Image by @DasDokter

It’s been half a year since Umamusume had it’s global release and as expected it’s been making waves in more ways than one but before anything else:

WHAT DO YOU MEAN ITS ONLY BEEN 4 MONTHS?

Kidding aside, like the horse girls featured in Umamusume Pretty Derby, the hype had been accelerated showing no signs of stopping with its top speeds far from being reached. Apart from being accelerated the same way the game is already on its half anniversary 4 months in, there are a couple of factors that lead to its renown but at its core, it’s the community and the legacies of these horses whether they be animated or not.

A Stable Strong Community

We look towards Japan, the source of all things Umamusume and see how even after more than 4 and a half years, venues are packed to the brim with fans of this beloved franchise. While there are multiple reasons as to why the events are the way they are like the idol culture behind it, there’s no denying how the music behind the Umas are on a league of their own unifying fans all over even prior to the global release.

Fast forward a few months from the global release and new fans came out in droves to celebrate the game in style and with their fellow trainers with the so called Uma Meet. Whether it was bonding through the game or dressing up as their favorite horse girl or even racing as them, there’s a certain type of magic that came from various walks of life all coming together.

Malaysia is one of the countries with a notable community gathering following the global release of Uma Musume with them having international cosplayers joining in on the fun with a notable Uma Meet organized by cosplayer Ryukku-K. 

What followed afterwards with their community though wasn’t just a cosplay gathering at another anime convention but at an actual horse racecourse. In this photo taken by Aqlif, the community gathered around with their love for the franchise last August 2025. 

Thailand went further beyond just a normal gathering at their local racecourse though with there not only being a cosplay race earlier last September but even a full on winning live performance by the cosplayers present. What makes this gathering more impressive was the heavy rain which happened earlier in the afternoon so you could imagine the amount of love and dedication the community had for it to still push through rain or shine. 

South East Asia wasn’t done with all the fan gatherings as the Philippines even showed up with gatherings of their own. One of these mini Uma Meets organized by cosplayer Katiecakey paved the way for subsequent gatherings and now at almost every major cosplay convention in the Philippines, Umamusume fans come together for an Uma Meet.

Not Just Horsing Around 

You’d think that a gacha game would lose steam after almost half a decade but UmaMusume would constantly add new content, whether it be the Umas or new campaigns and quality of life changes that keep its players active. 

Global players are eating well with them getting to experience the lifespan of the original title complete with the experience of its Japanese server counterparts. While it was a bit of a bumpy start with accelerated banners and the same rate of carat income as with the original server, adjustments like improved rewards and additional pulls were constantly given over time. All this planning and training is about to change though with what’s been announced for November 11.

As previously announced shockingly out of nowhere, Umamusume global players are entering a new frontier with mechanics that are being implemented way before the expected dates. Guts, one of the stats thought of to be a joke suddenly becomes a player and almost every Umamusume becomes viable with every option available. Guides and other references suddenly become insignificant. 

While it may not seem like much, the fact that this has long-time players excited is a good indicator of things to come and with the ongoing mid year anniversary event happening, now’s a great time to join in on the fun. 

Meeting The Neigh-bors 

The game is good, the community is great and overall the presentation of Umamusume as a whole has so much potential as the years go on but as you go deeper, Umamusume is as good as it is because of the history behind the horses themselves.

For what it’s worth and the benefit of the uninitiated, it has to be stated that the Uma Musume or horse girls are the actual horses, reincarnated as the idols shown in front of us. Each campaign, crafted around the real life races and experiences of the horses with even the decorations symbolizing the horses gender and some traits about them in real life like having a bracer meaning they were injured on their leg or having a crown or tiara signifying them winning a triple crown or tiara.

Each journey we as a player follow is unique in its own way but with all the media sources out there like the cutscenes in game, music videos, movies, manga and anime, nothing makes you root for these horses more than seeing them do their best.  At the end of it all the lives of these horses make for a great and compelling story and even with the some artistic liberties taken out of respect for their real life counterparts like what’s done in the ongoing Uma Musume Cinderella Gray anime, and if you aren’t hyped cheering on Oguri Cap proving that Gray Horses can’t win, then you need to have your eyes checked.

Off To The Races 

Whether you believe in Uma Musume being a front runner for years to come or you’re just chasing after its hype, or even just surging onto the scene lately, the Uma Musume train has the world feeling great. 

There’s so much to enjoy about the franchise and even if the game may not be everyone’s cup of tea gameplay wise, the various sources of media from the memes all the way to the live concerts will have something for everyone. 

Interested in trying the game out Uma Musume Pretty Derby yourself? Try it out on your mobile devices or even on your desktop through Steam:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3224770/Umamusume_Pretty_Derby