Initial D?

[Tash]

Yeah... um...

I was wondering about this title. Has the Manga been translated? And what about the Anime? And how bad is the content (anything that my little cousin would have to leave the room for)? And is it any good?

um... thanks...

[Arxane]

Yeah... um...

I was wondering about this title. Has the Manga been translated? And what about the Anime? And how bad is the content (anything that my little cousin would have to leave the room for)? And is it any good?

um... thanks...

Yes, the manga has been translated. Several volumes are now available for purchase by Tokyopop in the unflipped format. However, I must warn you that Tokyopop thinks "Initial D" has the potential to be a huge breakout hit in America and thus has taken liberties with the manga. They gave the characters Americanized nicknames (like Natsuki is now called Natalie, the name of the lead character is called Tak, his friend is called Iggy, etc.) and they toned down some of the content.

The anime will also suffer the same fate when it's released later this year by Tokyopop. The Japanese version will be intact, but the English version will have the Americanized names and change the original Europ techno-beat soundtrack for some rap-crap.

Hope that helps.

[Sigma]

Yes, the manga has been translated. Several volumes are now available for purchase by Tokyopop in the unflipped format. However, I must warn you that Tokyopop thinks "Initial D" has the potential to be a huge breakout hit in America and thus has taken liberties with the manga. They gave the characters Americanized nicknames (like Natsuki is now called Natalie, the name of the lead character is called Tak, his friend is called Iggy, etc.) and they toned down some of the content.

The anime will also suffer the same fate when it's released later this year by Tokyopop. The Japanese version will be intact, but the English version will have the Americanized names and change the original Europ techno-beat soundtrack for some rap-crap.

Hope that helps.
I didn't know about the music and name changes in the anime release. I was going to buy it too, but with those changes I doubt I will now. Tokyopop has screwed itself this time. I downloaded a few episodes back when it was still fairly new in Japan and I did enjoy it, but one of the things that I enjoyed about it was the soundtrack and im really fond of rap so that really ruins the soundtrack for me.

[Weatherman]

It's certainly en enjoyable show if you're a gearhead of any type, even if the characters themselves are a bit of the flat side, not to mention butt ugly at times. :shrug:


As the others have warned, be careful with the anime and manga. If you want to buy the anime, just watch it in Japanese. it's the way that show works best anyway given how stepped it is in Japanese pop culture.

[raykremer]

Tokyopop thinks "Initial D" has the potential to be a huge breakout hit in America

Morons.

[TOM 002]

However, I must warn you that Tokyopop thinks "Initial D" has the potential to be a huge breakout hit in America and thus has taken liberties with the manga. They gave the characters Americanized nicknames (like Natsuki is now called Natalie, the name of the lead character is called Tak, his friend is called Iggy, etc.) and they toned down some of the content.

The anime will also suffer the same fate when it's released later this year by Tokyopop. The Japanese version will be intact, but the English version will have the Americanized names and change the original Europ techno-beat soundtrack for some rap-crap.

With an attitude like that, you make it sound as though Tokyopop wants "Initial D" to be "The Fast and the Furious: the Animated Series".

[BrendaBat]

With an attitude like that, you make it sound as though Tokyopop wants "Initial D" to be "The Fast and the Furious: the Animated Series".
I bet thats exactly why Tokyopop made the changes and made that dumbass statement :rolleyes:

I saw a commercial for Initial D once. The CGI cars looked TERRIBLE (especially when they shared a scene with the 2-D people). And the character designs are pretty funky looking, IMO :p

[Dark]

I watched some of this, it was passable at best. even the group releasing it weren't fans. The CG is real hokey and the plot... well it's a show about car racing, what can I say? Itt'l translate fine for little kids.

[Weatherman]

concerning the cgi, it helps to rememebr that it's an old show by the standards were used to these days and it was made on a fairly limited budget. It was really just a commercial for the music used in it as it was funded by the Victor music company.


But yeah, the character designs are pretty funky. :shrug:

[gohan11]

Love the series. The designs look strange at first but you get used to them, and (for me at least) begin to enjoy the look. The same applies to the CGI, all of the races are at night which makes the flaws in the dated CGI less noticable. After a while you realize that if the cars were 2d the races wouldn't be as good.

About the Tokyopop thing, I am very dissapointed in them. Besides the names and story being altered, the changing of the music is the worse decision they could have ever made. The music is a HUGE factor in the excitment of the races, without them the races seem boring.

[Tash]

yeah....

I decided to get 2 issues of the Manga today...

I had the misfortune of my cousin stumbling upon a specific picture in issue one (by "toned down", I thought it would be edited...)

and the names didn't bug me (I discovered this manga through an arcade game, so I learned them by their US names)

But I pray that they change their mind about the music(leave Space Boy in or DIE!)

[raykremer]

well it's a show about car racing, what can I say? Itt'l translate fine for little kids.
Hahahahahahahahahaha

Initial D ain't the NASCAR racers cartoon or the Hot Wheels cartoon. It's not even Speed Racer. There's lots of filler inbetween races, mostly angst and dating stuff the that won't hold the attention of the little kiddies. The races themselves are okay, but not hugely action packed. They are also all spread out across three episodes. This is like the DBZ of racing here. There's also lots of car talk. This model car, that model car, this type of engine, that type of suspension. Nasty boring.

