Tau man ji D (2005)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Directors:

Wai-keung Lau
Alan Mak
(more)

Writers:

Shuichi Shigeno (comic books) (characters)
Felix Chong (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 June 2005 (China)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

It's not what you drive, it's what drives you

Plot:

After winning his first competition, Takumi focuses his attention on drift racing, a sport he has unknowingly perfected while delivering tofu in his father's Toyota AE86.

Plot Keywords:

Tofu | Drunkard | Gas Station | 21st Century | Chinese

Awards:

9 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Shawn Yue	...	Takeshi Nakazato
Edison Chen	...	Ryousuke Takahashi
Jay Chou	...	Takumi Fujiwara
Anthony Wong Chau-Sang	...	Bunta 'Tofuman' Fujiwara (as Anthony Wong)
Chapman To	...	Itsuki Tachibana
Tsuyoshi Abe	...	Kenji
Anne Suzuki	...	Natsuki Mogi
Kenny Bee	...	Yuuichi 'Gasman' Tachibana
Liu Keng Hung	...	Seiji Iwaki
Jordan Chan	...	Kyouichi Sudou
Kiyohiko Ueki	...	Iketani
Kazuo Yashiro	...	SpeedStars Member
Miki Kuroiwa	...	Natsuki Mogi's Classmate
Megumi Seitone	...	Natsuki Mogi's Classmate
Sayaka Takizawa	...	Natsuki Mogi's Classmate
Kazuyuki Tsumura	...	Mr. X
Chie Tanaka	...	Miya
Daiichiro Yuyama	...	NightKids Member
Tomohiro Waki	...	NightKids Member
Kenzo Sakai	...	NightKids Member
Shirou Gou	...	NightKids Member (as Shiro Go)
So Iijima	...	NightKids Member
Akira Yasuda	...	RedSuns Member
Takahiro Hirano	...	RedSuns Member
Eiichi Kato	...	RedSuns Member
Shintaro Nemoto	...	RedSuns Member
Kenji Harada	...	RedSuns Member
Masato Kato	...	RedSuns Member
Shinichiro Nagano	...	RedSuns Member
Shota Mituki	...	RedSuns Member
Takenori Ishii	...	RedSuns Member
Manami Konishi	...	Karaoke's Lady (as Manami)
Megumi Ujiie	...	Karaoke's Lady
Chizuru Iguchi	...	Karaoke's Lady
Ran Fukuda	...	Karaoke's Lady
Kanato Ishiyama	...	Karaoke's Lady (as Kanako Ishiyama)
Chinatsu Kanada	...	Karaoke's Lady
Mai Fujii	...	NightKids Team's Girlfriend
Yuko Kawase	...	NightKids Team's Girlfriend
Reika Shinoda	...	NightKids Team's Girlfriend
Tomoka Oohata	...	NightKids Team's Girlfriend
Kiboubi Tamura	...	NightKids Team's Girlfriend
Akiko Matsushita	...	RedSuns Team's Girlfriend
Kahori Oba	...	RedSuns Team's Girlfriend
Dasubi Tamura	...	RedSuns Team's Girlfriend
Kotaro Kano	...	Emperor Member
Yûya Nakahara	...	Emperor Member (as Yuya Nakahara)
Kazuhide Kobayashi	...	Emperor Member
Yusuke Noai	...	Emperor Member (as Yusuke Naoi)
Hiroyuki Nakai	...	Emperor Member
Rin Aki	...	Emperor Team's Girlfriend
Eri Asanuma	...	Emperor Team's Girlfriend
Yuka Yanase	...	Emperor Team's Girlfriend
Tomomi Koizumi	...	Emperor Team's Girlfriend
Katushi Norimine	...	Truck Driver
Yusuke Nakayama	...	Truck Driver
Masashi Niijima	...	Truck Driver
Tsunesuke Shimizu	...	Truck Driver
Kazunori Kawamura	...	NightKids Team's Crowd
Norimasa Matumoto	...	NightKids Team's Crowd
Minako Yokoyama	...	Takumi Fujiwara's Fan
Maako Yoshikawa	...	Takumi Fujiwara's Fan
Seira Ogura	...	Takumi Fujiwara's Fan
Chikako Murata	...	Takumi Fujiwara's Fan
Hiroko Watabe	...	Ryousuke Takahashi's Fan
Yumi Murakami	...	Ryousuke Takahashi's Fan
Serina Kurobe	...	Ryousuke Takahashi's Fan

