Umamusume: Pretty Derby premiered in Japan in 2021 as an endearing blend of fandom culture, horse racing, and multitalented singing-and-racing anime girls. Perhaps more surprising was how its developer, Cygames, were able to channel that into a global success in 2023 with the game’s international release. However, it appears the company’s latest attempt to capitalize on this success is under threat, as the Trump administration’s immigration crackdowns are hindering attempts to get the visas necessary to bring voice actors to the U.S. for a planned concert later this week.
Umamusume’s appeal comes both from its gameplay, which sees players train their horse girls (based on real horses) to victory, as well as its music. In the universe of the games, these girls are also music idols, with success on the track being rewarded by a short concert featuring original music. The success of the game has even led to a number of live concerts successfully selling out arenas across Japan. Cygames announced the franchise’s first ever World Tour earlier this year in response to the success of the franchise at home and abroad. The event aimed to bring voice actors for the game’s characters to venues around the world to perform songs from the franchise, with the first international event set for the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles later this week.
Except, that concert may no longer happen.
Source link







