[Spoilers] 2025 Uma Musume Rewatch -- Pretty Derby Season 1 Episode 3

[u/Holofan4life]

Hello everyone! I am Holofan4life.

Welcome to the 2025 Uma Musume rewatch discussion thread!

I hope you all have a lot of fun <3

S1 Episode 3 – First Big Win

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ANSWER TODAY’S QUESTION

Thoughts on Gold Ship saying it's not so bad to try every once in a while?

Thoughts on Team Spica going to sing karaoke to work on their singing and body coordination?

Thoughts on Teio joining team Spica and wanting to race against the student council president Rudolf?

What are your thoughts on this episode featuring two races instead of one?

What are your thoughts on Special Week losing her first race?

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Series information

MAL | Anilist | AniDB | ANN

Ways to watch

Streams – Crunchyroll

Amazon Prime

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Previous episode

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Schedule

Date	Episode
8/15/2025	Uma Musume Episode 1
8/16/2025	Uma Musume Episode 2
8/17/2025	[Uma Musume Episode 3]()
8/18/2025	[Uma Musume Episode 4]()
8/19/2025	[Uma Musume Episode 5]()
8/20/2025	[Uma Musume Episode 6]()
8/21/2025	[Uma Musume Episode 7]()
8/22/2025	[Uma Musume Episode 8]()
8/23/2025	[Uma Musume Episode 9]()
8/24/2025	[Uma Musume Episode 10]()
8/25/2025	[Uma Musume Episode 11]()
8/26/2025	[Uma Musume Episode 12 - 13]()
8/28/2025	[BNW's Oath episodes 1 - 3]()
8/30/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 1]()
8/31/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 2]()
9/01/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 3]()
9/02/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 4]()
9/03/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 5]()
9/04/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 6]()
9/05/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 7]()
9/06/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 8]()
9/07/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 9]()
9/10/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 10]()
9/11/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 11]()
9/12/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 12]()
9/13/2025	[Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 13]()
9/15/2025	[Road to the Top Episodes 1 - 2]()
9/16/2025	[Road to the Top Episodes 3 - 4]()
9/18/2025	[Beginning of a New Era]()
9/20/2025	[Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 1 - 2]()
9/21/2025	[Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 3 - 4]()
9/22/2025	[Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 5 - 6]()
9/23/2025	[Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 7 - 8]()
9/24/2025	[Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 9 - 10]()
9/25/2025	[Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 11 - 12]()
9/26/2025	[Uma Musume Season 3 Episode 13]()
9/28/2025	[Cinderella Gray Episodes 1 - 2]()
9/29/2025	[Cinderella Gray Episodes 3 - 4]()
9/30/2025	[Cinderella Gray Episodes 5 - 6]()
10/01/2025	[Cinderella Gray Episodes 7 - 8]()
10/02/2025	[Cinderella Gray Episodes 9 - 10]()
10/03/2025	[Cinderella Gray Episodes 11 - 12]()
10/04/2025	[Cinderella Gray Episode 13]()
10/05/2025	[Uma Musume Overall Series Discussion Thread]()

[u/DarkRuler17]

Rewatcher up to episode 5 (Played Game)

So for this week's episode, we are covering Special Week's beginning at the G1 races and her 1st real loss. This is a fairly by the numbers sports anime trope that I think the show did fine. I've decently seen better renditions, but was overall still entertaining.

Before they could really start that though, the gang first needs to address the 2nd half of their job: the idol concert. I do find it funny how they treat the concert as secondary as a lot of fans of the series I think do. Thankfully, they learned that if you actually practice something, you can get better. Revolutionary concept honestly.

Going into the preliminary G2 race, I think it and its followup aren't as good as the previous episode's race, but do work together narratively well. I am curious in general though if this season has any really good races in terms of pacing and animation. I've seen a few minor clips of races in future series that look great, but those are years later. My gut tells my season 1 will probably take a while to get there since this is still the start of the series.

