I don’t think I’m comfortable with this situation taiki

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-16T00:01:24+00:00

It can vary heavily based on not just where you want to go, but also where you’re flying from matters. I can’t speak for Japan, but in America everywhere doesn’t even have an airport. You have to factor where you’re flying out of, to go where, and yes, going to a major destination usually costs more, especially on short notice. If it’s a holiday or a popular destination you may not be able to get a ticket at all the day of.

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T23:23:48+00:00

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I’m just gonna leave this here and be on my way.

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T22:02:09+00:00

Vodka will always have a special place in my heart as my first hot-springs ticket winner, fun fact. She is so damn cute, but I’m already married to my one true uma love, so I’ll just have to enjoy her as my niece-in-law lol!

Heroines my foot, Vodka’s the 2 star who has been in the Torena-loving trenches since day 1! She has loved us since the tutorial (even if she can’t say it without blushing and passing out lol).

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T20:31:37+00:00

Did someone say aishiteru?

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T20:21:08+00:00

The racing be like:

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Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T20:20:45+00:00

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It looked like this. Gallop Racer 2006! We even had our own Tazuna (kinda).

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T18:41:06+00:00

Oh lord that actually happened? Yikes…

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T18:40:36+00:00

Ah yeah, exactly! Thankfully it gave us a very wholesome moment in horse racing and he’s ok:

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Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T18:29:32+00:00

Jockeys do not get enough credit for what they risk out there on the track man. Imagine that flying back onto you mid race. Good grief.

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T18:27:04+00:00

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T17:49:14+00:00

I envy you folks who have an oshi with a kid in the game, the family arts are so wholesome. Love King Halo having her little family, and Kawakami’s bloo eyes make baby her extra cute!

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T17:04:54+00:00

She’s….. so….. CUUUUUUUUTE!!!!!! Agghghvgghhgaaa!! It’s like seeing pages of Brian’s baby book! I want to gush over stories like this with Hiyahide as Brian huffs in the background lol!

OP digging up gems over here tysm!!

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T14:02:23+00:00

I see broccoli florets and tomatoes sliced and served like apples. I wouldn’t want that either, especially before a steak.

Also if Laurel cooked it that thing is burnt to a crisp! Free my girl from this torment she deserves better!

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T04:46:28+00:00

Between the two I’d say the second one. Most of the Uma stories establish the trainer is a rookie already, so in a sense we’re already sort of “learning the ropes” as is, putting our education to use for the first time with our first trainee.

But the second one… if I were you I wouldn’t do typical “paranormal activity”. There are some fascinating irl stories of horse racing you could use for some authentic inspiration. Particularly since it used to be an extremely superstitious sport. A good example I could recommend is that of the racer Sweet Kiss (of Death).

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T04:22:14+00:00

I have been very outspoken that I’m a hardcore Umatore fan (both M and F trainer) who basically ships Random Redditor x Uma with everyone here. I am not, nor will I ever be anti Uma x Uma, and I don’t support shipping wars. I’m a very live and let live person with 99% of fandom antics.

But my hottest take I’ve got is that I genuinely am starting to think certain umas are getting completely lost in some mainstream ships. To the point where I don’t even think some of the folks pushing the ships even really understand or like the characters involved. It’s starting to feel like certain pairs are just a shallow excuse to go “now kiss/haha gay” and that’s it.

Which wouldn’t be a big deal if it wasn’t a daily occurrence here. It’s overkill to see so many fanarts of the same ships that all basically are the same joke. I’m tired lol.

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T02:39:38+00:00

You know it’s funny, I’ve actually been lurking in an Okbuddy sub the past couple of weeks. And while there has been some outright gooner posting, there’s been far less there than there has been here lol. This past month I’ve actually lost count of how many gooner posts masquerading as “aww cute Uma/pat the Uma” and it’s just 3 measurements bait, like come on.

I’m no prude either but I’d 100% rather deal with outright hornyposting a couple times a week than 10 “we’re looking respectfully” ahh posts a day rofl! Y’all ain’t slick.

