Run With the Wind Episode 15 Review: Place of Destiny

Warning: this review contains spoilers up to the end of this episode.

Disclaimer: All images have been screen captured from Crunchyroll and belong to their respective owners. I am using them to promote this show and will delete them if/when I am asked to do so.

Prologue

It is a windy fall evening. Haiji is at Landowner/Coach Tazaki’s home.

With Haiji’s notebook in his hand, Tazaki observes that while only three of them are running 10km in under 30 minutes, it’s still impressive that Haiji was able to get a group of amateurs to the Hakone qualifier. Haiji states that they still have three weeks until the day and that while 20km is the base distance for cross country, “none of us will drop out”. He also tells the coach of his plan to go ahead with his build up training that he had been holding back on in the spring, so that his runners can put in burst of speed and finish the last thousand meters in 2.50 minutes.

The coach remarks that he’s impressed, and that Haiji has achieved is more than enough to hold his own coaching lecture. Unaffected, Haiji reminds him that their goal is beyond the qualifier, to Hakone.

The old man is silent for a bit then responds to Haiji’s earnestness by telling him that while his legs and hips are done for, he’ll help him with his experience. Just as he begins speaking, the sound of rushing water above sends him running towards what I assume is some sort of plumbing emergency caused by the strong autumn winds.

Haiji remarks to himself that his legs feel fine, before a gust of wind blows into his face.

-At first, I couldn’t pinpoint the main intention behind this scene. I mean, I understood the following:

-It was meant to establish a timeline. Based on Prince’s calendar (shown in the previous ep) we know this is the evening that Prince achieved his qualifier (the TSU meet was exactly three weeks before the qualifier).

-It shows what the coach thinks of Haiji’s work. Getting a professional trainer’s opinion assures us viewers that his tremendous efforts are not going unnoticed.

Also, that Nira prefers Haiji over his actual owner.

But the real reason for the scene is shown later in the episode: when at the qualifier, the coach is absent, we’re supposed to put two and two together and realize it is because he cannot stand/walk for extended periods of time, since he stated in this scene that his legs and hips don’t work like they used to. To be fair, we have already seen that his legs are bowled (from the first OP). Plus, he always walks carefully and gingerly and he is very old. But the fact is, I only understood this much later after rewatching it a few times. I’m either getting slow in my own (not so old yet) age or the implementation was not done well enough. It’s probably the former.

-Finally, the wind blowing into Haiji’s face, along with the dark stormy weather gives a dark premonition.

Act One

The episode starts at Kansei University. We hear a man’s voice talking of the history of the University, none of which I understood or think actually matters. A nameplate that reads “Chaiman’s Office” followed by a shot of a smiling Haiji, his face set into a mask of forced politeness.

This tells us that he’s probably in the same boat we’re in. It’s only when the chairman says, “We value both academics and athletics”, and we see a newspaper on his desk with a picture of our team that we start making sense of things.

At the Aotake, the twins, King and Shindo are joyously looking at the same newspaper. The article is titled: Aiming for the Top” 10 men take on the Hakone Ekiden. Shindo says he never imagined he’d ever be in the paper. Through the picture (as per usual for this show’s fantastic editing) we’re taken back in time to when it was first taken, the day Prince achieved his record (based on the fact that he’s the only one in a running suit).

The friendly reporter who took it tells them since they hadn’t made it through the qualifier, the article won’t make it in the sports section, but that their attempt is captivating enough for local news.

Is that a blush, Nico? Cute!

Most of the team members seem delighted. Kakeru’s probably used to the attention since he’s always been a top-ranked runner (not that he seemed to care in high-school, either). Similarly, Prince’s face is as expressionless as ever. It could be that he’s tired after his race, but like Kakeru, he just doesn’t seem to care. Haiji seems quietly pleased. As are Shindo and Musa. The twins and and King are overjoyed and aren’t even attempting to hide it. Even cool Yuki and careless Nico.

Meanwhile, creepy reporter Mochizuki-san seems annoyed that his own attempt at interviewing the Kansei team wasn’t successful. He stares at Kakeru who glances back at him unaffectedly.

