The Umamusume: Pretty Derby franchise is expanding its animated universe with a new short-form series. Cygames has officially announced Umayuru Full Gate!, a three-minute ONA (original net animation) set to premiere on the franchise’s official YouTube channel this September. The reveal, accompanied by a new key visual, confirms a shift in studio and a lighter narrative direction for the beloved horse-girl characters.
This upcoming series is the latest evolution of the Umayuru sub-franchise, which has previously delivered bite-sized, comedic episodes centered on the daily lives of the anthropomorphized racehorses. With Umayuru Full Gate!, Cygames is signaling a continued investment in short-form digital content, leveraging YouTube as a primary distribution platform for global audiences. The premiere will feature subtitles in English, Korean, and Traditional Chinese, making the show immediately accessible to the franchise’s rapidly growing international fanbase.
A New Studio Takes the Reins for Umayuru Full Gate!
Perhaps the most significant production detail is the change in animation studio. The original 24-episode Umayuru ONA and its follow-up, the four-episode Umayuru: Pretty Gray, were both animated by Scooter Films. For Umayuru Full Gate!, Cygames has tapped AtoriE, a relatively new studio in the anime industry.
AtoriE is making a name for itself by specializing in short-form anime. The studio is already attached to adapt I’m Dating a Dark Summoner and Ghost Meets Gal!, both of which are positioned as short-form series. This specialization makes AtoriE a logical choice for a project like Umayuru Full Gate!, which requires efficient, high-quality production for three-minute episodes. The visual released by Cygames showcases a bright, expressive art style consistent with the franchise’s established aesthetic, suggesting a seamless visual transition despite the studio change.
What to Expect from the Umayuru Sub-Franchise
For those familiar with the wider Umamusume: Pretty Derby anime adaptations, the Umayuru series occupies a distinct niche. Unlike the more dramatic and sports-focused narrative of Umamusume: Cinderella Gray or the character-driven arcs of the main television series, Umayuru has always embraced a playful, slice-of-life approach. The episodes are short, self-contained, and often absurd, focusing on the humorous side of the girls’ lives at the Tracen Academy.
The title Umayuru Full Gate! itself carries thematic weight. In horse racing, the term “full gate” refers to a race where every starting stall is filled, creating the most competitive and exciting field. For this ONA, it suggests a cast at capacity, with more characters interacting in increasingly chaotic scenarios. The announcement that the franchise’s voice actors will reprise their roles ensures continuity and authenticity for long-time fans.
The Strategic Significance of Short-Form Digital Content
Cygames’ commitment to Umayuru as a recurring ONA series reveals a calculated strategy for the Umamusume: Pretty Derby franchise. Short-form content on YouTube serves multiple critical functions:
It maintains brand visibility between major releases. The main anime series, theatrical films, and large-scale events like the “7th Event World Tour: The Stage” in Los Angeles generate significant hype, but they are spaced apart. A digestible, weekly three-minute show keeps the characters in front of audiences consistently, reinforcing engagement with the mobile game and merchandise.
It acts as a low-barrier entry point for new viewers. Investing in a 24-episode anime series or a feature film can be daunting. A three-minute ONA is frictionless, allowing a potential fan to sample the franchise’s humor and characters in under the time it takes to brew coffee. The inclusion of multilingual subtitles from day one at the global launch underscores that this is not just a domestic Japanese marketing tool, but a global acquisition funnel.
It allows for lower-risk experimentation. A short-form series is less expensive and faster to produce than a full television season. Cygames can test new creative directions, introduce minor characters, or explore comedic premises that might not sustain a full-length episode. If a character or concept proves wildly popular in the Umayuru format, it can be elevated to a more prominent role in future mainline productions.
How Umamusume: Pretty Derby Reshaped a Global Industry
To understand the weight behind a new Umayuru ONA, one must appreciate the sheer scale of the Umamusume: Pretty Derby phenomenon. Originally announced by Cygames, Inc. in 2016, the mobile game experienced a highly publicized delay, missing its initial 2018 Japanese release window. It finally launched in Japan in February 2021, and the delayed release proved irrelevant. The game became an immediate cultural juggernaut in Japan, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue and becoming one of Cygames’ most profitable titles.
The franchise’s global footprint expanded dramatically with the worldwide release of the mobile game in June 2025. This release opened the floodgates for international audiences who had previously been locked out by regional restrictions. Since then, the Umamusume: Pretty Derby franchise has proliferated across nearly every major media format: multiple manga series, light novels, television anime, OVAs, ONAs, and a theatrical film.
The Horse Racing Renaissance
One of the most remarkable consequences of the franchise’s success is its tangible impact on the real-world sport of horse racing. Both the mobile game and the broader multimedia franchise have been widely credited with sparking a global resurgence in the popularity of horse racing, particularly among younger demographics and women who had little prior interest in the sport.
