Despite Initial D being incredibly famous back in the day, MF Ghost doesn’t boast the same popularity.
MF Ghost’s races are longer, and there’s less focus on the cast interactions, which makes it harder to care about the anime.
It’s airing in the same season as Overtake!, which many fans consider a superior racing anime.
Nowadays, not many people talk about Initial D, although its iconic eurobeat music is still fondly remembered even by those who haven’t seen it. The anime itself, however, is largely unwatched by newer fans. That can be attributed to its age and how many seasons it has. However, it was an extremely popular franchise back in the day, and it would seem that its spiritual successor, MF Ghost, was destined to have the same popularity — but that isn’t happening. There are multiple reasons for that; let’s look at some of them.
Another work by a famous mangaka
MF Ghost is an adaptation of the manga by the same name. Written by Shuuichi Shigeno, the person behind Initial D, it shares a number of plot elements and themes with it; however, there are also many striking differences. MF Ghost is set in the future, and while the characters of Initial D appear in the story, they’re not its main focus. This, in part, alienated some of the fanbase of the older show, some of whom felt that they don’t want to watch something similar if it doesn’t focus on their favorite characters. And for newer fans, the references to Initial D might be confusing and hard to care for.
Difference in format
Another crucial difference between Initial D and MF Ghost is the structure. The former switches between races, which are quite short, and the interactions between the cast — and the realism of the latter aspect was one of the things the anime was praised for. MF Ghost’s cast feels underdeveloped so far, with the anime focusing solely on racing — and the races are very long (as they are in the manga, to be fair). This makes it harder for people to care, and if no sequel is announced, the anime will probably not be remembered.
Comparison to other racing anime
Some fans also feel like MF Ghost came out at an unfortunate time. It’s airing in the same season as Overtake! — another racing anime, which, in addition, is a very strong character-driven drama. With MF Ghost’s selling points being just eurobeat and a connection to an older franchise that not many newer otaku care about, it doesn’t seem like it’s winning this comparison. In the end, MF Ghost doesn’t compare favorably enough to its contemporaries or to its predecessor — and perhaps that’s the main reason why it’s not as popular as Initial D was.
Is there any future for the anime?
Summary:
Despite Initial D being incredibly famous back in the day, MF Ghost doesn’t boast the same popularity.
MF Ghost’s races are longer, and there’s less focus on the cast interactions, which makes it harder to care about the anime.
It’s airing in the same season as Overtake!, which many fans consider a superior racing anime.
Nowadays, not many people talk about Initial D, although its iconic eurobeat music is still fondly remembered even by those who haven’t seen it. The anime itself, however, is largely unwatched by newer fans. That can be attributed to its age and how many seasons it has. However, it was an extremely popular franchise back in the day, and it would seem that its spiritual successor, MF Ghost, was destined to have the same popularity — but that isn’t happening. There are multiple reasons for that; let’s look at some of them.
Another work by a famous mangaka
MF Ghost is an adaptation of the manga by the same name. Written by Shuuichi Shigeno, the person behind Initial D, it shares a number of plot elements and themes with it; however, there are also many striking differences. MF Ghost is set in the future, and while the characters of Initial D appear in the story, they’re not its main focus. This, in part, alienated some of the fanbase of the older show, some of whom felt that they don’t want to watch something similar if it doesn’t focus on their favorite characters. And for newer fans, the references to Initial D might be confusing and hard to care for.
Difference in format
Another crucial difference between Initial D and MF Ghost is the structure. The former switches between races, which are quite short, and the interactions between the cast — and the realism of the latter aspect was one of the things the anime was praised for. MF Ghost’s cast feels underdeveloped so far, with the anime focusing solely on racing — and the races are very long (as they are in the manga, to be fair). This makes it harder for people to care, and if no sequel is announced, the anime will probably not be remembered.
Comparison to other racing anime
Some fans also feel like MF Ghost came out at an unfortunate time. It’s airing in the same season as Overtake! — another racing anime, which, in addition, is a very strong character-driven drama. With MF Ghost’s selling points being just eurobeat and a connection to an older franchise that not many newer otaku care about, it doesn’t seem like it’s winning this comparison. In the end, MF Ghost doesn’t compare favorably enough to its contemporaries or to its predecessor — and perhaps that’s the main reason why it’s not as popular as Initial D was.