The only cool thing is how the main character gets roped into the early races and wins them easily while being completely bored and uninterested in the whole thing. That gimmik wears out fast though.

[Tash]

I'm sorry to bring back this topic from 2 days ago, but I had one other question:
When's the edited issue 1 supposed to be released? A lot of little kids in my area want to read issue one, but I can't let them because of the sex scene.

[Taiso]

Initial D....hmm

Well if you love racing, its brilliant. It really is. Yeah its old, and the animation is junk in Stage 1, but its much better in Stage 2, and also its a series that improves as it goes along.

Don't forget that ID is a huge hit in Asia. I'm talking massive. That's probably why TokyoPop thinks it has so much potential.

[fernie417]

I haven't seen Initial D, but I have no plans to now, seeing what Tokyopop has done. They announced a while back that the english version was going to be hacked up for the kids, but they are also going to mess around with the subtitles. :mad:

A advance review from Animeondvd.com (http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/alt_reviews/923.php)
All references to Natsuki’s relationship to her “lover/sugar daddy” have been toned down or removed (in all versions). Natsuki is a high school girl selling herself for prostitution (enjou kousai(?) – it was a real life controversy in Japan) to get money and gifts back. She calls her benefactor “Papa-san” in the original Japanese version, but that is completely removed here. Also, when she’s sitting in the Benz w/ her rich Papa-san, she says in Japanese that “you’ve seen ALL of me already” (i.e., naked), but in the English Subtitles, it was changed to “you’ve seen me in a swimsuit.” The problem is that Natsuki’s relationship is a BIG issue later in the series, and if TOKYOPOP is changing this around now, how are they going to explain it later?

[Tash]

I haven't seen Initial D, but I have no plans to now, seeing what Tokyopop has done. They announced a while back that the english version was going to be hacked up for the kids, but they are also going to mess around with the subtitles. :mad:

A advance review from Animeondvd.com (http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/alt_reviews/923.php)

My topic came back :)

I don't care about subtitles (I didn't even know there would be any), but is there any nudity that would have to be edited from the subbed version? (there's some in the Manga) All I care is that the Japanese version is intact (the neighbor kid's getting it, so I'll leach off him).

[fernie417]

My topic came back :)

I don't care about subtitles (I didn't even know there would be any), but is there any nudity that would have to be edited from the subbed version? (there's some in the Manga) All I care is that the Japanese version is intact (the neighbor kid's getting it, so I'll leach off him).
As I understand it the video for the subbed version is untouched, only the subtitles were toned down. I've never seen the show before so I have no idea.

[Senbei Norimaki]

The subtitles were not turned down. They are censored. If I was an Intial D fan I'll be pissed.

[raykremer]

No nudity in the anime that I recall. I can confirm that thing about the girl and her sugar daddy though. It seemed like a minor plot point but apparently it becomes important later on. The semester ran out on the local university anime club before we got that far.

Obviously all the anti-edit nazis (I know, Godwin's law. Screw it.) are going to be avoiding Initial D because of what TokyoPop did to it, but as I said before, I really can't see this becoming popular even with the casual fans who don't know any better or don't care about edits. Car fanatics would probably be into it, at least the parts inbetween the teen angst, but how many of them are going to be watching anime?

I guess you could say that if the Beyblade anime can be popular with the kids (ABC Family claims it is, anyway), then anything can be popular with the kids, but Initial D ain't got no colorful monster thingies and the characters aren't ten years old.

[Nin-Nin69]

Its not bad enough Tokyo Pop screwed with the Manga and Anime, but they pulled this same crap with the arcade game too. Luckly I had my boss from the store import 2 Japanese Initial D machines so we didn't have to give in to Tokyo Pop's translation and music. I want to get it on PS2, but it looks like I have no choice, but to Import it. :shrug:

[Elven Moon]

I feel so bad for the fans. TOKYOPOP made a big mistake :shrug:

[Taiso]

Hmm, I think this can be a big success if marketed properly. Look at movies like Fast and Furious, which are not that great but still did really well!

This toning down is very dubious though....

[lostrune]

It was Tokyo Pop's tunnel-sightedness to get Initial D on US TV at all costs.
Now that it seems even that isn't panning out for them, their whole scheme is backfiring.
No mainstream, and now no otaku support neither.
Only left with those in the middle, which is a far cry from the lofty goals they set out.

[Tash]

Its not bad enough Tokyo Pop screwed with the Manga and Anime, but they pulled this same crap with the arcade game too. Luckly I had my boss from the store import 2 Japanese Initial D machines so we didn't have to give in to Tokyo Pop's translation and music. I want to get it on PS2, but it looks like I have no choice, but to Import it. :shrug:

I can confirm that the arcade game DOES infact keep the original music (I think it's all there).

