Yowamushi Pedal

Yowamushi Pedal is just your regular sports anime. As this is my first time trying to review an anime, I am just going to give it my honest opinion on it. As someone who is a fan of sports anime's in general, I find that Yowamushi Pedal is probably the best bicycle racing anime. But that doesn't mean that it was amazing. Anyways lets jump right on in (Warning, Minor Spoilers)

Story: 7
I actually thought the story was very original in some unique aspects. Even though it is your classic talented individual (Sakamichi) who never recognized he had a talent for bicycle racing, I thought that ... the beginning was a very good refresher. I also enjoyed the development of his skill. He was already pretty good to begin with and the training throughout the series made him into a pretty decent racer. The only thing that I did not like about the story and the episode structure is that some parts that only consisted of like 200m for example took around like 15 minutes. I found that to be quite annoying at times, perhaps because I wanted that scene to finish and get rolling on the next action scene, or I was just simply impatient/frustrated.

Art and Sound: 7
I think that this is just a regular anime when it comes to Art and Sound. There is nothing special about it. Like I said in the beginning, I find it to be your classic sports anime. I didn't think that there was anything that stood out (either very good or bad).

Character and Enjoyment: 8/6
I found that the characters seemed to be pretty cool except for a couple. One that had seemed really underdeveloped throughout the series was Makishima. I thought that since he was the climber that worked with Sakamichi, I thought they would go way more in depth into him than any other character. Turns out that wasn't really the case and we saw all of the upperclassmen have flashbacks of their own. My enjoyment factor was a 6 because of the scenes that sometimes took 15 minutes for like 4 seconds in the actual race. Even though they were intense, I just found these episodes to kind of be a waste of time.

Overall and Conclusion: 7
I would honestly recommend this anime to anyone who is interesting in learning about bicycle racing and the sports genre in general. I think that it brings something new to the table since there aren't that many bicycle anime's anyways. Any time that I watch one of these sports anime's I always get a drive to be active and be fit as I am a runner myself.

Final Quote: "Victory won't just fall in your lap. It's something I've learned through my victories and losses" - Tadokoro Jin

Oh, the story of the underdog.

Onoda is a total otaku that finds his true calling as a road racer climber. Through his high school bike club, he meets friends and rivals, and begins his journey as a road racer.

I particularly love shounen sports manga because they are so much fun. And there is something to be said about an underdog to comes out on top. You can't help but hope and pray they make it. And yes, part of the enjoyment is finding out how they do it.

2/3 of the first season sets the stage: we find out how Onoda is dragged into this world ... and his training as a road racer. We begin to meet rivals and friends and see subtle moments where Onoda's mysterious power as a climber come out. The last 1/3 begins the Interhigh competition and I enjoyed this part the most. We've got interesting characters and rivals, some flashback moments delving into character backgrounds (but personally, I enjoy the racing action more). Also, (and this is the problem with most cowardly underdogs) I got a little annoyed at Onoda sometimes. Grow some more and man up! I do hope that story-wise, Onoda will learn from his mistakes and they wont play the catch up game so much any more.

In terms of road racing in general, I feel like this anime does a great job of explaining that sport, what each different type of racer does, and how to work as team in a road racing tournament. Not that I knew anything about road racing before. But now I can say I know what a climber does, what a sprinter does, so on and so forth. And I have to say that is something I have come to expect from a good shounen sports manga/anime especially if it's about something I'm unfamiliar with. By the end, I should have learned all the rules and details of the game/sport and enjoyed learning about it.

The art style and music raises the excitement during race scenes. The art style in particular adds to the action scenes, color, slants, emanating waves of bursts of power. It definitely has an edge over another road racing anime, Overdrive, in this respect. Sometimes though, the action effects might get a little over the top but thankfully, not to the extent that Prince of Tennis does (yes, I love PoT too but come on guys, Cyclone Smash?). The music and voice actors are also well chosen.

My absolute FAVORITE episode? Episode 33 - "You Are the Princess" / "Hime nano da" / ヒメなのだ
Oh my god. I have not laughed so much in a while. Tadakoricchi's face here. The Hime song. Everything put together had me laughing hysterically.

My Rating Model: 7/10 ~ MAL Rating Model: 6/10

Note: To say one needs an athletic disposition to enjoy Sport-Genre anime is quickly proved wrong in the first few episodes of Yowamushi Pedal. In fact, I believe the very foundation of Sport-Genre anime is what creates strong character-building. Stories that challenge the very nature of rejection vs. achievement is what allows Champions to be born.

