Yowamushi Pedal

Yowamushi Pedal
230px First volume of Yowamushi Pedal, featuring the main protagonist Sakamichi Onoda
弱虫ペダル (Yowamushi Pedaru)
Genre	Sports (Road bicycle racing), Comedy-drama
Manga
Written by	Wataru Watanabe
Published by	Akita Shoten
English publisher	NA Yen Press
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Weekly Shōnen Champion
Original run	February 21, 2008 – present
Volumes	45
Original video animation
Directed by	Osamu Nabeshima
Written by	Reiko Yoshida
Music by	Kan Sawada
Studio	TMS Entertainment
Released	August 8, 2013
Anime television series
Directed by	Osamu Nabeshima
Written by	Reiko Yoshida
Music by	Kan Sawada
Studio	TMS/8PAN
Licensed by	NA Discotek Media
Network	TV Tokyo, TVh, TVO, TSC, TVA, TVQ, AT-X
Original run	October 7, 2013 – July 1, 2014
Episodes	38
Anime film
Yowamushi Pedal Re:RIDE
Directed by	Osamu Nabeshima
Written by	Reiko Yoshida
Music by	Kan Sawada
Studio	TMS/8PAN
Released	September 19, 2014
Runtime	90 minutes
Anime television series
Yowamushi Pedal Grande Road
Directed by	Osamu Nabeshima
Written by	Reiko Yoshida
Music by	Kan Sawada
Studio	TMS/8PAN
Licensed by	NA Discotek Media
Network	TV Tokyo, TVh, TVO, TSC, TVA, TVQ, AT-X
Original run	October 6, 2014 – March 30, 2015
Episodes	24
Game
Yowamushi Pedal Asu e no High Cadence
Developer	Bandai Namco Games
Publisher
Genre	Adventure
Platform	Nintendo 3DS
Released
Anime film
Yowamushi Pedal Re: ROAD
Directed by	Osamu Nabeshima
Written by	Reiko Yoshida
Music by	Kan Sawada
Studio	TMS/8PAN
Released	June 12, 2015
Anime film
Yowamushi Pedal: The Movie
Directed by	Norihiro Naganuma
Written by	Reiko Yoshida
Music by	Kan Sawada
Studio	TMS/8PAN
Released	August 28, 2015
Television drama
Directed by	Takayoshi Tanazawa
Written by	Kōta Fukihara
Network	BS SKY PerfecTV!
Original run	August 2016 – scheduled
Anime film
Yowamushi Pedal: Spare Bike
Studio	TMS/8PAN
Released	September 2016
Anime television series
Yowamushi Pedal 3
Studio	TMS/8PAN
Original run	January 2017 – scheduled

Yowamushi Pedal (弱虫ペダル, Yowamushi Pedaru, lit. "Weakling Pedal," also translated as "Cowardly Cyclists") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Wataru Watanabe. It began serialization in the 12th issue of Akita Shoten’s Weekly Shōnen Champion in 2008, and as of January 8, 2016, has published 44 compiled volumes under the company Yen Press. An anime television series adaptation began airing on October 7, 2013 and currently has two seasons of which both are licensed by Discotek Media. A live-action television drama adaptation is scheduled to air in August 2016, while a third season is scheduled to air in January 2017.

Plot

Sakamichi Onoda is an otaku who has just entered high school. In middle school, Onoda did not have any friends with whom he could talk about his interests, and hopes to change that by joining his new school's anime club. However, he is crushed when he discovers the anime club has been disbanded due to lack of interest, and in order to reestablish the club, four new members must join.

Since he was a little boy, Onoda has ridden his mamachari (referred to as a "Mommy Bike" in the anime) – a simple and bulky bicycle designed for short rides – for transportation and fun. A fellow freshman, and much more serious cyclist, named Shunsuke Imaizumi notices Onoda riding his mamachari and mocks him inwardly until he sees Onoda riding up a steep hill with little effort. Another student named Naruko visits Akihabara to get some plastic Gundam models for his younger brothers and meets Onoda, who catches his attention because of the his cycling skill on the mamachari. Later on, both Naruko and Imaizumi try to convince him to join the bicycle racing club at their high school, Sohoku.

