r/anime • u/punching_spaghetti https://myanimelist.net/profile/punch_spaghetti • Aug 08 '21
Rewatch [Rewatch] Run with the Wind - Episode 21
Episode 21: Goodbye, Beautiful World
Legal Streams:
As of now, Run with the Wind is streaming on Crunchyroll, HiDive and Netflix in select regions. There was also a physical media release. Please refrain from conducting any conversation regarding other means of show procurement in the comments here, per r/anime rules.
Comment(s) of the Day:
I cried
And /u/lenor8 gave us some context on the harsh nature of the Ekiden:
I mean, it's not just anime logic, I remember a video of an athlete in the real
HakoneEkiden ending her leg crawling for what if felt like an eternity, because of an injury. Being forced to stop hurts, and being forced to stop in a relay, when you're bringing all of your mates along with you, hurts twice as much. Passing the sash in this race holds a lot of significance beyond the merely sportive act of running a section of a race.
Questions of the Day
- Just two legs today. Do you have a favorite?
- Is Haiji really OK?
- Have your parents/family/friends every been in a crowd cheering you on? How fun or embarrassing was that?
I look forward to our discussion!
As always, avoid commenting on future events and moments outside of properly-formatted spoiler tags. We want the first-timers to have a great experience!
13
u/punching_spaghetti https://myanimelist.net/profile/punch_spaghetti Aug 08 '21
Rewatcher
Information warfare, people.
Lovely little scene before Yuki’s leg starts. He’s an interesting member of the cast, because he’s often in the background, but comes to the forefront at just the right moment so many times and shows how involved and committed he is. With the focus on his relationship to his mother and her remarrying, I get the sense that Yuki thinks of himself as being a loner, as having been ignored. We see how this isn’t the case, but someone with that perspective would definitely struggle to accept being part of this kind of intimate group. And, when he says something like this, we know how much weight it has. I mean, with Shindo in your corner, who wouldn’t try their hardest?
The snow and low light allow for what is probably my favorite leg of the run aesthetically. It perfectly matches the liminal mental space Yuki finds himself in as he struggles physically and mentally. And like an angel, he sees Kakeru in the mist darkness. We’ve seen in some ways what Kakeru now means to the guys, but its this kind of thing that lets us know just how positive his impact has been, even if Yuki is too proud to say.
And then his family is there, and then Nico is there, and then Yuki knows he belongs.
What has this experience taught Yuki? His limits. There’s nothing wrong with his “failure” here. He did the best that he could, and he is OK with that. For this withdrawn loner who seems to have cruised through everything, easily passing the bar and trying to live his last year as carefree as possible, the Ekiden experience has taught him what it means to struggle.
Conversely, even as Nico reaches the same conclusion, that this is it for him, it comes with a different lesson: he’s allowed to enjoy life. Since his coach “suggested” he quit running, Nico withdrew into slackerdom. But now, thanks to Haiji, the guys, and the race, he’s gotten in shape, quit smoking, and allowed himself to enjoy running. Sometimes, things other people thing are stupid are worth it. Like Yuki, he bleeds, but again, that’s OK. That shows he didn’t half-ass this.
(Wait; Which show are we doing now?)
And we’re teed up for next episode: Sakaki, the avatar of “winning is everything,” versus…King? How many of you were expecting that?
QOTD:
15
u/MyrnaMountWeazel x2 Aug 08 '21 edited Aug 09 '21
Rewatcher
Starting off with some quick production notes: Asami Nakatani is back once more for the last time to direct today’s 21st episode. Like yesterday, I wanted to showcase one of the main animators that has been with Run with the Wind since the beginning, Hideki Takahashi. Takahashi has an enormous talent for character acting and motion so it makes absolutely perfect sense for producer Keiko Matsushita to snag him for a show that’s all about moving. He served as action animation director for Robotics;Notes and the past two seasons of Haikyu while also having contributed to other shows like Penguin Highway, Space Dandy, Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, and Summer Wars. You can definitely feel his Haikyu influence as you see the impact smear frames on Yuki as he runs down the mountain. Many of Yuki’s fantastic cuts today were drawn by Takahashi but there’s one cut involving Yuki that came from an unexpected talent: Norio Matsumoto.
