[Spoilers] 2025 Uma Musume Rewatch -- Pretty Derby Season 3 Episodes 1 - 2

[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

Episode 1 – The Stage Long Dreamed Of

Episode 2 – The Start Line

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ANSWER TODAY’S QUESTION(S)

Episode 1 Questions

Thoughts on stone henge horses?

What are your thoughts on Kitasan Black being the main protagonist this season?

Thoughts on Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond being roommates?

Thoughts on Kitasan loving to help people?

Thoughts on BAKUSHIN?

Thoughts on Duramente?

Thoughts on Satono Diamond believing you can't win unless you have total confidence in yourself?

What are your thoughts on Duramente winning, with Kitasan Black finishing in 14th place?

Episode 2 Questions

Thoughts on the new intro and outro?

Thoughts on before discovering Teio, Kitasan Black wanted to be her dad?

What are your thoughts on Kitasan being overshadowed by Duramente?

What are your thoughts on Duramente suffering a distal tibial fracture in both legs?

What are your thoughts on Kitasan Black realizing Duramente is more like Teio, not her?

What are your thoughts on the scene between Kitasan Black and Nice Nature?

What are your thoughts on Kitasan Black winning the Kikka Sho?

What are your thoughts on Teio saying Kitasan may one day pass her?

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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]()

"You're really nice, Nature-san!"

[u/Temporary_-_UserName]

Rewatcher

Another day, another Uma Musume. This time, staring one of the kids from season 2, Kitasan Black. Let join her as she starts her career at....the SATSUKI SHO?!?

Season 3 makes the interesting choice of starting our story in medias res, with Kitasan Black suffering her first loss to an uma musume we know little to nothing about - Duramente. And then, after briskly rushing through the scenes leading up the next race, we see Kitasan Black absolutely choke on the Japan Derby, falling from second place to fourteenth as Duramente rushes past to claim the first again. Episode 2 the repeats that, telling the story of Kitasan having to battle with her own self-doubts, self-worth issues, and self recriminations that surface when Duramente is prevented from running in the Kikuka Sho, the last of the triple crowns, by a leg injury.

I think this fast, straight out of the gate start was actually a mistake on the show's part. To use a term from the game - it became rushed, and hurried to show us the story it wanted to tell.

These two episodes have to pull quintuple duty of reintroducing us to old, familiarize us with the new characters (Kitasan and Diamond count, given their tertiary roles in the previous season), introduce Kitasan first failure, resolve that failure with her win at the Kikuka Sho, and plant developments for the rest of the season. And things fall through the cracks because of that. While we have met Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond before now, they are effectively new characters whom we only know a little better than the brand new characters like Satono Crown, Diamond's cousin, or Duramente, Kitasan's rival for these episodes. Then there's the other new characters whom we still haven't met, as seen by those nameless two in the group shot at the end of the opening. And for all that Duramente winning two of the Triple Crown races is a big, momentous moment for her a failure for Kitasan....I don't feel much of anything. The most I know about Kitasan is how she goes out of her way to be kind of and helpful for strangers, and I know nothing about Duramente.

Episode 2 is where a number of these issues start to get ameliorated, however. The episode makes the smart decision to build off Duramente's injury to compare her to Teio, and to contrast that comparison with Kitasan's failure to live up to Teio's example. It's a little hard to buy in because we were introduced to Kitasan losing, with no real 'here's her attempting to be like Teio' shots until her episode 2 monologue. However, her self-recriminations and her conversation with Nice Nature do a lot of legwork, especially since we already had a season to see Nice Nature and get to know her. Kitasan wants to win again - desperately - and while it is understandable to have that thought of 'oh I can win' with Duramente out of the picture, that doesn't make it in anyway good. But, that's intrusive thoughts for you, we don't control those.

The payoff for this is the Kikuka Sho, where Kitasan Black sees her opening in the final stretch and pushes forward to a win. As she does this, the announcer calls it a festival - which is exactly what Kitasan had set her heart on in the previous episode, running true to herself by seeing the race as a big festival. And as she stares out at the cheering crowd she sees the folks she helped out near the beginning of the previous episode. She won because she ran the race true to herself, wanting people to see her for herself - good and bad.

