Toyota creates Manga-inspired GT86 Initial D concept
Inspired by the Initial D Japanese manga comic series, Toyota’s new GT86 project re-imagines the world-famous AE86 Corolla for a new generation. Initial D was a cult Japanese manga comic series in which the young hero, Takumi Fujiwara, famously drove a modified AE86, honing his driving skills on mountain roads while moonlighting as delivery driver for his father’s tofu shop. The car emerged as a star in its own right, influencing the emerging drifting scene and inspiring a live action movie and various arcade games.
To emphasise the concept’s roots in pop culture, Toyota commissioned UK-based manga artist Sonia Leong to design a series of backdrops that effectively put the real GT86 into comic strip action scenes.