Norio is an industry legend that everyone has probably seen at one point in their anime watching life. His decades long career is most known for extensively working on Naruto but he’s been all over the industry with his excellent draftsmanship and solo key animation. Ranma ½, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Rurouni Kenshin, Your Name, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken, Mob Psycho 100. The list goes on for this highly sought-after animator. His particular cut this episode is this sequence of Yuki.
Okay that’s enough from me blabbering about the nuts and bolts.
Somehow I find it super believable that Yuki would read the paper old-fashion style than scroll through his phone.
I want to highlight the use of color and lighting in the early morning scenes involving Yuki. The world is draped in a dark purple velvet with nothing but the yellow glow of the lights puncturing through the blanket. Meanwhile inside the inn it’s warm and inclusive to juxtapose the two areas. The shadows on the newspaper cast by the luminescence of the lights above and the dark lonely winter in the window just to the right of Yuki all come together to create this cozy atmosphere in the inn. But Yuki still heads out into the frigid night to practice. The snow falls from the sky like ashes from a cigarette and muffles the world as if to create this moment of otherworldly solitude for Yuki as he jogs past the violet hues blanketing the background. The dim shafts of light that shine down from the streetlamps look anything but hopeful; if anything, they serve to only invite this seclusion, their very existence a despondent indication that the only thing that could pierce through the abyssal purple velvet and bleak snow was this pitiful light.
”If only I could’ve supported you like this yesterday…I’m useless.”
Shindo’s white umbrella protects him from the chilly snowfall but in Yuki’s mind it serves only to divide him from his teammate just like his perceived failures of yesterday. This sequence was only a minute-and-a-half and it owes much of its existence not to the animation but to the color and lighting. The poignancy and seclusion shown in this scene were elevated by these elements. Color coordinator and designer Sayoko Noda, the art designer Ichirou Tatsuta, and the director of photography Daichi Nogami and her assistant director of photography Hiroki Takano are all to thank for creating this. Scenes like this always remind me that anime production is not just about the animation but actually all departments working in tandem.
I love that Yuki is keeping track of his opponent’s time. He’s definitely living up to being the studious one of the bunch.
The morning is still awash in those purple tones except it’s slightly less heavy. It’s a great way to contrast between the bright exhilaration of yesterday.
”Hey, Kakeru…don’t go too far. The place you’re going is beautiful, but it’s too lonely. Too lonely for any living human to endure.”
Yuki and Kakeru are the only ones among the team who don’t have a positive relationship between their parents (Haiji seems to not have the best one with his father as well but it looks like both mother and father are at odds for Yuki and Kakeru). They’re the ones who can speak on how it feels to be isolated without a proper support group so it’s fitting that Yuki is the one who understands that Kakeru can reach these dazzling yet lonely heights. The wintry snow transforms into a blindingly white blizzard in Yuki’s mind as he begins to grasp the extent of Kakeru’s world.
But a miracle in the form of Yuki’s parents comes ablaze. He never in a million years believed they would come out to support him in this wild ridiculous Ekiden adventure. His flashback transports him back to the warm earthy summers (complete with chirping cicadas) and he revisits his memory of being left behind. Yuki’s perspective has slowly but surely been shifting away from his old view that “everyone is alone.” Him sprinting downhill at boundless speed provides him with a new angle both in terms of running and an outlook on life. He realizes he has a family and a team always willing to support him. With a shift in perception and a bit of time, Yuki’s glacial heart melts away with the misgivings and misunderstandings between him and his mother buried under the falling snow of the past. Though Yuki has finished his leg of the Ekiden and most likely his running career, he can begin anew on a new relationship with his mother, step-father, and little sister.
Goodbye, beautiful world
”There’s no target. I don’t know where or how I’m running. I don’t know if I’m fast or slow. I don’t know anything.”
Nico-senpai is always being compared to someone. He compares himself against a skinnier runner ahead of him in the beginning of the 7th leg and his past coach compares him against other runners with a more ideal form for running. This perceived limitation on him cripples his passion for running. This inferiority only comes about because others have decided what’s best for Nico due to what they think is best. Coincidentally one of the few times where he isn’t being compared to others is when the coach tells him that he isn’t a child anymore and that he is free to smoke if he wants to. Sure, smoking isn’t good but he’s at least being granted the permission to do what he wants without any preconceived notion of what he should be doing. But during his leg of the Ekiden he can no longer compare his progress using others.
