There is said to be a legendary "Ghost of Akina" that holds the fastest time to descend the Akina Pass. No one has ever come close to beating the record, nor has the mysterious driver of the white Toyota AE86 ever revealed themselves. Nowadays, the same AE86 can be seen every morning driving up and down the pass, making trips to a hotel residing at the top of the mountain.

Unlike his classmates and coworkers, Takumi Fujiwara did not like cars. Any conversation about them would remind him of his early morning routine of delivering tofu for his father. He did not see the appeal in street racing and knew nothing about its rules or its culture. However, when tagging along to a nighttime meetup, the appearance of a rival racing team at the Akina Pass compels Takumi to hop behind the wheel of his father's AE86 and race them down the familiar mountain.

This spur-of-the-moment decision marks the beginning of Takumi's high-octane journey, shifting from his daily deliveries to becoming the greatest drift racer ever. Along the way, he slowly finds and kindles his love for street racing as he comes face-to-face with a plethora of opponents, each ready to take on the renowned Ghost of Akina.

Initial D was partially published in English by Tokyopop, who published the first 33 volumes from May 21, 2002 to January 13, 2009. In 2019, Kodansha USA released all 48 volumes in English digitally, and in print as 2-in-1 omnibus volumes since March 19, 2024. The series has also been published in French by Asuka Comics.

The manga has received multiple video game adaptations as well as a live-action film based on the events of the story. Released in 2005 in various Asian countries, the film won several awards at the 42nd Golden Horse Awards and the 25th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2005 and 2006 respectively.