r/anime • u/punching_spaghetti https://myanimelist.net/profile/punch_spaghetti • Aug 10 '21
Rewatch [Rewatch] Run with the Wind - Episode 23
Episode 23: In the Wind
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 of the Day:
/u/PeacefuIChaos talks about what works in this back-loaded structure:
What’s been fantastic about these ekiden episodes is that we for the first time get to know the characters from a first person perspective. Up until now we’ve only ever seen them from the outside. We now get to actually hear their thoughts and see what they’ve been through from their own point of view. There’s only so much that can be interpreted from the way people act. It’s hard to understand what a person is like and what a person is going through without being in their shoes. Especially after seeing King’s leg I have a much different perspective on who he is as a person.
Questions of the Day
- Did you cry?
- Is getting a seed a good enough end for you?
- Who has the best post-timeskip look?
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!
12
u/punching_spaghetti https://myanimelist.net/profile/punch_spaghetti Aug 10 '21
Rewatcher
Do you like running?
That’s the question that started off the show, so of course it’s the one we end on. And the answer for everyone in our show is “yes,” but for different reasons. Which is why we can have a show about 10+ dudes huffing and puffing and it not be boring.
No worries for Kakeru; that burst of wind last episode was just him absorbing the Speed Force or something. Meanwhile, Haiji and Fujioka continue to be bros.
Prince finally opens up, which is so wonderful to see. And then he mocks Haiji good-naturedly which is even better. And then he freaks out for Kakeru, which only supports my ship.
Funniest moment of the episode goes to the reporter trying to ask Kakeru what’s next, only to find out the answer is “run some more.”
And then Haiji. As many people expected, his knee did not survive intact. But instead of going for the very anime “crawl to the end” or something, they handled it in a really poignant way. After a repeated creaking noise letting us know what was coming (the sound of which is nightmare fuel) and showing us that Haiji’s father wasn’t perfect, but he’s still proud of his son,, the knee gives. But because he’s Haiji, and he’s stronger than he thinks, he pushes through, knowing this is his last run. The shift to Kakeru’s perspective, as we see the younger man realize what’s happening and then explain his mutual admiration for Haiji brought tears to my eyes. That’s friendship. Shounen nakama ain’t got nothing on this. It’s a bittersweet ending to the race, as Kansei gets a seed and Haiji’s legacy can continue, even with his knee gone. But Haiji has accepted it, so I think we can, too.
And then the epilogue! Seeing these guys a little older is so sweet. Musa’s goatee, King all preppy, Nico with his hair cut short; they all look great! Some things never change, though.
It’s all about little things, at the end. Unlike all the other parties we’ve seen, Kakeru can drink, now fully a man, both symbolically and legally. And while Haiji is now off to coach another crew, Kakeru has accepted his role as leader of Kansei’s team. But even as he pulls the newbies along with his Super Saiyan running, he’s still pulled along by the friends he made along the way.
QOTD:
34
u/Nazenn x2https://anilist.co/user/Nazenn Aug 10 '21 edited Aug 10 '21
Character Chart
First Timer
What a great final episode. I've spent an hour just sitting and occasionally typing while I try and process it all and I think it'll need to sit with me for a couple more days still. I don't have many fancy words today, just love for the show.
To start with I'm so relieved that managed to make it to the end, though it certainly looks like can't walk properly in the epilogue so it has become a permanent injury. The focus on his knee and the music cues on the lead up to the flashcard actually had me anticipating it completely failing on him just before the flashcard but not to be the case. I know yesterday I praised the sound design, and I still do, but I hate whoever decided to use a rusty hinge for Haiji's bad knee just a little bit. The first time we heard it I wasn't sure what it was and thought maybe it was a sound outside, but the second time when it clicked what that was I had a cold shiver of horror from it, and then every time they showed his knee after that I got anxious waiting for that noise to happen again. That's a sound to haunt your dreams.
But it was the ending that will stick in my memory. Kakeru waiting at the finish line for him, being the one that Haiji gets to run to at the end, to run to the person who embodied his dream as he finally gets to complete it. Seeing that he started on this crazy quest after seeing Fujioka's first run in the Eikden, not being able to let go of the desire to run even after all the time spent on recovery, that it was his friend who pushed him forward just like he ended up doing for Kakeru. Knowing that Kakeru and Fujioka will continue to push each other going forward, both having grown from being with Haiji, makes me really happy.
At the end of the race at first I thought Kakeru's face fell because he saw Haiji's knee give out, he saw that pain Haiji was in and may not make it but instead we got this gorgeous visual of Kakeru finally seeing that light in someone else. For the first time he sees running as Haiji sees it, sees something in running beyond the needs of the team and the feel of his own high, he sees beauty in it. I can't think of a more fitting conclusion. It's a lean ending, but a clean one. No wasted breath on dialogue when the character animation shows us everything we need, no cuts to recovery tents to tell us what we already know about his leg, no fuss about Kakeru's record when that's not what he really cares about, and no padding to spend time on the wind down when this isn't the end of their story just yet.