We’re then shown shots of the article on the newspaper’s website, taped to pillar next to Yaokatsu vegetable store (no doubt the work of Hanako and her father), and at newspaper stands.

-So it seems like our boys have gotten quite a bit of recognition, hence Haiji’s presence in the Chairman’s office.

Haiji is about to step out of the office after what has presumably been a long meeting. At the door, the man tells him “We’re all hoping you’ll make it through the qualifier,” with an exited laugh.

After bowing respectfully, Haiji leaves. He lets out a long sigh and moves his stiff shoulders. “I wish I could run right now.”

-So even politically correct Haiji’s finds formal meetings to be tedious.

-We also found out that he runs to de-stress.

After the episode title Place of Destiny, we see the Aotake team, except for Haiji (who probably hadn’t returned from his meeting yet, stretching at the public track they always use.

-So, the university still isn’t letting them use their track? What was the point of that meeting then?

Nonetheless everyone seems to be in high spirits.

A grinning King says that his parents called him, after they saw the paper. The twins’ folks did as well and yelled at them for throwing peace signs.

-I think this is a cultural thing. They probably meant that they should have taken a more formal pose for the occasion.

Prince says his did too and that they told him to smile more. This sparks the interest of the others saying that they can’t imagine his parents. “They’re normal,” he replies. “With normal faces like mine.” The twins and King break out into laughter over this, to his bewilderment. “What do you think my parents are?”

-Lol. I said it before, though I can’t remember where, I never thought Prince gave much thought to his nickname or the looks that prompted his housemates to give it either (our speed).

Writing tip: We already know Shindo is close to his family, which explains why the writers didn’t add his input here.

Musa says with a smile “Everyone’s so devoted to their parents.” Yuki comments, “I guess so.”

-His reply is lackluster and his demeanor suggests that he might be the exception here. We see Nico observe him, a hint that he knows something about it.

Showing, not telling how much Nico knows Yuki.

Shindo then informs them that they also got an interview request from Nippon TV, sending the twins and King into a frenzy. He explains that the qualifier is televised and that they do interviews with “notable schools” but that he hasn’t replied yet. The excited trio are aghast, and demand to know why.

“If the cameras prevented us from focusing on the race, we’d be putting the cart before the horse.”

–

King: “Damn honor roll student!”

King says this without any malice, referring to Shindo’s good boy personality. He and the twins urge him to accept it. Always considerate, Shindo asks the rest of the team what they think. No one objects to the idea (Nico and Prince say they don’t care either way, Yuki and Kakeru are silent, while the others are all for it) so he agrees, seeing as how it would be great publicity for the team, Shindo says he will.

-So in addition to creating and managing the team website, Shindo is now helping Haiji with the more managerial aspects of the team. In this instance, public relations.

The twins are ecstatic, seeing as how they’ll finally become famous and therefore get all the girls they’ve been dreaming of. Likewise, King wonders if they will send a female reporter.

Only Yuki seems unenthusiastic. During practice, he asks Kakeru if he’s okay with “this”. At Kakeru’s “Huh?” Yuki clarifies, “Won’t appearing on TV cause trouble for you?”

-Here, Yuki means that the attention might stir up KK’s past. But it looks like Kakeru hadn’t thought that far ahead.

At his bemused expression, Yuki quickly apologizes and says he shouldn’t have said anything.

The moment he rethought his statement

-I love Yuki. Also, hmm. Had he been worried about KK the whole time (hence his unenthusiastic reactions earlier?). It fits his caring senpai persona. Or is he projecting his own misgivings onto him? We’ll see.

Yuki then gets a chance to change the subject when he sees the twins telling Hana the good news of their interview. “The’re so young,” he comments to KK with a rueful smile.

It’s funny, since KK is the same age. He follows Yuki’s gaze at the happy trio when Musa laughs from behind him and says, “My maybe just became definitely.”

He reminds Kakeru of their conversation in the bath, and explains the discovery he talked about was how Hana is in love with one of the twins. He came to this conclusion based on her proximity to them and her demeanor around them.

Haiji calls them to run. Musa takes off first leaving a flummoxed Kakeru, with his hand raised in an unconscious attempt to stay Musa.

