Takumi Fujiwara vs Shingo Shoji

"How about ending this race... With a double crash?!"

- 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 Silvia when a red Honda Civic approached and bumped him, causing him to get ticked off and attempted to chase back, but failed to do so. Some days later, him and Takumi along with Kenji and Itsuki were at Akina for Iketani to observe Takumi driving his S13 so that he can learn from him. After a failed attempt to learn and nearly passing out after Takumi drifts his S13 down the corners, Iketani returns back to the top with Takumi, this time being conscious atleast. It was then they notice a red EG6 Civic along with some other cars approaching them. Iketani instantly recognizes the car which bumped him earlier. Shingo Shoji of the Myogi NightKids emerges from his Civic, who is immediately faced by an angry Iketani who demands an apology from him for nearly causing his crash. Shingo then taunts him that it was not his fault that Iketani was going this slow on corners that Shingo couldn't brake on time and bumped him because of it. However Shingo does state that if they want an apology from him, then the SpeedStars has to battle him downhill under his rule, and if they do win he will apologize. He then asks them to bring out the Eight-Six driver for the battle as he knew that he was the fastest on team. Shingo states that if they lose, they have to apologize to him. Hearing all this, Takumi gets angry and starts his Eight-Six. Iketani tries to persuade Takumi to not get jumped immediately on the battle as they don't know what kind of a driver he is, but Takumi wasn't listening. Iketani then asks Shingo what his 'rule' for the battle was, to which Shingo states that it was to duct tape the right hand to the steering wheel, which he called as the "Duct Tape Deathmatch". Iketani when realizing that the ability to steer a car properly is restricted by a lot, he once again tries to persuade Takumi out of the battle, but Takumi was determined to battle and win against Shingo, even if it kills him. As a Nightkids member duct tapes Takumi's right hand into the steering wheel, Iketani proves to Itsuki on how dangerous the Duct Tape Deathmatch in his car. After Itsuki realizes his wheels only moved by a bare fraction by using only one hand, Iketani tells him you have to corner by sliding and you can only change the direction of the momentum using the steering. Itsuki still believes that Takumi can pull it off, but Iketani then states about the advantages of having an FF (Front engine Front wheel drive) car such as the Civic and how its more advantageous in the duct tape match over an FR (Front engine Rear wheel drive) car like the AE86, which can oversteer easily and is more prone to spinning out. A NightKids member starts the countdown.

During the Battle
The battle starts with Shingo intentionally giving out Takumi the lead, hoping to see him crash in the first corner as he watches behind. Meanwhile the SpeedStars members remains worried, while the NightKids members bets that the Eight-Six won't even last a corner. As Takumi approaches the first corner, he doesn't properly account for his handicap and tries to drift as normal, only to realize mid-turn that he can't steer sharply enough to do so. On the verge of spinning out, he grabs his right hand with his left to force it further, barely missing the guardrail. Shingo is surprised and irritated that he was able to correct his mistake, but is still sure that Takumi won't hold out for much longer.

Back at the start line the NightKids members talk about how only a monster in an FR can truly win against a duct tape deathmatch challenge. Takumi, now more cautious, takes corners at a safer pace as he realizes the real trick to deal with such types of battles. Shingo gets irritated that Takumi is able to keep driving even with the handicap. As he boasts inside about his Civic's B-16A engine, Shingo pulls up next to him in a straightaway, showing him that he can overtake whenever he wants, then falling behind and flashing his headlights at Takumi, trying to pressure him into speeding up and potentially crashing. Meanwhile Iketani and Kenji get worried about Takumi crashing, and they decide to take the S13 to follow them, knowing well that while they can't keep up with them, they will be able to offer help sooner if Takumi crashes.

