IniD Third Stage is even gayer than Second Stage, which is quite a feat when you consider it's only about the length of four episodes, and half of that time is devoted to the Mogi plot (wherein the writers steal from the oldest fanfic plot device in the book in order to a) get Takumi to race in the snow (whee! CGI!) b)get Takumi to learn what the rest of us have known since the beginning of First Stage (i.e. Mogi is a hoooooooooo) and c)establish that even though they have made out in a car Takumi still doesn't blush over her like he does over Ryosuke. I'm sure this makes Ryosuke very happy.) Other than that, Ryosuke obsessed over his team (and Takumi), Keisuke obsessed over making his brother happy (through Takumi), Kyoichi obsessed over Ryosuke (even more than Takumi), some old guy obsessed over Bunta (and Takumi on the side), his son obsessed over pleasing his father (by defeating Takumi), Mogi obsessed over getting back in Takumi's pants good graces, some jerk obsessed over Mogi (pissing off Takumi), and Takumi? Well, I guess he obsessed over cars, although it can be a bit hard to tell with him. It's kind of like that Far Side cartoon-- "How to Recognize the Moods of an Irish Setter."

Oh. My. God. I started watching Initial D Second Stage this weekend. See, I
hadn't watched it before because a) the proper way to watch IniD is on a
large screen tv surrounded by other IniD fans with whom you can cheer, not a
laptop by yourself when you have to be quiet so as to not wake others and b)
I knew it would be too damn addicting. And it is.

Holy sweet merciful mother of god, is this series addicting. It's a shounen
series. About street racing (well, mountain racing, to be technical). The
character designs are, let's face it, not very pretty. Romance is barely
present, fanservice is nil, and all of the production money seems to have
been spent on cgi cars. And it is *still* awesome. Really, really awesome.

This weekend I watched episodes 1-10 staying up much later than I should
have to do so. But how could I resist? I mean...Takumi's match against
Seiji. And then the thing with Mogi. And the race against Kyouichi when
his motor blew up. And then Ryousuke's match against Kyouichi. And then
introducing Wataru and his sister and the new 86.

For an anime about car racing, it sure has the ability to make me emotional.
I nearly cried over Takumi mourning his car, felt felt sorry for Mogi
(gasp!) over how Takumi treated her, and even 'awww'ed over Itsuki's romance
(there's a phrase I never thought I'd type).

Also? I thought certain sections of First Stage were gay
(*cough*waterpark*cough*), but Second Stage takes the gay cake and puts gay
icing on it. Evidence: Kyouichi. Not only is Seiji his bitch, but he so
very, very obviously wants a piece of Ryousuke's ass. I kept expecting to
see a scene like this:

Kyouichi: Takahashi Ryousuke, you are such an impressively skilled racer
that I must have hot sex with you!

Ryousucke: Not until you can beat me in a race.

*Kyouichi TRIES and FAILS*

Kyouichi: Damn. Can I come back in another couple of years and try again?

Ryousuke: Sure, but in the meantime I'll be having hot sex with Takumi
because he CAN beat me.

Kyouichi: Damn.

Also, Takumi cares more about his CAR than about his breakup with Mogi,
Keisuke acts like Takumi is cheating on him and/or his brother by racing
Kyouichi, and the title of Act 11, "To Break the Seal," can write its own
jokes.

God, I love this series.