Watch Initial D

Initial D is a 2005 action drama film from Hong Kong directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, based on the Japanese manga and anime series of the same name by Shuichi Shigeno. The film stars Jay Chou as Takumi Fujiwara, a high school student who works at a tofu shop during the day and races downhill at night. Supporting roles are played by Anthony Chau-Sang Wong as Bunta Fujiwara, Takumi's father, and Edison Chen as Ryousuke Takahashi, the leader of a rival racing team.

The film follows Takumi as he becomes involved in the world of street racing. Initially reluctant to race, Takumi eventually discovers his natural talent for it and becomes known as the "Akina downhill legend". His racing style, honed from his experiences delivering tofu on the mountainous roads of his hometown, involves using his car's momentum to drift through curves and maintain speed.

As Takumi's reputation grows, he attracts the attention of other racers, including Ryousuke Takahashi, leader of the RedSuns racing team. Ryousuke, impressed by Takumi's skills, challenges him to a race. Though Takumi has no interest in competitive racing, he ultimately agrees in order to defend his reputation. The race is intense, with both drivers pushing their cars to the limit, but Takumi ultimately emerges victorious.

From there, the film delves deeper into the world of street racing, showing the rivalries and alliances between various racing teams as they vie for dominance. Takumi becomes involved in a series of increasingly dangerous races, culminating in a showdown against a rival driver known as the "Emperor".

The film's races are thrilling and intense, with expertly choreographed driving sequences and a pounding techno soundtrack. But the film is also grounded in character development, exploring Takumi's relationships with his father, his love interest Natsuki Mogi (played by Anne Suzuki), and his newfound friends in the racing world.

Jay Chou gives a strong performance as Takumi, conveying both his quiet, reserved nature and his intense focus and determination when it comes to racing. Anthony Chau-Sang Wong is a standout as Bunta, Takumi's stoic and enigmatic father who trained him in the art of tofu delivery and inadvertently set him on the path to becoming a racing legend. And Edison Chen brings a cool, charismatic energy to the role of Ryousuke, the skilled strategist and leader of the RedSuns.

Overall, Initial D is a stylish and exciting film that captures the thrill of street racing while also delving into the human drama behind it. It's a must-see for fans of the manga and anime series, but also stands on its own as a thrilling action film.

Initial D is a 2005 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 50 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.3 and a MetaScore of 48.