Teams and Characters

Sohoku High School

Sohoku is a hard-working team that acts as the main school in the story. The team is characterized as being able to overcome internal conflicts and brutal training. For example, Sohoku hosts an intense and gruelling 1000 km training camp every year to determine who will advance to the main race of the series, the Inter-High.

Sakamichi Onoda (小野田 坂道, Onoda Sakamichi)

Voiced by: Daiki Yamashita

Onoda is the main protagonist of the series, a first-year high school student, and a proud member of the Sohoku High Bicycle Club. His personality is initially characterized as being a shy otaku with a difficulty in speaking up for himself. However, after joining the bicycle club, his confidence receives a dramatic boost, and the love and admiration he has for his fellow teammates becomes apparent. Since the very beginning of the series, Onoda shows steady stamina and high cadence abilities when riding uphill, and thus, the captain of the team, Kinjou, makes Onoda one of the team’s climbers. To nurture Onoda’s ability to climb for long periods of time, Kinjou assigns Makishima, a fellow climber and third-year, to tutor him. Onoda’s best cycling ability, the team finds out, is that he performs best when chasing someone in the lead. When Onoda enters the Inter-High, he performs amazing feats for his team such as passing more than 100 cyclists after a crash and drafting an injured Tadokoro from that back of the race to the front where the rest of the team is.

Shunsuke Imaizumi (今泉 俊輔, Imaizumi Shunsuke)

Voiced by: Kōsuke Toriumi

Imaizumi is a popular first-year high school student and a member of the Sohoku High Bicycle Club. Imaizumi is a logical thinker with a generally dry personality, although, when entangled in certain situations, he can become quite frenzied and passionate. Because he dreams of one day becoming the fastest cyclist in the world, his cycling style is defined as an all-rounder. Because of Imaizumi’s customarily coarse personality, his relationship with his teammates varies from person to person. For example, he has an intense rivalry with fellow teammate Naruko because of his sprinting abilities and overall attitude, likewise, he sees the captain, Kinjou, as his biggest obstacle. On the other hand, Imaizumi is seen being fairly gentle and kind towards Onoda.

Shoukichi Naruko (鳴子 章吉, Naruko Shōkichi)

Voiced by: Jun Fukushima

Naruko is a first-year high school student from Osaka, and a member of the Sohoku High Bicycle Club. Naruko’s personality is sharp, spunky, and highly competitive, however, he takes cycling very seriously, and often gets very upset if he is defeated in a race, even if it is by another teammate. He is a high-energy sprinter, and his vitality often gets fueled by his mentor, Tadokoro, a fellow sprinter and third-year, who he affectionately refers to as “old man.” He maintains a friendly rivalry with Imaizumi, and is always supportive and caring towards Onoda.

Shingo Kinjou (金城 真護, Kinjō Shingo)

Voiced by: Hiroki Yasumoto

Kinjou is a sunglasses-wielding third-year high school student and captain of the Sohoku High Bicycle Club. He is an all-rounder cyclist with an amazing iron will in addition to being Sohoku’s ace. Kinjou comes off as having an icy personality, but throughout the series, he continuously shows that he has the best intentions for his team at heart. Kinjou works incredibly hard to bring out the best in everyone’s cycling abilities, especially Imaizumi, who he considers his mentee.

Yuusuke Makishima (巻島 裕介, Makishima Yūsuke)

Voiced by: Showtaro Morikubo

Makishima is a third-year high school student and member of the Sohoku High Bicycle Team. Makishima is the ace climber of the team and has the nickname of “Peak Spider” due to his unusual dancing technique when cycling uphill. His generally awkward personality, in addition to his strange looks, makes Makishima seem unapproachable or even frightening. However, throughout the series, he offers wise advice to his mentee, Onoda, about cycling. Makishima is also well known for having a longtime, intimate rivalry with Hakone’s ace climber, Toudou.