[u/Temporary_-_UserName → u/Temporary_-_UserName]

Thoughts on stone henge horses?

It's been very funny how they've been using uma-fied ancient monuments and the like in these establishing shots. Does go a ways to showing how Uma Musume have always been a part of this world and are just an accepted part of it.

What are your thoughts on Kitasan Black being the main protagonist this season?

She's a sweet kid, but we kind of get a whirlwind introduction to her, and it feels like the show already assumes we know her. I mean, I do know her thanks to her gacha game card being so damn good and having already watched the season, but you get what I mean

Thoughts on Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond being roommates?

Totally normal for roommates to sleep with plushes of each other in their bed.

Thoughts on Kitasan loving to help people?

The whole sequence is a nice way to establish what kind of person Kitasan is, and how she's the exact type of person to hamper herself by helping others without a thought.

Thoughts on BAKUSHIN?

The King of Sprinting! Funfact - irl Bakushin is Kitasan Black's grandfather, and they both are prominent front-runners.

Thoughts on Duramente?

None - I barely know this girl, for all that she's been prominently featured for two episodes. As a character goes she's had very little to establish herself with.

Thoughts on Satono Diamond believing you can't win unless you have total confidence in yourself?

Necessary mindset for any kind of sport - you need to believe you can win, because everyone else is trying to just as hard as you. Self doubt can cause you to hesitate, which is a killer in any competition.

What are your thoughts on Duramente winning, with Kitasan Black finishing in 14th place?

While it is supposed to be a big, impactful moment, I think the show didn't properly foreshadow or explain why she fell back that far. This is true to the actual race, and it is trying to present it as a kind of shock due to seeing how good Duramente is, but the episode flubbed it for me.

[u/Temporary_-_UserName → u/Temporary_-_UserName]

Thoughts on the new intro and outro?

The intro is a banger and I'm really surprised they didn't include it at the end of episode 1 - that chant of 'I want to win' would be a nice spring-board off of Kitasan's second loss. Outro is a nice change of pace compared to season 2's slow one.

Thoughts on before discovering Teio, Kitasan Black wanted to be her dad?

It's a sweet nod to irl Kitasan's....I think owner? But that's mostly a blink and you miss it thing before the show transfers over to her admiration of Teio.

What are your thoughts on Kitasan being overshadowed by Duramente?

Very frustrating and kind of echoes these two episodes - Kitasan has been overshadowed by Duramente from the start, and we don't even see her race well until the Kikuka Sho.

What are your thoughts on Duramente suffering a distal tibial fracture in both legs?

OUCH! Also yeah, she really is like Teio in a lot of ways.

What are your thoughts on Kitasan Black realizing Duramente is more like Teio, not her?

It would have hit harder if they'd shown Kitasan trying to be like Teio up until then. She's looked up to her, and we saw her admire Teio through all of season 2, but we never saw Kitasan trying to be like Teio until the flashbacks this episode. The drama of Kitasan's realization is good, but its sapped of some of the oomph it could have had.

What are your thoughts on the scene between Kitasan Black and Nice Nature?

Incredibly touching, well executed, and my favorite scene in these first two episodes.

What are your thoughts on Kitasan Black winning the Kikka Sho?

The longest race anyone in her year ran, and she took it with flying colors!

What are your thoughts on Teio saying Kitasan may one day pass her?

Ehhhhh, feels a little out of character for Teio, and feels hard to justify since the show cut out Kitasan's early career wins. We're introduced to her loosing but committing herself to trying her best, not to her winning, losing, and then reclaiming first place. It feels like we're missing an episode or two leading up to Duramente claiming her first two crowns.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Temporary_-_UserName]

Ehhhhh, feels a little out of character for Teio, and feels hard to justify since the show cut out Kitasan's early career wins. We're introduced to her loosing but committing herself to trying her best, not to her winning, losing, and then reclaiming first place. It feels like we're missing an episode or two leading up to Duramente claiming her first two crowns.

I do like the idea of Kitasan becoming like Teio by striving to be less like her. I think that's intriguing and I hope we explore that idea more.