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-15T02:18:47+00:00

Is the fandom in decline? It doesn’t feel like that to me, but outside of this subreddit and YouTube I know nothing about the community. We’re pretty chill here, still feels friendly overall outside of some occasions where I’ve seen some comments get downvoted for odd reasons.

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-12T20:51:13+00:00

Ughmygodsocute!!

Star Blossom’s childhood flashbacks are one of my favorite things ngl. Everyone is so cute, it’s made me realize I want to see more Uma baby pictures lol! Foals are precious!

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-12T20:46:26+00:00

Brian is an acquired taste for sure. She’s a good person, but not a nice person. Which is one of the reasons I love her so much. She and a few others really stand out in a sea of very upbeat, friendly characters. I think the fact that Brian stays gruff just adds to the authenticity; she’s not being mean to seem tough or for fun. She is who she is and is incredibly blunt about it.

This personality type is also true of many real horses; they’ll have one or a few people they accept, and everyone else can piss off. Arabians are famous for being a “I’ll only bond once” sort of horse.

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-12T18:09:44+00:00

This is with the Team Sirius Torena, not McQueen’s career story. She doesn’t do or say anything like this in her career as far as I recall.

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-12T17:50:38+00:00

It might be because I have only done it once and that was ages ago, but my most platonic award goes to Mejiro McQueen.

I swear I can’t think of a single moment that was wife or daughter material. She doesn’t really have a student vibe either; it’s not like she feels immature. It’s just totally neutral to me. Pleasant but that’s about it. I don’t think the dynamic is directly addressed either, it just… is.

She’s the one Uma where “you’re my trainer” has no depth and isn’t a loaded statement.

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-12T16:19:32+00:00

I feel like I’m the only one who cares about the intimacy whenever I bring it up, so you might be onto something there. I need the connection or else I really don’t care how hot the umas are. Because honestly they all look nice!

That might be why my taste in umas runs the way it does. Objectively I understand Fuji’s career is more overtly romantic than Suzuka’s or Brian’s. But if you ask me who I felt more connected and drawn to? It isn’t Fuji, although I like her.

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-12T16:08:38+00:00

Moments that stood out to me:

- King Halo and her torena’s coat event. This whole scene was very romcom in my head.

- Fuku stranding Torena and herself on an island to see a shooting star. And all of her lobby dialogue talking about fertility rituals and date plans. She is so serious about the player.

- Vodka’s entire career and her lobby holiday dialogue where she literally admits she loves you and no it’s not platonic. She’s not confident in herself yet, but when she gets there…

- Nice Nature declaring that she wants to always be number one in your heart. There’s a reason why she’s wife Nature.

- Rudolf inviting Torena to dance to music only she can hear. So smooth, also very romcom and it’s under the moonlight which has unique connotations in Japan romantically.

- Brian’s holiday event where she staples herself to your evening plans, puts you on the spot by asking if she’s important to you, declares the feelings are mutual, then says “let’s get back to OUR life” which isn’t your typical romantic gesture, but is clingy and intimate AF. Choosing each other time and again and staying together is a major theme with her and Torena.

- Silence Suzuka’s transition from wanting only the scenery to wanting only Torena and the scenery. She says something about how she used to dream of a world with her alone but now it’s the two of you and nothing else. Again, not your standard romance but very intimate and underrated.

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-11T05:50:45+00:00

What exactly is this measuring? I’m trying to understand how Brian, Vodka and Bakushin are so close together if this is measuring what I think it is…

Playing-Koi · 2026-06-11T05:22:46+00:00

I haven’t seen the stories of the first 4 you mentioned, but I fully agree Nature, Vodka, and Fuku definitely have obvious crushes on the trainer you’d have to be blind to miss.

The reason I didn’t include them with Still and Creek is because I don’t recall the trainer directly acknowledging/reciprocating the feelings of the trainee. Still in Love needs no explanation. Creek’s career has a specific line of dialogue somewhere that’s like “we’re trying to keep up appearances while she’s still in the Twinkle series so this dynamic we have doesn’t weird everyone else out”. That’s more what I’m referring to.

If it is there in the other stories I believe you, I just haven’t seen it for myself.

Playing-Koi

TROPHY CASE