©2023 アニメ 「ウマ娘 プリティーダービー Season 3」製作委員会
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Throughout this Uma Musume season, Kitasan Black has expressed his desire for his races to be like a festival. Competitive fun isn’t a new idea for the series; After all, horse girls live and love to run and jump. But Season 3 turns the game’s pure fun up to 11. That’s on display in the first half of this episode, as the broadcasts feature a supposedly fierce, competitive rivalry. Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond’s revenge gives way to the two having a fun day together. Off the track, they’re still the full package friends they’ve always been.
As I mentioned on last week’s episode, Uma Musume has established itself in its slower segments as well as its high-octane racing scenes. This video is another example of that, without even a hint of melancholy detracting from the fun of the day’s trip. Forget the train montage, it’s time for the train montage. Watching Kita and Dia ride around on various increasingly cozy examples of Japan’s famous public transportation system, clashing against each other in games of rock, paper, scissors, is almost speechless. with soothing music in the background.
It’s drawn out, sure, but the pure, festive joy on display is clearly intended. I’ve been worried for the past few episodes that the rigors of the storyline competition might test Kita and Dia’s friendship. But aside from some uncertain opinions, that has clearly been pushed aside, and in its place has been the consolidation of the adorable pair of horses I’ve watched grow up to this point. It’s just a cute series of scenes. The wallpaper shows off the true artistry of the team behind this season, where things like racing have been more uneven. To say nothing of giving me a nice selection of screenshots.
But just because Uma Musume Part 3 seems comfortable doesn’t mean it’s complacent. Right in the middle, the shoe falls off and Dia asks Kita what she really wants to talk about.
There’s nothing quite as serious as the sobbing scenes in Part 2. It’s simpler, bolder than that. Kita needed the determination to tell her dear friend that she would try to defeat her in the upcoming spring’s Tennō Shō and accept that Dia would also make the same effort. Sure, it’s clear from the last 2.5 seasons of Uma Musume (to say nothing of all the other sports anime since the dawn of time) that the greatest respect you can have is for your friends. and his opponent is to face them directly without holding back. But in the context of Kita and Dia’s strong relationship (again: they sleep with each other’s stuffed animals), it feels like a new level of that competitive connection has been unlocked in this environment. .
How could that happen? paid off later but with a candid depiction of the climactic race they were aiming for? While I found Uma Musume Season 3’s racing scenes to be off-putting, this entry is a good example of the specific problem the series strives to address. The results of this race are still based on those of the actual Spring 2017 Tennō Shō, where Kitasan Black maintained the lead for almost the entire race, even setting a new record in the process. Presenting it as a tense duel between fated friends/rivals had to be presented. So the anime delves into the idea of Kita’s connection with Dia motivating her even while she’s always on the outside and repays everything by being thrilled at the awesome spectacle of the performance. her role model.
That’s right, it’s time for Uma Musume chills again. It’s a silly idea but makes perfect sense in what they’re adapting: Kitasan Black already runs fast, so their only option is to dramatize the moment she decides to run faster. . Her beautiful moment is framed before the restart. The noises were made as she did. Dia’s thoughts about how her friend had always led her to this point. And of course, there’s a zoom in on Kita as she smiles. Now she has found her joy. Her joy. Her festival.
It’s an episode of Uma Musume that illustrates how this season can bring unbridled joy to competitions and still carry the enchanting emotions of race day through its stories. Where it goes from here, I don’t know. This episode cuts to a black screen credit roll instead of the usual ending sequence, our equestrian heroines determined to take their show to the world stage. There are a few episodes left of Season 3. But at least here, the show found a great way to get across this particular finish line.
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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 become a neighbor. You can catch him around the blog as well Twitter although he doesn’t expect that to last.
