DK/Takashi Is Really Just a Softy

Maybe not the best quality movie to start off with, but I was watching The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift yesterday so this is what gets posted. A quick synopsis: this white kid from Alabama (Shawn) escapes to Tokyo after being involved in a reckless street race. Once in Japan, he soon gets sucked into the world of underground drift racing complete with a motley crew of friends (Han & Twinkie), wannabe yakuza (Takashi/DK), and of course a love interest (Neela).

Oh that DK, so evil and menacing with his dark themed wardrobe and gruff-guy glare. Right? WRONG! He just has a bad rep to start with because he's kind of racist and he's yakuza. Well, he's not really racist despite his derogative use of "gaijin" (foreigner) because he loves Neela who is definitely not Japanese. DK is also not really yakuza, not the "evil" kind at least. Sure his uncle (Kamata) seems to be some sort of underboss or high ranking gangster, and Han makes mention of DK's past of extorting small businesses. But, all you really see him do is race, sit around his office, count money, and get into fights with Shawn. Dude doesn't even have a crazy full-back tattoo like a dedicated yakuza.

Don't forget, this guy is the victim in the movie. What, don't believe me? Neela is the girl he "loves". They grew up together and while their relationship gives the impression of master and servant, he does seem to care for her and most likely spoils her with material objects (c'mon, like she really bought and paid for that RX-8 by herself?) although maybe only to the capacity in that she is his property. Neela herself even says at one point that he has changed, implying that he wasn't so jealous/violent in the past. Sure he might go about expressing his love in a completely bastard-like fashion, but he's really just overcompensating for the fact that he's afraid he will lose her, which he does. She leaves him for this newcomer Shawn who does everything he can to undermine DK's authority.

Moreso than the love story component, it is really Han's betrayal that leads DK to spiral out of control. Han is the one supporting DK's enemy, knowing full well that Shawn is DK's "kryptonite". Han is also stealing from DK, his business partner, something that Kamata has to point out to a shocked DK. When DK confronts Han about it with tear-brimmed eyes, Han mocks their friendship and DK's trust by saying embezzlement is part of the (criminal partner) game, as if DK is some naive child, which is not far from the truth.

Han, the protagonist's friend, in this case is the real villain. DK is just some naive thug that in the end has everything stripped away from him: family, friends, reputation, status. And it's all the fault of the white devil masquerading as some hero come to overthrow the evil tyrant. DK's evilness: 1 Evil.