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There are various aspects which have to be considered and come into play if we are talking about how a good anime should generally be like. That said, values and priorities in regards to a story and technical features may differ dependent on whom you ask. Well thought out plot, compelling characters or perhaps a focus on visual storytelling-you name it, all of us have preferences whose omnipresence ultimatively dictates our viewing habits and the enjoyment we receive out of something. There's still one attribute I view as vital in order to appeal to the audience, namely heart and even more so when it ... comes to the sports anime. Kaze ga Tsuyuko Fuiteiru essentially embodies the spirit which made me such a big fan of the genre.

It is also a show that exceeded preexisting expectations. Expectations mainly based on a single name. Brought to us by Production I.G a studio renowned for their outstanding record regarding anime that revolve around physical activities. Ok not quite tbh, but if we take a look at some big hit's from this decade like Kuroko no Basket, Diamond no Ace, Haikyuu, Ballroom e Youkoso then it shouldn't really surprise that I.G has earned a certain reputation in this field and everyone familiar with their sports adaptations of this decade might fully agree.


The story revolves around Kakeru and Haiji who met by chance. One is an ex competive runner and a prodigy, the other a guy desperate enough to trick his dormmates with the objective of letting Kansei University enter the Hakone Ekiden. Sounds like a solid premise for this genre. Although there's a notable difference in direct comparison with the title I mentioned above. The show's in question used a narrative that rather focussed on the sport and elemental technicalities, Kaze ga Tsuyuko Fuiteiru on the other hand went more for a character and drama oriented approach. Running in a club served more or less as a catalyst to induce conflicts, trials and self-exploration on the steep road to reach the "top". Then there's the fact that it's setted in university. Good, that doesn't sound like a major change up at first , but it allowed to showcase harsh circumstances accompanied by sacrifices which can only occur if you're in one of the busiest stages of your life. Moreover, I thoroughly enjoyed the cosy ambience of a lively dorm and the seemingly deeper bond of the cast, similar to that of a family. Especially the first episodes capitalized on that aspect and it was easy to get warm with the characters.

Speaking of them, the easiest way to sum up the lot without spoiling much would be to describe them as a diverse bunch or if I take this a bit further maybe even as a group that consists of people whose personalities almost couldn't contrast more. While this made up for engaging character dynamics it was at the same time also the ideal breeding ground for several disputes which put the common goal at risk. There were times where it was hard for some viewers not to get aggravated by some actions or attitudes that were displayed. This doesn't sound very appealing, but rest assured. After a bit of patience you will get rewarded with amazing individual as well as collective development emotionally striking enough to wash away all unpleasant memories. However, conflicts weren't limited to be solely of external nature, each Kansei member had his own struggles to deal with and the show dedicated a decent amount of screen time on depicting those in a tangible manner. At this point I might fairly add that time spent on fleshing out characters wasn't alloted equally and this could've evoked the impression that some of them were lacking significant growth. Thankfully, this most definitely wasn't the case. The final batch of episodes in particular took care of that task. They presented a gratifying conclusion to each individual journey. The boys reflected on their past and the last months devoted to running . This ultimatively enabled them to become aware of how running, an activity most of them were initially indifferent about brought a change to their lifes. These moments truly hit close to home as they were able to convey a wide array of emotions along with a level of relatableness that surpassed everything I had expected. All this made the already enjoyable ride more than just worthwhile.

What struck me most besides the raw emotional impact I experienced while watching characters I've gotten fond of fight against the competiton and themselves was the technical finesse put to display. The running segments were beautifully composed, ranging from expressions of the runner, spectator reactions, inner monologue, animation and OST, everything was in tune. Regarding the overall animation and art quality, well it was mostly conistent throughout the entire course of the show. Some CGI here, some minor inconsistencies when it comes to the faces ther, but nothing that warranted major criticism in that area or took me out of the experience. It fulfilled the standards you would expect of I.G.
Outstanding in that department was how realistic the running motions looked and the effective use of imagery. The director did extremely well there and this became already apparent during the first episode. The first encounter of Kakeru and Haiji was without a doubt one of the strongest opening scenes I've ever scene and immediately captivated me.

Coming to the music department and I'm going to make this short. Fantastic! It always fitted to the scene, enhanced the mood and correspondingly the enjoyment by a large margin. The theme songs, especially the first ones, Catch up , latency and Reset were exceptionally good.

Now onto something, many, especially those who care about accurate depiction and realism when it comes to technical aspects would most likely take an issue with. Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru didn't put much emphasis on elaborating details of running nor did it provide a logical explanation how admittedly more or less fit novices were able to perform so well on a high level. Team Kansei surely put lots of effort into their training, but others must have done so as well. Potential viewers gotta ask themselves whether they can stomach a dose of idealism or not. Personally, I didn't have much trouble to overcome my disbelief due to plenty of other merits. Foremost, the sheer endless energy the whole story and characters emitted. Then also the fact that an anime about a solo sports had some of the best team chemistry is nothing short of praiseworthy.

Lastly, I'm gonna talk about my personal enjoyment. Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru was by far the most entertaining show I've seen from the last year and it turned out to be way more than I could've hoped for. I was totally invested in the characters, I laughed, I felt joy or cried with them. I even started to integrate running in my workout routine again. On top of that it managed to recreate the exact feelings of the times when I've seen my first sports and I hope everyone who's going to check this marvellous work will experience a similar sensation.

I gave it an overall rating of 9 due to the set rating system for reviews, but in my heart it gets without a doubt a full score.