Uma Musume: Pretty Derby - Shin Jidai no Tobira

It's everything I hoped for and more.

Coincidentally caught the movie while on vacation in Tokyo recently and was once again impressed by this series. The movie manages to capture in great detail the serious elements seen in S2. I found no pacing issues in it's arguably short runtime.

While all of the elements of the movie stood out as amazing, the direction and cinematography particularly during races is to me worth much more than my mere 2000 yen ticket. Even if a new viewer had not watched any previous installments in the film, the movie is presented in a manner that conveys the basic premise ... extremely well without making the movie difficult for fans of the series.

One of the best movie I've ever seen

BOANE premiered in cinemas on May 24th this year, and I've waited for a chance to see it outside of cinemas, especially with the high praise it got from those who got the opportunity to see it. Even with the high bar of expectation that was set for it, it exceeded it in all metrics.

Tight pacing, incredible composition, beautiful colors, fluid animation, wonderful character writing, and acting, and it all meshes in 1 hour and 45 minutes of absolute cinema. It is everything that you'd want in a movie. Everything that Cygames has done in the past is completely ... outclassed by this movie, for it seems that they took what they've learned from making previous shows like Priconne and bangbangbravern and applied that knowledge to make this movie.

Will not go into details so that more people can watch this unspoiled, but I will point out my one nitpick of the movie is Cafe's slightly lacking involvement in the movie, despite being promoted as part of the main 4. This is a nitpick because she did serve her purpose in the narrative and theme of the movie, but I do think it is the time constraint of 1 hour and 45 minutes that causes this, however, this does mean that they managed to focus more on Jungle pocket and keeping the pacing tight, which is definitely the right decision.

I do want to give some backround. I'm a late comer to the Pretty Derby Franchise. I actually started on season 2, then season 3, the ciderella grey season, and then season 1.

If I had to rank the above best to "worst" - Season 2, Cinderella Grey, Season 3, and then Season 1. Season 1 is still worthy of an "8". It's just that the others are so great that it's up against strong challengers.

Now where would I rank this movie? Last, easily last. I would give it a 6.5. It's not bad-bad, but it is very underwhelming and it makes me question ... the choice to make a movie about these characters rather then some beloved characters from the anime that didn't have a lot of spotlight.

CHARACTERS
Well, the biggest complaint that I have is that Jungle Pocket is not a likeable character. Although the "Cocky newbie who gets humbled early on" niche has been done many times before.....it certainly doesn't help endear the character to me that she keeps up this attitude all the way through the movie without much substance to her. If anything, if she were in a seasonal anime, she would probably be placed in a minor antagonist role to an MC.

Tachyon could have been an MC that I would root for. Besides her, Oguri Cap, and Haru.........I really couldn't care less about the other characters.

THE ART AND ANIMATION
It's largely very good....mostly regarding the environments (school, track, weather, etc). The character models , specifically their facial expressions, feels out of place at certain times when you compare it to the environment. Imagine if you were watching a serious movie and the characters had a cgi-created looney toon facial expression. In season 2 of Pretty Derby and beyond the studios did a really good job of amping the races by the atmosphere of the characters. However, in this movie, it takes it too far. I was watching Tachyon have some sort of delusional vision with twinkly stars and other things for like 20 seconds in the middle of the race and when she snapped out of it, the race was over.

But I do want to go back and address the facial expressions of the characters. I have no idea why this movie made Jungle Pocket look like she has a crazed reaction for 90% of the time she's on the screen. That's bad enough, but that same "crazed" facial expression happens in the races.

Another aspect of the animation that I didn't like is an old complaint....and that is some animes try to convey "speed" by warping the characters' faces into smudges that no longer look normal. The second half of Naruto vs Pain is a good example of what I mean.

STORY
It's a typical "I want to be the best" plotline, but without much else.

The epitome of sports anime.

Since Umamusume's anime debut in 2018, the series has undergone a very noticeable evolution. Initially, what was an easygoing CGDCT with horse girls inspired by IRL racehorses shifted to stories that focused on building drama through more serious narratives and greater emphasis on the sports aspect.
This entry is a culmination of how ambitious the telling of these stories gets.

Plot: Cypictures creates a simple yet very entertaining story.
Our protagonist horse girl wants to become the strongest, and despite feeling the impact of setbacks, she keeps pushing forward to make her ambition come true.

Characters: Some characters might ... be pointed out as the weakest link in this movie - some criticism is warranted given a lack of greater development throughout the movie given their position. This could probably have been remedied by a longer runtime, which also affected other aspects, but I'll put that for later.
Despite this problem, they are all fine. Pokke, especially, is very fun. Writers struck an excellent balance between her energetic and competitive personality - without overstepping into exaggerations and cringe -, with a more centered behavior of a normal person that feels appropriate.
The depiction of the effects of Pokke's "setbacks" on her performance during the movie feels very real and has subtlety to it.

Pacing: The last act of the movie felt constrained by the runtime. This rush had some effect on the delivery of the climax, which could have been more impactful if given the proper extra time.

Visuals/Sound/Direction: This last point is what makes this movie shine. The animation is outstanding, nothing short of. This movie delivers one of the best productions recorded in modern anime.
The ambitious direction heightens the weight of scenes through a myriad of employed elements: dynamic angles and pan shots, overaccentuated facial expressions, unorthodox soundtracks, visual imagery, and sound effects come together to create an experience that is absolutely unique.

