Overtake! – Season 1 Episode 3 Recap & Review

How Many Kilometers to the Winner’s Podium?

Overtake! Episode 3 begins with Haruka doing a practice run and making a new personal best. He wonders how he managed to pull sponsors and soon realizes he has to do a commercial for them. After a lot of persuasion, he agrees to do the commercial.

They begin with taking b-roll shots of Haruka, followed by pictures and a short interview. Mr. Fujitoshi encourages Koya to click pictures himself, but he prefers to leave it to the professionals. Koya feels guilty if he did the right thing, but Mr. Fujishi and Koutarou show him the benefits.

Following that, Satsuki attends an interview on stage and credits his victory to Toshiki, their number two driver. Toshiki finds it condescending and retaliates with a passive-aggressive comment. 

On the way out, Toshiki points out the fact that assistance from number two is a gray area and can attract an investigation from the higher-ups. They also see the media crew outside the Komaki Motors tent and realize Haruka is doing a commercial.

The next day, Haruka prepares for the race. Belsorroiso calls for an early meeting as they have not acquired pole position. Toshiki requests to be the number one driver for the race. Noritsune agrees, but claims he can only do it for the first 20 minutes of the race. If he doesn’t manage to take the first position by then, he will have to let Satsuki overtake him.

After that, Toshiki is angry, as he feels like he is being used as a windbreak for Satsuki. He takes out his frustration on Haruka by picking an argument with him.

The race is almost about to begin, and Koya holds an umbrella over Haruka, trying to calm him down. The race begins, and the racers take off at a high speed.

Koya notices Belsorroiso’s drivers driving close to each other. Haruka gives a spectacular performance and overtakes multiple opponents. Koutarou explains Belsorroiso’s strategy as a slipstream where the car in front pulls the car at the back due to the difference in air pressure.

Haruka manages to come in fourth. Satsuki is now able to use his power to overtake, but Toshiki blocks him as he needs some more time. Toshiki attempts to overtake the opponent to secure first place on the next corner but isn’t able to due to the lower braking power. This causes Toshi to slip into the escape zone and lose position. 

He however still manages to stay ahead of Haruka and blocks him from overtaking him. Koya questions them about the tussle between the two. Mr.Furotoshi narrates what happened a year ago during Belsorroiso’s auditions which causes the bitter relation between the two.

Haruka, however, manages to overtake Toshi in the second round by using the slipstream and waiting for the perfect opportunity to overtake.

After the race, Satsuki celebrates his first-place victory, and Haruka breaks his own record and finishes in 4th place. Koya begins to celebrate by spraying him with soda, and the others also join in the fun at the end of Overtake! episode 3.

The Episode Review

Overtake! began with setting the bar high and manages to cross it with every new episode. To begin with we see Haruka stepping out of his comfort zone to do a commercial. Haruka surely isn’t the type to engage in these activities but he does it regardless. To honor Koya’s efforts and to be able to afford better equipment to claim victory. This enables Haruka to break his personal record and claim fourth position in the race.

Episode 3 also brings us the inevitable. Toshaki feels like a shadow in Satsuki’s success, causing him to demand Ena let him be the first driver for the race. Toshaki is confident, thinking he has the upper hand in the race, but Ena’s vision lets no detail slip past. He uses physics in a way that Satsuki can use the power from a slipstream to overtake and claim the first position.