Umamusume: Pretty Derby features anthropomorphized anime horses, or 'horse girls', racing for prizes. Initially released in Japan in 2021, it became popular with an English version launched in June 2022. The game quickly went viral, gaining attention from streamers and hitting record player counts on Steam. Each horse girl is based on a real-life counterpart, leading to increased interest in the original racehorses. The character Haru Urara is particularly beloved, known for her resilience despite a losing track record.
Haru Urara is a fan favorite. As one X user wrote: "even though she's just a bunch of pixels on my screen I need Haru Urara to know that I would do literally anything in the world for her."
The real-life racehorse behind the character became a cultural icon in Japan in the early 2000s. Despite ending her five-year career with 0 wins in 113 races, Haru Urara's unwavering spirit made her a national symbol of resilience.
As more and more fans discover the game, they've started sharing clips and posting TikTok edits of their favorite horse girls.
What makes the game even more compelling is that each horse girl has a real-life racehorse counterpart. TikTok creators are diving deep into their backstories, and searches for the original racehorses have spiked more than 800% since the game's release.
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