Yowamushi Pedal - Recommendations

Alt title: Yowapeda

If you're looking for anime similar to Yowamushi Pedal, you might like these titles.

Haikyuu!!

Haikyuu!!

Shoyo Hinata isn't a large guy, but he's got huge ambitions. Ever since seeing a small player score in a National Championship, he's been determined to become the next big thing in High School Volleyball. Unfortunately, the one time he was able to pull enough players together to form a team in junior high, they were completely trashed in their first and only match against a team led by up-and-coming setter Tobio Kageyama.Now, enrolled at the same high school where his idol once played, Shoyo's finally going to get his shot to join and play with a top team. There's just one problem: Tobio Kageyama's decided to attend the same school, and he's already considered one of the best players in the game. Can a kid out of nowhere hold his own against the King of the Court? Or could the rivalry and competition actually be the best thing for both of them?

12 votes

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Reasons you might like Haikyuu!!...

Brad Brad says...

Haikyuu!! and Yowamushi Pedal are two sports anime that manage to strike a perfect blend when it comes to representing their sport, providing likable characters, excitement and humour. They each manage to give the supporting cast as much meaningful screen time as the main protagonists, which is a major plus in team based sports shows where a show cannot just meander along focusing on one or two people for the duration of its run. The comedy in each is usually perfectly timed, and so excellently written that you get more laugh out loud moments than you would imagine.

They each absolutely nail the excitement factor, and have the viewer pumped for more by the time the credits roll, especially when it comes to the intense matches/races where episodes fly by. Really if you enjoyed one then you should give the other a shot, because I think you’d end up finding a show that you can really sink your teeth into.

Kamodo303 Kamodo303 says...

Bith are easily relatable, make you laugh and can watch a second time through without getting that "I have already seen this before" feeling.

ZetsubouKaiji ZetsubouKaiji says...

If you want to see sports anime done right then check out both of these excellent series. The sports might be different, but they have the same heart of a thrilling sports anime. Both of these shows have the perfect combination of drama and comedy. Both of these shows have super likable casts that make you care about the results of the matches/races. Most importantly both these anime know when to amp up the tension to make the anime as exciting as possible. 

The only difference between these shows is the sports are different. Both of these shows make cheese and melodrama a strength rather than a weakness because the emotions are very genuine and both work hard to make you like the cast. 

If you like sports anime or even if you just like either Haikyuu or Yowamushi then you should consider the other to be a must watch.

karasunocrows karasunocrows says...

Both Haikyuu!! and Yowamushi Pedal feature teams that are/were pretty strong but haven't been on top. They have a feel good vibe without it being "All we need is friendship and teamwork, and we can win anything!" The cast in both are very likeable and you can relate to them. 

Personally, I like Haikyuu!! more, but I still really like Yowamushi Pedal.

RaghadSama RaghadSama says...

both of them are talking about how could rocky become awesome . and there's a nice competition between character which going to makes you hold your breath

SilverShadowAnime SilverShadowAnime says...

They are both good shows that push the main characters to their limits. With new friends and enemies both the major characters in this anime move foward to reach their goal.

Awadel Awadel says...

both talk about companionship and overcoming yours goals, with so good humor and excelents characters. They make you glued to your screen.

ZeldaMoon ZeldaMoon says...

Both are sports animes that have a cast of mainly teenage boys. The shows both focus on friendship, determination, and teamwork. Both of the plots are largely based on the ups and downs of competitive sports training.

TheQi2B TheQi2B says...

The main character in Haikyuu and the red headed sprinter in Pedal have very much  the same look and vibe. If you liked one you'll enjoy the other!

magicman1999 magicman1999 says...

I LOVE sports anime so no matter which way you slice this cake i want them both. though i enjoyed haikyuu more because of the tournament style and there training, its probaly just a personal pref. though.

JailBait707 JailBait707 says...

In both Yowamushi Pedal and Haikyuu you're represented with an anime that mainly focuses on the sport itself and how said characters grow stronger and better at the sport as it continues on. If you enjoyed the aspect of being able to learn something about said sport and how the sport works, you'll definitely learn something from both animes. Both of the casts for the anime have extremely likeable characters with a team that has great chemistry. Another notable similarity in the anime is how it just doesn't focus on the growth of one character but rather the whole team. Both of the animes also offer a likeable cast for the other/opposing teams and focus on them at some points of the anime

Aliceanne Aliceanne says...

