"This story is fiction. All names of characters, places and organizations in the story are fictional. Follow the traffic rules and drive safely."
Ordered to help with the family business - his father's tofu shop - Takumi Fujiwara began delivering tofu by car in his first year of middle school. Initially he did not want to start driving. However, without realizing it, he began to acquire marvelous driving techniques from his daily runs. In his third year of high school, as he was coming down Akina after completing a delivery like he always did, Ryosuke Takashi of the Akagi Red Suns appeared before him.
After his unexpected battle debut at the cape, written challenges came to Takumi one after another. During the challenges, his meetings with the Red Suns Ryosuke Takahashi - who touted the "theory of the maximum speed on highways" and aimed to dominate Gunma - influenced Takumi's course greatly. When he graduated, Takumi decided to join the out-of-province visitation team "Project D" led by Ryosuke.
Project D's very first Kanto visitation stage was Tochigi. This battle's opponent is the Tochigi Seven Star Leaf's kamikaze downhiller, Toru Suetsugu/ Receiving Ryosouke's advice - that overcoming the coverless gutters is key to winning - the battle begins in a front-lead, rear-chase style.
Choosing the lead was right for me.
After all, having your rhythm broken while going downhill spells your end.
Using every last bit of my skill is more important than winning.
I can win this battle!
H–He’s right on me!
How?
I’m on a roll. This is my best race ever.
What the hell is going on?
His charge-in is amazing.
He knows everything about this course.
However,
the 86 is faster while he recovers from a corner and the next time he brakes.
He’s an extraordinary driver.
I can’t lose him!
I need to see how he drives from behind him.
What kind of driver is he?
I want to see how he tackles my home course,
how he does it differently.
I’ll make this go into a second round.
I need to see his technique!
I can see the line!
Bastard!
Aren’t you afraid of the uncovered gutters at all?!
Shit!
I won’t let you have it!
If I get ahead by at least a third, then I’ll have control!
I won’t give you the space!
I won’t let you pass!
What the hell?!
Impossible!
I haven’t given him enough room.
There’s no road there!
What is he driving on?!
He passed me!
Am I dreaming or something?!
What just happened?
Shit!
If an 86 can do it, then so can my car!
No! I can’t get back!
Atsurou Kawai feels intimidated by Keisuke, who's calm even though he's facing an opponent of unknown skill on a brand new course. Following Toru's advice of "protect your own pace," the hill climb battle begins.
Two!
One!
Go!
He’s pulling ahead on the straights.
His engine is powerful,
but the issue is how much of that power he can use.
I won’t use the same trick as Fujiwara.
I’ll leave the circus tricks to him.
I’m going to do things my own way.
I’m D’s ace!
The 34 isn’t light by any means, but it has the heart to pull it through.
The only thing it needs is power!
You don’t have to take control of the inside so much.
I don’t plan on going that way.
I already decided not to use the same method as him.
Pass me if you can, pretty boy.
Don’t get so cocky.
I know your weakness!
I have a greater ability to recover.
I can pull ahead faster on the straightaways.
I’ve got it!
I can break away from him in the first round!
That was some messed up cornering.
Your driving isn’t interesting in the least.
You just rely on power and mash the gas as much as you can, whenever you can.
It's not so simple to deal with the mountain pass.
But if you ask me, that kind of driving is weak.
Even an idiot can accelerate on a straight course.
I wasn’t trained by my theory-loving brother for nothing!
I’ll show you!
The real maximum speed theory learned directly from Ryosuke Takahashi!
Even if you stick to my ass in the corners, I can lose you as much as I want on the straights!
What?
What’s this?!
I told you that you were weak.
A straightaway’s top speed acceleration relies on how a driver recovers from a corner.
It’s cornering that emphasizes recovery.
The Todo School: a driving technique training class set up by former rally racer Todo to find and train a successor. The current best driver at Todo school, where even pros attend, is Daiku Ninojima. Daiku loses interest when he finds out his opponent is an 86 and chooses to take the rear in the front-lead, rear-chase. Takumi receives two pieces of advice from Ryosuke and starts.
