Chapter 053

Where Racers Fear to Tread (池谷 純愛まっしぐら, Iketani Junai Masshigura, "Iketani's pure love") is the fifty-third chapter of Initial D.

Plot
Kenji explains to Takumi and Itsuki that a SilEighty is a 180SX with the front end of an S13 Silvia. He says that he's never seen one, and the gas station attendant tells them they should be able to see it if they go out tonight. He also tells them that the driver is a woman, much to their shock.

On their date, Mako asks Iketani if he's on a racing team. He tells her about the SpeedStars, and about Takumi.

Kenji and the others decide to head to Usui with Iketani after his date, in order to see the SilEighty. Itsuki asks Takumi how he felt about Usui, but he says he wouldn't know without driving the course. Itsuki tells him that he looked really intense while they were riding down the pass, as though he was mapping it in his head, which Takumi is surprised to hear.

Iketani brags to Mako about having mastered drifting, and offers to show her his technique on the downhill.

After their date, Iketani asks Mako if she's seeing anyone. She tells him that she's single, and that he can ask her on another date anytime.

Iketani meets up with the others, and tells them how well his date went.

Japan

 * August 19th 1996 (Weekly Young Magazine, 1996 Volume 35)
 * December 6th 1996 (Tankōbon, Volume 05)

Chinese

 * May 1st 1998 (Tankōbon, Volume 05, Sharp Point Press)

English

 * April 15th 2003 (Tankōbon, Volume 05, Tokyopop)
 * April 17th 2019 (Digital re-release, Volume 05, Kodansha USA)

French

 * October 8th 2009 (Tankōbon, Volume 05, Kazé)

Italian

 * June 27th 2023 (Tankōbon 2-in-1, Volume 03, J-Pop)

Polish

 * July 2023 (Tankōbon 2-in-1, Volume 03, J. P. Fantastica)

Characters (in order of appearance)

 * Takumi Fujiwara
 * Itsuki Takeuchi
 * Kenji
 * Mako Sato
 * Koichiro Iketani

Cars (in order of appearance)

 * Nissan Silvia K's (S13)
 * Nissan 180SX Type II (RPS13)
 * Nissan SilEighty (RPS13)