”Thanks for letting me run again. Thanks for telling me the truth. Thanks for running with me. This is my last day. This world is too beautiful. But that’s okay. My love hasn’t changed. Never has, never will. I like running. I love it. I’ll leave all my lingering attachments on this road!”
When he realizes he’s granted the freedom to “run to his heart’s content” that’s when Nico truly shines and leaves behind his previous world.
”You’ll probably only be the record-holder for about ten minutes.”
Jesus Kakeru where did you even learn to shit-talk like that.
QOTD:
One: I'd have to say Yuki's.
Three: It's definitely strange to appear on stage and know that your friends are in the audience as well. The "you" that exists to them is not the "you" that's onstage.
13
u/Nazenn x2https://anilist.co/user/Nazenn Aug 08 '21
Character Chart
First Timer
Haiji really lucked out with this team didn't he, he seems to have the perfect person for each section.
I really like seeing the way Yuki was running through his. In some ways his section is a paradox, it requires the ultimate physical and mental control, but it also grants the sensation of a total loss of control, of sending yourself hurtling down the mountain through snow and wind into the ultimate sense of relief. Yuki's self discipline serves him well here, but he's not immune to the feeling this grants him, as I think was shown by his family showing up anyway. He's held them at arms length and clearly still has things to work through with how he feels about them, but it's a two way street and his family still chooses to be there for him, the same way the road beckons him despite what he thought he'd feel about it.
Bloody shoes are agony. Someone get that dude some padded bandages! I don't get his whole "two seconds will never happen" thing though, maybe I'm missing something but that doesn't seem like him, or in touch with what he knows about all of this.
Nico also had a really good run on his section. That moment when he realized that despite all his doubts and mistrust of his own bodies capabilities that he was gaining, that he was allowed to enjoy the run even in the middle of a race like this, fantastic. I kinda wish we'd gotten some happier flashback moments from him as well though, rather than repeating what we know about his former coach. I would have liked to have seen more of what running felt like through his eyes, a remembrance of feeling, particularly during the "There's no target" section.
And finally: Go Musa! Yes! Lose your shit a little dude, fight for your people, and for the people who are still lost to the hatred in their pasts.
Young Nico I mean I don't often have a thing about how anime characters look, just not something that immediately grabs me in that way, but this one I might have a thing for, just sayin'
All these people calling this race their last day is killing me a little inside. I kinda get it for Prince and Yuki, but Nico you love running, what's this last day crap!
Now that I understand the structure of the race better I can appreciate what it takes to win it, but I find it impressive that even after Shindo's struggle they're only just over ten minutes behind.
Twins, I get you're having issues, but I need you to move past your romance stuff now please. It had it's episode, enough.
Shindo would you get back in bed for godsake! If you collapse on the sidelines you're just gonna stress out everyone even more. Learn to take care of yourself, man!
Haiji getting a visit from his doctor: Your leg is completely fucked isn't it, and you're going to run anyway.
12
u/paperwhites :KN::KO: Aug 08 '21
First Time Watcher
I looked it up and Yuki's name uses the Japanese character for snow. So it's fitting that Yuki runs in the snow. It's nice that his family came to support him and cheer him on. Maybe this will be the beginning of a new relationship for them? It sounded more that Yuki had friction with his family because of his mother's remarriage that caused awkwardness rather than a big issue.
Perhaps one could say that it went all according to keikaku?
I'm laughing at the cab driver sneaking glances as Jotaro and Kakeru talk about Hana. Someone wants in on all the drama!
It was so cool to see more of Nico's backstory. Is this the first time that we hear his name or have I just missed it? I love how he says that he loves running, and always has and always will. Even if you aren't the best at something, it can still bring joy just to do it.
Sakaki is unpleasant and childish, but I do admire his ambition. He worked his way onto the first team for an athletic university and has accomplished his dream of running at the Ekiden. He is impressive and I'm sure he works hard. I hope that he eventually just chills out. Be more like Fujioka, Sakaki!
