If you're looking for a sports anime that is just plain inspiring, you can close this review right now. Watch this. You will not be disappointed. The first time I heard about Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru was from some friends on Anilist who were hyping it up while it was airing. I gave it a try and did not regret it.

If you want to hear what makes Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru so great, especially from someone who has had a similar experience with running, feel free to keep reading (thanks for being here!).

When I was a sophomore in high school, I joined my school's cross country team. I had little experience running except for running casually as a workout every now and then. The only reason I had joined the team was because my parents wanted to keep me busy during the summer and it was either going back to swimming or studying for college exams. I decided to try something different. In a sense, I guess you could say I was almost forced to join the team.

A majority of Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru's cast lands in a similar predicament. The residents of the Aotake dorm find out the dorm is really meant for Kansei University's track team and fourth-year Haiji wishes to train them to run in the Hakone Ekiden, a prestigious collegiate relay race where Japan's top long distance track teams compete.

I think a common misconception about long distance running is that it is largely based on strength and stamina. While this is true, I feel that the mental aspect is often overlooked. When it hurts to breathe, when you have an ache in your side, or when you feel the pressure of someone passing you, you begin to wonder if maybe you should just stop. It's not like short distance track events or swimming where you can be done in a matter of minutes. Your mind begins to wander as you run.

Haiji tells Kakeru that the biggest complement you can give to a long distance runner is to call them strong. What does that really mean? Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru explores this throughout its 23 episodes and utilizes its main cast to do so in a brilliant way. The residents of Aotake who are coerced into Haiji's plan to compete at Hakone include members with some history of running track to complete amateurs. But in the time leading up to Hakone, they are all able to qualify. And as they compete at Hakone, they are the strongest they have ever been.

This is no easy feat, however. Initially, some members feel that they have been deceived by Haiji. Others feel they are being essentially forced to do his will. Early on, there are many conflicts between the team members and we learn what kind of people Haiji has recruited to his team. They begin to question why they are doing this or if it's even possible to qualify for Hakone given their lack of experience and the fierce competitors that await them. Some are willing to give it a shot but casually while others are downright opposed.

Haiji works with his team and given some time, everyone agrees to give Hakone a shot. Towards the end of the show, as each team member runs their respective section of the Hakone relay, we get a sense of what running means to them and what this journey has meant to them through their monologues as they run. One line by Sakaguchi (King) really resonated with me:

What are you supposed to think about when you run? How much more do I need to run? Are there bumps in the road ahead? How tired do I feel? What do my surroundings look like? Am I going to be passed again? Naturally, especially in a long distance race, your mind begins to wander. For me, this has led to moments of introspection.

I injured my ankle towards the end of cross country and took a break from running, even outside of the competitive world. Even as I left running behind and instead pursued road cycling, this introspection ocurred time and time again. As I climbed long hill passes and rode across canyons, I would self reflect about who I was, what mattered to me, and what gave me purpose. Oddly enough, I found endurance sports like running and cycling oddly therapeuatic despite the mental stress of climbing steep hills or finding the last bit of energy to race someone to the finish line. I would address thoughts I had been dwelling on. I could come to terms with them, finally giving me some peace of mind. This is something I came to learn long after I had watched this show for the first time.

I was surprised to see this exact phenomenon during my rewatch. That's what I think Kansei's track team goes through while running the Hakone Ekiden. Each member realizes things about themselves they might have been avoiding and comes to terms with it. Akihiro (Nico-chan) realizes he loves running, depite quitting during high school, and thanks Haiji for the opportunity to experience that joy again. Yukihiko sees his family cheering him on and thinks about his turbulent relationship with his parents. King comes to terms with who he is, his self hatred, and how he can finally face himself while he is running. Whatever anyone is facing in their life, they can leave it behind for a moment to be free while running.

You don't come to this conclusion easily. Haiji tells twins Jota and Joji that he will show them the top. The top of Hakone? The glory of winning the Hakone Ekiden? For me, that top is this realization and coming to terms with yourself. I think this metaphor of "the top" is pretty open to interpretation and similar to how Haiji and Kakeru are searching for the meaning of running. Why put yourself through so much pain? What can it offer you? The meaning of running is different for all the characters because they are quite literally different runners and different people. Fujioka, Haiji's rival and one of the top runners in Japan, is less concerned about winning Hakone but surpassing his own potential. Sakaki, Kakeru's former high school teammate, is only concerned about winning events.

Running is what you make of it. I find a little bit of myself in all these characters. Nico-chan says he feels clean when he is running, most likely because he became an avid smoker after quitting running in high school. For me, running makes me feel strong. In those last moments before I hit the finish line, I push myself despite every muscle in my body telling me to stop. I gather what small stamina I have left to make one final push. When I cross that finish line, I feel like I can do anything. Like I have the strength to overcome whatever I need to do. Any uncertainty I had about anything in my life fades for a brief moment. I see this in the members of the cast in their journey towards Hakone and it brings back fond memories of when I used to run. This show allowed me to experience the beauty of running once more.

I can't believe how much this anime has touched me. It's a love letter for runners. I cried so hard during my rewatch so often because it puts in to words what I've been feeling and struggling with lately. It inspires me to be strong both physically and mentally. While whatever journey you are on may seem long and difficult, what lies at the end is beautiful beyond words: the strongest version of yourself who you can accept despite any past mistakes or misgivings. It's the perfect example of why I love anime as a medium. I'll always treasure Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru as one of my favorite anime and revisit for years to come.