It’s a gesture we’ve come to associate with him when he’s affected but isn’t sure what to say or do. (Hana, Prince) .

He then runs after Musa and asks him, which twin? “They’re practically the same person.”

-Oy! That’s rude Kakeru, apologize to twins everywhere.

Musa agrees…

-Oy! Again! Seriously these two just earned the wrath of every identical twin around the globe.

…and adds it’s either one or the other.

Kakeru grimaces at his answer.

Hanako’s alleged crush obviously doesn’t sit right with him. Why? Well…There have been a few interactions between him and Hanako, but not enough for me to say that he’s in love with her or anything like that. I do think that him having a serious personality might be the reason, it’s like he doesn’t like what he doesn’t understand, so it could just be that. But the writer in me also recognises that from the beginning, Hanako’s introduction seemed to set her up as a romantic interest for KK

1- He’s the first runner she met (and he blushed when he saw her).

2- During his oppositional phase, he tended to be better behaved in front of her (something Haiji’s seemed to know would happen.

3. Haiji obviously ships them together (as in wants them to be in a relationship).

Interesting piece of trivia: the music that played when Hanako was first introduced is “Tactics by Haiji”.

So, I’m not really sure what to make of Kakeru’s reaction. Are we supposed to think he’s uneasy because he might harbor feelings for her himself? It’s not likely, yet isn’t an impossible notion.

Act Two

Haiji and company are at a field trip exploring the course they will run at Hakone.

The Twins are shocked by the size of the park.

For the sake of those planning a geek tour in Japan, I wrote it down ^_^

“It starts at the Self-Defense Force base adjacent, to Showa Memorial Park. We’ll start by running two laps around the airstrip and taxiway. That’s about five kilometers. Then we’ll head out onto the road, pass the station and cross under the monorail bridge. That’s about ten kilometers. The turnaround point is at 11.2 km. When we return to the park we’ll have run fifteen kilometers. We’ll run a lap through the hilly park. The finish line is next to the Minna-no Harappa Field.”

King comments that finish line seems plain and that he expected it to be flashier. Haiji tells him, “You’ll see the day of the race. It won’t matter if it’s plain or flashy anymore.”

Shindo then asks if the results will be announced at the park. Haiji says yes, “This is where our destiny will be decided.”

-Besides being informative and enjoyable there’s not much to analyze here, except the end of the scene at the park a man sling-shoots a paper air plane, which grabs the entire team’s attention.

You can just hear the ending theme song “Ue-e-e-e-e-e-ay (higher) echoing in that moment. It feels like foreshadowing on the heights that this team can achieve.

On their way back, in the subway, the teammates are all sitting down and dozing for the duration of the ride except or KK and Haiji who stand leaning against the subway doors.

-It’s interesting that both also have their arms crossed. The similar body language indicates how close they have become, as opposed to Kakeru’s previous habit of clenching his fists and holding them to his sides.

Haiji breaks the silence by suddenly asks his younger teammate:

Haiji: “Do you think I’m being soft?”

–Language note: The word he uses is here is “amai”, the same one KK threw at him before their first meet, after Haiji told everyone to “have fun”. Kakeru had asked him “Aren’t you being naïve?” This isn’t a mis-translation. From my baby level Japanese I know that “amai” can mean sweet, naïve, or soft. Back then Haiji hadn’t replied, but seemed a bit affected. I’m sure the identical word choice was intentional here, even if the meaning is somewhat different. KK’s words might have stayed with him. He sounds contemplative.

Haiji goes on to ask: “Should I have made them run more? Before I sleep, when I’m eating, when I’m in the bathroom, my doubts are constantly following me. Should I have imposed more rules like a stronger school and forced them to run more?”

He then breaks off. His usual confident, at times pleasant, at times annoying sing song voice (depending on who the listener is and what is being said) is shockingly soft and vulnerable. The whole time he speaks, he’s looking outside the subway window. It’s like he’s ashamed of his doubtful thoughts, while at the same time he’s attempting to distance himself, obviously apprehensive of Kakeru’s answer.

Haij here is not only asking KK as someone who came from such a school, but also as the only professional runner, one whose talent Haiji admires immensely. He awaits KK answer morosely.

