As an inspiring slice-of-life sports series, Run with the Wind has plenty of warm moments to go around.
Beware of unmarked spoilers.
- Episode 9: While Yuki, Shindo, Musa and the twins run their last lap at the track meet, the rest of the team energetically cheers them on. This includes Kakeru, who is now starting to understand what it means to run. The members running can't help but grin when they spot their team doing this, and Musa is particularly thankful to Kakeru and Prince for their support. This is one of the first bonding moments for the team, who are still somewhat divided over their goals at this point.
- Episode 10: After having been harsh on him earlier, Kakeru wholeheartedly becomes invested in Prince's training. He starts reading manga with him in an attempt to know him better, and he picks up on all the little things that can improve his form. This culminates into a surprising moment in a later track meet that Kakeru would had never done before: he stops running during his last lap (despite being in the lead) to give some advice and encouragement to Prince while he's struggling. This helps Prince's confidence at least a little, and he successfully breaks the 30 minute mark for the first time.
- Episode 12: Yuki and Shindo finally get official records, to their joy. Not only Haiji, but Kakeru too (aka the same guy who was a Perpetual Frowner and not willing to cooperate at first) runs to them grinning and gathering them into a big hug.
- Episode 14: Things look grim for Prince at first as he's the only one without an official record, and he struggles to improve in the official meets he partakes in. In the final track meet before the qualifier (aka his last chance), he asks the other guys to write a message on his arm for him to look at while he runs. The message they write? "Forward" (mae ni). With all his might, Prince finally gets an official record, to everyone's excitement. Haiji's eyes water as he watches Prince pump his fist in his direction while everyone else runs to him.
- Episode 16: Everyone's reaction to their team being announced as the 10th Hakone qualifier, which even brings one of the cameramen to tears:
- Musa and Shindo cry and hug each other for dear life.
- Kakeru and Haiji are flabbergasted and simply turn to each other to scream.
- The twins happily slap Kakeru's back non-stop.
- Haiji starts to tear up, letting it sink in that his dream has finally come true, and everyone (minus Prince) starts to jump on him to form a hug pile. This includes Yuki playfully pushing Kakeru into the pile before he and Nico-chan join in.
- Episode 19: Hakone Ekiden begins, so an emotional roller-coaster ensues.
- Musa and Kakeru are startled when they realize they're being filmed because a cameraman and reporter have taken interest in Musa (since he's not only an exchange student but also running for the first time). Musa nervously stands up and shows his acknowledgement by bowing to them. Shindo catches the moment and calls him right afterward, and they have a heartfelt conversation about going to see the snow in Shindo's hometown together.
- Haiji and Kakeru catch an exhausted Prince just as he finishes his section, and Haiji is incredibly grateful and proud of him for his efforts. Everyone else watching on their phones is overjoyed.
- Iwanki runs in his final Hakone Ekiden race. Although he doesn't win his section, he's still satisfied and shows his gratitude by bowing to the crowd and hugging one of his teammates.
- Everyone's confidence in Musa to run the "the section of aces". Kakeru warns Iwanki to not underestimate him, and Haiji explains he was chosen to run this section because of his calm, courageous and The Determinator attitude. Despite a brief dip where he runs too fast and exhausts himself, Musa gets himself together in time, and when he passes the sash to Jota he finds out he managed to pass seven other competitors (their team was originally last when Musa began). Musa is brought to happy tears and hugs King.
- Episode 23 is brimmed with warm emotional moments, as the conclusion of Hakone Ekiden comes near:
- Haiji has nothing but pride for Kakeru while he awaits him at the changeover. "That's my dream right there," was what he thought when he first saw Kakeru running. As Kakeru passes the sash, all Haiji thinks about is how Kakeru is his ideal form (of running) and is like a shooting star.
- Haiji's father initially doesn't seem to care that his son is running at Hakone Ekiden, choosing to go supervise his track team rather than watch him on TV. However, he's later seen listening to the live commentary on the radio during the training session, and his hand visibly shakes when Haiji is mentioned.
- During his race, Haiji thinks back to the time he felt betrayed by the world when his running days looked bleak in high school. He reminisces how blessed he is that running has returned to him "in a more beautiful form" — and flashbacks of everyone in the team running their Hakone sections is shown at this very line.
- In the anime adaptation, while the rest of the team cheers from the sidelines, Kakeru is the only member to welcome Haiji at the finish line. As he tearfully watches him finish his last ever run, Kakeru muses to himself that the answer to running is Haiji himself. Haiji crosses the finish line and collapses in Kakeru's arms with pure joy on his face, his dream of Hakone Ekiden having come true even at the cost of his knee.
- With the revelation that Kansei not only placed fifth on Day 2 but also ranked within the Top 10 overall to get a seeded position (and this is coming back from 20th place), a montage of the whole team crying and hugging each other plays. Even the usually calm Tazaki can be seen wiping his tears in the staff car. The montage ends with all the members happily running to Kakeru and Haiji, who lightens up at the sight of his team. As the commentators note, they are a truly miraculous team.
- In the Distant Finale, the Kansei University track team (which started off with ten members) now boasts almost 20 members, with Kakeru and the twins leading the way. The impact the original lineup's run at Hakone Ekiden is evident.
