“If I beat the guy in front of me, then I’d be better than him. I thought I could feel that way.”

Some shows can have robust production values, a compelling premise, and an energetic presentation, but still leave you feeling confused. I enjoyed Wind Breaker, but I’ve been struggling with how strongly I would recommend it, and it’s not just because the name is a euphemism for flatulence. Sure, I thought it was fun, but it didn’t feel befitting to give it a wholehearted endorsement, and I finally put my finger on why.

Wind Breaker suffers from the same issue that plagues many a shonen series’ premiere. It rushes to establish its premise at the cost of effective pacing. This is a shame, because while Wind Breaker has an engaging premise, the emotional aspects would land better if they had room to breathe. Regardless of the aggressive pacing of this premiere, Wind Breaker has the potential to be a captivating brawler anime, and we don’t get as many of those as one might think.

Our protagonist is Haruka Sakura, a high schooler with what appears to be partial albinism affecting his hair and eye. Given his striking appearance, he has grown up feeling singled out and isolated. As a result, he’s taken to fighting, because as he puts it, “how you look doesn’t matter in a fight.” In order to pursue fighting to its fullest, Haruka has enrolled in Furin, a school notorious for its delinquents, which is located in a town known for its criminal gangs. His logic is, if he can become the strongest fighter at the school, then it means he is the strongest of all the lowlifes. If people are going to label him as a thug due to his appearance, then he’ll construct a place for himself at the top of that thug label.

It’s an intriguing motivation, but one that starts to crumble as he learns the truth about his new school. If this first episode had been split in two, I think the pathos behind Haruka’s underlying trauma might have really endeared him to audiences. However, much of his underlying outlook and outward tsundere demeanor are established within minutes of the show starting, and it doesn’t afford the viewer the time to process the motivations. 

I think the last martial arts series I watched was The God of High School. I didn’t hate that show, but given that it took some searching to figure out what its name was, it’s probably fair to say it didn’t leave an impact. Wind Breaker is being produced by Cloverworks, and they have done a spectacular job of depicting the fight scenes. The choreography is both creative and full of flair in a way that I can only describe as Yakuza/Like a Dragon-esque. If you’re wondering why I’m giving this show a higher rating than either Spice and Wolf or Train to the End of the World, the distinguishing factor is how pretty this show is. Given the animation quality, until I looked at the details of the manga, I assumed this was a Shonen Jump title.

I’m not entirely sold on the OP and ED, though. The OP seems fun, but I think the music simply isn’t enough of an earworm. The visuals linger in my memory, but the music seems to dissipate from my mind like vapor. The ED is thoroughly average. It’s the collection of panning stills that we’ve seen countless times before. The music isn’t bad, but without more distinctive imagery, it can’t elevate itself above the level of “good enough.”

Before I wrap up, a few Notes and Nitpicks:

• The “Wind Breaker” in the title is a reference to a line of trees that break up the wind. I’m familiar with the concept, but that hasn’t occurred to me as possibly being the intended meaning. Again, I assumed it was either farts or jackets… probably the latter.
• Speaking of brawler anime, has anyone ever actually watched Baki the Grappler? I know it exists because I have about a dozen anime DVDs from the mid-2000’s, and there was an ad for it at the start of every one of those, but it wasn’t exactly a title that interested me at the time. The only reason I ask is because I know that anime/manga has a shocking longevity, because it resurfaced a few years back with new adaptations.
• I don’t mind the dichromatic nature of Haruka’s hair, since that can happen even if it’s rare. However, I’d expect his eye on that side to be either pink or blue, and that bugs me. Yellow irises can happen, but I wouldn’t expect it to happen in conjunction with the white hair, since that’s usually due to a section of tissue with albinism. It’s weird which anime color quirks snag on my suspension, but these things get harder to ignore when the show calls attention to it.
• We get to see a few characters towards the end of the episode who will presumably be playing significant parts moving forward, and I love how, even in a large brawl, each of them could still be easily distinguished by their fighting style.

With its brisk pacing, Wind Breaker might not be putting its best foot into our faces… I mean, forward. However, there is still a ton of promise here, and the action is a wonder to behold. Anyone in the mood for a shonen brawler should check this out.

Score: 4/5