As of recently, a sort of new game has been blowing up!
Umamusume: Pretty Derby is a horse-racing and training simulation game. Players are tasked with guiding their Umamusume to glory as they aim to be the best!
This game has been around for a while (in Japan) but was only recently released globally on June 24, 2025. To say the least, it’s been a massive success. Not only is the gameplay loop extremely addictive, but the actual horses themselves are so so so endearing. And with the developer, Cygames, releasing many updates and being generous to players, it has created a wonderful community.
One thing I especially wanted to discuss was the character designs of these horses. Every single horse in the game is based on an actual racing horse in real life! Extensive research was done on every single possible detail of each stallion. This is to be as accurate to the horse’s personality, mannerisms, and attitude. Although some horses seem exaggerated in-game, they’re actually extremely accurate to their real-life counterparts. Of course, some creative liberties are taken here and there to help round out the character as they’re adapted.
Some nice character design details include homages to their original horses. For example, replicating markings and colors.
Another small detail is distinguishing between the gender of their counterparts. All horses within the game are female. But if they have an ear decoration that is on their right ear, they are male in real life. If it’s on their left ear, they’re female in real life. If it’s on both, it’s an intersex horse.
Every horse’s design is carefully chosen and correlates to their personality. For example, Agnes Tachyon is named after a hypothetical particle that supposedly travels faster than the speed of light. It’s a very interesting concept. Because of Agnes’ name, her adaptation painted her as a researcher who focuses on finding the limits of speed. She wears a lab coat with vials of unknown substances attached to the side. These kinds of references are found within every horse in the game.
Although Umamusume: Pretty Derby is a very particular case when it comes to character design and adaptation, it can still serve as a reference to good design choices and careful considerations. When making your own characters, details like these can both help enhance their designs and also tie their own clothing to their personality and values.
And besides that, I recommend checking out the game! It’s free, fun, and worth a try~!
Featured Image: https://www.godisageek.com/reviews/umamusume-pretty-derby-party-dash-review/
Umamusume Banner: https://umamusume.com/
Gameplay: https://www.cygames.co.jp/en/news/id-24452
All Characters: https://www.godisageek.com/reviews/umamusume-pretty-derby-party-dash-review/
Vodka In-Game: https://gamerant.com/umamusume-pretty-derby-vodka-build-stats-guide
Vodka IRL: https://twitter.com/uma_musu_en/status/1113328300691120128
Special Week: https://www.thegamer.com/umamusume-pretty-derby-best-special-week-build-stats
Air Groove: https://www.dbltap.com/guides/umamusume-air-groove-build-guide
Fine Motion: https://gametora.com/umamusume/characters/102201-fine-motion
Agnes Tachyon: https://umamusume.fandom.com/wiki/Agnes_Tachyon
Tachyon: https://imgur.com/gallery/does-tachyon-particle-exists-rYGN9