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**The Challenger from England** (英国からの挑戦者(チャレンジャー), *Eikoku kara no chōsensha (charenjā)*) is the first episode of the MF Ghost anime adaptation.

## Synopsis

Kanata Rivington, a challenger from England, enters MFG, a motorsport that is gaining popularity around the world. Kanata meets Ogata, a mechanic, and Shun Aiba, a dependable senior, and prepares for the race. Meanwhile, Kanata reveals his other purpose for coming to Japan to his homestay family in love. On the day of the qualifying round, the car he chooses is a Toyota 86 GT, and Ren Saionji, who is participating as an MFG Angel, is surprised to learn that Kanata will be racing. How will Kanata challenge with his inefficient car?

## Plot

The show starts off viewing the Odawara Pikes Peak with sports and supercars racing on the course as the narration talks about how the rising limitations of fossil fuels and environmental concerns led to the ceasing of production of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. However a new motorsports series with such internal combustion powered cars competing blew up in popularity, with its only regulation being on having uniform grip-weight ratio. The name of the motorsports: MFG.

At Haneda airport, Kanata Rivington arrives from England where he is greeted by a huge TV screening an MFG event where a Nissan GTR driven by Aiba Shun starts off. Kanata notices the huge amounts of fans witnessing the event, much greater than how it was in his hometown. Later that evening, Ren Saionji, an angel at the MFG returns home while talking to her friend Wakana, who is excited to hear about an English origin guy showing up as a houseguest in her house. Ren doesn't find anything about it interesting and doesn't believe in 'love at first sight'. She recalls an event at MFG that day where Aiba Shun approaches her to ask learn more about her. However Ren showed little interest towards him and at the end only disclosed her MFG name 'MFGA Seven' or 'Number Seven' from her rather empty profile info. She considers falling for a guy who she finds cute no matter what others say and not based on their looks. Ren entered her house and the next thing she knew she went fully numb on seeing Kanata, the new English houseguest. Ren couldn't come to her proper senses on what was going on until Kanata came close to her for a handshake. A totally shaken Ren quickly made the excuse of a homework to go to her room. Ren's father notes Kanata's fluent Japanese and when Kanata tells him its due to his mother, he conveys his sympathies of her death. Ren goes to her room where she feels absolutely flustered about the events which just unfolded in front of her and feels like a complete contradiction of her statements just prior to her reaching home.

The next morning at Odakyu Katase-Enoshima railway station, Ren is met by an excited Wakana and asks her about her new houseguest, but Ren was unable to show her any pictures, nor even find the information why is even he even here in Japan. That day Kanata visited Ogata's auto body shop where Ogata was expecting him. He then explains to him about MFG's weird regulation about having a standardized grip-weight ratio, which led to many calling it as "rich man's regulation" due to more expensive European cars passing the regulation without the need for much modding. However Kanata was happy to get his hands on any car to experience MFG. Ogata then opens up a garage door to show him his Toyota 86GT. While Ogata tells him its just a basic manual car, Kanata seems to be flattered by it, telling he is used to to driving such manual cars during his days in the academy. Later that day, Kanata coincidentally met with Ren at a railway station and they both decide head home together. He tells her he came from Tokyo after visiting a British embassy and getting a new phone. Ren then takes her chance to ask him about exchanging contact infos, which he agrees to. Then on the way Ren asks Kanata for a picture together as she wanted to show him to her friends. When Ren asked Kanata why he came to Japan, he tells her he came for just one reason; which is to find his missing father.

The next morning at Ren's school, Wakana excitedly asks her for Kanata's picture and when Ren finally shows her the picture, she excitedly grabs her phone and shows it to bunch of other girls who are as much surprised to see him. Ren understands that Kanata indeed looks that popular. She gets into a flashback of the previous evening where Kanata shows her an image of his father and mother. He tells Ren it was the only picture of his father he has, and it was taken 20 years ago at a place called Kamakura. When Kanata tells he wants to visit this location, Ren tells him Kamakura is close by and she can help him find the place, as she feels its a romantic idea. Kanata feels Ren's and her family's gratitude towards him as he feels flustered by their help.

The next day at MFG's office Aiba is seen bargaining to an office manager about 'Number Seven' angel's identity, where the officer tells he cannot disclose about her personal information to him. While he asks the officer about her next race deployment, he meets Kanata signing a form next to him. Afterwards he introduces himself to Kanata, where Kanata almost instantly recognizes him as Aiba has a lot of fans back in England. Kanata then introduces himself as Katagiri Kanata to Aiba and tells him he's running for MFG's qualification round in its final day. Aiba tells Kanata to call him as "Senpai", which he gladly agrees to and follows Aiba to a nearby Japanese restaurant. At the restaurant they witness Michael Beckenbauer in his Porsche Cayman racing to the top spot, where Aiba informs Kanata about the Cayman's size being smaller than the a Porsche 911 and about Beckenbauer. After getting the food Kanata tells him he's just 19 and Aiba gets to witness Kanata's lack of knowledge in holding chopsticks.