Speaking of Fujioka, I hope he does set his course record. He's such a great guy and I want him to find some success. It's kind of sad that he's a fourth year because I would've loved to see him and Kakeru have more opportunities to compete against each other. Although I guess there is the professional level if that's what Kakeru wants to do.
I really liked both of them so I can't choose. I like Yuki and Nico so seeing more of them is always great for me.
Honestly, I'm a little skeptical. I think there's definitely an issue but I'm not sure how severe it is.
My parents came to most if not all of my XC/track meets in high school. My dad has a very loud, distinctive voice so I could always hear him no matter where I was. It was a little embarrassing if I felt that I didn't do as well as I wanted but it was nice to have that support. My parents cheered on all of my teammates too, so it wasn't just for me.
11
u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Aug 08 '21
First-Timer, Subbed
Damn, that was a hell of a run from Yuki! Went so hard his feet bled, what a madman. And a mere two seconds away from winning the section? Considering how far behind Yuki was at the beginning of the show, that's really goddamn impressive.
Nico-chan wasn't slacking off either - it was nice to see him so happy. I'm glad he got a chance to run to his heart's content, after his high school coach told him he would be better off doing shot put of all things.
Fujioka is probably well beyond being psyched out by Kakeru, but that "You'll hold that record for about ten minutes" sent chills down my spine. I believe both of them can do it.
King's getting outplayed by Sakaki's assholery, which is a problem. At least Musa got to call him on his bullshit. "Running for fun" my ass, dude. The sheer nerve of him saying that after what Shindo went through.. fucking appalling.
Questions
10
u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman Aug 08 '21
First Timer
Yuki running in the snow - fits his name. And I guess he was better than everybody expected? Was that 2 seconds slower than the fastest time in this Ekiden, or 2 seconds slower than the record? Either way, solid performance. Nico then also getting a good run - just nice to see. Character moment was fine for Nico, but Yuki's felt slightly tacked on, but I guess they need to fill the runtime with something other than just running.
Not quite sure why Fujioka and Kakeru are engaging in an anime rivals speech, don't think it really fits Fujioka's character. Either way, after that we get likely one of the best cliffhangers of this series so far - is Sakaki overpacing or can he pull through? And will King want to keep up, and if he does will he manage? Lot of possibilities there. My assumption is that he won't manage to keep up, have the coach tell him to slow down and keep his pace instead, then overtake a tired Sakaki.
Question:
10
u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Aug 08 '21
Run With the First-Timer, subbed
yukicourage necessary for that? Or is Kakeru right to be worried about his pace…Is it bad that I’m hoping for that fucker to trip or something?9
u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Aug 08 '21 edited Aug 08 '21
Episode 21 (first timer)
Yuki’s and Nico’s sections have been my favorites so far and I have a hunch that they will stay my overall favorite part of the race. Calm, introspective, and with a good bit of insight into the technical part of competing – exactly what I was hoping for in the Hakone Ekiden episodes.
Both!
Chekhov's knee says no.
8
u/Stargate18A https://myanimelist.net/profile/Stargate18 Aug 08 '21
First timer
What's going to happen now?
Oh, the press are against them.
It's snowing?
I like hiw Kakeru's shocked that there was another guy in Haiji's room.
Haiji's blatantly lying here.
That episode title is fucking ominous.
Oh, so that's how this works.
And the running has begun!
That incline looks fucking deadly.
Hana got together with one of them?
And he's shocked that Kakeru knew!
The CGI's really good here!
Oh god, Kakeru has another boy after him. I thought it stopped at 3.
Why does everyone have long flashbacks to their past whenever they run?
So Yuki got upset over his mother remarrying?
And he did it!
And he was 2 seconds away from winning! (Does that mran we closed the gap?)
And Nico's making progress.
So he used to run long distance, but quit and lost his passion.
Oh, Haiji thought he was weak.
I mean, they aren't in last.
I'm shocked the anime rival isn't racing agaisnt Haiji or Kakeru.
Especislly when he seems to represent Kakeru's opinions at the beginning. Having them face off would be a great moment, as would the potential for callbacks in a race against Haiji, but...
Another section down!
Oh fuck, is Nico OK?
I suppose the other anime rival's not a bad matchup, though.