For his part, KK doesn’t seem to realize how much his opinion matters to his team captain. He studies Haiji’s profile as he tells him, “You can’t force people to run. The only thing that makes them run is their own will, right?”

“Yeah,” Haiji responds quietly.

-Well, Haiji basically strong armed the members in the beginning l, but I thinknthe running Kakeru is takking about here is the dedicated running that the Aotake members have shown.

The scene echoes the kitchen conversations, when everyone’s asleep. Also the aummer camp one.

Kakeru then continues, “I was constantly suffering when I ran during in high school. I don’t ever want to be restricted like that again.”

I found this statement strangely ironic since we know that Kakeru was the coach’s pet. But I think he meant that he was mentally restricted? Perhaps by the coach’s treatment of his mates.

Kakeru goes on to say, “This time I’ll run of my own free will. Freely, away, to the end of the world.”

-Aha. Maybe he was restricted by his coach’s selfish expectations of him. Either way, Kakeru seems to have taken Haiji’s question at face value and only gave a literal answer. He doesn’t seem to have grasped the intent behind it, the need for assurance. I say this because his answer till now doesn’t seem to be what Haiji’s was looking for. At Kakeru’s last statement, Haiji’s posture shrinks a bit, his head falling further down.

But when Kakeru tells him, “We still have time,” It seems enough to reassure him. Haiji raises his head back up.

He finally faces Kakeru and tells him, “Thanks,” before looking back out of the window and saying, “People always want to be strong”.

-Haiji here is indirectly admitting his moment of weakness.

Kakeru looks at him, his face expressionless, but serious.

I really don’t think he understands how significant this moment was. I mean, he answered Haiji’s question, but that is all. Or, maybe he did sense Haiji’s vulnerability but was doing him a favor by downplaying it, seeing how Haiji wouldn’t meet his gaze. That might make more sense. Especially since Kakeru has been maturing and gaining more social intelligence as of late.

In the next scene we get a shot of the usual confident Haiji we know and love, giving his team a pep talk. The scene alternates with images of all the team members, each preparing in his own way for the qualifier, applying Haiji’s advice as best as he can.

Haiji tells his boys that they have two weeks left to the qualifier, and that now they’re facing a battle of concentration. “We’ll need to focus and exercise self-control….”

The scene cuts to Nico eat slowly and carefully, obviously not wanting to gain any weight before the qualifier.

“…so we can go into the qualifier in top physical and mental shape.”

We see King pours over the map of the race course, image training, no doubt.

Haiji then confidently tells the team, “There’s nothing to be afraid of. We’ve trained more than enough. We just need to turn that pressure into a rasp and polish our minds and bodies. Imagine yourself running as a beautiful blade on the day of the qualifier….”

We see Prince reading manga in his room,

“…and diligently polish yourself yourselves to a fine point.”

followed by an image of Musa sitting soaking in the dark bath.

Back at the field, Yuki comments that Haiji’s words are quite poetic.

-Indeed. The fact that he’s a literature major came through in that speech.

Shindo, comments, “I understand, though. We should be tempered katanas.

-Katanas are Japanese swords.

Fellow literature major, Prince, points out, “We’ll be screwed if we polish too much and break before the race, though.”

Haiji agrees and tells them , “Listen to your minds and bodies and polish carefully”.

The scene cuts to Yuki with his headphones on, moving his head to the music with his eyes closed. Based on his gentle head banging it’s something loud. His phone, on silent, is ringing. We can tell because it’s moving across his desk, no doubt being set on “vibrate”. A close up to the screen tells us it’s his mom.

Yuki listening carefully, just not to his phone.

Haiji’s voice over tells the team that informs them competitions are strange. They’ve done the training, all that’s left is to run, but points out that some runners self-destruct on the day of the competition.

The scene switches to the twins hanging out with Hana, taking a walk in the shopping district in regular clothes. Haiji’s words overlap this scene as he says, “Most things we call mistakes are the results of pressure or the weakness of the mind. No matter how much you practice you can’t stop the anxiety from rising to the surface.”

-Foreshadowing?

