Initial D: Fifth Stage

I consider that the first half of the stage was very good but the second one wasn't so good. Up until now, I would place the second stage as the best, third and extra next, then the first stage and last the fourth stage. I would say that the first half of the fifth stage resembles the best stages in the way that there is a very good equilibrium between racing with technical accuracy and character personal story development in an interesting way. At the second half, however, character side-stories become awkward and boring and the racing becomes unrelated with what they would be in real life. The last episode reverts this a bit but the change is too sudden for saving it...