---
title: "Initial D Inspired Keyboard: A $500 Tofu65 + NovelKeys Creams Build"
description: "A $500 Initial D themed keyboard build. A fully aluminum Tofu65 by KBDfans with the KBD67v2 PCB, an aluminum plate, and NovelKeys Cream switches, themed around an AE86 keycap set."
author: "Romel Dris"
published: "2025-06-15T12:00:00.000Z"
last_updated: "2026-08-15T16:00:10.350Z"
canonical_url: "https://romeldris.ca/blog/initial-d-tofu65-novelkeys-creams-build"
markdown_url: "https://romeldris.ca/blog/initial-d-tofu65-novelkeys-creams-build.md"
categories: ["Keyboards","Gear"]
keywords: ["Tofu65 build","NovelKeys Creams","Tofu65 sound test","Initial D keyboard","AE86 keyboard","$500 custom keyboard","kbd67v2"]
---

# Initial D Inspired Keyboard: A $500 Tofu65 + NovelKeys Creams Build

> A $500 Initial D themed keyboard build. A fully aluminum Tofu65 by KBDfans with the KBD67v2 PCB, an aluminum plate, and NovelKeys Cream switches, themed around an AE86 keycap set.

[Original video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxkhVhvV3To)

[YouTube embed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxkhVhvV3To)

In this one I'm taking you through a **Tofu65 build**, and this is a special one because it's themed. I went with an **Initial D** look, partly because of a really nice keycap set, and partly as a way to tie back to when I was deep into sim racing. The AE86 deserves its own keyboard.

![image](https://images.ctfassets.net/pesmhg70nb3a/5TiZMWrbCOvXcc3j9U4Djm/d8fd8cab1371c58137e08ddb924bd3cb/image.png)

## THE BUILD

- **Case:** Tofu65, a fully aluminum 65% case by **KBDfans**
- **PCB:** KBD67v2
- **Plate:** aluminum
- **Switches:** NovelKeys Cream switches
- **Theme:** Initial D / AE86 keycap set
- **Total cost:** around $500

![image](https://images.ctfassets.net/pesmhg70nb3a/4IOsBID28nD6hkbfOAO5Sp/db25167183d937150f2958c850f46670/image.png)

## WHY THIS COMBO

The Tofu65 is a classic for a reason. The fully aluminum case gives it real heft and a premium, dense feel, and the 65% layout keeps your arrow keys while staying compact. Paired with the KBD67v2 PCB and an aluminum plate, you get a stiffer, more pronounced typing experience, which is exactly the kind of canvas you want for a statement build.

**NovelKeys Creams** are the star here. They're a self-lubricating POM linear switch, and POM-on-POM gives them a deep, distinctive sound that's unlike anything else, almost clacky but full at the same time. On an aluminum Tofu65 they really sing. There's a richness to the sound that suits a build you want to show off.

## THE THEME

The whole point of a build like this is the theme, and the Initial D set tied everything together. It's a nod to the sim racing era of the channel: the AE86, the mountain passes, the whole aesthetic. Building a keyboard around something you love is half the fun of this hobby. It turns a tool you use every day into something personal.

![image](https://images.ctfassets.net/pesmhg70nb3a/6cfXuIIIDsXcpdM6r82qjF/3fb05a88b635b0a302a8decfe22a5259/image.png)

## THE SOUND

On an aluminum case with an aluminum plate, the Creams deliver that deep, full POM sound this build is all about. The sound test is really the heart of the video. This is a board built as much to be heard as to be typed on.

## FINAL THOUGHTS

At around $500 all-in, this isn't a budget build, but it's a showcase of what a themed custom can be: a fully aluminum Tofu65, the KBD67v2 PCB, an aluminum plate, and NovelKeys Creams, all wrapped in an Initial D theme that means something to me. If you're planning a themed build of your own, pick a set you genuinely love first and let the rest of the build follow it.

Questions about the Tofu65, the KBD67v2, or NovelKeys Creams? Drop them in the comments or join the Discord. Always happy to talk keebs.