You know that feeling when a character design just clicks? For a lot of people playing Cygames’ juggernaut, that moment happened the second Still in Love was announced for the Uma Musume Pretty Derby roster. It wasn’t just the aesthetic—though the Gothic Lolita-inspired look is an absolute vibe—it was the weight of the name. If you follow Japanese horse racing history, that name carries a specific kind of prestige. We're talking about the second-ever Triple Tiara winner in history.
Honestly, the hype was massive.
But here is the thing: adding a legendary horse like Still in Love to the game isn't just about slapping a cute outfit on a girl and calling it a day. It’s about the narrative baggage. Cygames has this uncanny ability to take real-life track rivalries and turn them into peak anime drama, and with Still in Love, they had a goldmine of tragedy, dominance, and a very specific "heavy" personality that the fandom has completely latched onto.
What People Get Wrong About the Uma Musume Still in Love Design
Most newcomers see the dark frills and the somewhat intense expression and think "Oh, she’s just the resident goth girl." That’s a surface-level take. If you dig into the actual racing history of the real Still in Love, her personality in the game starts to make a lot more sense.
The real mare was known for being incredibly high-strung. She was difficult to handle. She was intense. In the game, this translates into a character whose devotion is... well, "heavy" is the word the Japanese community uses. Yandere-adjacent? Maybe. But it’s more about an all-consuming focus. She doesn't just want to win; she wants to be the only thing her trainer sees.
It’s a brilliant bit of character writing. They took the "temperamental" nature of a champion racehorse and turned it into a deeply compelling, slightly possessive personality trait that makes her stand out from the more "wholesome" or "sporty" girls like Special Week or Silence Suzuka.
The Triple Tiara Legacy
Let’s talk stats for a second because you can’t understand the impact of Still in Love without the context of 2003. She swept the Oka Sho, the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks), and the Shuka Sho.
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That is the Triple Tiara.
Before her, only Mejiro Ramonu had done it in 1986. It took seventeen years for another horse to claim that throne. When you’re playing her scenario in Uma Musume Still in Love, you’re playing through a period of absolute feminine dominance on the turf. The game mirrors this by making her feel like an unstoppable force within her specific age bracket, but it also touches on the "post-Triple Tiara" slump that the real horse faced.
She never won another race after that 2003 sweep.
That’s the tragedy Cygames loves to lean into. How do you deal with the fact that your greatest peak happened so early? The game treats this with a surprising amount of nuance. It isn't just about the glory; it's about the crushing weight of maintaining that "legend" status when your body or your spirit starts to tire.
Why the Fans Are Actually Obsessed
It’s the relationship dynamic. Period.
In the game’s dialogue, Still in Love refers to the trainer in ways that make the "Love" part of her name feel very, very literal. While most Uma Musume have a bond with the trainer that feels like a mix of athlete-coach and best friends, Still in Love feels like she’s in a different genre of fiction entirely.
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- She is fiercely loyal.
- Her lines are often laced with a sense of "only you and me."
- She has an aura that some fans find intimidating and others find absolutely top-tier.
You see it in the fan art and the social media discourse. People aren't just talking about her Speed or Stamina growth rates—though her training cards are actually quite viable for the current meta—they are talking about the "pressure" she puts on the player. It’s a meta-joke that has turned her into a bit of a cult icon within the community.
Navigating the Meta: Is She Actually Good?
If we look at the mechanics, Uma Musume Still in Love fits into a very specific niche. She’s primarily a Mile to Medium distance runner. Her skills often revolve around staying in the middle of the pack and then exploding in the final leg.
But honestly? You aren't pulling for her just because she helps you win Room Matches. You’re pulling for her because her story mode is one of the most emotionally resonant ones Cygames has released in the last few years. The writing shifts between genuine romance-trope beats and the hard-hitting reality of professional sports.
The Rivalry That Defined Her
You can’t talk about Still in Love without mentioning Admi Vega or the general 2003 era vibes, but the game focuses heavily on her internal struggle. In real life, she was often compared to the greats that came before and after her. In the game, this manifests as a drive to prove that her "love" (her racing) is the purest form of the sport.
One thing that’s really cool is how the developers handled her "Stance." She has this specific way of carrying herself in the race animations that mimics the real horse's gait and intensity. It’s that level of detail that keeps the veteran players invested. They aren't just selling characters; they are selling a dramatized history of the Japan Racing Association (JRA).
A Note on the "Heavy" Persona
There is a lot of chatter about whether she is "too much." Some players prefer the lighthearted energy of someone like Haru Urara. Still in Love is the opposite. She is dark, she is intense, and she is deeply emotional.
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But that’s why she works.
The game needs stakes. If everyone is just happy to be there, the competitive element of the Triple Tiara feels hollow. When you're training Still in Love, you feel like the stakes are life and death. Her "Still in Love" moniker isn't just a name—it's her entire motivation. She is in love with the victory, in love with the trainer, and in love with the feeling of being the best.
Actionable Insights for Players and Fans
If you're looking to dive into her story or optimize her in your roster, keep these points in mind:
Focus on Guts and Speed. Historically and mechanically, she relies on that "willpower" to push through the final corner. In the current training scenarios (like U.A.F. or the newer ones), balancing her Stamina for those Medium tracks is key, but don't neglect her Guts stat—it’s what triggers those crucial late-game maneuvers.
Read the Event Dialogue. Don't skip. Most people skip the flavor text to get to the stats. With Still in Love, the flavor text is the whole point. Her "True End" in the training scenario provides a lot of closure that racing fans have wanted for the real-life mare for years.
Check the Support Card Synergy. She often pairs well with cards that provide "Middle Leg" boosts. Look for support cards that offer skills like "Positioning Sense" or anything that helps her navigate the crowd, as she can get boxed in easily if her Power stat is too low.
The reality is that Uma Musume Still in Love represents the best of what this franchise does. It takes a horse that had a spectacular, albeit short, peak and gives her a second life where her intensity is celebrated rather than managed. Whether you're in it for the Triple Tiara history or the "heavy" relationship vibes, she’s easily one of the most complex characters added to the game.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
- Review her hidden stats: Check the Japanese wiki sites like Gamewith to see her specific hidden modifiers for the Shuka Sho—Cygames often adds "secret" buffs for historical wins.
- Watch the 2003 Oka Sho: Go to YouTube and watch the real race. Seeing how she moves in real life will make you appreciate her in-game run animation so much more.
- Optimize your inheritance: When breeding for her, try to pull factors from horses with strong "Endurance" traits to offset her natural tendency to burn out in the late stretch of longer Medium races.