Initial D

Taking place in Gunma prefecture in Japan, the story concerns a young tofu-delivery driver named Takumi Fujiwara. He trained from a young age and before he could drive to deliver tofu to the peak of Mt. Akina (Mt. Haruna in real-life). He had been trained to an incredible level of skill in taking on the five hairpin corners plus using the gutter techniques of Mt. Akina. The film chronicles his evolution from an uninterested delivery boy into a hardened tōge racer, showing how he learns techniques of racing without affecting his delivery load.

Takumi drives his father's (Bunta Fujiwara) Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX (AE86) which is seemingly unmodified but is perfectly suited for the downhill corners of Mt. Akina. This gains the attention of street racers across the prefecture. Some ultimately challenge Takumi to races on Akina's downhill, including Takeshi Nakazato who leads the NightKids team and drives a Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32). Ryosuke Takahashi, leader of the RedSuns team and a driver of the Mazda RX-7 (FC) helps out Takumi by giving him advice and teaching him about car mechanics. Takumi agrees to race Ryosuke in three weeks.

While following the path of a street racer, Takumi must deal with his alcoholic father and his girlfriend Natsuki Mogi (Anne Suzuki). She's with an older man (who drives a Mercedes-Benz S-Class) at a love hotel for two weeks as he takes on more difficult challenges.

With all the talk on Takumi's AE86, Takumi's close friend Itsuki Tachibana buys a new car after his Nissan Silvia gets totaled. He winds up swindled (mentioned by Itsuki's father) — getting an AE85 instead. Takumi was lured by Itsuki to teach driving down Mt. Akina. But halfway through, a member from the Emperor Team taunts them and almost makes them crash, which makes Takumi angry and successfully gets back at the Emperor Team's racer, where his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV crashed.

Takumi thus gains more fame, but the Emperor Team is mad. Afterward, his AE86 apparently breaks down mechanically after being bothered from a racer in the Emperor Team as payback, which led to Bunta dropping a new TRD 20-valve SilverTop racing engine and modifying the car. Takumi tests his new car, but is not used to the new mechanics, until Bunta teaches him how to drive right, and he becomes ready.

Takumi is bothered by Natsuki's absence. Despite a fight between Itsuki and him where Itsuki claimed he saw Natsuki coming out of a love hotel with her older partner, he impulsively declares Natsuki a slut (but apologizes). Takumi suspects something amiss about her. When Ryousuke and Takeshi arrive to pick him up for their duel, Takumi follows, but he briefly sees Natsuki with her older partner, which seems to confirm what Itsuki saw.

At the showdown, Ryosuke and Takumi race with the racer from the Emperor Team, Kyouichi. Ryousuke and Takumi handle their common opponent from the and work together. The Emperor Team loses when Kyouichi swerves to avoid hitting a car and refuses to listen to advice. The race then leaves only Takumi and Ryosuke; they take each other on. In the midst, Bunta explains the factors on Takumi's chances to win. Finally Takumi succeeds to win the event by beating Ryousuke at the last hairpin turn with the new car's mechanics that he learned.

After the race, at a convenience store Ryosuke offers Takumi a chance on a team composed of expert racers, of which Takumi has been undecided. He discovers his girlfriend being dropped off by the older partner. He confirms his suspicions of her and he runs away. She runs toward him. Outrunning Natsuki and back to his car, he tearfully drives away. He is upset and their relationship ends with Natsuki regretfully crying. Later Takumi apologizes to Itsuki and he joins Ryousuke's team as the film ends.