Due to the simplicity of the story, some problems with the characters, and a little bit of trouble structuring the final stretch, I don't feel like a 10/10 is quite appropriate for this movie.

9/10

If you’re familiar with Uma Musume as a franchise, you might already know that the series doesn’t shy away from tackling more serious themes beneath its cutesy, idol-like surface. The bright and cheerful character designs don’t tell the full story—and I first noticed this back in season 2 of Uma Musume: Pretty Derby.
While I’m not here to discuss the earlier entries, I think it’s important to understand that this movie didn’t suddenly emerge with a deep message out of nowhere. Rather, it feels like a natural evolution—diving even deeper into emotional and psychological territory than the franchise has before.

So, what makes this movie feel so ... deep and thought-provoking? Let’s take a closer look.
The core story is actually quite simple—and not unfamiliar if you’ve seen previous entries in the Uma Musume series. We follow our main protagonist, Jungle Pocket, who finds inspiration to pursue competitive racing after witnessing someone else’s passion and determination.
However, she quickly realizes that reaching the top isn’t just about talent or motivation—it comes with real hardship. These challenges take many forms: injuries, seemingly unbeatable rivals, or the crushing anxiety of disappointing yourself and those around you. That being said, the message becomes clear from the very beginning: you shouldn’t give up on your ambitions despite the overwhelming fear you might face along the way.

Now, the plot summary and message might sound just “alright” to you—but what really sells this movie are its incredible stylistic choices. For the most part, the film shifts into something genuinely unsettling to watch. We get uncanny sound design and disturbing shots of the characters, making them look lost or hopeless. You can truly feel the anxiety the characters experience just by watching. Everything feels unreal, and the characters keep sinking further down, buried in fear, unable to truly move on. In short: the movie takes a simple yet deeper message and turns it into a cinematic masterpiece, balancing hope and despair perfectly.

Beyond its stylistic achievements, the film’s emotional core is deeply rooted in the contrasting journeys of its characters—most notably, Jungle Pocket and Agnes Tachyon. These two serve as opposite sides of the same mindset. One faces the fears and challenges that come with high ambitions, while the other runs away in fear, watching others achieve what she truly desires. At the end of the day, it’s up to us to face what we fear. The film suggests that true happiness comes from the courage to keep moving forward, despite doubt and fear.

There is, however, a major drawback in the film’s setting and world-building. The Uma Musume universe is introduced rather poorly, which might leave viewers unfamiliar with the previous seasons or the world of horse racing confused. Important concepts like the significance of achieving the Triple Crown or what terms like “G1 race” mean are not adequately explained, making it harder for newcomers to fully grasp the stakes and achievements.

Now, moving on to the more technical aspects of the movie: sound and animation. I’ll keep it short—both are outstanding. As I mentioned earlier, the unique sound design plays a major role in creating the film’s unsettling and intense atmosphere, and I can only reaffirm that here. The animation is equally impressive. Given that this is a movie, the higher budget is evident in the quality of the visuals. The colors are vibrant and beautifully chosen, and the movements are fluid and expressive.
Interestingly, during the race scenes, the animation sometimes shifts into a rougher, more stylized look, which effectively highlights the tension, speed, and raw energy of the competition.

To sum it up, there’s only so much I can say—this is a film you really need to experience for yourself. While the core message may be simple—don’t give up despite fear and doubt—the way the movie explores these feelings is truly unique and powerful. Its portrayal of anxiety and inner struggle feels deeply relatable, especially since most of us have faced moments of uncertainty or fear while pursuing our dreams. The film captures not only the hope and determination needed to keep going but also the very real emotional challenges that come with it. In the end, it reminds us that growth and courage often come from pushing through the discomfort and fear that life throws at us.

Best anime film of 2024. To start, this film is a loose adaption of Japanese horse racing history using anime girls as stand ins. From that premise you would not expect how it sucks you in. The film makes you care about these horse girls and creates a strong reaction to the trials they encounter. It is amazing that Cygames was able to produce this media to promote their gatcha game but it actually stands as something that is not only animated beautifully but transmits powerful emotions to the viewer.
The problems these characters encounter are relatable to anyone who has attempted to compete at anything ... at a high level. It gives a satisfying conclusion and does not follow a boring narrative.

Beginning of a New Era is a short but masterfully created movie that mostly focuses on one Kemonomimi horse girl: Jungle Pocket. A typical shonen type of protagonist wanting to reach the top and win races to show how strong and fast she is. Like most shonen type of protagonists she does feel lacking in character.

Supporting characters of Agnes Tachyon were so enjoyable with their quirky and off-putting personality that seriously elevates the movie. She is an eccentric scientist-like character who pushes her body to it's absolute limit and befitting of the Tachyon particle that is supposed to be faster than the speed of ... light. Running so fast that the only thing she chases after is her own imaginary shadow.

It was a little disappointing that Manhattan Cafe, a rather depressed looking horse girl who does not get much screen time or development is another supporting character that hangs out with Tachyon is interesting but does not have some important lore revealed into. Perhaps a future entry will focus more upon the red herring that Manhattan Cafe introduces.

TM Opera O is another supporting character introduced into the show that I wish had more time dedicated to her. One of my few gripes with the movie, and also the previous entry "Road to the Top" which will make you understand the movie much more so I would recommend watching that before this movie.

