This story is fiction. The names of people, places and groups are imaginary. Obey traffic rules and drive safely.
Initial
Raise up your hands high.
(Everybody now raise your hands)
Take hold, there's a brand new tomorrow.
(You don't stop)
It's a beautiful eternal dream...
...where you learn about yourself.
(Let's go)
Oh
Oh (Let's go)
Oh, raise up your hands now.
If you think you're lucky just to be alive go for the highest stake in the gamble.
Same mission creates similar lives.
But your passion for your dream will make a difference.
You can never use the escalator.
But you can build up your strength, yeah yeah.
You must eventually climb the stairs.
Customize them the way you like.
Intense days go by.
Intense days go by. (But you know?)
Just laugh it off, 'cause it's a game worth competing.
Let's see how fast you can do it.
Raise up your hands forever.
(Everybody now raise your hands up)
Run, sleepless challenger.
(You don't stop)
It's a quest of the never-ending dream...
...where you now search for the reason to live.
(Let's go)
Oh
Oh (Let's go)
Oh, raise up your hands now.
This is reality.
The pace has definitely increased.
Can't I become childish enough ?
Can't I push myself recklessly ?
Trying not to make any mistakes while conserving my tires...
Is that kind of calculating making me drive like an old man ?
Ridiculous.
I race with the faith that I'm the fastest out there.
He hit the guard rail !
What's happening ?
A real racing driver is seriously attacking an amateur Eight-Six driver !
What the hell ? That's impossible.
Cleared the corner !
Pros are amazing, after all. That was my limit.
I couldn't have turned any faster.
So a traditional racing strategy puts me at a disadvantage.
Fujiwara is being pushed hard.
The final stage is near.
I've got to become childish in order to win this battle.
Fujiwara Zone
Hey, Fujiwara, how much longer are you going to make your son play such a meaningless game ?
Look who's talking.
You used to be a wild street racer when you were young.
Times have changed.
It's meaningless unless you drive on the circuit.
No matter how much practice he gains in mountain passes, he won't advance past a certain level.
Your son is talented.
I'm telling you this because I don't want you to waste it.
This is tough. I feel like he's cornered.
No, he's grown a lot more than you realize, Fumihiro.
Is that so ?
Since he's the leader, our strategy is to finish the race on the first run.
I already gave detailed instructions to Fujiwara yesterday.
The actual trick lies ahead.
There's no way he's lost his concentration yet.
I don't understand what you mean by growing out of the mountain passes or not.
Then I can affirm to you that my son will definitely win this time.
Let me tell you, nothing can be that certain in a competition.
Ryosuke's prediction was dead on.
I've got to focus.
It's risky, but I've gotta try this.
His unlimited vehicle control skills are the best part of the Fujiwara Zone.
When he drives the Eight-Six, he creates a situation that even a pro can't surpass.
That's the idea behind our trap, but I'm sure our opponent has already figured it out.
Do you mean our strategy will fail ?
No, it doesn't.
Do you think a pro would run away from a clash of skills ?
His pride will make him face the challenge head on.
At the very least, today's opponent is that type.
I approved this strategy because I thought an honest and fair person...
...who chooses their position with a coin toss, will knowingly fall into our trap.
On top of that, they're racing in a mountain pass.
My son is a master of it.
The goal is close.
It's going to be an over-the-limit braking match at the entrance of the next corner.
This is what mountain pass racing is all about.
If you can clear the corner at that speed, I should be able to, as well.
I'll take your challenge !
The combined performance of Fujiwara and the Eight-Six...
...can make them clear a corner at a speed that pros would think impossible.
Such things happen in reality.
It's all part of the Fujiwara Zone.
Same speed, same line...
Plus, my car's MR layout has a higher limit than an FR's !
This can't be happening !
I lost.
Anything I say will sound like an excuse.
My car's got a mid-engine and rear wing.
I thought I couldn't lose during full braking.
Pros are trained to control the car a half step before such a situation occurs.
But you kept controlling your car until the end, while I chickened out.
The spin was caused by me backing away. That's what I regret the most.
If I had kept going, I don't know whether I would have cleared the corner or hit a tree.
My fighting spirit was defeated by the fear of going off the course.
At the same time, I was defeated by you.
I was going to invite you to the world of circuit racing...
...but I've changed my mind after racing you.
Your peculiar driving sense won't have much use in my world.
I just feel like it'd be a waste.
Be the best in your field. You'll become one of a kind.
That's my advice to you.
Thank you.
Oh, hold on. A victory report has come.
Hello, it's me.
What the...?! That's impossible !
So Takumi won, huh ?
It couldn't have happened, dammit !
It's only a game of playing tag in a mountain pass.
I don't need your comforting words ! You can't understand my frustration !
I'm Minagawa.
I'm Takahashi Keisuke.
I've heard that you're fast, with consecutive wins against 4WD cars.
If you can shake me off, you are indeed something.
