiral. Shinji is a member of Sidewinder and therefore second driver of this team. Shinji appears to be a boy (possibly younger than Takumi) but seems very intelligent. Shinji's car is the notchback
Notchback
Notchback is a styling term describing a car body style, a variation of three-box styling where the third distinct volume or "box" is less pronounced — especially where the rear deck is short or where the rear window is upright...
coupe
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
variant of the AE86 Trueno (not to be confused with Takumi's Eight-Six). He is the third character to drive a Toyota AE86
Toyota AE86
The AE86 generation of the Toyota Corolla Levin and Toyota Sprinter Trueno is a small, lightweight coupe introduced by Toyota in 1983 as part of the fifth generation Toyota Corolla lineup. For the purpose of brevity, the insider-chassis code of "AE86" is used to describe the whole range...
model, after Wataru's Levin AE86.
Rin Hojo
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Nissan Skyline GT-R V-SPEC II(BNR32) |
| Year | 1994 |
| Colour | Gun Grey Metallic |
| Japanese voice actor | Yuichi Nakamura |
, known as "Shinigami
Shinigami
is the personification of death in Japan. It's unclear when the concept entered Japanese culture; it may have been imported from China , or possibly been imported from Europe during the Sengoku era—that period in European history featured a common motif of the Grim Reaper gathering souls...
", is Go Hojo's elder brother and a legendary driver of Kanagawa. Apparently in Volume 39, Hojo stated that Ryosuke has a past connection or quarrel with Rin. It also becomes apparent that the long-standing feud between Ryosuke and Rin (according to Tsuyoshi) is because of a girl named Kaori, who was Rin's fiance at the time. There is a possibility that she took her life because an altercation between Ryosuke and Rin. Rin left the racing scene and became a recluse, locking himself in his home for years, before making a surprising return and racing (unofficially) against Team Spiral's leader, Ikeda. Rin is an extremely skilled driver who utilizes a dangerous driving style. He races against Ryosuke in an attempt to make him pay for a past incident involving Kaori.
Eiji Kubo
| Age | 40s |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Unknown |
is the Chief Mechanic of Sidewinder. Kubo appears to have a high amount of knowledge about a car's performance and capabilities as well as race theories. He can make very precise anticipations as he did during Project D races against Team 246. As seen in the manga, Kubo has been entrusted to analyze and evaluate Project D's weaknesses.
Natsuki Mogi
| Age | 18 |
| Sex | Female |
| Japanese voice actor | Ayako Kawasumi Ayako Kawasumi is a Japanese voice actress and J-pop singer. She is affectionately referred to by her fellow voice actors and fans as "", "" and "". She is a skilled pianist, having practiced the piano since childhood.... , |
| English voice actor | Kat Cressida Kathryn Cressida Kathryn Cressida is an American voice actress, also known as Kat Cressida. She guest-starred in several television shows and was featured in a few films before moving into voice-over full-time in 2000. She is notable as a top celebrity voicematcher, impersonating top female stars for Disney,... (Tokyopop dub), Brina Palencia Brina Palencia Brina Michelle Palencia is an American voice actress, singer, and ADR director who works for Funimation Entertainment. She has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films and television series.Apart from her adult female voices, she has been cast in younger... (Funimation dub) |
| Actress | Anne Suzuki Anne Suzuki is a Japanese actress.A model since the age of three, she got an early break in her acting career at 12 when she starred in the Hollywood film Snow Falling on Cedars with Ethan Hawke. She was next featured in the action movie Returner opposite Takeshi Kaneshiro, and won the Best New Actor at the... |
is Takumi's initial love interest, and one of the few characters who does not get scared when riding in a car being driven by Takumi. She is known to have been with at least three males in the series: Miki (Takumi's classmate), "Papa", and Takumi. Before she hooked up with Takumi, she engaged in enjo kosai
Enjo kosai
means "compensated dating" and is a practice which originated in Japan where older men give money and/or luxury gifts to attractive women for their companionship and, possibly, for sexual favors. The female participants range from primarily school-aged girls to housewives. A common misconception is...
to make some extra money with a middle-aged man driving a white Mercedes (nicknamed "Papa"). It is also revealed in First Stage that Miki, Takumi's classmate, has had sexual relations with her before. After getting to know Takumi, she falls in love with him and ends her relationship with "Papa". Mogi decides to free herself from her stained past by working hard to enter a university in Tokyo.
