This article will give you a thorough insight into the Initial D anime series. You’re going to get all the necessary information and a complete guide to watching the whole series, including the four anime movies that are part of the franchise. So far, the Initial D franchise is comprised of five anime seasons, five OVAs, five movies, and a single season of sequel anime titled MF Ghost.
Editor’s Note: This post has been updated in February 2024 and it reflects the most up-to-date state of Initial D anime & connected franchises.
Initial D all seasons, OVAs, and movies in release date order
In this section, we are going to bring you an overview of the Initial D works in the proper release order:
- Initial D First Stage (anime, 1998)
- Initial D Second Stage (anime, 1999–2000)
- Initial D Extra Stage (OVA, 2000)
- Initial D Third Stage (film, 2001)
- Initial D Battle Stage (OVA, 2002)
- Initial D Fourth Stage (anime, 2004–2006)
- Initial D Battle Stage 2 (OVA, 2007)
- Initial D Extra Stage 2 (OVA, 2008)
- Initial D Fifth Stage (anime, 2012–2013)
- Initial D Final Stage (anime, 2014)
- New Initial D the Movie, Legend 1: Awakening (movie, 2014)
- New Initial D the Movie, Legend 2: Racer (movie, 2015)
- New Initial D the Movie, Legend 2: Dream (movie, 2016)
- Initial D Battle Stage 3 (OVA, 2021)
- New Initial D the Movie: Battle Digest (movie, 2022)
- MF Ghost – Season 1 (anime – 2023)
- MF Ghost Season 2 (anime – 2024) – upcoming
Are all Initial D seasons & movies connected & what’s the best way to watch them?
All the seasons of Initial D are connected, but the movies are mostly retellings of things that happened in the anime with a few added scenes. The anime follows the protagonist, Takumi Fujiwara, as he becomes involved in street racing and the world of touge racing (mountain pass racing).
The story progresses through different seasons, giving us insight into Takumi’s growth as a racer and his challenges. The seasons build upon each other. The best way to watch Initial D is in the release date order. Watching all media in order will give you a complete understanding of Takumi’s journey and the evolution of the racing culture in the series.
As far as MF Ghost goes, the anime (and manga) are a sequel to Initial D. The series is set in the late 2020s to early 2030s, featuring a world where self-driving electric cars have become the norm. However, in Japan, a notable organization called MFG, led by Ryosuke Takahashi from the Initial D series, engages in street racing using traditional internal combustion cars.
Initial D chronological watch order
It’s a good thing that Initial D chronological order coincides with the release date order since there have been a lot of media released over the years. If you’re attempting to re-watch the anime, or you’re new to the world in general, you should start with Initial D First Stage (1998) since it’s our first contact with Takumi Fujiwara, who was at that time an 18-year-old high school student.
Then, you should proceed to Initial D Second Stage, and in between the second and third stages Initial D Extra Stage OVA is available that was released in 2000. The first and only significant movie was released in 2001, and it’s the first big crossroad we see Takumi at.
Following the film, we have Initial D Battle Stage (2002), Initial D Fourth Stage, Initial D Battle Stage 2, Initial D Extra Stage 2, Initial D Fifth Stage, and the last anime season released in 2014, Initial D Final Stage. If you’re willing to check out all the best races from the fifth and final stages, make sure to check out Initial D Battle Stage 3, released in 2021.
Initial D Legend: Awakening, Racer, and Dreamis a movie trilogy that retells the story of the Initial D anime but with new animation and character designs. It adds nothing new to the plot, which is why we did not list them separately; if you want a digest version of the whole series, this is your way to go. New Initial D the Movie Battle Digest is a recap of the movies, but with some additional scenes.
You should definitely finish your watch order with MF Ghost Season 1. The story takes place In the late 2020s to early 2030s where self-driving electric cars have replaced traditional ones. However, in Japan, the MFG organization, led by Ryosuke Takahashi, persists in street racing with internal combustion vehicles. A newcomer named Kanata Rivington, using the alias Kanata Katagiri, emerges. He’s a 19-year-old Japanese-British racer, skilled enough to defeat top-tier European cars like the Lamborghini Huracán and Ferrari 488 GTB in his Toyota 86. Trained by legendary racer Takumi Fujiwara, Kanata, a Formula 4 champion, aims to find his long-lost father.
Where to watch Initial D?
You can watch Initial D anime on Crunchyroll as expected; the anime-oriented streaming service is the best and most reliable place to find nearly all popular anime. You can also watch four seasons of Initial D as well as the accompanying movie trilogy on AppleTV+ with an active subscription. Hulu has only two seasons of the anime. As for the New Initial D the Movie Battle Digest there is currently no reliable place to watch it. MF Ghost can be also watched on Crunchyroll.
Will there be more Initial D anime seasons or movies?
Although nothing has been confirmed regarding the original anime, the sequel anime MF Ghost is scheduled to get a second season in 2024, so keep an eye out for that.
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