For what starts off as an entertaining anime quickly turns into an unbearable mental test - rather a test of your durability in patience & suspense. I'm fairly disappointed with what began as a 9/10 story but for me - ended ... at 4/10. If i may alike it to any analogy I'd certainly pick One Piece or the Freeza Ark of DBZ where a single event/fight/challenge is stretched-out frustratingly long. I dare say i enjoyed the first half of the anime as much as Hajime No Ippo or the 'Major' series but it became quickly evident that this anime will only continue to force flashbacks and cheap suspense driving devices.


I'd HIGHLY recommend this anime for anyone with mental patience - who's happily satisfied in watching 3 hours of a 'complication/event' where not much worth noting transpires.

Though, if this is your first Sport Anime i'm sure it will be either a Hit or Miss - though i'd recommend the first season of Hajime No Ippo 10/10 times over this.


My Rating Model [Beta]
1. Story 6/10
--1.1. Plot (60% of Mark) = 6.6
1.1.1. +Opening [9/10]
1.1.2. +Conflict [7/10
1.1.3. +Resolution [4/10]
--1.2. Pacing (20% of Mark) ~ Criteria (1/4 is dragged on, 2/4 is not bad/good, 3/4 is good, 4/4 perfect)
1.2.1. Dragged On [1/4] ~ ratio to 20% = 0.5/10
--1.3. Setting (20% of Mark) = (1/4 lifeless, 2/4 non-fiction, 3/4 innovative, 4/4 alive)
1.3.1. Non Fiction [2/4] ~ ratio to 20% = 0.8/10

2. Characters 6/10
--2.1. Characters 6/10 ~ Criteria (5/10: Empty, 6:10 Generic, 7:10 Generic/Original, 8: Original, 9: Original/Relatable/Engaging, 10/10: Wouldn't have it any other way)
2.1.1. The overwhelming majority of Characters were Generic and without appeal, very few exceptions to this rule existed.

3. Art 4/5 (Catalyst to PLOT / marks are slightly relative)
--3.1. Repetition (20%) Flashbacks/Filler Art ~ How often were the exact same blueprints used: Too Often, 1/3: Often, 2/3: On Occasion, 3/3: Never)
3.1.1. 0/3 ~ 0/5: Sadly I began counting episodes that DIDN'T have repeated art. Especially Point of View renditions of the road-ahead. That was consistently reused.
--3.2. Coloring (20%) ~ How well did the coloring build Mood: 1/4: Rarely, 2/4: Sometimes, 3/4: Frequently, 4/4: Always.
3.2.1. Sometimes 2/4 ~ 1/5
--3.3. Mood - (60%) ~ Specific to each mood presented - ie ~ Each mood is identified and to interpretation - marked with either Sympathy (care) or Apathy (don't care).
✔ Melancholy - Through use of the scenery, shading and coloring the artists successfully captured the sense of hopeless/futility in the characters.
✔ Passion - Many 'moving' cut scenes between hopelessness vs. hope to which the artist's rendition of a 'desperate' facial expressions - really helped established.
✔ Devotion (friends) Specifically Onoda's animation (expression) created genuine Sympathy and Cheer for the character.
3.3.1. Full Marks: Cared about 100% of Mood presented ~ 3/5
3.3.2. ✘ -/+ Extra mark [Use of Allegory] N.A

4. Sound: 5/5
--4.1. Opening/Ending Sequence (5%) My only criteria is Annoying/Not-Annoying :L
4.1.1. Not-Annoying - Full Marks
--4.2. Subtitles/Dub Quality (45%)
4.2.1. Subtitles 9/10
--4.3. Music Theme/s (50%)
4.3.1. Full Marks just because of the 'Love Hime' song Onoda sings ;)
4.3.2. ✘ -/+ Extra mark [Use of Allegory] = Did i hear any goddamn Cicada's ... dammit lol - only Japan's obsessed with these annoying pests. I'd love to see Mood/Atmosphere created without Insects for once. N.A

5. Overall 21/30 ~ 70/100 or 70%
5.1. Letter Grading: C –
5.1.1. Grading Key:
A = 90 (-) > 99 (+)
B = 80 (-) > 89 (+)
C = 70 (-) > 79 (+)
D = 60 (-) >69 (+)

6. MAL Rating
--6.1. Disclaimer
6.1.1. To cater for MAL’s unquantifiable ‘Enjoyment’ category – in conjunction with their naïve category balancing – I apply a handicap of 1 point to each score. While this may serve (at times) as counter-productive in rating 10/10 or 9/10’s with due credit; the overwhelming majority does not fall into this margin. In doing this, it’s my hope to fairly handicap all anime so as to ensure a fair – non-biased score and no ridiculously high scores for generic anime. It’s my belief that stricter methods have to be established to ‘level-out’ the reckless ratings on MAL’s.
--6.2. 7/10 – 1/10 = 6/10 MAL

Story: (8/10)
The storyline is common for a sports anime but it is done better than others. It has more strategy (fewer super-powers, when they do exist they are properly explained and make sense) and better setup than any other sports anime I have seen.