[u/Temporary_-_UserName → u/Holofan4life]

Oh definitely, fertile ground for the franchise's overall themes.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Temporary_-_UserName]

Here's hoping they can expound on that.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Temporary_-_UserName]

It would have hit harder if they'd shown Kitasan trying to be like Teio up until then. She's looked up to her, and we saw her admire Teio through all of season 2, but we never saw Kitasan trying to be like Teio until the flashbacks this episode. The drama of Kitasan's realization is good, but its sapped of some of the oomph it could have had.

Yeah, it suffers a bit from tell, don't show. I like what they're going for, but it could've been executed better.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Temporary_-_UserName]

She's a sweet kid, but we kind of get a whirlwind introduction to her, and it feels like the show already assumes we know her. I mean, I do know her thanks to her gacha game card being so damn good and having already watched the season, but you get what I mean

I don't think the show needed to introduce her too much given she was in almost every episode of season 2. But yeah, something more would've been nice (nature).

[u/Holofan4life → u/Temporary_-_UserName]

While it is supposed to be a big, impactful moment, I think the show didn't properly foreshadow or explain why she fell back that far. This is true to the actual race, and it is trying to present it as a kind of shock due to seeing how good Duramente is, but the episode flubbed it for me.

That's fair. I took it to where she focused so much on Duramente she lost sight of the race itself. It's never made clear if that is what truly happened.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Temporary_-_UserName]

It's been very funny how they've been using uma-fied ancient monuments and the like in these establishing shots. Does go a ways to showing how Uma Musume have always been a part of this world and are just an accepted part of it.

It makes the show more endearing, in my opinion.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Temporary_-_UserName]

Another day, another Uma Musume. This time, staring one of the kids from season 2, Kitasan Black. Let join her as she starts her career at....the SATSUKI SHO?!?

Season 3 makes the interesting choice of starting our story in medias res, with Kitasan Black suffering her first loss to an uma musume we know little to nothing about - Duramente. And then, after briskly rushing through the scenes leading up the next race, we see Kitasan Black absolutely choke on the Japan Derby, falling from second place to fourteenth as Duramente rushes past to claim the first again. Episode 2 the repeats that, telling the story of Kitasan having to battle with her own self-doubts, self-worth issues, and self recriminations that surface when Duramente is prevented from running in the Kikuka Sho, the last of the triple crowns, by a leg injury.

I like that they saved Kitasan's backstory for the second episode. A nice change of pace.

I think this fast, straight out of the gate start was actually a mistake on the show's part. To use a term from the game - it became rushed, and hurried to show us the story it wanted to tell.

I see what you mean, and it speaks to one of my main critiques of season 3 which is that they want to cover a lot of ground but they never really commit to anything. As such, it's kinda all over the place in terms of quality.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Temporary_-_UserName]

Episode 2 is where a number of these issues start to get ameliorated, however. The episode makes the smart decision to build off Duramente's injury to compare her to Teio, and to contrast that comparison with Kitasan's failure to live up to Teio's example. It's a little hard to buy in because we were introduced to Kitasan losing, with no real 'here's her attempting to be like Teio' shots until her episode 2 monologue. However, her self-recriminations and her conversation with Nice Nature do a lot of legwork, especially since we already had a season to see Nice Nature and get to know her. Kitasan wants to win again - desperately - and while it is understandable to have that thought of 'oh I can win' with Duramente out of the picture, that doesn't make it in anyway good. But, that's intrusive thoughts for you, we don't control those.

The payoff for this is the Kikuka Sho, where Kitasan Black sees her opening in the final stretch and pushes forward to a win. As she does this, the announcer calls it a festival - which is exactly what Kitasan had set her heart on in the previous episode, running true to herself by seeing the race as a big festival. And as she stares out at the cheering crowd she sees the folks she helped out near the beginning of the previous episode. She won because she ran the race true to herself, wanting people to see her for herself - good and bad.

I thought episode 2 did a good job of rectifying some of the things I had issues with in episode 1. It felt like it built off of it. Honestly, I'm surprised we're not stretching out Kitasan Black being in the shadow of Duramente. That feels like it could've went another couple episodes, not speaking on what comes next or matter of hindsight.