# Umamusume: Pretty Derby (2018)

> A countryside high schooler transfers to Tokyo's Tracen Academy, where reborn racehorses compete as horse girls chasing racing and idol stardom.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/67164

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 39
- Episode runtime: 24 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, comedy, drama
- Network: TOKYO MX, BS11
- Cast: Machico, Hinaki Yano, Marika Kouno, Saori Onishi, Hina Tachibana, Azumi Waki, Sayumi Suzushiro, Hitomi Ueda
- TMDB rating: 7.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8253268/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: cheerful, earnest, comforting, uplifting, competitive

## What critics say

Audiences rate the series positively, praising its warm sports-anime spirit, character-driven racing, and distinctive premise of historical racehorses reborn as girls.

## Synopsis

Umamusume: Pretty Derby (2018-2023) is a Japanese animated sports slice of life series produced by P.A.WORKS and Cygames and broadcast on TOKYO MX and BS11, spanning three seasons of thirteen episodes each. Special Week, a determined high school girl from the countryside, transfers to Tokyo's Tracen Academy with a promise to her mother to become the best horse girl in Japan. Horse girls are people who carry the ears, tails, speed and endurance of legendary racehorses reborn into the modern world. Her engine is simple and sincere: she idolizes the racing style of Silence Suzuka (voiced by Marika Kouno) and wants to join her team, while rivals and training setbacks test her resolve. Each episode is built around training regimens, team politics, and the lead-up to races, with idol performances and campus life woven between competitions. Machico voices Toukai Teiou, Hinaki Yano voices Kitasan Black, and Saori Onishi voices Mejiro McQueen, rounding out a cheerful ensemble. The tone is bright, earnest and comforting, with moments of genuine competitive tension. Fans of Haikyu!! and Chihayafuru will find resonance in its youthful striving, friendship and sports-school coming-of-age warmth.

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