Initial D is characterised among other things by rather gradual progression for its cast showing an especially slow journey in Takumi throughout its first couple of seasons first allowing emotion to break through his apathy and show itself in 2nd Stage. In this vein Keisuke Takahashi who had been a recurring character since the beginning only starts to accelerate on a character arc in 4th Stage after teaming up with Takumi. Initial D implicitly shows why these characters seem so crystalline and slow to develop and its the general emotional incompetency of the largely male cast. Alongside the rivalries present in the racing scene many characters go through fairly disastrous romances felled quickly by the casts lack of communication skills and ever preserving the sanctity of the Lonely Drivers Club where we periodically see Itsuki and company in grudging acceptance of their frequent romantic misfires. While the show maintains a fairly pessimistic perspective on racers ability to form and maintain relationships after all most parents in the show are estranged 3rd and 4th stage begin to show us the shows real thesis that racing attracts a certain type of personality and that racers attract other racers or similar personalities. Beyond this it acknowledges that racing is the primary medium for emotional expression to these people and the motivation towards the top of this scene is the direction so many of them are desperate for. Looking back on the show with this perspective makes it easy to see how the music is used to highlight the drivers emotions. There is a sharp contrast from the beginning between the mundanity of high school life and the accompanying unassuming soundtrack against the exultant and deeply memorable Eurobeat that soundtracks every race. As the show progresses and shifts between multiple studios one thing in presentation that is never lost is the effect of these songs cutting through the blue twilight and quiet inner monologues of the drivers. Initial Ds music contrasts its lyrics often fairly bittersweet emotional wallpaper with upbeat production and frenetic songwriting styles creating a mismatched dynamic that manifests as bombastic melancholy expressing these emotions in the loudest way possible. Initial D expresses a very real sentiment of young adults stuck in a dead end seeking direction and struggling to express emotion in any kind of coherent way. Racing is the outlet and the direction of the teens and older adults of Initial D who all share in this quiet dedication and emotional incompetence. The racers of Initial D only feel fully in control when behind the wheel and then they are given a backdrop of the most bombastic possible expressions of loud familiar yet incomprehensible emotions. The sea of synths and vaguely emotionally evocative lyrics becomes the loudest thing in these scenes set in the dead of night where the quiet thoughts and roar of engines coalesce into this music. This style serves a second less intentional purpose of trapping this setting in time representing these locations and characters with music that is not remotely timeless and only adding to the realism of this cast. Its completely impossible to imagine this cast with any other soundtrack and that makes it unique and great when these characters are already so well realised. 4th Stage contains the race that truly highlighted to me the personal expression present in the races. Kyoko is somewhat infatuated from the beginning with a largely uncaring and condescending Keisuke. He outwardly seems to have bottled any potential for romantic interest a long time ago seeking to not be distracted from his goals in racing. Racing against Kyoko however seems to be a revelation for him connecting with a member of the opposite sex on a deep level while racing soundtracked by a passionate and loud male and female duet unlike many of the lonely drivers anthems weve heard in most races to this point. The innuendos practically write themselves in this race and it is fully intentional here. Where most drivers in this show experience a euphoria of emotional outbursts through races Keisuke and Kyoko showed each other a vulnerable and intimate view of each other in their race and it startled them both. Takumi has a love life almost as turbulent as those of his gas station fraternity Mogi serves as a catalyst for early moments of emotional growth in Takumi in bringing out both his anger and heroism before she leaves for Tokyo. What is not so obvious about Mogi when she is introduced is what draws her to a charisma void like Takumi in high school. At first it can be dismissed largely as a crush out of fascination but as the show progresses it is established that the directionless nature of street racers seems to attract other racers together in disastrous cases like Itsuki and Kazumi or Iketani and Mako. This unseen force of attraction seems to affect Mogi as well as a girl who had spent much of her life just going along with what came before her. It seems like her attraction to Takumi was borne partially out of her own struggle to find direction and that she saw a driven and heroic side to Takumi before he found any direction or dream himself. She overcomes her reluctance to take action in the face of Takumis silent anger towards her and goes to visit him believing he can also gain the ability to talk things through and express himself. She is vindicated in this belief at the moment she causes great growth in Takumi when he comes to save her from an exboyfriend racing against his own tendency towards apathy to rescue her. At this point she leaves the story for good pursuing her own goals in Tokyo but her impact is still felt on Takumis personality. While many of the songs in the show present seemingly unrelated or incomprehensible emotions in their lyrics there are some common themes and they are built from the beginning of the show to be paid off later. Rage Your Dream the song most explicitly about chasing a distant goal through anger and pure drive returns at key points in the show when Takumis hazy goals become closer to reality and he finally finds that direction. Racing is not only the emotional outlet but the place where these drivers feel control and feel these dreams are attainable.The shows final arc as Project D competes against Kanagawas top racers shows us both where our main racers came from and how they have developed as drivers and emotionally. Racing to Ryosuke was always a way to pursue dreams to escape expectations after experiencing grief over Kaori who felt trapped and unable to pursue her own dreams. Keisuke grew to a truly extraordinary level of skill driving well enough to bring joy to opponents who felt stagnant or stuck in their progress. Takumis final race is against an opponent who parallels his own reason for driving and who he was at the beginning of the series. It was a natural activity like breathing more natural than any other aspect of everyday life. Takumi is placed in the same position Ryosuke was when first racing against Takumi an experienced undefeated driver suddenly losing easily to a kid familiar with a single road. Its here that Takumi realises his driving adapted to competing with professional racers has stagnated and concern over the state of his car theory of tire preservation and carefulness is holding him back in this instance. Takumi wins the race but the 86s engine blows again mirroring Takumis lowest point emotionally back when he raced Sudo. What made Takumi truly unbeatable in this moment is the ability to let go of this fear break down the shields built out of every driving technique he had learned and race freely innovating and joyously coming to victory. If driving equates to emotional expression in Initial D then in this moment Takumi learns that he wont ever finish maturing behaviour he began to see as childish may be relearned as an adult. Learning a craft is never a straight line upwards and neither is emotional maturity and Takumis growth throughout the series shows us this.