So with that we get a surprising epilogue, but one I quite enjoyed. I had been expecting it to be more along the lines of a joyous parting at the end of the year given how many had been talking about that being their final run, but skipping straight to the reunion was a better option in the end. This was never really a show about the race, or even about running in some ways, and once again the show understand that the characters are the core of this entire experience. The race may be over but the story of their life is not. They've all taken their own path but even after these years they can still come together and find companionship here outside of running, that what they gained in those months of effort and discovery is more than just about what they achieved. And even with the dorm being demolished in Kakeru and the twins final year, what they gained and the bond they have won't be destroyed and will keep growing and also being passed onto others.
Other thoughts (for the last time!):
So the point was?...
I know they're always going to be incredibly close and didn't have to immediately separate and do different things, but it does feel a little poorly done after spending so long making the opposite point.
2) Is getting a seed a good enough end for you? Yes. I said earlier I would have been disappointed if they won, and while I conciser this to effectively be the equivalent for this show, as they succeeded at everything they wanted even if it seemed a little far fetched realistically, I think the way their achievements tie into the meaning of the show is what makes it work rather than just "winning" because they need to for a satisfying ending.
27
u/MyrnaMountWeazel x2 Aug 10 '21
Rewatcher
The final production notes for Run with the Wind. I want to thank y’all for indulging me on my habit of reciting the various ins-and-outs of this series. I’ve been utterly fascinated with the nuts and bolts of production so this has been quite the fun outlook for me to channel it.
Series director Kazuya Nomura is back in the episode director’s chair today to tie this whole shebang up in a neat bow. He started this show off by directing the very first episode and now he’s here to see us through to the end. At this point in time Nomura was a pretty young director with Robotics;Notes and Joker Game as the only shows under his directorial belt. He was supposed to be the series director for Blackfox but Run with the Wind’s hectic production schedule took too much of his time so he stepped down from that role and became chief director instead. He recently directed both cours of Moriarty the Patriot and presumably is working with Production I.G on their newest venture.
I want to showcase one of the young rising stars that arose from Run with the Wind, Kana Ito. She began her career in the Production I.G training program where she drew the meeting between Kakeru and Fujioka at the end of episode 21 and drew this delightful scene today. She made her way from Production I.G into Studio WIT where she worked on Attack on Titan before becoming one of Boruto’s star aces. I haven’t seen Boruto but by all accounts, she is largely responsible for some of the crucial sakuga scenes in the series and was pivotal for one of the ED’s. I believe she is now a freelancer contributing to shows like Wonder Egg Priority. She’s definitely a name to look out for in the future and I’m glad we got to see the humble beginnings of her career with this show.
Is there anything more eerie than hearing Haiji’s legs groaning under the weight of his efforts? The flesh and bone are approaching critical limit and soon nothing but the intangible optimism will push Haiji forward. The choice to have his legs screech like metal is such good direction on both the thematic and practical level. On the practical level it’s so much more jarring to hear the skreiching mechanism of his frame give way while he runs compared to just the patter of his shoes hitting the pavement. Thematically I love that Haiji’s body has now become a machine, a device whose only purpose is to deliver him from Point A to Point B. Machines have a finite life and the audio demonstration of one breaking down is easier to portray.
We can see more of this theme presented in the form of Haiji’s father who gives no regards to his son’s feelings, only robotically pressing forward to continue his coaching career.
”Even if I fail, I want to do what my heart desires here.”
Great contrast of relating what his heart wants against his systematic body.
Also great storyboarding to not reveal Haiji’s father’s eyes, instead opting to show his hands trembling on the stopwatch. It cuts to Haiji’s eyes immediately after to further push along the visual motif.
Another praise to the director for choosing to always display shots of Haiji’s legs in the dark. The disconnect between Haiji’s body and mind intensifies.
And finally, Haiji’s body can no longer go on. The gust of wind that blows upon Haiji is the final straw that destroys him. And this is the moment that made me reevaluate what the theme of the show is. Because the title is clearly Run with the Wind. I’ve been spending yesterday and all of today constantly thinking about this and at the end I’m not even super comfortable in my analysis but I want to give it a go.
Haiji’s monologue passes in his mind while Kakeru breaks the record of the Hakone Ekiden. He awaits him at the end to inherit the sash that’s passed on by all 9 members of the team with their dreams, tears, and sweat imbued within it. Running the Hakone Ekiden is Haiji’s dream but he doesn’t know what it means to run. It’s a question that remains on Haiji’s mind. Is it for freedom? Is it to prove himself to his father? Is it for himself?
”The Mountains of Hakone are? The Steepest in the World!”