Go!
Oh?
Does the Todo School even have someone who could drive at this level after spending only one night on the course?
And his car…
I don’t know how he tuned it,
but it can accelerate as quickly as the B16B engine, and on top of that, it corners well.
That’s no 86.
I need to break past him somewhere.
Everyone knows that an FR is faster than an FF in this class.
And this is the ultimate Type-R.
I can’t stay behind an 86 forever.
I’ll end this in one round no matter what!
I can tell that he’s stuck right on me without looking into my rearview.
I feel the pressure tingling painfully on my back,
but I can concentrate pretty well since I decided not to look behind me.
I screwed up.
I made a mistake by choosing to be the chaser in the first round.
It’s like I’m the one having a hard time here.
Okay, round two!
No one can keep up with my speed! I’ll end this right away!
He’s fast!
There’s no room. He’s right at the limit.
He’s faster than he was in the first round!
I’m frightened.
If I get off the accelerator, I’m done.
But it’d make this so much easier.
Another part of myself is telling me "Don't aim for it!"
I can’t lose him!
He’s sticking to this pace, even though it’s several levels faster than the first round’s!
Hell of a thing to do…
That was a big mistake.
I put unnecessary stress on my tires!
It’s not just my imagination.
His lead-in is getting slower.
His tires?
His tires are losing traction due to heat.
Right now, my tires are still intact.
I’ll break past this fast EK and end this!
What?!
Particular about FF cars, Sakai drives an aftermarket turbocharged integra. He's been given the nickname "Smiley" because he seems to smile when he's concentrating and tense. Sakai swears to avenge Daiki. The battle rages on, using tactics to screw up the FD's rhythm.
He’s fast.
So, an FF can get this much traction going uphill.
He’s fast!
Is he stupid?!
Combining the Integra Type-R with a turbocharger was the right way to go.
In addition to this car’s mobility, it adds enough torque to accelerate uphill.
Now, follow me.
The trap I set is already in motion.
I’ll show you the Todo School’s indecent side.
I’ll avenge Daiki.
He’s really driving hard.
I thought the locals here were pretty good, but I’m beginning to understand his rhythm.
He’s a good driver.
He’s got a hang of the line and timing,
but that’s going to cost him.
The open maw of a pitfall is waiting for you.
What?!
Son of a bitch, he got me!
He’s using my time lag between slowing down and boosting back up to his advantage.
He’s still green.
Feints using the brake lights are used every day at the Todo School.
A battle isn’t just about fairly competing with speed.
The Todo School’s tactics are for the mastery of disrupting the opponent’s rhythm.
Just remember that there are many different kinds of techniques for winning.
I won’t let you go!
I’ll definitely catch up!
Damn it!
I got caught in his rhythm and charged in too much!
Don’t go!
Not that way!
Come back!
Please, come back!
Yeah!
I got through!
W–What?
That was a double-layered trap;
muddling his rhythm with the brake light, and then forcing him to be impatient.
He recovered from that?
He’s catching up.
I can’t lose, for the sake of the Todo School’s reputation.
No matter what, I’ll reach the goal first!
Come on, B18C turbo!
Hell of a thing to happen.
Normally, this corner alone isn’t a problem,
but just having another car present while trying to control my racing line is killing my speed.
I never imagined a new, low-speed corner would be created just because of him.
Tomoyuki Tachi is a professional driver who got his start at the Todo School. When he hit a wall in his racing activities, Todo tells him "try street racing again." A rematch of the 86 - which now has a carbon fiber hood to make the car lighter - and the EK9, the Todo Shop's demo car, is about to begin.
Go!
The narrow, hard-to-predict road suddenly changes after this point.
The brand new second section that just underwent widening…
It looks pretty, but the surface is horrible.
The asphalt’s joints are bumpy and bounce the car.
He seems to have the power, but how long will the 86’s old suspension hold up?
Now we start the third section, a tight downhill.
I can’t play with you for too long.
I have to save face as a pro.