Let me see your proud sprint dash.
Are you telling me to be the lead ?
Alright, but do you think you can keep up with me ?
Shut the hell up.
Listen, Kenta...
Yes ?
This battle has a special meaning to me.
Do you understand ?
I do.
Watch me. I'll win no matter what.
I wonder how Takumi's race went.
He should give us a call.
He's dense when it comes to things like this.
He doesn't understand our concern.
Yeah, but it's pointless to get frustrated.
Not just Takumi, but Takahashi Keisuke's also going up against a pro racer, right ?
Right. Neither Takumi nor Takahashi Keisuke can let their guard down.
Geez, I'm so pumped up !
Five seconds till start !
Three...
Two...
One...
Go !
Why do I feel so irritated, or is it more like vicious ?
I want a complete victory over you.
I know what Keisuke means by special.
It's because his opponent today is a pro.
He's trying to test his skills against a pro.
No matter how many amateur 4WD drivers you've defeated...
...amateurs can't use the full potential of their cars.
If I dash when the tires are in their best condition...
...I should be able to overtake you even with my heavy 80 Supra.
The battle between rear-wheel-drive cars boils down to the game of conserving the rear tires.
You can't attain real tire management skills unless you take part in professional racing.
You'll wear out your rear tires by trying too hard in the first run.
Then the proud speed brat of the mountain passes will be finished.
Hey, do you remember...
...the second round of the battle against the Todo School in Tochigi ?
In that complex stage of uphill and downhill...
...everyone thought you'd choose Keisuke's FD against the racing driver, Tachi Tomoyuki.
But you chose Fujiwara's Eight-Six.
Your explanation was so sensational that I couldn't forget.
You said you're using two approaches in your pursuit of the fastest record in street racing.
That's why there are two drivers in Project D.
Oh, that. I amazed you remember that.
Of course I did. It sounded so meaningful.
Fujiwara is a peculiar type, who specializes in mountain passes.
And I think he's become exactly as you described.
On the other hand, Keisuke is a traditional type, who adapts racing techniques to the street.
You chose Fujiwara because we wouldn't have stood a chance against a pro in a clash of traditional skills.
I did say that.
Then what'll happen during today's battle ?
Today's opponent has top level traditional skills.
The Eight-Six kid won the downhill battle, but I wonder how the hill climb round will develop.
This time I want to hear your prediction, Hojo.
Minagawa is a proud person, so he doesn't think he can lose to an amateur.
But the younger Takahashi is a better driver than Minagawa thinks.
He's well trained, especially his acceleration work.
That's why that FD's been undefeated so far.
I see.
Plus, he's backed by Ryosuke.
I don't think he'd send his brother into a race without a strategy.
I feel the same way.
This battle will be tangled up. It's a big mistake to think Minagawa will win easily.
Whose side are you on, Hojo ?
What happened between you and our opponent's leader in the past ?
There's nothing important between Ryosuke and I.
It's my older brother who has a bitter connection to Ryosuke.
The driver who's nicknamed the Grim Reaper ?
The FD is the lead ? Minagawa must have chosen to be the chaser.
Their positions in the first round will be the key to the outcome of this race.
As expected, he's got more horsepower.
But that doesn't mean much in this battle.
Both of us are well aware of that.
Indeed, our opponent is a top-class traditional driver.
With competition-trained skills, he won't show any weakness.
The sense of shaving time off, mental ease at the limit, and stamina...
None of them can be attained by street racers.
It'd be the right strategy for us to throw a change-up, instead of a fast ball...
...but we don't have that kind of choice with Keisuke.
But I've sent Keisuke out with confidence...
...because Keisuke has grown.
Special menu ? Like a boot camp ?
Right.
It will be extremely difficult to continue defeating powerful 4WD cars with your rear-wheel-drive FD3S.
The key is how effectively you use the rear tires.
This training is for that.
Just five round trips a day should be fine.
Try to match the times I've set for the ten laps of uphill and downhill driving.
Write every time down in this notebook, and show it to me every day.
If there's a noticeable gap between my preset time and your actual time, try to figure out why, and report in detail.
That's all.
Fine by me, but these times are quite a bit slower than Akagi's best record.
Don't you think this is too easy ?
I didn't say you have to surpass those times. It's not good to be faster or slower.
What ?
Whether it's uphill or downhill, in rain, or behind a slower car...
...you must aim for one fixed time.
If you think it's easy, you're seriously mistaken.
You'll know how hard it is soon enough.
If you're frustrated that you weren't chosen for the race against Tachi Tomoyuki in Tochigi...
...complete this menu every day until fall.
That's an absolute necessity for you to continue winning until the Kanagawa races.
I see. I didn't know Keisuke had to put in that kind of training.
So the second race against Todo School must have made you do that.
But what's the meaning behind the special training ?
That training was slightly modified for Keisuke...
...but it's basically the same menu I used when I was younger.
The same menu ?