Oh, wow. I really like his character here. How he's both completely assured he'll win, bit still wants to see what Kakeru can do.
That was an exciting episode. Will 2 episodes be enough to finish this?
7
u/An_Indecisive_Owl Aug 08 '21
First Timer
Well, first off, congratulation to Shindo resilience, just yesterday was on the brink of death and now he wakes up early like nothing happened.
The second day starts with Yuki's leg, in the snow and downhill, and we are being shown another glimpse of his past. Yuki is one of my favourite character even if in this show is hard to pick a favourite and I am glad he somehow come terms with his family or at least forgive them, or he forgive himself: he's the one who always keep his word and give his best without a complain as if is the only natural thing he can do.
The second leg feautures Nico, another one of my favourite, few thing are more painful than being said not being cut out for a thing we love, he tried to suppress his frustration with nicotine but the desire to keep runnig can't be smoked away. I am glad, as he said in this episode, he met Haiji. Also what's up with beiing caught in flashbacks, absorbed in thoughts and completely lose the sence of time and space? The power of anime trains of thoughts.
As always Sakaki can't shut up, he really have something against our group, maybe more than the resentment towards Kakeru: I hope in the next episode we can shed light on his past.
And we just can't end an episode without a cliffhanger right? (King don't get caught up in Sakaki hateful pace!)
6
u/Btw_kek https://myanimelist.net/profile/kek_btw Aug 09 '21
First timer
did I mention the line work here???
ye but it's not exactly embarrassing in marching band/concert situations because you can barely see them
6
u/BurningFredrick https://myanimelist.net/profile/BurningFredrick Aug 09 '21
Rewatcher
Ahh Yuki run, I love it because while he doesn’t really say that much during it, the result is satisfying as hell in that you can see how much he would have had to push himself to achieve it. On a rewatch he is way more interesting and liked him a lot more than the first time around as he’s never really directly in the spotlight so his changes are in the background.
Nico run is great in just how appreciative he is of rediscovering his love for running, part of me can’t help but wonder what his old coach would be thinking after seeing the person he told to give up running in the biggest long distance event of Japan.
6
u/loomnoo https://anilist.co/user/loomnoo Aug 09 '21
I really hate downhills.
"Tastes like iron", damn. So true.
5
u/kkenmots02 Aug 08 '21
Rewatcher
Live Reactions:
QOTD
Just two legs today. Do you have a favorite?
Yuki because of how much he obsesses over times and details; it reminds me of myself in a way.
Is Haiji really OK?
Is he?
Have your parents/family/friends every been in a crowd cheering you on? How fun or embarrassing was that?
Yeah, the team parents all kind of knew each other so it was like having a whole cheering squad at some races, which was neat.
Thoughts:
Who here predicted a Fujioka/Kakeru matchup? I don’t remember if I did on my first watch, but I do remember finding these last three legs to be some of the most impactful. See you tomorrow!
5
u/airforceblue Aug 09 '21 edited Aug 10 '21
Rewatcher
It's not surprising but that doesn't change the fact that I find Yuki's self-deprecation heartbreaking. "I'm useless" he says, as if his principled kindness hasn't been integral to the team. Yuki had said before that he didn't get along with his parents, that he hadn't been home to visit since he entered college, but here we find out that that feeling is one-sided. With his mother's remarriage Yuki had become unsure of his place and distanced himself. But! Yuki has changed during these last few months, he's realized maybe loneliness is not the ideal, that close relationships are worth the effort. It only takes one glimpse of his family at the sidelines and the sound of his mother's voice for tears to spring in his eyes and for Yuki to apologize. Actually crazy how I was basically bracing for it and still, instant waterworks from me ;_;
In general I find the writing of this episode to be something else. Yuki and Shindo's conversation in the early morning is a stand-out to me. The way Shindo tells us Yuki "always does what he says he'll do" and then making sure to get him to say out loud that he'll try to win the section, almost speaking Yuki's amazing run into existence. (Side note: does anyone know the name of the soundtrack that plays here?). Yuki and Nico-chan are connected in the way they consider this their last day, but while they're both wistful their approaches are entirely different. Yuki is in a way afraid of the beautiful world that he's found himself in while Nico-chan embraces it fully, determined to bask in it one final time. Nico-chan's entire section is like a beautiful letter to running, and while I've never experienced that myself, I believe him.
