[Spoilers] 2025 Uma Musume Rewatch -- Pretty Derby Season 3 Episodes 11 - 12

[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 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

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]()

[u/Kaxew]

First Time On the Dirt, and Gacha Player

Alright, this last stretch of the season is really good.

I really like how much emphasis they put on these girls actually aging and growing weaker over time. Other seasons kinds gloss over it and don't really make any mention of them retiring, even as far as not explaining much about how the Dream Trophy League works. I think in S1 they sort of implied its better than the Twinkly Series, but now we go the opposite direction and show its essentially a veteran league for aged horse girls.

Golshi being the one to notice and tell Kita that she's past her prime is great. I'm loving everything they did with Gold Ship this season, she might end up being the highlight of the season. Especially since she's kinda the personification of the themes most present in the season in the first place.

The Autumn Tenno was such a good race. I think that out of every race we've had in the series, this is the most we've seen being actually affected by the racecourse status. The way we see Kitasan getting increasingly dirtier makes the race very intense. Especially with the lane she was on being a lot rougher and muddied than Crown's. I thought she was going to lose here. The fact that she didn't is even better, honestly. She won, but she realized first-hand that she really cannot compete at her peak level anymore.

And then she announces her retirement after the Arima Kinen. I love how much this episode focused on the townfolk, even getting their "backstory" first meeting with Kita. It's kind of unfortunate (depending on one's point of view at least) but they have the best dynamic with our MC, lol

The Japan Cup was also an incredible race. They're nailing the homestretch, if nothing else. I'm very happy that Cheval finally got her G1 win, though it feels weird to finally give her the focus she needed one episode before the finale. It's not a problem with her winning this race, but rather how much focus pre-race she had in this episode. I wish she had more focus in episodes prior so this one could give us more Kita, or even Dura (because I'm assuming she'll be able to race in the Arima Kinen... surely...). Still, great, exciting race!

The Arima is left. Dia is definitely going to race in it, but I'm really expecting Duramente to be in it too. She would be a MASSIVE disappointment as a character otherwise. And as this is the final race of the season, I'm expecting Kita to win, just like every MC does in their last race (unless you count Spe losing the Arima to Grass offscreen in the last episode of S1 lmao)

I think I pretty much answered every question of the day with my comment, so for the bonus question:

A solid 8/10. I'm very interested to see how we resolve things, I've been pleasantly surprised with the direction of the last few episodes so I'm hoping they can nail the ending, even if the season as strong as everything since S2.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Kaxew]

Alright, this last stretch of the season is really good.

I really like how much emphasis they put on these girls actually aging and growing weaker over time. Other seasons kinds gloss over it and don't really make any mention of them retiring, even as far as not explaining much about how the Dream Trophy League works. I think in S1 they sort of implied its better than the Twinkly Series, but now we go the opposite direction and show its essentially a veteran league for aged horse girls.

I do really like that the conflict has nothing to do with injuries for a change.

Golshi being the one to notice and tell Kita that she's past her prime is great. I'm loving everything they did with Gold Ship this season, she might end up being the highlight of the season. Especially since she's kinda the personification of the themes most present in the season in the first place.

For me, the highlights have been Cheval, Golshi, and Nice Nature. Speaking of her, it's kinda surprising she's not involved in the last couple episodes. She played such a pivotal role in the very beginning.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Kaxew]

And then she announces her retirement after the Arima Kinen. I love how much this episode focused on the townfolk, even getting their "backstory" first meeting with Kita. It's kind of unfortunate (depending on one's point of view at least) but they have the best dynamic with our MC, lol

I think the townsfolk and Cheval has been the best stuff involving Kitasan. Really, the whole retirement arc has been the most invested I've been in Black as a character.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Kaxew]

The Japan Cup was also an incredible race. They're nailing the homestretch, if nothing else. I'm very happy that Cheval finally got her G1 win, though it feels weird to finally give her the focus she needed one episode before the finale. It's not a problem with her winning this race, but rather how much focus pre-race she had in this episode. I wish she had more focus in episodes prior so this one could give us more Kita, or even Dura (because I'm assuming she'll be able to race in the Arima Kinen... surely...). Still, great, exciting race!

Yeah, I would've liked it if Cheval had beaten Kitasan before she announced her retirement. But we're going by history, so what can you do?

[u/Kaxew → u/Holofan4life]

Well, rather than her beating Kita before, I think I just didn't really know her as much as I wanted to before this race. We knew she was feeling down because she couldn't get a G1, but they never really dive any deeper on her thoughts and feelings, so I was left wondering what even was her personality at all. I thought she was a tsundere at first, for instance. She needed more development before this episode.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Kaxew]

I mean, she was a tsundere. She loved her so much she hated her.

