No Matter How Many Times I Lose
| No Matter How Many Times I Lose | |
|---|---|
| Season 1, Episode 10 | |
 |
|
| Kanji | 何度負けても |
| Romaji | Nando Makete mo |
| Air Date | May 28, 2018 |
| Director | Mitsutaka Noshitani |
| Songs | |
| Opening Song | Make debut! |
| Ending Song | Grow-up Shine! |
| Insert Song(s) | Koi wa Derby☆ SEVEN |
| Episode Guide | |
| Previous | Dreams of Spica |
| Next | Welcome Back! |
No Matter How Many Times I Lose (何度負けても, Nando Makete mo) is the 10th episode of the 1st season of the Umamusume: Pretty Derby anime.
Summary
Special Week trains hard after El Condor Pasa’s defeat but places 7th in her next race. At the demand of Trainer, She visits her adoptive mother and rests in the countryside. She returns to Tracen after, determined to win the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and Japan Cup. The Tenno Sho (Autumn) arrives - Special Week secures first place and sets a new record.
Plot
More motivated than ever after El Condor Pasa's defeat, Special Week undergoes special training with Team Spica. At the entrance of the race, fans, commentators, and fellow racers all took notice of her visibly stronger body. And Spe herself was determined to show everybody the growth and the results of her hard work... In a perfect world that is... Unfortunately she placed 7th place...
El returns from her overseas adventures, greeting Spe, teasing her recent performance and jokingly wondering if she had gotten rounder. Amidst the commotion, Trainer stepped in to remind everyone of their goals. He questions Spe about any secret training she might have been doing, considering her poor result. With what's to come next, he orders everyone to take a break—especially Spe, instructing her to go home to rest.
As ordered, she takes the train back to the countryside, where she happily greets her adoptive mother. Overwhelmed with excitement, she suggests a race like they used to do. Instead, she’s promptly shoved into a car- Trainer made sure her mom wouldn’t let her run during this break.
- Mejiro McQueen dines lavishly with her family, indulging in high-class carrot dishes.
- Tokai Teio is breaking records at a karaoke machine and has somehow managed to drag the academy president, Symboli Rudolf, along for the ride.
- Vodka and Daiwa Scarlet go shopping, though their plans were slightly different- Scarlet wants winter clothes, while Vodka is looking at running gear.
- Silence Suzuka undergoes rehabilitative training with Trainer and Gold Ship. Trainer brings good news of her being approved to participate in the upcoming Open Special One race.
Back in the countryside, Spe finds herself... tied to a pole? Her mom was dead serious about enforcing this rest period. Wandering around the house, she stumbles upon a small Butsudan (仏壇) memorial for her birth mother. Her adoptive mother tells her that she keeps all of Special Week’s letters. She keeps a book filled with all of Special weeks achievements as well. They're both so proud of her. In the morning, Suzuka calls with the big news of her return to racing. Spe was overjoyed hearing that. That night, Spe gazes at the stars happily. Her adoptive mother approaches and hands her a small gift—a horseshoe engraved with the words "Be the Best in Japan". Touched, Special Week thanks her, feeling gratitude and lucky to have two moms. She dashes off freely into the night with her head held up high.
With rest period over, Spe resumes training at Tracen Academy. That evening, she proudly shows Suzuka her new racing shoes, fitted with the horseshoe her adoptive mother gifted her. She declared her goals to win the upcoming Tenno Sho (Autumn) and Japan Cup, to become the best in Japan, and eventually... to defeat Suzuka. Suzuka, in turn, has her own ambitions—to win her return race and push beyond limits no one has ever reached before. They made a promise together that night as rivals.
Finally, the Tenno Sho (Autumn) arrives. This time, Spe's weight is perfect. A tense silence falls over the track. Then- the race begins!
Spe holds steady in the rear, waiting for her moment. The final stretch arrives, and the racers begin picking up speed. Spe pushes harder than ever, inching ahead, battling neck and neck with Seiun Sky and King Halo. Her stride lengthens. She surges forward and takes the lead in the final stretch! She crosses the finish line- not just in first place, but with an unbelievable lead and setting a new record.
The stadium roars in celebration, everyone notices the change in her. Spe lays on the ground, staring up at the sky triumphantly knowing she was one step closer to her dream.