Keisuke Takahashi (高橋 啓介 Takahashi Keisuke, known as K.T. in the Tokyopop version) is the secondary protagonist of Initial D and a member of both the Akagi RedSuns and Project D. He is the driver of the Mazda ɛ̃fini RX-7 Type R FD3S. Originally a bōsōzoku gang member, he was recruited in the RedSuns by his brother Ryosuke to partake in his plan to take over the underground street racing scene around Japan. Alongside Ryosuke, they are known as the Rotary Brothers.
Unlike his older brother's calm demeanor, Keisuke was a hot-headed individual, he was known for driving with his emotions and his dislike for losing made him very arrogant. His pride was shattered when he encountered the mysterious AE86 during a practice trial on Mount Akina. Unwilling to accept this loss, he continually traveled to Akina to encounter the Eight Six again. He finally got his chance during the RedSuns race against the Akina SpeedStars when the AE86 driver and future rival Takumi Fujiwara arrived where he was defeated once again, since this defeat he has desired to have a rematch with Takumi until the time was right and both have become rivals since.
When Ryosuke later disbands the RedSuns in favor of Project D, Keisuke joins as well becoming the main driver of the team alongside Takumi. Under Ryosuke’s mentorship, he gained more experience as a racer with his skills dramatically improving and no longer driving with his emotions and controlling them. After Project D’s final race with Kanagawa’s Sidewinder, he pursues his goal as a professional driver, taking his Project D mechanic Tomiguchi with him.
In the new manga MF Ghost, Keisuke is a CEO of TK Mach Corporation.
Likes: His beloved FD, winning, Ryosuke, Kyoko (sometimes)
Dislikes: Lan-Evos, Skyline GTR, 4WD, Overdressed schoolgirls, losing, Kyoko (sometimes), Kyoichi Sudo, Seiji Iwaki
Special skills: ABS Drift (Significance unknown)
| Car | Mazda efini RX-7 Type R (FD3S) |
| Year | 1991 |
| Body Color | Competition Yellow Mica |
| Plate | 63-887, classification 37 (Anime) 8-301 (89-301), Classification 33 (New Initial D Movie) |
| Custom Parts | Redsuns ver. - Mazda painted FRP front lip; Mazdaspeed Wing (pre-2nd Stage), A-Spec Spoiler Type II (2nd-3rd Stage), A-Spec Front Bumper Type II (3rd Stage), Keisuke-made Rims (1st Stage), MS-02 Rims (2nd Stage manga, Battle-3rd stage), turbo gauge; suspension kit, muffler, steering wheel; Sports computer, electronic boost controller, sequential adapter; Recaro bucket racing seats
Project D early ver. - (Same as Redsuns 2nd stage manga, Battle & 3rd stage) Mazdaspeed A-spec Front Bumper Type II, A-Spec Spoiler Type II, Blitz 2.0 turbo gauge (Manga), 2.0 Turbo Gauge (Anime), muffler, & bucket racing seats Project D later ver. - RE Amemiya Dolphin tail replica TA muffler GT-AD aero w/ carbon fiber canards and fixed HID (ducted right side) headlights, Pro FRP rear diffuser w/ carbon Vortech generator, AD9 Hood (Carbon hood in the finale of 5th Stage), GT II spoiler, AD type 1 side mirrors, Quantum RS coilovers, green flat-bottom steering wheel, 1.5 Redom bar boost gauge (1 bar boost setting), 1.5 intercooler ; Apex'i Twin turbos (discontinued), twin intake, Power FC; HKS lap timer; Recaro bucket racing seats (black spirit R), Takata 4 point harnesses; Panspeed 4 point Roll bar; SSR type C rims (bronze) |
Appearance 
Edit
| First Stage | ||||||||||||
| 1. "The Ultimate Tofu Store Drift": | Introduced | 14. "Evolving Drift": | Appears | |||||||||
| 2. "Revenge! The Rumbling Turbo": | Appears | 15. "Takumi's Fury": | Absent | |||||||||
| 3. "The Downhill Specialist Appears": | Appears | 16. "The Angel of Usui Pass": | Absent | |||||||||
| 4. "Into the Battle!": | Appears | 17. "Sudden-Death Death Match": | Absent | |||||||||
| 5. "Dogfight!": | Appears | 18. "Hot Winds and Furious Driving": | Appears | |||||||||
| 6. "A New Challenger": | Appears | 19. "Super Drift!": | Absent | |||||||||
| 7. "A Racer's Pride": | Appears | 20. "The End of Summer": | Appears | |||||||||