He’s passing me here?!
It’s uphill after this bridge.
If my car doesn’t have enough power, I won’t be able to keep up.
Come on, 86!
I’m counting on your heart!
What?!
I can't shake him. It's a little embarassing.
Adjusting the gear ratio to make the best
of the top-speed portion on this course to counter the FD, which gains speed on straights,
is working against me here.
My gear ratio isn’t suited for low-speed, uphill corners.
It’s hard to notice going downhill, but it shows on the uphill.
The gears on the 86 behind me are working together better.
But more importantly, since being overtaken, this 86 is more focused.
At this rate, there’ll never be any space for me to pass.
What do I do?!
I can do it if he can’t see me!
I’ll just have to try it!
Now!
He’s gone.
The 86 disappeared from my mirrors!
This isn’t the sound of my car.
Are you right there?!
What?!
He got me.
This is the first time I’ve been passed by a car I passed earlier.
But I won’t hold back anymore!
We’re headed to snake hairpin number 4.
I’ll teach you that old-school races had this kind of passing.
I didn’t bump you hard enough to spin you.
It’s just enough to break an opponent’s posture.
The goal is getting close.
That again?
Don’t be foolish!
Do you think you can drive through this pass in the dark?!
There’s nowhere to pass in this last section, though.
I’m going to win!
I won’t give up.
I’ll get it next time.
Finishing the battles in Tochigi, Project D completed their first step towards dominating Kanto. Still tired from the previous day's battle, Takumi delivers tofu as usual, but a set of headlights follow him. Without even knowing who the driver is, Takumi does his best to escape...
Someone’s following me.
He’s fast.
I don’t really feel like yielding.
Besides, we’re going downhill on Akina.
This guy’s amazing!
One hell of a driver’s come out of nowhere!
He may be the best I’ve seen on Akina.
I’ll just have to lose him with this trick.
I don’t believe it!
No way… I can’t even lift a finger against someone I can’t beat with braking.
Takumi takes Itsuki's turbocharged 85 out for the first time in a while, along with Iketani's S13. There, an S15 passes them both. A confident duo from Tokyo waited, and challenged them to a battle.
Okay.
I’ll get going too!
I trained at the circuit driving club. I won’t lose on the uphill or downhill.
It’s my first battle in a long time.
I’ve gotten confident in my technique all over again.
I really am fast.
I might be pretty cool.
Not good. You’re about to be passed, Iketani.
For real?
On the straightaway after this corner.
Idiots!
That’s all there is to it.
You can’t keep up with me!
I learned full braking at the circuit!
How about that?
A full-brake charge after maxing out my speed.
There’s no way they could keep up–
Cocky bastards! You’re just an S13!
You’re wrong if you think you can keep up with me!
The braking I trained for at the circuit is being defeated by a street racer?!
Impossible!
That’s not possible!
Um…
After taking a close look, the car behind us isn’t an S13–
Sorry! Don’t talk to me for a while.
I can’t concentrate.
You’re about to do “it,” aren’t you?
Yeah.
Now!
Here it comes, my ultimate skill:
Extreme Ultra Super Late Braking!
Not good!
We’re about to crash!
Keisuke - who came to inspect the next stage, the Saitama pass - happens to meet the local hill-climb ace, Kyoko Iwase. Without knowing who her opponent would be, Kyoko fell head over heels for Keisuke. On the day of the battle, Kyoko wavers after finding out that her opponent is Keisuke. With mixed feelings in her heart, a battle between FD's is about to begin.
We’re about to start!
Go!
She’s good.
She’s good, but why?
Is she good enough to give me a challenge?
Right now, I’m all that he’s thinking about.
That’s enough to make me happy.
Just watch, darling. This is who I am.
I’m surprised. She’s fast.
Let’s go, my 13B turbo! Roar!
No matter how you look at it, I’m the one having trouble accelerating.
She said she had a single turbine.
What does that mean?
I’ve never faced such delicate acceleration before.
This is amazing.
I feel sparks.
I feel his hot gaze burning into my back.
