Why Are Uma Musume Fans Sending Grass to a Retired Racehorse?
▼ Summary
– Fans of the gacha game *Uma Musume: Pretty Derby* are sending ryegrass gifts to the in-game character Haru Urara, causing traffic spikes on the Japanese gifting site Live Grass Bank.
– *Uma Musume: Pretty Derby* is a highly popular game with over 50,000 concurrent players on Steam, though most players use mobile.
– Haru Urara, a pink-haired horse girl in the game, is based on a real-life racehorse that never won a race, reflected in her in-game focus on gaining fans rather than victories.
– Despite her lack of competitive success, Haru Urara’s charming personality has attracted a dedicated fanbase, especially after the game’s global release.
– Supporters are leaving heartfelt messages with their ryegrass gifts, and fan artists are celebrating the trend with custom illustrations on social media.
Fans of the hit game Uma Musume: Pretty Derby have taken their love to unexpected heights by shipping bundles of fresh ryegrass to a retired racehorse featured in the title. The phenomenon centers around Haru Urara, a fan-favorite character whose real-life counterpart never won a competitive race, yet has now galloped straight into the hearts of players worldwide.
The surge in grass deliveries has been so overwhelming that Live Grass Bank, Japan’s premier ryegrass gifting service, experienced intermittent crashes due to the flood of orders. Despite the technical hiccups, the company assured supporters that every package would eventually reach its destination.
In Uma Musume: Pretty Derby, Haru Urara is portrayed as a cheerful, pink-haired horse girl with a knack for winning over fans rather than trophies, a nod to her actual racing career, which ended without a single victory. Yet, her endearing personality has resonated deeply with players, especially since the game’s global launch.
The free-to-play gacha sensation blends horse racing and idol culture, letting players train and bond with anthropomorphized racehorses. While many chase rare characters, Haru Urara’s charm has made her a standout among the starting roster. Fans have flooded the ryegrass site with heartfelt notes like “Stay strong, our beloved underdog!” and “Enjoy these greens from your biggest supporter!”
Social media has amplified the trend, with artists sharing whimsical illustrations of Haru happily munching on her grass deliveries. Though she may not have crossed the finish line first in reality, her digital resurgence proves that perseverance and charm can still earn a victory lap in the gaming world.
Videos confirming the deliveries have surfaced online, showing the real Haru Urara enjoying her newfound fame, one mouthful of ryegrass at a time. Whether in pixels or pastures, it’s clear this once-overlooked racehorse has finally found her winning stride.
(Source: EUROGAMER)
