lexi.senger - 2016-03-02 06:40:33

I have to start with how much Yowamushi Pedal surprised me, I started this anime because i just wanted something different. I definitely got what I asked for, the story has it's similarities to other anime but is so different with the cycling aspect it is honestly refreshing. The animation is very crisp, the colors are great and the overall presentation of it is amazing. The music in Yowamushi Pedal is great it really draws you in and submerges you into the races. The characters are what make Yowamushi Pedal stand out for me, everyone has their own ambitions and personality's. The characters feel alive, have emotions and traits that you can relate to. For enjoyment i just have to say I really enjoyed Yowamushi Pedal and i feel that everyone should give this anime a chance. So overall in my opinion Yowamushi Pedal is fantastic and you should give it a try if your up to it. I will say this anime is not for everyone, Sports anime are very different but if you give it a chance I think you will enjoy it. This was my first review on hummingbird so i am sorry if I droned on for to long but I hoped you enjoyed it and I hope it was helpful. Thank you for reading!             

ureilly - 2015-03-12 23:48:17

great for people who like bike racing and people who don't. it's about people who like to ride road racers which is a racing bike. you will love all the episodes there are no bad episodes.

mitchell.darrel - 2014-10-02 13:56:44

At onepoint or another, one faces a metaphorical wall, and no matter how much effortone puts into breaking it, it is futile. What does one do, then? Give up? Wait?Have the willpower to try again and again?

This,essentially, is what Yowamushi Pedal is about.

YowamushiPedal, Weak Pedals in English and Yowapeda for short, follows Onoda Sakamichiand his journey to have fun with friends he never had, as well as his strugglesin the world of road racing he gets dragged into. It’s, of course, not a uniqueconcept by any means – after all, many sports shows follow the scheme of arookie exploring the sport in question. But instead of giving the viewer whatthey want – Onoda, and the bicycle team he’s in – Sohoku – to be at the topafter hard work, Yowamushi Pedal rather makes the members suffer through oneobstacle to the other.

But let’sstart from the beginning.

Onoda’sbiggest wish when entering high school is to join the anime club and to gainsome friends with similar interests, since he was mostly alone in middleschool. But this is going to change in high school, he tells himself, and itdoes indeed, as he doesn’t join the anime club as intended, but the bicycleclub instead, after meeting the tall, serious Imaizumi and the flashy, shortNaruko, to test his own potential. And Onoda does show lots of potential,especially at climbing hills (true to his name, which means “hill” inJapanese), and at catching up to opponents, eventually determined to help theSohoku bicycle club in any way possible to gain overall victory.

While thestory per se is not particularly good – especially paired with pacing problemsin the second half of the show, unnecessary time extensions as well as theending – its themes are very heartwarming and realistic. For one can’t say thatthey can’t identify with the theme of failing, and the constant struggle ofovercoming obstacles, and Yowapeda has it in all facets and angles. Everycharacter looks for ways to overcome their struggles, and for ways to motivatethemselves. And in the middle of all that, there are comedical slice-of-lifemoments that strengthen the interactions between the characters after everyending song. The world of road racing is explained well, as the viewer has justas much of an idea of it as Onoda does, bit by bit so that it doesn’t come off as aboring info-dump, especially with every piece of information almost directly demonstratedin the scene.

The cast iscertainly an odd mix. It never really fits any archetype, though it is closeto, but that doesn’t exactly mean they’re very unique, either. Onoda fits inthe otaku archetype, but is more presented as a timid, shy person who tries togive his best. Imaizumi fits in the serious, arrogant boy archetype, but thereare moments where he is simply very awkward, and the list continues. The Sohokuteam, save the green-haired third-year Makishima, who is an “irregularity” ashe refers to himself and grows to be a distinct personality in the team, is veryconventional with nothing new. But Makishima is by far not the only one whodevelops over the course of 38 episodes; the previously mentioned Imaizumi andthird-year Kinjou are some examples as well. Of course, Yowapeda doesn’t onlyfocus on Sohoku only (even though the first half does invest on the team); therival team and champions Hakone is worth mentioning as well. They’re a lotodder than Sohoku – there’s the aggressive Arakita, the eccentric Toudou, laid-backShinkai, muscle-freak Izumida and Onoda’s rival Manami. And despite being suchan odd bunch, they get their flashbacks and development as well, even theirstone-faced captain Fukutomi. The rivalry between Sohoku and Hakone feels real,too. Last but not least, there’s the antagonist Midousuji with his team KyotoFushimi. He’s the oddest of the cast, disturbingly so, and most of the timeKyoto Fushimi serves as a shock factor to Sohoku and Hakone. While noteveryone’s past is revealed and not everyone is developed, a lot of them are,and they help making the characters seem very human with their faults andmotivations. Indeed, the characters are Yowamushi Pedal’s strongest point.

Theanimation is average, sometimes even cringeworthy, but at least consistent. TheCGI is not very annoying nor very remarkable. As for the sound, it certainlynever feels out of place, always suiting the current mood. The problem isthough that it is very repetitive, as certain tracks for racing or dramaticmoments are used over and over again. The opening and ending themes deserve a specialmention as well – almost all of the song fit the mood to the corresponding arc,the best of them being the second opening (Dirty Old Men’s “Yowamushi naHonoo”) and the best ending the third, “Glory Road”, sung by the voice actorsof the Hakone members. Speaking of voice acting, it is certainly well-done.Many of them are B-list voice actors, and still pulled off the characterthey’re voicing without effort, especially the performances for Onoda andToudou.

So inconclusion, Yowamushi Pedal is not the most unique, but a very touching tale aboutfriendship and overcoming obstacles. Even though it has pacing issues at timesas well as a non-existent end, it makes up for it with loveable characters andintense matches, as well as the great opening and ending themes. It does notrely on “pseudo-homo” moments, nor on magically winning because it’s the maincharacter, but rather on the strength of willpower and how actually motivatingfriendship is. Should you watch Yowamushi Pedal? Yes.

shanon43 - 2014-07-12 02:51:33

This anime is certainly awesome and intense , there are some flaws like taking a few episodes for one competition but whatever it's still makes me feel in awe .. It really is something that starts the week.