MF Ghost is that anime that had everything to be incredible, but seems to be tripping over itself with some choices that simply don't make sense. I started this second season expecting more of what hooked me on the first: electrifying races, Kanata's development as a driver, that thrill of being on the track. But all of a sudden they throw a romance into the mix that, frankly, just gets in the way of the story

Initially, the anime seemed to have a promising connection with Kanata's search for her parents, a premise that, curiously, has been almost completely forgotten. Instead, the focus shifts to situations that include a forced “romance” and scenes that border on the embarrassing, such as exaggerated angles of female bodies (which could be prettier, most of them look like planks). This approach, which tries to appeal visually, ends up deviating from the more subtle tone that was characteristic of the franchise. In comparison, Initial D's romance was less intrusive and more focused on character development, which seems to have been reduced in the MF Ghost manga as well.

Let's start with Ren, who for me is one of the biggest mistakes of this season. What an annoying character! I understand that she's a teenager, but did she have to be so insufferable? It seems that her only function is to be Kanata's “love interest”, but, people, if you're going to add romance, at least pick someone with a bit more charisma or intelligence. It seems like she's just there to annoy me and make me roll my eyes every time she appears.

Another point that gets me is how much the anime pushes the envelope about Kanata being incredible. Every time there's someone saying how he's the best, how he's absurdly talented, how he's almost a racing prodigy. I understand that he's good - after all, he's the protagonist - but can't we see that just by watching his actions on the track? Do you really need to rub it in our faces all the time? Instead of letting his talent speak for itself, they insist on pushing repetitive dialog and scenes to make sure no one forgets how good he is. This ends up being tiresome and even a bit forced.

Now, back to the racing - which should be the main focus, right? At least here MF Ghost still delivers something good. The action scenes on the track are still very well done, with animation that really grabs you. I love seeing Kanata evolve as a driver, facing new challenges and showing off his talent. But the problem is that every time you're immersed in the adrenaline of the competition, there's that unnecessary drama or random scene that totally breaks the mood.

In the end, I feel that MF Ghost is trying to be several things at the same time, but ends up not being excellent at any of them. If they had just focused on the races and the development of the protagonist, without pushing this forced romance and these appealing elements, it could have been an incredible anime. But as it is, it's frustrating.

If you're watching just for the racing, you can overlook the bad parts and enjoy the anime for what it is. But if, like me, you're easily annoyed by poorly constructed characters and plots that go off the rails, you might end this season disappointed