Nonprofit organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) made a post on December 11 presumably meant to raise awareness about the suffering of racehorses, but the act has been met with massive backlash for name-dropping Umamusume: Pretty Derby and using an image of the game’s character in a context which possibly violates the franchise’s content guidelines.
Titled “If Umamusume: Pretty Derby was Honest,” the image seems to be PETA’s homebrew fanart of Silence Suzuka. Like other “horse girls” appearing in Cygames’s hit racing game, Silence Suzuka is based on a real-life Japanese racehorse. The horse is famous for achieving several major wins on the JRA circuit before suffering a severe injury and subsequently being euthanized.
In reference to this background, PETA’s recent post reads, “If Umamusume: Pretty Derby were honest, your favorite horse girl doesn’t get a comeback arc. One failed event, and the race is over forever—just like what happened to the real Silence Suzuka.” Their image depicts Silence Suzuka (as she appears in Umamusume) crying out in pain on the ground, her leg bent out of shape from a bleeding open fracture. Fans found this depiction to be an overly sensationalized and trivialized use of Suzuka’s tragic story.
The seemingly unauthorized use of Cygames’s intellectual property, as well as suspected violations of the company’s strict guidelines on derivative works (more on that later), have not been taken in kind by Umamusume fans. Shortly after the post went up, players flooded the post with negative comments and rallied to mass report PETA to Cygames.
Given that Umamusume: Pretty Derby features anthropomorphized versions of famous, real-life racehorses, the game’s existence strongly depends on Cygames’s relationship with the horses’ owners and related parties like the JRA (Japan Racing Association). In order to protect these relationships, Cygames has established guidelines regarding fanart and other derivative works based on Umamusume: Pretty Derby. These guidelines are meant to ensure the racehorses’ reputations are not damaged (which would, by effect, cause Cygames handling of the horses to be brought into question by rightsholders). Violent and gory depictions of the girls are forbidden, and using them to advocate or criticize specific movements or ideologies is also off the table – so PETA is very likely in violation of some clauses. Since the organization is nonprofit, it’s not quite clear whether the clause on commercial use will apply in this case.
Given these circumstances, fans aren’t only angry about their favorite game being name-dropped as part of PETA’s activism, they also see it as something Cygames could potentially get in trouble for with partners, thus jeopardizing the game. In addition, people have pointed out that the criticism is unjust given that Cygames has on many occasions donated and helped raise funds for the care of active and retired racehorses.
Why does Umamusume: Pretty Derby have specific rules against sexual or violent fanart?
I feel like Peta is attacking their own audience here. They should use uma to help spread horse awareness in a way that doesn’t harm the girls