Yowamushi Pedal: Limit Break

Chances are if you are reading this then you've already watched every previous episode of Yowamushi pedal and so there's really no reason you shouldn't watch this one. I mean come on, the last season ended on a cliff-hanger which this season then picks up so it would be really weird to not watch this season too.

However, just because I'm saying you should watch this anime, that doesn't mean I have only positive things to say. In fact its quite the opposite. Firstly, half of this season is just flashbacks that feel more like filler to kill time than actual good content, and honestly they ... probably are since this season didn't have enough content to make it 12 episodes otherwise. Many times when a sports anime is usually trying to set a hype atmosphere, Yowamushi pedal ruins it by cutting to a flashback of someone and then the next episode returns to normal as if nothing ever happens.
As well as this, there feels like there's no real payoff this season. The final tense moment of the race isn't particularly built up, it just kinda happens and someone ends up winning. I never really felt particularly emotionally invested like I did for the first race all those years ago now.

Having said that, if you enjoyed the other seasons of Yowamushi pedal then there's still no reason you'll dislike this one. While I have only listed issues I have with the show, and honestly I could probably list a few more, I simply don't need to list the things I enjoyed about it because these factors have been a constant throughout all the other seasons as well. Its the same character cast, same racing, etc.

Is it a great anime? Not really, but is it what you would expect from a Yowamushi pedal? Yeah pretty much.

While I enjoyed previous seasons of Yowamushi Pedal, this felt like a slog to me. The entire season covers just the second inter-high race, so they are sure to drag out every bit as long as possible. Plot-wise, it is almost a carbon copy of the first inter-high, with basically identical strategies. The later episodes feel exceedingly slow, with flashbacks taking up the most of some episodes, and racers barely traversing a few hundred meters. Now, Yowamushi Pedal is a character driven story so flashbacks are great for fleshing out characters; however, by this point we already know the characters rather well and it is ... rehashing character attributes of the same characters we already have had in the first inter-high. Most of the old cast who have graduated will show up to cheer them on and pad it out with more character exposition. At some point, I'm just crying out, 'get this over with already.'

The music is superb, OP, ED, and especially the background music which serves to keep things hype, pretty much all of the time. It's probably the main tool for keeping things exhilarating.

The art and animation are good, as good or better than previously. The CGI is composited decently with the 2D stuff.

Did you enjoy season 2? Want to watch it again? Then watch season 5! Oh sure, some things might have slightly different names (such as "piranhas" instead of a snake). Some things might be said by a different person. There are even moments when something that was only implied in season 2 is made explicit. But basically, plot point for plot point, season 5 is identical to season 2.

You even still get to keep all your favorite characters from before, not only because some of them return to watch the inter-high, but because many characters are carbon copies of characters who have graduated, only ... with different hair and/or eye color.

Oh, and they are trying so hard to make Midousuji his old terrifying self, but suddenly he could hardly be less scary. He even seems rather ... reasonable?!? Just leading his team in the Machiavellian manner that is his wont, and doing it rationally and - dare I say it? - politely.

I really had hope that they might be able to find new stories to tell for this once-awesome show. I suppose all the reminders even in season 2 of how "the rider who wins is the one who crosses the finish line first" and how the best way to speed up is to ... go faster *probably* indicated that they were already running out of ideas and I should have picked up on that then, but the first two seasons were full of such great characters and such obvious passion for the sport, I really, really hoped there would be more great Yowamushi after season 2. Alas, no.