Rewind: Yowapeda

When a decent sports anime begins airing, it quickly lands a spot on my "watching" list. But I follow some sports anime closer than others. Yowapeda, or Yowamushi Pedal, is classified among the "others." I started following it near its inception in Fall 2013, but I didn't watch it every week. Compared to Kuroko's Basketball or Ace of the Diamond, Yowapeda fell short. I'm still not sure why it has such a high average rating on Anime-Planet.

Onoda and one of his senpai singing his favorite anime OP as they
make their way from the back of the back to the front, to rejoin the rest
of the team in episode 36

It's not that I dislike Yowapeda. On the contrary, I really like Onoda. He's an otaku, which grabbed my attention, and I loved watching his otakudom merge with--and even enhance--his newfound athleticism. First, his bike rides to Akihabara strengthened him. Then, his "Love Hime" song gave him and his senpai strength to succeed in their race. I enjoyed all of this.

And yet, ultimately, the characters failed to capture my heart. They often entertained me, sparked at least some level of inspiration, and even creeped me out. But they didn't move me.

For more of my comments on Yowapeda, and my theory about why Midousuji is so creepy, browse the Yowapeda tag on my Tumblr.  Also, see my post from May about sports anime.