Chapter 018

Tak's Pride (拓海のプライド, Takumi no Puraido, "Takumi's Pride") is the eighteenth chapter of Initial D.

Plot
Nakazato asks Itsuki if he is a member of the SpeedStars, which causes him to fantasise about that being true. Nakazato assumes he's mistaken based on Itsuki's blank expression and goes to leave, but Itsuki stops him. Itsuki tells him that he's good friends with the Eight-Six driver, while also exaggerating his own importance. He says he can take the message, and Nakazato tells him that he'll be waiting for the Eight-Six on Akina at 10PM the next Saturday. Itsuki realises that he just accepted a challenge, but is unable to stop Nakazato before he leaves. He realises he has to convince Takumi to race, but he tells him that he isn't a racer, and so doesn't have to just accept a challenge.

Several days later, an annoyed Kenji shows up at the gas station asking why Iketani would accept a challenge from the NightKids without telling the others. Iketani is surprised as Kenji about the news, until Itsuki breaks down and confesses to accepting the challenge.

Later, Iketani and Kenji talk with each other at a diner. They wonder if Takumi could win against a GT-R.

Nakazato practices on Akina, and the other racers on the mountain talk about the upcoming battle.

Before his deliveries, Takumi asks Bunta if he'd be able to beat a GT-R on the downhill, and Bunta tells him he could beat any car on the downhill. Takumi then asks if he would be able to do it, and Bunta is unsure. Takumi goes off on his deliveries, and Bunta thinks to himself that he'll need to make some adjustments to the Eight-Six.

On Akina, Keisuke waits for Takumi in the middle of the road. He asks Takumi about the race with Nakazato, and Takumi tells him that he didn't accept the challenge, and doesnt want to race.

Japan

 * November 20th 1995 (Weekly Young Magazine, 1995 Volume 48)
 * February 3rd 1996 (Tankōbon, Volume 02)

Chinese

 * February 1st 1998 (Tankōbon, Volume 02, Sharp Point Press)

English

 * July 16th 2002 (Tankōbon, Volume 02, Tokyopop)
 * April 17th 2019 (Digital re-release, Volume 02, Kodansha USA)

French

 * March 26th 2009 (Tankōbon, Volume 02, Kazé)

Italian

 * March 28th 2023 (Tankōbon 2-in-1, Volume 01, J-Pop)

Polish

 * December 2022 (Tankōbon 2-in-1, Volume 01, J. P. Fantastica)

Characters (in order of appearance)

 * Ryosuke Takahashi (Cover only)
 * Itsuki Takeuchi
 * Takeshi Nakazato
 * Takumi Fujiwara
 * Kenji
 * Koichiro Iketani
 * Bunta Fujiwara
 * Keisuke Takahashi

Cars (in order of appearance)

 * Mazda SAVANNA RX-7 Infini III (FC3S) (Cover only)
 * Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II (BNR32)
 * Nissan 180SX Type II (RPS13)
 * Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX (AE86)
 * Mazda ɛ̃fini RX-7 Type R (FD3S)

Tokyopop/Kodansha USA version

 * Ryosuke's height on the cover page is changed to 182.9cm, while it is 183cm in the original
 * Ryosuke's weight on the cover page is changed to 65KG, while it is 64KG in the original