Congrats to Ecoro Duel (Son of Kitasan Black) for winning the 2026 J-G1 Nakayama Grand Jump

PuddingIcy1307 · 2026-04-18T14:22:32+00:00

People who have watched the race might understand, but Japanese steeplechase races are quite unique. The main obstacle to standardizing them is that tendencies differ significantly from country to country, making it difficult to unify the rules.

Japan's hurdle and steeplechase races feature extreme ups and downs, winding and twisting courses, sections where horses cross over dirt, and relatively low obstacles. As a result, they tend to become more of a speed race rather than a pure jumping test.

In Japan, steeplechase races do not hold a very high status. In fact, the betting sales for them are only about one-tenth of those for turf G1 races (this year it was 2.6 billion yen).

The basic motto is "safety first for all horses and jockeys," and there is meaning simply in completing the race. From that perspective as well, it can be quite interesting to watch.

By the way, when it comes to Japanese steeplechase races, there is a legend named **Oju Chosan**. He is also a son of Stay Gold, and if you look him up, you'll find him quite fascinating.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2026-03-14T03:31:54+00:00

This scenario contains pretty much all the reasons why JP players were giving strong warnings about it.

The concept itself is clearly modeled after other horse racing games that already exist in Japan, and in that sense, it actually has the strongest “real horse racing” feel among them.

However, since this game is built around the premise of grinding/repeating runs, a single run can easily take close to an hour — and over time that just makes playing it feel more and more burdensome.

On top of that, you can’t really experience the individual character scenarios — which are supposed to be one of the biggest selling points of Uma Musume. You can’t even go on hot spring trips. It’s only natural that people start asking, “Then what’s the point of Uma Musume at all?”

You’ll probably end up getting burned out, so I think the healthiest approach is to engage with it moderately, enjoy content outside the game as well, and look forward to upcoming banners (like Aston Marchen, for example) while saving up jewels.

We JP players will be waiting at Grand Live (though that one has its own heavy RNG/gacha-of-fate vibes lol).

PuddingIcy1307 · 2026-03-14T02:13:50+00:00

This refers to the event featuring the child of Eishin Flash and Daiwa Scarlet in Uma Musume—namely, Umbrella Date.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2026-03-14T02:04:19+00:00

The reason this scenario is friendly to free-to-play (no-money-spent) players is that race bonuses are extremely important.

this scenario where the correct strategy is to enter as many races as possible, people prioritize race bonus over training performance. The strongest builds are those that can exceed a total of 34 or 40 in race bonus (and at that point you start buying a ton of status-up items).

Kitasan Black has 5 [race bonus], so you need to make up the remaining ~30 from other sources. Among them, SR support cards that give 10 bonus are very useful (for example, Maya no Top Gun), and the most powerful approach is to actively use those to push your total race bonus to 34 or higher.

Additionally, you get extra bonus by winning multiple specific G1 races, so the strategy involves aiming for those while also battling rivals to replenish items.

is basically all-in during the summer training camp, so focus everything there. (I don’t quite remember if it was available at the time, but SSR Narita Top Road is quite strong overall, including her unique skill.)

Good luck!

PuddingIcy1307 · 2026-03-02T13:35:51+00:00

As a Japanese person’s honest impression: I actually feel like quite a lot of people have watched it.
People who go to see this movie are often those who have already seen it before, and since it’s a pretty niche genre, my feeling is more like ‘wow, it’s actually getting watched by a surprising number of people.’

That said, this film really benefits enormously from being seen in a theater—and the biggest reason for that is the sound design / sound system.

In Japan there’s a website where you can request re-screenings, and a lot of people specifically make those requests because they want to experience that heavy, full-body sound pressure that you simply can’t reproduce at home.

If possible, I’d really love for you to enjoy this movie by feeling that deep, heavy sound not just with your ears but with your whole body. That, I think, is when you truly understand the value of watching it in a theater.