Meanwhile back in the battle, Takumi races on, he realizes that he can corner at higher speeds by steering less, and instead shifting the weight of the car to start the drift. It was this handicap which helped Takumi realize that taking corners without steering much is faster. Shingo gets more frustrated, seeing that Takumi is getting faster despite only racing under the ruleset for the first time, while he had trained for months. As they approach a hairpin turn, they notice the light cast by an oncoming car's headlights. Takumi performs a flawless four-wheel drift while staying in-lane. Seeing this shocked Shingo as it was one of the hardest tricks to do in a Duct Tape deathmatch, yet Takumi was able to pull it off in an FR car in just one single try. Starting to get even more frustrated at seeing Takumi's skill 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 degrees. Seeing this happen, Shingo states out of surprise and frustration that it was just pure luck that Takumi was able to regain control, and states that he's still gonna win this battle. Meanwhile in his Eight-Six, an enraged Takumi knowing very well that Shingo did it on purpose, he decides to go all out to catch up with Shingo no matter what the cost and states he is not gonna lose to a scum like him. In one of the following corners, Takumi exits a corner at exceeding speeds, resulting in him bumping off the guardrail on the exit, which was done on purpose so that he can fishtail on the exiting direction faster which results on the change of momentum. The Eight-Six drifting off that corner at high speeds drives onto an embankment area, running over it and exiting off, slowly catching up to his opponent. Takumi was the kind of racer who would drive faster the more angrier he got. This is not the same for many, and that's what made Takumi unique. Realizing this, Shingo goes on the defense, desperately trying to keep his lead. Shingo states on how his Civic is supposed to be the best in the class and the only was Takumi is supposed to keep up with his Civic in this challenge was if he tore off the duct tape from his hand. As Takumi and Shingo approach a corner, Takumi speeds up to the inside of the corner, making Shingo nervous he is going to take revenge for being bumped. As the two cars approach each other, 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 gets caught off guard and is confused, wondering how he got passed.

By this time, Iketani realizes that Takumi is capable of winning, as he made it through this many corners without crashing. He tells Itsuki to his side on how Takumi has a sixth sense, something he noticed when he was driving his S13. Takumi drives using his instincts and while Shingo may have the word for being one of the most bad-ass downhillers in Gunma, he is not prepared for what Takumi has him waiting. Back on their battle, when Shingo realized that he won't get another chance to pass the Eight-Six, he decides to use the upcoming straightaway to his advantage. As he says to himself that since he created the gum-tape deathmatch, losing the battle would mean he will become the laughing stock of the team and the best he can do is to create a draw match. As he comes next to the Eight-Six, Shingo swerves into the Eight-Six, hoping to crash the car. However as he is unleashing this attack, Takumi drifts and dodges out of the way, causing Shingo to miss and crash into the guardrail, spinning out and putting his car out of the race.

After the Battle
Takumi drives away downhill, still at fury. Meanwhile a saddened and hurt Shingo gets out of his car and inspects the damage that occurred when he crashed and pats his car. As he realized that a bunch of cars were heading for him, he wipes away his tears. Iketani, Itsuki and Kenji gets out of their car and goes near Shingo to investigate what happened. When realized he crashed and had broken his wrist, Iketani offers Shingo to take him to the hospital in his car, to which he declines and says calling an ambulance would be fine. Iketani and Kenji still persuades him to take their ride as its faster and they are the locals there, and Shingo accepts and states he will be in their debt. The next day before dawn, 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

New Initial D the Movie

 * Strobe - Clutcho

New Initial D the Movie Battle Digest

 * You Take Me To The Top - Jee Bee
 * Night of the Tiger - Mr. Music

Trivia

 * The situations leading to the battle are exclusive to all three cases:
 * In First Stage, Shingo Shoji comes to the gas station and asks the Speedstars to bring out the Eight-Six for the battle, but after they declinehe gets into an impromptu battle with Itsuki who was on his date with Saori, only for him to get bumped by Shingo and getting his car wrecked. In the hospital, Takumi vowed to accept the challenge to avenge him despite Iketani's dissuasion.
 * Due to this, Itsuki was not present during the battle, and Kenji was with Iketani in his car instead.
 * In Legend 2, Takumi witnesses as Shingo bumps into Iketani. The rest of the event leading to the battle is same as in the manga.
 * Due to this, Takumi 'training' Iketani in his S13 happened after the battle with Shingo in the Legend trilogy movie.
 * 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 (and Itsuki in the manga) comes for help. In Legend 2, other members of the Akina SpeedStars also comes along with them.
 * In 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.
 * In Legend 2, the scene where Takumi and Shingo passes an oncoming car on a corner was not shown. Also the scene when Takumi drives on the bank of a corner after aggressively exiting a corner was not shown either.
 * The First Stage version of this battle had Shingo screaming his iconic line "Dabaru Crashu Ikoze!" (Double crash here I go!) before he misses and crashes into the guardrail himself.