Uma Musume Pretty Derby Season 3

Episode 8

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You can't always get what you want but if you try, sometimes you get what you need. It's a lesson that's been labored over by several horse girls in previous Uma Musume anime, and now it's Kitasan Black's turn. It's not simply that she lost to Satono Diamond in the previous episode; it's that Dia seemed so certain in her desire for that victory. She was racing towards a goal and later confirmed to Kita that this was all in service of her new dream of scoring a global win in the name of her family. That's ambition, and it's something that Kita isn't sure she has anymore.

I feel a little funny for criticizing last week's episode of Uma Musume for what I perceived as placid pacing, only to wind up appreciating this entry which slows things down even more. It's done with a very clear purpose and this series has always done well when it retreats into understated reflection. Season 2's sequence of a momentarily-retired Tokai Teio wandering about her day, trying to convince herself she didn't want to run anymore, still sticks in my mind. This episode communicates similar vibes for Kita's struggles with her aimlessness, alongside visitations on the similar lost feelings of characters like Cheval Grand. It's a strongly realized sense of melancholy.

Not that Uma Musume is dedicated to being entirely dismal in these depictions. There are plenty of places where the inherent goofiness that powers the franchise lends just enough levity. The opening segment where Nice Nature attempts to avoid being conscripted into being Kitasan's emotional beast of burden is a great gag about that odd relationship. Kita's big eureka moment late in the episode comes about through her getting loaded down with produce and products from the people of the market she's always assisting. It's emotionally earnest, befitting the nature of a simple horse girl like Kita, and her realization of what was always there driving her.

The idea of ever-present motivation for the horse girls continues this season's style of following up on its predecessor. Kitasan recalls her original idolization of Teio, whom she ends up directly discussing this with. Here Uma Musume is playing on Easy Mode for me, trotting out flashbacks to some of Season 2's best moments. Of course, I'm going to be stirred seeing Twin Turbo's improbable win again, hearing the tear-jerking refrain of "Never give up!" But thankfully the series also has something beyond reminding the audience of its prior glory days. Tokai Teio is still present in the cast, still racing, after all. Her conversation with Kita works since Teio herself went through several dreams throughout her story. And she's still not done, as Teio confirms that she's since found meaning in pursuit of her original dream of living up to Symboli Rudolf.

It's a great way to keep Season 3 looped into the overall Uma Musume story even as it's technically a separate plotline. Teio kept working and growing even after her season wrapped. The same can be said for Gold Ship as she was seen back in this season's third episode. You never have to give up on your original dream, there's always another horizon to sail over in search of it. And in the world of Uma Musume, where these wild horses can continue racing forever, including in special "dream" races not beholden to real race history, they can pursue those goals in perpetuity in a way that real-world athletes can't.

That all comes together under the metatextual approach this season has led with. Kitasan's main aspiration has always been informed by the entertainment sensibilities of her father and Teio. It is enough to chase betterment and victory so long as those result in a strong show for the audience. That's true both for her supporters in town in the story, and the people tuning into her anime every week. As a member of that audience, I felt this episode delivered Season 3's specific themes while also hitting the earnest emotional highs I always hoped for from this funny little horsegirl cartoon. And some effectively deployed call-backs to that second season certainly didn't hurt either.

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Uma Musume Pretty Derby Season 3 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Chris is excited to be back for the mane event, and is hoping he won't have to be a neigh-sayer. You can catch him horsing around on his blog, as well as Twitter, though he doesn't expect that to be around furlong.