Windy Tales Episode 5 Discussion

Tien said:
It's a pity that people will dismiss this episode as "bad" just because it seems boring and eventless. There's a lot going on beneath the surface.

Makino is an adult, but people often claim that he is too immature for his age. That's because he's the type of person who, rather than control the wind, would rather let the wind carry him around. He loves traveling so much that he can describe the countries he's visited with great detail and even sleeps in the infirmary because it reminds him of small hotel rooms. Besides, why would he want to control the wind when he gets so much pleasure from following it? The kids love him for this, because they too want to drift along and learn about new things. His vast repertoire of ghost stories from different countries are perfect for that.

The nurse, on the other hand, is quite aware of her responsibilities as an adult. This is most clearly seen at the end of the episode when she remarks that there should always be an end to a journey. She sees Makino's stories as simple fantasies that she will never feasibly get to experience because of her duties to work and family, even though it's obvious that she really wants to go out and travel. This is an urge that probably all of us have had at some point, and it's easy to emphasize with her.

I liked how this episode made me feel like I was Nao, who was trying her best to pay attention to the adults talking despite her lethargic state. Her feverish hallucinations contrasted quite nicely with the adults' straightforward and almost boring conversation. I was intrigued with the gentle wind that would appear whenever Makino talked about the places he visited. Was he unconsciously controlling the wind because of of his love for traveling, or was it just Nao imagining things as a result of her fever?