Both anime has likable or interesting characters, hype moments that'll make you scream, funny moments or interactions... anyway, it's worth it to watch both, and you can see the similarities.

And if you don't have time to watch them, you can watch in 1.5x speed or something.

Over Drive

Over Drive

Mikoto Shinozaki is a normal high student with unfortunate normal problems: he's terrible at sports, has no special talents and is bullied by everyone at his school. That is, until one day Yuki, his beautiful, long-time crush, asks the boy if he'll join her brother's cycling team. Desperate to gain her affection, Mikoto tries his best to learn how to ride a bike to not look foolish in the process, soon discovering that he actually enjoys the sport! Now, Mikoto will try his hardest to become the best cyclist in the world, encountering hardships, trials and successes along the way.

5 votes

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Reasons you might like Over Drive...

InnocentSmile InnocentSmile says...

Both anime have almost same story and characters. Over Drive had 26 episodes, second half of the anime focus lot on the bicycle race to the end. I couldn't believe I watched 13 episodes of bicycle racing. But it was good.

Funkgun Funkgun says...

Bikes and racing. Shonen fun is a plus to. I likedd yowamusi a bit more, but both have to be mention in the same vein.

GuardianEnzo GuardianEnzo says...

Cycling FTW.  There just isn't much manga or anime about this sport, and both these shows attack it with some realism and a quirky sense of humor.  Yowapeda is better, but if you like one I think you'll like both.

magano magano says...

Both are about cycling and sports anime are becoming better and better :Dboth have a talented character and teach a lot about the sport 

chris2g chris2g says...

Young boys fighting the senpais for victory. Both gave amazing feelings. The romance in overdrive made it better in my opinion(just because I like romance lol) Wish there would be a season 2 :/ Both animes show teamwork and I guess they want to show, you can always be good at something. You only need to find that something and work hard. Well, there is not much more to say than to recommend people to watch this. Made my day!

Nasu: Summer in Andalusia

Nasu: Summer in Andalusia

It is the Andalusian section of the 'Vuelta a España' bicycle race around Spain, and Pepe Benengeli is in trouble. As his brother is getting married to Pepe's former girlfriend, Pepe faces a grueling ride in burning hot weather, through his hometown. In the sunbaked hills of his native Andalusia, Pepe launches a make-or-break effort to win the day. At stake is Pepe's career and, more importantly, his self-respect. All of this, against the backdrop of the majestic beauty of Andalusia's arid terrain... and pickled eggplants.

3 votes

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Reasons you might like Nasu: Summer in Andalusia...

sothis sothis says...

Given cycling anime are incredibly rare, it seems criminal not to recommend them together. While different in tone (and characters), Nasu and Yowapeda both involve fierce races and cycling shenanigans, so if you're a bicycle lover these are for you.

LadyPsychic LadyPsychic says...

Both are sports anime that involve competitive cycling.  Both contain fierce and thrilling races.  Of course, Yowamushi Pedal is a tv series, while Nasu: Summer in Andalusia is only a short movie.  Still, those who like cycling will probably enjoy both.

Nicknames Nicknames says...

Both shows revolve around competitive cycling and contain fierce races. Nasu is more realistic and has a more serious tone while Yowamushi Pedal is more similar to the typical shounen sports series. Anyway if you liked one you'll definitely enjoy the other.

Initial D

Initial D

18 year-old Takumi has been delivering tofu for his father's shop since he was 13, learning to drive fast in all weather conditions. One night he is seen racing down the mountain by Keisuke, one of the best amateur racers in Japan. Quickly overtaken by Takumi, Keisuke vows to challenge the White Hachi Roku and discover the mystery behind its driver's skills.

3 votes

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Reasons you might like Initial D...

Annalyn Annalyn says...

As I watched the 11th episode of Yowapeda, I got an urge to go watch Initial D again. So the need for a recommendation is clear.

- Both are anime about racing, although one has bikes and the other, cars. And both main characters specialize in hills.

- In both cases, the main characters don't realize their racing potential at first. Onada just takes his old mommy bike to Akiba for otaku shopping, and Takumi makes tofu deliveries in his dad's old car... very speedy deliveries over the mountain.

Yes, there are differences in story, setting, and animation styles. But if it's the racing that lights you up - the determination, the suspense, the technical knowledge - you'll like both of these.

