©2023 アニメ 「ウマ娘 プリティーダービー Season 3」製作委員会
What other five-star anime are you watching? Vote for the latest episodes here: Your Score.
I don’t know how this show solves this problem, man. This episode of Uma Musume Season 3 appears to be the penultimate episode, setting up Kitasan Black’s swan song. Therefore, it is allocated a certain amount of sentimentality and serious seriousness. The episode’s title is simply the main character’s name; That’s how you know the anime is serious. But the episode is also making an effort to involve another actor in Cheval Grand. As I’ve commented in other reviews, Season 3 is somewhat misleading in its use of main characters who appear to be neither Kitasan nor Satono Diamond. That will be the start of the storytelling being concise.
However, what I couldn’t believe was that Uma Musume had the ability to express moods. This episode’s placement in the story makes it clear from the start to crank the bittersweet feeling up to 12. It begins with one of the patented ponygirl press conferences of franchise, which is supposed to be fun. But Kitasan’s matter-of-fact announcement of her impending retirement adds just the right kick to any sports story. It clearly reflects Gold Ship’s withdrawal from the beginning of this season while also giving perspective on the concept of “closure”. It’s respectful to see Kitasan choose to end her career on her own before something immediately serious happens to her.
It’s something that Uma Musume has teased before but hasn’t yet conveyed properly: What does the end of a pony girl’s career look like? There are the traumatic ups and downs of characters like Tokai Teio and Meijiro McQueen, who are still racing toward a hopeful rivalry with each other. Even Gold Ship has been doing well this season, continuing to train and run in other circumstances despite no longer participating in the Twinkle Series. For Kitasan, all of this looks like her last hurrah, with little indication of whether or how her career will continue after the final two races ( Who is shouting “Check wiki” at my house? Show yourself, you coward. I will). never check the wiki.).
Where Kita gives up is because of how hard her body is fighting her. It is conveyed through painful, ragged breathing performed by voice actress Hinaki Yano. But the final quality is also shown in how others react to her decisions. Her fans at the mall, as pointed out last week, were determined to support her to the end. Kitasan’s competitors grapple with more mixed emotions about the situation. Duramente had to deal with Kita leaving just when she saw her as a real rival. Dia couldn’t compete with her friend after her defeat in France. And then there’s Cheval Grand.
Cheval seems like he should have had a more complete body, similar to Rice Rain in Part 2. But that didn’t happen. Her regretful tone about never defeating Kitasan only made me sarcastically reply, “Girl, you barely did anything on this show!” It felt like Whatever they do with Cheval at this point, while the audience is focused on the Kitasan sunset, will be too little, too late.
But after all, this is still Uma Musume. Kitasan’s career, the way she shined and quickly, made her one of the best to ever do it. That allows the writing to analyze the characters in her orbit just because of that closeness. Let’s say Cheval is established in the eleventh and twelfth episodes here simply because she couldn’t defeat Kitasan. In that case, it adds context to Kitasan’s decision to continue competing with his peers to the bitter end. She didn’t just give herself a few more chances to win; the others have one last chance to prove themselves by defeating her.
It’s the emotions and concepts that converge on another solid animated race, driven by a notable insert song in the background. Kitasan’s breathing is also a constant auditory feature. But mostly, Cheval’s genuine desperation and realizing what competing with Kita means to her makes her lean towards me even though this is the most she’s done in the series by a mile hometown. Aspects of it recall Twin Turbo’s unforgettable run from Part 2. And while this race can’t quite recreate the tear-jerking alchemy of things established by that dark horse’s victory , but the spirit is still very much the same. Deeper down, Uma Musume is a series that can still deliver emotionally devastating sensations even if its actual writing is decidedly less calculated. That’s perhaps the expected magic of a show that made me care so much about anthropomorphic cartoon horses in the first place.
Rating:
Uma Musume Pretty Derby Season 3 is now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Chris is excited to be back at the mane event and hopes he won’t have to be the speaker next door. You can catch him around the blog as well Twitter although he doesn’t expect that to last.