Jin Tadokoro (田所 迅, Tadokoro Jin)

Voiced by: Kentarō Itō

Tadokoro is a third-year high school student and member of the Sohoku High Bicycle Team. Despite his bulkiness, he is the team’s ace sprinter, and oftentimes throughout the series, takes advantage of his large body to perform his signature riding style “Human Bullet Train,” where he drafts wind for the team as they ride behind him. He is sometimes seen as the “fatherly” member of the team, having been a mentor to Naruko, Teshima, and Aoyagi.

Junta Teshima (手島 純太, Teshima Junta)

Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio

Teshima is a second-year high school student and member of the Sohoku High Bicycle Club. Teshima is an all-rounder rider who works as a duo with fellow teammate Aoyagi. During the 1000 km training camp, he injures his legs in the final stretch and loses to the first-years, thus losing a spot in the Inter-High. He has an outgoing, cheerful, yet serious personality that never fails to keep the other members in high spirits. Teshima is most noted for having a very close relationship with Aoyagi, a fellow second-year. He is often seen “reading Aoyagi’s mind,” and knowing how Aoyagi is feeling or what he wants without him having to speak or show facial expressions.

Hajime Aoyagi (青八木 一, Aoyagi Hajime)

Voiced by: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka

Aoyagi is a second-year high school student and member of the Sohoku High Bicycle Club. Aoyagi is an all-rounder rider who works as a duo with fellow teammate Teshima. He considers himself to be “unskilled,” but usually manages to claim first place in races with Teshima’s help. However, like Teshima, he injures himself in the final stretch of the 1000 km training camp and loses a spot in the Inter-High. Aoyagi is a very quiet boy who spends most of his time with Teshima, however, it is not uncommon to see him grow more vocal in stressful situations.

Terufumi Sugimoto (杉元 照文, Sugimoto Terufumi)

Voiced by: Kōki Miyata

Sugimoto is a first-year high school student and member of the Sohoku High Bicycle Club. He avidly claims to be an “experienced rider,” and often offers advice to the fellow first-years. However, his actual skills and very slim, and he does not even fall into an all-rounder, climber, or sprinter category. His lack of skill becomes even more apparent when he fails to complete the 1000 km training camp because he refused to cycle in the rain.

Hakone Academy

Hakone Academy is the country’s largest cycling team, and claims to be made up of “six aces” with many more in reserve. Since Hakone is such an expansive team, the selection process of who does, and does not, go to the Inter-High is quite complex. To determine who has the honor of participating in the Inter-High, all of the members race against each other, and only the winners of each group (A - F), are allowed to participate. Furthermore, these groups are divided so that the team takes 3 all-rounders, 2 climbers, and up to 2 sprinters to the Inter-High.

Sangaku Manami (真波 山岳, Manami Sangaku)

Voiced by: Tsubasa Yonaga

Manami is a first- year high school student and a member of the Hakone Academy Bicycle Club. Manami is very easy-going and easily distracted by nature, cycling, and the feeling of complete freedom. He is the mentee climber to third-year, Toudou, and serves as Hakone’s second climber during the Inter-High. His most notable feature is that people hallucinate seeing wings on his back when he reaches his top speeds during a race.

Jinpachi Toudou (東堂 尽八, Tōdō Jinpachi)

Voiced by: Tetsuya Kakihara

Toudou is a popular third-year student and a member of the Hakone Academy Bicycle Club. Toudou is the ace climber of Hakone, and mentor to first-year, Manami. His climbing style is fast and silent, and combined with his good looks, gives him the nickname “Sleeping Beauty,” as he manages to sneak up on cyclists in front of him and pass them without their knowledge. His personality is very pompous, and he thinks very highly of himself. Toudou has many female fans who tend to inflate his ego, however, his strong relationship with Makishima, who he affectionately calls “Maki-chan,” tends to mellow him out again. Toudou is most often noted as having a very intimate rivalry with Sohoku’s ace climber, Makishima.

