Just a few days ago, on March 22, the official website and X (Twitter) account of the animated franchise “Uma Musume Pretty Derby” released a last promotional trailer for the movie “Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Beginning of a New Era,” in which you can enjoy a preview of the movie’s main theme, titled “Ready!! Steady!! Derby!!,” composed and written by Masayoshi Ōshi. As planned, the movie will be released in Japanese theaters on May 24.
The movie “Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Beginning of a New Era” is directed by Ken Yamamoto (Pokémon: Hisuian Snow) for Cygames, while the script is written and supervised by Kiyoko Yoshimura (Cardfight!! Vanguard G). On the other hand, Tetsuya Kobari (Uma Musume Pretty Derby Season 3) is responsible for the scenario, and Jun Yamazaki (Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Road to the Top) is in charge of character design and animation direction.
In the movie, the action follows Jungle Pocket, who wants to participate in the classic Triple Crown race, which can only be run once in a lifetime. For this occasion, she faces her rivals Agnes Tachyon and Manhattan Cafe.
What is “Uma Musume Pretty Derby”?
It is a multimedia franchise by Cygames that started as a game for mobile devices, which was finally released in February 2021, after several beta tests that began in February 2018. The anime version of the franchise began with a first installment in the form of a TV series by P.A. Works, aired in Japan between April and June 2018, and had a total of 12 episodes, followed by a special episode in June 2018, and three OVAs released in December 2018.
The second season, which had 13 episodes, was aired on Japanese television between January and March 2021, although on that occasion, the studio in charge was Studio Kai. The second season also had an OVA released in February 2022. “Uma Musume Pretty Derby” received its third season in 2023, which had 13 episodes that were aired between October and December 2023.
The first two seasons of the main anime “Uma Musume Pretty Derby” are available on the Crunchyroll platform, in the original version, and with subtitles in various languages, totaling 26 episodes between both.
In addition to the main series, the franchise has three spin-offs; the first, a series based on the yon-koma manga titled Umayon. The series was produced by DMM.futureworks and W-Toon Studio, under the direction of Saiya Miyajima, and was aired between July and September 2020 in Japan, with 12 episodes and 12 OVAs. The second animated spin-off is Umayuru, with 12 episodes animated by Scooter Films, with Miyajima in direction and character design. Umayuru premiered on YouTube in October 2022. The latest and most recent, “Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Road to the Top,” consists of 4 episodes, which were aired between April and May 2023, and are currently available on YouTube with subtitles in multiple languages.
Synopsis of “Uma Musume Pretty Derby”
It is an anime series that combines elements of sports, comedy, and drama in a unique world where horse girls, known as “Uma Musume,” compete in horse races while aspiring to become idols. These girls not only possess the speed and elegance of racehorses, but also have the ability to sing and dance. The story follows Special Week, a horse girl who moves to the city to attend Tracen Academy, a school specialized in training Uma Musume to compete in national races.
Throughout the series, Special Week forms friendships and rivalries with other Uma Musume, each inspired by real racehorses with their own stories and personalities. Under the guidance of her coach and with the support of her teammates, Special Week strives to achieve her dream of becoming the best racer in Japan, facing challenges both on and off the track. The series explores themes of friendship, self-improvement, and the pursuit of excellence, all set in a colorful and exciting world where horse racing and idol performance uniquely merge.
Perhaps this article has turned out to be a bit long, but we believe it is necessary to explain the complete context to understand what this new movie that will arrive very soon, “Uma Musume Pretty Derby: The Beginning of a New Era“, is about. We would like to think that after such a description, you will be looking forward to its premiere, right? … RIGHT? …Okay, now we ask you to go through the comments and leave us your opinion about this franchise, you surely have something to say. And as always, we will be reading! 😉
Images Source: Official TOHO Movie YouTube Channel, Uma Musume Pretty Derby: The Beginning of a New Era Official Site, X (Twitter)
