Cycling anime is typically a subgenre of the shonen sports animes, however it does occasionally feature in other realms of animation. This list is going to showcase some of the best cycling anime (including animated feature length films) from around the world…though, they’re mostly Japanese (because, anime).
I’ll do my best to include the best and most well-known shows, as well as a few gems you might have missed. In the case of shows that happen to also have feature length animated movies, I’ve included them as one entry, and ignored any non-animated ventures (you don’t need to see Yowamushi Pedal eleven times in one list!).
If you’re looking for a list of movies, check out the Best Cycling Movies from Around the World. And if you’re after documentaries, check out The Best Documentaries About Cycling.
Hardcore fans may notice that I’ve not included the fairly popular Idaten Jump. While “cycling” does play a big part in it, I felt like it’s just not right for this list. (Or really any list. I don’t think it’s very good.)
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Best Cycling Anime & Cartoons
A rundown of some of the best cycling anime of all time. This list includes all the best animated features and shows about cycling!
Original Release Date: 2013
Length: 113 episodes (4 seasons), 5 animated films
Genre: Sports Anime - Shonen
A timid otaku shows some serious climbing ability, and is convinced to join his high school’s cycling team as they train for the upcoming championships – a fairly standard premise, but exciting animation, entertaining characters, and excellent pacing has made this possibly the most popular cycling anime there is.
Original Release Date: 2003
Length: 47 minutes
Genre: Sports Anime – Seinen
The story of a Spanish pro competing in the Vuelta, who overhears that he will be fired following the conclusion of the race. This cracker of a film will have you rooting for Pepe as he suffers through the trails of life and road by continuing to pedal just a little bit harder. It spawned a worthy sequel in “Nasu: A Migratory Bird with a Suitcase” which was released in 2007.
Original Release Date: 2014
Length: 7 minutes
Genre: Animated Short
A short but sweet film about a girl that competes against a schoolmate in bike race up a hill. Well animated, and a good way to spend 7 minutes. (Bonus: It has an animated Bradley Wiggins!)
Original Release Date: 2007
Length: 26 episodes
Genre: Sports Anime - Shonen
The story of Mikoto Shinozaki who wants to become the best cyclist in the world. This one season show provides a somewhat more realistic depiction of cycling and cycling clubs than Yowamushi Pedal, while still managing to be exciting and entertaining (though, the animation is a bit choppy and the story does occasionally drag).
Original Release Date: 2016
Length: 12 episodes
Genre: Slice of Life
Something away from intense competitive cycling, Long Riders! follows a young girl’s journey into the world of cycling as she aims to form a team and ride a brevet – it’s charming, easy to watch, and seems to be the only show that really addresses how expensive cycling can be (and what a shock that is!).
Original Release Date: 2017
Length: 13 episodes
Genre: Slice of Life
Honestly, this one takes a couple of episodes to get into. And out of all the entries in this list, I found this to be the least entertaining cycle anime. The story follows a group of girls who form a high school cycling club, the focus is more on scenic touring – it does talk a lot about bikes, which was cool but it doesn’t have the humour, excitement, or depth that any of the other entries on this list do.
Original Release Date: 2003
Length: 78 minutes
Genre: Animated Film / Comedy
The story of a Madame Souza trying to rescue her kidnapped grandson, a pro who was competing in the Tour de France. This oddball French comedy as almost no dialogue, but is a must watch for fans of the genre.
Original Release Date: 1995
Length: 6 episodes
Genre: Comedy / Ecchi
This one is a bit of a stretch as its more about the lead character’s exploits, but his bike (the Mikazuki 5) does feature quite a bit as he rides around looking for odd jobs (that’s the whole premise of the show. It gets a little crazy.). Honestly, it’s better than it sounds!
Aaaand, that’s it for the best cycling anime available at the moment…I think. Have I missed anything? What’s your favourite cycling anime or cartoon? Let me know in the comments below.
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