Back at the field he goes on to say, “No matter how certain you are, you still can’t erase your fear of failure. The more you polish something, the more fragile it becomes, just as a little bit of dust can ruin a delicate machine…”

Here, we see Kakeru listening, riveted. Haiji continues saying, “So we must find strength. Unwavering strength.” The scene switches to Kakeru, who we see going out for a run.

“True strength, so we won’t be defeated by ourselves!”

We return back to Haiji’s pep talk to the boys. A cameraman has been recording Haiji’s entire speech (from Nippon tv, no doubt). As it ends, he brings his camera down, and we see his eyes glittering and face reddish in excitement at Haiji’s eloquence and inspiring words.

It then falls in disappointment after the scene cuts to the twins’ room, where the whole team is gathered for a pre-race party.

“Should you really be doing this two days before the qualifier?” he asks, seeming disappointed in the lax atmosphere, in contradiction to the perviousness seriousness. Nico tells him, “This is how we do things.” A red faced Shindo slurs jovially, “Today is the last day! Tomorrow we’ll sit and wait for the next day!”

-Methinks Shindo enjoys drinking a little too much. He’s the only person who’s already drunk. Well, him and the coach that is, whose face is almost as red as Shindo.

For once, the landlord Tazaki has joined the boy’s drinking party. Perhaps because the cameraman is there, he has to at least act the part of the coach. Haiji turns to him and respectfully says “It’s time for a message from our coach.”

The man seems caught off guard, but says “I’ll share my secret to success.”    The whole team listens in eager anticipation that the Tazaki will finally “lift the veil” on the secret of running.

The drunk coach tells them, while moving two fingers in the air to mimic legs, “Alternate using your left and right feet. Do that you and you’ll eventually arrive at the finish line.” He then resumes drinking. Haiji bows formally, telling him in gratitude, “Thank you.”

Everyone else is sorely disappointed. “That’s all!” they cry out in unison. King asks, “when are going to start acting like a coach?” Even the camera-man obviously feels let-down. He lowers his camera with a grimace on his face. You can just see him wondering if he can use this footage or not. Then, before their very eyes, the old man falls asleep while sitting, despite Musa repeatedly begging him to wait.

Haiji, however, defends him. “What do you think, though? You can’t say it didn’t feel like it would be no exaggeration to say he spoke the truth.”

“What the hell are you trying to say,” Nico asks, annoyed at Haiji’s incomprehensible words, and the devotion behind them.

-I think the coach’s words rang true to Haiji in particular, because of the physical therapy he went through. He previously described it in almost the exact same way.

-There also seems to be a mysterious bond between the coach and Haiji that we are not yet privy to. One that would explain Haiji’s innate respect for the older man, akin to the regard one would have for an invaluable mentor. Meanwhile, Tazaki seems to be fond of Haiji, even though he’s never really expressed that. The fact that he told Haiji in the very first episode to do what he wants, explains things but raises questions at the same time.

Yuki’s phone rings, immediately rousing everyone’s curiosity. King asks if it’s a woman, and comments, “Just how carefree are you?”

-Well, he’s probably not too off the mark. We know that Yuki enjoys female companionship, we also know he’s been getting calls from his mother.  

Yuki excuses himself to take the call. Kiyose “never misses anything” Haiji contemplates the place where the would-be lawyer was, then asks Kakeru if he can get some ice.

The newest Aotake member immediately obeys. In the kitchen, Kakeru can hear Yuki saying, “This has nothing to do with you. Why are you calling now?”

We see Yuki standing just outside the door of the Aotake, no doubt not wanting to be overheard. He goes on to say, “You’re bothering me. I want to focus. Bye.”

Kakeru leaves the kitchen the same time Yuki comes back inside the building and they meet in the foyer. Cool Yuki gets a “deer in the headlights” look, not unlike Kakeru (albeit less violent) when Haiji mentioned his school in the first episode.

But, being Yuk,i he recovers quickly with a laugh and, by way of explanation, tells Kakeru “My parents saw the paper. I haven’t seen them in a while,” rubbing his head, as he tends to do when he’s being nervous or furtive.

-So Yuki doesn’t get along well with his family. Haiji knows this, and so sent Kakeru, who also doesn’t get along with his parents (he’d rather steal than ask them for money) to give them a chance to talk about their relevant issues, should they need to. At this point Yuki seems reluctant.