Art: (7/10)
Art can be good at times are better at others, the background can either be breathtaking or decent, the character art looks great and gets better the farther in you go.

Sound: (10/10)
Wonderful OPs and EDs, you will want to re-listen to all of them. Voice acting is great, really in-character and fits the characters well.

Characters: (8/10)
Some cliches but there ... is real character development and the cliches are thrown away (and not overnight, they actually have reasons for their character development)

Enjoyment: (10/10)
This show is so fun to watch and isn't hard to keep up with. It has real tense moments, and there isn't just fake tension where the MC just wins no matter what.

Overall: (10/10)
This is by far the best sports anime I have ever seen and would HIGHLY suggest watching it!!

Yowamushi Pedal, what an anime!

I am going to be clear, I have watched several animes but this is by a considerable amount, my favorite one.

Let's start with the story,

To be honest, it is quite simple. It is just Onoda and his team racing with bikes. But this is not negative, it is absolutely amazing! The simplicity of the story allows you to quickly understand the different scenarios and enjoy the intensity of the anime. The results for every race are very distinct and you never really know what is going to happen. I believe that the wins and losses are fairly split. Despite ... this, there is some really interesting and profound parts of the story. For example, Sugimoto's evolution and the story of Koga. The author understands how to surprise and entertain you.

Story: 9

In terms of art, what can I say? It is just amazing! The character designs are unique and suit the story. You can clearly differentiate the characteristics of the numerous characters and hence, you quickly get to like most of them. The scenarios are just perfect. Each race has its own unique route which makes each of them special. The animation is sublime. In every season, the animation doesn't disappoint as it is constantly amazing. Even the CGI! I don't really like CGI but the one used in this anime is quite frankly amazing

Animation: 9

Sound, sound, sound. This anime has the best openings and endings ever made. Every single song within this anime is special. When listening to them, you will just feel joy. Whether is a high tempo or a low tempo song, it is always enjoyable. In addition to this, the OST and background music suits perfectly the series. There is some intense and energetic songs as well as more calm and peaceful songs. Either way, they are all almost perfect.

Sound: 10

For the characters I do not want to say much because I feel that you can't understand how good they are until you watch the series. The characters in Sohoku (Onoda's Team) have their own distinctive and representative personalities. All I can tell you is that you will like all of them. But also for the rest of the teams, there is tons of amazing character. To be more specific, you will like so much the rivals (Hakone) that sometimes you might want them. to win

Characters: 10

Regarding enjoyment, this series is the most enjoyable series I have ever seen. You won't be able to stop watching it once you start. There is such an intensity and such a mix of emotions that trust me, you will love it.

Enjoyment: 10

Taking all of this into account, I think that you can tell that you MUST watch this anime. It is an absolutely unique, enjoyable and breathtaking experience

Overall: 10

It's not the best anime, I know, but it has made me feel so much during the 2014, that's why Yowamushi Pedal it's one of my favorite animes.

It introduce us a history where an otaku guy,Onoda Sakamichi it's his first year in high school. As it's a new school he wants to make friends with common interests but instead of achieving that he joins the cycling club.

What I like so much about this anime is how it can make us have interest about what's going on and it's not a predictable shit like Kuroko no Basket where we see the Seirin Team always winning. Here ... we see a main team who has trained but doesn't always win in the competetions that were implemented during the Inter High. It also has a lot of emotions and we can feel the empathy that is put in the characters even if I didn't felt much as the series pass
Other thing that I liked and surprised me were the characters. Most of the characters were like so weird, something I've never seen before. The designs were kind of original which made me have also an interest in watching it. They don't behave very much like we humans do: for example, there is this eyelashes guy called Izumida who is always saying: ABU ABU while he is cyclying. That isn't a very well common human behaviour. But what I most liked was Midousuji's character....It has a lot of mystery, feeling and even if he is a creepy monster (believe me he is, he has a lot of unrealistic acts and can get really scary) we can see that he is a individual who has emotions and wants to win so bad for his own satisfaction (Yes, he is very individualist) because that's what makes him feel happy. It's a very deep character and I love characters that has like a mystery around them as I want to figure more things about them as the anime goes by. But I have to admit that I've never seen a character like Midousuji before he is the most weird of all but at the same time I can see what he has been trought and I can understand him as well.

