The fourth season of the anime "Yowamushi Pedal" has begun! The story begins on the first day of the second year's Inter-High, with the race to the finish line. Will Sohoku, Hakodate Academy, or Kyoto Fushimi emerge victorious? It's completely unpredictable, and the action is heating up!
Today, we'll be focusing on popular "Yowamushi Pedal" character, Ashikiba Takuto, and taking a closer look at his charms. Ashikiba is the ace of rival school Hakone Academy, and is making his first appearance in the Inter-High. We can expect him to do even more great things in the future! So, let's take a look.
Takuto Ashikiba's Profile
- Nickname: Shikiba
- Gender: Male
- Birthday: October 2nd
- Star Sign: Libra
- Height: 202 cm
- Hometown: Chiba Prefecture (same junior high school as Teshima)
- Role: Ace Climber
- Number: 11
- Bicycle: Wilier Triestina (Pink)
- Favorite Things: Piano
- Technique: Metronome Dancing
- Voice Actor: Miyano Mamoru
- Stage Cast: Azuma Keisuke
Takuto Ashikiba's unique features aren't just physical!?
Ashikiba is a whopping 202 cm tall! He's quite tall.
His charming features are his curly bangs and the heart-shaped mole on his right cheek. He has orange hair and blue eyes. He has a very cute face.
His running style is a "climber," and he's taking on the role of ace at this year's Inter-High.
His special skill is playing the piano.
And when it comes to Ashikiba, she's first and foremost known for her "natural character."
She's extremely serious and doesn't even consider herself natural... but she has a different vibe to the "mysterious" second-year climber Manami, and it's hard to keep up with the comments.
The History of Takuto Ashikiba
In fact, Ashikiba has a long history of indefinite suspension. He was never allowed to race. He wasn't even required to attend the Inter-High.
This goes back to Ashikiba's first year.
Even after entering high school, Ashikiba continued to struggle with his growing height. When he rode his bike, his center of gravity would wobble, making it difficult for him to move forward.
His peers would tease him, saying things like, "You're so tall, you'd be perfect for being the laundry girl." Ashikiba was considering becoming a manager, but then a helping hand came along.
He received advice from Fukutomi and Shinkai.
Having fallen into a slump, Ashikiba decided to find his own style and enter his first race.
However, he was unable to run as well as he had hoped. Overwhelmed by the pressure of not being able to catch up with the leaders, he began to run backwards up the uphill course.
He ran backwards down the course while wearing the jersey of the reigning champions, Hakone Academy. This was an unprecedented act that would never be tolerated. As a result, Captain Fukutomi suspended Ashikiba indefinitely.
But then, a chance for Ashikiba to make a comeback presented itself. After his first year's Inter-High, the Minegayama Hill Climb Race was his comeback race.
Sohoku won the overall championship at that year's Inter-High, with Hakone Academy coming in second. And it was our protagonist, Onoda Sakamichi, who crossed the finish line in the end.
Shinkai tells Ashikiba to "go and beat Onoda Sakamichi," and sends him off to the race. It's been quite a while since he last raced.
However, he ends up losing. Ashikiba is truly frustrated, but from here on out, he sets his sights on becoming the best athlete at the Inter-High.
Relationship with Sohoku Captain Junta Teshima
Ashikiba is childhood friends with Sohoku Captain Junta Teshima. They called each other "Shikiba" and "Jun-chan."
In middle school, when Ashikiba was playing the piano at school, Teshima said, "That's amazing!" The two gradually became close friends.
One day, Teshima encouraged Ashikiba to try cycling.
And so the two began riding road bikes together.
"I want to win the world, you'll laugh, right?" Teshima muttered, to which Ashikiba firmly replied, "I won't laugh!!" and "Jun-chan can do it!!"
The honest Ashikiba always praised and respected Teshima, and they became close friends.
After graduating from junior high, they went to different high schools. Teshima to Sohoku High School, and Ashikiba to Hakone Academy...and joined the same cycling club.
The two, who were once best friends, became rivals who could not give in to each other.
Then, at the Minegayama Hill Climb Race mentioned earlier, there was a deciding moment between the two.
"When I heard that Jun-chan was the captain of Sohoku, I thought she was a perfect fit. I think Jun-chan is capable of that."
