English Dub Review: Wind Breaker “NIGHT STREET”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

As a thank you for helping Ito recover, Tsubakino takes Sakura, Nirei, and Suo to the neon-lit entertainment district of “Keisei Street,” which is full of cozy drinking establishments, mahjong parlors, and bars.  The boys are overwhelmed by the atmosphere of this part of town.  They head to meet up with Tsubakino when suddenly, a girl in a tattered white dress falls on Sakura.  They have no chance to hear the girl’s story before a group of thugs approaches them.

Our Take:

The first season of Wind Breaker had the Bofurin students tackle opponents outside their comfort zone, mainly the members of Shishitoren, who were on the other side of their home turf.  This showcased the usual approach of protagonist groups exploring different areas while testing their might and mental strength against tougher teams.  More importantly, that arc surprisingly packed quite an impressive punch with its feels, not just the violence.  Now, the series attempts to recapture that success for its second season, as Sakura and his allies find themselves in another section of Sakura’s new hometown: Keisei Street and its entertainment district.

This cozy and neon-infused district has been teased by the recent trailer as the season’s second half for several reasons.  There’s no doubt that Keisei Street has plenty of establishments and activities to make it a go-to place for fun and relaxation.  However, that doesn’t make it safe from the impending dangers lurking around every corner, prompting the Furin team to step up again to assist those in need.  For this occasion, the person in need is a girl named Shizuka Narita, who is being chased by thugs for an unknown reason.  Fortunately, Sakura, Nirei, and Suo were able to protect Narita from this mysterious group in a good old-fashioned brawl that’s as hard-hitting and stylized as the ones in previous episodes.

However, it isn’t without a few character moments that elevate its action, even though they break up the pace of its violence.  One such case is Nirei, who still strives to help Sakura achieve his goal of being on top.  The problem is that he’s more brains than brawn, causing him to doubt his usefulness to the group.  This prompted him to ask Suo to teach him how to fight or at least defend himself.  As a result, Nirei developed a defense technique he dubbed the “roly-poly”, which proved effective in dealing with a group of thugs pursuing him.  While Sakura’s arc still holds interest regarding the show’s themes of acceptance and trust, Nirei’s determination to be useful has its own sense of endearment that makes him a lovable side character despite his skittish personality.  That alone is enough to make “NIGHT STREET” a solid start to the season’s “Keisei Street” arc.