Watch Initial D in release order: First Stage (1998), Second Stage, Third Stage (a 2001 film), Fourth Stage, Fifth Stage and Final Stage, adding the two Extra Stage OVAs if you want side stories. The Legend film trilogy (2014 to 2016) retells the beginning, and MF Ghost is the sequel series.
Image: Fan art (AI-generated)
Initial D is a long-running street racing series from a seinen magazine, and its numbering is the confusing part. Stages are not seasons in the usual sense: some are TV series, one is a film, and there are compilations and OVAs in between. The list below sorts them out.
The short answer
- First Stage, 1998, 26 episodes.
- Second Stage, 1999 to 2000, 13 episodes.
- Third Stage, 2001, film.
- Fourth Stage, 2004 to 2006, 24 episodes.
- Fifth Stage, 2012 to 2013, 14 episodes.
- Final Stage, 2014, 4 episodes.
That is 81 TV episodes plus one film, or roughly 36 hours. The Legend films, Battle Stage compilations and MF Ghost are covered below.
Initial D watch order step by step
Dates and formats are from Wikipedia; the studios agree with MyAnimeList. The animation changes with the studio, which is why First Stage looks older than Fifth Stage.
- Initial D First Stage (19 April to 6 December 1998, 26 episodes, Studio Gallop and Studio Comet). Takumi Fujiwara, a tofu-delivery driver, turns out to be a gifted downhill driver in his father's Toyota AE86 and takes on the local racing scene on Mount Akina.
- Initial D Second Stage (1999 to 2000, 13 episodes, Pastel). Continues directly.
- Initial D Extra Stage (10 November 2000, two-episode OVA, about 55 minutes, Pastel). Optional side story. See the next section.
- Initial D Third Stage (2001, film of about 104 minutes, Studio Deen). The story's first big turning point, in cinema form. Do not skip it: it sits between the two TV runs.
- Initial D Fourth Stage (2004 to 2006, 24 episodes, A.C.G.T). The longest sequel series, where the Project D team form.
- Initial D Extra Stage 2 (3 October 2008, OVA of about 54 minutes, A.C.G.T). Optional, best after Fourth Stage.
- Initial D Fifth Stage (2012 to 2013, 14 episodes, SynergySP). The Project D campaign continues. Also searched as "Initial D 5th Stage".
- Initial D Final Stage (2014, 4 episodes, SynergySP). Concludes the TV story.
Release order vs story order vs shortest path
| Route | What you watch | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Release order | First to Final Stage, Extra Stages where released, then the Legend films if you like | Everyone, first time |
| Story order | Same as release order for the TV Stages. The Legend films replay the opening and can be watched first or skipped | Rewatch |
| Shortest path | The three Legend films (about 3 hours), then Fourth Stage onward | A quick start; but it skips Second and Third Stage |
The shortest path is a compromise. It leaves out big chunks of the story, so we recommend it only if you have decided you will not watch more than a few hours.
Extra Stage, Battle Stage and other extras
Extra Stage (2000) and Extra Stage 2 (2008) are optional OVAs. Where they sit in the story is not stated in the sources we checked. They are reportedly built around side characters from the racing scene, and the second was bundled with Second and Third Stage on a US DVD release, according to MyAnimeList. Our suggestion, which is an editorial choice and not an official order: watch Extra Stage after Third Stage and Extra Stage 2 after Fourth Stage, so nothing is spoiled either way.
The Battle Stage compilations are skippable. Battle Stage (2002) compiles races from the first three Stages with some new and remastered footage, Battle Stage 2 (2007) does the same for Fourth Stage, and Battle Stage 3 (March 2021) compiles Fifth and Final Stage with no new scenes. None has a page on our site.
The Legend movie trilogy
New Initial D the Movie, known in English as Legend, retells the beginning of the manga in three films by Sanzigen and Liden Films: Legend 1: Awakening (23 August 2014), Legend 2: Racer (23 May 2015) and Legend 3: Dream (6 February 2016), and a compilation called Battle Digest followed on 7 January 2022. They are a retelling, not a sequel, with modern CG-heavy visuals. Watch them if you want a short, modern version of the first act, or after the TV series to compare. Do not treat them as the middle of the story: the TV series is where the later Stages continue from.