But even if it has its things that I liked a lot there are things which I didn't liked. For example, the FLASHBACKS. This anime makes an abuse of constant flashbacks. A flashback can be nice when you want to know the character's childhood and why he is like that now. It's cool that every character has a flashback but there were times which they were very heavy. But I have to admit that the flashbacks in the first season weren't like the second season, which the last one I mentioned was very bad aranged and they repeated lots of flashbacks from the first season.
Other thing which was very irritating was the time of the race. For example, we have to wait like 10 chapters in 500 meters for the characters to arrive. Unfortunately, this gets worse as the Inter High is about to finish.

So overwall, the first season of Yowamushi Pedal is very good. It may be a little boring for you at the beggining but when the Inter High starts you'll want to watch all the rest of the episodes. I have to say that is not a typical sports anime for me and I enjoyed this season a lot. The Inter High doesn't finish here so you may have to watch the following season which is worst as I said before but at least it does brings you more information about Midousuji's character.

And now that I think about it, maybe the anime doesn't deserve an 8 but I can't be objetive with it. I love Yowamushi Pedal and I can rewatch it a lot of times and never get tired of it. Thinking about it, we all have this anime which may not be the best for a lot of people but we love it anyways, that's how individual tastes are in my opinion.

i am a big fan of sports anime, so im always looking for one, then i found yowamushi pedal. the first episode really took me away, it was really cool and made me say " this anime's really interesting!"

STORY-10
it follows the usual shounen-sports routine where a seemingly ordinary hs boy was introduced to a particular sport (in here it's biking) which he knows little about. he eventually starts enjoying the sport, becoming dedicated and meeting lots cool people (interesting characters). it has a nice-warm atmosphere which is common in shounen animes.

even though it follows the routine, yowamushi pedal has its own uniqueness making ... it different and more exciting from other sports anime. There is never a boring part and it'll always wanna make you crave for the next episode.

ART-7
for me the art was just good, since i saw better art in other sports anime like Kuroko no Basket. It was colorful and i like the character designs but it can still get better, it's maybe the own art-style of the mangaka. The animation itself is good since it wont satisfy a sport anime fan like me if the animation is sloppy, right?

SOUND-10
the sounds used are perfect for the specific situations in the anime. It made me even more interested and eager to watch, making every scenes more exciting. Especially the opening and ending songs, they were really cool, i've downloaded and keep on listening to them.

CHARACTER-10
i like the characters, especially the main, Onoda, there's always something new to him and you know that he's gonna do something but you can never know how he'll do it. It always made me cheer "Zoom past all of them!". Even though he's shy and doesn't know anything, he's very determined and has a knack for the sport. you can also see his steady character development how he, slowly but surely gets stronger and continue to amaze the people around him.

The sohoku bicycle team guys are cool too, especially makishima, i dont know why i lke him so much, there's a certain charm about him. I kinda like Naruko too, he somehow reminded me of Natsu of Fairy tail (i love Natsu) and then imaizumi kinda reminded me of Sasuke (i like sasuke too).Then, there's Manami, he looks so cute and cool to me, it made me cheer for hakogako though they're enemy team.

The characters are well introduced and you can see the character development on each of them. you can also see their past history.


ENJOYMENT-10
i really really enjoyed this anime to the point that i've watched this 3 times already and im stiil planning to watch it once more! even though i already knew what was going to happen since im updated in the manga, i still wanna see it in motion. this anime also made me wanna learn how to bike, and i can bike now, but i cant apply their techniques, im a beginner and it seems dangerous. It made me realize the joy of biking and the joy of being one wiht nature

OVERALL-10
it is really exciting and i highly recommend it! especially to sports anime fans out there this is a must watch and to those who just wanna have fun, it is definitely worth your time and i bet it'll make you into a sports-anime fan!

Let me tell you one thing, I watched this whole series while biking, in about 3 days. I can't even describe how much it helped me bike faster and for a longer amount of time. If you have a static bike or a base for it, I strongly recommend watching this anime.

The story itself is very inspiring at first, even though they make it seem like people with "mom bikes" are aliens. After the 7th or so episode, we stop seeing significant character evolution but it's still kind of good.

I really hated how the focus goes from a critical point for the main character to ... someone else and we don't get to see what happened to the main for 2 whole episodes. That purely depends on you but I wanted the main character to be under the spotlight more.