The status of her relationship with Takumi is somewhat unclear at this point: in volume 17 of the manga (and at the end of 3rd Stage), she and Takumi appear to mutually break up as they are going their separate ways; however, she appears in the first episode of 4th Stage in a flashback sequence where she and Takumi promise to find each other again.
Saori
| Age | 17 |
| Sex | Female |
| Japanese voice actor | Orine Fukushima |
| English voice actor | Colleen O'Shaughnessey Colleen O'Shaughnessey Colleen Ann O'Shaughnessey is an American voice actress, perhaps best known for her roles as Sora from the first and second seasons of Digimon , Jazz Fenton in Danny Phantom, Ino Yamanaka and Konohamaru in Naruto.She has also worked in the video game industry where she voiced Genis Sage in... (Tokyopop dub), Jamie Marchi Jamie Marchi Jamie Lynn Marchi is an American actress, voice actress, ADR Director, and Script Writer who works for Funimation Entertainment and OkraTron 5000... (Funimation dub) |
is a character who appeared only in first stage and was Itsuki's first love interest. Later. she breaks up with him after being involved in a car accident caused by Shingo, who mistook Itsuki's Eight-Five for Takumi's Eight-Six. Itsuki negligently engaged in a downhill battle with Shingo while Saori (still in the vehicle) pleaded with him to stop. The reason for the breakup was that if she stayed with Itsuki, her memories of the accident would come back to haunt her, so it would be better to break it off completely.
Yuichi Tachibana
| Age | 42 (43 in stage 4) |
| Sex | Male |
| Japanese voice actor | Tomomichi Nishimura Tomomichi Nishimura is a Japanese voice actor who works for Arts Vision. He is most known for the roles of the narrator of YuYu Hakusho, Anzai-sensei , Shibaraku Tsurugibe , and Jamitov Hymem... |
| English voice actor | Michael McConnohie Michael McConnohie Michael D. McConnohie is a voice actor and is the President of the Nevada-based Voxworks voice-acting corporation. He is known for his recognizable deep booming voice and is generally known for playing more charismatic characters... (Tokyopop dub), Chuck Huber Chuck Huber Chuck Huber is an American voice actor, ADR Director and Script writer who work for anime series at Funimation Entertainment and OkraTron 5000... (Funimation dub) |
is the boss of the gas station that Takumi worked in. An old friend of Bunta's and a racer in his youth, Yuichi acts like a father figure to the Akina Speed Stars.
It seems that he drives a black Toyota Chaser
Toyota Chaser
The Toyota Chaser is a mid-size car produced by the Toyota Motor Company, Japan. Most were 4-door sedans, with the 2-door coupe discontinued after the first generation...
that is seen during some of Takumi's races that he watched, specifically the races against Nakazato's R32 and Ryosuke's FC3S.
Masashi Suzuki
| Age | 40s |
| Sex | Male |
| Japanese voice actor | Koji Ishii Koji Ishii is a Japanese voice actor currently affiliated with Vi-Vo.-Notable voice roles:*Chief Koutarou Taiga in The King of Braves GaoGaiGar and The King of Braves GaoGaiGar FINAL*Kimura-sensei in Azumanga Daioh*Jose Collins in A.D... |
| English voice actor | Kirk Thornton Kirk Thornton Kirk Thornton is an American voice actor.-Bio:He is known for playing tough or grouchy men in English-dubbed anime and video games. His career includes Hotohori in Fushigi Yūgi and Jin in Samurai Champloo... (Tokyopop dub), Bob Carter (FUNimation dub) |
is a mechanic with an incredible list of connections that enables Bunta to get even the most outrageous car parts from him, including the engine that he and Bunta installed in the AE86: a TRD
Toyota Racing Development
Toyota Racing Development or TRD is the in-house tuning shop for all Toyota, Lexus, and Scion cars. TRD is responsible both for improving street cars for more performance and supporting Toyota's racing interests around the world. TRD produces various tuning products and accessories, including...
tuned Group A
Group A
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, the Group A referred to production-derived vehicles limited in terms of power, weight, allowed...
Silvertop 20V 4A-GE from an AE101 race car (after Takumi blows the engine in a run against Kyoichi). He also was entrusted by Bunta to find him a "suitable" car for him (after he handed the Trueno to Takumi), and as a result he finds him the GC8V (Coupe) Subaru Impreza WRX STi Version V.
