Wind Breaker episode 9: Umemiya rescues Tomiyama as Shishitoren vs Bofurin ends

Wind Breaker episode 9 was officially released on Thursday, May 30, 2024, bringing with it the exciting continuation of the smash-hit Spring 2024 television anime series. Fans were particularly excited due to the fact that this episode would at least officially begin, if not also fully conclude, Choji Tomiyama versus Hajime Umemiya.

Thankfully, Wind Breaker episode 9 did fully conclude their fight by its end, also revealing Choji’s backstory and explaining more about his character along the way. The series also took the opportunity to introduce viewers to how Umemiya views fighting and life in general, evidenced by the episode’s title of “Umemiya’s Style.”

Wind Breaker episode 9 sees Umemiya bring Choji back from the depths on his way to victory

Brief episode recap

Choji Tomiyama finally gets the fight he wants in Wind Breaker episode 9 (Image via CloverWorks)

Wind Breaker episode 9 began with Choji Tomiyama raining down blows on a defending Hajime Umemiya, who said he was unaffected since the former’s punches were weightless.

He said that this was due to Choji not fighting for anything, prompting him to respond by saying it’s all the same if he just keeps punching. However, Umemiya proved him wrong by eating his next flurry before punching him down into the ground.

Choji stood up and told Umemiya to get out of his way since he’d be free, eventually explaining that this means to have fun and that he views fighting someone like Umemiya as fun.

However, Umemiya pointed out that it doesn’t look like Choji was having fun, saying he pities Choji and his coulda-woulda-shoulda attitude likewise. He even said he pities a team which ended up with a leader like him, saying he shouldn’t look at his subordinates the way he did Jo Togame.

Wind Breaker episode 8 saw a battered and bruised Choji see a vision of Togame and other Shishitoren members around him before they disappeared. He then began saying he doesn’t know and can’t tell, before screaming the words “shut up” over and over again in the silent theater where they were fighting.

Choji kept repeating the words until he screamed and tore his own hair out, crying as he said he didn’t want anything anymore while Togame looked worried.

The role Choji forced Togame into is revealed to weigh heavily on his psyche in Wind Breaker episode 9 (Image via CloverWorks)

It started an introspective focused on Choji, who said his heart turned into a desert and questioned what he’s lacking and why it’s lacking before saying he doesn’t care anymore.

He said he didn’t care because nothing will change, while in reality his mental breakdown continued. Choji’s next rush at Umemiya was a frenzied one and clearly did severe damage to Umemiya, who wasn’t fighting back.

Wind Breaker episode 9 saw Togame, Haruka Sakura, and the Shishitoren recognize and question this, prompting Kyotaro Sugishita to tell them to be quiet and watch.

Once Choji stopped, Umemiya apologized and said he didn’t want to drive him into a corner, but that’s how badly Choji was at his wit’s end. Choji punched him and told him to shut up as Umemiya warned him that he’ll be “having it rough” as long as he keeps up this behavior.

Choji, having gone fully feral by this point, bit Umemiya’s neck, who in turn hugged, pet, and consoled Choji by telling him it would be okay. Choji said he doesn’t know, prompting Umemiya to ask him if he remembers a Bofurin and Shishitoren dispute which was a misunderstanding in the end.

It started a flashback to Umemiya and Choji when they were younger, showing the two as having been friendly despite being in opposing groups.

Sugishita's words to the other's regarding Umemiya's style in Wind Breaker episode 9 sets up additional shared backstory for them (Image via CloverWorks)

Wind Breaker episode 9 saw Umemiya say Choji both was more dazzling and had more weight behind his fists back then, asking him what he had around him at the time. Choji told Umemiya to stay away and kicked him, but Umemiya didn’t listen and instead went to cup Choji’s face in his hands, who flinched thinking he would get hit.

Umemiya told him to reflect on what he saw back then, saying that’s the answer he was searching for. Togame quietly thanked Umemiya as he said this, while Umemiya headbutted Choji while telling him to remember.

It started another flashback to Choji’s younger days, where he was laughing and having fun with other Shishitoren members. However, when he turned around to call out to Togame, he was transported back to the “desert” in his heart.

Wind Breaker episode 9 saw him notice and walk toward Togame, but fall through the glass which made up the “desert” floor, waking up to find a sad Togame hunched over him after.

Choji quickly remembered he lost, before saying he had a dream about the past where everyone was smiling and he was having fun. That led him to realize that he has fun when everyone else is smiling and having fun, asking Togame to please smile likewise.

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Togame instead apologized for leaving Choji all alone, saying he didn’t know what was tormenting him so he took everyone away from him to prevent him hurting anyone.

Togame explained that he wanted Choji to be loved by everyone, and that’s why he averted his eyes on the day Choji first changed. However, the Bofurin boys made him realize he was wrong, and that he should’ve confronted Choji with his own will.

WInd Breaker episode 9 saw Togame apologize for taking his happiness away from him through these actions, crying as he does so. Choji then explained that he thought being the leader would make him freer and happier than anyone else. However, when he finally climbed that mountain, he found an “empty treasure chest” waiting for him, resulting in him feeling scared and empty inside.

Choji said that he knew he had to do something, but didn’t know what, so he just kept struggling until he couldn’t see anything anymore. He then blamed it on the rest of the team, saying he couldn’t be free or have fun because they were so weak.

Choji then said that Togame didn’t take his happiness away from him, but that he did it himself, realizing that he was already free back when he and the others were having fun all the time.

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Wind Breaker episode 9 saw Choji thank Togame for keeping everything together, admitting that he was the only one who didn’t see the pain he was putting him through.

Choji thanks Togame for protecting him before apologizing and crying, with Togame also sobbing from these words. Choji stood up shortly after and said he was fine, and would set things right at the very end before walking over to Umemiya.

He then removed his own Shishitoren jacket, intending to follow the rules he had set and drop out of Shishitoren while giving it to Umemiya. Togame then went to do the same until Umemiya blatantly refused, saying he had no intention of absorbing the Shishitoren if they won.

He did, however, agree to say that the two groups were friends from today on. The episode ended with Choji laughing as Umemiya declared today’s gathering over.

In review

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Wind Breaker episode 9 is, very arguably, both the best episode in the series thus far and also the best representation of what to expect from it on the whole.

Regarding the former point, the episode has plenty of S-tier animation from the talented animators CloverWorks enlisted for the series’ production. Not only is the animation of incredibly high quality, but it’s also incredibly consistent, which is a factor lost on some studios for one reason or another.

The reasoning behind the latter point also plays into the former likewise. Beyond the animation, this episode emphasizes that this is a character-driven story, and that the growth and development of said characters is what will churn and drive the plot forward.

In turn, this will also lead to satisfying redemption arcs for some characters, as Choji had in this episode. Overall, it makes for an exciting glimpse into what should be a long-running anime series.

In summation

While Wind Breaker episode 9 does excitingly conclude the beef between the Shishitoren and Bofurin with Tomiyama’s loss, it begs the question of what the rest of season 1 will cover.

One possibility lies in Togame’s flashback, which touched on other rival gangs in the area. Another exists in the fact that these characters are high school students, and likely will need to receive some sort of education sooner or later.