Mejiro Ryan is weird. If you've spent any time in the Uma Musume Pretty Derby trenches, you know exactly what I mean. She isn't the flashy, front-running superstar that sweeps every race with raw speed. She’s the muscle-bound underdog with a buzzcut and a dream. But here's the thing: her unique skill, Let's-Anabolic!, is arguably the most influential inheritance piece in the entire game. If you aren't building her right, you're basically leaving free wins on the table.
Most players treat Ryan as a "bench warmer" meant only for inheritance. That’s a mistake. When you actually commit to a dedicated Mejiro Ryan build, she becomes a terrifying wild card in Champions Meeting (CM) and League of Heroes (LoH). She thrives in the chaos of the middle of the pack. She’s the queen of the 6th-place launch.
The Core Philosophy of the Mejiro Ryan Build
You can't build Ryan like you build Silence Suzuka. It just doesn't work. Ryan is a Between (Betweener/Sashi) runner through and through. Her entire kit is designed around a very specific timing window. If she's too far forward, she fails. If she's dead last, she fails. She needs to be in that sweet spot—usually 6th place in a 9-person race—at the exact moment the final corner hits.
This makes her "stat hungry." You need enough Stamina to survive the burn, enough Power to push through the crowd, and enough Guts to keep her from fading when the heat is on. It's a balancing act. Honestly, it’s kinda stressful to get right, but when that gold acceleration kicks in? It's beautiful.
Breaking Down Let's-Anabolic!
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Her unique skill, Let's-Anabolic!, triggers when you are in the "back group" (specifically 6th place in 9-person races) during the final corner. This is a fixed-point acceleration skill. In the world of Uma Musume, acceleration is king. Speed is just your ceiling; acceleration is how fast you hit that ceiling.
Because Ryan's skill triggers at the start of the final corner, it often aligns perfectly with the transition from the mid-leg to the final leg. This is what we call "optimal acceleration." If it fires at the right time, she catapults past the leaders like they're standing still.
Stats That Actually Matter (And Those That Don't)
Forget the "all-rounder" approach. If you want a winning Mejiro Ryan build, you have to specialize.
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Speed is non-negotiable. You need to hit the cap. Whether that's 1200, 1500, or higher depending on the current scenario (like UAF or Reach for the Stars), you can't skimp here. But speed alone won't save her.
Power is her secondary lifeline. Since she’s running in the pack, she’s going to get bumped. She’s going to get boxed in. High Power allows her to physically push through other girls and find the "lane" she needs to activate her skills. Aim for at least 1000-1200 Power.
Stamina is the silent killer. Ryan doesn't have built-in recovery skills like Super Creek or Mejiro McQueen. If you’re running a 2400m race (like the Tokyo 2400m), you need a solid 800-900 Stamina plus at least one gold recovery skill. Without it, she’ll "gas out" before the acceleration even finishes. It’s painful to watch.
Guts (根性) has become meta. In newer scenarios, Guts provides a massive boost to the "Final Spurt" speed and helps with "Keep Strategy." For a Betweener like Ryan, having 1000+ Guts is the difference between a podium finish and 8th place.
The Support Card Spreadsheet (In Prose)
Choosing cards for Ryan is all about grabbing the right skills, not just the highest stats. You’re looking for things that keep her in 6th place.
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For Speed, cards like Kitasan Black (SSR) are classic, but you really want cards that offer "Betweener" specific hints. Agnes Tachyon (SSR) is great for the speed ceiling, but keep an eye out for cards that give Discordant Note or Inner Fight.
For Power, Oguri Cap (SSR) is a monster. It gives Groundwork and Clutch Player, which help her navigate the middle of the pack. If you have access to Mejiro Ramonu (SSR), use her. Even though she's an Intelligence card, her "Intelligent Training" and the skills she provides are top-tier for any Mejiro-family build.
Intelligence is vital for skill activation. If Ryan doesn't "procs" her skills, she's just a girl with a cool haircut running in circles. You want 1000+ Intelligence so she actually uses that Anabolic boost. Fine Motion (SSR) or Nice Nature (SSR) are the gold standards here for Betweener builds.
Why Inheritance is Ryan’s Real Legacy
Even if you aren't running Ryan as your primary racer, your Mejiro Ryan build matters for inheritance. Almost every top-tier Betweener or Chaser (Aki) in the game wants Ryan’s unique skill.
When you're "parenting," you want to make sure your Ryan has high "Blue Factors" (Speed or Power) and, more importantly, "Red Factors" for the track surfaces she excels on (usually Turf). But the real prize is the "White Factors." If you can get your Ryan to pass down Straight Venting or Positioning Sense, you've created a masterpiece of a parent.
The "Anabolic" Compatibility
Some girls just work better with Ryan’s DNA. Oguri Cap (Christmas alt), Gold Ship, and Mejiro Dober are prime candidates. Dober, in particular, has a unique skill that triggers in 5th or 6th place. If you stack Dober’s skill with Ryan’s inherited Anabolic, the acceleration is so violent it almost looks like a glitch.
Common Pitfalls: Don't Do This
- Over-leveling Speed too early: If you neglect Stamina in the first two years of training, Ryan will fail her objective races (like the Arima Kinen). Failing races kills your fan count and your stat gains.
- Using the wrong Strategy: Never, ever put Ryan on "Leader" or "Runner" strategy. Her unique skill will not fire. It is hard-coded to the back-half of the pack. You are wasting your time.
- Ignoring the "Lane" Skills: Skills like Lateral Movement or Curtain Call are essential. Ryan needs to get to the outside of the track to launch her sprint. If she’s stuck on the rail, she’s done.
The "Secret Sauce" for 2026 Meta
In the current game state, the meta has shifted toward "Comparison" and "Leg Lifts." You need to ensure your Ryan has the None too Soon gold skill if you're running her in Medium distances.
Also, pay attention to the track. Ryan is a beast on tracks with a "Corner-to-Straight" transition that happens right at the 66% mark of the race. This is why she’s a perennial favorite for the Kyoto 2200m and Tokyo 2400m.
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The Psychology of a Ryan User
You have to be okay with losing. Ryan is a "high variance" character. Because her win condition is so specific (being in 6th place at a specific moment), she will have races where she comes in last because the pack was too tight or she was too fast in the mid-leg and hit 4th place too early.
But that one race out of five? Where she hits the trigger, the camera zooms in on her face, and she blasts past the entire field in three seconds? That’s why we do it.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Build
If you're ready to start your next training run, keep these steps in mind to maximize your efficiency:
- Prioritize Power over Stamina if the race is under 2000m. The "Burst" is more important than the "Burn."
- Fish for "Betweener" Red Factors. Getting her Turf or Medium distance rating to "S" is a 10% hidden speed/acceleration boost that the game doesn't explicitly tell you.
- Focus on Mid-Leg Skills. To ensure she stays in that 6th place "sweet spot," she needs skills like Break a Sweat or Million Volts to keep her from falling to 9th, but not so many that she climbs to 3rd.
- Check the Horoscope/Mood. Never go into a high-stakes training race with "Low" mood. Ryan’s stats are sensitive, and the 20% penalty to stat gains will ruin a build.
- Inherit from Mejiro Dober. Getting that secondary acceleration trigger is the single best way to make your Ryan competitive against the "Meta" picks like Kitasan Black or Satono Diamond.
Ryan isn't just a meme or a "muscle girl." She’s a tactical tool. Use her correctly, and you'll find yourself winning races you had no business winning.
Stop treating her like an inheritance bot. Give her the Speed and Power she deserves, put her in the middle of the pack, and let her do what she was born to do: explode.