That was quite a few gripes that I personally had with the movie, however it's still rated a 10/10 and one of the extreme few I have ever rated so highly. It has unbelievable quality and budget to it. Immaculate sound effects of wind rushing, the stomps and clangs of the horse girl's horse shoes attached to their cleats, very dynamic camerawork that pans quickly on the action. It feels very fun, engaging, and immersive. It's a serious treat for the eyes and ears even if the character stories could have been written better the "action" of the horse racing is the most important part and they do not disappoint with it.

I would recommend it for anyone with an interest in Uma Musume in general. It may not be the most logical timeline to start with the movie but you need to get your foot into the door if you have been hearing others talk of the franchise, or if you're coming from the gacha game and want a quality introduction. You will not understand much of the world as a complete outsider but if your biggest concern is being unsure if you will like the premise of "horse girls racing" this is a good entry.

If you want the most logical timeline and you're willing to save the best for last then watch this as your last entry into the franchise. I am sure it will be worth it.

After watching this movie i just have to say how insanely banger it was. i don’t know how a studio manages to keep such a high level of quality for so long, and still improve year after year. Uma Musume: Pretty Derby for me is something i simply can’t let go of anymore, and just like all the others, this one stayed banger from start to finish, just like its predecessors and probably like the ones that will come after it too.

what an incredible movie. what amazing races. what an unsettling amount of depth. and what an urge it gives me to just go outside ... and run. this film solidified how good i really think Uma Musume: Pretty Derby (everything about it) actually is, and that’s something i never imagined i’d end up saying. i always had some hesitation before watching it, but now i just feel like all the time i spent away from it was a huge waste. in the end, who doesn’t want to win.

The movie "Uma Musume: Pretty Derby - Beginning of a New Era" is basically what would happen if Stanley Kubrick directed one big Uma Musume-fueled fever dream. The sound, animation, atmosphere, and story could only really be described as "airy" and "ominous".

The basic formula of all of the other Pretty Derby seasons apply to this movie; horse girls attend Tracen academy and want to run fast to win G1 races. That's basically where the similarities end. The positive vibes of the 3 Pretty Derby seasons are now replaced with rage, fear, and psychosis. The impactful and grounded scenes of ... the races are now replaced with the most surreal imagery that Uma Musume has ever had. There being no real antagonist to the main character has now been replaced with Agnes Tachyon, who emerges in this movie as Uma Musume's first real actively antagonistic character. She's a sneakily really good antagonist as well.

The animation and art design have to be commended for not just thinking out of the box, but long jumping as far away as possible from the box. Even characters in normal dialog scenes are not safe from being completely transmogrified into a blob of indescribable flesh. The racing scenes have Agnes Tachyon and Jungle Pocket rainbow-morph into their sprints so much that it is barely decipherable what is happening to the viewer. Character facial expressions move slickly like wet oil on a canvas. There is also a lot of surreal imagery which is never fully explained that is just there to try to explain the thoughts and emotions of Jungle Pocket and Manhattan Cafe. There is a scene with Tachyon where it straight up looks like she is entering the stargate sequence from "2001: A Space Odyssey".

Despite all the radical changes in animation and art design, the largest and worse change has to be the sound design. What made every Uma Musume animation really stand out was their audio; the deep pounding sound of every stomp into the turf, the leg muscles straining to their full potential in the final burst, the loud roar of the hundreds of thousands in the crowd, the bombastic brass instruments, the sharp drums, the shredding guitars, etc. The only time the audio in the 3 seasons of Pretty Derby wasn't hyped up to 11 during a race was when a major event (mostly an injury) occurred, which made these scenes hit harder than my dad after a long night at the bar. Meanwhile in "Beginning of a New Era", the music during the hype scenes are basically just eerie silence with light synth clicks/dips. They lowered the volume and tone of each stomp on the turf from what sounds like a 2000 Lb horse galloping with its life on the line to a 50 Lb kid lightly jogging in the park. There are even some scenes where Uma's are running, but the audio engineer forgot to add any sound fx for it. To summarize, sound is what creates impact for intense scenes. Lack of sound when there should be loud sounds creates tension. In "Beginning of a New Era", there is barely any loud sounds throughout, which creates an atmosphere of unease for the entire runtime.

If you are looking for a Uma Musume movie that is more of a good "movie" than a good "Uma Musume" animation, this is for you. If you are looking for the typical positive characters, upbeat music, and sane atmosphere of the first 3 seasons, it ain't here boss.

PS Haru Urara got 3 spoken voice lines, which is the only comfort to be had in this movie.

Overall Recommendation (Spoiler Free):

This movie can be watched with no prior knowledge of the series and is independent of previous installments. I believe it deserves a spot amongst the top anime movies, and would recommend it to anyone intrigued by the premise or who is otherwise a fan of the sports genre.



Review (Spoilers Ahead):

Thank you for your time, I hope you enjoy reading my review.

The depiction of three hard-edged characters with often grave and sometimes almost sinister expressions is a significant departure from the past installments, which feature sweeter, gentler personalities. This change from an established trend whilst holding to overarching themes is a constant ... of the series and - I believe - one of the reasons it has managed to hold its momentum through so many installments with largely similar premises. This movie marks the biggest such change, so much so that in the first few minutes I found myself wondering “Is this the Umamusume we know?”, yet that change has been pulled off brilliantly. In particular, Tachyon’s permanent ‘V’-shaped smile and disturbing gaze made her instantly unforgettable. A few frames of abstraction were used strategically throughout the first half, such as the hungry grin of Pocket in the classroom as she watches her target draw on the window. The frames wherein the characters literally dissolve in shock were very Bocchi-esque and really sold their expressions.

