Yowamushi Pedal

Onoda Sakamichi is a huge anime fan that travels 90 round trip to Akiba on his mommy bike so he can purchase more anime goods weekly. He hates athletic teams, believing he has no athletic prowess and that the club teams are too violent. He joins Chiba Sohoku Public High School and hopes to find friends in the anime and manga club, but he learns it has been suspended due to low member amounts. Onoda hopes to restart the club, but he runs into an unexpected cyclist, Imaizumi Shunsuke, that could change his plans forever. Imaizumi plans on joining the bicycle racing team and getting revenge on another cyclist, Midousuji, for his only defeat from the past. Kanzaki Miki and Tachibana Aya also make their debuts and question why Onoda would travel to Akiba on a bicycle rather than taking a bus.

After witnessing Onoda's climbing while singing, Imaizumi challenges Onoda to a race up the school's steep rear gate slope. To spice up the competition, Imaizumi agrees to join the anime/ manga club if he loses. Onoda goes at everything with all his determination hoping to reform the club. Meanwhile Miki, her friends, and some of the bicycle club members hear about the race and decide to watch it.

The race between Onoda and Imaizumi continues. Imaizumi has passed Onoda, but thanks to a seat adjustment from Miki, Onoda has more power than ever before. With the additional power he manages to catch Imaizumi. The race comes to its exciting conclusion, but little does either individual realize Onoda's efforts have attracted the attention of the rest of the Sohoku Bicycle team.

The rear slope race has finished, and Onoda has returned to Akiba to buy some more anime goods. There he runs into Naruko Shoukichi, a boy with a Kansai accent who is riding a bike. Naruko reveals he is originally from Osaka, but his family moved for work reasons, and he is in Osaka for the first time. Onoda buys some goods for Naruko's younger siblings, and the two become friends. When a passing car throws a cigarette butt at Onoda's bike, Naruko becomes infuriated, and he talks Onoda into pursuing this car with him on their bikes. Thanks to Miki, Onoda has gained a new front derailleur that might just provide him and Naruko the means to catch the car.

Onoda returns to High School where he runs into Naruko at his schools store. Naruko encourages Onoda to join the cycling club, which he plans to join the next day, but Onoda doesn't want to give up on his dreams of an anime club. After school Onoda observes the bicycle racing clubs practice and decides he wants to see how he compares to them in a competition. Onoda also meets another first year who decides to distribute any advice one might need, since he has three years of experience, in Terufumi Sugimoto. When he submits his application to the club, Onoda meets fellow first years in Kawada and Sakurai, but nothing could have prepared him for his first task- the Welcoming Race, which he'll have to do on his mommy bike against everyone's road racers.

The welcoming race begins. Onoda is excited about the prospect of facing off with Imazmi and Naruko, but he quickly realizes he stands no chance against the others with his mommy bike. Onoda refuses to give up, even when the captain comes up in the recovery vehicle and demands Onoda pull over. Onoda thinks the captain wants him to quit. Little does Onoda realize he is about to gain a great eqailizer that could help propel him to the front as long as he can keep his balance. Onoda is given the teams spare road racer, but with only a limited amount of time to get used to it, will Onoda be able to go on?

With his new road racer Onoda quickly moves up from sixth into fourth place and makes up a five minute deficit. The captain sees Onoda's determination and decides to test his skills. He tells Onoda specifically what cadence he will need to go up the mountain if he is to catch Imaizumi and Naruko. As the recovery van matches Onoda's speed, they pass the other first years, minus Imaizumi and Naruko, and decide to let the second years coming from behind keep an eye on those three while they keep an eye on Onoda. An additional 3 minutes need to be made up if Onoda is to have any chance of catching them. Meanwhile Imaizumi and Naruko come upon an old man on the side of the road who is cheering for any cyclist that goes by. When the old man appears to fall the two stop. The old man thanks them for their help butthen warns them a third individual is coming up to make this race interesting. The two realize that the individual must be connected to the bicycle race club and get back on their bikes. As Mr. pierre watches the two continue they wonder if it is Onoda or some other individual that is gaining ground fast.

Onoda manages to catch up to Imaizumi and Naruko. Seeing Onoda ignites their fighting spirits. The three decide to test each others abilities as they race for the top of the mountain and see which of the three of them deserves to be the King of the Mountain from Sohoku's first years. Naruko eventually begins to drift as he doesn't do well in the mountains when the grade changes, but instead of letting Onoda slow down and stay with him, he chooses to give him his fighting spirit. Onoda moves on up and challenges Imaizumi for the title of King of the Mountain. As the third years watch on, they wonder what it is that keep Onoda going on, and the coach talks about how much extra fun Onoda must be having for the first time.

500 meters remain to the peak, and Onoda and Imaizumi are the only two left who can claim the title King of the Mountain. Onoda raises his RPM's by another 30 tocatch up to Imaizumi, but can he maintain that speed over the finish line of stage 2? After the mountain stage finishes, Onoda finds himself out of stamina. Despite the seniors wanting to help him, he is forced to retire from the race, but the coach awards him for his efforts with something that surprises the other first years and makes Onoda decide to stay with the cycling team for the remainder of his time at Sohoku.