Juichi Fukutomi (福富 寿一, Fukutomi Juichi)

Voiced by: Tomoaki Maeno

Fukutomi is a third-year high school student and captain of the Hakone Academy Bicycle Club. Fukutomi is an all-rounder and ace of the team. His serious, straightforward personality and unchanging expression has earned him the nickname “Iron Mask.” In addition to being remembered as the ace of Hakone, he is known for cheating during a past race and injuring himself and Sohoku’s Kinjou, with whom he has had a longtime rivalry. Throughout the Inter-High, he is often seen sporting his catchphrase, “I’m strong.”

Hayato Shinkai (新開 隼人, Shinkai Hayato)

Voiced by: Satoshi Hino

Shinkai is a third-year high school student and member of the Hakone Academy Bicycle Club. Shinkai is the team’s ace sprinter, and claims to have a “monster locked up inside of him” that gets “released” during especially stressful races. Shinkai’s personality is usually relaxed and easy-going, and he is often seen with a power bar in his mouth and striking his signature “bakyun!” pose. In a past race, Shinkai ran over and killed a mother rabbit, leaving an orphaned kit who he then adopted. Because of his guilt, Shinkai stopped cycling for his team transiently, and became unable to pass other riders during races on the left side since that was what happened when he killed the rabbit. Although he is the ace sprinter, it was decided it would be best for him to not participate in the first sprinters race (first check point) during day one of the Inter high race and have Izumida represent their team during that day. Later he would race against Midousuji during the second one on the second day.

Yasutomo Arakita (荒北 靖友, Arakita Yasutomo)

Voiced by: Hiroyuki Yoshino

Arakita is a third-year high school student and member of the Hakone Academy Bicycle Club. Arakita is a skilled, albeit reckless, all-rounder cycler who picked up cycling after he could no longer play baseball due to an elbow injury. His personality is described as wolf-like, and he generally seems very unapproachable. However, since joining the bicycle club, he has formed a strong bond with the captain, Fukutomi, and is often seen calling him “Fuku-chan.”

Touichirou Izumida (泉田 塔一郎, Izumida Tōichirō)

Voiced by: Atsushi Abe

Izumida is a second-year high school student and member of the Hakone Academy Bicycle Club. Izumida is the team’s second year sprinter who often receives “warnings” about dangerous situations during races from his pecs, Andy and Frank. He is quite vain and cares a lot about his appearance, which becomes obvious as he is seen throughout the series doing a tough workout routine. When racing, Izumida usually rides without holding his handlebars, and only zips up his jersey when he gets serious. he greatly admires the teams ace sprinter, Hayato Shinkai.

Yukinari Kuroda (黒田 雪成, Kuroda Yukinari)

Voiced by: Kenji Nojima

Kuroda is a second-year high school student and member of the Hakone Academy Bicycle Club. In the race to see who competed in the Inter-High, he loses to first-year, and fellow climber, Manami. In season 3, when he became a third year, he became the second climber along with Manami as Arakita, Fukutomi, Toudou, and Shinkai graduated.

Kyoto Fushimi High School

Kyoto Fushimi, or Kyofushi, acts as the third squad in this series and is the wild card of the main three teams. The team has a history as a strong team, where 1st year cyclists would go to become stronger. Its training practices are unknown, but other teams say they were a lot nicer in previous years before Midousuji joined the team.

Akira Midousuji (御堂筋 翔, Midōsuji Akira)

Voiced by: Kōji Yusa

Midousuji is a first-year high school student and member of the Kyoto Fushimi Bicycle Club. Midousuji is an all-rounder, and he is the newfound ace of the team. He is the best climber against all all-rounders in the team. His ruthless personality, paired with his ever-smiling face and habit of calling everything and everyone "gross," gives Midousuji an unapproachable and unsettling atmosphere. He's known by other teams for his tactical expertise, and plans out the events of a race in great detail while taking into account for nearly every possibility. He aims for international acclaim as the fastest cyclist, and will stop at nothing in the pursuit of victory. Midousuji is known for having a rivalry with Sohoku's Shunsuke Imaizumi. In the next year, he relinquished his role as Ace, and became Ace Assistant to Mizuta.

