It’s hard to find substance in a series about teenagers brawling, no matter how hard Wind Breaker Season 2 Episode 2 tries. With the heavy-handed needle drops (the bane of my existence regarding this show), the emotional declarations, and the desire to prove themselves, the Furin students learn more about themselves in their fight with KEEL as they continue their showdown.

Despite the series’ desire to find messaging in all its stories, the success comes down to the style and our investment in certain characters. Namely, we care about Sakura (Yuma Uchida), Suo (Nobunaga Shimazaki), Nirei (Shōya Chiba) and, to an extent, the other three main players of the first years. But anything that doesn’t center on one of those characters loses steam quickly because Wind Breaker struggles with character introductions. Instead of gradually letting us learn about them, they’re thrust into our faces, and we’re asked to care before they’ve earned it.

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There’s an emotional disconnect with this story because it, on the surface at least, centers on two characters we never got to know prior to the story. It’s a case of the week structure but with brawls. So, while the KEEL fight is a learning moment for Sakura as he finds greater insight into what it means to be a real leader, there’s no heart in it.

Wind Breaker Season 2 Episode 2 is best when focusing on the main characters.

It’s why the best moments of Wind Breaker Season 2 Episode 2 are the quieter, character-driven beats. The unflappable Suo nearly going overboard with his target in one such instance. We’re so used to his calm, enigmatic demeanor that seeing him lose his cool, however minutely, is jarring. Suo also has one of the more visually pleasing fighting styles, and both that and the shift in his mood make for an interestingly brief moment. This time, Sakura must intervene so he doesn’t go too far.

Kiryu also gets a fun sequence as he dresses down his opponent’s toxic masculinity. The KEEL member he fights refers to Kiryu as a girl due to his looks, trying to provoke him into a more fist-forward brawl. Instead, Kiryu operates under restraint, calling out the teen’s brutish mannerisms and telling him that girls must stay clear of him based on his personality.

The main drama in Wind Breaker Season 2 Episode 2 occurs with Sakura and the second-year Kaji. Sakura watches on as Kaji takes on the KEEL leader, who actively tries not to lose his cool and go too far in fights. Kaji is also at the center of the ‘this teenager should be dead’ moment of the episode, when he’s brutally hit by a steel bat repeatedly. But again, it’s just one of those Wind Breaker quirks for which we must suspend our disbelief, shonen rules style.

The big fight ends on a muted note.

After how long the fight between Furin and Shishitoren went on in Season 1, it’s a mild miracle that the fight with KEEL is already over. Ultimately, a table-setting fight that introduces new problems for the main characters to tackle and overcome in Season 2 is engaging enough, though it lacks noteworthy, standout moments. However, its brevity is a blessing, considering that one of the biggest failings of Season 1 was its inability to wrap things up.

Unfortunately, the fight loses its edge as it ends with Anzai and Nagato talking it out, again, two characters we hardly know and have no emotional investment. The series tries to flesh out the broader ensemble as background characters call out to one another mid-fight. Still, it would be a better decision to focus on the core group and give them moments to shine and develop. Otherwise, it will repeat another one of the first season’s mishaps by placing too much emphasis on their opponents before we learn what makes main characters like Sakura, Nieri, and Suo tick.

Wind Breaker Season 2 Episode 2 loses some steam as it wraps up the fight with KEEL. The action remains a highlight, but ultimately it needs to refocus rather than focusing on new characters whom we have no emotional attachment to.

Wind Breaker Season 2 Episode 2 is out now on Crunchyroll. 

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• 6/10 Rating - 6/10

6/10

TL;DR

Wind Breaker Season 2 Episode 2 loses some steam as it wraps up the fight with KEEL. The action remains a highlight, but ultimately it needs to refocus rather than focusing on new characters whom we have no emotional attachment to.

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