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Wind Breaker (TV).


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Tony K.
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Joined: 18 Nov 2003
Posts: 11443
Location: Frisco, TX
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2024 12:18 pm Reply with quote


Wind Breaker (TV)

Source: Manga (ongoing @ 16 volumes, by Satoru Nii)

Demographic: Shounen

Animation Studio: CloverWorks

Genres: action, comedy, drama, tournament

Themes: delinquents, gangs, idealism, martial arts, school

Plot Summary: Haruka Sakura wants nothing to do with weaklings—he's only interested in the strongest of the strong. He's just started at Furin High School, a school of degenerates known only for their brawling strength—strength they use to protect their town from anyone who wishes it ill. But Haruka's not interested in being a hero or being part of any sort of team—he just wants to fight his way to the top.

Air Date & Platform:
April 4, 2024 (Thursday)
Available on: Crunchyroll

Episode Count / Runtime: Pending


Last edited by Tony K. on Thu May 09, 2024 10:04 am; edited 4 times in total
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Edjwald



Joined: 03 Aug 2017
Posts: 1586
PostPosted: Thu Apr 04, 2024 5:25 pm Reply with quote
When I read all that stuff about the MC being a battle maniac and not interested in being a good guy, I was about ready to write this one off. I haven't had a good track record with delinquent fight anime whose main characters are punks lately. But I've been trying to give as many anime as I can force myself to watch a shot, so I tried this one, and the MC wasn't nearly the jackass that I feared. Unless I'm misreading something - and that's kind of hard to do given the narrative voiceover at the end - this is more of a kicked dog becoming a guard dog for a kind family story than a mad dog story.

The fight scenes were well animated, the female lead was likable, and the character's struggle for growth was clearly defined. If there's going to be tension between the MC and the Furin types, it seems likely to stem from whoever the "He" is that the Furin guys mentioned. The one who they don't want finding out that the female lead was threatened. This isn't exactly complex emotional stuff, but I liked it fine.
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Sobe



Joined: 04 Jun 2011
Posts: 886
PostPosted: Thu Apr 04, 2024 6:38 pm Reply with quote
Loving episode 1. Perfectly executed first episode for an anime. I'm looking forward to episode 2.

Wind Breaker is one of the very few animes I couldn't wait to binge watch and went ahead and watched the first episode right away.
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smurky turkey



Joined: 30 Jan 2022
Posts: 2664
PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2024 3:59 am Reply with quote
I too am usually not a big fan of battle maniacs and the whole street gang thing. What works for me with Wind Breaker is that it seems to be about the MC finding a place to be accepted and grow just as much as it is about fighting. The brawls are done to protect their/the people and not so much as to just glorify how strong they are in mindless violence. The fights looking good and the characters being likable thus far helps too.
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b-dragon



Joined: 21 Apr 2021
Posts: 497
PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2024 8:37 am Reply with quote
Me too. "Delinquent brawler" anime aren't my forte, but the action, art and characters were solid so I'm buckled in. I like the recognition of the self-fulfilling cycle here- Haruka is so used to rejection that he acts in ways that would cause people to reject him. That's his safe, familiar, mental space, as unpleasant as that may be. This whole "acceptance" thing could be a mite uncomfortable for him.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



Joined: 07 Mar 2009
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2024 7:33 pm Reply with quote
Episode 1

Like Edjwald, I've been mentally scarred by Bucchigiri and so went into this one very, very wary. I needn't have worried. MC is a tsundere (but an earned tsundere in that he's been shaped by unfair reactions to his looks) and that's always cute. "It's... it's not like I saved you for you or anything!" Looks like this will be fun.
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ACxS



Joined: 03 Aug 2019
Posts: 961
PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2024 9:25 pm Reply with quote
1:

Hmm.

CloverWorks is pulling no punches with this one. They are climbing up the ranks in the anime industry to become a top production studio. That opening scene alone is a clear statement; that's Kyoto Animation-level production values, right there.

Tokyo Revengers, but without the time travel? Okay, sure. Can't compare it with Bucchigiri since I never watched that one. Tokyo Revengers annoyed the crap out of me because of Hanagaki. The formula is not that different but the execution is what changes things.

This show's got heart, I give you that, and it has stylistic props. The black-and-white tightrope scene, Sakura's flashbacks, even Sakura looking up behind his fringe... see, those are subtle but poignant scenes that will make this show memorable. I mean, remember The Silent Voice?