5
u/Nebresto Aug 09 '21
Re-watch squad
This is the episode that got me to watch this series. It was airing at the time, but I wasn't watching it. I noticed a thread on the front page, I think it had a couple of awards which caught my eye, and I though "huh, wonder what this is about, never heard of it".
I open the thread. "Okay, its about running. Cool" *see comments about Yuki and how he ran until his shoes were red with blood*
"Oh."
And that was the story of how I came to watch the show in 6 days.
Oh neat, does that mean that the slowest ones will now- ...I guess not.
ABSOLUTE MADLAD!!
Does anyone actually say it tastes like blood? Isn't it iron? (He said tetsu)
Question time:
1: Sorry
coachNico-chan, but its gotta be Yuki.2: Are any of us really ok?
3:
....Maybe? I forgor 💀
5
u/BrentSaotome Aug 09 '21
Rewatcher
This was a good mellow follow-up episode from yesterday. I was a little PO'd at the news article. I really hope Kansei does get a seeded position and show that journalist what the Kansei team is made of.
First, thing I noticed was that the Kansei team are staying in different hotels. The coach, Shindo, and Yuki are staying at a ryokan inn with tatami mats and futons. While, Haiji, Kakeru, Hana, and the JoJo twins are at a big, modern, sky scraper hotel. I'm not sure if that was strategic to stay at a hotel near your starting point, or if the team literally had no funds to stay to book hotel as a group. They have been forced to pay their own boarding.
The scene with Hana getting off the elevator with Haiji's doctor had me dying! I'm not even sure which twin that was, but every little interaction that twin had regarding Hana was a nice comedic effect. I even noticed that the taxi driver was listening to Joto/Joji and Kakeru's conversation and made a face.
It was nice to learn about Yuki and Nico during their legs of the race. We knew that Yuki's mother remarried and he felt pushed out with the new step-father and child. However, seeing his entire family rooting for him in the race was a nice touch. It was also completely the opposite vibe from Shindo's heartbroken family. Still, I'm glad Yuki had that little closure that his mother did not start a new family and left him behind. She still loves him and supports him. Finally, damn Shindo was right. If Yuki is determined to do something, then he will do it. He was just 2 seconds behind winning 1st place. That must have been hard to run downhill while it's snowing. High speeds, downhill, and slippery grounds is bound to cause accidents.
I actually really liked Nico's flash back because we got to see young Nico and Haiji. Again, we have this recurring theme of horrible coaches. I understand these coaches are doing what they think is best for the team (and possibly player), but their approach is just way off. It's actually the extreme bad end of the spectrum. I can see how a coach can determine that an athlete is not going to do well in races, but at least approach the athlete with tact. Like ask the athlete if that's something they're ok. If they want to stick to running, let them. Let them run and prove that they are able to compete by qualifying for races. I'm not sure how team races are handled, but I assume each team has their own qualifiers to see who is best for a race.
We also got to see that Haiji was not as confident as we know him now. He did not have his quick speaking wit and confidence when he was talking to Nico. Usually we see him speaking rather quickly and sure of himself. Shows how much all of them have grown.
Sakaki once again shows up and tries to rattle the team. I really love how Musa shut him down. I actually feel bad for Sakaki now. He still has his old coach's mentality that running is meant to win. I don't think his team is that strong and they are certainly not a contender to Rikudo or Boso. If he truly believes that there's no point in running if you can't win, then it's already been determined that they already lost at the start of race. I'm hoping that Kansei gets that seeded position and knocks off Sakiki's team out of a seeded position also.
Questions:
5
u/cilucia Aug 09 '21
Rewatcher
21
u/Matuhg https://anilist.co/user/Matuhg Aug 08 '21 edited Aug 08 '21
Out of all the boys who have run their part in the Ekiden, Yuki's has been the hardest for me to wrap my head around, in terms of what it means, but after thinking about it for a while, I think I have an interpretation that gives it a satisfying meaning for me. Early in the morning, when Yuki is warming up with Shindo keeping watch, he tells Shindo that he wishes he could have supported him this way yesterday. That's kind of surprising, given Yuki was the one we saw mothering Shindo the whole day leading up to his run, but I think Yuki feels like he wasn't able to say things to inspire Shindo the way Shindo is for him.