-When KK opens the freezer, we see that there a bunch of pre-cut veggies (Haiji has excellent time-saving skills) placed in individual containers. I love details like this.

The next morning, Hana-chan’s father visits with new track suits for the boys. He tells them, “You can’t have different track suits forever.”

-Their happy expressions on the boys’ faces is so heartwarming. About damn time. Nice going, kind sir.

The veggie vendor tells them, “They’re a present from everyone at the shopping center. Don’t embarrass us!” The Kansei team members promise that they won’t.

-So the university knows they’re running at the qualifier but didn’t fork over any cash? That’s…wow. Well, I guess the school year has already begun and it would be hard to give any money that they hadn’t allocated beforehand.

Aaanyway, next scene takes us to the qualifier. Huge crowds have gathered, cheer teams from various schools, lots of cameras, organizers, etc. Amongst them is the camera man designated to cover the Kansei team. The twins wave high to his camera, and say, “Today, we’re taking our first step towards winning the Hakone Ekiden!”

Kakeru, tightening his shoe laces nearby, overhears them and wonders, “Win? Win?!” he asks himself, raising an eyebrow at their confidence.

-Kakeru’s reaction makes sense. When you think about it, the qualifier allows only the top ten teams to participate in the Hakone. This, in addition to the ten teams already seeded. That’s twenty. So, to win Kansei team would have to beat 19 other teams. That…well, as much as I love these boys, it seems very far fetched. But the twins don’t seem to have realized this.

It is raining. As the participants run to warm up Kakeru and Sakaki pass by each other, locking eyes they do so.

King runs up to Kakeru and asks if Sakaki managed to secure a regular position on the TSU team, despite being a first year. Kakeru replies, “That doesn’t matter today.”

King concedes this, then remarks on how you can’t help but stare at the cheerleaders from the other schools. Kakeru looks at his senpai, beating his hand nervously against his chest and understands that to mean he’s just talking to relieve his tension. “Yeah.” He murmurs in reply.

-Kakeru’s maturity here is a far cry from his annoyance with the teammates at their first meet. He’s becoming more socially aware and considerate.

The scene switches to Kansei’s small but dedicated cheer squad made up of Haiji’s public bath friend, Komori-san and her husband from the butcher shop, and Hanako and her father.

Hana relays what Haiji said, that if the team’s combined time is less then 10 hours and 12 seconds they’ll be amongst the top ten chosen to run in Hakone. Meaning, each of the runners should run the 20km distance in a total time of an hour and few seconds. The Kansei fans discuss how that’s just over three minutes per kilometers.

-Here’s the thing. My impressionable self picked up running after watching this show. After two months I was able to run for 60 minutes straight but in that time I can only cover about 5km. Granted I’m (only) 20 years older than these kids and at least 10 kilos overweight, BUT STILL! Seriously. I only understood how insanely fast these numbers are after I tried running myself.

The scene switches to Haiji and the team. The captain tells the boys that there are no landmarks so it’ll be tough to judge their distance. He also comments that the weather is bad and that they won’t know how the race will play out. But he warns the team members from getting dragged by runners who recklessly charge ahead. He then lays out his plan:

“Kakeru and I will run in the front. Stay together and maintain your own pace in the beginning. By the time we finish one lap around the airstrip, a lot of guys should start to fall behind. I’ll be sending signals during the race. Don’t lose sight of each other.”

He then sighs in happiness and says, “I’m glad. I’m glad it’s the ten of us. We wouldn’t be here if anyone had been missing.”

Yuki tells him, don’t make it sound like the final episode of something. A twin (I can’t tell their voices apart) then points out “This is the starting line.” Haiji smiles, “That’s right”.

-And if that isn’t a flag alerting us to danger, I don’t know what is.

The scene then switches back to the fan club, who notice that some of the teams have more than ten members. Hanako explains to them that teams can register 14 members, choose 12 to run the race on the day, then choose the top ten runners and average those times.

Her father comments that this really makes it a numbers game. It seems unfair to smaller teams, but that’s the way it is. Hanako then makes the most important point: “Teams with lots of runners have two runners as insurance. It also means Kansei is finished if a single one of their runners doesn’t make it to the finish line.” But she then says that it’s okay, she knows they’ll all make it.

