MF Ghost 2nd Season

The second race in the MFG tournament at the notoriously difficult Lake Ashinoko track is underway. Though his car is severely disadvantaged in terms of horsepower, tune-ups to Kanata Katagiri's Toyota 86 GT allow him to quickly soar into a qualifying position. However, torrential downpour on the final day of racing brings tire traction woes and causes all drivers to struggle.

Thanks to the environment he grew up in and his extensive training, Kanata surprises everyone when he is able to pull ahead of the pack—albeit with some very risky maneuvers. However, there are still two formidable competitors ahead of Kanata: last race's winner Michael Beckenbauer and Lake Ashinoko record holder Kouki Sawatari. But even if Kanata can close the gap, he still needs to watch out for the drivers in his rearview preying on even a single mistake that they can take advantage of.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Katagiri, Kanata Main

Uchida, Yuuma Japanese

Saionji, Ren Main

Sakura, Ayane Japanese

Takahashi, Ryousuke Supporting

Koyasu, Takehito Japanese

Takahashi, Keisuke Supporting

Seki, Tomokazu Japanese

Takeuchi, Itsuki Supporting

Iwata, Mitsuo Japanese

Iketani, Kouichirou Supporting

Yao, Kazuki Japanese

Akiyama, Wataru Supporting

Matsumoto, Yasunori Japanese

Kenji Supporting

Takagi, Wataru Japanese

Kitahara, Nozomi Supporting

Serizawa, Yuu Japanese

Kogashiwa, Kai Supporting

Canna, Nobutoshi Japanese

Inagaki, Takafumi Producer

Kikuchi, Yuuta Producer

Naka, Tomohito Director

Mima, Masafumi Sound Director

Reviews

Dec 23, 2024

Venom_waz

Recommended

Funny

I know I'm gonna get ratioed to oblivion, but I can't stand the disrespect this show is getting.

I'm gonna start with the obvious complains everyone has. The story is trash and the characters are bland and boring. And yes, I do agree with all of you on that. And the fact that Kanata already knows everything before the show starts is very lame and makes his character a real Gary Sue. But! As I'm gonna explain later, those aren't the things I watched Initial D or MF ghost for, and I'm suprised so many people act like that's all that matters.

This show is simply very ... fun to watch. The writer of this show has really nailed subverting expectations in a way that isn't too jarring or too forced. Not to say that you can't entirely see twists coming at all, but I'd say it has a very good balance of doing satisfying stuff people want to see and stuff that keeps the story intresting.

I feel like I just escaped from a mental asylum saying this, but I actually like the animation, the thing everyone is ragging on. 3D animation has some really good camera shots, the animation is fluid and it just looks, dare I be blunt, cool. The 2D I don't really care for, it's good enough, the character expressions are conveyed well. I know they used some real life backgrounds to save time, which is kinda funny actually, and is also the same thing that happened in the manga, so I guess you can excuse it for being acurate to source lol.


I don't mind people who aren't really into these type of shows calling it bad, because it does have blatant issues and definetely isn't a show for everyone.
But...
What really pisses me off is people that hail Initial D as some sort of masterpiece while trashing on MF ghost.

Let's start off with how intresting the races in both series are.
In initial D, besides the first stage and a few moments in fourth, the only thing suprising about the races was how far the writer was going with Takumi's plot armor. The races were extremely boring with takumi either losing or dominating the entire time with some bozos talking over 15 minutes of cornering footage, after which Takumi pulls some trick out of his ass to end the race.
MF ghost's longer races and higher ammount of said racers provide a good backdrop for a lot of exciting moments which also happen more often. The fact that the show takes it time, also gives a more realistic feeling with Kanata not always succeeding. Rather than just "Wow, thanks to that Fujiwarblindattacgutterrun, he beat that guy who was way better than him! Again!".

Next thing are the complains about the new characters being bland compared to the old ones.
Now, I do agree that the slice of life segments are way better in Initial D, but let's not go as far as to say that the characters blow the new ones out off the water. Takumi, who was basicly the only character with any thought put into him, had his character arc end in third stage,
after which he just became a husk who races randoms for no apparent reason. Keisuke being no better, was just an autist who's only changing trait was how good he was at racing. Ryouske wasn't all that smart he was made out to be either. Not even getting started on the girls and opposing racers... So it's not like there was a sudden drop in quality of character writing.

