The Fall Anime 2025 Preview Guide - Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray 2nd Cour

Kasamatsu Training Center Academy is located in a deserted area. One Uma Musume appears there. Her name is Oguri Cap. Her overwhelming running style overturns all common sense. Soon, the ash-covered girl known as a "monster" will carve out a new legend.

Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray 2nd cour is based on a manga series by Taiyo Kuzumi. The anime series is streaming on Amazon Prime Video on Sundays.

When I think about Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray, I think about the ferocious competitor/confused smol bean Oguri Cap. So I wasn't expecting the second cour to kick off with its focus on a different ash-gray racer. It turns out this Fujimasa March sequence is a full adaptation of "The Mermaid Left Behind,” a spinoff manga short about Oguri's first rival back in Gifu. March still has her sights set on facing Oguri on the national stage and angry grape Yamano Thousand thinks she should snap out of it and find a new rival (hinting at Yamano herself). Though Oguri Cap herself is nowhere to be seen, this amped up A-part is a return to form for Cinderella Gray: a high-octane, fierce fight to the finish line that puts the adrenaline of racing front and center.

Really, Oguri Cap herself didn't feature much at all in “A New Hill To Climb.” If anything, she was the comic relief with her deadpan reaction faces. There were far more hotblooded competitors in this episode strutting their stuff, from Dicta Striker picking fights (that Oguri barely seemed to notice, to my delight) to Sakura Chiyono O focusing on her comeback so hard that her trainer admonishes her to take breaks. Oguri's main rival, Tamamo Cross didn't feature at all in this episode, but this short horse girl has a long shadow that hovered over the episode nonetheless. And don't get me started on Super Creek, who did nothing but wordlessly cross paths with Dicta in the hall, yet nonetheless provided foreshadowing for her no-doubt fearsome upcoming debut. Here, the show's gacha game origins pay dividends into the classic sports anime formula. Anyone could potentially have what it takes to win the next big race, because each of these horse girls is somebody's favorite and has her own fully-fleshed out training arc in the game.

This episode was a bit of a bookend between arcs as the second cour gets up and running, with March's story as a breather before we rev up to the main event. I was expecting more reflection on Oguri's part—the last time we saw her, she had been blindsided after her winning streak was cut short. To surpass Tamamo Cross, she will no doubt need to exceed her current limits, but in this episode, it's clear that supporters Belno Light and Roppei are still in the planning stage before Oguri is ready to take action on her training. It's interesting that instead of diving into Oguri's recovery from a devastating loss, the episode focused on March doing just that—about her far earlier loss to Oguri. March was still struggling with that; meanwhile Oguri is back to her old self and cracking a multilingual mayonnaise joke right after losing to Tamamo. I'll be disappointed if Oguri never addresses her loss, but there's still plenty of time. Featuring a strong new OP and an ED that's, sweetly and unexpectedly, a duet between Oguri and Tamamo, this episode piqued my interest for another season of this eclectic show that blends classic sports anime tropes with the thoroughly modern vehicle of horse-inspired gacha waifus.

“I will turn you into Cinderella.” Now you'd think this line, which references the title of Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray, would indicate Oguri Cap—the show's heroine. The fact that it actually is said to Super Creek, whose wordless introduction nevertheless made a massive impact on the fandom after last week's episode, is both the show's greatest strength and greatest weakness. On the one hand, Oguri Cap is increasingly sidelined in her own show. However, with so many promising frontrunners giving their all to compete, there's a clearer picture of just how hard she'll have to work if she wants to revive her winning streak. True to its gacha game roots, every racer has her own unique design; it's impossible to play “spot the main character” by appearance alone in Uma Musume. And this week, Oguri Cap's only screen time is as a spectator watching the race on TV—the girl is not even out there where the action is!

