So to let the wind cat out of the bag: this show is an episodic sliceoflife iyashikei with a weird artstyle. If you dont like episodic shows sliceoflife makes you snooze or the art is a huge turn off thats all valid but this show just isnt for you. With that disclaimer out of the way allow me to gush about one of my favorite shows for the next 800 words. Lets start with the story or rather the lack thereof. As mentioned above Windy Tales is primarily an episodic show with the vast majority of episodes being mostly unrelated to the others. I say mostly because there is some continuity sometimes more subtle sometimes more explicit its just not the core focus of most episodes. What really carries the shows story isnt the plot but rather the characters. One of the most impressive feats Windy Tales manages to pull off in my opinion is creating a cast of characters that are simultaneously very grounded yet still interesting to watch and very memorable. None of them fall into the roles of traditional animetropes nor do any of them get dramatic backstories theyre just ordinary people whose lives we get to peek into yet they stick with you. The chemistry between each member of the main cast is great and while humor in this show is somewhat rare and understated the banter between them occasionally leads to some organic comedy. Another thing the anime excels at and maybe even its main draw is its sense of atmosphere. This is by far the hardest part of the show to describe yet also its most powerful feature. An unfamiliar city on a hot summer day a serene night in an abandoned building the dark of the seatingarea of a movie theater a snowy day as well as the cold and gray day before it this show gives each of these moments these points in time and space a simultaneous feeling of realism and exaggeration. The best way I can describe it is that its like riding a bike against a moderately strong wind. What youre literally doing isnt all too impressive or special but when youre on that bike it sure feels like youre battling the god of wind himself. Its that subjective experience of time and place not necessarily how it actually is but rather how it feels that Windy Tales manages to portray so vividly. It manages to evoke these feelings primarily through its visuals. Changes in colorpallete interesting framing backgrounds that move in interesting and weird ways and many many unique ways of animating various weather phenomena are all used and tied together by the already pretty abstract artstyle. I really cant overstate how much I love how creative this show gets in depicting its story. The music is no slouch either when it comes to setting the tone. The opening is a gentle song that instantly puts you in the mood for the relaxing episode to come whereas the ending is an upbeat jam capturing the excitement of youth. The main attraction however is the OST written by none other than Kenji Kawai with a bunch of catchy little tunes that I find myself involuntarily humming a little too often. It manages to both capture the energy and fun of the more down to earth segments as well as the dreamlike magic of the more surreal ethereal segments all while keeping the core palette of instruments relatively consistent. All of this is still just surface level stuff however. At heart this show is about growing up each episode showing us a new angle on this central theme. Wind the primary concept the show is built around is really a metaphor for the fleetingness and restlessness of youth and is also possibly related to the role of wind in Japanese Buddhismhttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GodaiJapanesephilosophy which gives the anime a slightly melancholic aftertaste. All these aspects being individually strong is already plenty impressive but the final strength this show has that I want to mention is just how well everything fits together. Its very holistic a trait I look for in all the media I consume. Nothing about this show feels like it was simply taking convention for granted each part feels deliberate. I imagine the creative process for Windy Tales started with the central themes of wind and growing up then expanded outward and made every subsequent decision from character design to music based around these concepts. Even things that at first glance may seem like tropes like for example the main characters being high school students are there for a purpose. In the end all of these different aspects come clashing together in the finale providing a beautiful and satisfying end. If I had to critique one aspect of the show it would be episodes 3 and 4. They are the weakest of the series and them being right after the two introductory episodes means that first time watchers coming into the anime may be turned off quickly. Still this show is a deeply atmospheric comingofage story filled with grounded characters and presented with stellar visuals and music. Also it has flying cats. What more do you want?