The Initial D manga and anime are often cited as the catalyst for the development of professional drifting competition in the US, and stretches further into fashion and car culture, with the demand for the vehicles featured in the manga outstripping available supply. Tsuchiya, known as Japan’s “Drift King” and the star of many drifting videos that became a staple of US online car culture in the early to mid-2000s, was also a racing driver in his own right, racing (and drifting) everything from touring cars, open-wheel formula cars, prototypes and even participated in NASCAR exhibition races held in Japan in the 1990s before formally retiring from professional competition in the mid-2000s.
Tsuchiya has been cited as the inspiration for the Initial D manga, which now spans multiple anime TV series, live-action and animated feature films.
The ad campaign centers on Initial D protagonist Takumi Fujiwara driving the venerable AE86 against highly regarded Japanese motorsports personality Keiichi Tsuchiya driving the new GR86.