I was surprised by how they would talk about details only people who really like to bike know and they just forgot about basic physics. For example, I have never, not even once, seen a person biking and looking where they're supposed to. They will either have their eyes closed, look at the bikers next to or behind them... a whole mess overall. Also, there's a guy that rides the bike like he's a windscreen wiper... for some reason.

Overall, the anime is very funny and very inspiring, however, I feel like many people will find it very boring. If you do, bike while watching it. Trust me on this.

Story 10: Yowamushi Pedal is a sport anime. Generally speaking, this is not my type because the genre I usually watch is either mystery or action. But because of my curiosity of this anime, I give a shot for this. This is a cycling-based sport anime and I thought it is a boring one because it is just about pedaling a bicycle but this anime exceeds my expectation. The story is about an otaku first year student who wants to join anime club however the anime club in that school was abolished due of lack of members. As the story goes, he met some ... people who help him polished his hidden potential which is cycling. As I continue watching this, the intensity I feel is rising every episode. A lot of intense episodes which drawn me into its world. I feel like I am one of those spectators. Overall, the story itself is very good and well-written also a lot of lessons about sportsmanship and friendship can be learned from this anime.

Art and Sound 10: The art and sound of this anime is also good because it feels realistic.

Character 10: Characters in this anime are all well-developed. They are very hilarious and they are very funny in the after credit scene. I'm glad that they made a short scene after credits because that can ease the intensity of every episode. On the other hand, aside from the main characters, the other characters are consistent throughout the series. The main characters are developing every episode and they are too good. The timing for developing the potential of each main character are well done.

Overall 10: Only two words that I can say to this series. "INTENSE" and "RIDICULOUS".

Should you watch the show? It depends mostly on your interests I would say, this show won't make you interested in the sport unlike Haikyuu or something similar, but it does deliver some enjoyment to people who has done some cycling before.

Compared to other sport animes it does have similar moments, where they go indepth to the sport which is cool, but the 2 main problems in the show in my opinion are the fact that most of the action made by the characters were purely achieved by "friend power", pride or something similar, also some of the scenes were dragged out too much, ... since 400m race could last for 10 minutes needless to say it got kinda boring at some points. The second problem or maybe third problem in the show was some of the characters. Mostly it was the main character who was so shy that most of his interactions were boring aswell as his lines aswell. In contrast there were also a lot of good characters included in the show, almost everyone else infact.

In terms of visuals and audio there isn't anything to complain about they were solid but not anything extraordinary worth of praising.

Warning: You are about to read a long review because there is so much to say about this extraordinary anime.

Story = 10: Geez oh peez, from the get go this anime grabs the viewer's attention with a refreshing and unique start. The MC, Sakamichi Onada, is a border line otaku who is completely inept at sports but somehow ends up joining his high school's Bicycle Club. What's different about Yowamushi Pedal is that unlike other shonen & sports anime the story is not centered on the MC but rather on the team as a whole. In fact, the MC is not even the most ... important character nor is he the strongest member of his team. However, Onada's personal development is particularly enjoyable to watch because he had such a humble beginning. Moreover, unlike the majority of MC's in sports anime, Onada remains comparatively weak until the end and loses many of his battles. But he is able to use his fierce passion for biking to overcome obstacles and beat strong opponents with a bit of help and support from his teammates. "If you can't overcome the obstacle in front of you, there is no future." Lastly, another interesting feature of the story line is that the Inter High tournament for cycling is three days long. Anything can happen within that time span and unexpected battles occur during every stage of this competition.

Art = 9: When I first saw the MAL profile photo for Yowamushi Pedal I was turned off by the childish/cartoonish art style which is why I've put this anime on hold for so long. But upon starting the series I've come to realize how exceptional the art is. Incredible care and attention has been put into drawing the characters so that no two look the same and each has their unique features. From the dorky glasses and the pathetic maroon tracker's pants that Onada wears when cycling, to Makashima's ridiculously long green hair (which is totally unsuitable for biking at high speeds), and that one buff guy with girly eyelashes who named his pecs Andy and Frank, Watanabe Wataru has truly outdone himself in creating quirky, one-of-a-kind characters. Although some may criticize this anime's aesthetics, I personally believe that art is magnificent if it is able to leave an impression rather than merely fascinate viewers. I've watched many beautiful anime and have seen many more characters with stunning visuals, but few were memorable. Although none of the characters in Yowamushi Pedal are attractive, many are unforgettable because of their creative and unusual characteristics.