Funkgun Funkgun says...

The fact that the main protagonist just happens to be good at something is one similar feature. The other is racing.

hannahfaith hannahfaith says...

                                                                :)            

Eyeshield 21

Eyeshield 21

Sena was always a weak child, constantly having to run away from bullies; so much, that he became good at it. Now, as a teenager, Sena’s skill at running has become so impressive that the diabolical mastermind of the school football team notices his talent and recruits him. Yet to keep his privacy intact and his dangerous hobby a secret from his overprotective childhood friend Mamori, Sena is forced to develop a secret identity: the ace running back, Eyeshield 21! But the world is full of talented rivals, and Sena has a long way to go until he can reach the top...

3 votes

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Reasons you might like Eyeshield 21...

AndriasSch AndriasSch says...

Both protagonist are small guys without any confidence in themselves nor friends, but are oddly good at running/riding bikes even if they don't have profesional training (they are also oblivious about their skills).For some reason a senpai/senior at a sports club notice their raw ability and try to make them join.Both series are shonen with points of comedy and a bunch of characters with bizarre abilities at the sports portrayed, and they'll have to compete agains other clubs.

ongdeetz ongdeetz says...

I think that both animes feature alot about the team. Although it is a different type of sport but they both feature a lot on teamwork and hardwork. The main characters of both anime is also guy who is bad at most things but get to shine in the sports they do.

Inu230 Inu230 says...

A highschool freshman has a certain skill he never knew could be useful or used to make a sports team better.

Both animes focus on a sports team aiming to compete in a particular seasonal event but lack the necessary members/abilities to do so.  Eyeshield 21 focuses a lot of attention towards acquiring the right players for their football team while training their current ones and Yowamushi Pedal focuses on training their cyclists. Because the bicycle team in Yowamushi Pedal is assembled earlier than in Eyeshield 21 there isn’t as much scouting or stealing members from other sports teams so there isn’t as much comedy or schedule conflicts in Yowamushi Pedal but that doesn’t mean the latter isn’t comedic. It definitely is. Just as Eyeshield 21 has it’s zanny captain who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal, Yowamushi Pedal has a captain whose seriousness in building a strong team leads to many giggles. The main male character [freshman newbie} in both is also the center of many situations which tend to be aimed at getting a laugh.

Both animes also take place in school though the respective sports dominate episode after episode and the animes as a whole. While there’s the occasional classroom scene it’s usually about a character more focused on their respective sport or sleeping due to training that results in the teacher getting upset or not being aware the student isn’t paying attention.  Lunch scenes are likewise predominantly for talking about the sport: their individual training, new members, promoting an upcoming event, getting the right nutrition to optimize their performance, etc. Though there are the “lets make sure no one on the team has failing grades that’ll prevent them from competing” concerns they are less present in Yowamushi Pedal  than in Eyeshield 21.

Kuroko's Basketball

Kuroko's Basketball

They were known as the 'Generation of Miracles' – five basketball prodigies who helped lead Teiko Middle School's basketball team to glory, defeating anyone who got in their way. But a mysterious rumor tells of a sixth, a phantom player who the five prodigies respected greatly. That boy is Tetsuya Kuroko, a freshman at Seirin High and the newest member of the basketball club. Alongside strong teammates such as Taiga Kagami, Kuroko will use his unique skills on the court to help the team defeat old rivals and make their way to the championships.

3 votes

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Reasons you might like Kuroko's Basketball...

Karasune Karasune says...

The sport is different, but KuroBasu and YowaPeda both focus on a main character who isn't all that impressive at first, but eventually is shown to have a unique strength that makes him rather formidable. The characters are the main charm of both shows, and along with drama, intense matches, and a slight addition of some really good comedy, these two will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat, even if you're not much of a sports fan.

ZetsubouKaiji ZetsubouKaiji says...

These are both sports anime at their very finest. They both offer a great mix of comedy, drama, and tense exciting action all rolled into one charming package. The sports might be different, but they have the same heart of competition, friendship and team work. It might sound a little cheesy when described like that but these anime are cheesy in the best way possible, because both feature a charming cast of characters that will make you like them and care about what they are going through. 

Both these anime feature a protagonist that is a bit of an outsider, but finds his niche through his sport and his relationship with his teammates. Both these shows have a wide variety of characters so even if you don't like a couple of them, there are always plenty more to choose from and they all get their time to shine. 