I want to keep driving like this forever.
The goal is already near.
If I can keep this up, we’ll go into a second round.
I see!
I got it, Bro!
The single turbine’s weakness!
How pathetic. Why didn’t I realize it sooner?
It’s really fast when it can drive smoothly.
The moment it’s disrupted is when it shows its fragility.
A single turbo setup is peaky!
She can’t hit her accelerator, and her boost level is low!
Now!
It’s time for the lag-less twin turbo to shine!
Don’t pass me!
I want to keep going!
I don’t want to end this!
Don’t go, darling!
His downhill opponent, Nobuhiko, was a cousin of his past opponent Wataru. Nobuhiko chose the rear to study the 86's driving in order to pass it along to the Saitama showdown's second round driver. On the other side, Takumi is advised by Ryosuke to stick with his opponent's pace until the first hairpin.
I’m aware that I won’t be able to keep up,
but I need to study this 86’s driving as much as possible.
Five seconds to go!
Four!
Three!
Two!
One!
Go!
Amazing. I mean, how risky.
What a charge.
I’ll put all five of my senses into overdrive.
I’ll make my body memorize it –
the essence of his superhuman speed and technique!
Saitama finals, round 2. Nobuhiko devised a plan to beat the 86 from his experience in his last race. It was a plan that used the greatest weapon in a downhill race: "lightness." Giving Sakamoto - a rally racer he'd been introduced to by Wataru - his final weapon, the "Cappucino," the final battle began in the rain.
Five seconds until we start!
Four!
Three!
Two!
One!
Go!
He’s fast.
He’s insanely fast!
What do I do?!
I’ve never been unable to enter a corner as fast as the car ahead of me.
The ratio between the contact of the tires and road, and the friction…
The lower the μ is, the more extreme it will be over or under.
It can be pulled off as long as the car is neutral.
There’s no such car in this world.
But, if you start by making an uncontrollable under-steer or over-steer…
That’s how I do it.
Four-wheel drifting is basic in rallies where you run rough roads.
During the straightaways in the second half, I can catch up some.
Meaning that, during straights, I’m faster.
This really is a first.
I’m winning in power but losing on corners.
I want to catch up and put pressure on him!
I know!
Is this Mr. Kyoichi’s technique?
I need to shorten this gap if I’m going to make it work!
I’ll catch up no matter what!
I’ll catch him no matter what!
He’s catching up?!
Damn it.
What the hell are you?!
He’s making me sick. He’s getting closer and closer!
When facing an opponent who can beat you at cornering, give up the fight at the corner.
Lower your speed. Get in a position to get at your acceleration timing quicker.
Increase the time you’re hitting the accelerator by as much as possible.
Isn’t he afraid of anything?
When you’re this close, the water spray cuts into your headlights.
It’s already hard enough to see through the rain at night.
Now he can’t even see a thing because of what my tires spray up!
He’s right behind me!
I’ll catch you!
I won’t let you lose me until I get my chance to counterattack!
No matter how close he may get, he won’t be able to pass me.
I just need to switch over to the plan that can’t lose!
This is it!
What?!
Don’t get cocky!
No!
I guess I can’t counter an opponent that’s better at cornering than I am.
No. One more time.
I’ll try again at one of these upcoming consecutive corners.
The next will be my last chance!
Go!
Idiot! He charged in too deep!
He dug his own grave!
I’m going to fall!
I’m safe.
I don’t know what happened, but it was incredibly lucky.
But because of that mistake, there’s a gap again.
Counters just aren’t going to work.
Then, if I don’t use a counterattack…
This upcoming flat straight is the worst place for me.
I can’t allow him to pass me here!
I’ll drag this into the second round!
This place has a straight right before the goal?
If I try, I’ll have a chance.
But something’s not right.
What do I do?
Do I go,
or do I let him be and take it into the second round?
What’s the right thing to do?!
Will he come from the right or the left?!
I can’t use this car’s little body in a situation like this.
Even if I stay in the middle of the road, there’s space on the left and the right.