During Tachyon’s change of heart as she goes to leave the stands at the Derby, the use of a geiger-counter-like sound as a build up to Pocket’s victory roar is genius. It ties into Tachyon’s mad scientist themes and has such a powerful impact through the use of sound which the viewer will deeply associate with a great threat: radiation. The accompanying discordant sonar/siren-like sounds in this particular scene were also perfectly chosen and placed as a cue to the viewer that Tachyon’s thoughts and spirit are in great turmoil. The use of sound design to contradict her outward monologue as she climbs the stairs is masterful.

These powerful distinct sound elements stand in stark contrast with the general tone of very little background sound and music, particularly during many of the races, which is another departure from past installments in the series. This blank canvas approach allows the race commentator’s passion and the thundering of hooves to take centre stage and heighten the drama.

It is also a bold move that relies on the visual and narrative elements of the movie to hold the viewer’s attention but therefore allows creative advantages not normally available to a production constantly backed by an OST. During the trip to the beach which comes as a narrative wind-down from the climactic Derby, the chirping of the cicadas paint as much of a vivid picture of sparkling summer as any music could, and the strains and grunts of Pocket on the leg press at the gym are left unaccompanied to describe her effort, giving a more resonant sense of the work she is putting into her training.

The general absence of music allows its use to stand out more prominently, such as when the slow piano piece really sets the atmosphere during Fuji and Pocket’s chat at the festival. The transition from a set of traditionally directed and produced scenes to Pocket’s waking nightmare on the bus is a masterstroke. Realist elements such as the brief close-up on the speeding bus wheels, the single frame of the seatbelt cueing a sensation of being trapped, and Pocket’s increasingly restless legs are merged with visions of an endless chase across a vast grass flat and an unreal Tachyon grin crossing the spectre of Fuji’s face. This all serves to bring the viewer into the episode alongside Pocket herself.

These portions of moody brilliance are contrasted by moments of levity throughout the movie which are well placed and serve to accentuate the grand tone, resulting in Umamusume’s signature balance of serious high stakes and feel-good light-heartedness.

At times in the past the series has suffered a little from excessive use of the anime trope of ‘power-up shouting’. While there are moments of the classic Umamusume race climax internal monologues with building shouts: the movie also chooses to tell more with its visual and audible effects, as some of the races end with the main characters charging for the finish so intensely that not a word is spoken but for the commentator’s frantic calls.

The best example is the Yayoi Shou where Tachyon’s final push speaks entirely for itself as literal mathematical formulae begin to fall from her. As she picks up speed she begins to embody the storm which had overcast the racetrack and the viewer knows in an instant that there is a link to Cafe’s elusive “imaginary friend”.

Going back to Pocket’s win at the Derby, there is a long drawn out shot of Fuji Kiseki and Trainer Tanabe talking to one another with their eyes, a conversation that is clearly about Pocket but which the viewer is left out of, masterfully building tension for her roar and Tachyon’s realisation.

As usual with Umamusume there is very little if any fanservice or other unpleasant additions so-often included in the name of increasing popularity and sales with degenerates. The movie is unapologetically straightforward in its purpose of telling a story of rivalry, all the nuance that entails, and - crucially - nothing else.

Every scene advances the plot or develops the narrative without any filler; all the fat has been trimmed from the storyboard to the final cut in a way that is a hallmark of a great film. This is an example of how an anime movie really can reach heights of direction on par with a Tarantino, in its own way. I also believe the series as a whole demonstrates anime’s unique ability to take a bizarre premise - one that might even be called shallow at face value, particularly because it originated from a monetised mobile game - and develop it into novel, engaging stories that deserve as much appreciation as more conventional concepts.

The only two things I could say that don’t constitute total praise were that I was expecting a more conclusive ending and that I felt the idol concert was an unnecessary addition between the epic climax and the credits roll. After watching I went online and learned that Tachyon never returned to racing. Given that the series likes to stay true to history, I therefore feel it is unfair of me to criticise the movie for not including the more conclusive finale I was expecting. Working within the constraints of the truth that they set for themselves, I actually believe the climax couldn’t have been much better. It is remarkable that so much story was packed into a runtime of only 107 minutes. I also cannot criticise the movie for its idol concert ending, as this is an established element of the Umamusume franchise and it is only a matter of taste that I personally would've felt more satisfied with an immediate cut to credits. That being said, the scene did not actively detract from the movie and was well produced.

One could go on ad nauseam with ways in which the movie excelled across various aspects: the whole world turning an oppressive red for several minutes throughout the reveal of Tachyon’s retirement, perfectly villainizing her; the breathtaking use of silhouettes and the neon-bright vending machine by a lonely torii gate; the illustrators’ craft taking a mechanism as simple, tried, and true as heavy rainfall during Cafe’s big moment, and raising it to a work of art. But in the name of brevity, I will conclude my review here.

I suspect this movie will earn and retain an even higher spot on MAL’s Top Anime List once more people see it. This movie is undoubtedly a technical masterpiece.

Umamusume fans, you've already watched this. So, I'm going to try and make a case for non Umamusume fans to set aside 2 hours and give this a shot. This movie does a number of things particularly well.

