Plot
In Oro Valley, Arizona, high school troublemaker Sean Boswell races classmate Clay in their respective cars, a 1971 Chevy Monte Carlo and a 2003 Dodge Viper SRT-10, where they end up ramming each other with Clay crashing his Viper into a cylinder pipe and Sean winning the race and wrecking his Monte Carlo. While Clay's family wealth helps him escape punishment, Sean is sent to live with his father, a U.S. Navy lieutenant stationed in Tokyo, to avoid jail time, as he is a repeat offender.
Sean befriends military brat Twinkie, who introduces him to drift racing. Driving to an underground car meet in Twinkie's 2005 Hulk-themed Volkswagen Touran, Sean gets into a confrontation with Takashi, the "Drift King" (DK), over Takashi's girlfriend Neela. Sean agrees to race Takashi's Nissan 350Z in a Nissan Silvia S15 lent to him by retired drift racer Han Lue, only to lose and severely damage the Silvia due to his unfamiliarity with drifting. To repay the debt, Sean agrees to work for Han.
Han begins teaching drifting to Sean, whom he mentions as the only person ever to stand up to Takashi, due to his uncle, Kamata, being a member of the yakuza. Sean masters the art, practicing in a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII, and gains further respect after defeating Takashi's lieutenant, Morimoto. Han and Sean become friends.
Sean eventually asks Neela out on a date; Neela explains that after her mother died, she moved in with Takashi's grandmother. An irate Takashi assaults Sean the next day, telling him to stay away from Neela. Neela leaves Takashi and moves in with Sean and Han.
After Kamata reprimands Takashi for allowing Han to steal from him, Takashi and Morimoto confront Han, Sean, and Neela. Takashi threatens Han with a gun, and Han, Sean and Neela flee after Twinkie creates a distraction. Takashi and Morimoto pursue the trio, with Morimoto crashing and dying, and Han buying Sean and Neela time to escape. The chase ends when Sean and Neela's Evo crashes, while Han's 1994 Mazda RX-7 Veilside is T-boned by a 1992 Mercedes-Benz W140 and then explodes, supposedly killing Han. Takashi later draws a gun on Sean, but his father draws on Takashi; the standoff ends when Neela agrees to leave with Takashi. Sean and his father make amends, while Twinkie gives money to Sean to compensate Kamata for the stolen funds. Sean delivers the cash to Kamata and challenges Takashi to a drift, with the loser leaving Tokyo. Kamata agrees, with Takashi's condition they downhill-drift a mountain pass that only he has descended successfully. Sean and Han's crew restore a 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback that Sean's father recovered and tune it to drift specifications, making use of the engine and other components from the wrecked S15.
On the mountain, Takashi initially leads, but Sean's practice and training allow him to catch up. Desperate, Takashi rams Sean repeatedly. On one of these attempts, Sean slows dramatically, causing Takashi to miss and crash off a cliff, narrowly missing Sean as he reached the finish line. Kamata honors his word, and Sean, dubbed the new Drift King, remains in Tokyo. Neela, Twinkie, and Sean, now driving an Nissan Silvia S15 Spec-R, enjoy themselves at a car meet when Dominic Toretto arrives in a 1970 Plymouth Road Runner to challenge Sean to a race. Sean is initially hesitant, but accepts after Dom proclaims Han was family.