Directed by
Wai-keung Lau		(as Andrew Lau)
Alan Mak
Ralph Rieckermann		(co-director)

Writing credits
Shuichi Shigeno		(comic books) (characters)
Felix Chong		(screenplay)

Produced by
Ellen Chang	....	line producer
John Chong	....	executive producer
Elos Gallo	....	consultant producer
Charlie Hau	....	associate line producer: Japan
Lorraine Ho	....	line producer
Stephen Lam	....	associate line producer
Wai-keung Lau	....	producer (as Andrew Lau)
Ronald Wong	....	associate line producer
Yang Ying	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Kwong Wing Chan		(as Chan Kwong Wing)

Cinematography by
Yiu-Fai Lai		(director of photography) (as Lai Yiu Fai)
Wai-keung Lau		(director of photography) (as Andrew Lau)
Man-Ching Ng		(director of photography) (as Ng Man Ching)

Film Editing by
Wong Hoi

Production Design by
Silver Cheung

Makeup Department
Yun-Ling Man	....	makeup artist (as Man Yun Ling)
Kazuko Saito	....	makeup artist: Japan (as Kazuko Saitou)
Kwok Hung Wong	....	hair stylist (as Wong Kwok Hung)

Production Management
Chun Keung Cheung	....	unit manager (as Cheung Chun Keung)
Prudence Kao	....	associate production manager
Jeannette Lee	....	associate production manager
Yasunori Matsuda	....	assistant production manager: Japan
Ray Pang	....	post-production manager
Ray Pang	....	production manager
Kyo Sasaki	....	production manager: Japan

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Henry Lau	....	assistant director
Ask Lee	....	assistant director
Jonathan Li	....	assistant director
Seiya Nishikawa	....	assistant director: Japan
Yuuichi Tazawa	....	assistant director: Japan
Cindy Yu	....	assistant director

Art Department
Yau Hong Chan	....	property labor (as Chan Yau Hong)
Lau Wai Chung	....	property labor (as Lau Wai Chung)
Chi Shing Fung	....	property labor (as Fung Chi Shing)
Kazuhisa Hatakeyama	....	property assistant: Japan
Lau Wai Hung	....	property labor (as Lau Wai Hung)
Cat Leung	....	assistant art director
Wai Cheong Luk	....	storyboard artist (as Luk Wai Cheong)
Toshie Shiina	....	property assistant: Japan
Kenji Takao	....	property assistant: Japan
Wai Ming Wong	....	property master (as Wong Wai Ming)
Kyôko Yauchi	....	art department assistant: Japan (as Kyouko Yauchi)

Sound Department
Chun Wang Au	....	foley artist (as Au Chun Wan)
Andy Chau	....	soudn effects editor
Wing Hong Fung	....	foley artist (as Fung Wing Hong)
Wai Hung Kwong	....	foley artist (as Kwong Wai Hung)
Hon Chiu Lam	....	foley artist (as Lam Hon Chiu)
Terry Shek	....	sound effects editor
Fiona Soo	....	dialogue editor
Fiona Soo	....	dialogue recordist
Tak-Wing Tam	....	location sound (as Tam Tak Wing)
Burnard To	....	foley recordist (as To Burnard Davy)
Kinson Tsang	....	sound designer
Kinson Tsang	....	sound editor: EFX
Kinson Tsang	....	sound effects editor
Kinson Tsang	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tse Kin Wong	....	foley recordist
Henry Yam	....	foley artist
George Lee Yiu-Keung	....	re-recording mixer (as George Lee)
Chi Man Yu	....	foley artist (as Yu Che Man)
Ting Yip Yuen	....	dialogue editor (as Yuen Ting Yip)
Ting Yip Yuen	....	dialogue recordist (as Yuen Ting Yip)
Tomy Yu	....	foley artist (as Tommy Yu)

