UMA MUSUME: CINDERELLA GRAY

DESCRIPTION

CAST

MANGA DramaUma Musume: Cinderella Gray
ANIME DramaUma Musume: Pretty Derby
ONA ComedyUmayuru: Pretty Gray
ANIME DramaUma Musume: Cinderella Gray Part 2

REVIEWS

• 

  marioink508

  97/100
  The Greatness of Umamusume's Atmosphere

  _This review contains __MODERATE SPOILERS__ for __Umamusume: Cinderella Gray__._ ‎‎ [__The Greatness of Umamusume's Atmosphere__](https://anilist.co/user/marioink508/) __A pulse-pounding underdog story that races from quiet country courses to roaring G1 grandstands__ — _this series nails the electric atmosphere of competition while not shying away with its heartfelt storytelling and strategic cuts that keep every finish line feeling fresh._ --- ‎‎ [__Story - 9.9/10__](https://anilist.co/user/marioink508/) ‎‎ 'Umamusume: Cinderella Gray' has been one of my fastest growing series entry into my favorites. It is truly incredible just how atmospherically perfect this series is, and I don't see it being dethroned as one of the best series to depict the feeling of sports events. I was initially thinking to push this series onto a later start, because I've yet to catch up with the whole series, but I'm so grateful I didn't. This series perfectly encapsulates what it means to make a sports series good. No generic writing whatsoever, pure unhinged energy, great venue atmosphere, well done and spaced inner monologues, all of these elements are not even scraping the surface for what Umamusume manages to achieve for the sports genre. When it comes to straight up storytelling, this series follows an underdog story, the story of one of the characters I found most appealing in the Umamusume space _(from what I managed to watch ofc)_, with a narrative really well though out, with rewarding arcs that genuinely are so well paced for how much they actually pack. And while Oguri Cap is by far a beast in this series, making for this underdog story to feel really one sided, it actually just isn't like that at all. There are many cuts that make this series so much more grounded, with the most relevant being her lockout from the Japanese Derby, an episode that made me realize just how well done this story is. One thing to note is that, this is the only Umamusume story to source from a manga, as far as I'm aware, which to me felt like the best way to make this story to the level that it is at. Other cuts being anime originals, lacked the storytelling aspect for this series, which made for this one in particular to have a lot more depth and creativity behind it. Even before the atmosphere was great, but now, united with the amazing storytelling, you have some of the best showcase in the genre, hands down. ‎‎ #####_Episode 11 'The Star of Kasamatsu'_

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  I do actually want to make justice to just how amazing the atmosphere is so here goes a list of every detail that I managed to surprise that made me fascinated with this entry. So the series does start of in Kasamatsu, a countryside, the place where the atmosphere was the lowest, but not less detailed. Due to being a rural zone, we do see the atmosphere drop, we have lower quality tracks, less people attending, smaller venues, no commentary, not as many reporter camera shots, all of those elements contribute so much. You can clearly see much closer interaction from the racers with the community for the sole reason that there is just less chaos, the ending performance platform is lower budget, closer to the people. The camera shots during the races are less common because of the lack in popularity at this level, a much larger knowledge of players around the countryside, you see things much different from the city, and it makes sense.

  Moving into the big leagues, is where the atmosphere shines the most though, first of you get booth commentary, something that has elevated this series so much in my opinion, good commentary always elevates a competition. Larger venues, as well as higher spectator counts, more camera angles as I mentioned, reporters having a bigger impact on stories, match strategies before, after or even during the races. Photo-finishes and just more dynamic shots in the animation. There are also the differences between rated and unrated races, some of those being the raceware for G1 races, having special uniforms, stage introductions, the status of the people attending those venues. I feel like I could go on for days writing about how well depicted the atmosphere is in and outside of the races.
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  Episode 8 'The Right Stuff'

