#rwtw

You could put me at gunpoint and i still would not be able to say which is more romantic:

That Kakeru realizes that Haiji is the answer; or that they both still don't have the answer, and so they continue on this journey to find it together, to the ends of the earth, always by each others' side

(A tiny novel spoiler under the cut)

I hate this. I really hate running. I got dragged into this and suffered for it. But if I hadn't run with them...

And we defy it by running

Bravely, calmly, and without fail.

Believing the answer we seek lies ahead

I’m sure of it. Joji’s the better runner.  Even if there’s no difference now, Joji will become way faster than me. He’ll see worlds I can’t see.

What is strength?

Damn it. What did I do?

What is running?

I'd better go.

What is living?

Today’s my last day. I have my own life to live. Hey, Kakeru... Don't go too far. The place you're going is beautiful, but it's too lonely.

It’s all beyond the wind.

My love hasn’t changed. Never has, never will. I like running. I love it. I’ll leave all my lingering attachments on this road!

Hope resides within our hearts.

Released from everything else, I can face myself. When I’m running, I don’t need to put on an act.

Look. The road is right before your eyes.

Why are we so desperate to keep running? Why can’t we stop doing something so painful and difficult? For our friends. For our goals. For ourselves. Stubbornness and pride. I don’t know. I doubt anyone knows. That’s why we can’t look away. That’s why it sticks in our hearts.

So we run again today.

I lost hope once. I felt betrayed by myself and the entire world. But I was wrong. Running returned to me in an even more beautiful form. Can one man be so blessed? I’m happy. I could cry. I am truly happy. Even if I can never run again, I love running!

We’ll run to the edges of the earth.

this video coming back to haunt me: "hey what if i knock you flat on your ass and make you feel the entire spectrum of human emotions over the course of 8 minutes"

Official art redraw

Not my best work but whatever

*I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Image & summary from Goodreads*

After shoplifting some bread one chilly March night, just before the start of a new academic year at Kansei University in western Tokyo, former high school track and field star Kakeru Kurahara runs through the city streets. Though he has grown disillusioned with the sport, he feels as if he could keep running forever . . . but to where, and for what? His revery is broken by a mysterious boy on a bike who has been following him, a fellow student at Kansei University named Haiji Kiyose, who also happens to be a runner.

Impressed by Kakeru’s agility, Haiji Kiyose persuades Kakeru to move into Chikusei-so, a run-down dormitory where he lives with eight other boys, including identical twins Jota and Joji, honor student Shindo, detail-oriented Yuki, trivia junkie King, Tanzanian international student Musa, nicotine-loving Nico, and manga otaku Prince. None of the students know that Chikusei-so is the historic home of the Kansei University Track and Field team.

At Kakeru's welcoming party, Kiyose reveals his grand plan: assembling a 10-man team of runners to compete in the Hakone Ekiden, a legendary college marathon relay race. Except for Kakeru and Kiyose, the Chikusei-so gang aren't athletic—or interested in competing. But Kiyose’s enthusiasm wins them over and they agree to this crazy plan. Over the course of ten months, this ragtag team will put aside their differences to pursue an elusive dream . . . and gain so much more than they ever expected.

Exhilarating, inspiring, devastating, unforgettable! I'm a massive fan of the anime that's based on this novel, so when I learned there was going to be an English translation of Run with the Wind, I was hyped! This is the perfect sports book. It's a true underdog story full of interesting and relatable characters. I absolutely loved getting to know the boys all over again, to get their POVs, learn their struggles, laugh at their hijinks, and cheer them on as they trained. While there's some devious trickery involved in getting this group of college boys to compete in the grueling Hakone Ekiden, the overall vibe of the group is gentle and caring. No matter what happens, this team supports each other, and their joined efforts bond them in a way that transcends anything they've experienced before. I especially like that the three runners who had been hurt by their previous experiences in competitive track and field were able to find a new way to train and compete and find healing and closure. Prince, the resident otaku, was also a favorite! He just wants to read manga all the time, but even he comes to enjoy teaming up with the others and taking on the challenge. There is a lot of technical running information, and the last quarter of the book is solely focused on the race, but to me it was still deeply interesting and compelling because the characters cared so much and were so invested that I got there, too! (The closest I can compare it to is how immersive Haikyu!! is). I finished reading this book with a deep feeling of satisfaction and would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes sports stories, team dynamics, and found family.