Visual Effects by
Jeff Chan	....	computer animator
Sornrop Chankeewong	....	digital intermediate producer (as Sornrob Choiekeewong)
Pawadee Chantanom	....	digital intermediate executive producer (as Pawadee Chantanom)
Yan Chan	....	digital compositor
Bryan Cheung	....	visual effects supervisor
Fu Shing Chiu	....	computer animator (as Chin Fu Shing)
Patrick Chui	....	senior computer animator
Francis Fung	....	visual effects editor
Brian Ho	....	senior computer animator
Kim Ho	....	computer animator
Kevin Hou	....	technical director: modeler
Kritsada Kaewmanee	....	computer graphics technical supervisor (as Kritsada Kaewmanee)
Wing Yan Lai	....	visual effects editor (as Lai Wing Yan)
Keith Leung	....	digital compositor
Mon Leung	....	computer animator
Jules Lin	....	computer animator
Yuen Chi Liu	....	computer animator (as Liu Yuen Chi)
Ping Yu Mak	....	computer animator
Gary Ng	....	computer animator
Galan Pang	....	senior computer animator
Pornopol Sakarin	....	computer graphics technical supervisor (as Pornpol Sakarin)
Nepasnan S.	....	digital intermediate producer (as Napasnan S.)
Sam Sun	....	computer animator
Yi Man Tse	....	computer animator (as E-Man Tse)
Angel Tsui	....	computer animator
Eddy Wong	....	visual effects supervisor
Raymond Wong	....	senior computer animator
Victor Wong	....	visual effects supervisor
Joyce Wu	....	visual effects coordinator
Pariscoli Yip	....	computer animator

Stunts
Joseph Chi	....	car stunt coordinator: Hong Kong
Syu-Ichi Hagiwara	....	stuntman: Japan
Syu-Ichi Hagiwara	....	stunts: Japan
Syunsuke Iimura	....	stunts: Japan
Takeshi Ikeda	....	stunts: Japan
Wai-Leung Lee	....	car stunt assistant (as Lee Wai Leung)
Nobuyuki Saitou	....	stunts: Japan
Shingo Sakai	....	stunts: Japan
Katsuhiro Takahashi	....	car stunt coordinator: Japan
Katsuya Takanashi	....	stunts: Japan
Hideki Tanabe	....	stuntman: Japan
Jupiter Wong	....	car stunt assistant (as Wong Man Kin)
Tsunemasa Yamanaka	....	stuntman: Japan

Camera and Electrical Department
Takumi Amadaira	....	electrician: Japan
Man Keung Cho	....	focus puller (as Cho Man Keung)
Lo Lou Fai	....	gaffer (as Lo Lau Fai)
Hisayuki Fukagawa	....	electrician: Japan
Ka-Fai Ho	....	dolly (as Ho Ka Fai)
Kin Kwong Ho	....	focus puller (as Ho Kin Kwong)
Chi Man Hui	....	camera assistant (as Hui Chi Man)
Kenichi Kodama	....	camera assistant: Japan
Chun-Shing Lam	....	electrician (as Lam Chun Shing)
Wai-Kwan Lau	....	camera assistant (as Lau Wai Kwan)
Wing-Teng Law	....	best boy (as Law Wing Tong)
Hiroyuki Mizuno	....	camera assistant: Japan
Fuhito Murakami	....	electrician: Japan
Kwok Kau Ng	....	camera assistant (as Ng Kwok Kau)
Ming Hing Ng	....	electrician (as Ng Ming Hing)
Daisuke Ogawa	....	electrician: Japan
Kiyoshi Okano	....	electrician: Japan
Ryo Serizawa	....	camera assistant: Japan
Ryan Spaeth	....	camera mount technician: R1
Hidetaka Suzuki	....	electrician: Japan
Koutarou Takahashi	....	electrician: Japan
Hiroshi Tanabe	....	electrician: Japan
Kouichi Tatebe	....	electrician: Japan
Akira Watanabe	....	electrician: Japan
Wai Lun Wong	....	still photographer (as Wong Wai Lun)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Damon Lau	....	assistant costume designer
Yumiko Nakano	....	assistant costume designer: Japan
Boey Wong	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Sornrop Chankeewong	....	digital intermediate producer (as Sornrob Choiekeewong)
Kin Ming Chan	....	color timer (as Chan Kin Ming)
Ho Shu Cheuk	....	assistant editor (as Ho Shu Cheuk)
Deborah Huen	....	telecine colorist (as Debora Huen)
Piyanut Kaeomaneo	....	digital output technician (as Piyanut Kaeomanee)
Prudence Kao	....	post-production assistant
Ruangdack Kratukrok	....	assistant telecine colorist
Kaewla Notsukhum	....	telecine colorist (as Kaewta Netsukhum)
Supamol Pleumchusak	....	color grader
Supamol Pleumchusak	....	color timer
Nantachai Samapuddhi	....	digital on-line editor
Padtanasak Sangchod	....	digital output technician
Roekcha Shakowatananon	....	digital on-line editor (as Roekchai Sakonwatananon)
Nepasnan S.	....	digital intermediate producer (as Napasnan S.)
David Tsai	....	assistant editor
Passakorn Yaisiri	....	color grader
Passakorn Yaisiri	....	color timer

