| Director | Andrew Lau, Zhaohui Mai |
|---|---|
| Genre | action film, teen film |
| Runtime | 108 min |
| Country | Hong Kong, People's Republic of China |
| Budget | $12 million |
| Box office | $10.8 million |
Takumi Fujiwara is a high school student who has been delivering tofu to the resorts in Mount Akina in his father Bunta's Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86. He also works part-time at a gas station where his friend Itsuki, the owner's son and a high school dropout, aspires to be a street racer. Natsuki Mogi, an attractive classmate, smiles as she walks by Takumi, but she is an escort, who has been secretly going on dates with a sugar daddy who drives a Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Street racers Takeshi Nakazato of the NightKids, who drives a Nissan Skyline GT-R VSpec II R32, and Ryosuke Takahashi of the RedSuns, who drives a Mazda Savanna RX-7 Type-R FC, talk about racing each other after they defeat the competition at Akina. When Takeshi visits the gas station to issue a challenge to the racing god of Mt. Akina, Itsuki (with Takumi riding along) arrives to defend that title, but in the ensuing race, Itsuki is embarrassed thoroughly and damages his Nissan Silvia. However, Takeshi is later beaten in an unofficial race by the AE86. Takeshi returns to the gas station to ask who owns the AE86. Yuichi asks Bunta if he has been racing again; he learns that Takumi has been driving the AE86 for the past five years and has been steadily improving his racing skills. Natsuki wants to go on a beach date with Takumi, so Bunta agrees to loan him the car and fill the gas tank provided that he wins the race at Akina.
Takumi defeats Takeshi in the downhill race in front of Ryosuke, Itsuki, and the other RedSuns and NightKids. Natsuki and Takumi enjoy a beach date. Takumi teaches Itsuki how to race a Trueno he has purchased. Halfway down the mountain, Seiji Iwaki of the Emperor Team in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV GSR, taunts them and angers Takumi to the point that he races and defeats Seiji, causing the latter to spin out and damage the side of his Evo.
Takumi discovers that Itsuki's car does not perform like his father's car, which Ryosuke tells him it has been custom-tuned and modified. Takumi agrees to race Ryosuke in three weeks, but on the way downhill, Emperor team leader Kyoichi Sudo in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III RS overtakes Takumi; in the ensuing race, the AE86's engine breaks down. Ryosuke tells Takumi that he will challenge Kyoichi, and offers to lend him one of his cars, but Takumi declines. Bunta tells Takumi that Natsuki is visiting her hometown for two weeks. Bunta and Yuichi have the AE86 outfitted with a new Twin Cam 20-valve SilverTop AE101 racing engine. Takumi struggles with the modified car well until Bunta shows him how to take advantage of its new mechanics.
After seeing Natsuki with the Mercedes driver coming from a love hotel, Itsuki tells Takumi that Natsuki is a prostitute, which angers Takumi and they fight. The afternoon before the race he thinks he sees Natsuki in the Mercedes at a railroad crossing but is unable to catch up to them. He later calls Natsuki, who tells him she is coming back tonight but is with the Mercedes driver whom she tells they cannot see each other anymore.
At the showdown, Ryosuke offers to team with Takumi on defeating Kyoichi, but Takumi declines. During the race, Ryosuke lets Kyoichi pass him and then follows closely. Ryosuke and Takumi use the gutter trick to overtake Kyoichi. Despite the warning messages of a driver going up the hill, Kyoichi's Evo III tries to overtake the two but is forced to swerve off the road from the oncoming car and flips off the cliffside, totaling his Evo III. Ryosuke overtakes Takumi at the five hairpin turns. Bunta explains to the watchers that the FC's tires are losing their grip and that it is up to Takumi to compete against himself and not his opponent. Takumi undertakes Ryosuke on the last hairpin turn to win the race.
Ryosuke offers Takumi to join his new racing team, but Takumi goes to see Natsuki. However, he sees the Mercedes driver drop off Natsuki with a hug. Takumi and Natsuki see each other but Takumi runs away, while Natsuki falls to the ground crying. Takumi tearfully drives away. Takumi calls Itsuki to apologize and then calls Ryosuke to accept his offer to join Ryosuke’s new expedition team (Project D).