"Youngsters' challenge continues anon..."Ladies and gents, the hit illegal racing series Initial D has just concluded its 4th "season". Episodes 23 and 24 have been released since yesterday on pay-per-view Cable in Japan. I must say as a bit of a car guy and animation fan I liked the 1st stage the best. Nothing that comes after it makes enough of an impact can rival the initial concepts. That said, the conclusion is a delightful one. Unlike some of the critics out there, I thought it was well-planned and loose-ended intentionally with room for a possible 5th Stage. I certainly hope that there will be more Initial D stages since the CG is outstanding along with amusing but quite honestly downright impossible driving strategies, which never fail to entertain. Like all good Japanese animes and comics there are lessons to be learned, besides kids and adults alike speeding down open hills.
Go to your favorite torrent search engine and put in "RAW Initial D" you'll find what you want. No subs yet you who don't speak Japanese shall wait. M~HA...A! (my Japanese has improved so much I'm a bit overjoyed.)
For those who don't know or care. I once drove to Gunma prefecture where the story started and did some speedy slow runs myself on Mt. Akina (real name: Haruna), Usui Pass, and Mt. Myogi. For that I can only say it was one of the best driving experiences of my life! Suck on that Arcade Stage fans!
OK, things that Initial D fans might not know is that all the way up Mt. Akina (Haruna) there is a lake, and next to it is a fairly decent onsen (hot springs) resort. Harunako Spa's website can be found here. That might be where the tofu gets delivered to. ^_^ In addition, ice fishing is also an option on the lake provided it's cold enough to freeze over. Also click here for a Harunako's onsen report. Perhaps the most unknown fact about Haruna is that its sister city in the States is located in Missouri: Grandview. They are probably equal on the aspect of being in the middle of nowhere.
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