Music Department
Kwong Wing Chan	....	score music (as Chan Kwong Wing @ click music)
Li-jie Huang	....	conductor (as Huang Li Jie)
Edmond Tsang	....	orchestral arrangements

Transportation Department
Takahiro Akimoto	....	transportation: Japan
Osamu Fukui	....	transportation: Japan
Shinji Furuuchi	....	transportation: Japan
Hiroshi Hama	....	transportation: Japan
Toshiya Hama	....	transportation: Japan
Shinji Haruna	....	transportation: Japan
Makoto Hirose	....	picture car mechanic: Japan
Teruo Hzuka	....	transportation: Japan
Takuyuki Ishii	....	assistant picture car mechanic: Japan
Kaname Isozaki	....	transportation: Japan
Naohiro Kikuchi	....	transportation: Japan
Shinji Kodaira	....	transportation: Japan
Atsushi Komatsuzaki	....	transportation: Japan
Atsunobu Kuji	....	transportation: Japan
Hitoshi Kurumi	....	transportation: Japan
Hiroyuki Matsubara	....	transportation: Japan
Kazuhiro Nogami	....	transportation: Japan
Yutaka Okano	....	transportation: Japan
Hitoshi Onuma	....	transportation: Japan
Hideyuki Sasaki	....	transportation: Japan
Seiki Shibata	....	transportation: Japan
Narusige Suzuki	....	transportation: Japan
Takahisa Tabuse	....	transportation: Japan
Takeru Toyomane	....	transportation: Japan
Masakazu Umeda	....	transportation: Japan
Yoshitaka Watanabe	....	transportation: Japan
Yamamoto	....	transportation: Japan

Other crew
Yuen Kan Cheung	....	production coordinator (as Cheung Yuen Kan)
Eric Chiu	....	translator: Japan
Makoto Ishii	....	production assistant: Japan
Yick Yue Kan	....	production assistant (as Kan Yick Yue)
Hiroko Kitano	....	production assistant: Japan
Peggy Leung	....	production accountant
Pisit Lixibunnakorn	....	laboratory consultant (as Pisit Likibunnakorn)
Calmen Lui	....	laboratory consultant
Maggie Ma	....	translator: Japan
Kazayuki Nishimoto	....	production assistant: Japan
Pairoj Prempri	....	laboratory consultant
Pison Santawanpas	....	laboratory consultant (as Pison Santawanpas)
Sunny Siu	....	translator: Japan
Chun Ling Tao	....	production coordinator (as Tao Chun Ling)
Akihito Terada	....	production assistant: Japan
David Wong	....	production accountant
Po Hung Wong	....	production runner (as Wong Po Hung)
Makoto Yokozawa	....	location manager: Japan

Production Companies

• Media Asia Films
• Sil-Metropol Organization
• Basic Pictures
• Avex Inc.