Characters = 10: In my opinion the characters are the most important component of an anime. Many of the characters in Yowamushi Pedal are a breath of fresh air. For starters, Onada is not your typical MC. The writer couldn't have come up with a character who is more unlikely to become a bad-ass cyclist. Onada is a clumsy and pathetic guy whose obsession with anime is quite hilarious and endearing at the same time. As the story progresses Onada develops a fierce passion for road racing and his weak/pathetic nature is forgotten as he learns to face challenges and gradually overcome his limits. Prior to watching Yowamushi Pedal I've never really liked any of the MC's but Onada took me by surprise, and before I knew it this shy, hardworking otaku had taken a permanent spot in my heart. My favorite character in this anime, however, is Yuusuke Makishima. I love eccentric characters and there is nothing ordinary/normal about Makishima. His appearance is highly unusual (i.e. Makishima looks like a drag queen with his long, lush green hair and his disturbing moles) and he has this weird but wicked cycling technique called "Peak Spider." Not only that, Makishima comes off as a creep due to his awkward and unsociable personality. However appearances aren't everything and the viewers will soon adore the person Makishima is within.

Enjoyment = 10: One of the main reasons why I gave Yowamushi Pedal a nearly perfect score was because of the director's ability to keep me watching until the end. It should be noted that most shonen/sports anime have a predictable plot which inevitably end ups becoming repetitive and boring to watch towards the middle or end of of the series. In addition, anime of the shonen genre have an annoying tendency to introduce ridiculous deus ex machina plot twists to superpower its MC and allow him/her to overcome insurmountable obstacles, which takes away from the overall enjoyment. However, Yowamushi Pedal avoids these (traps) by keeping the viewer continuously delighted and entertained throughout the series without having to introduce never before seen powers. This anime's pacing was marvelously executed and it effectively incorporated creative plot twists. There was never a dull moment in Yowamushi Pedal; in fact this will be the third time I've completed an anime from start to finish without skipping any episodes. I thought Haikyuu! would forever be my all-time favorite sports anime but Yowamushi Pedal has now taken the #1 spot.

Yowamushi pedal, an anime about bikes. The animation is real neat as they pedal through the wind but the story is filled with cliches after cliches. At first, it starts off with an otaku who simply wanted to make an anime club but he got convinced to join the bike riding because it sounds "fun". However, his conviction and reasons why he rides is weak. He's cycling because it's fun. Without much practice in the technical skills, it seems like he overcomes it with sheer talent in a short span of time.

*spoiler*
*spoiler*
It becomes such that the MC always wins. How does he win? By pedaling ... really hard. That takes away ANY tension of the races. Windbreaker (a webtoon about bikes) is much better with their writing in this aspect. I dropped it here because I don't know what message the story was trying to bring. Why did the MC want to join inter high? Because he wanted to cycle with the person who he had just met within the 4 days. His interest to participate is almost always only ignited on a whim and it pains me to see that the other characters who have so much more passion/reason/commitment to win always lose out. What is the MC fighting for? It is always resolved with simple reasons and although this simple mindedness/straightforwardness may seem endearing at first it eventually becomes infuriating when the other characters lose almost way too easily. On the 18th episode when the 2nd years lost, it was clear where the anime was headed. It wasn't unexpected. In fact, most of what has happened from the 1st to the 18th episode is within predictions. That's why the story telling is poor, because bringing back to my first sentence, the MC always wins. The message that I took away from the entire 1st - 18th episode was made even more apparent on the 18th was that you simply can't win someone with raw talent. Of course, it is reflective of what happens in the real world too, but almost sad to see. It would be more enjoyable if the MC was nerfed honestly. The series would be so much better if he had experienced some losses but every time he faces set back, he reacts as if the whole world has ended. After that, he would be assisted by someone to "stand back up". To put it badly, he has no backbone. Rinse and repeat. Yea it's part of his characterization but it really makes it a bore to see. Arguably, there are a lot of OP MCs in many other anime i.e. One Piece, Naruto who may follow a similar formula but at least they have more of a reason.This MC feels like he's just doing things because he got caught by the flow and well good news, at least he enjoys what he's doing.

TLDR of this series (up to the 18th at least) = a boy who cycled once a week to Akihabara (90km to/fro) since 4th grade joins a cycling club because it sounds fun, wins other cyclists who have been practicing for years, the end.

That sounded bad but since that was just what bulk of the story telling is about. However, the animation is definitely worth enjoying although the characters don't particularly "stand out". The OP and ED are great too. I'd recommend watching for the art rather than the plot. Is it enjoyable? I guess if you don't read too deeply into it like I did, it would be better. I might attempt to finish the series but I honestly think it is overrated.

