Night.
Li Zhifeng sat hesitantly in front of his TV and tuned in to Yunteng TV.
He'd followed 'Initial D' for an entire season. Now, with the finale airing tonight, a heavy, inexplicable emptiness was setting in.
Especially after recent episodes made it clear: Takumi Fujiwara had decided that from now on, he would no longer race on Mount Akina.
The "God of Akina" stepping away from his home turf—
Maybe that was a kind of growth, too.
But as the end approached, the more Li Zhifeng loved this show, the more anxious he felt.
Tonight's final episode promised to answer everything:
The revenge match between the newly upgraded AE86 and Kyoichi Sudo of the Emperor Team.
And the final resolution of Takumi's relationship with Natsuki Mogi.
9:00 PM
'Initial D' – Final Episode begins.
It opened with a 9.52% live rating—
Already a huge number, thanks to the fact that all the Big Six's headline dramas had wrapped.
With nothing else grabbing attention, even casual viewers from other shows had been drawn in by the massive publicity push for 'Initial D's finale.
In the fan chat group:
"Final episode already…"
"I don't want it to end."
"Will Jing Yu-sensei make a second season? If not, then… is this Takumi's final race?"
"Don't say that—hurts just hearing it."
"Takumi's so stubborn… and that's made the past few episodes really heavy."
"Ugh. Can we not show Natsuki anymore? This is the finale—we don't want to waste any time on her, especially when she dares to look hurt."
"Takumi's already being too nice just by ignoring her. She kept meeting her sugar daddy every single week during their relationship."
"She finally cut ties with the guy tonight. This is it—no more games."
"Meanwhile, while Takumi's battling Kyoichi for revenge, Natsuki's still at a hotel with her sugar daddy… what a punch to the gut."
"To be fair, thinking back, it wasn't like she got with the sugar daddy after dating Takumi. She was already seeing him before they started."
"Does that even matter? Even if she'd broken it off before dating Takumi, it'd still be sketchy—but she didn't. She did both at the same time."
"Exactly. Poor Takumi… First, he loses a race, then his car blows up, and now his girlfriend cheats. He's the most tragic male lead I've seen in years."
"Here we go—the showdown: Takumi vs. Kyoichi!"
Midway through the episode, the long-awaited rematch began.
Takumi, now driving the upgraded AE86, returned to Kyoichi's territory, seeking vengeance for the blown engine incident.
And of course, Jing Yu delivered another iconic ten-minute drift sequence—
fast, furious, and beautifully choreographed.
Longtime viewers had seen a dozen of these scenes by now.
They still loved them, but that early sense of adrenaline had dulled slightly—familiarity taking some of the edge off.
Li Zhifeng stared at the screen, eyes unblinking.
Deep down, he was sure the new AE86 wouldn't lose.
But it wasn't until Takumi exploited Kyoichi's lingering fear of right-hand turns—a scar from his pro racing days—and forced an overtake…
…that Zhifeng finally exhaled.
Takumi had won.
Then came the ending.
Even though Takumi had seen Natsuki and her sugar daddy go into a hotel together, he never confronted her about it.
Not once did he explain why his attitude had changed.
Until now.
After the race, Takumi stopped running.
He went to Natsuki's neighborhood, hoping to talk.
That night, Natsuki had just ended another date with the man in the Mercedes.
They shared a final goodbye kiss before parting ways—
Only for Natsuki to turn around and find Takumi standing there, sadness all over his face.
Li Zhifeng's heart clenched.
Natsuki panicked.
She opened her mouth, wanting to explain—but seeing Takumi's expression, she couldn't say a word.
Then…
A soft piano melody began.
A gentle guitar joined in.
Takumi turned around and silently got into the AE86.
"Takumi! Takumi!"
Natsuki ran after him, trying to stop him.
But Takumi didn't look back.
He hit the gas.
No words. No hesitation.
Natsuki collapsed onto the sidewalk, sobbing.
Inside the AE86, Takumi's eyes shimmered with tears.
On screen, memories of their time together began to replay…
And then—the music swelled.
The ending theme:
'All the Way North' (一路向北)
♪ Rearview mirrors show a fading world…
Saying goodbye that grows more distant…
I turn and walk away…
Your profile is still beautiful.
I chase you with my eyes—
and hear your tears.
I drive all the way north—
leaving the season that had you.
You said you're too tired—
can't fall in love again… ♪
Jing Yu's long-dormant musical touch returned with full force—
He'd written the lyrics, composed the music, and performed both the piano and guitar accompaniments.
"What song is this?! I was feeling sad… now I'm crying."
"Takumi was real. Natsuki was real. But facts are facts—if she'd cut ties with the sugar daddy before dating Takumi, maybe things could've ended differently. But she didn't."
"Takumi only needs the AE86. If they'd reconciled in the end, that would've been a betrayal."
"I thought seeing them break up would feel satisfying—but why does it hurt so much?"
"Damn."
"Song title—'All the Way North'? Did Jing Yu-sensei write this?"
"Lyrics, composition, piano, and guitar—all Jing Yu. No wonder it hits so hard. Takes me back to 'Your Lie in April'."
"He's still the same Jing Yu-sensei… making us cry right up to the final episode."
"'Initial D' is GOAT! I will forever love the God of Akina!"
After the song...
Takumi returned home and picked up the landline.
He called Ryosuke Takahashi.
"Hey, Ryosuke. It's Takumi.
I… want to join your team."
Still as blunt as ever.
But in that voice was something new—resolve.
He used to have Natsuki.
He used to have the AE86.
Now, all he had…
was the AE86.
Final Scene
Night.
The mountain pass at Akina lit up again—headlights piercing the dark.
An aerial shot of the AE86 gliding like a ghost along the mountain curves.
A continuous one-take shot.
Elegant, wild, and breathtaking.
Then—
A final song kicked in.
'Drift' – The second ending theme.
♪ I'm drifting in first person through my youth…
Victory and defeat measured down to the wire… ♪
The upbeat rhythm and lyrics suddenly swept away the heavy emotions in the hearts of every fan, including Li Zhifeng.
As the AE86 finished its solitary midnight run down Akina…
The song faded out.
And the final title card appeared:
'Initial D – The End'
Li Zhifeng let out a long sigh.
There was only one thought in his heart:
'Initial D' – Forever a Legend.
Viewership Stats
Average rating: 10.11%
Peak rating: 10.63% — boosted by the emotional weight of 'All the Way North' and 'Drift'
Inside Yunteng TV, the entire office—those who stayed late for the broadcast—erupted into cheers.