A few Nissan Silvia S15s were harmed during filming.
While The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift may not be remembered as a cinematic masterpiece, the third installment of the long-lived series can be credited for shining a light on the world of drifting. While the motorsport had a great following in Japan, the 2006 film exposed people across the world to the smoke-filled activity.
When it comes to the sport, no one is as revered as Keiichi Tsuchiya. Affectionately known as the Drift King, the 66-year-old is credited with popularizing the lairy driving style, even serving as one of the inspirations behind the iconic Initial D anime series. He even had a cameo in Tokyo Drift as a fisherman.
Now he will turn his hand to yet another tribute to drifting, an upcoming movie called Alive Hoon. Scheduled for release this year, the film tells the story of a professional gamer who enters the action-packed world of real-life racing. Based on the trailer, it certainly looks exciting, with the precision driving overseen by Tsuchiya himself.
In the trailer and behind-the-scenes clip, we can see several Japanese performance icons. While Nissan Silvia S14s and GT-Rs of various vintages can be seen, the majority of the vehicles on screen are from Toyota. This comes as no surprise; The Japanese brand is reportedly the biggest sponsor of the upcoming movie. Aside from the stunning Chaser X100 and a legendary AE86, the brand's more modern performance offerings also get screen time.
A Toyota GR Supra and GR Yaris will both feature in the movie, albeit heavily modified versions that belong to Masato Kawabata and Daigo Saito respectively, two famous drifting professionals who did a lot of the stunt driving for Alive Hoon. From what we can see, this tribute is shaping up to be a must-see for fans of the motorsport.
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However, some scenes may prove difficult to watch. In the trailer alone, we count two S15 Silvias being absolutely destroyed.
While Tokyo Drift and the earlier F&F movies were a car lover's dream, critics and fans alike agree that the newer installments in the series have become exaggerated and over the top. But Alive Hoon looks like a return to the good old car movies of yesteryear.
Realistic stunts, incredible driving, and, most importantly, a host of truly tasty cars has us wanting to break out the popcorn in anticipation. However, there's just one problem. Slated for release in Japan on June 10, there's no news as to whether this exciting tribute to the world of drifting will make its way to American movie theaters, or receive an English dub. We certainly hope it does but until then, we're off to watch some more drifting videos online.
Keyword: New Drifting Movie Looks Like A Must-See For JDM Fanboys