I don’t really like this technique, but I won’t give you room to pass!
The left!
I won’t let you get in front of me!
I’ve got to save face!
So, you want to win that badly.
If that’s the way you want it…
He disappeared?!
The 86 disappeared from my mirrors!
His headlights were right behind me a moment ago!
What’s going on?!
What the hell?!
Wataru's 86 has been upgraded from it's old turbo tune to a supercharged one. Wataru believes that he can find victory in a prolonged battle, while Keisuke continues to master the acceleration techniques taught to him by Ryosuke. The battle continues in the rain.
Five seconds until we start!
Four!
Three!
Two!
One!
Go!
Once we get to the mid-low speed section,
he won’t be able to use all of his power no matter how much of it he’s got.
It’s a match between drivers!
The one with the stronger heart wins the street fight!
The time trials are going to be canceled in this rain anyway.
Prepare for it and go!
I’m impressed that he’s kept up.
Wet roads are hard to drive on with a high-power turbo car.
Despite being my enemy, I have to respect his skills.
We’re about to begin round 2!
Two!
Let’s do this second round!
One!
Yeah!
No wonder.
With his μ so low, he can’t even use half of his engine’s power.
I just need to be patient.
My chance will definitely come.
He’s right on my ass.
This car’s greatest merit is that it gains power by linearly coupling engine rotation.
As long as I hit the accelerator, it will give me stable power.
On a winding road with a low average speed, the supercharger is stronger than a turbo!
Go!
Damn it!
I won’t lose!
Little by little, the Levin’s starting to move funny.
I guess it’s time for me to make a move.
Not good.
I’m beginning to lose control.
I can’t see!
A mid-low speed left corner should be up ahead.
The last battle opponents remaining in the Saitama area risked money, believing that defeating Project D with their Evo V and Evo VI would be good advertisement for their shop. The two would do anything to win, and laid oil on the road during Project D's practice, putting the FD out of commission. Keisuke went into battle with an FD loaned to him by Kyoko.
Two!
One!
Go!
I’ll break away from him while he’s getting used to driving a new car.
That’s why I took the lead in the first round.
I’ll be taking the win here for sure.
This is a great car!
My darling really is special.
Don’t lose, darling!
A journalist wrote in a car magazine,
“For standard driving, the fastest car in the world is a LanEvo.”
There’s no place for an FD here.
The era of shaking your ass and playing around is over!
Get the hell out of here!
I’m not losing him.
Why not?
I don’t like it.
I’m in a LanEvo.
I’m scared out of my mind and hitting the accelerator around corners.
How can a guy who hasn’t even practiced keep up with me?!
Don’t drive so slow!
You’re going to make your LanEvo cry!
He takes an orthodox S-shaped line that expands to the center of the lane.
I’ll counter it by sticking tight to the inside.
It’s tight, but the LanEvo’s tail moves away slightly.
At the next left corner, I’ll increase my cornering speed by taking a wide course,
and then I’ll break past him on this course’s longest straight!
Idiot! Doesn’t he know?!
There’s a road construction barricade ahead of here, and the path gets smaller!
We can’t pass side by side!
Don’t get any closer!
I’m already out of space!
Dumbass!
What was that?
The LanEvo lost to the FD and must win the next race, so they put pressure on Takumi before the race. This time, Ryosuke intentionally does not give him advice, and lets him run free.
Five seconds until we start!
Four!
Three!
Two!
One!
Go!
Amazing!
He’s already right behind him!
My speed range is completely different than an 86’s!
I can keep up.
He isn’t bad, but I don’t feel like I’ll lose.
His braking isn’t any good.
His weakness is braking!
Too easy!
A little more.
If I get past one more,
there’s a section where I can take a big lead!
What the hell?!
My front tire isn’t gripping at all!
All right!
Damn it!
It’s oil!
We put it too close to the inside, and I slipped on what was left!
One more!
I just need to pass him one more time!
I can take back the win during the next power section with my abilities!
Just you watch!
This car has the max speed two-liter turbo!
It’s not going to lose to a weak 86!
