Dec 21, 2023
Overtake was a really well-executed show about people following their passions. One older man whose fallen into a depressive state with photography after a traumatic moment, and a young kid working towards being an F4 driver like his father. The animation quality was consistently beautiful with a nice visual style. Backgrounds were always well-rendered, the character movements never felt stilted, and there was some interesting camera work. Only complaint would be for the racing sequences, the 3d models used for the cars could be slightly off-putting, but otherwise the races were very engaging.
What really sets this series apart as a racing anime is the realism
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by which it tackles the sport. We constantly see how important financial backing is to be successful in this field, with the protagonist's team being held back again and again because they can't afford better models or tires. And the drastic change in their dynamic after losing their sponsor, being pushed back to a more limited schedule for practice. And with Haruka using his off-time to work as a newspaper boy to help pay for equipment. Especially in contrast to the "antagonist" team Belsorriso, a well-funded F4 crew would afford the best car models and tires, which allows for way more practice time and better speeds.
What was strongest about this series though was the characters, seeing the nuance and realism y which we saw the journeys of Haruka and Madoka is was got me invested in this storyline. Watching Madoka slowly become more comfortable with photographing people after his traumatic experience, overcoming the haunting images that would show up every time he tried to capture someone because of his relationship with Haruka was heartwarming. And for Haruka, a kid who developed a love for racing after watching his dad be enthralled by the sport, now wanting the see the world his father did on the winner's podium, and dedicating his life towards that effort. Everything about this journey, and the struggles he had to overcome towards it, really made me like him as a protagonist.
I also liked the main characters of the Belsorriso team. I really liked was Tokumaru, the 2nd driver for Belsorriso, who was frustrated and angry with the position he was relegated to, wanting desperately to reach a higher level. And seeing him grow from pushing this pent-up anger towards Haruka, a skilled kid who was pushing towards his dream, to recognizing himself as his true opponent and growing from that experience was nice to watch. And Harunaga, the main driver who seemingly had it all, was a really solid character for this storyline. Seeing all the effort he put behind the scenes to be at the top, and after pushing himself too hard into an accident, watching him work his way back up was a nice journey. At first it felt like he was just gifted, but you could really see the dedication and work he put to get there.
Overall, this is a solid show to watch, and I would recommend others to check it out.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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