Run with the Wind has built a real following in the US on Crunchyroll Amazon Channel among viewers who do not usually seek out animation. A single, tightly-focused season means there is plenty to get through without ever feeling padded. With 70 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. A harder one to justify skipping than to start. Put it on tonight on Crunchyroll Amazon Channel and see for yourself.

Run with the Wind is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Visually distinctive and narratively ambitious, Run with the Wind operates well above the genre average. Kakeru, a former elite runner at high school, is chased for stealing food. He is saved by Kansei University student Haiji, who is also a runner. Haiji persuades Kakeru to live in the old apartment "Chikuseisou" where he plans to team up with fellow residents to enter Hakone Ekiden Marathon, one of the most prominent university races in Japan. Takeo Otsuka and Toshiyuki Toyonaga bring more to it than the format typically demands. Run with the Wind premiered in 2018–2019. The visual gags in Run with the Wind reward close attention without ever depending on it. The consistency throughout is what elevates it — not every moment is the best, but none of them are a reason to stop watching.

Run with the Wind belongs on any best-of list regardless of format. Ahiru no Sora is the obvious comparison, but Run with the Wind earns its own place alongside it. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch if your schedule allows. Visually distinctive and narratively ambitious in ways that hold up regardless of format. Worth watching in order from the beginning.

Run with the Wind wrapped up in 2019 — and 1 season is available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro's free voice app makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just say the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.