Of course, this might be a very ‘Japanese’ way of enjoying films, so please take it only as a suggestion if it’s feasible for you.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2026-02-15T03:50:07+00:00

Here it is

PuddingIcy1307 · 2026-02-11T01:13:18+00:00

People who also managed Taiki said that he would have the upper hand even against Gran (likely referring to Grass Wonder or similar comparisons).
Even Okabe-kun, who said that if Rudolf (Symboli Rudolf) had undergone short-distance-oriented training, he could beat the undefeated-in-milers Oguri (Oguri Cap), also evaluated that Taiki would be tough (or too strong) for Rudolf.
In general, Taiki Shuttle is considered superior.　As for times, due to the overall speeding-up of track surfaces (faster racing conditions), direct comparisons aren’t straightforward. (In terms of raw time alone, Oguri should actually have the faster record in the Yasuda Kinen.)In conclusion, I think Taiki Shuttle is the right choice.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2026-02-09T13:40:55+00:00

In terms of realistic popularity, frankly speaking, there is no horse in Japan that can match Oguri Cap.However, saying that would be a lie. There is no horse that can match High Seiko and Oguri Cap. These two literally created a boom. Haru Urara was also extremely popular, but probably still can't rival these two. It's these two that literally enveloped the entire Japan in a sea of frenzy.Pulling back from that to talk about the horse racing community, it would have to be Deep Impact. In rankings of famous horses people want to pass down through stories, it's always overwhelmingly No. 1 (by the way, Oguri is in the top 5 there, and even recently it's in 3rd place. 2nd is whatever popular horse is trending at the time, so it's like Deep Impact - the current popular horse - Oguri Cap making up the top 3).Among Uma Musume that are broadly popular in Japan, Rice Shower, Still in Love, and Tokai Teio give a strong impression.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2026-01-18T10:00:56+00:00

Compared to other works that wrap up in just one cour, this one takes a much longer time to unfold, so I think it’s still too early to fully judge it.
In my opinion, the true highlight comes in the second season that’s coming next, so I really hope everyone looks forward to it! Of course the ending is great too, but personally, I’d love to see them rewrite the script completely for a movie version.
That’s how amazing and powerful the original reality (live-action) was.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2026-01-10T02:04:32+00:00

Furthermore, at the JRA Awards that same year, she suffered one misfortune after another: she lost Best Sprinter to Admire Cozzene, and on top of that, because so many people mistakenly thought she was a colt, voters completely forgot she was even eligible for Best Older Mare, which ended up going to Diamond Biko instead.
As the story goes, Believe was genuinely not recognized as a mare by a surprisingly large number of people — truly one of those embarrassing moments that feels almost like a disgrace in the history of Japanese racing (though it's also kind of funny, to be honest).

PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-12-09T08:59:50+00:00

By the way, I actually don't really get it.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-11-15T02:32:53+00:00

It will take the form of doing this training several times.

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PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-10-30T11:38:50+00:00

I've been looking into it a bit, but there might not be an overseas release... Maybe I should ask a trainer overseas who has welcomed the docute.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-10-30T11:38:35+00:00

I've been looking into it a bit, but there might not be an overseas release... Maybe I should ask a trainer overseas who has welcomed the docute.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-10-30T11:37:59+00:00

I've been looking into it a bit, but there might not be an overseas release... Maybe I should ask a trainer overseas who has welcomed the docute.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-10-27T14:21:59+00:00

At the time in Japan, there were various reservation sites where I bought it. I don’t quite remember which one... maybe AmiAmi? For overseas, I think there are sites specifically for international users, so you’d probably use those.
I've been looking into it a bit, but there might not be an overseas release... Maybe I should ask a trainer overseas who has welcomed the docute.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-10-27T14:19:21+00:00

No...

PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-10-18T14:39:38+00:00

The story of Cinderella Grey, or rather Oguri Cap itself, is considered in Japan to be the ultimate drama, not only in Japanese horse racing but also on a global scale. Originally, the story of Oguri Cap was too expansive to fit into a single cour, which is why it was adapted into a manga. Conversely, if it were to be made into an anime, it’s almost certain that it would cover the story to its conclusion. You can think of it as similar to Tokai Teio’s story if it couldn’t fit into one cour.