Instead, “Our Story” was really the story of Oguri Cap's competition. The first heroine of the day isn't even a horse girl, but promising trainer Fumino Nase. Nase's fans refer to her as their prince, but Nase is decidedly uncool and uncollected when it comes to her beloved trainee Super Creek. I can see why one's brain might go static when confronted with an “ara ara” oneesan Amazoness who may or may not want to play “goo goo babies” with you. It's a very silly introduction to a sometimes horse girl, sometimes horse blob, about whom the paparazzi aren't sold. Indeed, Super Creek's chances of even entering the Kikuka Sho are slim. But the more the show made a big deal about how unlikely it was that she'd claim any sort of success, the more confident I was that she would prevail. What was more interesting than “will she or won't she” was Super Creek's mid-race transformation. Off the field, she's gentle, even motherly. But in the fourth quarter of the race, she's a beast just as fearsome as Oguri Cap.

Watching Super Creek's impressive performance, Oguri remained as stoic as usual, but the wheels were already turning in Roppei and Belno Light's heads as they discussed extra-long race strategy. So far, Oguri Cap's G1 races have all been considerably shorter in length than the upcoming Japan Cup. This focus on Oguri's rivals, some of whom specialize in distance racing, creates real tension. I wouldn't have expected that a bishojo game about idol singers with cute horse ears could have given way to such a high-octane show. These girls are monsters on the racetrack, and it gives this sports anime a remarkable intensity.

Cinderella Gray returns not directly to Oguri Cap herself, but rather, wisely, goes back to check in on where she came from. True to the timeline as it was, I can see how it might have been disappointing to see the Oguri Cap's rivalry with Fujimasa March cut short. But as Uma Musume's always been good about illustrating, a setback or a shift is never the end of a horse(girl)'s story. March is still running, and what's more, she's still chasing Cap even though she's not directly competing with her. Simply staying aware of that wider racing world is enough to get March to focus on getting her groove back.

It's a comfortable way to bring Cinderella Gray and the viewers a bit more down to earth—coming down from the highs of the previous cour, and contextualizing the gap/gain of Oguri's loss by reminding watchers of her humble origins. It's just nice to return to her old out-in-the-sticks school, see that March has soldiered on beyond her prior frustrations, and confirm the point of the franchise that every racer is the hero of their own story—with their own career path ahead of them.

Granted, March's status as a backup character from a prior arc does consign her race to being less explosively impressive compared to what I've come to expect from races animated by Cygames Pictures. There are several static sliding shortcuts given in close-up throughout the race, with regular run cycles for all the horse girls carrying them through to the finish line. It's likewise absent any of the excellent exaggeration we saw at the end of the previous cour. It means the show isn't putting its best hoof forward in its return, though, then again, I guess it's completely counting on viewers already being invested and engaged enough to keep following this story after only taking a single season off. At least all the horse girls are still getting as customarily sweaty as normal—which I appreciate.

The rest of the episode is more the kind of status quo catch-up I would've entirely expected from this season returner. Oguri's got to decide what race she'll go into next—and the rivals around her from the previous cour who aren't Tamamo Cross are lurking around, waiting to take their shot. Maybe they don't have a chance, due to historical precedent, but the unpredictability of how real-world sports works means they just might. Super Creek's looking to make more of a move this season, and I'm sure all her loyal goo-goo babies are just waiting for her big moments.

Obviously I don't think this is going to be the premiere to convince new viewers if Uma Musume is for them or not, but it shouldn't be—it's the second cour of an ongoing series that new people can easily go and catch up with freely via YouTube. As a reenergizing return after a short break, it does a solid job while still feeling like an advancement alongside an acknowledgement of how far Cap has already come. It gets me excited for what's to come in the new season—which is the main thing a seasonal kickoff is supposed to do.

I'm an anime-only for Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray, in the sense that I haven't read the manga and I don't know the real-world race records that inform these anime horse girls' careers. While I could make my cute little jokes about Super Creek making her move in the anime, I couldn't know that this week's episode would be the Super Creek show. That's great news for basically everybody, since it means the Goo Goo Babies around the world get to jump straight into seeing their favorite Horse Mommy get right to running, and viewers of the show in general keep developing that same point as the look-in on March last week: the world of Uma Musume is vast—and even a story dedicated to Oguri Cap is going to have multiple mini-stories encompassing other horse girls.