Tsukamoto
| Age | 20 |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Nissan 180SX Nissan 180SX The Nissan 180SX was a hatchback coupe based on the S13 chassis from the Nissan S platform, and sold in Japan; and in some other countries under the 200SX name.... Type II (RPS13) |
| Year | 1989/1991 |
| Custom Parts | Nissan 2nd 180SX grill |
is a minor character that appears in the manga around the time of Takumi's race against Kyoichi of Emperor. Tsukamoto was a high school senior when Takumi and Natsuki were freshmen, but now he is mildly involved with the street racing scene in Akagi. Although he believes that his skills are extreme, they are in fact far from it. He soon experiences real extreme driving when Takumi drives his 180SX down Akagi after a request by Natsuki to pass a cocky couple in a Silvia S13, leading to Tsukamoto fainting.
Miyahara
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Toyota MR2 Toyota MR2 The Toyota MR2 is a two-seat, mid-engined, rear wheel drive sports car produced by Central Motors, a part of Toyota, from 1984 until July 2007 when production stopped in Japan... (SW20) |
| Japanese voice actor | Tomoyuki Shimura Tomoyuki Shimura is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Ken Production.-TV anime:*Bakuman *Cromartie High School *Darker than Black *Dandoh!! *Digimon Frontier *Eureka Seven... |
| English voice actor | Yuri Lowenthal Yuri Lowenthal Yuri Lowenthal is a voice actor that has voiced several anime and video game characters. He also voiced Kamal for the alternate reality game I Love Bees.... (Tokyopo dub), Regan Adair (Funimation dub) |
is a character that appeared in Extra Stage, who encountered Mako during a vacation at a ski resort. He had minor interest in racing and planned to replace his car with a more practical family mover. He developed an affection to Mako and asked her to quit racing and settle down, but she invited him to sit with her in the SilEighty, where she drove hard, implying that she still wanted to race.
Voice on the Phone to Bunta in Stage 1, Ep23
The voice on the phone to Bunta in Stage 1, Ep23 is actually Keiichi TsuchiyaKeiichi Tsuchiya
is a professional race car driver. He is also known as the "Drift King" for his nontraditional use of drifting in non-drifting racing events and his role in popularizing drifting as a motorsport...
, who is considered the father of Drift
Drifting (motorsport)
Drifting refers to a driving technique and to a motorsport where the driver intentionally over steers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels through turns, while maintaining vehicle control and a high exit speed...
and who is on the Technical advisory crew for the anime series. In the second episode of First Stage, the Speed Star drivers are shown watching and chatting over his video, The Drift Bible, a beginner's guide to drift. Takumi buys Tsuchiya's Best Motoring Video Special Vol. 41 video in Third Stage. Here in the series, Keiichi and Bunta appear to be old friends. The younger Tsuchiya is voiced by Yuji Ueda
Yuji Ueda
is a popular Japanese seiyū.He is most known for the roles of Sagara Sanosuke , Akito Tenkawa , Takeshi , Horohoro , Johannes Krauser II and Keitaro Urashima ....
in Japanese. In English, Tsuchiya is voiced by Neil Kaplan
Neil Kaplan
Neil Kaplan is an American voice actor, entertainer and comedian.-Biography:Kaplan grew up in San Jose, California. He got his start as a comedian doing impressions of presidents such as Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon. He also impersonated a little known journalist at the time, Dan Rather. He...
in the Tokyopop dub and Kyle Hebert
Kyle Hebert
Kyle Henry Hebert is an American voice actor and podcaster who works with anime films, television series, as well as video games...
in the Funimation dub, respectively.
Kazumi Akiyama
| Age | 19 (20 in stage 4) |
| Sex | Female |
| Japanese voice actor | Ryoka Yuzuki Ryoka Yuzuki Ryōka Yuzuki is a voice actress who was born in Anjo, Aichi, Japan. Her younger sister is an adult comic strip artist Sayumi Sakuragi .... |
| English voice actor | Colleen O'Shaughnessey Colleen O'Shaughnessey Colleen Ann O'Shaughnessey is an American voice actress, perhaps best known for her roles as Sora from the first and second seasons of Digimon , Jazz Fenton in Danny Phantom, Ino Yamanaka and Konohamaru in Naruto.She has also worked in the video game industry where she voiced Genis Sage in... (Tokyopop dub), Cherami Leigh Cherami Leigh Cherami Leigh Kuehn is an American actress and voice actress who is affiliated with Funimation Entertainment... (Funimation dub) |
is Wataru's younger sister. She was Itsuki's second love interest after Saori "left" him. She is an impatient girl that came to Gunma from Saitama to work in her aunt's inn, but left due to being framed by a senior worker (in 2nd Stage). Kazumi appeared in 4th Stage in Saitama with Wataru against the race with Project D, then after started spending some time with Itsuki and she reveals she broke up with a working adult man then after she patched up with him again (after he begged for her forgiveness), leaving Itsuki heartbroken.
