Wind Breaker episode 6: Toma's win against Sako sets up a worrying loss as the pair's backstory is revealed

WInd Breaker episode 6 released on Thursday, May 7, 2024, bringing with it the exciting continuation of the highly-anticipated Spring 2024 anime series. Likewise, fans were excited to see the continuation of the Shishitoren versus Bofurin contest, with Toma Hiragi set to fight apparent old friend Kota Sako next.

Likewise, fans were particularly excited for Wind Breaker episode 6 due to the fact that an expected loss for Toma should set Haruka Sakura up for victory against Jo Togame. However, the episode’s unexpected conclusion seemingly sets Sakura up for a loss. On that note, there are also some positive developments seemingly teased as the episode ends.

Wind Breaker episode 6 sets up Sakura for a loss with Toma’s win

Brief episode recap

The Bofurin boys continue their winning streak in Wind Breaker episode 6 (Image via CloverWorks)

Wind Breaker episode 6 began with the Shishitoren members reacting to Hayato Suo’s win, calling Bofurin an issue as he walked off the stage and was congratulated by Hajime Umemiya.

Suo then revealed his style is a self-taught “hodgepodge” one from his master, also apologizing for how embarrassing it was for getting emotional. He then blames Haruka Sakura for this, who in response says he doesn’t care as long as Suo goes all out against him when they fight.

As Sakura and Suo bickered, Umemiya commented on how good it is that they’re already influencing each other, commenting on how Suo and Sakura will make a fine team.

Kanuma then dragged Arima off to the side, where he sat himself as well. The two then discussed their losses, with Kanuma muttering about how it’s the end and they’re done for.

Wind Breaker episode 6 then saw Sakura get ready to fight, but Toma Hiragi’s opponent Kota Sako stood up and clearly wanted to fight first. Toma also pointed out that Jo Togame clearly doesn’t want to fight quite yet, adding that he’s trusting Sakura to get the win since he’s who should be fighting Togame.

The Shishitoren seemingly lose their third member for the day in Sako considering Togame's post-fight reaction in Wind Breaker episode 6 (Image via CloverWorks)

Umemiya then revealed that Toma doesn’t talk about himself often, but him knowing Sako isn’t particularly unusual. Choji Tomimiya and Togame then wished Sako good luck, with the latter asking what history there is between him and Toma. Toma and Sako then took the stage, briefly speaking as the crowd urged them to begin fighting.

Wind Breaker episode 6 then saw the two then began fighting, with Toma being very defensive at first while Sako showed how skilled he is on offense. Sako then criticized Toma for still looking down on him “even now,” saying his old self is “long gone” before rushing at him once again.

Togame and Tomimiya commented on Sako putting up a good fight as one of their top five, with the former saying Sako has been in more fights than anyone in Shishitoren.

They then pointed out how Sako being so talkative proves his reservations with Toma, as Sako continued to berate Toma in the midst of their fight. Toma responded by saying Sako has become much more talkative, adding that he was once so quiet he didn’t need to teach Sako not to speak when fighting to avoid biting his tongue. As he said so, a scene seemingly showing Toma training Sako by a river when they were younger played out.

Toma mounts a comeback in the latter half of Wind Breaker episode 6 (Image via CloverWorks)

Wind Breaker episode 6 then saw Sako speed up after seemingly being infuriated by these comments, sending Toma flying with a kick into a nearby wall. Sako then said that Toma has gotten weaker, attributing it to associating himself with Bofurin.

Sakura then called out to Toma, criticizing him for being ridiculed and allowing them to get ridiculed likewise. Suo commented on Sakura caring for his friends, prompting him to get embarrassed.

As Umemiya explained that Toma leads the team in Bofurin known as Tamonten, he asked Sako if he knew what the word meant. As he said so, Toma stood back up unaffected and struck back at Sako, while Umemiya answered that Tamonten is also known as Bishamonten, the god of war who controls the battlefield.

Toma said that it was getting fun as he took more heartburn medicine, prompting a flashback to the two’s elementary school days.

Wind Breaker episode 6 saw Sako being bullied by some students, seemingly for not doing anything. Toma then arrived and stopped them as the series returned to the present, where everyone was impressed with how strong both Sako and Toma were. Tomimiya commented on how strong Sako was, but Togame said that Toma has the upper hand here.

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As Sako questioned how Toma could be stronger than him in their respective current forms, a young Sako was seen asking Toma why he saved him.

Toma said it’s bullying no matter how one looks at it, asking if he should’ve done nothing instead before helping Sako up. Sako then asked Toma to teach him how to fight, leading into the river scene from earlier.

Wind Breaker episode 6 then saw Sako comment on how strongly he admired Toma, being proud to walk behind him for how strong he was. Then, when Toma graduated, Sako commented on how he should take Furin’s top spot, and that he’d do anything to make it happen.

Sako even said he’d go there next year to help him, but Toma responded by saying it’s best if he doesn’t follow him since he decided to support Umemiya at Furin.

In other words, Toma had foregone claiming Furin’s top spot, telling Sako he needed to make his own path and find his own goals. Later that day, Sako was discovered by Tomimiya and Togame after beating up some people in a fight.

Sako then vowed to join Shishitoren, become stronger and defeat Toma one day to make him regret his actions.

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Wind Breaker episode 6 then returned to the present, where Sako yelled about how unlike Toma, he devoted himself to growing stronger rather than making friends.

Sako then charged at Toma while saying he’d never lose to someone who devoted himself to another, prompting Toma to grab his fist and apologize for not meeting his expectations before knocking him out.

As Sako fell to his knees, he thought there’s nothing Toma needs to apologize for, recognizing that Toma was looking out for him all along. He added that he knows he’s being selfish, but Toma is who he had always aspired to become, and that he didn’t care where he was or who he supported. All that mattered to him was being able to follow Toma.

Wind Breaker episode 6 then saw Sako pass out as a scene of them from middle school played out, where Sako told Toma he’d follow him forever, even after he took the top spot.

In the present, the other Shishitoren members were in awe of both Toma’s skills and Sako’s loss. Togame then ordered someone to get Sako off stage, to which Hiragi said he’d do it himself.

Togame then thanked Toma, but added he didn’t need to handle Sako so gently. As he reached for Sako’s body, Toma grabbed his hand, asking him to wait until after his fight with Sakura to deal with him, implying Togame himself could lose to Sakura.

He added that Togame’s practices won’t make the Shishitoren stronger before walking away and returning to Umemiya as the episode ended.

In review

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Wind Breaker episode 6 does a fantastic job of interweaving Toma and Sako’s backstory into their fantastic fight, with neither particularly suffering from this blend.

In fact, the constant interspersal of their origins with how they ended up now heightens both the fight itself and their backstory, proving it to be a fantastic approach to this leg of the story.

Sako’s defeat also sets up an exciting potential future for him considering the lengths Toma went to to guarantee his safety from the Shishitoren for now. Likewise, with Umemiya seemingly being accepting of Sako and Toma’s backstory and not desiring to know the details, it makes sense that he’d eventually join Furin and fulfill his promise to Toma.

In summation

Wind Breaker episode 6 is both a shocking and harrowing episode considering Toma’s victory and the fact that it could be setting up either Sakura or Umemiya to lose.

While a Furin sweep would certainly be welcome, it seems unlikely as of this article’s writing that this is the case. Moreover, with what an Umemiya loss means both for him and for the Bofurin, it seems likely that Sakura will be defeated by Togame in the next installment.