Have you ever watched "YowaPeda" or Yowamushi Pedal?
It's a very fun and exciting cycling anime. It has 5 seasons, the first one was released back in 2013 and the latest one was in 2022. It's fairly popular among sports anime fans and even some casual fans (those who aren't into sports anime).
However, the topic of this post isn't about YowaPeda, but another cycling anime which was released years before it. It's called OVER DRIVE.
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Released in 2007, OVER DRIVE revolves around the life of a high school student, Shinozaki Mikoto. He lacks self-confidence which made him be a target for the bullies. However, after having a serious talk with his long-time crush who invited him to join the bicycle club, his life began to change.
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Being a part of the bicycle club opened new worlds for him, not only in terms of the sport, but also in his day to day interaction with people. It also allowed him to have a purpose and find his dream which is to win the Tour de France with his current team.
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Unlike most sports anime, they're not competing against other schools. Despite forming a cycling club, they participate in the competition in their area which is quite unique.
Aside from it being a sports anime, there's a comical side to it which is quite refreshing. In addition, the back stories of the characters were also interesting to watch. They didn't only focus on the actual sport, but also in the character development which I really like. It has its own charm... and the art style is so good! (This may be biased since I like the 90's and 00's art style the most. lol)
All in all, I enjoyed it. It might not be the best cycling anime there is (because YowaPeda is LOVE), but it was entertaining in its own way. So, if you enjoyed YowaPeda and/or interested in cycling, why don't you give this one a try? :)
Thanks for reading and see you around! ^^