Why the animation changes: studios by Stage
Initial D spans sixteen years of production, and almost every Stage moved to a different studio. If First Stage looks rough to you, that is the 1998 look, not a sign that the series stays that way.
| Stage | Studio | Year |
|---|---|---|
| First Stage | Studio Gallop, Studio Comet | 1998 |
| Second Stage and Extra Stage | Pastel | 1999-2000 |
| Third Stage | Studio Deen | 2001 |
| Fourth Stage and Extra Stage 2 | A.C.G.T | 2004-2008 |
| Fifth Stage and Final Stage | SynergySP | 2012-2014 |
| Legend films | Sanzigen, Liden Films | 2014-2016 |
The cast and story carry across every change, so you can treat the studio swaps as a change of look only. The biggest jump in picture quality is between Third Stage and Fourth Stage, so if the early episodes put you off, give the series until Fourth Stage before you judge it. That is our opinion, not an official statement.
How long does it take to watch?
Rough totals, using about 24 minutes per early episode and 27 minutes for the later Stages, as listed in our catalogue.
| Route | Time |
|---|---|
| TV Stages plus Third Stage | About 36 hours |
| Add both Extra Stages | About 38 hours |
| Legend trilogy alone | About 3 hours |
MF Ghost: the sequel
MF Ghost is a sequel to Initial D by the same author, Shuichi Shigeno. The manga ran in Weekly Young Magazine from 4 September 2017 to 17 February 2025, in 23 volumes. The setting is reportedly the 2020s, with Takumi appearing in the story, per Wikipedia and Otaku USA. It has no page on our site yet. The anime, by Felix Film, aired three seasons: October to December 2023, October to December 2024 and January to March 2026. A final season was confirmed on 26 March 2026 on the official site, with no air date given.
Is MF Ghost a sequel or a spin-off? A sequel. You can watch it without Initial D, but you will recognize more with it. Our Gundam guide is a good next stop if you also like a long, release-order franchise.
Where to watch
Initial D licensing has changed several times. Wikipedia says the Stages were released in English by Funimation around 2010 to 2011 and streamed on Crunchyroll from May 2022, but that they were no longer available there. We could not confirm a current US streaming home for any Stage, and the claim "Initial D is on Crunchyroll" is unconfirmed as of 3 November 2026. Check JustWatch for your country.
Initial D manga order and what is left to read in English
The manga by Shuichi Shigeno ran in Weekly Young Magazine from 17 July 1995 to 29 July 2013: 719 chapters in 48 volumes, according to Wikipedia. In English, Tokyopop published an earlier edition, and Kodansha USA began a new omnibus edition on 19 March 2024, collecting two volumes at a time. Because the omnibus is still being released, check Kodansha's page for the current count.
Questions people ask
Which Initial D is the first?
First Stage, which aired in 1998.
Do I have to watch Extra Stage and the movies?
No. The Extra Stages are optional OVAs, and the Legend films are a retelling of the beginning.
Are Initial D and MF Ghost connected?
Yes. MF Ghost is a sequel by the same author.
Is MF Ghost a sequel or spin-off?
A sequel, set years after Initial D according to the sources we checked. We have not found an official statement of the exact gap.
Is Initial D on Crunchyroll or Netflix?
We could not confirm that. Wikipedia says it streamed on Crunchyroll in 2022 but was no longer available there. Check JustWatch.
How many Initial D episodes are there?
81 TV episodes: First Stage 26, Second Stage 13, Fourth Stage 24, Fifth Stage 14 and Final Stage 4. Third Stage is a film, and the Extra Stages are OVAs.
Who is the main character in Initial D?
Takumi Fujiwara, who drives a Toyota AE86.
Is the Initial D manga finished?
Yes. It ended in July 2013 after 719 chapters.
Is there a live-action Initial D?
Yes, a 2005 Hong Kong film starring Jay Chou, per Wikipedia.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Initial D", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initial_D, accessed 3 November 2026.
- Wikipedia, "MF Ghost", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MF_Ghost, accessed 3 November 2026.
- Wikipedia, "New Initial D the Movie", en.wikipedia.org, accessed 3 November 2026.
- MyAnimeList, "Initial D Extra Stage 2", myanimelist.net/anime/5228, accessed 3 November 2026.
- MF Ghost official website, "MF GHOST Final Season production confirmed", 26 March 2026, mfg-anime.com.
- Kodansha USA, "Initial D Omnibus", kodansha.us, accessed 3 November 2026.
- Otaku USA Magazine, article on MF Ghost as the Initial D sequel, otakuusamagazine.com (publication date not confirmed).
- The Drive, "Is Initial D getting a sequel in the form of MF Ghost?", thedrive.com (publication date not confirmed).
Last checked: 3 November 2026