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  Characters - 9.7/10
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  Characters are a big deal in the Umamusume space, having hundreds of well designed characters, some being more relevant than the others, but never shying on details and uniqueness. In 'Cinderella Gray' we have our female lead Oguri Cap, a strong one, gifted runner with a passion for the sports and a competition fiend. Many of the prominent characters are either close to Oguri's circle or straight one on one competition, those being either March who was a lighter opponent but her first ever competition, a character dynamic that holds strong even when they part ways in levels. And Tamamo Cross, a racer that has been hyped the whole series, having incredible presence, being both a top runner and someone that has been observing Oguri during her uprise. Tamamo has been one of the characters that built the most hype around her arc, and even when her arc came around her depth and just pure energy went even higher, an amazing competitor for Oguri in the big leagues as well as a really well built up character... She is a lively character but serious and strategic one as well, something that was surfaced by the dynamic between those two. But, circling back to Oguri Cap, outside of racing quality, her personality is really good, she is on the clueless side, being easily distracted by anything in the outside world, creating a subtle comedic space around her, from the pure curiosity this character brings out. There is also the hilarious eating habit that she has, and we've seen this even in some background content in previous series, another great thing Umamusume does, the inside jokes that continue throughout spin-offs. Oguri is an outstanding character from both the competitor standpoint as well as the personality traits she has that create some really amazing comedic direction around her.
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  Episode 1 'I'm Here'

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  Symboli Rudolf also makes an appearance in this entry, one that has incredible impact on everything about Oguri's future, she is singlehandedly dictating a lot of the choices around her, either being directly involved or just having an influence across the board. A character I found somewhat let down was Berno, she is Oguri's best friend, which is sweet in a lot of moments, the only issue with her character is the narrative around her, from her being a mediocre runner in the countryside to having the ability to transfer higher into the big city along Oguri, while she clearly doesn't have the level to compete on such scales. We are also never really informed of her performances after the transfer, which makes her, as good as she is overall, have a low level of depth.

  Both trainers are amazing, and the fact that they are related adds a great element to the storytelling. From the lower leagues under Kitahara who is less knowledgeable and experienced, having to rely more often than not on Oguri's talent and having less room to actually improve her strategic thinking due to his inexperience, to training under Kitahara's uncle, Musaka, who has been in the business for some time, being experienced on top level races, we get to see a lot more of a strategic approach both during the races, but also when choosing what races Oguri runs. And one thing I found amazing about Kitahara was the dedication he had, also the shots showing him learning and progressing his way towards achieving a higher certification to be able to train Oguri again. The dynamic between this whole trio was amazing, as well as the vastly different attitudes Oguri had towards both of them, being a lot more direct and focused around Musaka, while in the presence of Kitahara she was a lot more curious, lively and passionate.
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  Episode 2 'Let Me Race'

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  Visuals - 9.2/10
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  When it comes to visuals, a standout for this season is by far the dynamic animation present during races. The quality is high effort, having some really intense cuts, and great fluid animation every time. Those moments also surprise the most use of CGI, and while it's for the most part really well done, there are some minor issues with it. There are obvious scenes were the CGI looks iffy or just a little out of place, but, for most people this would really not be an issue to be concerned by, and it still is really impressive as we do get fully animated competitions almost every episode, making for those nitpicks to be quite irrelevant in comparison with the bigger picture. This series has detailed backgrounds and really beautiful scenery, and while that is not the main focus of the show, they do not shy away even for the slice of life segments.

  Another important aspect of the series is the character design, this is an element that has been present in Umamusume even from its first seasons. They have really good designs and rarely ever show characters in the Umamusume world that lack a unique character look. Of course it's not perfect, but, as I said before for how much this series is trying to do, I'm more than happy to skim over some of those smaller aspects. It is clear that Cygames has put a lot of effort into this franchise which is more important sometimes than achieving perfect animation without any creative direction.
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  Episode 4 'The Junior Crown'

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  Closing Notes
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  To close this off, I feel like Umamusume, in general not only this spin-off, is a must watch for anyone that is interested in sports. Yes, this is horse-girl racing, an odd concept even for me at first, but it is just so well done on so many levels. And another thing to consider is that not all entries have the same story, we can clearly see that with this one as well. We are set in the same world, around the same facilities and competitions, yet each story feels unique, some better than other, but you can always find something to resonate with. But to me, the pure atmosphere of this series is a big draw and something that should not be missed. This series in particular follows an amazing protagonist and some really fun characters, along with the flawless narrative it has. A great entry into the Umamusume space and a standout in the sports genre, a show that will keep you wanting more every episode, with crazy cliffhangers, intense moments, and even heartwarming ones.
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  Enjoyment Level - 10/10
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  Favorite Character - Oguri Cap
  Favorite Episode - Episode 9 ‘The Japanese Derby’

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• 

  Animusswtor

  93/100
  Oguri Cap - more than just a "simple horsegirl". How Cinderella Gray crafts the perfect sports anime protagonist.

