The anime Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray is crowned Anime of the Year

Racing to the limit not only guarantees victory on the track, sometimes it also secures the hearts of thousands of spectators around the world. Sports drama combined with the undeniable charm of this popular franchise has proven to be an unbeatable formula. This Saturday, during the twelfth annual global community-voted awards, the Anime Trending Awards, it was officially announced that the acclaimed sports animeUma Musume: Cinderella Gray swept the voting and took home the coveted Anime of the Year award.

The victory for this adaptation was not limited to the main category. The project managed to accumulate a total of eight statuettes, establishing itself as the undisputed fan favorite during this cycle. Among the technical awards achieved, highlights include Best Animation, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Character Design, in addition to winning the title for Sports Anime of the Year.

After the overwhelming results were revealed, the series director, Takehiro Miura, shared an emotional message of gratitude. The creator confessed to feeling deeply honored by the audience's recognition and emphasized that the core of the series lies in seeing a girl from a small town pushing her own limits regardless of the obstacles.

The awards also highlighted the excellent writing and development of its ensemble cast. Instead of the usual voice cast, the awards committee directly recognized the characters of the work in individual categories:

• Oguri Cap.

The story's indomitable protagonist was crowned the undisputed winner of the Girl of the Year award.

• Jo Kitahara.

Awarded by the community with the coveted Best Supporting Male Character award.

• Belno Light.

Massively recognized with the Best Supporting Female Character award thanks to her unconditional support in the plot.

About the work

This successful project is an acclaimed spin-off belonging to the massive multimedia franchise Uma Musume Pretty Derby, owned by the company Cygames. While last year the prestigious fantasy anime Frieren: Beyond Journey's End dominated the event, 2026 completely belongs to the fast horse girls. It is worth noting that the brand achieved a historic double win, as the film Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Beginning of a New Era took home the Anime Movie of the Year award. Other strong contenders of the night included the second season of The Apothecary Diaries, which came in second place overall and won Best Mystery Anime, and the comedy The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity, which dominated the romance categories.

Synopsis of Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray

The story takes us to the small and modest region of Kasamatsu, away from the bright lights of the central Tracen Academy. There we meet Oguri Cap, a horse girl with a voracious appetite, a seemingly carefree attitude, and a monstrous innate talent for running. Despite coming from an environment with limited resources and without the prestige of the great competitors from the capital, Oguri bursts onto the local tracks shattering records and expectations. Her journey is an intense tale of self-improvement, grueling training, and fierce rivalries, where this enigmatic gray runner must prove to the entire country that she has the heart and endurance necessary to become the greatest legend in sports racing.

Which of all the exciting races in this animated adaptation do you think was the key scene that secured its resounding victory as Anime of the Year?