Overview
Uma Musume Pretty Derby (ウマ娘プリティーダービー) is a multimedia franchise created by Cygames. A mobile game for iOS and Android was scheduled to debut in late 2018 and then delayed to February 2021. A 13-episode anime television series adaptation by P.A. Works aired from April to June 2018, followed by a second season by Studio Kai which aired from January to March 2021. A third season has been announced. An anime television series adaptation of the spin-off manga Umayon aired from July to September 2020. A short web anime titled Umayuru premiered in October 2022. A second web anime titled Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Road to the Top is set to premiere in Q2 2023.
Plot
In a world very much like our own, great race horses of the past have a chance to be reborn as "horse girls" — girls with the ears and tails of horses as well as their speed and endurance. The best of these horse girls go to train at Tokyo's Tracen Academy, hopefully moving on to fame and fortune as both racers and idols.
The first season features Special Week, a high school horse girl from the countryside, who has just transferred to Tracen. She's determined to fulfill her promise to her mother to become the best horse girl in Japan. On her way to school, she visits the race track and instantly falls in love with Silence Suzuka's style, becoming determined to race on the same team as her.
The second season features Tokai Teio as the main character, and draws focus to other side characters such as Mejiro Mcqueen, Rice Shower, and Mihono Bourbon. Like the horse she is based upon, she suffers multiple injuries and struggles to remain one of the best racers.
Characters
Most of the horse girls are named after famous legendary Japanese racehorses and are inspired by their careers and personalities. Each horse girl wears a ribbon or other accessory on one ear (or wears a hat that tilts toward one ear); if it's on the girl's right ear (viewer's left) then that girl's namesake was a stallion, or if it's on the girl's left ear (viewer's right) then her namesake was a mare.
Team Spica (Anime only)
She serves as the protagonist for the anime's first season and the final chapter of Part 1 of the video game's main story.
A young horse girl raised in Hokkaido, she never met another horse girl until she joined the Academy. Her birth mother died shortly after she was born and she was raised by her human mother to be the best horse girl in Japan. She has great stamina and speed and an instinct on the track as to when to hold back and when to open up.
In the main story of the video game, she will become a member of Team Sirius after Narita Brian, aiming to be the best horse girl in Japan.
She serves as the co-protagonist for the anime's first season and the protagonist for Chapter 5 of Part 1 of the video game's main story.
An accomplished young horse girl. She is one generation older than Special Week, is Special Week's roommate and teammate. Her racing, performance, and friendship inspire Special Week. Her goal is to make people dream and she believes that is what it means to be the best horse girl. Later on in the anime she goes to America.
In the main story of the video game, she becomes a member of Team Sirius with the advice of Special Week and the trainer.
She serves as the protagonist for the anime's second season.
A talented horse girl on Special Week's team. She has a strong admiration for the Student Council President, Symboli Rudolf, and wishes to one day be as good as her. She becomes Mejiro McQueen's rival, but suffers from repeated injuries.
She serves as the co-protagonist for the anime's second season and the protagonist for Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the video game's main story.
A horse girl of the famous Mejiro family. She is one generation older than Tokai Teio. She joined Special Week's team after being implored by Gold Ship numerous times. She may initially seem cold and blunt, but she actually cares for others and is willing to help them when needed.
In the main story of the video game, she is the only remaining member of Team Sirius and will race with a new trainer.
A horse girl on Special Week's team, Spica. She is somewhat eccentric and seems to hold a deep admiration for and friendly rivalry with Mejiro McQueen. Initially, she was the only team member.
In the main story of the video game, she became a member of Team Sirius after Mejiro McQueen, but she isn't physically fit yet and rarely races.
She is a young horse girl who is a junior of Special Week, is one of the first three to join the team with Daiwa Scarlet.
She is also a young horse girl who is a junior of Special Week and is a Vodka rival.
Team Rigil (Anime only)
The student council president of the academy. One of the Triple Crown Horse Girls.
In the manga "Cinderella Gray", she has Oguri Cap incorporated into the Central Academy.
The student council vice president of the academy. She is a rival of the same generation as Silence Suzuka.
She is Rittō dormitory director. She calls young horse girl "Pony-chan". She is of the same generation as Mayano Top Gun.
She is Miho dormitory director. She is particular about face-off. She is a rival of the same generation as Narita Brian.
A horse girl from USA who is friends with Special Week. She gets injured and is unable to race for a short time, but aspires to regain her former speed and surpass Silence Suzuka.
A horse girl from USA who received training abroad and aspires to compete in foreign races. She sees Special Week as her rival, but remains on friendly terms with her even when competing together.
She is the strongest horse girl called "Supercar" or "Monster".
She is the generation of Silence Suzuka from USA and has the best sprint performance.
Team Canopus (Anime only)
She is a generation of Tokai Teio, and although she does not perform well, she is working very hard. She is also a friend of Silence Suzuka in the anime's first season.
She is a generation of Tokai Teio, and although she does not perform well because she runs at full power at any distance, she unilaterally sees Tokai Teio as a rival.
She is a generation as Mejiro McQueen and is also in the same room in the dormitory. She is careful not to get injured.
She is a generation as Rice Shower and often runs the same races. She is unlucky and often has nosebleeds.
Related Videos
Game version opening
TV anime (1st season) official opening & ending
TV anime (2nd season) official opening
Related Article
External Links
Uma Musume Project - official website
Uma Musume Project - official Twitter (@uma_musu)
YouTube channel (@UMAMUSUME_official)
Lantis label - Uma Musume: Pretty Dreby related discography
pixivision: Fan Art from Uma Musume Pretty Derby [Top Internet Buzzwords 2021] - An Obvious Winner…!
Wikipedia: Uma Musume Pretty Derby - Wikipedia