By episode 25, I have to say I've dropped this show for good. It's just a waste of time. This could be an entertaining show if you're a noob in anime. But for those who've watched anime for like, 10 years and more, this was just a rehashed of the elements of shounen-types with all its stereotypes.

I watched this because I just got myself into the venture of cycling. And I did my research and could tell the hybrids, MTBs, and road bikes apart; and cyclocross, and touring, and brands like Specialized, Giant, Trek, Cannondale, Cube, KTM, Boardman, and more.

What you get here is the ... same vibe when watching Initial-D, Prince of Tennis, then character stereotypes found in Slam Dunk, and add some slight yakitate!Japan-type of humor in the mix, for a theme of cycling, and that's it for Yowamushi Pedal. The story is predictable and mediocre, you'll get a weak but not epic protagonist. Gurren Lagann already smashed the "weak protagonist" with Simoun, and thus no other anime might come as good, not until two decades or so.

Art is okay, I'm not mindful about the art, whether it's as fluid as KyoAni's, or intricate as CLAMP's; or quirky as PingPong; or epic as Kill la Kill or Gurren Lagann; as long as the story is befitting to waste time, art would be the last thing on my mind.

Sound is alright.

Again, for the characterization, you'll have a weak character for a protagonist, a quite arrogant second-placer deuteragonist, then some bishoujos on the sides reminiscent of Initial-D or other shounen anime (Saiki-K maybe? But that anime's epic, and this one isn't) ; some dude that reminded me of another dude in Akame ga Kill, in fact, the cast here kinda reminded me of Akame Ga Kill, and I last watched that show in 2016. It's all a set of varied, BUT predictable characters at best. So what charactrerization you've seen here, I'm sure you've seen them elsewhere.


Enjoyment... right. I was thinking it'd be like Initial-D on bikes, like I get to know what Specialized is and all that, but it is none of that. I should have just watched ESPN, or Long Riders if I was aiming to get the fancy delivery of bicycles and its parts and those.
Still, you still get those flashbacks as the action was about to progress, and some backstories that we've seen on other anime. But well, can't help it. At most, this is a generic, rehashed elements molded into a different story of road-cycling.
Only SAO and its cousins (like Rei-Zero) are the type of anime I'd hate more; and this is me who's a fan of Gen Urobuchi-type of anime (Fate/Zero, Puella Magi, Psycho Pass, those kinda).

OVERALL, well, you watch this and be entertained and love this because you're a noob on the realm of anime.
Maybe you still haven't watched DeathNote and would freak out once you've seen it---like it's the best anime evur; then you'd have a high-blood pressure and atrial fibrillation when you watch Attack on Titan, and get a brain aneurysm when you watched Psycho Pass.

But if you've watched the type of anime where more than half of them are NOT mainstream, then you can waste your life on something else, like go have a real cycling around town.

Get a bicycle of your preference (hybrid, MTB, road, BMX) Specialized, or Giant, or Trek---you'll never be wrong with any of these three brands. :) Cube, Whyte, and Orbea are also great enough. Scott, and Marin are like... on the third-tier.

Get a reliable cycling helmet--- Kask, Giro, or Specialized;

then get a strong, robust bike-lock: Kryptonite, or Abus brands if you still want to find your bicycle where you left it off (and lock it properly and correctly, no bike-lock is infallible to a dimwitted owner).

And that's it, you go cycling instead than watch this crap.

ok, let's start with the story

Story 2/10
The story is just a cliche of the main character is this one weeb wearing glasses,
but turned out to be this super talented boy. Pretty predictable if you ask me

Art 5/10
The art is an eh for me. It gets pretty boring from time to time.

Sound 5/10
... tbh I am not the type of a person that will remember the ost so I'm just gonna give a 5

Character 7/10
I don't like the mc that much but I do like the relationship between maki and that one character with a blue hair that I cannot remember the name of. And the guy who's a mama's boy, It's pretty cute not gonna lie (and yup I cried) Overall the character is not memorable at all

Enjoyment 3/10
I actually started watching this anime because of a clip I saw on YouTube. It's the clip when all of the members of the team sings the 'Hime song' Together. But I realized when I got to this season I just wasn't enjoying it at all. And that is when I dropped this show

Overall 3/10
It's not a good anime. I would not recommend it. But I could see someone enjoying this. I'm just not the type of person that likes sports anime I guess

AFTER WATCHING EPISODE 1 REVIEW | I am watching 3 sports anime right now: this series, kuroko no basket, and haikyuu!!. What I noticed is this similarity: they all have a duo kind of team with a significant difference in height. Kuroko and Kagami, Hinata and Kageyama, and now, maybe Sakamichi and Shunsuke.