-Depiste her assurance, that statement really raised the stakes. It must also put a lot of pressure on the individual boys.

As if to stress this point, we see Akane (Prince) tying his red shoes. He can’t. His hands are shaking badly and his beautiful face is full of despair. This is the first time we’ve ever seen him so rattled. Kakeru calls out to him and tells him that he’ll tie his shoes for him. A surprised Prince agrees.

Watching Kakeru tie his shoes, Princes face relaxes and falls into a more determined version of his usual expressionless face. He tells his kouhai (in age, but senpai in running), “I’ll do the best I can.” Kakeru response is an assured, “Okay.”

I absolutely loved the role reversal here. It could have been written any number of ways, but the focus on the red shoes is a reminder of how Prince helped bring Kakeru out of his own worries when he was experiencing PTSD flashbacks (twice in fact, wearing red both times). I loved how Kakeru returned the favor here. The fact that he even noticed Prince’s nerves illustrates the deep bond they now share.

The teams are then all called to the starting line, and line up according to their school. We see that the Kansei teams placement is quite in the back. King remarks that their position is a big handicap to which Haiji replies that the placement is based on performance (I’m guessing of their collective record scores) so that can’t complain. Shindo remarks that teams who ran Hakone the year before, even though they weren’t seed, have a different air about them. As he says this we get alternate shots of confident looking teams. Kakeru says firmly, “We’re just as good” earning a head pat from Nico.

-This is growth people. Remember how pissed off Kakeru was when Yuki was encouraging Musa, telling him he was just as good as his fellow exchange students at their first meet? This time Kakeru used the exact same words Yuki did. And he believes them too, because unlike then, they are backed by months of hellish training and achievement. More growth: in the past when Nico ruffled Kakeru’s hair, he got really angry. Here, his reaction was a slight annoyed grimace. Meaning, he still doesn’t like it, but sees it for what it is: Nico being the dad that he is.

Right before the start of the race, Haiji utters a surprised “oh,” and says he forgot something. The team is apprehensive at what it could be. He then looks back at his team, lined up behind him, and whispers behind his palm: “The mountains of Hakone…?”

The Kansei boys smile in realization, and race their fists in the air simultaneously, “The steepest in the world,” they whisper back in unison, earning glances from the neighboring teams.

-It’s interesting that the team seems to be lined up in order of speed (except for Haiji whose first, being the captain): Kakeru, Musa, twins, Yuki, Shinodo, Nico, Kin, and Prince. But then, why is Yuki ahead of Shindo (whom I recall is faster than he is?) the same goes for Musa (whom I think is a bit slower than the twins). Interesting.

The count down begins until the gun fires signalling the start of the race.

I swear viewers will feel just as nervous and excited as the runners. Then when the shot is fired the runners surge forward like a wave…the feeling is just indescribable.

The cheer squads, the bands, everyone goes crazy. The atmosphere is palpable and just so real. Hanako holds her ears against the ear bursting cheering, then herself starts shouting as hard as she can for Kansei University. The rest of the fan club members join her screaming for our boys,even though they must know they won’t be able to hear them. But the effort is for the sake of the supporters themselves just as much as it’s for the runners.

Kakeru immediately moves up from behind Haiji to take his place next to him. Meanwhile, Haiji moves to the right of the track so that his runners can see him, and signals to them with his hand “Finish the first five kilometers in 3:10 each. After that use your own judgement.”

-Now it makes sense. Like Haiji instructed, the team members are staying together according to their abilities. But the taller of the group is in front the better to be able to see Haiji’s signals.

Bath house buddy says that just two laps of this track makes him feel faint. Yaokatsue wonders where Hanako is.

She has left them and taken position to where the fastest runners, the exchange students, are about to finish the first lap. She times them, then relays that time to the Kansei boys.

First, to Haiji and Kakeru, in the second pack: “The lead pack’s page is 2:49!”

Then to the twins and Musa in the third pack, “Don’t let them drag you ahead!”

-This is why Haiji gave them a set time. If they get caught in the speed of the lead pack they wouldn’t be able to last till the end.

