Dec 24, 2024
The epitome of sports anime.
Since Umamusume's anime debut in 2018, the series has undergone a very noticeable evolution. Initially, what was an easygoing CGDCT with horse girls inspired by IRL racehorses shifted to stories that focused on building drama through more serious narratives and greater emphasis on the sports aspect.
This entry is a culmination of how ambitious the telling of these stories gets.
Plot: Cypictures creates a simple yet very entertaining story.
Our protagonist horse girl wants to become the strongest, and despite feeling the impact of setbacks, she keeps pushing forward to make her ambition come true.
Characters: Some characters might
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be pointed out as the weakest link in this movie - some criticism is warranted given a lack of greater development throughout the movie given their position. This could probably have been remedied by a longer runtime, which also affected other aspects, but I'll put that for later.
Despite this problem, they are all fine. Pokke, especially, is very fun. Writers struck an excellent balance between her energetic and competitive personality - without overstepping into exaggerations and cringe -, with a more centered behavior of a normal person that feels appropriate.
The depiction of the effects of Pokke's "setbacks" on her performance during the movie feels very real and has subtlety to it.
Pacing: The last act of the movie felt constrained by the runtime. This rush had some effect on the delivery of the climax, which could have been more impactful if given the proper extra time.
Visuals/Sound/Direction: This last point is what makes this movie shine. The animation is outstanding, nothing short of. This movie delivers one of the best productions recorded in modern anime.
The ambitious direction heightens the weight of scenes through a myriad of employed elements: dynamic angles and pan shots, overaccentuated facial expressions, unorthodox soundtracks, visual imagery, and sound effects come together to create an experience that is absolutely unique.
Due to the simplicity of the story, some problems with the characters, and a little bit of trouble structuring the final stretch, I don't feel like a 10/10 is quite appropriate for this movie.
9/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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