I like how Sakamichi likes anime, being a character in an anime himself. And how he is calm and collected even when climbing a hill. Though he got, by accident, off his saddle at least thrice already, he still appears to be in a positive mood. That's rare. That's where Shunsuke comes in, ... a professional athlete who's obviously envious of Sakamichi's attitude on a, using Shunsuke's words, mommy bike. I think Shunsuke was the rational mind in this first episode.

My idea of a mommy bike is it's a bike used mainly for commute around a city, traveling at a moderate speed, and not at all used to climb steep hills and long distances. But as long as the person riding has the will to pedal, I don't think the type of bike matters. The right type of bike will make it easier, yes, but it doesn't make another type of bike worthless.

I am wondering why I watched Haikyuu and Kuroko no basket first before this anime. Because I do ride a bike every day since July 4, 2021 and hope to continue for a year. I also hope that watching this anime will help me improve my riding and the overall idea of what riding a bicycle really means.

AFTER COMPLETING THE SEASON REVIEW | It felt like a very long movie with a lot of backstories. The Inter-High Race didn't even end in the last episode. I don't like the planning behind these 38 episodes.

Because of this Anime I realized I am more into Mountain Biking than Road Racing. I am more into avoiding obstacles up and down hills than being faster than everyone else and win awards. So, thanks!

I liked how Odona is indeed the unpredictable factor that may perhaps make Sohoku the overal winner.

I liked how Midousuj acts, all creepy and confident. I liked how he was created to become the main antagonist, a major challenger between the leading teams.

Overall, I liked the story progression but not the awful final episode that didn't actually end the season.

I love watching sports anime and I can't believe I missed this!! Just recently watched it still in ep 12 though..and really enjoying this show. To think that simple things you do everyday may become one of your talents and that's how this show was.. Onoda who is bad at P.E is now capable of being in the cycling road race because of his eagerness to save money and rather bike 90 km than ride a train just to buy his favorite capsule toy.

I also love the other characters because it was unusual how they treat him, I thought they would look down ... on him but instead they give him help and courage that he can do it.

Yowamushi Pedal is a breath of fresh air compared to other Sports anime.

The anime is about an otaku Main Character who discovered cycling and found out that his constant struggle to go to Akihibara each day since fourth grade would bear fruit and would unknowingly amaze everyone around him into thinking that he have a potential to become a cyclist and could be talented enough to compete with strong competitors especially the reigning champions of the Bicycle Inter-High.

I do notice some resemblance with Slam Dunk especially in the plot where a beginner actually tries out a new sport and the team name is ... really quite similar whereas in Slamdunk their team name was Shohoku and in Yowamushi Pedal its Sohoku, I don't know if it's a coincidence or is it really intended.

To support my claim that this is a breath of fresh air compared to other sports anime I would like to give three pointers. First, it is about Bicycle racing and you won't have many options when it comes to finding any anime that revolves around Bicycle racing. It is about a sport that is not generally portrayed. If you want an anime about basketball you have Slamdunk, Kuroko no Basuke and Ahiru no Sora. If you want about Volleyball there is the infamous Haikyuu and Harukana Receive. Second, the team is not generally weak until the kouhais arrived and this could be proved once you watch the anime. Lastly, the anime mainly revolves during the inter-high which is a three-day race that is not similar to other inter-high competitions in other sports anime wherein if you lose, you lose your chance of winning the entire inter-high. It is quite interesting to see the teams' strategies in winning.

It is also important to take note that there are times that the anime drags out a lot especially in showcasing the background stories of the characters even their competitors but I do advise you to take into consideration that all of it is worth it in the end.

tldr; Onoda is an irritating MC with plot armor that saves the team from difficult situations, but 3 characters save the day by being consistent.

I initially watched almost the entirety of the anime's first season 2 or 3 years ago, but I couldn't watch anymore of it once they introduced Midousuji, so I dropped it at the time. But with the pandemic and all, I gave it a second try, and surprisingly enough, I was finally able to finish the anime (the first season at least, at the time I'm writing this). Midousuji still gives me the creeps, with all the disgusting sounds that he ... makes whenever he's wiping his sweat off or looking like the snake he is.

Out of the main characters/the Souhoku team, there are three consistent characters: the captain - Kinjou, the redhead Naruko, and our darling senpai Makishima. If it weren't for these three, I honestly would have dropped the anime - bless their fictional lives. They are the ones that are making me go with a 8/10 instead of a 6 or a 7 here lol.

I get that character development is important and all, but it almost becomes torture when a character has pretty much the same inner monologue.