Takumi Fujiwara vs Shingo Shoji

The gum tape deathmatch between Takumi Fujiwara and Shingo Shoji is the eighth battle of Initial D.

Prior to the Battle
Koichiro Iketani was driving in Akina in his recently repaired S13 when a red Honda Civic approached and bumped him, causing him to get ticked off and attempt outrun, only to get overtaken. Few nights later, after he took Iketani on a ride, the driver arrives to challenge Takumi Fujiwara.

Exclusively to the anime, Itsuki encounters the same red Honda civic, only to be wrecked during his date with Saori. In the hospital, Takumi vowed to accept the challenge to avenge him despite Iketani's dissuasion. In Legend 2, Takumi witnesses as Shingo bumps into Iketani. Shingo agrees to apologize if Takumi wins a gum tape deathmatch against him. Iketani and Kenji tries to stop Takumi, but Takumi was reluctant to hear their advice and agreed to enter the deathmatch as his hand got taped to the steering using gum tape by one of the NightKids member.

During the Battle
The battle starts with Shingo intentionally giving out Takumi the lead, hoping to see him crash first as he watched behind. As Takumi approached the first corner, he forgets about his handicap and tries to drift as normal, only to realize this mid-turn that his steering turning ability was restricted. Desperately he then tries to tilt the steering using both his arms, nearly missing out on hitting the guardrail. Shingo was frustrated that he was able to survive the attempt, but he still kept following Takumi, hoping to see him crash as he spectated. By this time, Iketani and Kenji was worried about Takumi crashing, and they decided to take the S13 to follow them, knowing well that while they can't keep up with them, they can provide aid by sending to the hospital if in case Takumi crashes. Meanwhile in the battle, Takumi was taking corners with his own safe pace, learning about the handicap while Shingo kept pressuring him by coming next to him, showing him that he can overtake whenever he wants, and flashes his headlights behind Takumi, insisting him to speed up and potentially crash. However as Takumi drove on, he suddenly got the hand of this technique and realized that he can drive faster by steering less, ie shifting the weight of the car. Shingo realized that Takumi was getting faster despite only racing in this technique moments ago, while he had to train for months. As they approached a hairpin turn, an oncoming car was approaching from the other side of the corner, Takumi flawlessly drifted on the driving lane side while barely scratching the guardrail. As they raced on, Shingo got more frustrated by seeing Takumi's proficiency in the gum tape deathmatch, Shingo intentionally bumps into Takumi's Eight-Six while approaching a corner, causing him to spin out while Shingo passes him. However Takumi quickly reacts and regains control of the Eight-Six after spinning a full 360 degree. Enraged on knowing very well that Shingo did it on purpose, Takumi decides to go full on to catch up with Shingo.

As they approached corners, Takumi bumped on the guardrails on purpose so that he can fishtail on the exiting direction faster. He even goes as far as to driving into an embankment area after exiting after exiting a corner at full speeds. Shingo realizing this goes on to defensive mode, desperately trying to keep his lead. By this time Iketani realized that Takumi is capable of winning as he made it through these much corners without crashing. Meanwhile as Takumi and Shingo approached a corner, Takumi speeds up to the inside of the corner, making Shingo nervous if he was gonna take revenge for bumping into him. As he approached closer, Shingo brakes hard out of fear, causing him to understeer a bit, giving Takumi space to overtake him in the corner by using the gutter technique. Shingo was totally caught off guard and was confused, wondering how he got passed. When realized that he won't get other another chance in passing, Shingo comes side by side to Takumi in a straight before one of the final corners, as he spoke to himself that he would win for his team unlike Nakazato, no matter what method he uses. As Shingo turns sharply to crash into the Eight-Six, Takumi dodges the attack instantly, causing Shingo to crash head-on into the guardrail and come to a halt.

After the Battle
Takumi drives off as usual, this time exiting the entrance corners even more recklessly as he was still angry. Meanwhile, Shingo gets out of his car and inspects the damage that occurred when he crashed and starts to sob when he realizes that a car was heading for him. Iketani and Kenji (and Itsuki in the manga and Legend 2) gets out of their to take Shingo to a hospital, which he declines but still insisted in taking him after learning his lesson.

The next day at early morning, Bunta calls Takumi angrily downstairs. Takumi with no memory of the battle, comes downstairs to hear Bunta yell angrily at him for scratching the Eight-Six. Takumi after looking at the car was surprised and asks who did this damage, only to be hit in the head by Bunta to remind him that Takumi himself did it. After suddenly getting memory, he explains to his father about the battle, to which he responds that if he still hits guardrails, he is still a beginner. After understanding that he won the battle, Bunta realized that Takumi was indeed growing, as Takumi kept looking at his Eight-Six.

First Stage

 * Don't Stand So Close - Dr. Love
 * Dancing Queen (S.K. Factory Remix) - King & Queen
 * I Need Your Love - Dave Simon
 * World Of Move - m.o.v.e
 * Rage your dream - m.o.v.e

Battle Stage

 * You're Gonna Be - Starlett

Ryosuke Takahashi's Fastest Typing-theory

 * I Need Your Love - Dave Simon

Special Stage

 * Don't Stand So Close - Dr. Love

Trivia

 * In the Manga and Legend 2, because the battle happened almost immediately after Shingo confronts the Akina SpeedStars and Takumi, there was no spectators around the course to witness the battle. In First Stage however, Shingo and his NightKids team made a huge announcement which got a huge amount of Spectators such as Yuichi, Keisuke, Ryosuke, and Nakazato themselves discussing about the battle.
 * In both First Stage and the manga, after Shingo crashes, only Kenji and Iketani (plus Itsuki in the manga) comes for help. In Legend 2, other members of the Akina SpeedStars also comes along with them.


 * Eight-Six Guardrail clip.png First Stage there was an animation error on a scene during the battle which accidentally shows Takumi's hand not being attached to the steering via duct tape. Not to mention another error in First Stage itself when during the scene when a traffic car comes in a corner, the Eight-Six slides in such a manner that the rear part of the car goes through the guardrail for a split moment.