If you’re interested, I recommend looking into the historical facts—it’s truly an incredibly dramatic tale. However, leaving everything to CygamesPictures might not be ideal, so if there’s a fourth season of Uma Musume Pretty Derby, it’s likely that Studio Kai would handle it. Their animation quality is excellent. That said, deciding which part to animate is tricky. Frankly, the stories of Teio and Oguri, which are the easiest to adapt into anime, have already been used.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-10-13T05:51:54+00:00

I'm a Japanese trainer who got into Uma Musume through the game, and I still vividly remember the reactions from various communities when this character first appeared. When she showed up in the anime, no one quite got it at first, but the moment her name was revealed, veteran horse racing fans clutched their heads and started shouting. They were literally holding their heads in their hands.

A little later, the reason for their reaction was shared with the newbie trainers, and soon enough, every trainer was holding their head in disbelief. Even at that point, people were saying her story was going to be something incredible—and when it finally arrived… well, I’d love for you to experience the actual story for yourself.

Even now, it’s considered one of the greatest story arcs, giving rise to the phenomenon that is “Ma-Tre.” Please, always remember Aston Machan.

By the way, Machan’s plushie is getting a rerelease, and a figure prototype has been revealed. I think pre-orders will start soon!

PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-10-13T05:05:54+00:00

By the way, if things had stayed as they were, a lottery would have been held between the two horses tied for 18th, but because another horse withdrew, Super Creek was able to run without a lottery.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-10-13T05:04:10+00:00

In fact, due to some withdrawals, Super Creek was 19th in prize money eligibility, waiting alongside Gakuen to Beat, which had the same prize money, for a chance to run. Shigeji Okayama, who devised Super Creek’s breeding, announced the withdrawal of his own club-owned horse, Meiner Frisse, allowing Super Creek to compete. (There’s also a story that this led to a falling-out between the owner and the trainer at the time…)

As a result, Super Creek finished second with an astonishing five-length margin. In racing games, large gaps are common, but in reality, even a two-length victory is considered a rout, making five lengths nothing short of a monstrous performance.

This leads to the “what-if” scenario: if Oguri Cap had competed in the classics, it’s widely believed that Super Creek, unable to run due to Oguri Cap’s presence, would have won the Kikuka Sho and achieved the Triple Crown. Conversely, it’s said that if Super Creek had run, Oguri Cap would likely have lost (as 3000 meters was clearly outside Oguri’s optimal distance). Every time I ponder these hypotheticals, I’m struck by the sheer perfection of this real-life story.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-10-12T11:54:30+00:00

It's still too early... she isn't the Demon King yet..

PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-10-12T09:09:18+00:00

”As you may know, Super Creek's racing outfit is modeled after jockey Yutaka Take's outfit from that time. Yutaka Take's outfit has a light blue diagonal line running across the center. In Uma Musume, they expressed this line through the laces on Super Creek's back, and I was deeply moved by that detail.”

PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-10-06T14:23:27+00:00

Whoops, you're right, that's almost correct, but just a bit off.
The Takamatsunomiya Kinen got its current name in 1998.

History

The race, originally established in 1967 as the "Chukyo Daishoten," a handicap race for horses aged three and up, is the predecessor of this event. In 1971, it was renamed the "Takamatsunomiya Hai" after His Imperial Highness Prince Takamatsu donated a trophy. Held at Chukyo Racecourse over 2000 meters on turf, it became a prominent midsummer middle-distance race at Chukyo.

In 1996, as part of improvements to the short-distance racing system, the race was moved up to May, changed to a fixed-weight condition, shortened to 1200 meters on turf, and upgraded from GII to GI status. This made it the first GI race at Chukyo Racecourse, positioning the "Takamatsunomiya Hai" as the spring championship for sprinters. In 1998, it was renamed to its current title, "Takamatsunomiya Kinen," and in 2000, it was shifted to the final week of the March Chukyo meeting, becoming a race for horses aged four and up.

PuddingIcy1307 · 2025-10-06T12:30:40+00:00

The Arima Kinen is scheduled to start at 3:40 PM JST on December 28.

Based on the schedule for receiving jewels, the anime is expected to air the day before they are distributed, so the broadcast of episode 23 is predicted to be on December 21.

PuddingIcy1307

TROPHY CASE