  __Cap... as in "peak".__

  Why I run, you ask?
  Because I can.
  Being able to stand and run...
  That alone is like a miracle to me.
  So even just running makes me happy.
  That's all.

  

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  In a world full of protagonists who aim to reach the top - catch all the Pokemon, be the king of pirates, the number 1 hero, the best at football, basketball, volleyball, let it even be the best chef in the world, I don't know, you name it - in a world chock full of those characters aspiring to reach some lofty and admirable goals, sometimes you will find an outlier going against the "norm" among them.
  Someone who doesn't try to make it to a metaphorical finish line, someone who doesn't need to be the best, the most popular, the most thought-after player in the business.
  Someone who is just content with what they have and what they can do.
  Someone who is not searching for a goal, but the goal is searching for instead.
  Someone like, for example, Kotetsu Kaburagi from the Tiger & Bunny series, who doesn't do any of that hero business for some kind of big fame or money, but just to make his daughter happy and think he's a cool dad (he is, btw).
  To put it in the words of the series itself
  "Someone who you'd feel like supporting with all your heart, as if you see yourself in them."

  For Cinderella Grey, what we have is nothing but a girl who runs.
  A girl who likes to run - just because she can.
  That.

  

  is Oguri Cap.
  Behind her drive to participate and win in these races, there is no big inspiration to be the best, there is no huge motivator keeping her afloat that she can fully rely on or fall back to whenever she finds herself in a bind. There is no need for those for her in her life.
  What is instead spurring her on is an unbridled and unparalleled passion for the sport.
  She runs for no reason other than the fact that she is capable of doing so.
  Born frail and fragile, with her knees so weak as if they were seemingly made out of glass, barely able to even stand or walk at first, she falls into the care of her "mother"'s physical therapy with daily leg massages to make them more flexible - turning her biggest weakness into her biggest strength - until one day she is finally capable of moving ahead on her own.
  Until she - like her actual mother before her (I think that was implied in an earlier episode, someone help me out here lol) - can finally run to her heart's content.

  All her accomplishments, the goals she sets herself and aspires to reach together with her equally passionate trainer Kitahara Jones and the other umamusume around her as her rivals and/or friends, come after the fact. Those goals find her just as much as she finds them.

  She decides to reach out for the stars, because the stars decided to reach out for her.

  Don't get me wrong, her eventual goals she settles on along the way in itself still are the top of the nation and all that jazz but what takes priority over all of it first and foremost, though, is her love for running. Her love for the sheer fun she has while letting loose on the field and the adrenaline rush kicking in when pushing her feet to the ground for her last spurt of these races and feeling the wind pass by on her skin.
  A love so bright and blinding, a quiet passion akin to magma bubbling beneath the surface ready to burst at any moment, that inspires not only her trainer, the other umamusume around her, the audiences of the races on the tracks and in their homes cheering her on, no...
  A love and passion that inspires you - the viewers - to not only root and cheer for her in these races, but to also try to work on yourself and improve your life for the better.
  When she experiences a setback, she doesn't let herself get down by it. She uses her passion and love for running - and the connections she ultimately makes through those - as a fuel to carry on and improve herself steadily the more and more experience she gains.
  Oguri Cap isn't loud, isn't overly optimistic, energetic or bubbly like you would expect from the usual cute girl protagonist - or even just from what I am writing here.
  Instead, her love and passion is a quiet, more restrained one of few words and more actions that nevertheless manages to pull you in completely.

  Oguri Cap.
  Make this era - this world your own. Let your races light a fire in your fan's hearts. Give them the strength - the courage - to carry on. Become an Umamusume beloved by all. An Umamusume that can give all that love back.
  An Umamusume unlike any before her.

  Adn most certainly the love she will give back!