| 8. "Time's Almost Up!": | Appears | 21. "Challenge From a Superstar": | Flashback/Pictured | |||||||||
| 9. "Battle to the Limit!": | Appears | 22. "Fierce Uphill Battle!": | Appears | |||||||||
| 10. "The 5 Consecutive Hairpins": | Appears | 23. "The Rainy Downhill": | Appears | |||||||||
| 11. "The Dangerous Shingo Appears!": | Appears | 24. "Akagi's White Comet!": | Appears | |||||||||
| 12. "The FR Killer": | Absent | 25. "The Last Battle": | Appears | |||||||||
| 13. "Itsuki's First Date": | Absent | 26. "The New Downhill Legend!": | Appears | |||||||||
| Second Stage | ||||||||||||
| 1. "A New Threat": | Absent | 7. "Battle at Akagi!": | Appears | |||||||||
| 2. "Team Emperor on Akina": | Appears | 8. "Dangerous Car": | Appears | |||||||||
| 3. "Premonition of Defeat": | Appears | 9. "The New Eight-Six": | Appears | |||||||||
| 4. "Hollow Victory": | Appears | 10. "The Eight-Six Turbo!": | Appears | |||||||||
| 5. "Countdown to Destruction": | Appears | 11. "The Seal is Broken": | Absent | |||||||||
| 6. "Goodbye Eight-Six": | Appears | 12. "Eight-Six vs. Eight-Six": | Appears | |||||||||
| 13. Changing Seasons: | Appears | |||||||||||
| Extra Stage | ||||||||||||
| 1. "Beyond the Impact Blue": | Appears | 2. "Sentimental White": | Appears | |||||||||
| Third Stage | ||||||||||||
| Initial D: Third Stage: | Appears | |||||||||||
| Fourth Stage | ||||||||||||
| 1. "Project D": | Appears | 13. "Motivation": | Appears | |||||||||
| 2. "Full Throttle! Downhill Battle": | Appears | 14. "Sad Lonely Driver": | Absent | |||||||||
| 3. "The Most Powerful Man of the Todo School": | Appears | 15. "4WD Complex": | Appears | |||||||||
| 4. "Two Pieces of Advice": | Appears | 16. "Hillclimb of Fury": | Appears | |||||||||
| 5. "The Starting Line to Victory": | Appears | 17. "The Saitama Area's Ultimate Weapon": | Appears | |||||||||
| 6. "Blind Attack": | Appears | 18. "Last Drive": | Appears | |||||||||
| 7. "The Stormy 85 Turbo": | Appears | 19. "God Foot and God Arm": | Appears | |||||||||
| 8. "Fateful Battle of FDs": | Appears | 20. "The Unmatched GT-R!": | Appears | |||||||||
| 9. "Kyoko's Confession": | Appears | 21. "Dogfight": | Appears | |||||||||
| 10. "The Saitama Area's Ultimate Weapon": | Appears | 22. "The Sorcerer of the Single-Handed Steer": | Appears | |||||||||
| 11. "Rainy Downhill Battle": | Appears | 23. "Endless Battle": | Appears | |||||||||
| 12. "Straightaway of Struggles": | Appears | 24. "Never-Ending Challenge": | Appears | |||||||||
| Fifth Stage | ||||||||||||
| 1. "Encounter of Destiny": | Appears | 8. "White Devils": | Appears | |||||||||
| 2. "The New Battlefield": | Appears | 9. "Shinigami": | Appears | |||||||||
| 3. "Dead Line": | Appears | 10. "Full Stop": | Absent | |||||||||
| 4. "Revenge Battle of Fate": | Appears | 11. "Full Stop, Continued...": | Absent | |||||||||
| 5. "Fujiwara Zone": | Appears | 12. "Brothers": | Appears | |||||||||
| 6. "Keisuke's Determination": | Appears | 13. "Unexpected Battle": | Appears | |||||||||
| 7. "Zero Hearts": | Appears | 14. "Conclusion! Extreme Hill Climb": | Appears | |||||||||
| Final Stage | ||||||||||||
| 1. "Natural": | Appears | 3. "Dangerous Scent": | Appears | |||||||||
| 2. "The Strongest Enemy": | Appears | 4. "Dream": | Appears | |||||||||
| Legend Trilogy | ||||||||||||
| Legend 1: Awakening: | Appears | |||||||||||
| Legend 2: Racer: | Appears | |||||||||||
| Legend 3: Dream: | Appears | |||||||||||
Trivia Edit
- Keisuke appeared in MF Ghost as a CEO of TK Mach Corporation with Kenta.
- Keisuke is apparently most famous for the words "Nani" (what) and "Kansei dorifto" (inertia drift) when he gets overtaken by Takumi performing said maneuver, which became a meme.
- Keisuke and his brother Ryosuke were parodied in Kaido Battle 2 & 3, two touge racing games by Genki. Keisuke was parodied as Ryuji Hashimoto (Mischievous Fool in KB2, HC Top in KB3) of Akagi BlueSign.
GalleryEdit