If you drive blindly at full throttle, you'll only put stress on the car, and your skills won't improve.
Drive at the limit over and over, and your times will eventually even out.
It's more difficult to get a set time while holding back, because your times can easily be faster or slower.
Just flooring the gas pedal won't work.
You must learn the technique of controlling the throttle precisely.
That's not all.
In rain, you have to be creative in setting the pace for the constantly-changing friction coefficient of the surface.
It's difficult to cope with the situation when you get stuck behind a slow car.
Suppose you lost 4 seconds until the overtake point, you must recover exactly 4 seconds.
And you do that with the internal clock in your body, instead of relying on a stopwatch.
Is that possible ?
Not right away, but you'll be able to, depending on how you train yourself.
That's the traditional way of driving practice.
You attain an abundance of information through repetitious simple training.
And then your internal sensor will become sensitive to time.
I've gotta control the gas pedal depression in a number of small steps.
It's much harder to control your desired speed than to try to drive as fast as possible.
The great thing about Keisuke is that once he sets his mind to it, he'll finish a task without any compromise.
He drives every day, except for Project D's race days.
Every day ?!
As the gap between the desired and actual times narrowed...
...he began to understand what made his time too fast or too slow.
The daily report made him create a habit of analyzing things rationally...
...which added a logical foundation to his intuitive driving style.
He must be aware of an unexpected side effect of the training, as well.
Brother told me the special training was for my accelerator work.
But that's not exactly true.
There's something else I need, in order to continue winning in this tough Kanagawa area.
Watch me, Brother. I've come to realize what it is.
Remember our first battle in Kanagawa, Fumihiro ?
The Lan Evo of Team 246 ? Keisuke accelerated in the mid-section and won.
His tire management in the second half was splendid...
...but I'm more interested in his refined acceleration when needed.
Speed is what I meant by a side effect.
Tire management skills specialized for mountain passes, and sense of time...
The real reason I made Keisuke train that way was to make him attain those two skills at a high level.
Strangely enough, the menu was designed to slow him down...
...but it helped him drive a lot faster in the end.
And today's strategy is to make the best use of that side effect.
In other words, Keisuke will engage in a head to head fight against a racing driver in a sprint battle ?
I won't let Fujiwara steal the show.
I'll build the legend of Project D, the best of the Kanto area.
Not too shabby.
He's trying to catch me off guard by altering the throttle opening at the exit of every corner.
Opening the throttle randomly between 85-90%, he's gauging vehicle distance to decide when to accelerate.
I didn't expect him to pull off such a trick. He's much better than I thought.
The first half of the hill climb battle is almost over.
What did you think of our opponent this time around ?
What's your actual impression ?
When it comes to speed, race car drivers are really fast.
In my race, I was able to pull away once.
I put on a spurt at 100%, believing that I must outrun my opponent from there...
...but I was caught, and felt pressured.
I panic when I lose in speed at a critical moment.
I understand that.
But Keisuke is different from me.
How do I put it...?
Keisuke has an aura....
...which makes me glad that he's on my side, because I don't want to race against him.
There are many fast drivers, but I believe it'd be tough to fight Keisuke.
It's begun.
I'm counting on you, Keisuke.
Without two genius drivers on my team, it'll be impossible to sweep all the races in Kanagawa.
And Project D won't be complete.
Fujiwara Takumi: Takahashi Ryosuke: Takahashi Keisuke: Kogashiwa Kai: Fujiwara Bunta: Kogashiwa Ken: Minagawa Hideo: Kubo Eiji: Hojo Gou:
Miki Shinichiro Koyasu Takehito Seki Tomokazu Kanna Nobutoshi Ishizuka Unsho Arimoto Tetsuya Konishi Katsuyuki Kase Yasuyuki Kiuchi Hidenobu
Iketani Koichiro: Kenji: Takeuchi Itsuki: Matsumoto: Fumihiro: Kenta:
Yao Kazuki Takagi Wataru Iwata Mitsuo Nishi Ryotaro Hosoi Hajime Okano Kosuke
Following the brake light of the front car.
A shimmering light up ahead in the dark street.
It's the silence like a silent film.
A Central Anime Production Translation: Hiro-kun Timing: Todd Perkins Editing: Lillian-Hime Barbara Todd Perkins Brain Dave Mouse Steve S.
The light was all I could depend on.
I felt like I could catch it...
...if I passed through this tree-lined street.
Get up! I just can't understand.
I couldn't find what I'd been looking for.
Yeah, it starts at this moment.
At this place.
Please turn over the flyleaf.
I lost my way.
Fogged up windows, and...
...messed up navigation.
As the stoplight turns red...
...a light in the side mirror blinds my eyes.
I gradually close the window...
...to stop the cold wind from blowing in.
Get up! I just can't understand.
We must choose one of the paths that lie ahead.
Yeah, it starts at this moment.
Because you're with me.
Please turn over the flyleaf.