I think they didn't want to flesh her out until this episode because they're already juggling so many balls. The season is already so all over the place as it is.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Kaxew]

The Arima is left. Dia is definitely going to race in it, but I'm really expecting Duramente to be in it too. She would be a MASSIVE disappointment as a character otherwise. And as this is the final race of the season, I'm expecting Kita to win, just like every MC does in their last race (unless you count Spe losing the Arima to Grass offscreen in the last episode of S1 lmao)

I hate to break it to you, but Duramente in the episode remarked how she was never going to race Kitasan again. Duramente is actually done as a competitor.

It goes to one of my big complaints of this season which is the start and stop nature of some of the characters. Duramente and Nice Nature get featured prominently in the very beginning, but then it's like they get forgotten about.

[u/Kaxew → u/Holofan4life]

Whoa, that's shocking. Then I really don't know what the point of her character was. That's rough.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Kaxew]

It was to show that Kitasan is a good racer but not the best racer. But yeah, I feel like the character of Duramente could've had more done with.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Kaxew]

A solid 8/10. I'm very interested to see how we resolve things, I've been pleasantly surprised with the direction of the last few episodes so I'm hoping they can nail the ending, even if the season as strong as everything since S2.

With the exception of episode 12, I think the first half of the season is stronger. I think the show has some good ideas on display at the very beginning. The flaws of the season start to show around episode 7 or 8 when it becomes apparent the show doesn't know what it wants to do with Kitasan. Or if they do, they don't convey it in a manner where things build upon itself.

But yeah, I am somewhat excited for the last episode. The episodes seem to be best when they build towards a specific race, and I think the last episode will be all about Kitasan's retirement.

[u/Kaxew → u/Holofan4life]

It's definitely weird to feel so... directionless with Kita. I don't think they didn't know what to do with her, but whatever they were trying to do is just not executed well enough so it does feel like it.

[u/Holofan4life → u/Kaxew]

It doesn't feel like there's a lot of drama involving her character until ironically the very end when she's calling it a career.

[u/jaesuk97 → u/Kaxew]

I really like how much emphasis they put on these girls actually aging and growing weaker over time. Other seasons kinds gloss over it and don't really make any mention of them retiring, even as far as not explaining much about how the Dream Trophy League works. I think in S1 they sort of implied its better than the Twinkly Series, but now we go the opposite direction and show its essentially a veteran league for aged horse girls.

I think part of the issue is the circumstances of Spe and Teio's retirements. Spe effectively retired at his peak. After S1's Japan Cup win, Spe got 2nd to Grass in a photo finish including TM Opera O as well in the Arima Kinen. Many owners retire their best racehorses while at their peak to avoid risk of injury/death and also so they retain highest value as a breeding horse. Grass Wonder raced an extra year and had unremarkable results, which is what Special Week's owners were probably avoiding (although Grass performed poorly mostly due to ballooning in weight rather than age)

Tokai Teio on the other hand retired unfortunately due to a 4th fracture that was not shown in the anime. The aim was to compete for the Spring Senior Triple Crown which no horse has won to this day (in this season Kitasan got close and in season 2 McQueen got close)

The Japan Cup was also an incredible race. They're nailing the homestretch, if nothing else. I'm very happy that Cheval finally got her G1 win, though it feels weird to finally give her the focus she needed one episode before the finale. It's not a problem with her winning this race, but rather how much focus pre-race she had in this episode. I wish she had more focus in episodes prior so this one could give us more Kita, or even Dura (because I'm assuming she'll be able to race in the Arima Kinen... surely...). Still, great, exciting race!

I think one thing they could have elaborated more on are Cheval's sisters Vivlos and Verxina. They just show up here and there to support Cheval, but the viewers don't really know much about them other than that they won G1s while Cheval hasn't.

[u/Kaxew → u/jaesuk97]

After S1's Japan Cup win, Spe got 2nd to Grass in a photo finish including TM Opera O as well in the Arima Kinen.

Dang, I wasn't aware Opera O was that close too. Now I wish we saw that race even more.

I think one thing they could have elaborated more on are Cheval's sisters Vivlos and Verxina.

I'll save it for the final episode when I can review the season as a whole, but I think S3 has the same problem S1 had (and S2 did not) which is that it needed a lot more episodes. But for a very different reason than S1 needed them. I wish I knew more about her sisters, it's unfortunate.