First, the visuals are simply superb. Its both breathtakingly high fidelity at times, then experimental and weird at others, like a mix between a Shinkai and a Yuasa movie. If nothing else, the eye candy makes it a worthwhile watch alone.

Second, it does a great job of juggling several character stories, which keeps the pacing tight. The characters develop little by little until their arc concludes, and then, ... like dominos, the lessons they learn help the other characters reach their conclusions too. It's a more subtle framing of the "power of friendship" theme that feels more grounded in life.

Finally, the sound and directing is so unique for a media franchise designed to sell cute girls. It's sort of shot like a psychological horror thriller, and I really really like it. Sure, you get a few training montages, but the majority of time is spent on visual and acoustic metaphor depicting the mental struggles each character goes through.

My personal love for Umamusume made this film a total home run for me, but I would seriously struggle to understand someone who would actively not enjoy this movie even a little. So I encourage you to give it a shot.

The Uma Musume Movie.

Wow. I'm getting into this little review as a new fan of the anime, I've only really watched the series in full within the last 4 or 5 months and was really lucky to find a full version of this movie online earlier than anticipated, I thought I would be waiting at least until 2025 around when the next spin off season featuring Oguri-Cap is releasing, alas.


If you are a new or older fan to the series, I think this movie has absolutely everything for you. Did you ever wonder what it was like seeing a girl win the triple crown finally ... after witnessing special week, tokai teio and kitasan black all fail to deliver? A new cast of girls and some already existing cast all merge together at a much higher stakes and a much higher emotion ridden performance, in what seemed to be such a short movie comes together perfectly at the cost of your sanity. Yes that's right, after watching this you will go insane, you will be thinking, "should I actually watch real horse racing?" "Should I start gambling?" This show has taken itself to a whole new level with this movie, everything about it is so perfect to me.

The sound. The sound was better than anything I have ever heard, I checked to make sure David productions wasn't involved just to make sure, and I found out they hired Foley artists to make the most accurate and high quality sounds possible, if you have watched the movie, I'm sure you understand exactly how accurate and well designed the sound scaping was, truly a masterclass work and truly captivated me, leaving me with goosebumps several times and a newfound enjoyment for what goes on behind the scenes on making an anime movie.

Enough about the sound, the cream of the crop, the animation and cinematography, a word I wouldn't have seen myself having said a few years ago, both were absolutely breathtaking. The one scene where Jungle pocket had almost a PTSD ridden existential crisis about not being good enough and being hung over the "what ifs" it was framed perfectly, the use of sounds and animation was perfect, and the lots of little details really added uo to the enjoyment, and it proved that not only were the races high spec and enjoyable, but the actual movie itself outside of only just the "hype" moments, in which many anime seem to only put good animation and focus on "hype" rather than a well balanced approach.

Anyway enough of my rambling, you wanted a review, and to keep it super short, if you love cute, tomboyish and crazy girls doing some crazy epic running, this movie is for you, and I hope that you enjoy it a fraction of that I certainly did, this is honestly a top 3 anike movie for me I have ever seen, and I was I could describe in better words just how I feel after watching this without adding too many spoilers, since I do hardly write reviews after all.

10/10 animation
11/10 sound
10/10 cinematography
10/10 voice acting
Overall: perfect.

My God, what did I just watch — this is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

I can’t believe how a story about horse girls who just want to race can be this good and move me so much. The evolution from the first season to this movie is insane. I honestly thought there was no way to improve after watching Road to the Top, but they actually did it. This is just unbelievable — such a beautiful and emotional story, insanely good animation, and a flawless soundtrack.

And once again, they nerfed the coolest horse girl — why, God, why? Also, I loved ... seeing characters from other seasons again; the only one missing was Teio.

And how crazy is it that I just saw an edit of Haru, got curious about the franchise, and in such a short time it became one of my favorite works of all time.

And just like that, Umamusume has once again risen from the ashes.

I do not play the Umamusume game mainly because I find gacha games very dubious and that I can't really read Japanese. Nevertheless, I was a fan of the first and the second season of the anime series. When I heard of this movie, I was quite hesitant because while it has enjoyable moments, the third series was just a notable let-down in my opinion. I've watched cute horse girls run the shit around loops of grass and soil for dozens of episodes already, I've seen them lose, win, cry, sing, dance, eat piles ... of carrots, and run around loops of lumpy terrain some more. Surely it would have ran out of steam now, right?

Apparently not.

This movie is basically a short season of Umamusume, which manages its time well to avoid repeating the training montages which were already plentiful in the series. Compared to the rather down-to-earth protagonists, our main character is the cocky and downright feisty Jungle Pocket who actually give some new flavor to the staling portions of the series. The story kicks up fast... almost breakneck in its initial minutes. Jungle Pocket is no different from any shonen protagonist and while her motivation aint really that compelling, she is much better a protagonist than Kitasan Black. There are scenes involving some characters from past seasons and was always a delight to see them again even when they were just for a few seconds of cameo. HOWEVER, what stood out here in the movie were the rivals.

I've loved Gold Ship and always elevates any episode with her in it but goddamn is Agnes Tachyon a bombshell of a character. Her introduction, her personality, her voice, and her motivation was interesting. It would've been enough but the movie had the gall to give her the coolest running sequence in the series. I shit you not, her running animation and specially the sound design was spectacular. She is the best rival figure ever introduced in the whole series and that was not to mention that she is the only horse girl with a default yandere face. Also there is another rival, Manhattan Cafe who is a downright adorable goth with a mysterious affliction and mental condition. Oh and Dantsu Flame... is there. Ok so 2/3 of rivals are actually good but Agnes was just the absolute scene stealer.