It's also cool just to see the distinctive sensibilities of Cinderella Gray, as a spin-off manga originally, come to life. Creek's trainer, Fumino Nase, absolutely has a look, and I presume that the fans who paid Creek herself so much mind are also paying attention to why Nase turns heads in-universe. As well, apart from Creek's fame based on her game persona, she gets an episode-encapsulated story of her rise that sells why her success is so encouraging. It's as Uma Musume always does well—every horse has their story, and in this case, they're literally invoking the "Cinderella" this anime pulls its title from. The fact that Creek isn't quite the caricature the memes would have you believe gives her that root-for-able edge; Yaeno Muteki lurking around the edges means audiences who haven't memorized race records can't be sure how it'll shake out.

It is funny that part of the premise of this episode is that fans might not know who Super Creek is, even given how she was so visible among the breakout success of Horse Girl Summer. But it still works from the perspective of Oguri Cap, who needs to see how other horses run and the way everyone's capable of a come-from-behind win. And said win, compared to how middling I came across reacting to last week's episode, really does sell the joys of a good horse race in this context. Cinderella Gray continues to be strongly focused on stats and strats in racing—with this episode in particular sporting a really cool reveal about how Super Creek pulled off her particular pull-ahead based on the specific structure of the Arima Kinen. Plus, it also fits into the purpose of being a teachable moment for Oguri and imparting the importance of the mental game in longer races like this. It sets Oguri up for her own upcoming major races and the possibility that she may have to face Creek herself.

But most importantly, in the moment, this episode does for Super Creek what Uma Musume has done for some of its most memorable horse girl wins. It's funny to retroactively find out the confidence with which Creek deployed her strategy, because at the time, it looked like a come-from-behind miracle that she just pushed herself to pull off with burning spirit or some other nebulous ability (Tamamo Cross shoots lightning from her body, anything is possible). It's the same miraculous, sports-narrative magic trick that Uma Musume has deployed so many times, one that gets your fists pumping and your spirit cheering for these funny cartoon horse girls—even if they've got impractical outfits and jiggle physics, in this case. I didn't mind the check-in and recap that the previous episode returned to Cinderella Gray with, but for my money, this was the true welcome back to Uma Musume, and emblematic of what this series has done so well for so many years.

With Uma Musume breaking out of containment over the summer, I couldn't help but pop my head in to see what the buzz was all about. But how would I go about dipping my hooves into the series' deep, multimedia-filled pool? The game? The original anime series? Northernlion streams? Luckily for me, the freshly wrapped first season of Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray was waiting for me to discover it officially on YouTube.

I'm glad I found it, because Cinderella Gray just might be one of the best sports series of the 2020s. It didn't hurt that the second season was right around the corner, either. That brings us to today.

Cinderella Gray's second season premiere hits the ground running. After narrowly losing to Tamamo Cross in the Tenno Sho, Oguri Cap becomes known far and wide as the overpowering “Ashen Beast.” But before the viewer catches up with Oguri, they're taken back to her old stomping grounds in Kasamatsu for a check-in with her old rival, Fujimasa March. She's fresh off a devastating loss at the Tokai Derby—a race she once vowed to run in alongside Oguri—however, she's got a spring in her step despite that setback.

The Tokai Derby champ, Yamano Thousand, isn't particularly thrilled with March's new sunny disposition. The terse trotter also believes she was cheated out of a real race, chalking it up to March chasing after the specter of Oguri Cap. But in the race that follows, March stuns Yamano by turning that chase into her motivation to become even stronger. Oguri might be racing in the big leagues now, but it doesn't mean that March isn't still right behind her.

Recentering the focus on March for the first half of this premiere went a long way to address my largest quibble with the first season—its pacing. The ferocity of Oguri and March's rivalry is a clash for the ages...that eventually fades into the background with the introduction of Tamamo Cross. And don't get me wrong, I love me some White Lightning, but I felt that March's side of the story had way more gas in the tank—enough for an entire season of its own. However, March's explosive return to the track said to me that she's not out of gas, but rather, she's playing the long game. So, who knows? Maybe viewers will hear whispers of a final race between Fujimasa March and Oguri Cap in a later season—a la Rocky's secret fight with Apollo at the end of Rocky III.

