How was your summer vacation?
It was fun. I made lots of memories.
Well, that's good.
High school summer vacations are special, after all.
So, any new developments with him?
Well, uh, I don't know if I'd go that far, but...
I feel like we're a lot closer than we were before the summer.
That sure sounds like a development to me.
Oh. I guess you're right.
Y'know, Kyoko-san, there's actually something new to worry about.
I shouldn't talk about it here, but will you hear me out some other time?
MF Ghost
We've installed a new system for the suspension.
The Red Bullet
Broadly speaking, the four struts now have little motors attached.
So they automatically loosen or harden depending on the amount of g-force.
You can alter settings from inside the car,
but the specifics are a trade secret for Okuyama-san,
so we shouldn't need to mess with them.
Wow. Active suspension?
Since it'll handle the roll and pitch now,
the car should be stabler than ever at racing speeds.
That's amazing. I thought I heard a faint noise from a motor.
I never imagined the 86 would be upgraded with this kind of technology.
Yo. I'm here again, Kanata.
Aiba-senpai.
You don't mind being in my booth?
That's the whole reason I'm here.
That's wonderful. I'll feel much braver with you watching.
What a relief. They made up before I even knew it.
To all our fans out there, it's me, Tanaka Yoji, your commentator.
The long-awaited fifth day of qualifying has arrived.
Today sees the run of a driver
who's risen to become one of the Godly Fifteen's top three in his rookie year.
I don't even need to say his name, since I'm sure you all know who I mean.
His arrival behind the wheel has been like a sudden gust of wind,
and that wind has become a storm that threatens to shatter MFG's status quo.
In the driver popularity poll,
Name
Age
years old
Height
Nationality
Japan
Car
Name
Age
years old
Height
Nationality
Japan
Car
he came out top, ahead of both Sawatari and Aiba.
Name
Age
years old
Height
Nationality
Great Britain
Car
Driving an updated bright red Toyota 86,
here comes the speed god born in England: Katagiri Kanata!
And with the world's expectations on his back, he takes to the Double Lane.
The tracking drone is in position behind the 86. Only 15 seconds to go.
For some reason, I'm more embarrassed
about Kanata seeing me dressed like this now that he knows it's me.
So it's you out there today, huh, Ren?
Oh, that's the Hachiman-sama charm I gave him.
I'm so happy. Good luck, Kanata. I love you.
Six. Five. Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Go!
And he's off! The red machine accelerates ferociously away.
Katagiri Kanata's attempt is underway.
There's only one thing on this driver's mind.
Sawatari Koki's otherworldly performance when he set his super record.
Can he match it?
This genius sprinter will have to reach new heights to do so!
His speed is starting to ratchet up as he negotiates the toll roads of Sector 1.
Those aero changes are making a difference.
Despite the speed, the chassis is looking real steady.
This is gonna be damn fast.
Unless he screws up at some point, this is gonna be one amazing lap time.
And we already have an attention flag!
The high-speed S-curve by Benten Rock is coming up, preceded by the Hydro Trap.
The waterfall at the side of the course becomes a river as it crosses the road.
The force of the water when you hit it is pretty intense.
If you haven't built up your neck muscles, you can injure it easily.
I can't feel the grip, which means I'm skating on top of the water.
I'm hydroplaning.
He's through!
Testing the limits of his now-wet tires, he blitzes past Benten Rock!
We don't have to worry too much here. Kanata's a cut above in wet conditions.
He sure proved that when it rained at Ashinoko.
The 86 is maintaining a good pace.
It goes without saying that he's quicker than last year's lap record.
Plus, he's within a tenth of the 4 car's super record.
It's no exaggeration to say he's going at nearly the same pace.
The back half of Sector 1 has some of the highest average speeds for the course.
And someone on Kanata's level will exit that corner doing 150 kmph, easy.
Before the next corner, the 86's turbo oughta get it close to 200 kmph.
The roads may not be bolt straight, but you keep picking up speed.
People talk about the high average speed of Double Lane,
but it doesn't have a proper straight on it.
That's what makes it tricky.
I can feel the impact being gently absorbed whenever I hit a bump.
The car tightens up in response to downward force.
These reaction speeds are sublime, too.
Incredible work, Mister Okuyama.
And the less the car's posture shifts, the better I can use the tires.
This will be an incredible weapon in a street racing sport like MFG.
The 86 car sings its way through this high-speed section.
And the gap to the 4 car's record is still only marginal.
The attention flag is still there.
Soon, Sector 1 by the seaside will end,
and we'll be into the mountains of Sector 2.
And this blistering dead heat continues!
The mountain section is the scary part.
The average speed stays high, but the road conditions get worse and worse.
Unlike the toll roads, these are roads people work and live on.
If you take a corner doing over 150 kmph and hit a pothole,
your control goes right out the window.
I doubt even guys like Kanata and Sawatari can redline it around here.
