How did ‘Uma Musume’ draw ‘Phantom Japan Derby’ in 1998? Special Week vs. El Condor Pasa, dreamed of by horse racing fans, is a ‘shock ending.’

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The “strongest generation controversy” is an indispensable pleasure for sports fans.

This is because you can reconfirm the depth of your own “love” while showing off their breadth and tastes and sometimes criticizing them.

In modern Japanese horse racing, the names of the Yushuns born in 1995 are often mentioned as the most robust “golden generation.” This is probably because it is a generation that has shown its power in Japan and overseas and has opened up a new era. However, the 1998 Japan Derby, the most muscular horse deciding match of this generation, will attract attention differently. It is a problem with foreign horses.

“If you have Grass Wonder or El Condor Pasa …”
At that time, racehorses born overseas had strict restrictions on racehorses. They could not participate in classic races (Satsuki Sho, Japan Derby, Kikuka Sho, Oka Sho, Oaks) and the Emperor’s Prize. It wasn’t forgiven. It will be gradually relaxed from 2001, but even Grass Wonder, a 3-year-old champion with four wins in 4 races (the horse age notation is the one at that time), and El Condor Pasa, who won the NHK Mile Cup with five wins in 5 races, will even participate.

Is it okay to call such a race the most muscular horse-deciding match? The winning Special Week will continue to play a remarkable role, such as winning the Japan Cup as a “general of Japan,” but “If Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa were able to participate at this time …” Fantasy has become a theme that will continue to be discussed forever.

“Phantom ’98 Japan Derby” drawn by “Uma Musume.”
Since then, more than 20 years have passed, and a new wind blows in the horse racing world. Introducing “Uma Musume Pretty Derby” (from now on, “Uma Musume”), a content developed in various media such as games, anime, and comics. Anthropomorphic (beautiful girl) racehorses, create a story of spoken style, capture the layer who does not know horse racing with its “lightness,” and thoroughly drop the historical facts at the base of “He continues to make hits with an unprecedented perspective of making him addicted to the swamp at “depth.”

Let’s check out “another derby” that has made many fans hot. And in “Uma Musume,” the long-awaited “Phantom ’98 Japan Derby” in which Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa participated is drawn from a unique perspective. In the game, each horse girl who plays has a different perspective, and in the TV animation, the scenario is even further.

Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa also have “Japan Derby as their goal.”

In the primary “cultivation” mode of the game “Uma Musume,” a different story develops for each character (Uma Musume) to play (cultivate). Target races are set based on historical facts, and while training characters, they run in them, and some developments change in detail according to the results.

However, most characters also have an “IF development” set. There are also fun elements such as having a target race that is different from the historical fact and a “hidden scenario” appearing when you run in a race that is not the target. .. For Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa, the target race is Japan Derby, which has not run in history.

Five people have been implemented breeding horse girls in the 1995 generation. Among them, in the scenario of Special Week, Seiun Sky, and King Halo, which have been made a noise as “three strong” in historical fact, the confrontation of those three people will be spotlighted.

A scene from the historical derby is also reflected in the story.
Special Week, which came to Tokyo from the countryside to win the derby, runs with her birth mother’s thoughts and upbringing mother. She has a straightforward and friendly personality like historical facts, and she can be seen to be positive regardless of whether she wins or loses. And at the time of victory, she invites the trainer (player) to a meal as “a celebration of becoming a derby trainer”.

There is. Seiun Sky, whose personality of being a mood shop and having difficulty in gates is reflected in her personality as a sleeper, quietly burns her fighting spirit while acknowledging the strength of Special Week. At the time of victory, “Grandpa” was drawn from the audience seats, saying, “I made my dream come true,” and it became a development that made me feel the strength of the owner’s side, who even changed the leading jockey at that time.

King Halo, the remaining corner of the three strengths, is a young lady character because she has super good blood. Throughout the scenario, the focus is on her relationship with her overwhelming mother, but in Derby, it’s awkward to be slammed regardless of victory or defeat. In addition, you can enjoy a scenario in which the distress of a too excellent pedigree and the difficulty of personality are well woven, such as leaving without being able to look straight at Special Week, which is defeated and tears.

