Yowamushi Pedal: Glory Line

This is the worst season yet. Not because of the animation, music or performance. Rather, it's ebcause of the poor flow of the story. This is a 25 eps season, and it's ALL spent on 1 and half days of the inter-high. Go figure. It went too much into the back story of characters that no one cares about. There's a flash back every few minutes and it broke the flow of the actual race which everyone cares about. At the end of the season, i was totally dumb-founded that it didn't even cover the 3rd day of the race. A total disappointment.

Sports became my favorite anime genre in 2012 when I discovered Major. Since then, I have seen great amount of series which I think very highly of. The magic of sports series lies in two thing, to me at least. No matter how much they focus on single sport, their author often is so knowledgeable of it, and so talented at creating content around it that it never becomes repetitive. The other thing being the practically infinite potential there is for character development, thanks to the settings. Unfortunately, Yowamushi no Pedal fails in both of the things that have made many sports series so great. ...

Since season 02, there has been nothing new in terms of main characters and story writing. Season 03 was the exact copy-paste of its predecessor, and now season 04 has proven that the author is only capable of creating two things: a) side characters who are exponentially more uninteresting than side characters who have already been introduced in the past b) character-centric comedy. Comedy which is now the sole reason why I am still watching this show. Which is pretty much what the show is anyway: comedy on bikes.

At this point, the writer should have introduced something new between the lines of high school cycling and tour de france. I would have been happy with practically anything new from unicycling or tandem riding to underwater pilates with exercise bikes. To this writer, stuff like training and variety are not even secondary factors. Instead, they are nonexistent in the series. It looks like the series will forever be the exact same thing it has been for years already, creating content so similar to what there already is that it all just blends together in one, lengthy mass. The word "repetitive" is not even enough to describe how Yowamushi's author works. He is practically ripping off his own work with copy-paste. It's so stupid the more you think about it the worse it seems.

At least the real main character Akira Midousuji with his saddle up in 7 feet and chin so low it touched the ground occasionally, is still here. And the most well-known pair of pectorals, Andy and Frank. I admit, the cast is incredibly strong and alone carry the same thing for the 3rd time in a row. I enjoyed this season for the comedy moments, but at the same time, I am mainly impressed by how bad the decisions our author makes are. I assume he as a cyclist himself, values his school times and simply cannot let go off those memories, and that's the reason why his work is also stuck.

To put it in the simplest terms, Yowamushi Pedal: Glory Line is a perfect example of a show that has overstayed its welcome.

New Generation (s3) was one thing, but a fourth season for a show where there are lots of new characters (first years) and almost zero time dedicated to focusing on the main character himself is very aggravating, particularly when next to none of the new characters are even likeable.

Throughout my time watching Glory Line this winter season, I often found myself wandering off to another tab to do something else instead. Onoda and his team already won once, and the characters ... that struck a chord with me emotionally aren't there anymore. It's boring. As a whole, New Generation and Glory Line both felt unnecessary to me-- somehow or other, Sohoku will win again, right? I don't actually know. But regardless of whether they do or not, it feels like they're dragging out something that really shouldn't have been there from the start.

The story itself is also less compelling now that Sohoku is no longer an underdog trying to win, but rather a champion trying to defend a title. As cliche as it is, more people relate to having to work hard to reach the top rather than already being on the top and having to try and stay there. Toying with whether or not they stay winners isn't nearly as much of a fun journey as wondering how they will win for the first time.

All personal gripes aside, the art, animation, and sound are well done. Objectively, Glory Line is a good show, but when you've seen the previous three seasons, you really wonder if you even want to watch this one, and if they're ever just going to let the series rest.

EDIT: This was previously rated 7/10. I now use a new rating scale.

Overall: 5/10

Yowamushi Pedal: Glory Line contains some of the franchise’s best moments, but also shows occasional signs of stagnation.

With the previous season of YowaPeda (New Generation) being a pretty straightforward transitional affair, more focused on following the aftermath of the 41st InterHigh and introducing new characters now that the third years graduated, I wish I could say Glory Line dives instantly into adrenaline-heavy, fast-paced cycling action. It does just that… for the most part of its run.
The show still invests too much time on characters I couldn’t care less instead of jumping right into what matters: hot, sweaty 2D boys battling for dominance.

