"Her burst in the final stretch is incredibly sharp. Kousei typically runs as a Chaser—a completely orthodox style—relying on her final leg to win. Before the Spring Tenno Sho, her acceleration in the final stretch wasn't strong enough to be called a weapon.
"The turning point for her final leg was also the Spring Tenno Sho. In the last hundred meters, she seemed to have an epiphany. Although she still didn't beat Mejiro McQueen, she carved out a new path for herself.
"I don't know what method she used, but in those final moments, her stats skyrocketed as if she were turning herself into kindling to ignite a blazing fire.
"Her knee usage is also quite refined, bearing similarities to Sakura Bakushin O's. Narita Brian × Sakura Bakushin O—fusing the two creates Kousei's unique final leg."
"How is that possible? Can she just use other Umamusume's techniques at will?"
"Of course not," the speaker chuckled. "If she could, wouldn't that make her a genius?
"Just by watching her, you can hear her inner voice, her true self echoing from her silhouette: 'What can I do? How should I do it? Can I push forward just a little more, even one centimeter?'
"To gain that single centimeter, she has to consider countless things. Her technique needs polishing, and mastering her knee usage must have taken an immense amount of time. She'll grasp anything she can to seize victory."
"If she could do anything she wanted, she wouldn't have to struggle so much—like McQueen, who crushes opponents from start to finish with stamina and power, or Tokai Teio, who leaves rivals behind with multiple bursts of acceleration.
"Everyone wants to be a genius, but in reality, geniuses are few and far between. The reason she chose Sakura Bakushin O's style is because it was her only choice. Her final leg sprint is incredibly taxing, putting a strain on her lungs that's no less intense than being burned by fire.
"One thing that truly surprises me is that Kousei has never had a single injury in her entire racing career. Logically, a running style that pushes her body to its absolute limits shouldn't be sustainable."
"I actually know about that. When she enrolled at Tracen Academy, Kousei's evaluation was simply: 'An exceptionally healthy Umamusume.'"
For some reason, both of them burst into laughter, and the atmosphere lightened considerably.
"Kousei is an incredibly intelligent racer. Anyone who watches her races is captivated by her ingenious strategies. That's something I deeply admire. It's well-known that Kousei's natural talent isn't exceptional. As a result, her mindset is different from others. Most racers focus on securing advantageous positions, thinking about how to 'enhance' themselves and further leverage their strengths. Kousei, on the other hand, thinks about how to 'weaken' her opponents."
"I've heard a saying: 'Gate Technique Fighters are born to break the race.'
"The Gate Technique is undoubtedly Kousei's signature, but her other skills are not to be underestimated. She has excellent big-picture awareness and an exceptionally wide field of vision.
"Her cornering technique is top-notch, and her strategic prowess is first-rate.
"After shattering Morgan's core, she forced her to accelerate prematurely. If Morgan had reached the final straight unscathed, the outcome would have been uncertain."
"I see. So the race was decided the moment Morgan's core was broken."
"Exactly. Her performance in the Eastern Lands was also remarkable—she laid a net to ensnare the Azure Dragon."
"I still don't understand. Jade clearly broke through Kousei's blockade. Why did she lose in the end?"
"A trap doesn't have to be a guaranteed kill. The final, crucial part of Kousei's plan wasn't about whether Jade could break free. Because whether she broke through or not, if she failed to notice the key point, she was doomed to fail.
"It was the strategist's final move. Kousei repeatedly provoked Jade for one single purpose: to disrupt the timing of Jade's acceleration."
"If Jade had accelerated at that exact moment, she would have been invincible. But once she missed that window, everything changed.
"In short, Jade accelerated too late. She couldn't take down Kousei in the remaining distance. Her overclocked Dragon's Feet are a rare sight, but unfortunately, they lack a bit of explosive power.
"After all, Jade is still a rookie-year Umamusume with too little racing experience. If they had debuted in the same year, Jade might have become the next Mejiro McQueen."
"Even so, Jade's talent is still world-class."
"True. Give her another year, and she'll undoubtedly secure a place on the world stage."
"As Kousei's fame grows, another Umamusume's reputation is rising along with it."
"I assume you're talking about Mejiro McQueen (laughs)."
"Exactly. McQueen's stock is soaring. The superstar who dominated Kousei from her rookie year through the end of the Classic Year, hailed as the 'Strongest in History,' has now claimed Seven Crowns, standing alongside the 'Emperor.'
"Whether you look at her record or her performance, Mejiro McQueen is flawless. Even among the 'Villains of the Century,' she's in a league of her own—a figure whose back is impossible to even gaze upon."
"McQueen was already famous overseas, but now, with Kousei's victory over Morgan, her reputation has risen to another level.
"Could it be that Mejiro McQueen has few rivals not just in Central, but anywhere in the world? The people of Central hope she'll go on an Expedition, but it seems she herself has no intention of doing so."
"It's a shame about Tokai Teio. She and McQueen were once called the 'Twins,' but now there's no news of her at all."
"Yeah, who knows what she's up to these days."
If Tokai Teio were performing at Mejiro McQueen's level, what a truly insane era this would be.
"Enough talk. Let's see the rating AF has given."
On the screen, numbers flashed rapidly before settling on [121]. How to put it... a bit on the low side.
"121... That's not very high."
"Indeed. Personally, I would have given her a 126. Kousei has many strengths, and her races are thrilling. Unfortunately, her physical stats are just too poor; otherwise, she could have easily surpassed 130.
"Kousei's race design is incredibly clever, but most of it relies on being a 'first-encounter kill.' Once other racers start paying attention to her and studying her tactics, I'm not sure she'll be able to perform this well again."
"Even though she beat Jade and Morgan, if they were to race again, I still believe Morgan and Jade would have a better chance of winning."
In short, the AF reviewers believed Kousei's victory was partly due to an information gap.
"Nevertheless, NAU's star player is definitely worth watching. Her current style is defined by Clever Tactics and an Impactful Final Stretch. In the last 200 meters, Kousei is absolutely world-class.
"If you find yourself entangled in a struggle with her, be wary. The final 200 meters are the domain of The Silver Demon."
Kousei has shown too little so far. Her tendency to only compete in slow-paced races and her specialization in "Good" track conditions were among the many factors not elaborated on.
These weaknesses certainly lowered Kousei's rating, but there was one thing the reviewers didn't mention: Kousei possesses an extremely high "Dark Horse" attribute. Her low rating actually makes it easier for her to unleash her full potential.
"Welcome to this episode of AF Commentary. One final reminder to everyone: in Umamusume racing, there are no absolutes. The AF ratings are for reference only—don't treat the races as mere data simulations.
"Some rise to become the world's number one, while others pull off massive upsets against the strongest. It's precisely because we never know who will finish first that Umamusume racing is so captivating."
And with that, to everyone watching, we'll see you at the next race.