REVIEW: ‘Wind Breaker’ Episode 8 — “Succeeding The Past”

The impassioned fight between Sakura (Yuma Uchida) andTogame (Yūichirō Umehara) continues in Wind Breaker Episode 8. While “Succeeding the Past” stumbles in pacing, the battle proves that CloverWorks isn’t holding back regarding action animation. As the formidable duo trade blows, we feel their impact on cohesive choreography. It’s a stunner filled with character motivations and bone-crunching details, making it a whirlwind experience. It’s a shame, then, that the overarching narrative is muted.

Launching straight into the continuing fight from Episode 7, the series is unrelenting throughout the bruising sequence. Out of all the fights we’ve watched from the two schools, this is the first one that feels genuinely like a conversation. Togame is inspired by Sakura, who condemns his apathy during the fight. Sakura wants to win, but he wants to win against someone genuinely giving it his all.

For all his bite and bluster, Sakura refuses to conform to others’ wishes, and it’s that aspect that Togame wishes he could take from. As he thinks back on his and Choji’s (Kikunosuke Toya) relationship, he wonders what might’ve been different had he stood up to their leader rather than allow the bullying and abuse to continue.

These internal musings occur while the two are beating the snot out of each other, a mark of a show that knows exactly what tone it needs to balance. Wind Breaker Episode 8 truly captures the melodrama of the series as the two go through a full emotional journey as their eyes swell and their noses bleed. Sakura and Togame start their fight at complete odds, but they laugh at how much fun it is.

Aside from a few moments of awkward animation — such as the two running across the stage — the action continues to excel. It’s not just in the punches and kicks that land but also the ones that miss. How they deflect is just as enjoyable to watch as the damage they deal.

Because it’s those moments and the attention to detail that demonstrate the sheer artistry on display. Good action is when we can follow an entire sequence of events, and Wind Breaker excels in these moments. We see it later, too, when Choji and Umemiya (Yuichi Nakamura) begin their fight, and Choji throws himself at the other while Umemiya uses the other force to try and drag him back. Every major movement has intent behind it and is cohesive while being expressive of the characters.

Unfortunately, Wind Breaker Episode 8 stumbles due to repetitiveness. The journey that Togame and Sakura go on is emotional. But it didn’t need so many mini flashbacks to scenes that happened minutes before. Extra, unnecessary padding in the episode drags the story out.

“Succeeding The Past” needed trimming to make it a sleek, engaging experience rather than one that lost its focus. The story is still interesting, and once the fights start back up, it’s impossible to look away, but it’s a case of the pacing not meeting the story where it needed to be. With this much action and bloodshed, there needs to be a constant understanding of keeping the momentive flow going.

Instead, we cycle through a number of flashbacks that fail to serve the Wind Breaker Episode 8 well. Despite this, the character moments that matter land. In particular, it is when Choji violently kicks Togame, annoyed that Togame is trying to get him to stop the fighting. Sakura’s sheer rage at the moment is understandable.

The series also continues to animate Choji in a disconcerting collage of contrasting pieces. His vacant, scribbled eyes work against the chibi-style nature of his design. He’s offputting and unsettling, which works beautifully against the pillar of peace that is Umemiya.

While we only get a taste of their standoff, it already looks like another standout. That said, it’s interesting just how many episodes the first season has dedicated to this round of fights. They’re visually engaging but don’t push us far regarding the timeline. Not a single member of Fuurin has lost, and while it seems unlikely that their leader will be the first, it does set up considerable strikes and drama if that were the case.

Wind Breaker Episode 8 hits incredible highs and frustrating lows. Despite the significant fight at its center, the narrative loses focus and momentum. Regardless, it remains a joy to watch, even with the unnecessary padding. Here’s hoping that the fight between Choji and Umemiya will remember to keep the narrative and visuals tight.

Wind Breaker Episode 8 is out now on Crunchyroll.