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.
Feb 23, 2025
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