The best thing in the movie was the sound and art. It just oozes style during its gorgeously animated running scenes specially with the aforementioned Agnes Tachyon scenes. I thought S3's sequences were already peak but apparently it just got ran over with this. Characterization was alright for most supporting characters. The resolution was just alright as well though I suppose this was again based on the real careers of the horses the series based them off. I doubt Umamusume as a whole will top the climax of season 2 but this was a good attempt. In the end, Jungle Pocket was worthy of rooting for, ended with a great dance number, and most of all, I was blessed with a lot of yandere glances in the Umamusume universe. I thought it would never happen

However, the movie has janks I just cant ignore. The slapstick humor around Jungle Pocket just...did not work. Her VA voice acting just sometimes does not match the needed energy for certain scenes. Likewise Dantsu Flame was forgettable and barely has presence despite her screentime. I needed to google her name just for me to remind she was part of the movie. It still uses the same athletic anime formula with some tweaks here and there. I still watched girls with horse ears and tails running in goddamn high heels going mach 4 around an arena of grass and soil. Only this time, with prettier graphics, greater sound design, and a new girl with a stare that sees through my soul. Hell, Agnes was enough to see this movie.

Watch this with the best audio setup available. The running scenes here are equal or better than most shonen fight sequences. Action-packed, mostly strong characterization, a differently-built protagonist, and Agnes Tachyon.

Just as some people adore watching race in an oval for ungodly amount of laps, I will continue to keep watching horse girls run some more dirt tracks. More Umamusume please. And more Agnes.

9/10

It's the best anime movie I have ever seen with my eyes full stop. The animation is great, the pacing is more than you could ask for, no words... Even without knowledge of the series, anyone can enjoy this. I would say this is a great way to get into the series too.


Amazing pacing and character writing, the animation and overall composition are self-explanatory. Pretty much everything you would want from a movie, I feel like it would be perfect if they had like 2 hours flat but with the time they had it exceeds expectations. The characters are all great and while yes ... some could have been fleshed out way more they all did their job. This is a great rivalry and growth story.

TL;DR 9/10
<No Spoilers here dw>

So a quick summary of how I'm going to allot points out of 10.
2/2 = Entertaining and Artistic
2/2 = Recommended to everyone, easy to pick up
2/2 = Perfect Narrative Consistency
1/2 = Atleast 1 Emotional Peak moment, but less than 3
2/2 = Caters to my 3 biases of:
1) Has Historical Inspiration
... 2) Interesting and Consistent Power System with its exploration
3) Idealogue and Deep Themes

Rubric 1 - Entertaining and Artistic:
Uma Musume is a fun sports anime about running. It is incredibly well made, and fun to watch regardless of interest. Good use of music, animation, writing, direction and effects all make it fun and hype to watch. It is also Artistically sound given its own take on exploring Themes of "Fear of never winning" and "Not being able to compare to your Rival" as well as the genuine sincere love of doing something not because of someone else or some grand idea, but a genuine instinctual draw of wanting it yourself. Full points here

Rubric 2 - Recommended to Everyone:
Even if you have never watched Uma Musume before, you can easily pick this up and enjoy it. However, if you have watched any of the other series then you will be rewarded with cameos and seeing your other favorite characters showing up, especially TM Opera O. While I am a Narita Top Road Fan, TM Opera O is also one of my favorites and seeing them both here made me really happy too! That said, you are not required to watch or know anything before. Going in blind is fine and this is actually a good intro to the series as well. Full points.

Rubric 3 - Perfect Narrative Consistency:
I define Narrative Consistency as the ability to be able to ask "What, Why, When, Where, How" at any point in the story and are able to get a clear and sensible explanation as well. The story is expertly written and incredibly sound, so you will never feel confused or out of place at any point.
I have a rant at the end that complains about the 2 other 'main' characters in Manhattan Cafe and Danatsu not getting enough love and development despite being hailed as 'Those who shaped the new Era'. But its a movie, and for the time length given I can accept focusing on Jungle Pocket and Tachyon being the main draw. Full points here too

Rubric 4 - Emotion Peak Moments (lost a point here):
I define Emotional Peak moments in 2 ways. Firstly it must arouse a deep emotional response, either as incredible joy, incredible hate even, Sadness and even cerebral thought provoking. Secondly, it must stick with you long after the credits roll.
A good example is the United States of Smash from My Hero Academia or 'CHOOSE ME BEATRICE' from Re Zero Or Literally anything from Steins;Gate lmao (Operation Arclight being one example).

Grabbing atleast 3 of these shows that its not just a fluke but a consistently good piece that can get a rise out of you that you will remember, as that is what compelling would entail.
While Uma Musume definitely made an impression at the end, undoubtedly. I can at most justify one more moment aside from that, hence falling short of 3. So it did it twice, which you can argue is amazing. But most anime achieve one peak moment anyway, its part of the formula to have a Climax. Doing it twice is special but could be a fluke. Thrice or more? Peak fiction like FMAB, Steins;Gate and Haikyuu can go upto even 5 emotional peak moments or even more.
Hence, since this had 1 or maybe 2, it doesnt get the 2nd point. Meaning, I believe It could have done better perhaps or rather it didn't go that far enough.
I concede it is subjective, but again this is how I feel about it.

