Overtake! – Season 1 Episode 4 Recap & Review

The Past and Regrets

Overtake! Episode 4 opens with Haruka tending to his family’s grave, recounting his conversation with Kouya about the sponsorship and his achievement of securing fourth place.

The scene shifts to Haruka’s All Out Lime Soda advertisement airing at a promotional party. Haruka is taken aback to see a photo of himself crying in the ad and vents his frustration to Kouya, who insists he had no knowledge of it. In his attempt to reassure Haruka, Kouya unintentionally worsens the situation, causing further tension.

The narrative then transitions to Arisu fawning over Satsuki while strolling with Koutarou and Haruka. Haruka notices apology messages from Kouya and forgives him. At that moment, they encounter Satsuki in search of Arisu. Satsuki compliments Haruka’s commercial for all the wrong reasons, which only exacerbates Haruka’s irritation. Haruka places the blame squarely on Kouya and proceeds to block him.

The scene changes to Haruka during a photo shoot in the studio, while Kouya stands aside, checking if he’s still blocked. He crosses paths with Saeko, and they discuss work. Suddenly, the staff requests Kouya to take photos of Haruka. Despite great difficulty, he musters the courage to decline and leaves after causing a commotion.

Haruka witnesses the lengths to which Kouya goes to protect him. Later that evening, Saeko has a heart-to-heart with Haruka, divulging Kouya’s past and his penchant for photography. She recounts the incident when he visited a location hit by an earthquake, and how she only found him two months later. He later posted a photo of a girl being engulfed by a tsunami, which resulted in online backlash. She commends the positive impact Haruka has had on Kouya.

Saeko also reveals that the clients initially wanted Haruka on the winner’s podium, but Kouya ensured it would only happen after Haruka earned it on his own. This revelation alters Haruka’s perception of Kouya, prompting him to reach out and arrange a meeting on Saturday.

On Saturday, Haruka takes Kouya to his family’s grave, sharing the story of his father and his tragic passing. Haruka holds himself responsible for pushing his father to give his all, believing it may have contributed to the accident. Kouya finally comprehends why Haruka doesn’t seek solace in the cheers of others at the end of Episode 4 of Overtake!.

Despite this, Haruka offers a prayer to his father, asserting that Kouya will be the one behind the camera, capturing the moment when he stands on the winner’s podium.

The Episode Review

Episode 4 of Overtake! deepens the characters by unveiling a tragic yet beautiful story of Kouya and Haruka. It compels you to empathize with the characters, adding significant weight to their purposes and actions. The episode provides subtle clues as to why Haruka harbors discomfort with receiving cheers during races and sheds light on the turbulent waves that Kouya encounters in moments of stress.

This episode establishes a strong bond between Haruka and Kouya, promising a much brighter future for them.