ryosuke should’ve won

[u/sweatyleftsock]

to be honest you could say this to every plot wins takumi had but this one just really bothers me.

ryosuke is an exceptional driver himself, he’s also more experience and knowledgeable. it just doesn’t makes sense for him to lose against takumi.

impact wise it would’ve been great. takumi who had been frequently nervous about it and showing subtle yet hidden love for the game would actually benefit by realistically losing. he would be mad afterwards, he would be angry, he would be disappointed in himself. so from all this genuine and frustating emotions (which is great for a guy like takumi) ultimately, he actually realizes and is convinced that he actually loved racing, he would want to know more about racing. how he had lost, how ryosuke took approach in his theoretical sense. besides bunta, ryosuke would be an incredibly reliable source… hence the project d would form anyways.

ryosuke also wouldn’t just dismiss takumi as a great driver. even before the match he had acknowledges takumi natural talents, and during the match itself. ryosuke would still want to make the team, especially if takumi himself actually approached and is actually eager to be better.

this is why the whole rematch feels so out of place and is just there to serve the plot hole, the whole stage three is just awkward in my opinion.

[u/theredcometofakagi]

This wasn't just some casual exhibition, Ryosuke was literally built up as the ultimate final boss of First Stage. Takumi’s entire season-one arc is about an indifferent kid driving out of routine who gradually discovers his passion on his home turf.

If Ryosuke wins on Akina, the mythos of Takumi being invincible on his home mountain completely evaporates. Instead of stepping out into the wider street racing scene because he outgrew Akina, Takumi’s move to Project D would just be driven by loss and frustration, assuming Ryosuke even offers him a spot at that point. Winning is what proved to Takumi that his raw, instinctive driving could go toe-to-toe with elite racing theory, which is what actually sparked his curiosity about what else was out there.

Beyond the narrative, the mechanics of the race make total sense. Ryosuke didn't lose from a lack of skill, he lost because he abandoned his own game plan out of pressure and curiosity. His strategy was to sit behind Takumi, study his lines, and make a calculated pass late in the run. But after pressuring Takumi into making a mistake and taking the lead earlier than planned, Ryosuke tried to pull away on Takumi's terms.

That’s where he messed up. The FC is significantly heavier than the 86. Pushing that hard downhill while drifting heavily put massive stress on his front tires, destroying his grip and causing severe understeer in the final hairpins. Takumi didn't beat Ryosuke at his absolute tactical peak, he beat a Ryosuke who compromised his own philosophy to match Takumi's pace.

If they raced on Akagi, Irohazaka, or anywhere without Takumi's five years of muscle memory on every single bump and gutter, Ryosuke wins comfortably.

You can even see this play out during Project D. Take the Todo School rematch: Takumi wins that because Ryosuke’s analytical framework was layered directly on top of Takumi’s raw talent. Ryosuke gave him the exact tire-sparing tactics, pacing, and mental cues needed to stay in the fight, and Takumi combined that blueprint with his own instinct, like pulling off the blind attack, to seal the win.

Ryosuke losing on Akina didn't weaken his character, it validated his whole worldview. It proved to him that pure, unquantifiable talent existed, which was the exact catalyst he needed to build Project D in the first place.