(Quote from Volume 28 of the manga "Yowamushi Pedal")
Ashikiba was determined to win, while Teshima was hanging on.
"Amazing. Jun-chan is amazing, as expected. The scouts at this year's CSP training camp said, 'Teshima, a second-year, isn't that great.'
I couldn't say it, but I thought that wasn't true. They'll have a debriefing session later!!"
The two former childhood friends will once again compete in preparation for the Inter-High.
What is Takuto Ashikiba's Running Style?
Ashikiba's running style is called "metronome dancing." He accelerates while swaying his body back and forth in time with the rhythm of Symphony No. 9. It's so named because it looks just like a metronome.
This technique was born during a slump, when he was talking with his senior colleague, Shinkai.
Takuto Ashikiba's airheadedness is adorable
As I've mentioned several times before, Ashikiba is by far the most airheaded character in Yowamushi Pedal. (But he's unaware of it!)
There are countless examples of this, and only ace assistant Yukinari Kuroda can make the right witticisms.
Here are some stories about Ashikiba's naivety.
First, there's a scene where ace assistant Kuroda points out that he's "naive," but Ashikiba replies with mysterious confidence, "There's nothing naive about me."
Kuroda: "That's what makes me so naive! According to a Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications survey, 90% of naive people don't even realize it themselves!"
Ashikiba: "Really?!"
Kuroda: "You're kidding! Realize it! What kind of survey is this?"
Ashikiba: "I wonder if I'm even included in that number..."
Kuroda: "That's why I'm lying. Who's going to investigate?! Don't be so worried about the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications!"
Kuroda's retort isn't exactly sensible, but it does reveal how naive Ashikiba is. He's truly unaware of it and completely serious.
Also, Ashikiba's quirky personality shines through in the scene where he meets Imaizumi and Onoda at the Minegayama Hill Climb Race. Searching for Onoda, Ashikiba visits Sohoku.
Ashikiba: "Are you Onoda?" (Looks at Imaizumi)
(Silence for a moment)
Ashikiba: "Are you Onoda?" (Looks at Onoda here)
Onoda and Imaizumi: "(We did it again!)"
After this, Ashikiba acts as if nothing happened, but he confuses Imaizumi for Naruko, and finally Imaizumi for Sugimoto. It seemed he hadn't even recognized Imaizumi, and Imaizumi was shocked.
Imaizumi: "Um, can I just say something?"
Ashikiba: "Hmm? Yeah, that's good... No, no, no. There's no reason for me to be pointed out!!"
Onoda/Imaizumi: "What?! (That's hard to say!!)"Source: Yowamushi Pedal ©Watanabe Wataru (Weekly Shonen Champion) / Yowamushi Pedal Production CommitteeHe was unaware of this again.
Ashikiba has strong opinions and thoughts, but he's also a bit of a naive character. This contrast may be one of the reasons for his popularity.
Takuto Ashikiba is played by Mamoru Miyano
【さすがです】主人公役の #福山潤、“イケメンすぎる”というダメ出しに「悪い気はしない」
— ライブドアニュース (@livedoornews) April 16, 2018
坂本竜司役の #宮野真守 は、コミカルさを出しすぎて「ふざけすぎです」と言われてしまったそう。#ペルソナ5 #p5a pic.twitter.com/RxBQiC323IBy the way, the voice actor is Mamoru Miyano. He's really popular, isn't he?
In fact, Miyano also voiced a movie-exclusive character in the Yowamushi Pedal movie, and now he's been selected to play Ashikiba.
Also, in the stage play "Yowamushi Pedal," it's Keisuke Azuma. Ashikiba also plays a major role in the hugely popular stage play "Peda Stage." Azuma has also appeared in "Touken Ranbu" as Shokudaikiri Mitsutada and "Hakuoki" as Sanosuke Harada. He's a very popular, handsome actor who mainly works in 2.5-dimensional musicals and stage productions.
Summary
Source: Yowamushi Pedal © Wataru Watanabe (Weekly Shonen Champion) / Yowamushi Pedal Production Committee
That concludes our introduction to Hakone Academy's ace, Takuto Ashikiba!
Both the anime and the manga are currently in the middle of the Inter-High. As the ace, we can expect to see Ashikiba's performance.
His relationship with Teshima is also of interest.
