NEW![WIND BREAKER] Overflowing with aura! An interview with Satoru Nii – Part 2

Interviews #Satoru Nii #WIND BREAKER June 14, 2026

This article was originally published on May 7, 2021.

Welcome back to this interview with Satoru Nii! If you haven’t read part 1 yet, you can catch up here.

Let’s get down to business!

●Umemiya was supposed to be the main character?!

――How did you come up with the other characters?

Satoru Nii:
I actually wanted to make Umemiya, Bofurin’s leader, the main character at first. Without an outside perspective, though, it made coming up with a story very difficult, so I made Sakura, the outsider who knew nothing about the town, the main character.

――So Umemiya was where it all started?

Satoru Nii:
Yeah. I wanted to draw someone like Umemiya, so I wanted to introduce him as early as possible, and after talking with my editor, we were able to give him a satisfying introduction.

――His first appearance in chapter 4 is just his voice as he addresses the new students over the broadcast system, isn’t it.

Satoru Nii:
My initial storyboards had him appearing in chapter 2, but I managed to hold off until chapter 6 [laughs].

――Umemiya’s introduction at the end of chapter 6 left a really strong impression.

Satoru Nii:
During the initial planning stage, because I had Umemiya in mind as the main character, Sakura was originally one of the Four Kings of Bofurin. Back then, he was a lot more of a blank canvas, but he evolved into a more passionate character who wanted to take on Umemiya to become the top.

――Was it easy to decide on who the Four Kings would be?

Satoru Nii:
There were a lot of twists and turns in that journey… Hiragi, Sakura’s senpai, wasn’t originally intended to be one of the Four Kings – he was going to be in a position under them. When I thought about bringing him back into the story after he saved Sakura, though, he ended up becoming one of them.

――How about Sakura’s classmates?

Satoru Nii:
He wasn’t there in the initial planning stages, but after introducing Nirei, the progression of the story got much smoother. He’s not great in a fight as he joins high school, but he admired Bofurin so much that he wanted to go to their school. He’s a character who acts as the point of view for a “regular” person. When he shows up, he brings a bit of levity to the story and is a good foil for progression. He’s also really into fashion, so there are times when he tries a little too hard… [laughs].

――How about Sugishita and Suo?

Satoru Nii:
Sugishita is intended as Sakura’s rival. He’s a devoted follower of Umemiya, and he represents someone on the “inside” compared to Sakura, who is from the “outside”. Suo looks very stylish, and I wanted it to be hard to read what he is thinking. I’ve been working on a lot of the unrevealed background information, too…!

●The struggles of the initial storyboard and the birth of Tsundere Sakura

――Have you got a favorite part of the story so far?

Satoru Nii:
I had a lot of fun drawing the part in chapter 7 where we meet Umemiya who is growing vegetables on the roof of the school. My editor praised it right from the storyboard stage, and the comments on Magazine Pocket said that he reminded them of the guy from THE TETSUWAN DASH (a Japanese variety television program) [laughs]. I really wanted to have the readers think he was scary at first, then pull the rug out from under them with the reveal, so I was really happy with the reaction.

――On the flip side, were there any scenes that you had trouble with?

Satoru Nii:
The storyboarding for chapter 1 took a really long time. When I think back on it, getting up to chapter 3 was quite the challenge…

――What aspects did you find difficult?

Satoru Nii:
When Sakura’s personality wasn’t set in stone, I was at a loss for what to do. It was a struggle turning him from a blank canvas into the main character. In the initial planning phase, he didn’t really seem like a person, so I added those personality elements where he gets embarrassed when praised by others or feels thankful.

――He really does blush a lot, doesn’t he! He’s definitely got his tsundere moments.

Satoru Nii:
Oh yeah. He’s a total tsundere [laughs].

――Did you dive deeper into Sakura’s character with your editor?

Satoru Nii:
We talked about it a lot. I didn’t have a whole lot of the world-building decided. Just that he had been rejected by others since he was a kid, and as a result, wasn’t good at being around other people or talking to them. We managed to lay down why he liked strong people, why he was always getting into fights, and why he thinks the way he does.

――And that’s how the Sakura we know came to be?

Satoru Nii:
That’s right. I think he’ll keep changing as the story continues, though. He was a lone wolf at the start, but now that he’s met Umemiya, he’s thinking about what sets them apart.

――Could you tell us about what you’re planning for future chapters?

Satoru Nii:
Nothing is solidified yet, but I’m looking to introduce even more teams and have the action get even more intense from here on. I’ve also got an idea for the ending, so I hope I can count on your support on the way.

――And finally, a message for your readers!

Satoru Nii:
I’ll be bringing you even more cool guys from here on! I hope you look forward to meeting them!