The second half takes the viewer back to Tokyo, where all the training center girls are struggling to process the results of the Tenno Sho. Sakura Chiyono O's just starting to bounce back from an injury, Yaneno Muteki is grinding herself to the bone, Dicta Striker wants to put another loss on Oguri's record, and there seems to be a new trainer-runner pair running around, too. In the meantime, Belno Light and Musaka are cooking up a new training regimen for Oguri. The Ashen Beast is going to need all the help she can get if she's going to surpass Tamamo Cross at the Japan Cup and Arima Kinen. Overall, Cinderella Gray's season premiere is rock-solid, throwing audiences right back onto the track as if there wasn't a three-month break. But luckily for new viewers, the first season is so easy to blow through on a lazy Sunday—especially since it's all on YouTube. And despite that platform, the subtitles present (at least on desktop and the YouTube App for Smart TVs) are very well done. While not all of the on-screen text is presented with the Aegisub wizardry most anime aficionados would prefer, the subtitles fonts used look nice and are easy to read in my experience. Oh man, I'm already excited for next week's episode! Welp, I guess I'm just going to play the new opening theme by 10-FEET (of The First Slam Dunk fame) on repeat till then. We'll see if I can stop giggling at the song's name, though. If you suffer from “Spurt Syndromer,” please talk to your doctor.

Last week, the series' focus pulled itself back to Kasamatsu for a check-in with March before starting Oguri Cap's journey to the Japan Cup. This week, our favorite gray glutton takes the backseat once more to open up the track to a pair of new challengers—Super Creek and her prodigy trainer, Fumino Nase. For some, this continued focus shift might be frustrating; after all, we all want to get right to the next race. However, like many other sports titles, Cinderella Gray's taking its time to build up the stakes for races to come—even if it's not the Japan Cup. Because, oh boy, you better believe that Cap and Creek are going head-to-head in the future.

But back to the present, the viewer's proper introduction to Creek is amid Yaeno Muteki's ongoing slump. Despite her trainer's warnings to chill out, Muteki's still pushing herself too hard on the training track. Meanwhile, in another lane, Creek's trotting along at a comfortable pace as the press and copious fangirls surround Nase. The young trainer is quick to push back on the excessive fawning over her, giving all the credit to the racers themselves. However, Creek doesn't exactly have the same sterling race record as Nase does.

Regardless of that record, Nase fully dedicates herself to Creek's success. Her racer reciprocates those wishes almost immediately, causing Nase to freeze up in a moment that had me shouting “HONSE YURI” at my TV. Hooting and hollering aside, the audience gets a clear picture of this pair's relationship right away—that even if they don't win, their partnership is already a miracle. And it seems that luck's on their side when a racer drops out of fast-approaching Kikuka Sho, opening up a spot for Creek.

On the day of the race, Musaka, Belno Light, and Cap plop in front of the TV to see how racers fare in a high-endurance, 3000-meter race—the very same Creek's running in. As the favorite, Muteki hopes she can use this win to bust out of this slump, but she learns that Creek is “Super” for a reason. The “miracle” pick clinches the lead by slowly but surely weaving her way up through the pack before unleashing her final spurt. Doesn't sound too far off from a certain Ashen Beast's game plan, no? In the aftermath of Creek's win, Muteki finds herself on the brink of an even deeper slump. At the same time, Cap realizes she'll have to dig deeper than ever to strengthen her mental and physical fortitude. I also hope that Nase takes Creek shopping for a more supportive bra! Running with so little support probably did a number on her back and shoulders! Ouch!

The episode concludes with the arrival of Italy's Toni Bianca, who cuts a promo on Oguri Cap and Tamamo Cross right after she walks out the doors of Narita. However, she's not the only international challenger looking to spit fire. As far as a sports series “vamping” episode goes, this week's Cinderella Gray serves as a solid introduction to Creek and Nase before the Japan Cup fully kicks off. I like this pair a good bit, but I feel as if the series might be juggling enough characters already—especially with more world warriors inbound to Narita. Despite that quibble, I'm still excited for the greater competition and the fierce rivalries surrounding it to heat up. You could say that I still have the “Spurt Syndrome”... Uh, maybe I should've rephrased that...