Koutarou Ishigaki (石垣 光太郎, Ishigaki Kōtarō)

Voiced by: Hirofumi Nojima

Ishigaki is a third-year high school student and captain of the Kyoto Fushimi Bicycle Club. Ishigaki is an all-rounder and, before Midousuji joined the team, was the ace. With his position as ace taken from him, he becomes Midousuji's assist. Though he initially dislikes Midousuji, he comes to understand him better over the duration of the 41st Inter-high and aims to do anything he can to see Midousuji grow as a person and win.

Nobuyuki Mizuta (水田 信行, Mizuta Nobuyuki)

Voiced by: Chihiro Suzuki

Mizuta is a second-year high school student and member of the Kyoto Fushimi Bicycle Club. He is an all-rounder. Mizuta is very easily influenced by those who he admires. Before Midousuji joined the team, he greatly admired Ishigaki and styled his hair just like his. However, once Midousuji joined the team, Mizuta began to admire him for his cycling strength and attempts to imitate Midousuji, getting braces to straighten out his teeth and even imitating some of his odd quirks. Mizuta seeks recognition from those he admires and will do whatever he can to obtain it.

Tomoya Ihara (井原 友矢, Ihara Tomoya)

Voiced by: Yukitoshi Kikuchi

Ihara is a third-year high school student and member of the Kyoto Fushimi Bicycle Club. Ihara is one of the team's sprinters and is a friend of Ishigaki's. He was quick to reject Midousuji as the team's ace and even rallied against it, only to fall into place for the sake of his team.

Noriyuki Yamaguchi (山口 紀之, Yamaguchi Noriyuki)

Voiced by: Yuta Odagaki

Yamaguchi is a second-year high school student and member of the Kyoto Fushimi Bicycle Club. Yamaguchi is a sprinter and avoids conflict within his team, giving him a quiet, passive demeanor.

Akihisa Tsuji (辻 明久, Tsuji Akihisa)

Voiced by: Katsuhiro Tokuishi

Tsuji is a third-year high school student and member of the Kyoto Fushimi Bicycle Club. Tsuji is a climber with a stoic demeanor and serious expression, and tries to avoid conflict within his team.

Hiroshima Kureminami Technical High School

Hiroshima is known to have no all-rounders, and 3 sprinters.

Machimiya Eikichi (待宮　栄吉, Eikichi Machimiya)

Voiced by: Tomokazu Seki

Eikichi is a third-year high school student and member of the Kureminami Bicycle Club. Eikichi cycling style is sprinting, and he also serves as the ace for his team. He is well known for having a rivalry with the entirety of Hakone, as well as having the nickname “The Fighting Dog of Kure.” He manipulated the pack full of sprinter on day 3 to get back to the pack, but when Hiroshima broke away, they left out of steam in the mountain sections and completely dropped out.

Supporting Characters

Touji Kanzaki (寒咲 通司, Kanzaki Toji)

Voiced by: Junichi Suwabe

Touji is the eldest sibling of the Kanzakis and is the former captain of Sohoku. During his cycling career he was a sprinter, although he currently runs his family’s bicycle shop and supports the current members of Sohoku.

Miki Kanzaki (寒咲 幹, Kanzaki Miki)

Voiced by: Ayaka Suwa

Miki is a first-year high school student at Sohoku as well as the younger sibling to Touji. While she is not a member of the Sohoku High Bicycle Club, she is often seen at their racing events supporting the team.

Aya Tachibana (橘 綾, Tachibana Aya)

Voiced by: Megumi Han

Tachibana is a first-year high school student at Sohoku, member of the tennis club, and close friend to Miki.

Mr. Pierre (Mr.ピエール, Mr. Pierre)

Voiced by: Kenyuu Horiuchi

Pierre is the coach of the Sohoku High Bicycle Club and is most noted for giving Onoda tips on being a better cyclist.

Miyahara (宮原, Miyahara)

Voiced by: China Kitahara

Miyahara is a first-year high school student and president of Manami’s class at Hakone Academy. She has been friends with Manami since childhood and is well known for having a crush on him.