Are Sawatari Koki and Katagiri Kanata driving in another dimension?
Their battle for supremacy continues, leaving all others in their dust.
The 86 is now a hundredth quicker than the record!
And awaiting Katagiri Kanata on his astonishing run...
There were earthquakes following the volcanic eruption,
and Road 135 was submerged by a sudden swell of groundwater,
producing a waterfall that's one of two natural hazards on Double Lane.
First, there's the Hydro Trap down by the sea,
and up here in the mountains...
Looming large after this high-speed left,
it's Double Lane's famed Jumping Spot.
Dude got some serious air.
I think he was right on the edge of the landing area.
This is part of what makes Kanata so amazing.
That's his first time landing Double Lane's jump, but he knew just what to do.
It's hard for people who haven't done it before to imagine how scary it is.
At the top of the jump, you're even higher than the fence,
and it makes you feel like you're about to crash into Sagami Bay.
And with a cliff to your left,
you subconsciously drift to the rightmost edge of the jumping-off point.
But Kanata went as far left as he could.
Where does such a gentle-looking dude get the balls for this stuff?
The traffic lights mark the start of Sector 3.
Up to this point, he's matching the time of Sawatari in the 4.
The upcoming bumpy stretch has tested the footwork of many an MFG racer.
But Katagiri Kanata shows no hesitation.
While the bumps affect his racing line, he compensates with incredible smoothness.
This driver is in total control of his car.
What do you think, Shun? About Kanata's driving.
What do you mean? It's the same as usual.
Or maybe even a little better?
That's what I thought.
By weaponizing the aero, the 86 can fight harder.
And Kanata can feel that.
But despite that, since entering Sector 3,
he's fallen behind the 4 car's pace.
At this late stage, there's a slight difference in their times.
He still has an attention flag, but in spite of that,
the 4 car is now ahead by three-hundredths of a second!
There's not much of the lap left. As he approaches the finish line...
Y'know, in all the other races, whenever Kanata had any issues,
it was due to the car being underpowered,
causing him to fall behind the competition as a result.
But I don't think that's why Sawatari has the edge right now.
I don't think I've seen a situation where he's simply been outperformed.
Well, this sport is still a competition between humans.
At the highest levels, athletes outperform each other
from one moment to the next due to slight changes in conditions.
Experience and stuff also plays a role.
Maybe it boils down to the fact Sawatari has been here twice before
whereas this is Kanata's first time tackling this course.
The 86 is nearly at the finish line...
And...
There it is!
He wasn't able to break the new course record.
He qualifies in second provisionally.
He was a scant 0.32 seconds behind Sawatari in the 4 car.
And I'm sure I don't need to explain how incredible that is.
MF Ghost.
I don't get Sawatari and Katagiri.
However far you take this jump, it doesn't shave that much off your time.
Are they stupid?
On top of the prize money, MFG has this bonus system.
You get the cash for it in a lump sum at the end of the season.
It's one million yen per overtake.
So you're looking at a ten million yen bonus just from Peninsula.
Really?
You didn't know? Well, putting the whole money thing aside...
Overtaking ten people in a single race just doesn't happen. Not usually.
Hell, last year, there were maybe ten overtakes per race across the whole field.
I figure I oughta ask. What goes on in your head when you're driving?
Huh? What do I think about?
It's hard to say.
My body usually reacts reflexively before I have time to think.
Especially when overtaking someone. If I'm feeling good, it's automatic.
In the first two races, I wasn't pulling moves off too well.
I must've gotten too in my own head. And I was in a bit of a slump.
That was you in a slump? Holy crap.
The change came during the third race.
I got the feel for it back at a good moment.
And I can't explain it very well, but my body started moving on its own again.
Not thinking, huh?
That kinda thing is hard for a normal guy like me to grasp.
Customer 172, your food is ready.
That's ours.
Wow. This looks delicious.
Eat your fill, all right? It's my treat.
Miss Greene.
There's a special lounge. You should rest up there.
Thank you, Hayato.
I'm fully prepared, and looking forward to this.
But I won't go all out. Better to take it easy.
It's only qualifying. Making the top five should suffice.
Aw, man. Maezono-san, did you see that chick?
There was this gorgeous woman in the special lounge. A blonde foreigner.
I figured I'd shoot my shot and went over to talk to her,
but she didn't know a lick of Japanese
and straight up ignored me. Talk about crash and burn.
Akaba-kun.
That's the first thing out of your mouth on the morning of your qualifying run?
Most people would mention the insane laps of Sawatari Koki and Katagiri Kanata.
That's just the thing. She was so hot, I forgot all about that stuff.
Your brain works in very interesting ways.
Five, four, three, two, one...
And off goes last year's polesitter, Akaba Kaito.
A fiery driver with a distinct advantage on high-speed courses, he bolts away!
I've got a shot at winning Double Lane.