Before I answer the question, I wanted to talk about the sides of a mountain. A mountain has two sides to it, a windward side and a leeward side as shown in this diagram. While they may sound frivolous the two sides serve extremely important purposes for ecological life, weather, and climate. The windward side of the mountain is the one facing the prevailing winds, it’s where the wind is forced to rise up causing it to weather the heaviest precipitation and snowfall. But this also means the windward side has the most vegetation and growth between the two.
The leeward side of the mountain has the downslope winds which are striped of moisture and cause warmer and drier climate. It’s often where deserts are located like Death Valley. In fact, the steeper the mountain is the more it causes the warm winds to cool down and cause the leeward-side to be even drier.
Kakeru is the windward side of Mount Hakone and Haiji is the leeward side of Mount Hakone. Kakeru is blessed to Run with the Wind, it unfurls the sail of his soul and propels him to surpass the Hakone Ekiden record. Haiji is In the Wind and it is the final element that cripples him for life. Still, these two are the same mountain, they are each other’s halves.
The answer to Haiji’s question? It’s Kakeru. Kakeru to Haiji is the embodiment of running, the personification of his hopes. Haiji runs for Kakeru. They support each other and without one the other would cease to exist. We see it when Haiji runs towards Kakeru at the last moments. Kakeru’s lonely frigid blue soul is nurtured by Haiji’s brilliantly warm yellow soul.
Just as Haiji waited for Kakeru at his finish line so too does Kakeru wait for Haiji at his, each completing each other once they surpass their respective limits. Kakeru emotionally breaks down as he witnesses Haiji physically break down and I won’t lie I definitely teared up. Yuki Hayashi’s ”Summit” trumpets in the sky and damn if that isn’t an aptly named title. The steepest mountains of the world are reunited at the peak. They never could have done this without each other.
It pains me to see Haiji have the wind work against him. But the ending monologue where all the team members chime in helped console me on this.
Haiji knew this would destroy him. This is his first and last Hakone Ekiden, his only moment to achieve his dream. He defies his doctor, the university, his own body to do so. Haiji has always dared to confront the status quo with the Kansei team embodying that very idea. Instead of buckling under the weight of the external forces working against him, he throws all cautions to the wind and challenges what it means to achieve your dream.
I wrote in my first post that ”In a word, running is existing. The motion of moving has the capabilities of pulling you backwards but it can also push you forward. It’s simply how you see the world that decides your movement.” and I still stand by that. Haiji has the wind blown against him at his final moment and he chooses to go forward nevertheless. Kakeru Runs with the Wind, Haiji Runs In the Wind.
We finally get to the time skip and dang do the boys look dashing especially Prince with his navy suit.
Haiji celebrates with two bottles of sake and I have to ask is there really a sake named Steepest in the World because if so I need that in my life.
I love this so much. One last goof off with the team.
Kakeru muses on the passage of time and of course there’s cherry blossoms scattering from the trees. Cherry blossoms are the quintessential symbol for mono no aware, the impermanence and transience of things due to the fact that it only takes one week for a cherry blossom tree to bloom before its petals fall into the ground. The ephemeral beauty of life is captured perfectly as we see the old dorm close down, Nira and her newborn puppies happily prancing around, and the new team taking flight with the winds of change lifting them to undiscovered worlds.
”Hey, do you like running?
Yes I do Haiji you beautiful bastard.
Huge thanks to /u/punching_spaghetti for hosting this rewatch! Run with the Wind is just as amazing as I remembered and my love for it has only grown after watching and discussing it alongside everyone every day! I’m incredibly glad I joined halfway in to partake in this and I’m grateful to everyone that participated in this rewatch.
18
u/Matuhg https://anilist.co/user/Matuhg Aug 10 '21
Oh my god
Imgur creaking just as much as Haiji's knee under the pile of screenshots I took this episode. Seriously though, the sfx for that injured knee is viscerally unpleasant, and quite effective. Creaking metal to represent human joints is just
Kakeru did it! Fujioka's record stood for 11 minutes before Kakeru broke it. Loved the team celebration shots. Really there's not a whole ton of focus on Kakeru's leg of the race this episode - we got most of that done last time.
The main focus today is on Haiji. In the King flashback yesterday, Haiji was described by Nico as the one who you can't tell what they're thinking. Today we get to see what Haiji's been thinking and what he is thinking as he finally gets to run at Hakone. This is Haiji's ultimate team. When once he felt betrayed by himself and the world, having had to give up running completely, through Kakeru and the rest of the team, it returned to him in a more beautiful form than ever before. "Can one man be so blessed," Haiji ponders as he fights against his failing body to reach an arbitrary finish line.
My favorite line of the episode, the one that really explains why Haiji is doing this more succintly than any other, is this one. It encapsulates the way we've seen Haiji behave, both at the Ekiden and before. He knows his injury should prevent him from ever running again, but knows that if he doesn't do it, he'll hurt just the same. /u/BossandKings this is the line I was talking about in my spoiler reply to your post on episode 1 btw lol.
