Since MF Ghost’s inception there has been speculation about what the “MF” initials actually stand for. Author Shuichi Shigeno didn’t reveal it from the jump, and fans have been speculating about the meaning since the manga debuted in 2017. Some suggested it might be “My Father’s” Ghost, as protagonist Kanata returns to Japan and enters the race in order to find his long-lost father. Others have guessed “Master Fujiwara’s” Ghost, as it’s revealed that Initial D‘s Takumi Fujiwara was one of Kanata’s instructors. Or, maybe Shigeno was just having some fun with us Monkey Fighters.
Well, as it turns out, according to chapter 274 in the manga, it’s “Mt Fuji’s” Ghost. In the story, an eruption of Japan’s largest mountain has caused toxic chemicals to spill into some areas, creating ghost towns where the cars race through. Sometimes a dense layer of fog inhibits visibility, which Kanata uses to his advantage, pushing his Toyota 86 past much more powerful supercars.
In the manga, it’s none other than Keisuke Takahashi, Takumi’s rival-turned-teammate from Initial D, who makes the big reveal. As he explains, his older brother Ryosuke established the racing series in order to raise awareness for the affected regions. It’s very Shigeno-esque to make readers wait a long time to learn that the “D” stood for “Dream”. Anyway, after eight years the true meaning of MF Ghost has been revealed and, incidentally, you can read a translated version on the Kodansha website.
Well my guess of “Mother F-er” was wrong.
I lived in an apt that was haunted and every time something happened I always blamed that Mother eFfing Ghost!
I would think it was the other driver’s reaction to getting passed by an 86 by saying “MotherFu— what is he? a ghost?”
Thanks for the clarification of MF Ghosts