After Takumi defeated Keisuke in Initial D First Stage, Itsuki was acting all arrogant and may be carried away a little too much. That attitude ultimately got him in deep troubles when Nakazato issued a challenge to Takumi.

Anyways, in an imaginary scene in Itsuki's mind, didn't he dream of getting a red panda colored AE86? (What ever happened to that dream?) He even called Takumi and himself the "fastest AE86 duo on Mt. Akina downhill." By the way, that imagination was just too much. I didn't think it was possible for Itsuki to look like that. (laugh) It was pure comedic. I have double checked with the manga, and that little scene is anime-only. It just goes to show how creative the animation team for First Stage was.

Itsuki may comes off as an annoying character at times, but his presence has provided many hilarious moments throughout the series. In a sense, Takumi and Itsuki really are a good combo. One is dull and bored all the time and the other is always excited and easily amused. Their personalities are the exact opposite and somehow they became friends, possibly best friends.

Can you imagine we didn't have the character Itsuki? Initial D would be a whole lot different. Case in point, the Live Action Initial D movie... (shudder)

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» Screenshots from Initial D First Stage ACT.5「決着!ドッグファイト!」"Dogfight!"