I've heard people say that the new eurobeat soundtrack is way worse, and I don't entirely agree with that either. It's more modern, sure but has some bangers. Same as with Initial D, not every track back then was a hit like Gas Gas Gas, people forget (man).

And don't get me wrong, Inital D is still one of my favourite shows, some seasons being better than MF ghost.

What am I getting at here?
Neither Initial D or MF ghost are shows I would watch for their deep messeges, hidden meanings and enticing character arcs.
While it is true that it's harder to root for characters you don't really care all that much for, in my opinion it doesn't diminish the HYPE MOMENTS that this genre is known for. And MF ghost's hype moments are dare I say really good and happen often. The story is fairly unpredictable and keeps you on your toes.

This show could be a lot better, which kind of sucks to think about, but I wouldn't call it bad, especially compared to Initial D.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Dec 22, 2024

PanzerIV-J

Mixed Feelings

Is MF Ghost Season 2 Better Than Season 1? Sure.
Is it better than Initial D? Not even close.
Is it bad? Not in my opinion, but I feel I should lay out the problems and let you be the judge.

Since MF Ghost is the successor to Initial D, it makes sense to compare the two. Initial D is one of my all-time favorite anime, and it sets a high bar.

Let’s break this down, starting with the negatives before moving to the positives.
(Note: It’s far easier to explain this anime’s faults than its strengths, so expect more detail in the negatives.)

The Negatives:
... Where’s the Maturity?:
One thing that made Initial D stand out was its raw, mature vibe, even as a PG-13 show. It didn’t shy away from edgy humor, innuendos, or showing characters doing things like smoking or cracking jokes about relationships. This gritty realism made the world feel grounded. You believed these were real teens and adults living their lives, making dumb decisions, and thriving in a world of street racing.

MF Ghost? It feels like it’s aimed at 8-year-olds who just watched Skibidi Toilet. Its attempts at “mature” humor are embarrassing. You have the MFG girls parading in tight outfits, which feels more stupid than an actual addition to the story since they are only there for fan service. Then there’s a driver whose entire personality revolves around dating minors—yes, you read that right. It’s creepy, unnecessary, and gross. Instead of enhancing the story, these moments derail it and distract from the racing, which should be the focus of this anime.

Flat Characters, Flat Story:
Let’s talk about Kanata. He’s supposed to be the next Takumi Fujiwara, but he’s boring. Unlike Takumi, who started as an uninterested delivery boy and grew through grit and unexpected challenges, Kanata starts off as a pro. Why? Because Takumi trained him off-screen. That’s it. He’s overpowered from the start, and the only thing holding him back is his car. The writers skipped character development entirely, slapping on a generic “driving school backstory” instead of giving him a meaningful arc to gain his own experiences.

Takumi was compelling because he was human. He didn’t care about racing initially—it was something he got dragged into. Watching him grow as a driver and person was half the fun. Kanata, on the other hand, feels like he’s just there to win races, making his journey feel empty.

The supporting cast doesn’t fare any better. Most of the characters are bland cardboard cutouts without unique personalities or motivations. Initial D’s rivals stood out—Ryosuke was the calm tactician, Keisuke had fiery determination, and even side characters brought unique energy to their races. In MF Ghost, rival drivers barely register; they’re just there to lose to Kanata in increasingly predictable ways.

And the supporting cast? The girls exist solely to cheer Kanata on or serve as eye candy. They have no depth, no personality, and no real purpose. You realize quickly that most of these characters are boring, shallow, and forgettable.

Racing Is Heavily Drawn Out:
I touched on this in my Season 1 review, but it bears repeating. Each race in MF Ghost drags on endlessly. Whether it’s a qualification lap, a test lap, or a full race, you’re looking at anywhere from 2 to 6 episodes per race. Compare that to Initial D, where most races wrapped up in 1–3 episodes. The pacing in MF Ghost is atrocious. Scenes are bloated with filler, stretching races unnecessarily. While some argue the different style of racing justifies this, I think it’s more about producers milking the source material. More episodes = more seasons = more money.

Here’s how episodes break down:
40%: Filler racing where nothing happens.
20%: Meaningful racing where a racer’s position changes.
40%: Announcers providing pointless commentary or MFG Girls updating the leaderboard while tossing out random, unneeded facts about themselves (usually sexual or date-related).
The focus on fan service over racing is frustrating for a car racing anime.

