by May 22nd is “Cycling Day”. It originates from the fact that the Japan Cycling Association was founded on that day in 1964. When you
Bicycles are a familiar means of transportation, often used by characters in anime and games. They use them to go to school or work, to win road races, or as a travel companion every day. Sometimes, they play a role in livening up the story by making a getaway on a bicycle. So Anime! Anime! Conducted a reader survey titled “When you think of ‘bicycle’ characters?” for the first time in two years. During the survey period from May 13th to May 17th, we received responses from 89 people. The gender ratio was almost equal. About 30 percent of the age group was 19 or younger, and about 25 percent were in their 30s and 40s.
Commuting to school, club activities, battles… Bicycles are a big hit in all kinds of situations! The first place goes to Sakamichi Onoda from “Yowamushi Pedal.” The approval rating was about 9 percent, the top ranking from the previous time.
The protagonist of this work, Sakamichi Onoda, encounters bicycle racing in high school and stands out as a formidable newcomer. At first, Sakamichi wants to start an anime research club. Still, he gradually becomes fascinated with the charm of bicycles, and it is impressive to see him easily ride up the steep slopes of the school on his mamachari. Many readers sympathize with the story’s development, which goes beyond everyday life and enters the harsh road racing.
In 11th place, Junta Teshima from the same work also ranked. He was appointed as the next captain after the retirement of the upper-level students. He received votes from fans who were touched by his attitude of continuing to support the team while admitting that he is an ordinary person. Second place was tied between Takagi from “Teasing Master Takagi-san” and the unlicensed rider from “One Punch Man.” The approval rating was about 7 percent.
Takagi from “Teasing Master Takagi-san” is a junior high school student who teases Nishikata, who sits next to him in a way that makes him laugh. He commutes to school by bicycle, and the scene where he walks home with Nishikata while pushing his bike is heartwarming. The ending theme, a cover of Judy and Mary’s “Jitensha,” has also been a hot topic. Some have commented that the song selection links with Takagi’s image.
The unlicensed rider in One Punch Man is a hero ranked No. 1 in Class C. He doesn’t have the incredible power of the main character, Saitama, but his determination to protect the citizens is absolute. “His words, ‘It’s not a matter of whether I can win or not, I have to face you here!’, express everything about him. I fell in love with his heroic appearance, even though he knows he is weak,” and many readers were moved.
Here are some other comments! For Kuga Yuma from World Trigger, “I like the scene in episode 6 of the TV anime where he meets Amatori Chika while practicing cycling. He joins her in practicing, but I laughed when he fell into the river on the way.” For Long Riders! For Kurata Ami from “Yuru Camp,” he main character, who is bad at sports, falls in love with a folding bicycle at first sight, and before he knows it, he can cycle hundreds of kilometers with his friends on cycling roads. It was also cute that he named the bicycle Ponta-kun.” For Hinata Shoyo from “Haikyu!!”, “Rainy, windy, and snowy days, he commutes to school over a mountain on his mamachari. In episode 1 of season 4, Hinata pedals up a hill at night, breathing out white breath. It made my heart ache, and I want to cheer him on even more.” For Kakamigahara Nadeshiko from “Yuru Camp△, “In episode 1, she cycles 37km from her house to Lake Motosu, with an elevation difference of 770m.
In episode 3 of “Mono” by the same author, she is described as “more than a pervert, she’s a cyborg”—she has such guts.” In this survey, not only characters who are serious about cycling but also characters who use it as a daily means of transportation were included. The results clearly show that bicycles are a popular means of transportation in daily life.
Top 5 rankings [What comes to mind when you think of “bicycle” characters? 2025 edition] 1st place Onoda Sakamichi “Yowamushi Pedal” 2nd place Takagi-san “Teasing Master Takagi-san” 2nd place Mumen Rider “One Punch Man” 4th place Kakamigahara Nadeshiko “Laid-Back Camp△” 5th place Kurata Ami “Long Riders!” 5th place Hinata Shoyo “Haikyu!!” 5th place Ryoutsu Kankichi “Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-Mae Hashutsujo” (Response period: May 13th to May 17th, 2025)
Overall rankings [What comes to mind about “bicycle” characters? 2025 Edition] 1st place: Onoda Sakamichi “Yowamushi Pedal” 2nd place: Takagi-san “Teasing Master Takagi-san” 2nd place: Mumen Rider “One Punch Man” 4th place: Kakamigahara Nadeshiko “Laid-Back Camp△” 5th place: Kurata Ami “Long Riders!” 5th place: Hinata Shoyo, Haikyu!! 5th place: Ryotsu Kankichi, Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo 8th place: Kuzan, One Piece 8th place: Nohara Misae, Crayon Shin-chan 8th place: Higurashi Kagome, Inuyasha 11th place: Kyon, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 11th place: Kuga Yuma, World Trigger 11th place: Satoshi, Pokémon 11th place: Shirogane Miyuki, Kaguya-sama: Love is War, The Geniuses’ War of Love and Brains 11th place: Teshima Junta, Yowamushi Pedal 11th place: Paper Boy, Paper Boy (Response period: May 13th to May 17th, 2025) *This survey is part of a survey of readers’ “interest and attention to current anime works and characters.” The results are not intended to determine the superiority or inferiority of any character or work. We hope this article will help you learn about the series and its characters for the first time and help you gain a deeper understanding and interest in them.
