A Giant Collaboration Between Uma Musume and Midori no Makibao: Legends of the Horse Racing World Meet!
We have some nostalgia-filled news that will excite horse racing enthusiasts! Cygames' phenomenal multimedia franchise Uma Musume: Pretty Derby has launched an official collaboration with the legendary 90s horse racing series Midori no Makibao. The fact that 2026 is the "Year of the Horse" according to the Japanese calendar, and that it coincides with the 30th anniversary of Midori no Makibao and the 5th anniversary of the Uma Musume game, forms the foundation of this massive crossover event.
The most striking part of the collaboration is the special video released on the PakaTube YouTube channel, which reinterprets Midori no Makibao's iconic opening song, "Hashire Makibao." In this video titled "Run OO O," popular "horse girls" whose names end with the letter "O"—such as Tokai Teio, TM Opera O, Sakura Bakushin O, Sakura Chiyono O, Sakura Chitose O, and Calstone Light O—run alongside Midori Makibao himself. Moreover, voice actress Inuko Inuyama returns to voice the Makibao character, just as she did in the original series, providing fans with a true sense of nostalgia.
Midori no Makibao is one of the most important examples of its genre, created by Tsunomaru and published in Weekly Shonen Jump between 1994 and 1998. The story of Makibao, a white horse with immense speed and determination despite his small stature and donkey-like appearance, won the Shogakukan Manga Award in 1997 and was adapted into a 61-episode anime series. Uma Musume, on the other hand, has brought massive interest to horse racing in Japan by reimagining legendary real-life racehorses with a modern aesthetic. This collaboration symbolizes the series' deep respect for its roots and the classics that came before it.
The event is not limited to digital content; many licensed products such as specially designed t-shirts, hoodies, badges, and acrylic stands have also been made available for fans. Additionally, special gifts are being distributed to lucky followers through campaigns organized on social media. If you love both modern anime aesthetics and the unique, humor-filled sports stories of the 90s, the meeting of these two giants is just for you!
