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Renesa Farewell Edition 2021
Run with the Wind Written By: Anirudh Peri Illustrated By: Tanishka Sonavane
“The anime epitomizes the struggle of someone who has never run as they overcome hurdles to find the strength to complete a marathon.”
The camaraderie associated with student chapters, friend groups, clubs, and similar communities is an emotion that every university student is familiar with. This highlyvalued kinship is the basis of this 23-episode anime. Weaving a tale of 10 diverse characters as they navigate the turbulent currents of college life and human relationships, this show appeals to people from all walks of life. Run with the Wind follows Kansei University Track Club as they struggle to run at the prestigious “Hakone Ekiden”, a relay-marathon race where the track is divided into 10 legs and run by teams of 10 over 2 days. The club members had originally gathered with the sole purpose of cheap accomodation that the University provides to members of the track
club. The ragged bunch at the club are far from capable of running any long distance marathon, let alone such a prestigious one. It seems like a futile task but they soon find themselves sucked into the enthusiasm of their captain. As each member comes to terms with the task at hand, they put in the effort to fight their limitations and achieve their goal. The anime is grounded in reality; it’s not a shonen anime where the protagonist ploughs through situations with the power of his feelings but rather a more subtle approach that shows people dealing with their problems head-on with the help of their friends. The whole story revolves around one simple fact: running is more mentally demanding than it is physically. Running is something that everybody is capable
of; it’s something that we have the potential to do, yet we are limited by ourselves. The anime epitomizes the struggle of someone who has never run as they overcome hurdles to find the strength to complete a marathon. The experience is enriched by the well-timed and beautifully-scored original soundtracks (OSTs) that accompany the viewers throughout the anime. The detailed visuals of the islands of Japan captivate the viewers as the anime takes them on a journey through the hills of Hakone. Although you might find character art lacking in scenes where the focus is on the commentary, it is overshadowed by the elements that make this anime such a refreshing entry in the sport genre.