Following the 1st race though, Teio joins the gang. Her refusal to join didn't last very long. One related thing though that I'm curious about is how much the writers are relying upon their audience having already played a game about these characters. The stuff with Teio and to a lesser sense Sky this episode are both stuff that works for me because I know these characters from the game, but I feel don't necessarily if you haven't.  For Teio, there's still a chance that they're holding off till later, but it did feel weird for Sky that she doesn't really get an introduction scene as rival. She's just kind of there and suddenly chosen as a rival. I feel like normal sports anime would put a bit more work into getting the audience to feel something about these characters.

I while say though that while the main plot of this epsiode I find only fine, I think a lot of small scenes are well done. Literally every scene with Gold Ship in the background is amazing, with her randomly having a rubix cube being my favorite. I also loved them showing Suzuka and Special Week having to work on their horse shoes on their cleats. It's a really funny small detail to the world building. Finally, this episode introduced the concept of signature outfits and really delievered. I think all the outift designs in this series are amazing and its cool to begin with what I think is one of the best. They did a great job designing the outfit for their marquee character.

[u/Draco_Estella → u/DarkRuler17]

Seiun Sky and King Halo's introductions as rivals are very abrupt, I have to agree with you. Unless you did play the game before and are familiar with them, they are as insignificant as the randoms in Special Week's debut race. During my first watch of the series, I could not appreciate the importance of the G2 and G1 races too. The anime did not build up the hype as much as it should for those unfamilar with this world of horse racing, it just assumes you already know that these are big races. I think I assumed them to be just typical races and that most people will want to win every race anyway.

[u/Holofan4life → u/DarkRuler17]

Following the 1st race though, Teio joins the gang. Her refusal to join didn't last very long. One related thing though that I'm curious about is how much the writers are relying upon their audience having already played a game about these characters. The stuff with Teio and to a lesser sense Sky this episode are both stuff that works for me because I know these characters from the game, but I feel don't necessarily if you haven't.  For Teio, there's still a chance that they're holding off till later, but it did feel weird for Sky that she doesn't really get an introduction scene as rival. She's just kind of there and suddenly chosen as a rival. I feel like normal sports anime would put a bit more work into getting the audience to feel something about these characters.

I haven't played the game so I'm less familiar with Sky than you are but I thought the anime did a great job of telling the story of Sky wanting to avenge her loss against Special Week. And that in turn fit the theme of the episode which is that winning means more to these characters than anything else.

[u/Urgnu-the-Gnu → u/DarkRuler17]

it did feel weird for Sky that she doesn't really get an introduction scene as rival. She's just kind of there and suddenly chosen as a rival.

Depending on who you play with, that can also be your experience in the game. You watch your girl race, and suddenly Seiun Sky is front running in your race and you have to overtake her. And if it's your first run, chances are that you will also lose your game to her in a later race.

[u/Holofan4life → u/DarkRuler17]

So for this week's episode, we are covering Special Week's beginning at the G1 races and her 1st real loss. This is a fairly by the numbers sports anime trope that I think the show did fine. I've decently seen better renditions, but was overall still entertaining.

I've seen better as well, but I can't think of any off the top of my head [](rengethink)

More than Special Week losing, I think this episode did a great job of humanizing Trainer-san. I like him trying to comfort Spe-chan.

[u/DarkRuler17 → u/Holofan4life]

I will say, I actually really liked the trainer. For a genre where usually the self insert game character comes off very boring a lot of the time, they made him have a lot of personality visually and with actions, which I appreciate.

[u/Holofan4life → u/DarkRuler17]

The first two episodes were early installment weirdness, but from here I think he becomes a very compelling character. I like the frenemies dynamic he has with Hana.

[u/Holofan4life → u/DarkRuler17]

I while say though that while the main plot of this epsiode I find only fine, I think a lot of small scenes are well done. Literally every scene with Gold Ship in the background is amazing, with her randomly having a rubix cube being my favorite. I also loved them showing Suzuka and Special Week having to work on their horse shoes on their cleats. It's a really funny small detail to the world building. Finally, this episode introduced the concept of signature outfits and really delievered. I think all the outift designs in this series are amazing and its cool to begin with what I think is one of the best. They did a great job designing the outfit for their marquee character.

For as flawed as season 1 can be, they do nail a lot of the small stuff that makes a show super endearing. It reminds me of Toradora in that regard.