Kotori Himeno (姫野湖鳥, Himeno Kotori)

Voiced by: Yukari Tamura

Himeno is the main character of Onoda’s favorite anime series, Love Hime. Onoda is often seen singing the opening to the series, “Koi no Hime Hime Pettanko,” when he needs to raise his cadence and spirits.

Media

Manga

On August 8, 2013 a limited-edition version of the 29th volume of Yowamushi Pedal was released with a bundled anime DVD directed by Osamu Nabeshime and produced by TMS Entertainment.

Anime

See also: List of Yowamushi Pedal episodes

TMS Entertainment first began airing the series on October 7, 2013 on TV Tokyo, and Crunchyroll streamed the series that Discotek then licensed. The second season, Yowamushi Pedal Grande Road, began airing on October 6, 2014 on Crunchyroll and nationwide in Japan. The series currently has the three films Yowamushi Pedal Re:RIDE, Yowamushi Pedal: Re:ROAD, and Yowamushi Pedal: The Movie (劇場版 弱虫ペダル, Gekijōban Yowamushi Pedaru?), which was released on August 28, 2015. The first two Yowamushi Pedal movies recap the first two seasons of the anime with additional new content. A third season was announced on October 6, 2015 at a film screening of Yowamushi Pedal: The Movie, which is scheduled to air in January 2017. An anime theatrical film adaptation of the Yowamushi Pedal: Spare Bike spin-off manga will premiere in Japanese theaters for 2 weeks in September 2016.

Theme songs

Opening Theme

• "Reclimb" (リクライム, Rikuraimu) by ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D - episodes 1-12
• "Yowamushi na Honoo" (弱虫な炎) by DIRTY OLD MEN - episodes 13 - 25
• "Be as One" by Team Sohoku - episodes 26 - 38
• "Determination" by LASTGASP - GRANDE ROAD, episodes 1 - 12
• "Remind" (リマインド, Rimaindo) by ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D - GRANDE ROAD, episodes 13 - 24

Ending Theme

• "Top of Tops!" by Miki Kanzaki (Ayaka Suwa), OVA ending theme
• "Kaze o Yobe" (風を呼べ) by Under Graph - episodes 1 - 12
• "I'm Ready" by AUTRIBE feat.DIRTY OLD MEN - episodes 13 - 25
• "Glory Road" by Team Hakone Academy - episodes 26 - 38
• "DAYS" by LASTGASP - Re:RIDE movie
• "Realize" (リアライズ, Riaraizu) by ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D - GRANDE ROAD, episodes 1-12
• "Eikō e no Ichibyō" (栄光への一秒, "One Second to Glory") by MAGIC OF LiFE - GRANDE ROAD, episodes 12 - 24
• "Believer" by LASTGASP - Re: ROAD movie
• "Link" by LASTGASP - Yowamushi Pedal: The Movie

Insert Song

• "Koi no Hime Hime Pettanko" (恋のヒメヒメぺったんこ) by Kotori Himeno (Yukari Tamura) - Season 1 episodes 3, 5, 11, and 26 and GRANDE ROAD episode 24

Mobile game

Yowamushi Pedal: Puchitto (Petit) Racers (弱虫ペダルぷちっとレーサーズ) is a phone app by Furyu available for iOS and Android, and functions as a collector game.

Television drama

A live-action television drama adaptation of the manga was announced in the Weekly Shōnen Champion magazine's 26th issue of 2016, which will premiere in August 2016 on BS SKY PerfecTV!. The series is directed by Takayoshi Tanazawa and written by Kōta Fukihara.

Reception

Manga

The Yowamushi Pedal manga won the Best Shōnen Manga award along with The Seven Deadly Sins manga at the 39th Kodansha Manga Awards.

The wraparound jacket of the 43rd volume of Wataru Watanabe's Yowamushi Pedal manga announced that the manga now has 15 million copies in print.

See also

• Nasu: Summer in Andalusia

External links

• (Japanese)
• Yowamushi Pedal (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia