In the event you’re studying this evaluate, and particularly should you’re an anime fan who was lively within the 90s (that is the closest you may come to gracefully processing that sentence – I am sorry, I did my finest ), then there is a good probability you keep in mind the long-lasting racing anime (with an equally iconic soundtrack), Preliminary D. And take a look at MF Spirityou are not having deja vu – there’s an excellent motive why it seems to be a lot like that sequence at a look. One other work by Shuichi Shigeno, MF Spirit is one thing of a sequel to Preliminary D. Or extra particularly: it is a sequence that takes place in the identical universe, however is now a number of years later and focuses on a totally new protagonist.
I am positive a lot of you might be instantly questioning: do you have to watch/learn? Preliminary D to look MF Spirit? No, you do not. There are many nods and references to it Preliminary DHowever MF Spirit is self-contained sufficient that you just will not get misplaced should you’re unfamiliar with the unique. That mentioned, inevitably I do know a lot of you might be questioning: how MF Spirit piles up Preliminary D. And the quick reply is that in each measurable method MF Spirit pales compared. And the lengthy reply requires analysis MF Spirit exterior Preliminary D‘s lengthy, Eurobeat-loving shadow.
Loads occurs within the disjointed story of MF Spirit. Our essential character, Kanata Rivington, has simply arrived in Japan from England. Ostensibly he’s there to search for his father, who’s Japanese. However he’s additionally a really gifted racer, so he participates in MFG races. Do these races have something to do along with his quest? Hints are dropped, however MF Spirit is reluctant to sort out this. On the identical time, the daughter of Kanata’s host household, Ren, resides a double life as an MFG Angel (this anime’s model of a grid lady) and falls in love with Kanata – who not solely would not acknowledge Ren when she’s sporting her MFG Angel uniform. , but in addition befriends somebody who has a crush on Ren whereas she is in MFG Angel mode. (This pal would not know who she is exterior of MF Angels – for instance, he would not even know her actual identify.)
If that gives the look that the story usually feels extra sophisticated than it must be, that is as a result of it’s. I do not suppose this could be such a evident drawback if any of those storylines had connective tissue. However even on the finish of this primary season, we’re nonetheless not 100% positive what precisely Kanata’s racing has to do along with his seek for his father. They really feel like two fully totally different storylines, with one not likely needing the opposite. And as for Ren’s storyline? Once more, it would not really feel like there’s a lot of something tying it to the rest. And Ren and Kanata have so little chemistry collectively that the potential romance between the 2 usually comes off as compelled, or simply there for the sake of a romantic factor.
What makes the doable romance between Ren and Kanata much more pointless and misplaced is that neither of them are significantly attention-grabbing characters. Kanata has no discernible character by any means, and equally Ren is extremely generic – seemingly present solely to be lovely, to be in love, and to fall in love. That is particularly disappointing – even wasteful – in Ren’s case. You’d suppose her Hannah Montana-esque life could be a simple method so as to add some much-needed taste to each her and the present generally, however no. Regardless of the wealth of story/writing potentialities this might simply present, MF Spirit says no thanks.
The saving grace of MF Spirit are, predictably, the racing segments. Accompanied by a Eurobeat soundtrack, the racing segments have all of the thrilling pressure you’d count on from a Shigeno work. That mentioned, though I attempted my finest whereas watching MF Spirit to not examine with it Preliminary D as a lot as doable, this was the place that was the toughest. As a result of plenty of the over-the-top parts (the methods/challenges they will solely do as a result of it is avenue racing, the reactions, and so forth.) that make the races so thrilling Preliminary D so enjoyable to observe, are largely absent, or no less than muted MF Spiritit makes the entire thing really feel like a watered down model of Preliminary D.
To be trustworthy, this sentiment sums up the whole expertise of watching this primary season of MF Spirit. By itself, it is (no pun meant) fairly center of the highway: thrilling racing scenes, weighed down by nearly every little thing else. General, I would not hesitate to name it a very good or unhealthy anime. However it’s the Preliminary D you might have at residence: it could be a racing anime set to a Eurobeat soundtrack, but it surely lacks the over-the-top enjoyable of Preliminary D.