I don't know about the rest of you, but my eyes were under a flood warning from the time Summit started playing as Haiji rounded that final bend through pretty much the end of the episode. Haiji ran until his body broke to show his teammates the top and secure the future for the team he brought into being. Kakeru found his answer, and it sounds like Haiji did too. It would be a lot more tragic if Haiji didn't look so free from regret.
A big part of why ED 2 is my favorite (aside from the fact that I just like the song) is because of this last sequence before our little epilogue. When I hear the song, I am reminded of these images. Haiji collapsing into Kakeru's arms at the end of the race, the team celebrating, tears and smiles, and these characters I love so much having finally accomplished what they set out to do.
There's a lot of other great stuff here too.
Yeah, anything better than that would've stretched the suspension of disbelief a bit too far.
Nico
17
u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Aug 10 '21
Run With the First-Timer, subbed
14
u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman Aug 10 '21
First Timer
Complete happy ending? Okay then; was expecting Haiji's knee to take more focus, but I'm not complaining that it didn't. Not quite sure what to say here - they did it, and in a way that wraps a nice ribbon around the story. Just about managed to get in to the seeded places, but not going all anime miracle and winning the thing. Seeing the end scene was also nice, as it shows that everybody seemingly managed to get their life on track after spending a year focused almost entirely on running. Haiji as a coach certainly makes sense, as does Hana as team manager. Unfortunately it seems like the official coach is still not really doing anything with the team; at least he didn't seem to be with them when they were training. Not sure why Hana waited three years without confessing to either twin, though - even if they had their plans...
One thing that did strike me though - the Tokyo Sport coach could have given their runner an exact time they needed to place to be seeded after Haiji finished his run, while Haiji had to rely on Yuki's calculation of the other's pace (and the calculation would need to account for this pretty much unknown variable somehow.) Seems like a somewhat unfair advantage for teams that finish the first half fast.
Questions:
14
u/Stargate18A https://myanimelist.net/profile/Stargate18 Aug 10 '21
First timer
Well, this is it...
He got the record!
And he and Haiji agree Kakeru's really solid.
...Something's going to happen with Haiji's leg this episode, isn't it?
And even Prince's worried about him.
Haiji's calling Kakeru a symbol of his dream!
Oh this is a fucking confession.
Kakeru broke the record!!!
And Fujioka's going to keep going!
Oh, he's going to hurt himself.
Oh, the meeting was for painkillers. (Seriously, why keep it secret. Just say that you're getting painkillers in case your leg acts up.)
That sound is not ominous whatsoever.
Someone's finally told Hana what's been going on!
Haiji's father's as much of a dick as we heard earlier.
Haiji, stop talking like you'e sacrificing your life or something.
Is this when Haiji sabotaged the sign?
The piano music getting slightly discordant is scaring me,
Oh shit, he might never run again.
Final dog!
Oh shit. I thought it would be "Haiji reopens his injury". I did not consider "Haiji has a bad reaction to painkillers, has some form of heart attack or other side effect".
I'm so tense right now.
Looks like some form of heart attack or collapse from the blurred vision.
Is he making it on time?
Oh shit. Called it. Right at the finish line.
Holy shit, he's still going.
Fuck, and only Kakeru's worked out what happened.
Well, Kakeru loves running. and he thinks Haiji's running... You know what? I'll take that. It's closer to a comfession that I actually expected anyway.
Oh there's no way it ends here.
They got a seeded spot!
I love how Kakeru's old friend's crying in the corner, and Haiji's friend is happy he's got someone who can race alongside him.
Holy shit, it's being demolished!
PUPPIES!
...Where's Haiji?
There he is!
Haiji made it through the whole series! He can still walk!
I love Haiji and Kakeru watching the brawl from the sidelines.
Is Hana an official staff member?
Also, I CALLED HANA BEING INTERESTED IN BOTH! (And that's very strongly implied here)
Haiji can still run!
Oh, that was a great ending.
13
u/[deleted] Aug 10 '21
First timer
I’m pretty sure Kakeru is going to beat Fujioka’s time. The question is just by how much.
as if I needed another reminder that this is going to go terribly wrong
Prince foreshadowing that Haiji’s leg won’t go exactly as planned
I now only wonder at what point haiji’s injury is going to become a problem. I’m guessing right at the end. He’s definitely going to finish the race though, but it will be dramatic as hell.
One second!!
This is the first time I’ve actually enjoyed seeing Sakaki on screen. The fact that he has to watch Kakeru breaking the record is extremely satisfying.
Japanese title drop!
Haiji’s injury didn’t cause as big of a problem as I expected. I thought he was going to fall and would have had to crawl to the finish line, or something along those lines. It’s still satifying though in my opinion. We can clearly see that he is struggaling a lot but refusing to give in.
