Ôbâteiku!

"Surprising" might not be the correct word for this experience, because given the staff and the studio, I did have expectations from this anime. The word I would use to describe this anime would be - "Refreshing".

This is a very nice story that covers many different emotions such as trauma, regret, determination and moving on. While this anime is advertised as a racing anime, a racing fan might be just a bit disappointed. Because the other aspects of the show actually overshadow the racing part.

The second main character of this anime was Madoka Kouya, a photographer. And I'll remember this anime for his story. The photography aspect of the story completely steals it. I don't want to spoil you with anything, but the story covers a very impactful and thought-provoking aspect of photography and brings a lot of realism to it. And I loved the way they handled Kouya's emotions and the part that Haruka, our protagonist played in helping Kouya.

This is another aspect of this anime that's written well - the way both these characters coincidentally and unconsciously help each other get through an important phase of their life. They find a very nice little way to intertwine photography and racing and help these characters reach a common goal which'll be an important milestone in both their careers.

But the weaker aspect of the story is racing. Not that the racing scenes aren't brilliantly animated. It's just that I didn't feel that energy nor did I feel the stakes in the racing scenes, particularly during the finale. It could be because it's "F4", but I don't think it's just that. The racing aspect just isn't as well written as it could've been.

So yeah, in some ways this anime is imperfect, but overall it's a pretty good anime for sure. And there are some moments of this show where you're genuinely going to get emotional.

I'll try to keep this brief, but this is a great show even if you aren't a racing fan. The character development and struggle is what makes the show so captivating. Other racing shows focus primarily on just the track action and you never get a feel if any personality from the participants. I'm overtake one of the most primary characters is a photographer, struggling to come to terms with the repercussions of an image he took, completely unrelated to racing in general. His interactions with the racing world, with the drivers, the teams, The managers, is what helps make the show so much more than just a racing drama. I hope season 2 arrives soon!

This totally feels like an entryway anime.

It's pretty easy to follow, offers good insight on both the emotional side of photography and the technical bits of the expensive motorsports of the less-popular F4 racing. It also has quite some depth to its storytelling and displays a somewhat-endearing friendship of people butting in on other's life (no other way if you want something real, it seems). And while this is "advertised" as a racing Anime, I'd say that's only the wrapping to something else. Trauma, perseverance, recovery, racing forward in life and giving it your best.

Sadly.. there's only one way this could end, so it wasn't particularly unexpected. I might even go as far as to say it wasn't as satisfying as I wanted it to be, specially since I felt the climax of the series around the halfway point.

So, despite its good looks and story, it felt a tad "average". Constant use of CGI (even if it allowed for some more dynamic scenes) and straightforwardness rob it from the possibility of more exciting and memorable moments. But I would recommend it still.

F4 racing is the subject of this season's sports anime. To attract novices, use F4, not F1, F2, or even F3. To make matters even more beginner-friendly, the protagonist is a photojournalist with no prior racing experience.

There is a character named Haru in every sports anime, and Overtake is no exception. Haru is a blue-eyed, black-haired race car driver who captivates viewers. Since he lacks any other distinguishable personality, at least he has that. All the "enthusiasm and spirit" went to the MC photographer; all the father figure's kind, "let me show you the ropes" vibes went to him; and all the competitor drivers' genuine talent and cockiness went to them. I hope Haru has the opportunity to shine soon.

Regarding the race itself, there's nothing about Haru's style of driving that sets it apart from other drivers; the car itself is distinctive, and that's because the group doesn't have any sponsors at the beginning, so it's essentially a blank canvas. If you don't have motion sickness, the general driving animation is amazing yet disorienting. The animation showcases the swift automobiles along with intense audio. Even the rando who leads the protagonist to rival organization Belsorriso gets a Fast and Furious-esque driving sequence.

In general, if you're searching for a lighthearted sports anime, I suggest this one. It's not horrible-certainly worse-but thus far, it's just an enjoyable introduction to driving a race vehicle. This one's probably not for you if you watch Formula One.