All Wind Breaker Anime Characters Ranked

Wind Breaker is one of the new anime to air during the summer 2024 season, and this fighting-centric story is filled with all sorts of colorful and interesting characters. Here is a list of all the Wind Breaker anime characters ranked.

All Wind Breaker Anime Characters Ranked

9) Choji Tomiyama

At the time this ranking is being written, Wind Breaker has not yet finished its first season but is nearing the conclusion of the Shishitoren arc. At the bottom of this ranking is Choji Tomiyama, the leader of the Shishitoren gang, who has lost his way since fighting up the ranks and taking over the group. Choji hasn’t been given much more insight into his backstory yet, thus making him the lower character in this ranking. The character is menacing only through word-of-mouth from other characters and has just begun his first on-screen fight against Bofurin leader Hajime Umemiya.

While the character has the potential to develop and gain more depth, the Wind Breaker anime hasn’t yet had the opportunity to expound on his goals. Hopefully, his upcoming fight will shed more light on the character’s cruelty and lust for freedom. Until then, Choji remains a one-dimensional character that doesn’t have much to offer the greater story.

8) Nirei Akihiko

Nirei Akihiko bears the unfortunate burden of being the exposition character in Wind Breaker. As the nerdy, non-physical type of the Bofurin group, Nirei hasn’t been involved in any of the fights this season. Most of the time, Nirei can be seen hiding behind his fellow first-year classmate Sakura or spouting information from his small book about all the different fighters and groups featured in the anime. The character had shown potential in his initial introduction, and while his courage is admirable, Nirei hasn’t done much since then.

The character has some funny interactions with the rest of the cast with his incredulity at the strength and fighting skills of his peers. However, the comedic bit eventually becomes repetitive and can sometimes distract from the more compelling fights happening on screen whenever it cuts back to Nirei having an over-the-top reaction.

7) Kyoutarou Sugishita

Kyoutarou Sugishita is a non-verbal fighter in Wind Breaker. Being in the same first-year class as Sakura, the two come to blows over Sakura’s aspiration to reach the top of Bofurin as their leader. Kyoutarou’s deep loyalty and admiration for Hajime make him an interesting character and lead to one of the coolest fights in the Wind Breaker anime. Kyoutarou’s rivalry and subsequent begrudging respect for Sakura show promise for further development of the character down the line.

Moreover, Kyoutarou’s silence and physicality make him stand out more than the characters below him on this list. Most of the time, anime characters overcompensate with dialogue, so it’s refreshing to see a character who doesn’t waste any time getting the point across with his fists.

6) Hayato Suo

Hayato Suo is one of the more subdued fighters in Wind Breaker and is also part of the group of first-year students. Hayato’s mild-mannered nature and unique character design made him stand out immediately. Wind Breaker is an anime characterized by upfront and antagonistic characters, making Hayato’s lack of aggression feel like a breath of fresh air in the series.

More than that, Hayato’s restraint in conflicts makes his fight scenes when they happen hit that much harder. Hayato’s appearance lends itself to a more traditional kung-fu fighting style, and his fight against a Shishitoren thug is the most visually appealing of the first season so far.

Related: All English Dub Voice Actors & Cast List for Wind Breaker

5) Jo Togame

Jo Togame is one of the secondary antagonists in the first major arc of the Wind Breaker anime. The character is the second in command under Choji at Shishitoren. Unlike his leader, Jo Togame is given a surprising amount of depth in the anime. Originally seen as a cool, laid-back but violent bully, Togame is the one who gets to fight against Sakura, the main protagonist of the series.

Togame is shown as a skilled fighter and, eventually, toward the end of the fight, is given a tragic backstory that elevates the character. Togame is shown to have a deep friendship with Choji, and he decides to become the antagonistic symbol of the gang so as to save the image he has of his friend, who has turned into a cruel leader unbeknownst to everyone but Togame. His evolution throughout his fight with Sakura is incredibly compelling, and his resolve to change after the dust settles makes him one of the better characters in the anime.

4) Toma Hiragi

Toma is a third-year student at Furin High School and one of Bofurin’s “Four Heavenly Kings,” making him a high-ranking leader of the school who works directly under Hajime. Introduced in the first episode of Wind Breaker, Toma is shown to take his duties as a leader very seriously as the first-years are under his care. There’s a comedic aspect to the character, too, as the stress the younger characters cause him leads to him needing stomach medicine after most interactions.

Toma is the perfect balance of seriousness and levity. Moreover, he’s given an engrossing character arc as someone from his past joins the rival gang Shishitoren to fight him. Toma serves as an older brother figure for the other characters with a lower perception of himself, which makes him an extremely empathetic character. When Toma realizes his old childhood friend is fighting him because he felt abandoned, it’s a powerful moment in the series that makes Toma an even better character.

3) Kotoha Tachibana

Kotoha is one of the only main characters in the Wind Breaker anime who isn’t a fighter. She works at a restaurant that the Bofurin group frequents and, more importantly, serves as Sakura’s first companion at the beginning of the series. She’s a friendly character who first warms Sakura up to the idea of not trying to reach for the top alone. Moreover, she also explains the way Furin High School works.

Kotoha’s backstory hasn’t yet been explored, but her sibling relationship with Bofurin leader Hajime creates a sense of mystery around both characters and their upbringing. While Kotoha’s appearances have been brief, her relationship with Sakura and her determination to change his outlook and help him work through the trauma caused by years of bullying makes her an easy character to like, even if she isn’t doing any fighting.

2) Sakura Harkua

Sakura is the main character of Wind Breaker, and almost all the great moments of the first season (at this point) belong to him. From the opening sequence, which depicts a metaphorical tightrope that Sakura constantly balances on to try and be accepted in society, viewers know that they are dealing with an empathetic and deeply human character. It also helps that Sakura has incredible fighting skills that he puts on display in almost every episode.

Wind Breaker also gives Sakura the trope of constantly being embarrassed at the slightest compliment or show of care toward him. Sakura prefers to express his interest and concern in others through violent bursts of anger, whether through yelling or play fighting. Still, though, despite his brash nature, Sakura makes poignant statements and is steadfast in his beliefs, making for some great moments in the anime. Sakura is easily one of the best characters in the series.

1) Hajime Umemiya

Hajime is the enigmatic leader of Bofurin, and despite his brief appearances in the first season of the anime, he’s easily the best character in the series. Hajime Umemiya is teased a lot before he makes his official appearance a few episodes into the first season. When he finally does show up, you’re almost shocked at how friendly, outgoing, and zen he is. As the strongest character of the series, Hajime sets an example for showing that strength isn’t just something to achieve for yourself, but for others around you.

Hajime also sets the precedent for the potential of all the fights in Wind Breaker. Instead of meaningless violence, Hajime strives to have conversations within the punches thrown and to give purpose to the violence he chooses to encourage by being the leader of Bofurin. It’s an interesting concept that sets Wind Breaker apart from other anime, and it makes the easygoing Hajime Umemiya the best character in the anime.

And those are the characters of the Wind Breaker anime ranked.

Wind Breaker is available to stream on Crunchyroll.