As an avid anime fan, I’m used to all things weird in the world of Japanese animation. Girls who turn into soda cans, girls who are part monsters, and girls from literal space sound strange to a non-anime fan—but to me, it’s honestly normal. Now, if you told me 20 years ago that there would be an anime (and later a gacha game) about horse girls who run and sing… I’d look at you like you had 20 screws loose.

Yet here we are in 2025, and one of the more popular anime to air this season was a legit creation by studio P.A. Works called Umamusume: Pretty Derby Girls. If it’s not obvious, it’s about racehorses reincarnated as horse girls who race and sing… anime truly is something else. Despite the oddness, Umamusume: Pretty Derby caught the attention of many anime fans and became a mobile gacha game of the same name. If you don’t know, I have a love/hate relationship with gacha games and am very picky about them, but after seeing all the hype, I downloaded Umamusume—and here we are. Here’s my review of Umamusume: Pretty Derby for mobile!

Gameplay

Much like a training simulator, Umamusume: Pretty Derby has very little hands-on gameplay. You play as a new trainer at Tracen Academy and are quickly recognized for your potential. Your goal is simple but important: train your Umamusume and help her win big. This involves managing training sessions and building a relationship with your horse girl.

Training options include raising stats like speed, wit, stamina, guts, and more. Each session consumes energy and increases the chance of failure, but also raises your girl’s abilities. It may seem like a lot at first, but for a good Umamusume run, you’ll quickly learn how to balance stats and decide when to boost a specific one for better performance.

The game also features a slew of random events—interactions with your girls or potential team-up bonuses. While these occur too frequently to feel natural, they’re beneficial for stat boosts and bonus training sessions.

Once your horse girl is ready, she’ll race. These races require no player input, but they’re visually fun and surprisingly exciting. I expected them to be ridiculous, but after a few wins and losses, I was fully invested and analyzing what went wrong. Most of the time, I either overtrained my girl or didn’t boost the right stats. There’s a solid dose of trial and error that pushes you to experiment with strategies and equipment.

At its core, this is a gacha game—so not everything depends on skill. Which Umamusume and stat cards you pull comes down to RNG. I got lucky with my early rolls, but expect to start off using some of the lower-tier girls.

Outside of races, you’ll see idol-themed segments after victories. These are random and story-connected but vary in appeal. You’ll also find comics and fun slice-of-life events, which can be hit or miss but help break up the repetition of training.

Graphics

Umamusume: Pretty Derby really surprised me with its visuals. Everything is bright, vibrant, and just plain pretty—fitting for a game with “Pretty” in the title. Each Umamusume has a distinct design, and there’s a variety of girls for all tastes. The cutscenes remind me of Compile Heart games—characters interact a bit oddly, but the detail is high.

The highlight is definitely the races. During these sequences, the game looks like a full-blown anime. The concerts look good too, though they feel a bit generic and borrowed from typical idol anime. Still, they’re stylish and visually enjoyable. Overall, this is a great-looking mobile title that will surprise a lot of players.

Sound

Let me detach myself a bit here—Umamusume: Pretty Derby sounds great. The voice acting (all Japanese) is excellent, and the soundtrack is catchy. Now… the idol songs? Some were good enough that I let them play all the way through, while others I skipped faster than a bugged menu screen. Still, I admit the sound design works and fits the overall vibe.

Even if the idol performances aren’t for everyone, the quality is undeniable, and some players might end up downloading a few tracks after getting hooked.

Story

Okay, sit down while I try to explain the story of Umamusume: Pretty Derby. (You probably already are—but just in case.) The story is completely bonkers. Legendary racehorses have been reincarnated as horse girls, and now they race again to prove they’re the best. And yes, after winning races, they perform in idol concerts.

It’s absurd—even by anime standards. But somehow, it works. There’s an anime adaptation that leans into the same concept, and both are equally charming. As wild as it sounds, the story is oddly inspiring and a fun ride.

Overall Impression

I didn’t think I’d like Umamusume: Pretty Derby. Between it being another gacha game and the absolutely ridiculous premise, I thought this would be a quick install-and-delete situation. But here I am, climbing the leaderboard and chasing race wins. Simulation fans will find depth here, and even gacha fans will appreciate the polish.

To its credit, the game doesn’t throw monetization in your face. I earned enough rolls early without spending a dime—though that may change as the game matures. Still, Umamusume: Pretty Derby is a fun and accessible game that surprised me more than I expected.

Conclusion

Umamusume: Pretty Derby probably won’t be a forever game for me, but I’ll definitely sink a fair amount of time into it. There’s genuine fun in raising your horse girl and watching her climb to the top. I could do without the idol concerts—no offense to idol fans—but the game tries to do something unique, and it mostly succeeds.

With more Umamusume girls and some crossover events down the line, this game might keep my attention even longer. For most players, your mileage will vary—but Umamusume: Pretty Derby is a fun, creative sim/gacha blend that has more heart than expected.

—Aaron