Later Kanata then visits Ogata's bodyshop and they have a little talk while Kanata eats a Koala biscuit snack. Ogata tells him about his car being competed in MFG and hence there was no need to refit anything. Kanata was even more surprised to learn that the competitor was none other than Ogata himself, who admitted he couldn't pass the qualifications as one of the downhill sections always scared him. He admits to being better suited for modifying than racing cars, hence his passion towards gasoline powered cars. That day Kanata and Ren visits a shrine at Kamakura where his parents supposedly took the photo however they can't find the exact background area similar to that of the photo. Kanata tells Ren that it was his dream to visit this area as it feels like his hometown of his heart. Ren feels moved and then asks him to make an offering at the temple, where they do so and prays. Later on when Kanata asks Ren what exactly she was praying, she tells him she doesn't want to say or else the gods may not hear her prayers.

The next morning Ren is off to a rush for her job and informs her mother. Kanata notes this and realizes he has his own event today as well. On MFG's HQ, Fumihiro Joyu, MFG's general manager mentions about Kanata Rivington, who the general executive manager Ryo Takahashi wanted to meet with, but hears he hasn't appeared yet. In MFG broadcasting station, Yoji Tanaka provides live commentary for the upcoming qualification rounds. Kanata near the match overhears from the broadcast about the qualifying 15 of the 302 participants being known as the "Godly Fifteen". Ogata informs him about the new tyre changes, which Kanata much to Ogata's confusion apologizes to him in advance for warning about his usage of tyre potential. Aiba who was discreetly watching "MFGA Seven" gets irritated upon hearing Tanaka talk about Number Seven's angel's body. Kanata and Ogata then suddenly happened to meet Aiba there and they Ogata was surprised to learn Aiba and Kanata met prior. He then suddenly informs Kanata about his turn for the qualification round coming soon. Aiba joins them and Ogata introduces them to the 86GT ready for the qualification round. As Kanata starts up the car, Aiba gives him a few *crucial* pieces of information, including basic info about the Odawara Pikes Peak, which he tells even he can't memorize the entire course after such practices. Kanata tells him he had memorized the entire course in just 3 times of going through, which Aiba thinks was a bad joke. He then advices Kanata to take the uphill section at 70% of the car's potential while the downhill stretch at Sector 3 at 50-60%. With that, Kanata pulls up the car towards the inspection table. The commentator then comments about the rookie, Kanata Katagiri being the next on the round, which catches Ren off guard, who as the angel at the start off point, catches the glimpse of Kanata in the red 86GT just ahead of her. As the countdown begins, Aiba from the office notes Ren being surprised for a moment for unknown reason. As the countdown set off, Kanata raced past Ren in the 86GT with a quadcopter drone following him, starting off his qualification round.

## Official Screenshots

Screenshots come from the Official MF Ghost Anime website.

## Trivia

* The narrator at the beginning of the episode was voiced by Shin'ichirō Miki, who was Takumi Fujiwara's Seiyuu in Initial D.
* Cameo of similar looking Initial D character's vehicle models were in Ogata's auto body shop:
	+ Kenta Nakamura's S14 (although it was a facelifted model).
	+ Koichiro Iketani's S13.
	+ And Kai Kogashiwa's SW20.

## Quotes

**Aiba Shun:** Got a few crucial pieces of info for you to remember, Kanata. The most important thing about qualifying is to finish the lap. Don't go damaging the car.

## Stats

### Characters (in order of appearance)

* Kanata Rivington
* Ren Saionji
* Shun Aiba
* Mr. Saionji
* Wakana
* Ogata
* Ken Katagiri (pictured)
* Katherine Rivington (pictured)
* Michael Beckenbauer
* Mayuko Saionji
* Fumihiro Joyu
* Yoji Tanaka
* Marie Sawamura

### Cars (in order of appearance)

* Lamborghini Huracán
* Ferrari 488
* Porsche 991 GT3
* Porsche 718 Cayman S
* Audi R8 Coupé
* Nissan GT-R Nismo (R35)
* BMW M6 Coupé
* Alfa Romeo 4C
* Lotus Exige
* Toyota 86 GT
* Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR GSR
* Nissan Silvia Q's (S14)
* Nissan Silvia K's (S13)
* Toyota MR2 G-Limited (SW20)

## Music

* Do You Really Wanna Love Me by Norma Sheffield.
* Stereo Sunset by Himika Akaneya (Prod. AmPm)

## References

1. ↑ https://mfg-anime.com/en/story/#/1001211