Why they kept it there and not on the anime is beyond me.

[Nin-Nin69]

Hahaha, not all of the machines have the original music. Another arcade in our area has a couple of Initial D ver 2's and it has the new crappy rap music. Thats why I made my boss get the Japanese versions because almost no one in the US updated to version 2.

[Poser Wannabe]

No nudity in the anime that I recall. I can confirm that thing about the girl and her sugar daddy though. It seemed like a minor plot point but apparently it becomes important later on. The semester ran out on the local university anime club before we got that far.It becomes a major part of the plot towards the end of the 2nd Stage, and in the 3rd Stage movie. If they edited this line, I'm afraid what they will do at those points in the future. =/


Obviously all the anti-edit nazis (I know, Godwin's law. Screw it.) are going to be avoiding Initial D because of what TokyoPop did to it, but as I said before, I really can't see this becoming popular even with the casual fans who don't know any better or don't care about edits. Car fanatics would probably be into it, at least the parts inbetween the teen angst, but how many of them are going to be watching anime?I've actually been surprised at how many car fanatics are into this show. I also post on a Civic SI bored and they all talk about Initial D quite a lot. I imagine since Tokyopop changed the sounds of the cars in the dub, they also re-wrote the script to be like The Fast and The Furious. Which is really bad because IMHO one of the reasons Initial D is so popular is because it's so accurate. Both of the Fast and Furious movies are far from accurate, but entraining. I can't see most of the car fanatics watching the subbed version either, so Tokyopop is only hurting themselves in the end.


I guess you could say that if the Beyblade anime can be popular with the kids (ABC Family claims it is, anyway), then anything can be popular with the kids, but Initial D ain't got no colorful monster thingies and the characters aren't ten years old.Exactly, I totally agree. Why edit this show for children? It's very clear that the show isn't made for children, but more for teenagers and adults.

It's sad but I actually hope Initial D fails hard in the US. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big Initial D fan but what Tokyopop is doing to the show is just plain bad business. They need to be taught that this is unacceptable and nothing teaches that lesson better than losing a lot of money. ;)

[Tash]

Hahaha, not all of the machines have the original music. Another arcade in our area has a couple of Initial D ver 2's and it has the new crappy rap music. Thats why I made my boss get the Japanese versions because almost no one in the US updated to version 2.

you mean there are 2? My god, when will the insanity end? Curse you tokyopop! Curse you!

And I've never seen the Fast and the Furious, what did Tokyopop do to make it like this movie?

[Nin-Nin69]

you mean there are 2? My god, when will the insanity end? Curse you tokyopop! Curse you!

No I mean version 2. The game has 2 versions. The first one is the one you have in your arcade. The 2nd one has more cars, more levels, more music, better ways to customize your cars, and you can even use the cup of water as a map tool. The US versions of this had the touch of death placed on it by Tokyo Pop. And believe me the music is everything in this game. If the music sucks like it does in the dub, I would be forced to play this game with my headphones on and the volume of my MD player turned up all the way. :shrug:

Thats why we got the Japanese version 2. :cool:

[Tash]

No I mean version 2. The game has 2 versions. The first one is the one you have in your arcade. The 2nd one has more cars, more levels, more music, better ways to customize your cars, and you can even use the cup of water as a map tool. The US versions of this had the touch of death placed on it by Tokyo Pop. And believe me the music is everything in this game. If the music sucks like it does in the dub, I would be forced to play this game with my headphones on and the volume of my MD player turned up all the way. :shrug:

Thats why we got the Japanese version 2. :cool:

no, it's version 2 (the Arcade at Sam's Town in Las Vegas has both), and it definitly plays Space Boy in the first level and Night of Fire in the second. And it's definitly English (they use the dub names).

So what's up with that? Is it before they decided to mess with the soundtrack?

[Taiso]

no, it's version 2 (the Arcade at Sam's Town in Las Vegas has both), and it definitly plays Space Boy in the first level and Night of Fire in the second. And it's definitly English (they use the dub names).

So what's up with that? Is it before they decided to mess with the soundtrack?


Ok I'm an expert at version 2 and I know its got all the songs from the anime on it on the machines here in England(english language, same character names as Tokyopop). I love "Beat of the Rising Sun" and "Love is a Danger", although nothing beats the classic "Space Boy"

So what cars you lot driving on version 2? Fastest times? ;)

[Taiso]

I've actually been surprised at how many car fanatics are into this show. I also post on a Civic SI bored and they all talk about Initial D quite a lot. I imagine since Tokyopop changed the sounds of the cars in the dub, they also re-wrote the script to be like The Fast and The Furious. Which is really bad because IMHO one of the reasons Initial D is so popular is because it's so accurate. Both of the Fast and Furious movies are far from accurate, but entraining. I can't see most of the car fanatics watching the subbed version either, so Tokyopop is only hurting themselves in the end.




Not only are the cars accurate but the driving techniques are also totally spot on as well. For example, left foot braking which Shingo does in his Civic is the best way to corner at high speeds, and the technique that the Red Suns use to drive their Evo's is also explained very well.