Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray

Actually I have never watched anime Uma Musume ( just on clip sometimes ) , and I started it from Cinderella Gray because some people said it doesn't matter because the timeline and Main Character are also different each season.
but after that I saw a little bit like season 1, 2 and 3 like there is a gap like graphics and story aspect, Cinderella Gray focuses on Oguri himself, much better graphics... and it really feels like a "Main Character"... and it turns out the concept of the anime also comes from real horse racing in Japan and I think it's very interesting where ... they dramatize a horse race into a story like this, I have also seen some Oguri races in the real world and it's quite interesting.
In my opinion as a new Uma Musume viewer, I can recommend this Series without telling them to watch the previous season, Still a good start to watch this series.

At this point, I'm going to eat anything with 'Umamusume' in it.

I've not missed any Umamusume show. The only thing I missed was the game it was based on which was not even my fault coz it has not even been released yet. I started season 1 thinking it will be just a throwaway, forgettable show about silly girls running around with horse ears and tails. Now this franchise is one of the reasons why I keep looking forward to tomorrow.

Umamusume Cinderella Gray is the latest season of the franchise wherein we gonna be watching who among the demihuman girls can kick the ground the ... hardest and hurl themselves into the finish line first. Again. For the sixth time. And this is not a complaint.
We watched a country bumpkin rise... rivals breaking their bones just to win... we get to see races which so intense you can crack eggs in the screen to make sunny side ups...
Now, we watch a protagonist who was merely a goofy cameo character seasons prior.
This is about Oguri Cap. The grey-haired glutton born almost unable to walk but became a strong due to hardwork and utter determination. For the longest time, I fought on the hill that Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen were the best leads the show ever had but now, I am afraid they will be dethroned. Oguri Cap, who was barely relevant nor notable seasons prior was actually a very inspiration figure and from what the show has shown, her tribulations is different from the other Uma leads and the vibe of the show definitely feels different.

Even the Opening is different. In prior Uma seasons, shows begin with Jpop bubblegum songs which were nice and all but sometimes does not give justice to the ferocity of the show at times. In Cinderella Gray, it was full-on JRock and the show reflects that. It is way more gritty, the designs are less bright, and characters are not as bubbly as the others. It feels like a shonen show. Umamusume shines when it shows intensity and while the show seem to lack Agnes Tachyon(my absolute favorite Uma), I'd say this is shaping up to be the best season among them. The comedy is still top-notch, the dances were back, and with a protagonist with striking flaws, lovable personality, and different circumstances. Definitely a step-up from the flawed third season.

6 episodes and I've seen nothing to complain about. For now, a 10

A must-watch for enjoyers of sports anime filled with drama, hype, character development, and emotion. This is enhanced by its gorgeous animation, soundtrack/voice acting, and a solid cast of characters.
(No previous Uma Musume entry/background is needed at all, as this is a prequel spinoff! In fact, I am writing this review with Cinderella Gray as my first exposure to the Uma Musume franchise.)

Story:
The setting is 1987 in Gifu, Japan where our protagonist, Oguri Cap sets foot onto the Kasamatsu Racecourse to begin her path to becoming a legendary racer. Through the story, we see Oguri Cap take on various races, and strive to become ... the best version of herself. This is a simple story that is easy to follow. It is fleshed out by both the drama and its cast of characters, specifically Oguri, so this story may be hard to enjoy if you are not a fan/actively dislike Oguri.

Character:
Oguri Cap begins as a relatively one-dimensional character who is focused on running because she is just happy whenever she has the opportunity to run. Throughout the story, we see her develop beyond that dimension as she grows to establish her own goals, as well as cherish the relationships around her.

Our cast of ing characters surrounding Oguri is solid. I particularly like Berno who is Oguri's best er - always having her back, and is just an all-around great girl.

Animation:
CygamesPictures has continued to impress me with its gorgeous visuals and fluid animation sequences. To get some insight into the animation, just take a look at the 1:30 opening theme of Cinderella Gray that's available on YouTube. The portrayal of the Kasamatsu area via the beautiful background frames is cool to see.

Sound/Voice Acting:
One of the things to note for people unfamiliar with the Uma Musume franchise is that after a race, the winning Uma Musume has a "winning live" performance where they dance to a song. While this feels more secondary in Cinderella Gray, I have heard that other entries have more of a focus on that.

The soundtrack and voice acting are solid. I would like to give a shoutout to Ise Mariya's Fujimasa March voice acting performance, which I find to be excellent in portraying Oguri's headstrong but ionate rival who struggles with expressing her emotions honestly.