Still, this season ... starts with a bang. The first five episodes are classic YowaPeda: the main teams send out their aces, homoerotic interactions occur between them, pure cringe mixes with total badassery very naturally, twists happen at the blink of an eye and then we have one zillion flashbacks mere meters before the finish line. So far so good, and if you ignore the slow pacing (I couldn’t hold my laugher when one member of the audience shouted “they are going so fast!!!”, while the riders seemed to stay in place since the pacing was so goddamn slow) and a new emphasis on some characters’ “super-powers” (you can call this season Yowamushi Formars if you want), there’s plenty to enjoy.

Personally, at this point, four seasons in, I treat all these characters as good friends, so even in the down time between the races, there’s always something to look forward to. Drama and comedy blend together very well at these particular moments, and we get to see what exactly is at the stake for each of the powerhouses.

Hakone Academy has four new members and looks like a totally different team, but keeps the “total victory” motto of the previous members alive.
Sohoku seems like its barely hanging on most of the time; with no apparent ace or a strong captain like before, they struggle to even sustain their underdog status.
Kyoto Fushimi is the one I feel like changed the most; they still rely on Midousuji Akira to get the job done, but the team isn’t the one-man-army it used to be.

The problems I have with this season arise when the second day of the race starts. It seems like the author ran out of ideas as some events from the previous Inter High are reprised, only now with different characters and very minor tweaks. It feels cheap, because the enjoyment one could get from these situations depends a lot on how invested you are with said characters. It’s very hard to care for a character you know for 20 episodes against one you know for over 50 and who has waaaaay more charisma.

We’re over 100 episodes, some repetition is understandable, but it’s still frustrating nonetheless. And while there’s plenty to like from the new cast (except Yuto, fuck that guy), some more Onoda moments would be nice… I forgot he was the main character of the anime for a good chunk of the season.

Still, this season, as much as it falters, contains some of my favorite episodes ever.

Episode 14, a bound-to-be-divisive episode, is one of these personal favorites. Not only because it ended a stream of subpar episodes, but also by how boldly the show delivered its message. I won’t spoil what happens, since half of YowaPeda’s fun is getting to know who races who for the sprint/mountain/finish tag, but let’s just say this episode did more for the LGBT+ community than all the whining on social media could ever hope to achieve.
It’s the simple story of a young man coming to grips with who he is and how he truly feels inside. I haven’t re-watched an anime episode as much as I did with this one in quite some time. Then again, it’s a polarizing episode. Some may claim it to be obvious fujoshi-bait, or be bothered by the lack of any thrilling cycling.

And while the climax of the second day can’t compete with the first episodes of the season, episode 23 still packs quite the punch. Episode 24 may dwell too much on nostalgia; but is another highlight of the season.

If the story line wasn’t always top shelf material, the visual and sound department remains some of the genre’s best. Both the races and the slice-of-life moments are well-animated, and the art hardly ever dips in quality. The CGI is barely an issue like on the first seasons (although I may have grown used to it), and the voice acting is engaging. It’s a shame Onoda doesn’t get much screen time this season, as his voice actor Daiki Yamashita is turning out to be a shonen king; both his work here and on Boku no Hero Academia is stellar.
The original soundtrack is on the same level as the past seasons, I liked some of the new additions, but the old, classic tunes stand out more. I can’t get enough of the creepy tune that pops up whenever Midousuji makes a move.

The opening and ending songs took more time to grown on me compared to the previous seasons. First opening has great animation and blends well with the above-average song, while the second one is a bit uncreative with its visuals, but makes up for it with a catchy song.
First ending is an upbeat track by the voice actors of the Sohoku team, and the second one finds the cast of Hakone Academy delivering this jazzy, horn-heavy song that is a far cry from any other OP/ED in the series. It’s a bit of an acquired taste, and I'm still left craving for something from the guys voicing Kyoto Fushimi, but it does its job.