Rubric 5 - Caters to my Biases
As mentioned I have 3 biases to cater to. You can safely assume an anime rated 8/10 is essentially a 10/10 since this really is completely subjective to my taste. You can have an absolutely perfect comedy series without anything deep or any history or any power systems, but it won't be getting these 2 points since I personally feel.
1) History:
Uma Musume, is literally (kinda spoiler? just dont look it up) inspired by real world races by the horses of the same name. Its really the same horses being depicted as Horsegirls but delivering the narrative of Japanese Horses throughout their career. Hence it gets the point for Historical Inspiration
2) Power System:
Power system can be magic or science or anything that works as a tool to resolve the plot. In this case it would be mechanics and knowledge pertaining to racing and athletics. There is minimal focus here, with a comment at the start about how Jungle Pocket is a natural closer. Plus you notice how Horses dont just race and scream but have tactics and strategies going into their race. Its minimal but present in this, the mainline series or Uma Musume to the Top do this much more actively. But since its a movie, I figure I could give it a pass on not fixating too much on mechanics.
3) Idealogue:
Utterly beautiful writing. There are a multitude of themes explored here and done well. But the one that stood out to me the most was the Idea of being "Strong"
I credit Gintama for doing it the best, I define strength as "the ability to overcome your limits" as in when you hit a wall on your capabilities, you essentially need to overcome your current limits to become stronger to beat your antagonist. Uma Musume executed this perfectly, along with many other themes, and in a way that was the best I feel: Your greatest enemy is yourself. Overcoming yourself by literally fighting and beating your own insecurities, your own pesimism, your own mental block is by far the best way to showcase Willpower. Strength in physical terms is one thing, but mental strength is better measured in Willpower. Full points here, it did it perfectly.

Hence thats a 9/10
You can stop reading here, but if you want to read the ramblings of a madman in an unorganized fashion, feel free to continue reading ahead. Thank you

Complaint 1 = Very little focus on Power System focus

To the Top focused on it extremey well
pointing out Top Road's strengths, and how she worked around it
It also focused on Ayabe's strengths
TM Opera O is just busted in all stats so her going for a Closing finish is good

This one did have the detail on Jungle Pocket being a Natural Closer and Tachyon being a research nut intent on breaking limits
But for everyone else there was little focus on 'How'
I get due to time limitations it focused on 'Why' instead.
But its my pet peeve since now it isnt catering to all my biases fully compared to say To The Top which infact did so


Complaint 2 =
Idk
But this really only had 1 or maximum 2 Emotional Peaks for me.

Needs 3 emotional peak moments for me to give the other point.
But honestly its debatable.

I cant give this a 10/10 alongside road the top
Maximum 9/10
but if im being quite strict it could be closer to 8/10


However after thinking alot on it.
I think ill give it a pass for the most part since its a Movie
and settle for a 9/10

I still think not giving Manhattan Cafe and Danatsu more development time to cook was a crime.
Even though you can argue the movie was centred on Jungle Pocket and Tachyon, but the ending clearly showed its the 4 horses who defined the era.

its like ending S2 with 2 extras behind Teio and Meijiro

but again i can give that a pass.

i guess the bigger reason is I only found 1 or maybe maximum 2 emotional peak moments here, something ill be remembering long after the credits roll.

This movie must be one of the most successful and beloved entries of the franchise and it's easy to see why, animation and art direction are top-notch, everyone of the main cast have a certain quirk that can make you become a new fan of theirs and the main narrative, while being almost a carbon copy of previous entries, works fine for a spokon. This movie is good, but the reason I don't gave it that much of a credit besides visuals it's precisely because of its narrative, my harshest observation may be my dislike for the main character whom may come as the blandest ... protagonist of the series, a run-of-the-mill "i wanna be the best and i'll beat ya, believe it!" shonen protagonist that some love it and others hate it, i just dislike it. The second and last harsh observation is its tone, this movie is dramatic, more than any other entry, most of the time for a good reason but there are moments when the main characters just act like POS just for the sake of drama.


That being said, i recommend and see this movie as another entry to get you started in the franchise besides the first season of the series, otherwise it may come of as a story already told 2 times before, which isn't bad itself but there's always a limit

English

This is on another level—what an insane movie, simply S-P-E-C-T-A-C-U-L-A-R in every possible way! Starting with the animation: absolutely breathtaking. Since it was made by the same studio behind the game, the quality is undeniable—they spared no effort. It’s easily one of the most visually stunning works I’ve ever seen. The direction is outstanding: the way it shifts from an eagle-eye view to the protagonist’s POV, then to a side shot that captures the intensity of all the racers, and back again to POV. Sure, we’ve seen similar sequences in previous races of the franchise, but here it’s just on a GOD-TIER level. The ... OST is flawless, and the seiyuu performances are phenomenal. Sumire Uesaka, A.K.A. Agnes—what an incredible aura she radiates with her performance!

As for the script, it doesn’t fall short either. The protagonist overflows with personality: an Uma who simply wants to compete. The rivalry she builds with Agnes is handled brilliantly, because for the first time in the franchise, a character truly feels like a full-fledged antagonist. The usual friendship/rivalry dynamic from previous entries is replaced with a pure rivalry. With Agnes as a complete "villain," the protagonist takes on a very different, more intense presence. If this is the path Uma Musume is going to follow, I honestly couldn’t be more HYPED.

