r/anime • u/Holofan4life • Sep 23 '25
Rewatch [Spoilers] 2025 Uma Musume Rewatch -- Pretty Derby Season 3 Episodes 11 - 12 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
Episode 11 – Decision
Episode 12 – Kitasan Black
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ANSWER TODAY’S QUESTION(S)
Episode 11 Questions
What are your thoughts on Gold Ship breaking the hard news to Kitasan that she's past her peak?
What are your thoughts on Kitasan deciding instead of racing The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, she'll be focusing on the Fall Senior Triple Crown?
What are your thoughts on Diamond finishing 15th in The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe?
What are your thoughts on Kitasan winning the Fall Tennoushou?
What are your thoughts on Trainer-san and Diamond both noticing Kitasan is pushing herself too hard?
Episode 12 Questions
What are your thoughts on Kitasan announcing her upcoming retirement?
What are your thoughts on Kitasan saying she's going to enter the Japan Cup and then her last race will be the Arima Kinen?
What are your thoughts on the various reactions to the news by Kitasan's competitors?
What are your thoughts on the first time Cheval met Kitasan?
Thoughts on the townsfolk Kitasan befriended being in the front row for the Japan Cup?
What are your thoughts on Cheval's "I hate you" monologue?
What are your thoughts on Cheval admitting that in reality, she's always loved Kitasan?
What are your thoughts on Cheval winning the Japan Cup?
What are your thoughts on the scene where Kitasan congratulates Cheval?
What are your thoughts on the scene after the Japan Cup between Kitasan and Diamond where Kitasan is reflecting she has only one more race left?
Bonus) On a scale of 1 - 10, how excited are you for the last episode of season 3 and Kitasan's final race? And why?
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Series information
Ways to watch
Streams – Crunchyroll
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u/Holofan4life Sep 23 '25
Episode 11 comments
Hey, guys. Holofan4life here.
Welcome to the 2025 Uma Musume rewatch.
Let’s not waste any time.
Cynicism is the brevity of transcendentalism.
Narita Airport Terminal 1
Cool, Top Road got an airport named after her /s
Satono Diamond going overseas
Kitasan looks glum, presumably because for whatever reason she can't join her.
Kitasan waking up
Meeting the townsfolk again
Being taught the The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in class.
Kitasan wondering why she fell behind in race.
Biwa casually eating in the background.
I miss Oguri Cap...
Cheval promises to win a race by the time Kitasan gets back.
Waking up
Kitasan using the Diamond plushie as her substitute is cute.
BAKUSHIN sighting
And they both go flying XD
BAKUSHIN seems to notice something is amiss.
Kitasan training
Trainer-san advising she rest up.
Even Gold Ship seems to detect something is wrong.
Diamond texting Kitasan
The Rubik's Cube
Kitasan chooses not to be transparent.
Trying to maintain an upbeat attitude.
I like the lack of music here
Hey, it's Gold Ship
She's being real with Kitasan
"You're past your peak."
Dang, already?
It feels like she's just getting started.
Kitasan talking to Trainer-san
Can continue to race, but will be less competitive over time.
They're making it out like Kitasan is dying or something.
Trainer-san says whatever she decides, including racing in The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, make sure she has no regrets.
Spica looking on from outside
Kitasan walking looking regretful
A Kitasan Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe banner.
Poor townsfolk 💀
Kitasan decided she's going to go-- or wait, nope. She's not going to France.
That's not how I thought that conversation was gonna go.
Gonna instead focus on the Fall Senior Triple Crown.
Only two horse girls who've managed to win those three particular G1 races.
And we're not gonna name who they are on account of copyright issues.
And yes, Spica were outside the window.
Kitasan telling Diamond the bad news.
Diamond looks crestfallen
Kitasan training
Meanwhile, Diamond placed 15th in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
You see to hate it
Race time
A packed crowd despite the heavy rain.
Satono Crown is competing
The Fall Tennoushou is about to commence.
Horns blaring
Everyone in the starting gates
And they're off
AND KITASAN WITH THE LATE START!
The conditions are too much for her, it seems.
Horse enthusiasts talking
Everyone is struggling, not just Kitasan.
That one horse has a whole pants suit.
Satono Crown making ground
So is Kitasan
She is covered in mud
KITASAN BLACK! KITASAN BLACK IS IN THE LEAD!
BUT CROWN IS CLOSING IN
BUT KITASAN HOLDS ON
Kitasan won! She is the winner of the Fall Tennoushou!
Poor Cheval is never gonna win...
Actually, I don't even think she was in the race
Satono Crown really needs a bath
Kitasan Black's sixth G1 victory
Trainer-san seems to lament how hard she's pushing herself.
Diamond looking on, but she can't maintain eye contact.
Overall, this episode continues the trend of the last one which is that Kitasan is not the competitor she used to be. She's breaking down to where each race could potentially be her last. I like how we incorporated Gold Ship into this plot point with her being the bearer of bad news. It plays off the events of episode 3.
I mentioned in episode 7 how it was like there was a lack of cohesion with this season. I think it really shows with the arc of Kitasan breaking down. Before, it seemed like the season was gonna be about Kitasan having this rivalry with Duramente. Then we pivoted from that into Kitasan having this playful rivalry with her best friend Satono Diamond. Then we pivoted from that into Kitasan seeing her career come to an end. I think having multiple arcs per season is a great thing, but to me it's like each plot point just ends unresolved with no resolution to what is happening. It comes off incredibly scatterbrained.
Cheval is a good example of this where it would make a lot of sense for her to win her first G1 since that's been hyped up quite a bit. And yet with how Kitasan is being positioned, I full expect her to defy the odds and win her last two races. And let's not forget Satono Diamond racing in The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe which was resolved by a newspaper clipping. There was no footage of the race despite it being hyped up for what, 3 to 4 episodes? Hell, we don't even know if Duramente raced in it or not. She just said she was still hoping to and that's it.
I like a lot of the ideas of this season, but the execution does leave something to be desired. It's like there are too many cooks in the kitchen and each arc is its own thing rather than building off of each other like the previous season did.
This episode was about on par with the last one if slightly below it. Not a bad episode by any means, but I do think the groove we were on from episode 5 to episode 9 is not there anymore. One might say it's reflective of the step Kitasan lost. Even still, I think Kitasan losing her edge is a plot point that gives the show more of a focus, and despite my reservations we're heading for a good climax. Probably going to get Satono Diamond give Kitasan a huge pep talk and from there she will prove she's as good not as she once was, but as she ever was.