Hello everyone! This is Saori from Otaku Republic!

Today’s topic! I heard it’s becoming quite a hit overseas as well! I’m so happy! Even for those who haven’t played the game yet, this movie is crafted in a way that helps you perfectly understand what kind of series it is, so if you haven't seen it yet, please go check it out!

[Umamusume: Pretty Derby] The movie Beginning of a New Era
is now showing in over 600 theaters across North America and beyond!
A masterpiece that even those who know nothing about Umamusume
should definitely experience!

A heated battle based on the history of racehorses from 2001!
What are Umamusume? Why do they run??
Even if you know nothing, you can understand and experience it all in the
movie: Beginning of a New Era, now showing in North America and other regions!

Umamusume: Pretty Derby is a game that celebrated its 5th anniversary in Japan, and it’s a popular title that recently launched overseas with a sudden surge in players! Since it’s a movie version, some might think, ”Won't it be hard to understand if I haven't played the game?” but actually, the scenario is surprisingly structured so that people who know nothing about Umamusume can walk away thinking, ”Oh, so this is what Umamusume is all about!”

For those who know Japanese horse racing, it’s a story that follows the history of the famous horses that ran the Classic races in 2001.

And for those who don't know horse racing or Umamusume,
it's a story of the passion of girls who bet their souls on races
they can only challenge once in a lifetime.

The scenario of this movie has a motif, and it is structured to embody the actual track records of racehorses that were active in Japanese racing history in 2001. Characters appearing as Umamusume, such as Jungle Pocket and Agnes Tachyon, are girls who have inherited the souls of Japanese racehorses.

Jungle Pocket

Agnes Tachyon

Manhattan Café

The protagonist, Jungle Pocket, is deeply impressed by the elegant yet incredibly fast racing of an Umamusume named Fujikiseki. She wants to achieve a run that is fast and the strongest, just like her. Jungle Pocket enters the academy where Fujikiseki was and trains hard, aiming to succeed on the big stage of racing in the same way.

And finally, she earns the right to participate in the Satsuki Sho, a massive race that can only be challenged once in a lifetime. She is determined to prove her strength there...... but her contemporary, a mysterious Umamusume named Agnes Tachyon who researches the limits of the Umamusume species itself, stands in her way as a formidable wall.

Will Jungle Pocket be able to embody the 'strongest' she envisions? What is admiration? What are ideals, friends, and rivals? They just run. It’s a story that truly depicts only that, but it teaches us that within it lies various conflicts, doubts, and the clashing of unyielding beliefs. It’s a very simple scenario, which is exactly why it’s more relatable than anything else!

By the way, after watching the movie, I think many people might wonder, ”Why do Umamusume perform a live show for the audience after the race?” Until a few years ago, Japanese players thought the exact same thing, but there is actually an answer prepared! Why do Umamusume perform lives? That should be revealed in the training scenario, the Grand Live Scenario, which will likely be released in the North American version soon!

So, please go see the movie Beginning of a New Era, which can be enjoyed even if you know nothing about Umamusume! However, for those who feel a bit uneasy...... I also recommend checking out ROAD TO THE TOP, a free long-form anime depicting the story one year before Jungle Pocket's journey, which is available to watch for free on YouTube in all three episodes!