I'm definitely sticking around. Like Tokyo Revengers, this show will be immensely popular. CloverWorks is definitely making this show work wonders.
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 06, 2024 1:26 am Reply with quote
ACxS wrote:
That opening scene alone is a clear statement; that's Kyoto Animation-level production values, right there.

Wasn't that great? I immediately knew I was on board from that alone.

Man, that one thug sure didn't know when to stay down, did he. Haruka whupped him three times just in one episode. Smile
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Edjwald



Joined: 03 Aug 2017
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 4:25 am Reply with quote
This second episode was a little light on the action compared to the pilot, but maybe that's because next episode looks like its going to be a mini-boss fight. I'm still enjoying watching Haruka struggle with newfound popularity.

It looks like the people on the promo art are going to be students from Haruka's class year and some (if not all?) will be part of a gang/peer group he's forming. So far, we've got the enthusiastic guide, a chuni, and a mad fighter who I'm thinking will be a friend before all is said and done .

Not sure if I find the blond fan boy/Furin-expert endearing or annoying. His notebook and passionate willingness to get his butt kicked in the name of justice remind me a little bit of Midoriya at the beginning of My Hero Academia, who I also found kind of annoying until the second season. Haruka is more like Bakago.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter



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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 6:02 am Reply with quote
Episode 2

I have no problem figuring out if I find that character annoying or endearing: to me, he's annoying as eff. In fact I'm getting strong vibes of that blond headed character from Demon Slayer who, in the first season of that show, was like fingernails running down a chalkboard for me (I eventually came to find him tolerable). It's a drag because this dufus seems like he's gonna be MC's sidekick. Shit. Also, MC;s tsundere attitude and "I just wanna fight" attitude is starting to grate on me. Yet overall I'm still onboard with the show.
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smurky turkey



Joined: 30 Jan 2022
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 7:28 am Reply with quote
He is annoying yet not on that level of annoying, I clearly remember Zenitsu screeching most of the time during the first season. That aside it seems like the mc will have plenty of fun at school, heck, he has not even taken a seat and he is already up against a capable fighter. It is also nice to see him slowly start to believe that the people in town are genuine.
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b-dragon



Joined: 21 Apr 2021
Posts: 497
PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2024 1:43 pm Reply with quote
Blondie is definitely aggravating. I can see him being ok in reasonable doses, but he has to be a part of a larger ensemble in order to appropriately dilute his presence So I'm glad we met at least 2 more members of the cast at the end.
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ACxS



Joined: 03 Aug 2019
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 13, 2024 3:25 am Reply with quote
2:

Ah okay, it's a simple show. A very simple show. Don't expect anything complex to discuss from this one. Not a bad thing per se.

We will be seeing the usual character tropes. The Protagonist. The Chum. The Nice One. The Hothead. The Chill One. The Meathead. The Wise One. There are no bad guys here; only good "bad boys". I can't hate anyone here; they are all just too nice.

I just wonder: where the hell is the police in this show? Did they go extinct or something?
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
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Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Sat Apr 13, 2024 5:41 am Reply with quote
Blood- wrote:
Episode 1

Like Edjwald, I've been mentally scarred by Bucchigiri and so went into this one very, very wary. I needn't have worried. MC is a tsundere (but an earned tsundere in that he's been shaped by unfair reactions to his looks) and that's always cute. "It's... it's not like I saved you for you or anything!" Looks like this will be fun.

Sorry if this sounds bad, but I am kind of happy to hear that Bucchigiri turned out not great. When I watched the first episode of that I had alarm bells ringing in my head, and in general I am not a big fan of delinquent stuff, so I didn't watch any more.

I have less alarm bells with this one, but still not being a fan of delinquent stories I am thinking I probably won't have actual enjoyment from the brawls and stuff. About the closest I had was fairly recently playing a River City Girls game, but the tone with that is more ironic, with heightened reality and mixing in cute with masculine.

I don't think I am too into stuff that makes me think too much of the sort of people that ruined my self esteem. A bunch of bullies that want to show how masculine and tough they are.
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Edjwald



Joined: 03 Aug 2017
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 13, 2024 5:42 am Reply with quote
ACxS wrote:
2:

I just wonder: where the hell is the police in this show? Did they go extinct or something?

Maybe they went to the same place where all the parents go to in anime? My theory is that there's some strange, body snatching thing going on, a predatory supernatural limbo that everybody guardedly refers to as "Overseas" in hushed tones and tries not to think about too much because talking about it might put you on the list...
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