Our Wind Breaker episode 6 review examines the relationship between Hiragi and Sako and the fight that ensues between them.
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The Wind Breaker episode 6 review
Now that Suo’s had his time to shine in episode 5, it’s someone else’s turn. Episode 6 focuses on one of the Four Kings of the Bofurin: Hiragi. Not only that, but part of his history involves Sako, a former friend who’s now a Shishitoren member.
It doesn’t take long for Hiragi and Sako to step onto the stage and start throwing hands at one another and most of the episode revolves around their fight as well as how their relationship began and deteriorated. The fight kicks off near the beginning of the episode and the ensuing battle is interspersed with flashbacks of Hiragi and Sako and moments where others comment on the fight. Both combatants give it their all to ensure the other doesn’t win, but in the end, Hiragi comes out on top.
We get an immediate sense of who Sako is through his dialogue and attacks. It’s obvious these two had a falling out many years prior and that the Shishitoren member is upset at the Bofurin member. His fighting style shows that he’s a bit of a trickster, with one especially memorable moment being when he grabs his ankle mid-kick to feint Hiragi and surprises him with another blow, only for Hiragi to barely dodge that.
Another moment is when he performs a flip to attack his old friend from behind, only for the Bofurin to kick him away, having learned from his earlier mistake. Sako does make it known he’s no pushover when he catches Hiragi off guard and manages to land a devastating kick that knocks him into a wall, which looks amazing. His analysis of the Bofurin member’s fighting style also shows he knows what Hiragi is like in a scrap, illustrating that he knows the Bofurin member well.
The fight here is fast-paced, with both combatants always doing two things: they’re either dodging the other’s attacks or landing ones of their own. It’s equal parts fluid and painful given that neither of them is holding back and both look to be at an equal skill level, unlike the fighters involved in the last episode’s brawl. The rock music involved in the second half of Sako and Hiragi’s fight helps reinforce the relentless pace and the hard-hitting action, with the sound effect that plays when one deals a powerful blow conveying just how tough these two customers are.
Shared history
A big part of this episode is also dedicated to exploring the relationship these two had in the past. Hiragi saved Sako from some bullies from middle school and from then on, the former taught the latter how to fight. Sako then began to follow Hiragi until one day, Hiragi told him he was going to Furin High and not to follow him. He encourages Sako to find his own goal, but since his friend/idol told him not to stay with him, Sako gets upset and takes his anger out on other fighters. He’s then found by Togame and Choji and allowed entry into the Shishitoren.
Being able to look at the shared history between the two adds depth to both of their characters. Hiragi just wanted to look out for his friend and get him on the path to finding his own goal, something some of us can relate to since not all of us know what to do and would prefer following another’s lead.
It’s also understandable for Sako to feel as if he’s been abandoned by his friend, someone who he looks up to and always wants to be with. Neither of them has done anything wrong, it just happened. The scene where Hiragi crosses a bridge and leaves Sako behind perfectly illustrates that their relationship has immediately crumbled and that there’s a divide between the two now. The song about becoming stronger for somebody and not knowing what to do that plays during the final flashback perfectly encapsulates their relationship, both in the past and in the present day.
Despite who they currently are, it’s hinted Hiragi still gives a damn about Sako, even though he’s a Shishitoren member. Instead of tossing him off the stage after he’s KO’ed, he gently picks him up and sets him down near Togame. The fact that he also doesn’t allow Togame to immediately rip off Sako’s Shishitoren jacket right after Hiragi beat him shows he’s still got a soft spot for his old buddy.
Sakura’s idea of being strong and fighting other powerful fighters is also twisted here since Sako wants to use his strength to defeat Hiragi and make him regret telling his friend to stop following him. It reinforces the fact that though people may crave strength and want to increase it, what they do with that strength will differ from person to person.
The other main characters don’t do much this time, but since we got to see the interesting history of the two fighters, it doesn’t matter that much. If it wasn’t for Sakura saying that the only weak part of Hiragi should be his stomach given his chronic stomach pain, I wouldn’t have laughed at all when I sat through this episode.
Wind Breaker episode 5 combines the drama of an old relationship going sour with an amazing fight to deliver this awesome episode. I’m very eager to see how Togame and Sakura duke it out next week. It’s been a minute since the main character threw a few punches.
Final score: 10/10
Wind Breaker can be streamed through Crunchyroll.