Ken Kogashiwa
| Age | 40+, possibly similar to Bunta |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Toyota MR2 G-Limited (SW20) Toyota MR2 The Toyota MR2 is a two-seat, mid-engined, rear wheel drive sports car produced by Central Motors, a part of Toyota, from 1984 until July 2007 when production stopped in Japan... |
| Year | 1996 |
| Custom Parts | Same as Kai Kogashiwa |
| Japanese voice actor | Kinryu Arimoto Kinryu Arimoto is a Japanese voice actor formerly employed by Production Baobab and is a shodan in kenpo.-Anime:*Angel Heart *Baccano! *Bleach *Blue Submarine 6 *City Hunter... |
| English voice actor | Bruce Carey |
is Kai's father and Bunta's life-long rival when Bunta was still racing with the AE86 Trueno.
Miki
| Age | 20? |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Celica GT-Four (ST205) Toyota Celica GT-Four The Toyota Celica GT-Four is a high performance model of the Celica liftback, with a turbocharged 3S-GTE engine, and full-time AWD. It was created to compete in the World Rally Championship, whose regulations dictate that a manufacturer must build road-going versions of the vehicle in sufficient... |
| Year | 1998 |
| Custom Parts | None |
| Japanese voice actor | Wataru Takagi Wataru Takagi is a Japanese seiyū and stage actor from Chiba Prefecture. He is currently affiliated with Arts Vision.He is best known for his roles in Detective Conan , After War Gundam X , Slayers Try , the Beast Wars: Transformers series , GTO , Hajime no Ippo (July 25, 1966 - ) is a Japanese seiyū and stage... (First Stage), Takumi Yamazaki Takumi Yamazaki is a Japanese voice actor.-Anime/OVA:* Wiseman and Harald Hoerwick in .hack* Naobi/Yata in .hack//Roots* Doctor West in Demonbane* Hanemaru in Flame of Recca* Joe Hayakawa in Final Fantasy: Unlimited* Bansai Kawakami in Gintama* George de Sand in G Gundam... (Third Stage) |
| English voice actor | Chris Ayres Christopher Ayres For the journalist, see Chris Ayres.Christopher Owen Ayres is an American voice actor ADR Director and Script Writer, who works for anime series at FUNimation Entertainment, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital, New Generation Pictures and OkraTron 5000. He has provided voices for a number of English... |
is a senior in the football (soccer) club of the school that Takumi attended. He drives a Celica GT-Four (ST205)
Toyota Celica GT-Four
The Toyota Celica GT-Four is a high performance model of the Celica liftback, with a turbocharged 3S-GTE engine, and full-time AWD. It was created to compete in the World Rally Championship, whose regulations dictate that a manufacturer must build road-going versions of the vehicle in sufficient...
. He was punched in the changing rooms by Takumi in 1st Stage for bragging about his sexual exploits with Natsuki, during the time when Takumi was ignorant of the truth. During winter, he kidnaps Natsuki and forces her to come to Lake Akina with him. His plans are foiled by Takumi who gets Natsuki's call for help and chases Miki with his Trueno until he spins out on the snow and Natsuki escapes his Celica.
Two Guys From Tokyo
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Both Male |
| Car | Nissan Silvia Spec R (S15) |
| Year | 1999 |
| Custom Parts | Bucket Racing Seats |
| Japanese voice actor | Koji Ishii Koji Ishii is a Japanese voice actor currently affiliated with Vi-Vo.-Notable voice roles:*Chief Koutarou Taiga in The King of Braves GaoGaiGar and The King of Braves GaoGaiGar FINAL*Kimura-sensei in Azumanga Daioh*Jose Collins in A.D... (Otaku 1), Makoto Hiso (Otaku 2) |
| English voice actor | Sonny Strait Sonny Strait Don "Sonny" Strait is an American voice actor who works for anime series of Funimation Entertainment. He has provided voices for a number of characters in English language versions of Japanese anime films.... (Otaku 1), Craig Dvorak (Otaku 2) |
These racers are originally from Tokyo, the capital of Japan. During a visit to the Gunma area they chance upon Itsuki and Iketani while they are driving up to the top of Mt. Akina. They appear out of nowhere with their Nissan Silvia S15 and quickly blow by both cars. When Itsuki and friends reach the top and check out the newly installed turbo in his Eight-Five, these two guys reappear in their S15. They begin making insults about Itsuki's car and gloat about the experience they've obtained by racing on circuit tracks. Iketani tells them to get lost. The two boys get in and wait for Iketani to descend the mountain to force him into a race to defend his honor as a racer. The S15 passes Iketani relatively quickly but is subsequently passed themselves by Takumi driving Itsuki's AE85. Being passed by such a "lowly" car persuaded them to stop picking any more battles with the local racers.