If you're looking for a sports anime that can deliver tension and excitement along with some great comedy then try both of these fantastic shows. 

Shima86k Shima86k says...

Both Anime are extremely exciting sports based anime, about the main character whom is a prodigy training to overcome people whom are better at the sport then themselves through teamwork and will. Highly recommend both of them.

Baby Steps

Baby Steps

The story follows "Ei-chan," a punctual and earnest boy who has strived for straight As since elementary school. The 15-year-old high school boy stops by a tennis school to deal with his lack of exercise. There, he meets Natsu, a beautiful, earnest girl who only has passion for tennis. In turn, he awakens a deep passion for tennis within himself.

3 votes

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Reasons you might like Baby Steps...

NeverThatBored NeverThatBored says...

Both anime have a similar feel. They're about entirely different sports, but they're both about rookies who get started in a new sport in high school and have a lot of potential. 

jokerr jokerr says...

Shares underlying theme of underdog developing through hard work, analytical approach and strong personality

itacha4ever itacha4ever says...

Both see through the MC his journey in the ups and downs and how the MC's become stronger Both MC's are trying to be the best at what they love to doBoth series involve friends that help the MC get betterBoth series about sports

Big Windup!

Big Windup!

Ren Mihashi is a timid pitcher with problems; he has no self esteem or confidence, due to the relentless bullying of his once teammates, and is reluctant to play baseball again. However, at Ren's new school, Nishiura Prefectural High, he finds himself picking up the mitt once more. Along with the help of alumni-turned-coach Maria Momoe, tough but supportive Takaya Abe, and the rest of his teammates, Ren will regain his confidence and show the game of baseball who's the boss yet again!

1 vote

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Reasons you might like Big Windup!...

sothis sothis says...

While focusing on different sports, both Ookiku and Yowapeda focus on fairly bizarre main characters who get involved into a sport they are quite good at. A similar mix of comedy and action, and a similar tone and feel, await you in both titles.

Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting!

Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting!

Ippo Makunouchi is a loser. He has no friends, he spends his free time helping his mom with work, and he's constantly being beaten up by bullies. But that all changes when one day he's saved from another beating by Takamura, an up-and-coming boxer. Soon, Ippo turns his life around with a passion for the newly discovered sport, but his new lifestyle is far from easy! Before he can even dream of becoming champion, he'll have to overcome a slew of fierce rivals and learn what 'dedication' really means.

1 vote

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Reasons you might like Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting!...

ZetsubouKaiji ZetsubouKaiji says...

These are both series about socially awkward teenagers learning about their chosen sport from the ground up. The protagonists of both series gain confidence and grow as characters through learning about their sport. While training they develop strong friendships with their teamates or training partners. 

While the sports are different both anime have a lot of similar themes about the value of hard work and learning through experience. They are both rather successful at mixing in light hearted comedy with the more dramatic moments to prevent the tone from ever becoming too heavy.

If you're looking for a good sports anime then give one or both of these a try.  

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (2012)

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (2012)

When Jonathan Joestar was just a baby, his mother tragically died in a carriage accident, and his father George was saved by the kindness of a stranger, Dario Brando. At least, that's what George believed, unbeknownst to him that Dario was just attempting to steal from the victims. Thus, when Dario later dies and his son, Dio, comes to his doorstep, the wealthy George eagerly adopts the boy. But what should have become a budding friendship between two siblings quickly becomes a nightmare for poor Jonathan, as Dio is cruel, calculating and will go to great lengths to become George's primary heir. Little does Jonathan know that this unfortunate childhood is only the harbinger of things to come...

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Reasons you might like JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (2012)...

Karasune Karasune says...

This recommendation probably seems a little odd, but do give me a moment to explain. JoJo is a pure fighting show while YowaPeda is all about cycling, but the atmosphere of both are very much the same in some ways. They're over-the-top, cheesy, and filled to the brim with super dramatic and incredibly strange characters. Exaggerated and often ridiculous (but fun and entertaining!) techniques/powers, and the characters' reactions to these techniques, make these shows an easily enjoyable watch. YowaPeda may not have the supernatural aspect JoJo has, but some YowaPeda characters don't even seem to be human at times. Or most of the time. Yes, I mean Midousuji. If you're okay with a major change in plot and setting and are looking for something similar in terms of atmosphere and insanely weird characters, then I think this would be a good rec for you.