Legendary losing racehorse is going viral after being turned into an anime girl in new game

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Once known as the “radiant loser’s champion,” Haru Urara, a former racehorse, has won hearts globally anew, many years past her last race. This revival is attributed to a character in a freshly released anime collectible game.

Even though Haru Urara ended her five-year racing career without a single win in 113 races, she’s currently trending worldwide due to increased attention from foreign fans who discovered her after the launch of the popular mobile game, Umamusume: Pretty Derby.

In Umamusume, real-world horses are transformed into cute anime girl characters, and your job is to train these characters to victory in high-status tournaments.

In the game, Haru Urara exhibits a lively and tenacious personality, always pushing forward without giving in, which reflects her true-to-life resilience. Her optimism and underdog position have sparked a revival of affection for this endearing underachiever.

Losing racehorse Haru Urara goes viral again 

In the early 2000s, Haru Urara earned cultural significance in Japan, eventually embodying national tenacity as she continued to race despite numerous setbacks. Unlike many other racehorses who are forgotten after repeated defeats, Haru Urara’s unyielding spirit made her a symbol of resilience.

In a remarkable turn of events, she was known for attracting immense audiences, sparking merchandise sales, and even preventing a race track’s closure due to people rushing to see her and intentionally buying losing tickets as good luck charms. Now, over two decades later, this “bright beacon for underdogs” is back in the limelight.

In the anime series Haru Urara, it’s possible to achieve victory with dedication and a bit of good fortune. On the other hand, Umamusume: Pretty Derby deliberately sets obstacles that make grabbing the coveted first-place rewards exceptionally challenging.

Due to her lower initial abilities and less potent talents compared to other characters, many players find Haru challenging to use effectively, often referring to her as a character for more advanced or difficult gameplay sessions. This is why she’s frequently seen as a tougher version of the game, where every match is a demanding challenge.

Although Haru Urara is merely a digital image on my screen, I feel an intense desire to let her understand that I would go to any length, no matter how great, for her.

— Mug (@Mug4Times) June 30, 2025

Thus far, foreign admirers have been disheartened by her determination to triumph, yet she has failed to accomplish it. A distraught fan penned, “Despite being merely a collection of pixels on my monitor, I want Haru Urara to understand that I would go to any extent in the world for her,” expressing their deep regret.

Another person stated that the name of the race is ‘Arima Kinen’, but interestingly, it translates to ‘I’m really cryin’ in English.

To date, enthusiasts of Umamusume: Pretty Derby have been promising to secure a win for Haru, and some have even achieved success by winning the entire tournament. Yet, this surge in popularity has not gone unacknowledged.

It seems that the number of Tiara given to Ularasan for her birthday has been increasing significantly, starting yesterday, to about 10,000 more, and the notifications won’t stop coming. Also, my foreign followers have increased by around 400 since yesterday.
I don’t know if this news is spreading among the Nikinikis overseas, but Harululara is doing really well, in fact, she seems to be even healthier than me! Laughs and thumbs up 😊👍

— もつご (@animal_love_kaz) July 3, 2025

The farm home to Haru Urara posted a touching note, following an influx of interaction from international admirers: “We’re grateful for your love and support.

The tiara given to Urara-san on her birthday this year has seen an unexpected surge in likes, now totaling 10,000 more than yesterday, with non-stop notifications pouring in. Additionally, my international account has gained approximately 400 new followers since yesterday.

It’s unclear if this message will get to our friends abroad, but Haru Urara is thriving! In truth, she seems to be in better shape health-wise and full of energy compared to me!

Indeed, even though she hasn’t claimed victory in any race yet and is now basking in her retirement days, Haru Urara remains an ongoing source of inspiration.

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2025-07-04 15:19