Damn it!
I won’t–
He charged in with no brakes?!
Keisuke's FD had been repaired and increased it's capabilities. The stage moves to Ibaraki. The opponents are Purple Shadow. The master of acceleration techniques, God Foot Kozo Hoshino. Hoshino, wanting to race personally rather than leave the battle in the hands of the current drivers, proposes a complex stage. The advice given to Keisuke from Ryosuke is "give your opponent about a seven second margin at the turning point." With a type of advice he's never gotten before in his heart, the battle begins.
Three!
Two!
One!
Go!
Three.
Two.
One.
He’s pretty agile for having such a huge body.
Damn, he’s fast.
Should I really be giving such a fast opponent a seven second lead?!
If I can’t take it back on the downhill, that’s the end!
The content of the seven seconds is the problem.
Did he lose me?
No, I feel him.
He’s just ahead!
I see him!
So, he’s already come this far.
He’s better than I thought.
Now it’s time to play tag, to see if I can outrun him to the goal!
The battle starts now!
Goddamn it.
Half the tires’ widths are half worn!
This car’s heavy body is finally taking its toll!
Just one more.
I’ll charge in with everything I’ve got!
Son of a bitch!
So, I couldn’t do it…
Go!
That’s low, old man.
I already know that you’ve got good traction.
What’s the matter?!
Is that all you got?!
Is that all the rotary rocket’s power?!
No matter how many times you try to poke, I just need to keep you from passing.
If I keep ahead until the turnaround, then the battle’s mine.
I won’t lose going downhill!
Can’t be done.
You can’t pass me in a place like this!
So, that’s how it is.
I got a feel for it.
I’m almost at the summit.
I’m almost done climbing!
This battle’s mine!
What’s with this?!
I didn’t plan on doing any flashy driving,
but I can’t back down if my opponent’s putting up a fight.
This race is already beyond reason.
My tires…
Goddamn it… They’re expanding on their own!
Takumi's opponent is a one-hand steering master. Toshiya Joujima, who is known as God Hand. Joujima was interested by the fact that Takumi drives an 86 and feels a sense of affinity when he hears that it was what Takumi's father drove. Ryosuke sees a long race ahead and advises him to endure. Without really understanding the words "watch the course and try not to watch your opponent," the race starts with Takumi in the lead.
Three!
Two!
One!
Go!
This is tough.
I’ve had about enough of this.
I didn’t notice when I was leading, but his racing line’s different!
There are different ways to drive this course from what I considered the best line.
His timing for taking the inside is sooner or later than I would take it.
It differs from traditional theories.
Is this the right way to do it here?
If not, then there’s no explanation for his speed.
This time, too!
His line changes with every corner.
I don’t get it.
Is this the way he drives to get his times?
If this produces record times, then I don’t even know why we have racing lines!
We’re starting the seventh round!
This is no joking matter.
I’m having to drive like hell,
and he hasn’t even gone full speed!
My tires have about had it!
I don’t know what I should do.
It was worth dragging the race out this long.
Driving behind the 86 for so long now, I can tell.
I can win this smartly, utilizing the difference in our tires.
I don’t have a lot of wiggle room.
My tires have about had it, too,
but I will win smart.
That’s the way adults win.
There it is!
There’s nothing to be ashamed of.
It’s not that you’re unskilled at all.
Rather, considering the 86’s abilities, this was a miraculous fight you put up.
Now, I better run.
There’s no more need to save my tires.
Don’t be fooled by his tricks.
He’s trying to confuse your lines.
Don’t be fooled by his lines. Trust your own.
It couldn’t be!
I haven’t widened the gap at all.
This isn’t possible.
What is he doing?
He disappeared?!
Nonsense!
How was that possible?
After completing the battle with Purple Shadow, Takumi rode along with God Hand Jyojima at Ryosuke's request and acknowledged that there were many more problems he had to overcome. Project D has conquered Gunma, Tochigi, Saitama, and Ibaraki. As they move on toward the next stage to dominate Kansai, Project D's battles still continue...