Because there is a background that I could not run in historical facts …
On the other hand, the scenario of Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa, which is a complete IF development, expresses a stronger rivalry. Grass Wonder, who appears as a character like Yamato Nadeshiko, bears the name of “Monster II,” named after the former Maruzensky, and Derby is a race that hangs his existence proof (unlike historical facts, injuries)—not done). Moreover, after the race, Maruzensky said, “Maybe it’s El-chan who looks like” Monster II, “and he decided to burn his fighting spirit.

El Condor Pasa, depicted as a Latin innocent character, is more competitive than anyone else. In front of Derby, there is a strong determination that he cannot lose in Japan to aim for the strongest in the world. However, the result is that confidence is shaken by the strength of the rivals regardless of whether they win or lose. This is a scenario in which you learn a stumbling block for the first time and use it for future growth.

The scenario of the domestic group was drawn as a rival confrontation with Derby. Still, the relationship with the people surrounding him was picked up, and the tension was not so high. On the other hand, the foreign-made group has a stronger rivalry than the domestic one, probably because it was impossible to run in the race due to historical facts, but this is also drawn as part of the growth process. The critical moment is reserved for seniors (old horses) in both cases.

Looking back from posterity, the highlight of the success of the 1995 generation is undoubtedly after the old horse (although Seiun Sky could not win the GI after becoming an old horse). It is an impression that I put together while avoiding the problem of entry restrictions at that time, which would make me sick if I faced it from the front.

Is the race a perfect reproduction of the actual derby?
And in the game, a scenario mode called “Main Story” is prepared separately from the training mode, and another ’98 Derby is drawn in the title “Dream Rough.” The main story is characterized by the fact that you can enjoy the development in line with historical facts, and “Dream Rough” is a story that follows the racehorse life of Special Week with the theme of “dream,” as the title suggests.

Here, the derby is positioned as “a special race that everyone longs for and aims for.” Special Week will reaffirm the “reason for running” for the race, touching on the feelings of rivals such as Winning Ticket, Silence Suzuka, the horse girls who once ran this race, and Seiun Sky.

When I tried it, I was amazed at the match. Unlike the training scenario, Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa do not appear in the race, and the confrontation of the three strengths is drawn. The progress is a homage to the actual race broadcast, and you can see the images of both groups, such as the formation of the Ba group (horse group), the unexpected escape of King Halo, and the intense flight of Special Week in a straight line.

After the race, Seiun Sky and King Halo obediently praise the winning Special Week, and a refreshing scene is drawn that promises a rematch after that. However, the world of tough competition, which would be vivid if the historical facts were faithfully expressed, is softly spoken in the setting of a refreshing school so that even people who do not know about horse racing will be impressed.

In the anime version, “3 Strong vs. El Condor Pasa.”
The story of “Uma Musume” is a parallel world for each content (media), and in the TV anime version (1st episode 5), the 1998 Japanese derby was drawn in a different form from the game.

Grass Wonder did not participate in the race because he was injured, as in the historical fact, but El Condor Pasa entered the race. It appeared as one of the “Attention Uma Musume” and the three strengths of Special Week, Seiun Sky, and King Halo.

Even in the TV anime version of the race scene, the development that faithfully reproduces the historical facts is drawn except for the existence of El Condor Pasa. It is interesting to compare it with the video at that time, such as the contents of the actual situation and the positioning of each. Perhaps it was because he referred to the race content of the New Zealand Trophy, which was the previous race in the historical facts, and speculated that he would ride in the most popular “Mark shop” place, which was the primary race at that time. The position of El Condor Pasa is behind the middle row (the position to mark Special Week).

In the end, one-on-one combat. What is the “last of shock” drawn by the anime?

And at the end of the race, after Special Week came out, El Condor Pasa lined up there. While screaming, the two who couldn’t lose ran through the goal board with all their might with the support of the staff and friends around them. The result is the same. And after the goal, the content is a refreshing aftertaste, praising each other like the main story of the game version.

I didn’t add black and white, maybe because no one wants it. It seemed that the thoughts of such creators were conveyed. It would be good to prove that I had won or lost if I had run.

Although the setting based on historical facts is typical, the strategy of “Uma Musume” that develops by changing the story and presentation for each media and does not make fans bored attracts many fans. Still, Japan in 1998 Derby also seems to be reassessed over time by its strategy. The fact that I have been able to enjoy the most robust generation controversy with new fans due to this is something that I am glad that I have continued to be a horse racing fan.

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