Chapter 039

Ry Takahashi, The White Comet (白い彗星!!高橋涼介始動, Shiroi Suisei!! Takahashi Ryōsuke Shidō, "The White Comet!! Ryosuke Takahashi starts") is the thirty-ninth chapter of Initial D.

Plot
Iketani asks why Takumi is interested in rotary engines, and he tells him that it was because Ryosuke Takahashi had tailed him during his battle with Nakazato. Iketani tells him and Itsuki about Ryosuke's days as the White Comet and how he founded the RedSuns. Takumi says that if Ryosuke challenged him, he'd accept, much to the shock of the others.

At a café, Keisuke tells Fumihiro that Ryosuke has gotten an offer from a professional racing team. Fumihiro wonders what will happen to the RedSuns, but is surprised to hear that Ryosuke intends to turn the offer down

At an autoshop, Ryosuke declines the offer, shocking the owner. Ryosuke explains that he races for the thrill of the street, not so he can become a professional.

Ryosuke drives to pick up his younger cousin Tsugumi from school. On the car ride, Tsugumi tells him that she's not doing well in her summer classes and that she isn't smart like he is. She says that he had always known he wanted to be a doctor since he was little, to which Ryosuke says that he had to live up to his father's expectations as the eldest son. He tells her that he doesn't know if he wants to be a doctor, or if he'd even be a good doctor. She reassures him, telling him that she thinks he'll be amazing.

Several days later at the gas station, a bouquet of flowers is delivered, addressed to the panda Trueno. The card attached contains a challenge from Ryosuke, inviting him to race him that Saturday at 10PM on Akina.

Elsewhere, Ryosuke shows Keisuke the upgrades he's made to his car. Keisuke asks how much horsepower the car has been tweaked to.

Japan

 * April 29th 1996 (Weekly Young Magazine, 1996 Volume 19)
 * August 6th 1996 (Tankōbon, Volume 04)

Chinese

 * April 1st 1998 (Tankōbon, Volume 04, Sharp Point Press)

English

 * October 22nd 2002 (Tankōbon, Volume 04, Tokyopop)
 * April 17th 2019 (Digital re-release, Volume 04, Kodansha USA)

French

 * August 27th 2009 (Tankōbon, Volume 04, Kazé)

Italian

 * March 28th 2023 (Tankōbon 2-in-1, Volume 02, J-Pop)

Polish

 * April 2023 (Tankōbon 2-in-1, Volume 02, J. P. Fantastica)

Characters (in order of appearance)

 * Koichiro Iketani
 * Itsuki Takeuchi
 * Takumi Fujiwara
 * Fumihiro
 * Keisuke Takahashi
 * Ryosuke Takahashi
 * Tsugumi
 * Yuichi Tachibana

Cars (in order of appearance)

 * Mazda SAVANNA RX-7 Infini III (FC3S)

Tokyopop/Kodansha USA version

 * Gymkhana is translated as "Jim Carner".

J-Pop version

 * The title of this version mentions Keisuke Takahashi, instead of Ryosuke.

Notes & Trivia

 * When Ryosuke picks Tsugumi up from school, his FC has 6 spoke wheels, instead of the usual 5 spoke, which are seen at the end of the chapter.