I think it's great how they make it so Shinji is shown appropriately for a kid. He can drive really fast but doesn't know what to do when in a tricky situation and panics normally. Also he doesn't seem to care about winning as much as obeying his mother. Also looks like Takumi put on the plot armour again lol. Though in this case he has definitely practiced running this course the night before and also seen it multiple times through videos so he's not completely incapable of speeding up but still, copying Shinji's style seems pretty crazy since it's a grip run and Takumi does drift.

The author didn't know what to do after he basically made a smaller version of takumi. and maybe they mean copy shiji's line instead of his style? trying to rationalize it...it's at least better than that "zone" stuff, that one really makes me like, hmmmm???

Yeah, authors pulling this "copying" thing straight from his ass right now.

honestly in this race i dont really see Takumi being with plot armor i just think he was literally nurfed for the first 2 episodes to let Shinji show off and then finally gets awake and to do his usual flashy driving and win. I serenely think this whole race should have been no longer than 2 ep it feels draged out im starting to fall asleep while watching like Takumi was till that bump. That being said yea i like the part that Shingi is like a normal kid and is afraid when his well rhythm and concentration been broken by something that was unexpected like Takumi still keeping up with him after that hard corner where the kid was 100% sure he won and no one can keep up with him but honestly seeing past races i would have been seriously surprised even with out Mako explaining it to the stupid audience that the animation studio thinks is still watching if Takumi didn't make it like come on

*Shinji bumped into Takumi's 86*
Takumi - you have done it now

From bumping into Takumi to crying for his mom
Life went from 0 to 100 real quick for Shinji

yup that finally woke up Takimi seriously i had a feeling my man was sleep-driving for 2 episodes till now finally some action on his side :D

Not caring for his 86 and bumping into Takumi's 86 is the worst thing out there to annoy Takumi lol.

*Bumped into Takumi's 86*
SO YOU HAVE CHOSEN DEATH!!!

Takumi be like - wake up to reality and stop simping.
That kid really get on my nerves don't care about his father's car and get motivated to simp weeman Othe side
My boy takumi care and love his car care about tofu and start drive to help family business

Omg bruh I just checked on zoro and it’s crisp quality over there… idk why gogo has potato quality on this anime. Smh I feel so dumb bruh I basically watched the whole series in potato quality

Suck that bitch , now who's the one being pressured ? He insulted the mc and now the mc is going to pay him back . He doesn't even care much for the 86 .

ah, just skip to the last episode... this stage is stretched too long

It's ironic that this is the shortest Stage but it feels like the longest .

Man just one more episode and it's all gonna end i can't believe these past 2 months have been a great time for me because of Initial D :(

aaaaaaaa this ep i have a feeling this whole race was fine being no more than 2 ep this is starting to get annoying we just saw the scene at the corner i dont need it be explained to me like im some sort of an idiot right after ,,, that being said finally Takumi woke up he was apparently sleep driving before that observation corner :D

Yes, cry little wimp.
Here's comes the legend of Gunma region and the best downhiller out there in his form again.
Man just one more episode and it's all gonna end i can't believe these past 2 months have been a great time for me because of Initial D :(