Delivering tofu in a rather unusual way. Initial D is somewhat of a shounen sport anime although it can be hardly be summarized by a couple of tags its about street drifting on touges a japanese name for mountain passes where people prove their driving skills by launching themselves in curves at crazy speed in the middle of the night. Everything is surrounded by a touch of romance and light comedy bits in pretty much all the episodes setting for an even smoother experience than it would already be. Our protagonist Takumi Fujiwara is at first glance a really ordinary highschooler most of the time caught with a rather funny daydreaming look on his face. Completely ordinary as I said except for the fact that he has been helping his dad deliver tofu for five years up on the mountains at four in the morning with his Toyota Trueno. The desire to get home as fast as he can and be done with his job made him an excellent driver and thats pretty much the input from where the story unfolds. We also have a dumb and annoying childhood friend a naive senpai a cute girl and a mixture of interesting rivals that make for interesting battles and every single one show a certain personal growth thanks to all kinds of events. But what if I dont care about cars? you might say thats completely fine I dont for example. In fact youre gonna relate a lot with the protagonist whos completely ignorant about all things related. As long as they dont actually hate cars anyone can pick this up everythings is more or less explained as the story goes on its accessibility is one of its strongest points the anime still puts the story the characters and their feelings at top priority. Aesthetics and style worthy of an animation that came out at the end of its decade. What truly makes this anime a gem of its time is how it blends so many things togheter perfectly: the vintage night life of japan the italian eurobeat the adrenaline shot of an extreme risky and illegal sport wrapping up the 90s of a precise japanese subculture. I dont think Id be exaggerating in saying that this show is the main reason for why drifting and eurobeat got so famous on the internet and anime community a show that delivers a breathe although obviously exaggerated for making it dramatic of a passed generation. Being an old anime it has its flaws certain romance parts will make you want to carve your brain out with an ice cream spoon for example. Most of the discussions are exaggerated with people screaming or shouting and moving their faces in awkward poses I wouldnt say thats a flaw though since it adds to the animes charm and improves the comedy bits but I could see why some people would be annoyed. Its animation and artstyle is also not exactly the easiest to swallow but after a couple of episodes youll pretty much be able to ignore the funnellooking lips. As already mentioned before this anime features an eurobeat soundtrack a really good one at that and its pretty much impossible to not get hooked to the battles when something like that is playing in the background as a genre that saw its prime exactly in the nipponic land its the best one that couldve been picked. Theres a reason for why eurobeats associated so often with drifting and as you already guessed this show is said reason. An experience that can be both cozy and adrenalinic both of them worth your time. All in all this is an anime that Id recommend to most people. Its a well balanced mixture of everything and definitely one of those works in their niche genre that will never be able to be outclassed by a similar one surely a military stone of its decade.
90 /100
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