Ask John: What Does Initial D Stand For?

Question:
I wanted to know what does “Initial D” mean in the manga/anime “Initial D”?

Answer:
On a car’s transmission, the initial “D” stands for “Drive.”

A number of anime and manga fans argue that the “D” in Initial D stands for “drift,” a car racing technique used extensively in Initial D. However, apparently there is no official statement from series creator Shuichi Shigeno clarifying exactly what the “D” stands for, so logic seems to suggest that the “D” represents the actual automotive initial “D” for “Drive” rather than the more abstract “drift.”