umamusume: cinderella gray - season one (📺 8/10)
"gray horses can't run" was an infamous myth among japanese horse racers back in the day - because they were too rare that no one ever stood out. oguri cap proves them wrong by aiming to be the very best! cinderella gray tells the story of her legend. [8/10]
as expected, i liked this way more than the two movies because i actually found myself very attached to oguri cap!! the anime plays like the standard "hi i'm an umamusume and i love to run and i want to win", however it's the charming cast of characters and their stories that really stick with you anyway. oguri cap is a refreshing protagonist - for me, at least. i'm used to these types of underdog stories having a loud and/or proud protagonist (top road and pokke hello i love you both), but it was nice to see someone that's aloof, determined, and even very silly at times. when i saw her signature poker face while thinking that norn (and her group) are her friends (despite them thinking otherwise), i just knew i'd love that cluelessness... she is very silly and i love her so much... but i do like that she has her serious side as well, and both are balanced out not to have one trait be more overbearing than the other... if that makes sense? and i love that she loves to run. and that she wiggles very excitedly during her first race in the city! apparently the real oguri cap used to do it too, and that is sososo cute... so moe... and her first win concert was very funny too.
more episodes also mean more chances for me, at least, to appreciate her bond with her trainer. seeing how kitahara used to be a deadbeat who only found joy in horse races, to how he changed to be a trainer for a very exceptional horse, now studying to be by his horse side by side... i don't know, something about it is VERY endearing to me. and the whole mid-season dilemma of having to choose between his own, very selfish dreams he wants to force on oguri versus what would really make oguri happy despite her insisting that she wants to stay with kitahara. i find myself connecting more to the feeling of having to live out someone else's dreams despite what your heart says - and feeling powerless and helpless over that choice. and so when kitahara makes his way in the crowd, slams his own face in the ground to the point of getting a nosebleed, only to cheer on for oguri and letting her run!! aghh!! that was so good i love that moment so so much... allowing oguri to have dreams of her own, beating march, and making her way to tokyo... auughhhuuu... oguriiii... i'm a fan of you too now...
knowing that oguri cap, the real life one, was a legend who won pretty much almost every race made me confident in her ability to win most races in this first season too. but i can't be mad that she lost to tamamo cross in the autumn derby, since i like tamamo... it was endearing seeing her as a kid, and seeing how her very old mentor(?) who was now in the hospital watch her win thanks to the advice he gave her when she was very young. i like the sportsmanship. i like that it won't be the last we see of tamamo either, but i guess that's already a given since she is a major character.
speaking of characters, the rest of them was really good too. i already talked about kitahara jo(nes), and briefly mentioned norn and friends. honestly seeing mini attempt to mess up oguri's race made me SO mad in the first or so episode... especially since there were trainers looking to scout umas... but i'm glad it all worked out, and honestly having norn's group be a menace is nice too because seeing them gain respect for oguri and being big fans of her really feels more rewarding that way... if that makes sense... i like norn in general she's like... teto neru... (this is me being an annoying teto fan LOL) but ALSOOOOOOO i like that she came around to being oguri's number one fan!! i know we probably won't see much of her anymore, but i still wish we could... march though is something else, like i DO fully believe we will see more of her in the later seasons. she even had a transformation with her hair and everything, that could NOT not be a setup to something... a reveal of her hardships after her loss to oguri and the tokai derby... i know she isn't actually based on a real horse but i'd LOVE for her to be fleshed out more.
... until i find out that she probably wouldn't be. but it looks like she at least has her own manga! the mermaid left behind... her princely elegant race outfit looks SOO good too arghh she gives me angela library of ruina vibes. maybe i'll check it out.
at least belno is around! she is so very cute and supportive, and she might not be the best racer around, she is a best friend!! she's wonderful and cute, and i was so RELIEVED to find out that she was coming with oguri to tracen. though part of me was a little sad that they both had to leave kitahara behind - but he's studying for his license anyway!! go mr jones!!
we already have a semblance of how it ends: with oguri cap's success... but it's so nice to see her chase her dreams - and while she is gifted, sometimes there are just things that don't work out... like her application to the japan derby!! but she was the cause of huge change regardless (the oguri rule was made so that horses can enter the huge national races in japan, which i think was how opera's story became possible in the first place)...
ahhh i am so excited to watch season 2!! oguriiiii... oguri cap i love youuuuu... i don't think my partner is interested in pretty derby, but i might check that out when i can? who knows!!