And on my pride in the number 2 on this car, I'm gonna prove to the fans...
that I'm more than just a womanizer.
This is where Akaba Kaito strikes back.
Makes sense the Ferrari with its 700 HP would shine on the high-speed sections.
Agreed. Although it may have too much power.
When driving, you end up dealing with lateral Gs for longer than you'd think.
That limits the amount of time you can go all out.
Whoops. Look at that rear end wobble.
That was definitely a bit loose. It cost him some time.
The 2 car looks shaky coming out of that corner.
But he's already ahead of his time from last year.
Akaba Kaito's making it look easy.
The Ferrari music is echoing across the waters of Sagami Bay.
I'm starting to have doubts about my own performance.
One of the younger drivers is stirring something in me.
Katagiri Kanata.
I can't understand how he's so fast.
And I can't accept the fact I'm having trouble explaining the physics of it.
Maezono Kazuhiro is MFG's most logical driver.
With a high IQ and scientific brain, he seeks to conquer Double Lane.
Thanks for tuning in to day six of qualifying.
I'd like everyone to pay special attention
to this next driver.
All the way from England,
and nestled in a coupe in elegant British racing green,
a blonde beauty is behind this wheel.
Her name is Emma Greene, and she's 19 years old.
This is the first time we've seen this manufacturer in MFG.
Her Aston Martin Vantage has pulled up to the start gate.
There she is, Kanata! The cutie with the killer rack from before!
She's actually pretty average for an Englishwoman.
It's Emma-san.
She's so young and pretty, and an MFG driver to boot.
She's only two years older than me, but I feel so outclassed.
When it comes to challengers from England,
I know another name springs to mind for all of us.
And sure enough, like Katagiri Kanata, Emma Greene is a product of the RDRS.
Given that she's followed Katagiri's path from the academy to MFG,
one can't help wondering if there isn't more to her participation.
Name
Age
years old
Height
Nationality
Great Britain
Car
And after putting that question to her directly...
...she made it very clear that she's racing in MFG
to chase after her former lover, Kanata Rivington.
Say what?!
Is that true, Kanata? Damn, dude! You and the chick with the huge melons?
No, it's not.
It's completely untrue, in fact. A total fabrication, in other words.
Given the personal nature of the info, I was inclined not to share it,
but she was quite keen to let it be known far and wide,
so I've done as she asked.
That makes no sense to me, Ogata-san.
If it's a matter of privacy, shouldn't that apply to me, too?
Yet I have to put up with this nonsense.
Well, in Japan, people tend to treat old news a bit faster and looser.
Plus, when a beautiful woman's involved, most people just get jealous.
I'm not really sure I want to be envied for something like this.
Three. Two. One. Go!
And she's off!
She's sure to be the talk of the race.
Katagiri Kanata's ex...
...breaks into the high-speed battle that marks the end of summer!
Kanata said it wasn't true.
And I trust him.
But even though it's not true, announcing it to the whole world like that...
I have no way of correcting the record.
Repeat a lie long enough and it becomes the truth.
What are you trying to pull, Emma?
Isn't it obvious what I'm doing? I'm trying to get attention.
Being at the center of attention comes with being a racing driver.
So I'll capitalize on the value of your name.
It's your punishment for ignoring my affections.
Time you learned your lesson, darling.
Aston Martin, maker of iconic luxury sports cars.
She looks steady and on track to outpace last year's lap record.
She's in third at the checkpoint!
She's running third?
That doesn't surprise me one bit.
Knowing her skills, it's the natural outcome.
I remember how often you used to defy Fujiwara-sensei, Emma.
But you followed his methodology even closer than I did.
The way you meticulously shift the car's weight. It's expertly done and fast.
You've really improved.
To the shock of all, both car and driver are proving to be first-rate.
She's carving her way through the Godly Fifteen's top drivers!
The skills of the RDRS alumni are making them outright menaces.
For real? She was a driver?
And the 624 enters Sector 2 with the attention flag still up.
A provisional third is still on the cards.
One has to wonder what kind of meaning the number "624" has for her...
And when I asked, her answer was quite simple.
It's apparently her angel number.
What's an "angel number"?
It's a series of numbers that's supposed to be personally lucky.
If you encounter a unique number in your daily life,
it's supposed to bring you good luck.
The name comes from angels being the ones to tell you what it is.
It's over the Jumping Spot, and into Sector 3!
The elegant coupe in British racing green screams along.
There's a wildness in those pretty blue eyes.
Emma Greene is roaring!
Kanata Rivington. This isn't where you belong.
So I'm going to teach you how cheap and insignificant your beloved MFG is.
Open your eyes, Kanata. You should be aiming and climbing so much higher.
And I'm the only one who can share it all with you by your side.
I will not let you cheat on me with some Japanese girl.
Come back, my darling.
Next time, Turn 34: The King's Impatience.