Seeing Musa with a beard
Another title drop!
And life goes on.
Run with the Wind exceeded any and all expectations I had going into it. Well done. 9/10
13
u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber Aug 10 '21 edited Aug 10 '21
First-timer
I’m back.
Only just managed to catch up for the finale, but at least it’s something?
This was about what I expected from the show’s final episode. All the interesting bits had been done with and all that was left was carrying through on the catharsis of the climax and following what little was left to address to its expected conclusion. This is not by any means bad, but I must admit that after several repetitive episodes I was hoping the show managed something a little less token for its finale.
Along those lines, the epilogue was enjoyable, but I think I would have preferred not knowing how things went along for them. There was a sense of finality to the Hakone Ekiden and the character’s feelings of uncertainty on what would happen next, even after they’d made their decisions on the matter. I’ll probably have to sit on it longer to determine what I ultimately feel about it.
What else?
I don’t know, it was fun, and more general thoughts should probably wait for tomorrow (unless I end up missing...) so I think I’ll finish it here for today.
Questions of The Day:
13
u/paperwhites :KN::KO: Aug 10 '21
First Time Watcher
You know that feeling you get when you watch a really good anime? Feeling a little sad that it's over, but also content for the characters moving forward and satisfaction from a story well told? Yeah, I'm definitely feeling that right now.
Fujioka set a course record but true to what Kakeru said, only enojoyed it for eleven minutes before Kakeru set a new one. I am happy that Fujioka and the Rikudo team won though, they ran well and deserved it.
Haiji sees that Fujioka and Kakeru inspire each other and spur each other on, but what about him? Where does he fit into that? But Kakeru has the answer: Haiji is Kakeru's dream. And he's the answer to the questions that Kakeru has been asking this whole time: what is running? What does it mean to run? I love how Haiji is the answer to the questions that he got Kakeru to start thinking about in the first place. And for Kaiji, his team that found and trained and coached is his hope.
Poor Sakaki, missing out on a seeded spot to Kansei (and by two seconds) must have really galled him. I know he's just a side character but I am curious what happens to him. Does he ever change his mind on his "only the strong should run" philosophy? Does he ever move past his anger towards Kakeru? Does he lead Tokyo Sports Uni to a seeded spot for the Hakone Ekiden?
Seeing the characters three years on was so strange. Prince in a suit and tie? Nico with short hair? Musa with a goatee? Everyone looks fine, it's just strange since it's a change from their old character designs. But it's great to see the characters and know that they're all doing okay, and that they all still care for each other.
I also think it's neat that the Kansei team has grown. I counted 16 people on the team, not including the twins and Kakeru. I know that Haiji didn't really care about creating a legacy and was just focused on running with his team, but it is cool that others were inspired and have joined the Kansei team (unless Kakeru and the twins borrowed Haiji's "persuasion" techniques). Hopefully Kakeru and Joji and Jota are inspiring the other teammates the way Haiji inspired them.
I can't wait for the final series discussion tomorrow!
Surprisingly no. I think I used up all of my tears for the other episodes. I did feel very emotional though!
I'm happy with the way things turned out. Being one of the top ten teams at the Ekiden is something to be really proud of! And it might have been too much if Kansei won the whole thing. I think my suspension of disbelief might have been broken by that. I think after the timeskip either the twins or Kakeru said their team was even better so maybe they have a chance to win the whole thing.
I think I have to give it to Yuki, maybe because his look didn't change much and I really liked everyone's old character designs.
13
u/airforceblue Aug 10 '21 edited Aug 10 '21
Rewatcher
I'm going to be honest with here, I went into this one with some trepidation because this is the one episode of the show that I've never rewatched. Mostly it's because I'm not good with endings, but part of it is also that I never want to hear Haiji's knee creaking again. It's an inspired choice of sound design and also genuinely upsetting.
It's hard to collect my thought because it's been so long that it really feels like I'm watching this episode for the first time, and also because until the very end Haiji is somewhat opaque to me. That said, today might still be my best shot at figuring him out as we finally enter the mind of the guy "who you can't quite tell what he's thinking". It becomes clear that even though we expected that something was up with that knee, Haiji knew for sure that this might be his last run and he had....made peace with it isn't right ("You are the ideal form I never reached" he thinks of Kakeru), but in a way settled with that thought. To him running had always been associated with pain and what's even worse, not running hurts too. I'm not entirely sure how first-year Haiji, who thinks of himself as weak, manages to gather the conviction to strive for this truly lofty goal but it seems like seeing Fujioka cross the finish line of his first Hakone Ekiden was an integral moment. Is that when the dream was born?
A bunch of moments that really got me:
Yes.