The Racing Is Super Unrealistic:
Kanata’s Toyota GR86 is supposedly “modified” to make it competitive, but the anime doesn’t bother explaining these modifications in detail. There’s vague talk about “suspension changes,” but no real details. Later (tiny spoiler), a turbo upgrade gives it 100 extra horsepower, but even then, it’s absurd to believe this car can keep up with Ferraris or Lamborghinis, which have far superior horsepower, advanced ABS systems, and expert drivers.

In Initial D, when Bunta upgraded Takumi’s AE86, he explained the changes (such as changing the engine in the AE86), grounding the story in a sense of realism. MF Ghost skips all of that and asks us to believe a GR86 with minimal horsepower can magically compete with modern supercars.
Adding to this is the unrealistic depiction of the cars. Tight corners at ~60mph (~90kph) in the rain without sliding? Even with good tires, that’s impossible.

Lastly, the Romance:
The romance is awful. Ren, the supposed love interest, is a bland, basic tsundere stereotype. Her entire personality revolves around being jealous while secretly wanting Kanata. Every scene with her feels like filler, especially when her inner monologues interrupt the races.
Even Initial D handled romance better. Mogi and Takumi’s relationship took a backseat to the racing, which was the right call. Nobody watches these shows for romance, so why waste time on half-baked love stories?

The Positives:
Better Than Season 1:
This season is a significant improvement over the first. The races in the latter half of the season are much better and feel closer to the latter seasons of Initial D (Stage 5 and Final Stage). While I still dislike the announcers, romance, and Ogata's worries, these issues are less frequent in the latter half of the season.

Eurobeat:
The Eurobeat is solid—nothing more, nothing less. Some tracks are from Initial D, while others are new. The older tracks are still fantastic, and the newer ones, though less memorable, are decent.

Character Improvements:
The characters have improved somewhat since Season 1. Kanata feels more notable and realistic, particularly in the latter portion of Season 2, where his aggressive driving contrasts nicely with his kind demeanor outside of races. Even Ogata is more tolerable this season, showing some character growth and understanding of the GR86’s faults and has a desire to actually rectify them.

7/10 – Definitely watchable, but you’re better off re-watching Initial D, at-least in my opinion.
A good step up from MF Ghost Season 1, but still not beating any of the Initial D Stages.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Dec 22, 2024

Smilomaniac

Not Recommended

My scores are reflective of my enjoyment of shows, not necessarily a neutral observation on the quality of various aspects. That being said, the art direction, stylistic choice of car textures/their animations and the overly heavy reliance on nostalgia regarding Eurobeat, are all middling to low quality, it looks cheap. That's before the several boring Gary Stu characters and the unnecessary/boring B-plots.

Season 2 of Initial D's successor show continues to be a continuation of the failed formula of the first season, its main issue being that it's a sanctioned street race with full lineups of cars, instead of 1 vs 1 street racing, meaning the ... focus is all over the place and you get reactions from the ENTIRE CAST (racers, commentators, audience, race girls, mechanic, support staff, support staff of other racers, organizers, live-in family members and more) instead of a couple of people, regarding what's happening.

The problem here is that the audience only has so much attention to spend on something and the more characters you have, the more thin its spread.

There are no meaningful struggles, only the handicaps that the protagonist is saddled with, which would be fine if it wasn't for the fact that someone WOULD sponsor him based on his sheer skill, on his first performance (it may be literal sponsors are not allowed and that it's a story point, but he should have no trouble getting significant upgrades).
Add to that the increasingly awkward racing girls and the way they're focused on/portrayed and you have a show that you'll be skipping through just to see if something interesting happens.

The short answer is that our protagonist overcomes nothing (he already started at 100, there's no growth beyond him learning how wonderful it is to eat cheap Japanese snacks and offal) and the pace is predictable, full of forced and unfun drama. Even the most terrible isekai slop shows are fun, have an interesting idea or at least *do* something with their characters, but all MFG has is contrived tension.

Finally its major hangup is that it's not distinct enough from Initial D to be judged solely on its own merits. There are so many references to Fujiwara and the Trueno (86) and they are so constant, that MFG lives in the shadow of its predecessor. That means that it can't be judged by the audience, as its own thing.

What a stinker.

Reviewer’s Rating: 1

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Initial D/MF Ghost Watch Order

by IgorGonLua

21 Entries · 34 Restacks

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