Run with the Wind

Run with the Wind is a TV drama and sports anime adapted from the novel by Miwa Shiwen (三浦しをん), brought to life by Production I.G under the direction of Kazuya Nomura with series composition by Kohei Kiyasu. The story follows Haiji Kiyose and Kakeru Kurahara as they lead a ragtag team of amateur runners chasing the dream of competing in the prestigious Hakone Ekiden relay race. Beyond the thrill of athletic competition, the series delivers a deeply human portrait of growth, friendship, and perseverance that makes it a must-watch for fans of character-driven sports drama.

Set against the backdrop of Japan's fiercely competitive university athletics scene, Run with the Wind follows Kakeru Kurahara, a former high school track prodigy now navigating an uncertain chapter of his life as a college student. Everything changes when he crosses paths with the charismatic fourth-year student Haiji Kiyose, who spots something extraordinary in the way Kakeru moves. Haiji extends an invitation to Chikusei-sou, a weathered apartment building that doubles as the dormitory for the Kansei University Track Club. The place is home to nine students with wildly different personalities and backgrounds—but with one thing in common: virtually none of them have any serious running experience. Yet Haiji harbors an audacious ambition: to lead this unlikely group of residents to compete in the Hakone Ekiden, one of Japan's most prestigious and grueling university marathon relay races. With the registration deadline fast approaching and his housemates far from convinced, the question remains—can a single dream be enough to unite them all?