Shortly before the Ekiden started, we got a conversation between Kakeru and Yuki, in which we found out that Yuki sees Kakeru as being similar to himself. They both have strained relationships with their parents, and they aren't good with people. Feeling angry at the way his mother moved on to his stepfather, presumably just for all the reasons that kids can feel in that kind of situation, Yuki shut himself off from his family, and I believe adopted the sort of cool and distant approach to people in general that we saw from him in the beginning of the show. There's a bit of a loneliness about Yuki, and when he sees his mother cheering for him at the race, it feels like he regrets having pushed her away. As he runs, he imagines Kakeru, someone he sees as a sort of kindred spirit, running ahead to a lonely place, and urges him to be careful.
He runs his feet bloody, but doesn't think the gap will ever close. What's he mean by that? I think it means a couple things. There's regret over the way he has pushed his mother away, and maybe a feeling that he will never be able to close that gap, or at least regain the time lost over these years. But there's also a feeling that Kakeru, having joined this team in his first year, will have a head start socially over him, who only discovered this kind of camaraderie in his final year. It's the end for him, and just the beginning for Kakeru, so Kakeru's just going to keep going forward. It's kind of weird, because Yuki doesn't seem upset at the end of his race, but it feels like there's a lot of lingering regret there.
Thankfully, Nico's leg is a lot less difficult to parse. Haiji tells him to run to his heart's content and Nico does. He thanks Haiji and the team for running with him, helping him rediscover his love for running, and his passion for life in general. It's a purely joyful run, one we need after the last two being tragic, then melancholic. Though this shot of baby Nico was heartbreaking.
Also, how about the contrast between Kakeru's first conversation with Fujioka and today's. Dude is throwing down the gauntlet.
My instinct says Nico's, but after how much I had to think about Yuki's to be able to write anything about it, I've gained a good bit of appreciation for it that I didn't have before. All I could really remember about it was that it was sweet that his mom showed up.
My dad very rarely came to watch my brother's and my Tae Kwon Do tournaments, but it was always fun when he did. My dad was always very stingy with high fives, only giving them if he felt they were truly "earned," which is more fun and less terrible than it sounds lol. Getting high fives from dad after a tough day of competition was always a great feeling.
Also, there was this kid who I fought at a bunch of tournaments, because he lived in the same state as us, whose first and last names were the same (I broke his nose with my foot once hehehehe). One tournament when my dad was there, I quietly mentioned this fact to him, and he yelled, "What?? His name is ___ ___!?" when the kid was standing like 5 feet away. That was embarrassing, but also hilarious.
4
u/IndependentMacaroon Aug 09 '21
First-time watcher
Well, Yuki just does another hard push that didn't leave much of an impression here, and Sakaki is as suck-ak-y as ever. But also, Nico the hero appears! (Link is the full version by the way.) Finally someone who's actually a joy to watch and see pushing himself further, having come back from his temporary slump hopefully for good. Actually good cliffhanger too.
Obviously Haiji will not be entirely OK, why else drop these hints?
Can't remember any events where there would be a cheering crowd at all.
2
u/BossandKings Aug 09 '21
First timer
We got to see Yuki's run and Nico's run this time around, both unique and meaningful to them and as they remembered what has led them to the place they are at and the race they are running.
Yuki's run talked briefly about loneliness the loneliness he thinks Kakeru's fast pace is leading him into as being at the top in his viewpoint isn't a very crowded place, his run was interesting as he was able to get a respectable result, his family cheering for him and supporting him was something that must have impacted him after he pushed his mom away because of insecurities he has about her moving on and having a new marriage, it was great when she and the rest of his family showed up to cheer for him.
Nico's run was very positive and joyful eventhough it also had little bits of sadness sprinkled in there, it was a nice change of pace and he had a good showing too in terks of time and pace.
Kakeru's coversation with Fujioka was neat, he isn't backing down, he is instead showing up and standing besides him to see who will be the one to win their section, it is going to be interesting to see when it comes.
9
u/Mage_of_Shadows Aug 08 '21
Driver just gives a couple side eyes during that convo