# Learn Japanese with Yowamushi Pedal

> How hard its Japanese is, real words from it with kana and romaji, where to watch it, and what to watch before and after.

[Anime by Japanese level](https://ikkimi.app/anime-by-japanese-level/) › [N3](https://ikkimi.app/anime-by-japanese-level/#n3)

**The short answer:** Ikkimi rates **Yowamushi Pedal** N3 for learning Japanese: cycling words, shouting. **Good for a beginner? With some help.** It sits in the middle of Ikkimi’s levels. A beginner can follow it with kana and romaji on every word, but it is easier after one or two simpler shows.

Ikkimi lists Yowamushi Pedal on Crunchyroll. What each service carries varies by country. On Crunchyroll, Ikkimi finds a Japanese subtitle file for the episode in Jimaku’s catalogue and lines it up for you.

The Ikkimi web app and Chrome extension come on one plan. The iPhone app is coming soon.

## How hard is the Japanese in Yowamushi Pedal?

Ikkimi rates Yowamushi Pedal at **N3** (everyday Japanese at full speed). What sets its level: cycling words, shouting. Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 44 are easier and 80 are harder.

Levels follow the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). They are Ikkimi’s estimate of how hard a show’s Japanese is to follow, from how fast people talk, how many unusual words there are and how clear the voices are. They are not official JLPT ratings.

| Fact | Yowamushi Pedal |
| --- | --- |
| Ikkimi’s level | N3 (everyday Japanese at full speed) |
| Why | cycling words, shouting |
| Japanese title | 弱虫ペダル |
| Format | TV series |
| Episodes | 38, about 24 minutes each |
| First aired | 2013 |
| Genres | Comedy, Drama, Sports |
| Where to watch | [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/search?q=Yowamushi%20Pedal) |

Format, episodes, year and genres are from [AniList’s entry](https://anilist.co/anime/18179), which may cover only the first season.

## The words in the title

The Japanese title, 弱虫ペダル, is a first lesson in itself. Its 2 words, as a dictionary lists them:

| Word | Kana and romaji | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 弱虫 | よわむし yowamushi | coward; weakling; scaredy cat |
| ペダル | ぺだる pedaru | pedal |

## How to learn Japanese with Yowamushi Pedal

Ikkimi lists Yowamushi Pedal on Crunchyroll. What each service carries varies by country. Ikkimi does not stream anything: you watch on your own account, in Chrome on a computer, and Ikkimi adds a Japanese line you can click on top of the player.

### On Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll rarely has Japanese subtitles. On a Crunchyroll episode, Ikkimi looks for a matching Japanese subtitle file in Jimaku’s public catalogue, loads it and lines it up with the episode by itself. If Jimaku has no file for an episode, you can search by hand in the Ikkimi popup or load a subtitle file from your computer.

1. Add Ikkimi to Chrome: Get the extension from the [Chrome Web Store](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/ikkimi-%E2%80%94-learn-japanese/kknpmodmojiodjhbgapdgpabdehpnfcb) and sign in.
2. Play an episode: Open Yowamushi Pedal on Crunchyroll. The Japanese line appears on top of the video.
3. Click the words you keep hearing: The video pauses and the word opens: kana, romaji, meaning, JLPT level and a recording by a native speaker where one exists (never a computer voice; otherwise the line from the show plays again). Keep three to five words an episode, the ones that come up again.
4. Review them later: Kept words come back as flashcards on the Ikkimi website, with the scene and the line they came from, just before you would forget them.

## Easier and harder shows

Shows within a level of Yowamushi Pedal, with the most genres in common first.

### Easier

| Show | Level | Why | Where |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **[Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You](https://ikkimi.app/anime/kimi-ni-todoke-from-me-to-you/)** 君に届け | N4 to N3 | school romance, a polite lead | Netflix, Crunchyroll |
| **[Cardcaptor Sakura](https://ikkimi.app/anime/cardcaptor-sakura/)** カードキャプターさくら | N4 to N3 | a polite ten-year-old lead, clear voices | Crunchyroll, Netflix |
| **[Fruits Basket](https://ikkimi.app/anime/fruits-basket/)** フルーツバスケット | N4 to N3 | a polite lead, family talk | Crunchyroll |

### Also N3

| Show | Level | Why | Where |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **[Haikyu!!](https://ikkimi.app/anime/haikyu/)** ハイキュー!! | N3 | sports talk that repeats itself | Crunchyroll, Netflix |
| **[Yuri!!! on Ice](https://ikkimi.app/anime/yuri-on-ice/)** ユーリ!!! on ICE | N3 | skating words, English and Russian mixed in | Crunchyroll |
| **[Hajime no Ippo](https://ikkimi.app/anime/hajime-no-ippo/)** はじめの一歩 | N3 | boxing words, rough friendly speech | Crunchyroll, Netflix |

### Harder

| Show | Level | Why | Where |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **[Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai](https://ikkimi.app/anime/rascal-does-not-dream-of-bunny-girl-senpai/)** 青春ブタ野郎はバニーガール先輩の夢を見ない | N3 to N2 | quick banter, some science words | Crunchyroll |
| **[Dandadan](https://ikkimi.app/anime/dandadan/)** ダンダダン | N3 to N2 | very fast banter, slang | Crunchyroll, Netflix |
| **[Chihayafuru](https://ikkimi.app/anime/chihayafuru/)** ちはやふる | N3 to N2 | club talk, classical poems read aloud | Crunchyroll |

See [every N3 anime](https://ikkimi.app/anime-by-japanese-level/#n3) or all 192 [anime by Japanese level](https://ikkimi.app/anime-by-japanese-level/), and read [how to learn Japanese by watching anime](https://ikkimi.app/learn-japanese-with-anime/) from zero.

## Questions

### Is Yowamushi Pedal good for learning Japanese?

With some help. Ikkimi rates it N3 (everyday Japanese at full speed). What sets its level: cycling words, shouting. It sits in the middle of Ikkimi’s levels. A beginner can follow it with kana and romaji on every word, but it is easier after one or two simpler shows.

### What Japanese level is Yowamushi Pedal?

N3, on Ikkimi’s scale from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 44 are easier and 80 are harder. The level is Ikkimi’s estimate, not an official JLPT rating.

### Where can I watch Yowamushi Pedal with Japanese subtitles?

Ikkimi lists Yowamushi Pedal on Crunchyroll. What each service carries varies by country. Crunchyroll rarely has Japanese subtitles, so Ikkimi looks for a matching file in Jimaku’s catalogue and lines it up with the episode.

### What does the title 弱虫ペダル mean, word by word?

弱虫 (yowamushi) means “coward; weakling; scaredy cat”; ペダル (pedaru) means “pedal”.

### How many episodes does Yowamushi Pedal have?

AniList’s entry lists 38 episodes of about 24 minutes, first aired in 2013. Later seasons may be listed separately.

### What should I watch before Yowamushi Pedal?

Shows a little easier than Yowamushi Pedal, with genres in common: Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You (N4 to N3), Cardcaptor Sakura (N4 to N3) and Fruits Basket (N4 to N3).

Sources: show details from [AniList](https://anilist.co); meanings from JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0); readings and word splits from kuromoji.js with IPADIC; JLPT word levels from Jonathan Waller’s unofficial lists. See [Credits](https://ikkimi.app/credits/). Spotted a mistake? Tell us at [hello@ikkimi.app](mailto:hello@ikkimi.app).

Tonight’s episode is a lesson.

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Source: https://ikkimi.app/anime/yowamushi-pedal/ · Updated 2026-10-30 · Contact: hello@ikkimi.app · More: https://ikkimi.app/llms.txt