-This is also why Hana is wearing a red coat. The better to be seen by the team when she gives them signals.

The team is not only following Haiji’s instructions to keep together. They are looking out for each other too. Behind the twins and Musa, Shindo and Yuki are running together, followed by King and Nico. The two exchange a glance, King then looks behind him to make sure Prince, further behind is within eye-sight of them.

-Poor Prince is the only one alone 😦 Hmm. This is another similarity between him and Kakeru. Both usually run alone, one is always ahead, while the other always behind.

We are shown Haiji and Kakeru, who has now taken position in front of his captain. As they run, they see a path open between the runners in front of them. Just as Kakeru furrows his eyebrows, no doubt contemplating speeding ahead. Haiji smiles, no doubt reading his mind, and whispers to him from behind, “Go”. That’s all he needed to hear.

He takes off, and we see his unearthly gorgeous running form from a pleased Haiji’s point of view.

Hanako reaches the watering station where the second lap is ending. She sees that Kakeru has almost caught up with the tail end of the first pack. He manages to get a cup of water. Haiji, comes up next, at the center of the second pack. He’s almost at the water station, when a runner several feet in front of him bumps into one of the tables and falls down, bringing the table down with him. Hanako yells out Haiji’s name in alarm and we see he is about to collide with the fallen runner when the episode ends.

Conclusion

Whew, what a cliffhanger!

Writing tip: Hanako had a vital role to play in this episode, not just keeping tabs on how the race is playing out and relaying that information to the runners. From a writers perspective her existence is invaluable because, not only does she help exposit some of the rules and inside workings of the race (i.e. explaining the varying number of runners in the different teams). Also, her reactions serve to underscore the gravity of all that is happening in the race. Her horror at the accident will reflect that of the viewers.

The episode planted several important details that will surely be revisited later (i.e. Yuki’s call with his mother). But it mostly set the stage for the upcoming race via Haiji’s explanations. Be that as it may, it was never a boring episode. For one thing, seeing the boys in their regular clothes was refreshing. Having the team seen from other people’s perspectives (the coach, the university chairman, the parents, the interviewee, the Nippon camera man) was also new. But to me the most important scene in this episode was Haiji confiding his doubts to Kakeru.

It was the first time he has done so. Knowingly, that is. Haiji had once tried advising Kakeru on “not rushing”. At the time Kakeru had asked him why he was telling him this, and had figured out on some level that Haiji was feeling anxious. At the time KK had thought it was because not all their members had achieved records, when in reality Haiji had been worried about his own performance. But it seemed that he himself hadn’t realized that he had been projecting his concerns on Kakeru. It had been a rare moment where Haiji seemed to lack self-awareness.

In this episode, however, he’s completely conscious of his anxiety and asks Kakeru straight out for his opinion. It’s the most vulnerable we have ever seen him, though we’ve gotten tiny glimpses in the past. In addition to the reference of the word “amai” (discussed above), the scene somehow also reminded me of the argument they had. At the time Kakeru had seemed unsatisfied with Haiji’s coaching skills. And while Kiyose had stayed strong for the sake of keeping the team together, and managed to completely change Kakeru’s mind on what he felt was his teammates lacking performance, you kinda get the feeling here that KK’s words had stayed with Kiyose and now that the moment of truth came, were rearing their ugly heads.

Of course, Kakeru is completely unaware of this. I doubt he realizes the weight his opinions have with Haiji, despite Fujioka telling him “lead the team with him”. Even a stranger like Fujioka saw the potential in Kakeru, even if he hadn’t seen it himself.  

Because he is unaware, he is unable to give Haiji the full assurance I wanted him to. But, coming from Kakeru (who Haiji knows isn’t the most socially intelligent team member) it must have been enough. After all, Kakeru is still relatively new at playing the “supporter”. I mean, he’s helped out the other members, but I think at the moment he holds Haiji on too high a pedestal to even realize that he can be of emotional support to Haiji as well. With 8 episodes left, he’s bound to have more opportunities to do so in the future.

8.5/10: There was nothing wrong with the episode, though art wasn’t always great. But the upcoming episodes are just phenomenal.

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