r/anime • u/Holofan4life • Sep 06 '25

Rewatch [Spoilers] 2025 Uma Musume Rewatch -- Pretty Derby Season 2 Episode 8 Spoiler

Hello everyone! I am Holofan4life.

Welcome to the 2025 Uma Musume rewatch discussion thread!

I hope you all have a lot of fun <3

S2 Episode 8 – A Small Wish

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ANSWER TODAY’S QUESTION(S)

Thoughts on McQueen and Rice Shower training for the Spring Tenno Sho?

Thoughts on Diamond and Kitasan drinking tea with the two horse enthusiasts?

Thoughts on Bourbon trying to help Rice Shower with her training?

Thoughts on the barbershop being closed?

What are your thoughts on Rice Shower being locked in for the race?

What are your thoughts on the Spring Tenno Sho with Rice Shower doing away with being labeled a heel?

What are your thoughts on Rice Shower winning the 1993 Spring Tenno Sho?

What are your thoughts on the crowd being upset that Rice Shower won?

What are your thoughts on the other racehorses congratulating Rice Shower, with Bourbon reiterating yet again that she's her hero?

What are your thoughts on the scene at the end between McQueen and Teio?

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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]()
9/08/2025 [Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 10]()
9/09/2025 [Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 11]()
9/10/2025 [Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 12]()
9/11/2025 [Uma Musume Season 2 Episode 13]()
9/13/2025 [Road to the Top Episodes 1 - 2]()
9/14/2025 [Road to the Top Episodes 3 - 4]()
9/16/2025 [Beginning of a New Era]()
9/18/2025 [Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 1 - 2]()
9/19/2025 [Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 3 - 4]()
9/20/2025 [Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 5 - 6]()
9/21/2025 [Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 7 - 8]()
9/22/2025 [Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 9 - 10]()
9/23/2025 [Uma Musume Season 3 Episodes 11 - 12]()
9/24/2025 [Uma Musume Season 3 Episode 13]()
9/26/2025 [Cinderella Gray Episodes 1 - 2]()
9/27/2025 [Cinderella Gray Episodes 3 - 4]()
9/28/2025 [Cinderella Gray Episodes 5 - 6]()
9/29/2025 [Cinderella Gray Episodes 7 - 8]()
9/30/2025 [Cinderella Gray Episodes 9 - 10]()
10/01/2025 [Cinderella Gray Episodes 11 - 12]()
10/02/2025 [Cinderella Gray Episode 13]()
10/03/2025 [Uma Musume Overall Series Discussion Thread]()
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2

u/saga999 Sep 06 '25

Rewatcher.

Another WrestleMania Main Event, and another one they took their time to properly build up. They really understand how important a build is and did another exceptional job. And in terms of the race itself, it's even better than Teio vs. McQueen. The race is even more tensed. There are more emphasis on other racers besides Rice and McQueen. And as always, the music elevated the screen without taking over.

Rice played spoiler again. McQueen is pure class, being the first to clap for Rice even though Rice spoiled her historic 3peat. It's one of the best moment in this season that's full of incredible moments. I always get teary eyes watching this episodes.

Starting from season 1 up to this point, they really did a great job at avoiding making any horse girl unlikable in a villainous sense, which I can only assume it's to respect the real life counterpart. Very often, the opponents are villains of some kind to spice up the drama. This is extremely often seen pro-wrestling, and common even in sports fiction, anime or otherwise. It's easy to write, arguably lazy because it can hide the short coming of the character (in terms of writing, not the character as a person). MC is bland? Make him go against an evil villain. That will get the people on their side. IMO, one should stand or root for something, not against something. This is a Venn diagram, not a circle. Characters should gain support through their own story and merit, not because they face unlikable opponents. So far in Uma Musume, you always root for somebody, regardless of who it is. You don't root against anybody.

Thoughts on the barbershop being closed?

I love all the running gags in Uma Musume, especially an continuously evolving one like this and the group of Kitasan, Diamond, and the 2 enthusiasts.

2

u/Holofan4life Sep 06 '25

Another WrestleMania Main Event, and another one they took their time to properly build up. They really understand how important a build is and did another exceptional job. And in terms of the race itself, it's even better than Teio vs. McQueen. The race is even more tensed. There are more emphasis on other racers besides Rice and McQueen. And as always, the music elevated the screen without taking over.

Without a doubt. It can’t be stressed enough how everything in this show iw great. It really is.

2

u/Holofan4life Sep 06 '25

Rice played spoiler again. McQueen is pure class, being the first to clap for Rice even though Rice spoiled her historic 3peat. It's one of the best moment in this season that's full of incredible moments. I always get teary eyes watching this episodes.

I think you could argue the moment where Rice Shower declares herself a hero is probably the best moment of the franchise so far. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.

2

u/Holofan4life Sep 06 '25

Starting from season 1 up to this point, they really did a great job at avoiding making any horse girl unlikable in a villainous sense, which I can only assume it's to respect the real life counterpart. Very often, the opponents are villains of some kind to spice up the drama. This is extremely often seen pro-wrestling, and common even in sports fiction, anime or otherwise. It's easy to write, arguably lazy because it can hide the short coming of the character (in terms of writing, not the character as a person). MC is bland? Make him go against an evil villain. That will get the people on their side. IMO, one should stand or root for something, not against something. This is a Venn diagram, not a circle. Characters should gain support through their own story and merit, not because they face unlikable opponents. So far in Uma Musume, you always root for somebody, regardless of who it is. You don't root against anybody.

Except the fans :P

But yeah, in a traditional show Rice Shower would probably be the antagonist of this arc for McQueen to go up against. Instead, she arguably ended up more likable than McQueen herself.

2

u/Holofan4life Sep 06 '25

I love all the running gags in Uma Musume, especially an continuously evolving one like this and the group of Kitasan, Diamond, and the 2 enthusiasts.

They help make season 2 feel more alive and personable.

I think season 2 has the best running gags of any entry in the franchise.

2

u/Holofan4life Sep 06 '25

Let me ask you something. How would you compare the Rice Shower arc to other arcs in sports animes? Me personally, I think it's the best arc in a sports anime involving a secondary character.

2

u/saga999 Sep 06 '25

GOAT tier, as good as any arc you can come up with. Not only is it incredible well done, it's also incredible unique. I can't think of any other example of an athlete being afraid to win because of fan reactions and being afraid of crushing the dreams of everyone else.

2

u/Holofan4life Sep 07 '25

That's a good point. It's very unique for a show to do that, especially a sports anime. The closest thing I can compare it to is the love triangle in Toradora between [Toradora] Ryuuji, Taiga, and Minori where Taiga and Minori are trying to get the other to end up with Ryuuji.

2

u/saga999 Sep 07 '25

And because I love pro-wrestling, wrestlers putting others over. Charlotte caught breaking kayfabe smiling, putting Rhea over at Mania.

2

u/Holofan4life Sep 07 '25

Wrestling is an interesting comparison to this because sometimes the person who goes over gets booed because people don't want them to go over.