Umamusume: Pretty Derby – Beginning of a New Era North America Theatrical Release Announced for Feb 27, 2026

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Jan 14, 2026): GAGA Corporation has announced that Umamusume: Pretty Derby – Beginning of a New Era will receive a theatrical release in North America for the first time on Feb 27, 2026, revealing a key visual and trailer.

The Cygames and Cygames Pictures production is the first feature-length anime film from the Umamusume franchise, which surpassed 1.4 billion yen at the Japanese box office in 2024. The film was screened at Anime Expo 2025 in Los Angeles and Anime NYC 2025 in New York City, drawing massive crowds of high-energy fans that spilled out into the halls. Following the critical success of the anime series Umamusume: Pretty Derby and Umamusume: Cinderella Gray, the film will hit theaters across North America for fans to enjoy.

Umamusume: Pretty Derby – Beginning of a New Era is part of the Umamusume Project, a multimedia franchise produced by Cygames which consists of games, anime, manga, and music that tell stories of characters inspired by racehorses. Along with their classmates and trainers, the Umamusume work towards every racer's dream—winning the Twinkle Series. The franchise's flagship mobile game Umamusume: Pretty Derby has surpassed thirty million downloads across Asia since the release of its Japanese version in 2021. The English version of the game was released last summer and gained explosive popularity immediately after its launch, winning Best Mobile Game at The Game Awards 2025.

Official Trailer: 
https://youtu.be/h4dMQOzj-5g

Synopsis:
Jungle Pocket, known to her close friends as “Pokke,” is a free-spirited Umamusume who has proven her dominance in the freestyle racing scene. Overwhelmed by Fuji Kiseki's majestic performance at a graded Twinkle Series race, she resolves to take on the Twinkle Series herself.

Shortly after joining the Umamusume training school Tracen Academy, Pokke comes under the wing of Tanabe, a veteran trainer who fostered Fuji Kiseki's talent. Together, they aspire to dominate the Triple Crown series, a set of three races that can only be attempted once in a lifetime. Awaiting them are formidable rivals of Pokke's generation, whose talents surpass even her own.

There's Dantsu Flame, whose diligence and determination to win are second to none;
Manhattan Cafe, who chases the shadowy silhouette of a “friend” that only she can see;
and Agnes Tachyon, a veritable mad scientist seeking to push the very boundaries of what is possible for Umamusume.

These four runners take to the track with their very pride, spirit, and souls on the line. Past the finish of their epic clash is a door waiting to be opened—one that leads to the beginning of a new era.

“It doesn't matter who stands in my way! I'm gonna be the greatest!”

Staff:
Series: Cygames
Director: Ken Yamamoto
Scenario Director/Narrative Planning: Tetsuya Kobari
Scriptwriter: Kiyoko Yoshimura
Character Design/Lead Animation Director: Jun Yamazaki
Art Director: Yūsuke Watanabe
Colorist: You Iwaida
3D Director: Yoshinori Nakano
Director of Photography: Yūki Kawashita, Akane Fushihara
Editor: Kashiko Kimura
Music Director: Yōta Tsuruoka
Music Producer: Tetsuya Uchida
Music: Masaru Yokoyama
Content Director: Takuma Akitsu
Character Design Supervisor: Minami Kiyonaga
Animation Producer: Kan Mizoguchi
Animation Production: Cygames Pictures 

Distributed by GAGA

Cast:
Jungle Pocket: Yuri Fujimoto
Agnes Tachyon: Sumire Uesaka
Manhattan Cafe: Yui Ogura
Dantsu Flame: Haruna Fukushima
T.M. Opera O: Sora Tokui
Fuji Kiseki: Eriko Matsui
Narita Top Road: Kanna Nakamura
Meisho Doto: Misaki Watada
Trainer Tanabe: Kenichi Ogata
Ru: Miyuki Sakurai
Shima: Yurie Igoma
Mai: Saya Hitomi
Nana Izumoto: Rina Honnizumi

For more information, please see below:  
Official Website (Movie): https://movie-umamusume-newera-en.com
Official Website (Mobile Game): https://umamusume.com/
Official Umamusume: Pretty Derby X (Mobile Game): https://x.com/umamusume_eng

About GAGA Corporation

Founded in 1986, GAGA Corporation is a leading independent film distributor and producer based in Japan. The company has distributed eight Academy Award Best Picture winners and over one hundred nominated films in Japan. It also produces and distributes Japanese animations such as Ryoma! The Prince of Tennis, DEAD DEAD DEMONS DEDEDEDE DESTRUCTION, Bullet/Bullet and Labyrinth. Recently, GAGA has been expanding its distribution in North America, releasing Ado SPECIAL LIVE ‘Shinzou’ in Cinema last year and announcing the upcoming theatrical release of Umamusume: Pretty Derby - Beginning of a New Era in the region this year.

About Cygames
Tokyo-based Cygames, Inc. is renowned for the development and management of numerous mobile and console game titles including Umamusume: Pretty Derby and Granblue Fantasy: Relink, as well as their various ventures into the animation and comics industries. The company's vision of being the best in entertainment is reflected in their constant efforts to bring original and exciting experiences to all who enjoy their content.