Distributors

• Media Asia Distribution (2006) (worldwide) (all media)
• Contender Entertainment Group (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• GAGA Communications (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Long Shong Entertainment Multimedia Company (2005) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Tai Seng Entertainment (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Contender Entertainment Group (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Future Film (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Mega Star Video Distribution (2005) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Versus Entertainment (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
• Versus Entertainment (2005) (Spain) (video)

Special Effects

• Menfond Electronic Art & Computer Design Company (digital visual effects)

Other Companies

• Fennec Co.  production crew: Japan
• Takahashi Racing  car stunts
• OK Production Company  dialogue: Cantonese/Mandarin
• Dreamworks Digital  avid editing
• Media Business Service Limited  sound production
• China Star Production Services Limited  negative processing
• Mandarin Laboratory (International) Ltd.  subtitles
• Salon Films  camera and lighting equipment
• Kodak Japan  negative supply
• Tokyo Laboratory Co. Ltd.  film processing
• Mandarin Laboratory (International) Ltd.  laboratory
• Oriental Post Co. Ltd.  digital intermediate
• Kantana Animation Co. Ltd.  digital intermediate
• Salon Films  grip and lighting equipment (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Initial D (Hong Kong: English title)
Initial D - Drift Racer (UK)
Tou wen zi di (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)

Runtime:

107 min | Spain:104 min (DVD edition) | 95 min

Country:

China | Hong Kong

Language:

English | Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Taiwan:GP | Australia:M | UK:12A | UK:12 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-11 | South Korea:15 | Italy:T | Singapore:NC-16 (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG | Hong Kong:IIA

Filming Locations:

Mt. Akina, Gunma, Japan

Company:

Media Asia Films

Trivia:

A number of Toyota Trueno AE86 cars were used during production, at least one of which was personally wrecked by Jay Chou.

Goofs:

Continuity: A few times in the movie before Takumi blows the engine in the AE86 Trueno you get a shot of the dashboard with the new Tachometer, other times it isn't there.

Quotes:

Itsuki Tachibana: Do you know what a god is? A god is actually human. But he can do what other humans can't.
[hugging Takumi]
Itsuki Tachibana: God, please save me. Please save my car as well.

Movie Connections:

Remake of "Initial D: Second Stage" (1999)

Soundtrack:

ALL THE WAY NORTH

Fun, unpretentious street racing movie.

This movie is a live-action adaptation of a manga/anime series of the same name. The story is abridged synthesis of the first two seasons of the anime, with details from the fourth(third?) mixed in. Compared to the original work, much of the characters' personalities, relationships and motives have been altered, some in the ways that are hard to agree with, too. Many of the characters have been dropped or diminished. Judging the movie as independent entity, it's not a great deal, but some of the modifications make the story a bit confusing. Casting itself is rather good. Characters have strong resemblance to their drawn counterparts, apart from the main character and her girlfriend. To even things a bit, their characters are best preserved in the screenplay.

What I like in the movie best is it's honesty. The movie does not try to justify the illegal street racing theme with some far-fetched undercover cop/family honor/extortion -subplot, it's only about young men driving fast on downhill. Though the most spectacular stunts are CGI, the races are pleasant to watch, by no means small reason being the relatively calm pace of editing. Drivers' actions while cornering, the toe-heel braking, down shifting and steering, are usually shown in single shot, instead of several split-second extreme closeups. What I also liked was the fact the races are about who was the best driver, not about who has the most outrageous sticker or flashiest accessories on the car.

The movie has been criticized for lack of plot. I don't think it is so. The plot is subdued, not overly dramatized story of a regular kid who learns about downhill racing scene in his home town. The biggest problem with the script is the inclusion of 2nd and 3rd Stage. The plot makes all too abrupt change of direction halfway through the movie because of this. The movie finale is a synthesis of 1st season and rewritten 2nd season finales, it's awkward and not very successful. I can't help thinking the movie could have been better if the writers had made the scope a little less wide and only included the 1st season.

Even so, the movie is rather enjoyable. You don't need to vegetate through the movie to enjoy it, or have a die-hard passion for the subject.