Dec 22, 2024
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 accurate 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 definitely 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 racers provide a good backdrop for a lot of exciting moments, which also happen more frequently, not just at the end. The show takes it time, giving a more realistic feeling with Kanata not always being at the top. Rather than just "Wow, thanks to that Fujiwarblindattacgutterrun, he beat that guy who was way better than him! Again!". Kanata obviously has plot armor since he's a Gary Sue, but it's not as outrageous as Takumi.
Next up 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 basically 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 it still 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 messages, 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 really good and happen frequently enough to keep your interest. 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.
It's no masterpiece, but you will be looking up the coolest overtakes on youtube after watching the show.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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