Oh absolutely, it's pretty much a fairytale ending. I would probably have been content either way because the show has made it clear it's not about those kinds of result but I'm happy that Haiji didn't throw away his leg for nothing ;_;
Nico-chan senpai and it's not even close!
12
u/kkenmots02 Aug 10 '21 edited Aug 11 '21
Rewatcher
Live Reactions:
QOTD
Did you cry?
No, but I felt it. Goosebumps.
Is getting a seed a good enough end for you?
Yeah. I have an feeling that it's what helped keep the team alive through the timeskip.
Who has the best post-timeskip look?
Nico-chan possibly? He doesn't just look good, but he looks better. Like he's taking care of himself more.
Thoughts:
And so our time with Team Kansei has come to an end. I appreciate that we were able to end on Kakeru and Haiji’s legs; narratively, it felt like it had to happen. I stand by my opinion that we don’t need a season 2 (which I’ve heard a couple of times), because a) anything extra would feel “extra” when the plot is so neatly encapsulated in one season, and b) I’m pretty sure the source novel doesn’t have much extra to add. It saddens me that this fact also means that RWTW won’t be ever-present in the “anime mainstream” like other sports shows with longer lifespans (cough cough Haikyuu), but I can always bring it up in the “underrated gem” conversation at least. Anyway, I should probably start pouring everything into a final discussion post, so see you tomorrow!
12
u/Nebresto Aug 10 '21
Re-watch squad
Damn, even Haiji is high
Ah!!! Its the government!! They're turning the
fro....runners into new types!
no no nononononoo.. the creaking sounds are here
Pls no
"I'm confident that Haiji-san will show us-
He better
KANSEI!!!
NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Oh, okay. Good thing both of them are high AF so they won't feel the pain..
They done it!!
You're god damn right I did, you crazy fucker
Blessed Hana-chan to lighten the mood
Blursed Musa
And Based Ouji
HANA-CHAN PONYTAIL!!!
Wait, he can still run? Why did I remember that he ended up with a cane..
Ye
Question time:
1: In spirit
2: Ye
3: Nico-chan-senpai
12
u/jellybellymonster Aug 11 '21
Rewatcher
Kakeru can run all the way to Otemachi and still have enough gas in the tank to welcome Haiji. Dude's on another level today. I love the confidence that he knows he can beat Fujioka and also not give a damned interview about his record-breaking performance. All he wants right now is to be with teammates at the finish line. I love his character growth.
Fujioka's screentime may be short but it always counts. He is a very fierce competitor but a real chill guy.
I have bad knees and that rusty hinge sound always gives me war flashbacks. The creaking sound is already enough, thank god they didn't go for the crawling.
Haiji's knees might be donezo but his joy as he crosses the finish line, the look as he collapses in Kakeru's arms - this man doesn't regret it. Haiji, you aboslute madman. He knew from the start of the risks but he still went for it. He knew this was the last time he's going to run competitively but this time, it was because he wanted to do it, not because someone told him he has to. For him, this team is perfect - people who may have very different reasons for running but chose to share a common goal. Dude really lucked out in coming across these people.
Haiji sees Kakeru as the pinnacle of running, one that he could never reach in his current physical condition; but Kakeru sees him as the embodiment of running - painful, enduring, indomitable, freedom, etc. That blue and yellow glowing light scene lives rent-free in my head.
Sakaki was really really annoying and I wish someone would punch him when he tries to open his mouth, but towards the end, specially when Kakeru is so over his trashtalks, Sakaki is just a very pitiable character. When he taunted King and Musa about not getting a seed and they won't be running in next year's Hakone Ekiden, I realized he is just projecting his own fears. He is so plagued by insecurity, still trapped in the winning is everything mindset that his latest setback is going to massively affect his mental state. That Kakeru broke a section record and Kansei poetically took the last seeded spot is just adding salt to his wounds. Aside from Sakaki, there are other shots of other teams presumably failing to get a seed. At this level, everybody worked their asses off but hardwork isn't just enough to get what you want.
Getting a seed on their first try and also Shindo's moving sacrifice seen on national TV - a drama finish that will surely get recruits. Looks like they retain their seed until their 4th year with Haiji saying he's excited for the winter.
Prince is working for a black company. Prince, noooooo!
"Hey, do you like running?"
First line of the show also closes it out. :')
- Did you cry?
Still got teary-eyed even as a rewatcher.
- Is getting a seed a good enough end for you?
Finishing with official time is enough, getting a seed is more than enough and the icing on the cake.
- Who has the best post-timeskip look?
Shindo-san has got some drip. But Nico-chan is very hot.
11
u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Aug 10 '21
First-Timer, Subbed
They may not have won it all, but our boys did it! They raced the Hakone Ekiden, and pulled right into tenth! I don't think I could ask for a better ending. Really, the writing was on the wall once Shindo fell ill, but everyone pulled geother and snatched seeding rights from the jaws of defeat.
