REVIEW: ‘Overtake!’ Episode 4 — “The Past And Regrets”

The world of Formula racing delivers non-stop adrenaline and Overtake! (Ôbâteiku!) Episode 4, “The Past and Regrets,” aims to do just that as the series continues. Haruka is starting to see better results on the track, thanks in part to Kouya’s support, but will this duo be able to take Komaki Motors to the next level?

Haruka’s fourth-place finish was the best of his young career, but the determined driver was disappointed to miss out on the podium by placing in the top three. The only time Haruka has ever been on the podium before was as a child when his dad was a successful racer. Overtake! Episode 4 explores Haruka’s past and his relationship with his now-dead father while he tries to have a successful career of his own.

The relationship between Haruka and Kouya started off quite rocky, so the fact that Haruka glowingly talks about Kouya’s support while visiting his father’s grave is a significant development in their relationship. It shows that Haruka may be a determined driver, but he is starting to recognize that those around him are only trying to help give him the support that he needs. Being talented isn’t enough, he needs to have a good support system if he really wants to achieve his goals.

Still, Haruka is young and Kouya a bit aloof, so their relationship still shows signs of struggle. Kouya’s main purpose is to find sponsors for Haruka and Komaki Motors and this leads to an awkward advertisement featuring an embarrassing photo of Haruka crying. Seeing Haruka go from speaking kindly about Kouya in private to being angry with him to his face helps establish that they have a long way to go before they are truly operating as a team.

The dynamics at Komaki Motors continue to evolve in Overtake! Episode 4 as well. It’s not just Kouya who can be a bit naive and aloof, owner Futoshi Komaki and his son Koutarou Komaki also show their lack of cutthroat prowess that is so prevalent in high-level sports. The Komakis take Kouya’s side in the growing fight over the embarrassing photo, at least at first, although Haruka puts the brunt of the blame on Kouya.

This stands in stark contrast to Belsorriso, the best team in Formula 4, and their playboy driver Satsuki Harunaga. Where Belsorriso will stop at nothing to win and keep their status as top dogs, Haruka is really the only member of team Komaki who hates even hearing the word lose. The only real sign of turmoil at Belsorriso is a rivalry between Satsuki and his teammate Toshiki Tokumaru, but those types of inter-team rivalries are commonplace.

Belsorriso aren’t your typical villains though, they are just a team dedicated to winning. There is a great moment when Satsuki approaches Haruka, Koutarou, and their friend Arisu Mitsuzawa that helps humanize Satsuki. He is just returning something to Arisu since she works with Belsorriso, but the interactions between the four of them show that even in a cutthroat world they are all just kids trying to forge their own paths. It will be interesting to see how the dynamic between Haruka and Satsuki develops on the track too as they battle it out.

The way these relationship dynamics play out is authentic and, even when there are some positive moments, there is real hurt and frustration even over something as trivial as a photo. Haruka learns more about Kouya’s past and why the fact that he took the photo of Haruka in the first place is so important. It is a really touching scene between Haruka and Kouya’s ex-wife Saeko Yukihira that gives Haruka a whole new understanding of where Kouya is coming from.

The best moments in Overtake! Episode 4 take place when Haruka and Kouya visit Haruka’s family grave together. Haruka unloads his past trauma on Kouya and helps him understand why he can be icey at times. This heart-to-heart meeting gives the two a chance to really understand each other in a way they haven’t been able to before. It also sets the stage for how far they are going to go as a team and as individuals, helping each other push past their past into a brighter future.

Overtake! Episode 4 is a surprisingly touching episode that allows the main characters to grow closer to each other in search of their ultimate goals. There is still a lot for them to work through both on and off the track, but Haruka and Kouya now seem to be on the same page and Komaki Motors is about to take off.

Overtake! Episode 4 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.