  While this show sports an incredibly tightly-written and compelling cast in the aforementioned trainer Kitahara, Berno Light, Fujimasa March and her goon squad, Tamamo Cross(especially her as the perfect rival Oguri can have), Symboli Rudolf, Sakura Chiyono, Roppei Ginjirou Musaka, Yaeno Muteki and many many more, she is what ultimately makes it what it is. What makes it as special as it is.
  Because at its heart...
  Cinderella Grey is Oguri Cap - and Oguri Cap is Cinderella Grey.

  Or in other words:
  Oguri Cap added to listed favorites.

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  Step aside Solo Leveling.
  THIS is what aura REALLY looks like.

  __Umamusume Cinderella Gray: 9/10__

  This show scratched the itch my recent Run with the Wind watch unfortunately wasn't fully able to reach...
  Not to mention, the comedy in the show is JUST my type of humor, too.
  This was my very first dive into the Umamusume franchise, and if this is what I can expect out of it going forward, then I might just be the happiest man alive right now!

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  Forget all the big emotional and hype climaxes, epic battles or huge reveals of certain mysteries. The true beauty of a story lies in these small, seemingly insignificant moments of interactions between the characters talking about their feelings or the most normal stuff out there, and making those scenes effective and impactful. They are what enhances a show beyond being merely fiction and bring them to life - they carry them right into your heart and soul.

  This is a show that I could very well see becoming part of my favorites with its sequel seasons.
  In my heart, it already absolutely is one.
  I've read ahead a bit in the manga over the course of the last two weeks, and by now I'm sure the second cour for this in Fall this year is gonna be front favorites material! So, needless to say, but
  I am HYPED!

  It is, undoubtedly, my personal pick for new Anime of the Year so far.
  And I quite honestly think that's probably not gonna change anymore...

  And this was just the build-up to the big stuff coming afterwards...

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• 

  ria

  5/100
  Same crap we have been eating for the past 30 years, but this time, it comes with Horse Girls

  
  Character reactions are always delivered by monologues instead of showing us the said reaction and letting us figure out what the character thinks. The jokes are so bland and old that they smell of mold. The races, where the hype moments designated by the sports mangaka's handbook happen, are interrupted by soulless backstories narrated by the character in case you can't make assessments from what you just have seen by yourself and race strategies that should've been given to us before the racing so we could've watched them unfold with a natural flow. By the way, who was I kidding with, "while you are doomscrooling on your phone" this kind of bullshit writing tricks are pulled because they had to sell the next issue of their magazine. They are stretching the races (or fights in action manga) to dozens of chapters with those cheap tricks so you can buy the next issue with the hopes of, "Surely something important will happen this week." It's already a vile, soulless strategy in manga format, and when it's adapted to animation, where you can adapt those long ass races/fights that span out of months in a very short time, it still keeps its vileness but without any goal to accomplish. However, they also can't change the course of events to fix that awful pacing in the animation because that would take too much time and effort, so just slap whatever you have in the source material 1:1 and call it a day. The audience doesn't care anyway. In fact, they are even happy that they got a 1:1 adaptation, even though it doesn't suit the media the source material is getting adapted into, and could've been fixed by better planning. This isn't the fault of the anime staff, by the way. Making TV anime is already hard enough, and in a climate where the producers only want fast and cheap manga advertisements, the best they can do is making sure that mess of an adaptation look good enough, and Cinderella Gray sure looks good, just not as good as the studio's other works, and I'm glad it's like this. I'm more than happy to see that Cygames' priorities this year were Apocalypse Hotel and The Summer Hikaru Died instead of stereotypical cardboard cut sports manga number 945.
  
  It's understandable to see fans of sports anime/manga like Haikyuu, Kuroko, Blue Lock, or whatever is the next Jump series in the making going nuts over this show, but I'll never understand the Uma Musume fans who are over the heel for Cinderella Gray. It barely has been a year since we got Beginning of a New Era, a triumphal achievement in the medium of animation, for fucks sake...
  
  With how many notes I wrote down while watching the show weekly, this review was supposed to be longer, but whatever, I don't even care anymore. Here are the buzzwords you are all here for:
  
  PEAK. KINO. ABSOLUTE CINEMA. PEAK FICTION. ANIME OF THE YEAR. 11/10.
  
  <span class='markdown_spoiler'><span>Go watch [the movie](https://anilist.co/anime/172420/Uma-Musume-Pretty-Derby--Shin-Jidai-no-Tobira/).</span></span>

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