Run With The Wind Episode 5: Scattered by the Winds

Haiji’s persuasion has apparently been more effective than I first thought with drunken college boys now making speeches about wanting to run. Or maybe it was the jerk by the river insulting them, but either way a fire was lit under some of the previously in name only track club. However, that may not matter if they can’t all get on board.

Realistically the only one not really trying at this point is King, though Yukihiro is still verbally protesting despite actually training seriously. King however is apparently in that wonderful time of life where he’s job hunting and starting to prepare for what comes after college, so amazingly enough he isn’t all that interested in picking up a hobby that’s going to distract from that. Haiji is clearly not oblivious but he also makes no effort to try to meet King half-way and his speech at the dining table toward the end was more or less the last straw for King.

Now, the anime could go two ways here. We could take the predictable and less satisfying path of someone on the team reaching out to King and he suddenly gains some passion or at least reluctant acceptance for running despite his very valid reasons for not wanting to do it. Or, the anime could do something that would be highly credible for realism but is fairly unlikely to happen. King could leave the dorm, meaning the team would then have to recruit someone else if their ultimate goal is to be achieved.

Yeah, I don’t think they’ll do that. I think we’ll see King’s arc tied up in a neat bow and he’ll be out there running, but I’d like to be wrong just for the sheer novelty of seeing the story go a different direction.

Prince is still my favourite character here. His dead pan delivery as he repeats that he never agreed to run, his ‘attempt’ at becoming incorporeal, and his genuine expression of betrayal when the dog joins the runners are all pretty solid moments.

Overall, I am continuing to enjoy this but episode 5 is perhaps the weakest offering yet in terms of characterisation and plot development. While it certainly does its job, there’s not really a stand out moment to hold onto. Still, this remains a fairly solid entry into the Autumn season.

• Run With The Wind Series Review
• Episode 1 – Another character dragging others along in pursuit of their dreams.
• Episode 2 – The hard sell
• Episode 3 – As the wind blows
• Episode 4 – A wind of change
• Episode 5 – Scattered by the winds
• Episode 6 – No need to be frantic; It will all blow over soon
• Episode 7 – An opportunity to knock the wind clean out of their sails
• Episode 8 – The Downfalls of the Pursuit of Perfection
• Episode 9 –  You Really Have To Step Back To See What’s There
• Episode 10 – How Run With The Wind Shows Us To Celebrate Effort Rather Than Achievement
• Episode 11 – Why Run With The Wind is an Oustanding Example of the Use of Sound
• Episode 12 – The Change of Seasons Welcomes a Changing Wind
• Episode 13 – Clearing the Air With The help of Friends
• Episode 14 – Facing Forward is Easier When You Know Someone Has Your Back
• Episode 15 – How Did They Make Me Start Caring? 
• Episode 16 – The Moment Of Truth From All That Training
• Episode 17 – Should They Follow The Course Before Them?
• Episode 18 – May The Wind Be At Their Backs
• Episode 19 – They Are Three Runners Down With Seven To Go
• Episode 20 – Blowing Past Your Limits
• Episode 21 – Finding Your Own Wind
• Episode 22 – Running With The Wind And With Your Team
• Episode 23 – The Final Wind
• Images from: Run With the Wind. Dir. K Nomura. Production I.G. 2018.