Yowamushi Pedal: Glory Line changes almost nothing in its formula, which is a double-edged sword. In music, when a band sticks to what it knows best, the fanbase will likely take its side. Not the same applies for long-running anime shows. For me, it’s a win, but I recognize why some people have lost the interest in it over time.

This series started as something to kill time while Haikyuu wasn’t airing and now I can hardly wait for a new episode/season.
A fifth season is bound to come eventually, and as much as I like the show, some variation is going to be necessary if Yowamushi Pedal wants to keep racing for 100 more episodes.

I put off watching New Generation and Glory Line after reading the reviews of how these two seasons didn't stand up to par with the previous two seasons. However, after watching Yowamushi Pedal the Movie I felt hyped to watch the third and fourth seasons. I like this anime series because it reminds me of Hanna Barbera's Wacky Races but instead of big personalities riding ridiculous race cars, they are riding ordinary bicycles. I felt that Glory Line actually did a good job in carrying over the spirit of the first two seasons with the well-animated imagery the riders use to compare their riding styles ... with. What I like the best about the third and fourth seasons is how they remain consistent with the themes of passing the torch and standing out from a large talent pool. Hakone Academy has the reputation of being the elite of bicycle racing and so has the resources to foster the growth of various riders. Sohoku on the other hand has a shallow talent pool that has to be led by two riders who couldn't make it to the Inter High until their third years. Finally, Kyoto Fushimi has only one rider acting as the driving force to get himself to win with a team of average riders. I felt that the competition between these three schools make these two seasons compelling by having viewers remain constantly unsure of who is going to win the race and how. Another thing that made this season interesting is the fact that Kaburagi is the only first year in Sohoku competing in the Inter-High and so has to deal with the pressure of keeping up with the team. This adds to the responsibility and growth of the second and third years since they have to constantly balance consideration for their team members with the desire to win the race. To have a better appreciation of the third and fourth seasons, I recommend paying attention to how the third of the various teams interact with their juniors. I also recommend paying attention to the characters entering the race for the first time and understanding what they had to overcome to enter the race. I personally enjoy shows where the main characters have to grow to support their juniors and do whatever they can to pass down the spirit of their predecessor to the new generation while doing their best to maintain it and refine it. Please give seasons 3 and 4 a chance.

For a sport that emphasizes pacing, it feels like they reeaaalllyyyy stretched this one out. Glory Line picks up where New Generation ended—about a quarter of the way through the Inter-High bike race—and ends maybe three quarters of the way through the Inter-High bike race.

It's not like they haven't done this kind of thing before, but at this point we don't need a 3 episode sprint when we already know the backstory of one of the two characters involved.

One advantage of having basically the same crew at the same studio is that the music has remained pretty much remained consistent throughout all four seasons. ... This allows certain themes to become associated with certain emotions or moments.

I like seeing my man Teshima lead the team, but it's pretty clear that the Yomamushi Pedal franchise peaked with the YowaPedal movie. Still, this season does manage to capture at least some of the intensity and comedic charm that the earlier ones offered.

so basically in my opinion its not that good compared to 1st season and 2nd I haven't completed by the time I wrote this review(possible spoilers ahead read at your own risk)this inter high was not very good the way team sohoku split up in the second day I expected them to come back later on but no I like how Kyoto fushimi comes out of nowhere but first year komari in my opinion he is weird but not a bad character shinkai yuto is like his brother but climber and doubashi is a beast the same manami and izumida are better than before kuroda ... is a good assistant new characters on sohoku like issa daichburu and sadotoki sugimoto are ok characters but glory line is not as good as 1st one

This is the last season that came out for now. It is June 2021. So the very good truth always leaves you with the goose of wanting more and more. What always happens with spokons but just with this one where you have the best person in anime who does everything for his sempais. Just remembering it makes me want to cry very cute anime, look at it please.
Anime cycling spokon, it's good guy. Very interesting the protagonist is a great guy but NO TIPAZO seriously I don't think there is another protagonist as good as this one. On top of that, Na na Na ... is enormous, the first season is very, very good, the rest of the season go a long way, but it's still good, it develops very well the opponents and also the teammates. Also the evolution of the characters is noticeable very marked that is good. I would have liked to see a little bit of love but that is personal desire. I recommend it if you want to see a spokon. Each season brings more and more to the protagonists, it also includes new characters and gives them the importance they deserve.