Español

Esto está a otro nivel, ¡qué locura de película, simplemente E-S-P-E-C-T-A-C-U-L-A-R en todos los sentidos! Comenzando con la animación: una auténtica bestialidad. Al estar realizada por el propio estudio que desarrolla el juego, se nota la calidad en cada detalle, sin escatimar en nada. Es, sin duda, una de las mejores obras visuales que he visto. Toda la dirección es magnífica: los cambios de planos, cómo pasa de la vista de águila al POV de la protagonista, para después ir a un plano lateral que transmite toda la intensidad de las corredoras, y regresar nuevamente al POV. Sí, antes lo habíamos visto en otras carreras de la franquicia, pero aquí es sencillamente DIOS SANTO. Su OST es perfecto, y el trabajo de las seiyuus es brillante. Sumire Uesaka, A.K.A. Agnes, ¡qué aura tan imponente transmite con su interpretación!

En cuanto al guion, no se queda atrás. La protagonista desborda carácter: es una Uma que solo quiere competir. La rivalidad que forja con Agnes está construida de manera magistral, porque por primera vez en la franquicia se siente a un personaje como antagonista completo. Se rompe con la clásica dinámica de rivalidad/amistad que tenían las protagonistas anteriores y se apuesta por una rivalidad pura. Con Agnes como una "villana" total, la protagonista adquiere un matiz distinto, mucho más intenso. Si este es el camino que seguirá la saga Uma Musume, no puedo estar más HYPEADO.

The biggest mistake of this movie is the MC, welp i did'nt hate her personally but her development just meh, they use tokai teio and kitasan black formula but because give another same personality will boring they try to change from smile and kindes girl to delinquent positife girl and boom they fail..

the only one thing make this movie worth is the absolute animation, welp i believe if the MC change to manhatan and agnes, and the story just focus to those relation it will be a great movie ( thats what majority fans want and i believe with this)

The biggest, most immediate thing about Beginning of a New Era that sets it apart is that Pocket Jungle’s personality is so different than what we’ve usually seen, especially out of protagonists. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll always love the cute and fun protagonists. But Pocket Jungle is the exact opposite of them. She’s loud, brazen, cocky, and rude. It’s refreshing! Her personality type might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s definitely mine and it definitely elevated the movie for me. Regardless, she alone gives the movie an entirely different feeling from past Umamusume series.

I’m also very glad that Agnes Tachyon has more ... going on. A lot more going on. I think her vibes and looks alone were enough to capture the hearts of a lot of people before this movie, but they were never really my cup of tea. But now she has a unique motivation! It’s cool that she observes racers not just as a joke, but because that’s her unique way of improving herself! The way she acts and talks plus the fact that she’s the perfect foil to Pocket Jungle makes her feel like bona fide villain at times! The other characters are good, but those two are so good that they make up for any shortcomings of everyone else.

This movie is beautiful by the way. The colors, lighting, and shadows are so detailed that it almost felt gratuitous. It also has plenty of special scenes that use so many colors and different styles that they look hallucinogenic most times. Everyone’s expressions are so good, too. It’s like they took Kitasan Black’s faces in Episode 11’s race and put that kind of effort everywhere. It’s especially helpful that both Pocket Jungle and Agnes Tachyon inherently lend themselves to making such intense and sinister faces all the time.
My only complaint with how the movie looks is when characters take on a jokey, gross “melting” style, but even then that thankfully that stops showing up entirely after a point somewhat early on.

As for the races, they’re about what you’d expect. I mean that non-derogatorily — it’s simply that there’s not much to say without being too specific. I will say that this movie does a better job at actually telling you what makes each race different instead of just throwing race names at you and letting the stakes do the talking. When each race starts, a big overlay tells you info about the course, most notably how long it is. Then characters weave information into their dialogue by mentioning things like how 2000m is short, or that the Arima Kinen is for all of the popular horse girls.
It’s also very nice that we get to hear more of what racers are thinking as they’re racing.

My main issue with Beginning of a New Era is actually one that’s always been around: sometimes characters will belt out Buddha-tier advice or insights uncharacteristically. It’s normally not that bad or even noticeable, and I’m definitely not going to complain about hearing advice that’s helpful outside of horse girl racing. But when Pocket Jungle of all people started doing it with nary an apostrophe, it suddenly made her not feel real — like she became a completely different character. Then that thought started seeping to other characters, even outside this movie.

Another weird thing about this movie is the ending felt like it was cut off. Minutes before the credits, several huge character developments start…then it literally cuts to an end concert instead of a race that would showcase those exciting developments. I was expecting at least a couple of races after that cut. It wouldn’t be so much that they couldn’t fit it into the movie, but also I reckon it wouldn’t be enough for a sequel movie or series (I was left wondering if that was Cygames’s plan). I’m normally of the opinion that “they don’t have to show everything for it to work/it’s completely fine to leave things to the viewers’ imagination”…but this felt like so much was missing. It was jarring. The movie feels incomplete. It’s not damning, but it’s definitely notable.

The movie has a few weak links, but the highs were so high and plentiful that they barely slow down this very fun ride! I’m sure its pacing and visuals are so good that it’ll have people saying that Umamusume should be only movies from now on. I know I thought it a little while I was watching.