Wind Breaker Isn't Like Your Typical Shonen Anime: 3 Reasons the Hit Delinquent Anime Stands Out

windbreaker is unlike typical shonen anime haruka sakura
Credit: Nii Satoru, Kodansha/WIND BREAKER Project

windbreaker is unlike typical shonen anime haruka sakura
Credit: Nii Satoru, Kodansha/WIND BREAKER Project

There are a lot of shonen anime with incredible fights, amazing protagonists, and unexpected plot twists, and then there's Wind Breaker. From its unexpected themes to its complex protagonist, Wind Breaker isn't like your typical shonen anime for various reasons.

So far, CloverWorks' Wind Breaker anime has received good reviews from fans, having a 7.90/10 rating on MyAnimeList, thanks to its genre deconstruction, likable characters, and amazing fighting sequences that continue to impress fans.

  1. Wind Breaker Delves into Unpredictable Themes

    There is more to Wind Breaker than meets the eye. At first glance, it appears to be a delinquent anime with exciting battles and action sequences, but it also has unexpected themes that make it more engaging than any other shonen or delinquent anime.

    Wind Breaker explores psychological issues such as moral ambiguity, in which one of the characters encounters ethically complicated situations in which the boundary between right and wrong is blurred.

    Another is isolation and loneliness, in which the main character, Haruka Sakura, is shunned by society because of his unusual appearance.

    He finds it difficult to trust anyone who wants to get closer to him, and he has trouble opening his heart to them.

    Integrating these themes into Wind Breaker is a smart move, as it provides a more complex and thought-provoking narrative for the viewers to immerse themselves in.

  2. Wind Breaker Deconstructs the Shonen Genre and Challenges Stereotypes

    Wind Breaker has a very unique concept and setting, which makes it stand out from the rest of the anime in the same genre.

    It not only breaks stereotypes about delinquents, but it also challenges the norms in shonen anime.

    Instead of posing the main character as a muscle-head delinquent with an obsession to grow stronger by challenging other characters one after the other, Wind Breaker builds the main character differently in a way that makes him look like a public hero instead of an enemy.

    Furthermore, the delinquents in Wind Breaker don't feel like delinquents, at least for the main characters, who are trying their best to protect the town and its residents from their real enemies.

  3. Windbreaker Has a Complex but Likable Main Protagonist

    Interestingly, Wind Breaker has a complex but likable main protagonist, and thankfully, he's not a frustrating protagonist like Bucchigiri's Arajin, who only cares about himself and his perverted interests and has a sudden character development in the end.

    Haruka Sakura has his issues, which a lot of anime viewers can relate to. He was raised differently and his perspectives toward society have changed due to how they treated him in the past.

    In other words, Haruka was a victim of discrimination despite his good intentions and well-being.

    Meanwhile, Haruka's dynamic with the other characters makes Wind Breaker more engaging.

    The way he looks out for the other characters, regardless if they are an ally or a foe, easily makes him one of the best shonen anime protagonists of all time.

So, do you think Wind Breaker is a standout shonen and delinquent anime? Let us know in the comments below, and follow us on Facebook for all the latest anime news, lists, articles, features, and more.

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