The Bosozoku Gang Leader
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Car | Nissan Cima (FY33) Nissan Cima The Nissan Cima is a large luxury sedan produced by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. for the Japanese market. The car's name is derived from Spanish for "summit". The hood ornament uses an image of an acanthus leaf. The acanthus leaf was commonly used by classical Greeks to make a wreath for use as a... (Manga), Toyota Celsior (UCF10) Lexus LS The Lexus LS is a full-size luxury sedan that serves as the flagship model of Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. Four generations of the sedan have been produced, all equipped with V8 engines and rear-wheel drive, although since 2006 all-wheel drive, hybrid, and long-wheelbase variants have also... (Anime) |
| Year | 1998 (Cima)/1994 (Celsior) |
| Custom Parts | Unknown (but they refer to VIP style tuners such as Impul) |
| Japanese voice actor | Tomoyuki Shimura Tomoyuki Shimura is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Ken Production.-TV anime:*Bakuman *Cromartie High School *Darker than Black *Dandoh!! *Digimon Frontier *Eureka Seven... |
| English voice actor | Bob Carter |
Based on Gunma Prefecture
Gunma Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...
(as same as Project D), the Bosozoku
Bosozoku
is a Japanese subculture associated with motorcycle clubs and gangs.-Traits and history:The word bōsōzoku is also applied to motorcycle gangs, who share an interest in modifications for motorcycles, such as removing the mufflers so that more noise is produced...
Gang Leader is also Keisuke Takahashi's old friend, as Keisuke was a gang leader himself at one point. This gang appears in Tsuchisaka as a bunch of gangsters defeated by Project D call them to beat up Project D, but they end up turning on their would-be employers.
Imposter Project D
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Both Male |
| Car | Toyota Sprinter Trueno (AE86) Toyota AE86 The AE86 generation of the Toyota Corolla Levin and Toyota Sprinter Trueno is a small, lightweight coupe introduced by Toyota in 1983 as part of the fifth generation Toyota Corolla lineup. For the purpose of brevity, the insider-chassis code of "AE86" is used to describe the whole range... and Mazda RX-7 RS (FD3S) Mazda RX-7 Series 1 is commonly referred to as the "SA22C" from the first alphanumerics of the vehicle identification number. This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located license plate, called by Werner Buhrer of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."In 1980... |
| Year | 1986 (Fake Takumi) & 2000 (Fake Keisuke) |
| Japanese voice actor | Anri Katsu (Fake Takumi), Hirokazu Miura (Fake Keisuke) |
are Two guys that pose as Takumi and Keisuke. These imposters go around living off Project D's success. Posing as Takumi and Keisuke, they talk down to people that ask them questions, gloat about their "skills" and try to pick up women. Their antics are quickly put to an end when they are confronted by the real members of Project D and were humiliated.
Mika Uehara
| Age | 18 |
| Sex | Female |
is Takumi's love interest during the latter part of the Project D story arc. When the Fake Takumi blows off her best friend Tomoko, she gets angry and decides to confront Takumi about it (not knowing it wasn't the real Takumi that did it). She takes the train out to Yuichi's gas station and asks to see Takumi; when he arrives, she slaps him hard in the face. Bewildered to why she did this, Mika tells her story to Takumi and his friends. They in turn ask Mika to send a photo of Takumi via cell phone to her friend to confirm if the real Takumi was the guy that blew her off. She comes to find out from her friend that the real Takumi had nothing to do with it. Later, Takumi drives out to Saitama (where she lives) to see her. She apologizes for her previous actions and they talk for several hours. After exposing the imposters, the Fake Takumi apologizes to Mika's friend. Mika thanks Takumi and they continue to see each other as the story progresses.
Mika is a senior in high school and is exceptionally talented at playing golf. Her father has raised her to play golf early in life the same way that Bunta raised Takumi to drive early in his life.
Mr. Uehara
| Age | ?? (same as Bunta?) |
| Sex | Male |
Mika's father. He supervises Mika as she practices golfing at the golfing range.