We have only just got an MF Ghost anime that clearly showed that cars go vroom without an idea isn't interesting to follow (where as in Initial D there was always an idea). Overtake takes an entirely different approach. It tells a story from an outsider's perspective who learns of F4 by chance and how both Main Characters each with his own problems came together to overcome their own ghosts (pun intended) and come on top each in their own regard.
Kouya a professional photographer who gets interested in F4 by chance is dealing with ghosts of his past that haunt him preventing him from escaping the personal trauma he has. The whole sequence of his background when actually explained and shown later in the show I feel was very strong and directed on a level that you can feel personally. The way his story goes on is cruel unforgiving and sounds like something I heard about in real life.
Haruka a young teenager has his own set of problems that gets resolved eventually through his bond with Kouya and some of the scenes involved were also done very nice. As a son of a racing driver he is trying to get by in F4 with the help of a team ran by a friend of his family with limited budget.
I enjoyed the simple, clear and correct explanation on why is it that in Spec series one teams will dominate while others will struggle. I believe for those who have no knowledge it does a good job in this regard. As someone trying to get into autosport in the past I can vouch for the troubles they portrait they are universal. It's really one of the stories where it's believable enough to say they did it barely as a team and it felt nice as a healing story to see a good ending for a change unlike it usually is in real life.
Overtake also doesn't create a false drama for the sake of it, or false unhealthy sportsmanship instead making it a more life like relationship characters have as sportsman and it translates well to actual pro racing drivers and how their relationships continue throughout their career.
Overtake isn't a show about cars going around the track, but it's more about autosport than MF Ghost could hope to be. Not for everyone, but it was for me on a personal level.