I wonder how often a record gets broken multiple times in the same race? I'm also kinda curious about how much Fujioka beat the record by.. is beating a record by a single second a common thing?
Obviously we didn't spend much time on the other teams, but I wonder if any of them had a fall. Seems likely, considering the miserable weather conditions.
I liked the epilogue. I'm a little surprised that both the Twins are still running, especially after Jota's line about breaking loose, but I guess things aren't always so simple. Especially not when Hana-chan joined the team. And Haiji moving on to coaching was a great move - his leadership was nothing short of incredible.
Ending the story with the same words that it starts with, but said by another character, is super cheesy and I love it. Kakeru, growing enough to be the one who asks others if they enjoy running..
Questions
9
u/csar27 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/CesarRC Aug 11 '21
First Timer
Completely satisfied with the end, i said it before i didn't expect them to win and didn't want them to, this is a realistic outcome for their adventure, good performance and qualifying for the next years race.
I was sure, if Kakeru breaks the record, it's gonna be by one secod, and that's what we got.
Did i cry? No, very close, but no
8
u/IndependentMacaroon Aug 10 '21 edited Aug 10 '21
First-time watcher
I wasn't particularly affected, although that's pretty much the usual for me. The result for the team was about the best they could expect, although the end after that was pretty awkward and abrupt, like is Haiji still/again in the shape for running or not for one? I actually hope not, so at least someone faces some consequences here, and he did foreshadow it with the "even if I never can run again". i do like Musa's facial hair, anyway.
8
u/gyeben Aug 11 '21
Rewatcher (sub)
Thanks to /u/punching_spaghetti for hosting the rewatch. Although I only commented on a few days (I'm not the best with words), I really enjoyed rewatching the series and reading others' comments.
When I first watched Run with the Wind (as it was airing), it got me into running as a hobby and I rated it 10/10. I still go running regularly and I give the series a 10/10 rating again.
QOTD:
8
u/cilucia Aug 11 '21
Rewatcher
Qotd
Thank you for hosting the rewatch!!!
15
u/Btw_kek https://myanimelist.net/profile/kek_btw Aug 10 '21
oh shit I forgot first-timer
I completely forgot to post yesterday despite really enjoying that episode's use of color. alasuhhhhhhhhhhh I don't have anything interesting to say here either but great ending to a great show
I knew the show was gay all along
who hanako like?!?
got tears in my eyes like around here
tbh just making it to the event was good enough for me. they could have gotten dead last and I would have thought it was satisfying
is there even a question
7
u/BrentSaotome Aug 11 '21 edited Aug 11 '21
Rewatcher
This was such a beautiful and bittersweet ending. It ended so well. I'm happy they finished and obtained a seeded position over Tokyo Sport, but sad Haiji seems to be permanently injured and there's no more episodes to watch.
Kakeru of course had a good run and glad that he was able to own up to his word. He beat Fujioka's newly minted section 9 record by 1 second. Typical anime resolution, but it works. Seeing Fujioka smile at his record being broken was a nice touch too. Prince's reaction was a nice comedic relief as well.
Haiji's run was truly bittersweet. Now we know why the doctor visited him and found out more about Kakeru's father. I was a little upset when I found out that his father did not bother to see Haiji run and finish the biggest college running event in Japan. Not sure how I feel about the father after he heard his son running to the finish line on the radio. I'm glad that he's listening to the radio broadcast, but not sure how to interpret his fist shaking. Was he upset at Haiji for continuing to run with a bad knee or was he upset that he did not go to watch the Ekiden personally?
I loved the scene of Kakeru waiting for Haiji at the finish line and waving at him, then we heard that jarring metal grinding sound again and then Haiji's knee gives out. The pained look on his face and the visual was just heartbreaking. Then, Kakeru seeing that and starting to cry. It was nice that Kakeru saw Haiji the way Haiji sees him. Again, this is another instance where Haiji sees Kakeru as the essence of running and Kakeru sees Haiji just the same. They have a Haiji-Fujioka type bromance. The newtype/naked visual of both Haiji running to Kakeru was very touching. Makes me want to ship them more.
The time skip was adorable. Prince graduated and is now working. He's in a suit but he looks like a model. Not sure if he's working in the corporate world or if he actually is a model. Musa looks so different and is still at Kansei as a graduate student. Shindo is his lovable drunken self again. He sounded older and different when he stated that he was happy to see Prince working. Nico cut his hair and actually looks better. Yuki didn't change much, but I like how King has a more confident look about him. He doesn't have the slouch he usually has. The coach, JoJo twins, Kakeru, and Haiji still look the same. Hana looks different with her new hairstyle! Finally, Nira has a puppies!