En español:
Esta es la ultima temporada que salio por ahora. Es junio de 2021. Así que la verdad muy buena siempre te deja con las gansa de quiere mas y mas. Lo que siempre pasa con los spokons pero justo con este donde tenes al protagonista mas buena persona del anime que lo hace todo por sus sempais. Solo recordarlo me dan ganas de llorar muy lindo anime mírenlo por favor.
Anime spokon de ciclismo, es buenardo. Muy interesante el protagonista es un tipazo pero TIPAZO NO en serio no creo que haya otro protagonista tan Bueno como este. Encima la tiene enorme Na na Na, la primera temporada es muy pero muy buena las demás a largan mucho todo pero bueno sigue estando bien desarrolla muy bien a los contrincantes y también a los compañeros. También la evolución de los personajes se nota muy marcada eso está bueno. Me hubiera gustado de ver un poquito de amor pero eso es deseo personal. Lo recomiendo si quieres ver un spokon. Cada temporada aporta mas y mas a los protagonistas, también incluye nuevos personajes y les da la importancia que merecen.

Not worth watching, Sports anime is my favorite genre. Yowamushi pedal was one of my favorite sports anime. Until they absolutely wrecked the potential of this season. There was not a single race in the inter high that actually got interesting. Midosuji is one of the most interesting "villans" ive seen in sports anime, and they totally butchered the suspense he usually brings to the races. Complete blunder of a season for a show that was near the top of my favorite sports anime.

They had flashbacks for flashbacks, the pacing was terrible, the story could have been interesting if they didnt drag it out ... and make it so slow, feels like watching one piece but with bikes.

I would suggest reading the manga for this season instead of watching it for sure.

Wouldnt recommend

Possible spoilers ahead!

I absolutely loved season 1 & 2! I knew 3 & 4 would be different so I had medium expectations, but was super disappointed. The new characters weren’t that interesting and lowkey really annoying most of the time. It made me dread the flashbacks because of it (and I like flashbacks). I only stuck through it because, again, I loved the first two seasons and that was enough to actually finish it. However, it just slowly got worse and towards the end I fast forwarded a lot. Honestly the only good thing is the trio! They are just as good, so if ... you loved them before, then you will still love them.


[Characters]
Sorry, but not sorry, I'm just going to describe them because I forgot their names.

The new member annoyed me because he was too cocky. When I think he learns to be more mature and tolerable, he just reverts back.

In the first two seasons I loved the friendly rivalry and competition, but in seasons 3 & 4 there are assholes everywhere. It almost feels like there is no sportsmanship.

Eyelash dude goes from being overconfident/underestimating his opponents then learning from the loss in seasons 1 & 2 to being rude and cocky. How did you become like that after being the captain?? Did you not learn anything from your great captain last year??

The music dude makes me uncomfortable. Also, I don’t understand why you are ignoring/being rude to your past friend, now opponent. Would it kill anyone to be a civil human being. They are your opponent, not a inhuman enemy who deserves hell. Goodness…

The pervert guy also make me uncomfortable.

Most of the other new characters were okay, nothing special or memorable tbh. There were probably things I complained about while I was watching, but now I don’t remember.


[Things that I didn’t really like, but didn’t mind]
The new hime song was obviously not going to be as good. I expected that. I honestly don’t remember how it goes. I just missed the first one.

The second turned third years are okay. I know a lot of people were annoyed with them, especially the captain, but I thought it was fine. They could have been written better or more likable.

The timing/flow made sense but it’s just weird. I know some people said it felt repetitive, which it was, but I would have enjoyed the series if the characters were more interesting and dynamic.

The race didn’t even end, which I honestly was okay with. They barely focused on our team and paid more attention to the underwhelming new characters anyways.


That was too negative for what I’m used to, but that was my honest opinion. I still say give it a try and watch the first 4-5 episodes before you drop it or finish the whole thing to see if you agree with me. Despite really not liking it, I’ll probably watch season 5 if it comes out.