The game’s premise—anthropomorphizing real, historically significant racehorses from Japan and around the world—has driven fans to research the actual animals. In Japan, attendance at race tracks has increased, particularly at events featuring horses that appear in the game. The phenomenon has even extended internationally. In a notable example reported earlier this year, the Club Hípico de Santiago in Chile held an Umamusume cosplay race, blending fan culture with actual competitive racing. This cross-pollination between a mobile game and a traditional sport is unprecedented in scale, demonstrating the franchise’s ability to drive real-world behavior.
What Is the Premise of Umayuru Full Gate!?
For readers new to the franchise, a clear answer is essential. Umayuru Full Gate! is a short-form anime series that focuses on the everyday, comedic misadventures of anthropomorphized versions of real-world racehorses. These characters, known as “horse girls,” attend the Tracen Academy, where they train and compete in the prestigious Twinkle Series. Unlike the more serious sports drama of other Umamusume anime, Umayuru adopts a playful, lighthearted tone, emphasizing humor, friendship, and the absurd situations that arise from living alongside other hyper-competitive, horse-eared students. Each episode runs approximately three minutes, making it a quick, accessible entry point into the franchise.
Production Details and the Future of AtoriE
While Cygames has confirmed AtoriE as the production studio for Umayuru Full Gate!, the company has not yet provided information on the show’s production cast, including the director, series composer, or character designer. This is not unusual for a project of this scale, and additional details are expected to be released closer to the September premiere date.
For AtoriE, this project represents a significant opportunity. Being entrusted with a flagship Cygames property, even a short-form one, raises the studio’s profile considerably. The studio’s current slate—I’m Dating a Dark Summoner and Ghost Meets Gal!—suggests a focus on adapting popular, niche manga into digestible, episodic formats. If Umayuru Full Gate! performs well, AtoriE could become a go-to studio for high-profile short-form anime production, a market segment that is growing as streaming platforms and social media prioritize shorter attention spans.
The Broader Umamusume Multimedia Ecosystem
The announcement of Umayuru Full Gate! should be viewed within the context of Cygames’ aggressive multimedia expansion. The franchise is no longer just a mobile game with an anime adaptation. It is a fully realized entertainment ecosystem.
The recent “7th Event World Tour: The Stage” in Los Angeles demonstrates Cygames’ ambition to take the franchise’s live musical performances global. The Cinderella Gray manga and anime adaptation offers a darker, more character-driven exploration of the franchise’s universe. The mainline anime series provides the core sports narrative. The Umayuru ONAs provide the comedic relief and character fluff.
Each piece of content serves a specific purpose within the ecosystem, catering to different fan preferences and extending the franchise’s cultural reach. A fan who discovers the franchise through a three-minute Umayuru video on YouTube may later move to the mobile game, attend a live concert, or purchase a Blu-ray of the theatrical film. This “funnel” strategy is the gold standard in modern transmedia entertainment, and Umayuru Full Gate! is the latest, most accessible entry point at the top of that funnel.
Comparing Umayuru Full Gate! to Previous Incarnations
Long-time fans will note the structural evolution from the original Umayuru to this new series. The original ONA launched with 24 episodes, establishing the formula. The follow-up, Umayuru: Pretty Gray, shortened to 4 episodes, suggesting Cygames was experimenting with different release formats and narrative arcs.
Umayuru Full Gate! appears to be a return to the original volume of content, though the specific episode count has not been confirmed. The “Full Gate” title implies a more crowded, energetic, and possibly chaotic series, leveraging the full roster of characters that have been introduced across the game and other anime adaptations. The shift to AtoriE also suggests a potential refresh of the animation quality and comedic timing, as the new studio brings its own creative sensibilities to the project.
Looking Ahead: What September Means for the Franchise
The September premiere of Umayuru Full Gate! on YouTube is strategically timed. It positions the show as a lead-in to the autumn season, a period traditionally heavy with new anime releases and gaming activity. It also provides a steady stream of content leading into the holiday season, a critical sales period for merchandise and in-game purchases.
The decision to include English, Korean, and Traditional Chinese subtitles from the first episode is a direct response to the success of the global game launch. Cygames understands that its largest growth opportunities now lie outside Japan. By making anime content immediately accessible in key markets, the company reduces the friction of fan engagement. International fans no longer need to wait for fan-subbed versions or hope for a delayed international streaming deal.
Umayuru Full Gate! is more than just a new anime short. It is a deliberate, strategic expansion of the Umamusume: Pretty Derby franchise’s digital footprint. It reaffirms Cygames’ commitment to short-form content as a vehicle for brand engagement, global audience acquisition, and creative experimentation. As the franchise continues to celebrate its real-world impact on horse racing and its dominance in mobile gaming, this lighthearted ONA serves as a reminder of the core appeal: charming characters, energetic storytelling, and an infectious love for the sport of kings. The starting gate is open, and the field is full.