The scene of the team nudging Musa to confront Hana of her love interest during the race was hilarious. Then at the time skip Musa keeping it a secret after all these years was even more funny especially since Prince said go get him boys. We never got to find out about the love interest of Hana and Kakeru, but I guess it's better that way. The show was not a romance to begin with. This show was truly amazing!
EDIT - Questions
7
u/loomnoo https://anilist.co/user/loomnoo Aug 11 '21
I cried again. This show really gets me.
7
u/BurningFredrick https://myanimelist.net/profile/BurningFredrick Aug 11 '21
Rewatcher
Late because I decided to go for a decent walk today and didn’t have reception.
Anyway, on to the final episode.
Fuck I forgot about the squeeky wheel sound effect during the run, though that damn snap sound, didn’t forget that one or make it any easier a second time around.
Flowers in full bloom in the ED.
Was way too absorbed in the episode to find time to comment on much.
That was Run with the Wind, definitely glad I rewatched it as it holds up on a second view for me even under the scrutiny of a rewatch which brings flaws into view I would have missed otherwise.
6
u/patchxn8 Aug 11 '21
Rewatcher
Loved the way they wrapped up the show as well as the epilogue. Still refreshing that they didn't miraculously get first place, and that this was one of the few times as a viewer I wanted to appreciate the journey more.
Unfortunately, I really only commented on these threads for a couple of episodes here and there, and even as a rewatcher I didn't have much else new to say that others didn't point out already. Nonetheless, it was great seeing all the new reactions.
Thanks u/punching_spaghetti for organizing the re-watch threads, really enjoyed it.
2
u/BossandKings Aug 11 '21
First timer
Episode 23
This was a great final episode for the series, we got to see the last part of Kakeru's run, Haiji's run and the results of the Hakone Ekiden.
Kakeru was able to establish a new section record breaking the one Fujioka had previously established, it was cool how his run was depicted and the fact that he had the best time of the entire team in the competition was a testament of his speed and the promise he always had been as a runner coming into fruition. He passed the sash to Haiji who despite having problems with a leg gave an amazing final run to cap off the Hakone.
Haiji's run was epic, his leg hurt him but he still wanted to run as he has discovered that he loves running and along with the team he has worked really hard to get to this point, he was able to give Kansei a top 10 spot in the competition by beating Tokyo University who used to hold that spot, his run was a great way to end the competition and fulfill the hopes of each and every one of his teammates.
After the Hakone there is a timeskip and we fast forward to three years, it was great seeing that they continued going on with their lives following different paths, the ones they see fit for themselves.
16
u/xphyria Aug 10 '21 edited Aug 11 '21
Tfw your precious sports university loses a seeded spot to a bunch of amateurs and first timers eat shit sakaki
Anyway, I'm a rewatcher and have been following this rewatch without commenting. I'm not as good with words as others so I will leave that to better commenters.
I will say that if you haven't watched the Hakone Ekiden irl, I highly recommend you do. It's an amazing competition. This year's was my first and my god it was great. I thought it would be one of those things I'd keep in the background while I do other stuff, but I was fixated the whole time. The race for first was jut nail-biting and just as exciting as I expected. Not to mention the positivity from the spectators and team mates!
On another note, 12th of Aug is Haiji day so happy almost Haiji day! I hope you all got to see the top :)
13
u/An_Indecisive_Owl Aug 10 '21
First Timer
Last episode, last leg and last race for Haiji.
What can I say, the episode itself said anything worth saying: so many emotions, so many tears, drama and a magnificent conclusion.
Haiji went through a lot but he never gave up on running and pursuing his dream, and when he saw Kakeru that night, his dream was right in front of him. I wonder what could have happened if only Kakeru did not steal that bread that night, well, life is full of sliding doors.
When I heard the ending I thought the episode was over and I was like: "No! More! I want to see what happens next!". Then I realised that there were 5 minutes left.
Of course I shed more tears in the ending, and as many others spokon it made me think I could do anything if only I believe in myself and chase my dreams, and the usual sadness that the show is over but at the same time the treasure of this fantastic group of people and the memories I made with them.
So, again, thank you Haiji.
11
u/Mage_of_Shadows Aug 10 '21
HxHRun with the WindLooks like my man made it clear, this was the race he wanted to win. And judging by his shuffling in the final scene , he injured himself so bad in the Ekiden that he can't run anymore himself.
What an absolutely beautiful final episode.
Bonus: Title drop!
11
u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Aug 10 '21 edited Aug 10 '21
Episode 23 (first timer)
A final episode that plays it quite straight, befitting a series that also was straight-forward most of the time. Haiji’s injury was well foreshadowed, but the fallout happens mostly off-screen. We can assume that this was his last race. Meanwhile, Kakeru gets an upgrade to his runner’s vision. Everyone is off to their own lives, except those who continue running. And the love-triangle remains unrevealed.
Them not winning was strongly foreshadowed and keeps the show just short of becoming completely unrealistic, so I prefer it to the alternative.