TM Opera O is a bit of a diva. If you've spent any time in the world of Uma Musume Pretty Derby, you know that training the "Supreme Emperor" isn't just about clicking the speed button until your fingers bleed. It’s a delicate balancing act of managing her massive ego and her even more massive stamina requirements. Most players mess this up. They try to build her like a standard Long-Distance runner, but Opera O is weird. She’s a mid-to-long hybrid with a unique skill that triggers only when things are getting chaotic. If you aren't building for that chaos, you’re basically just watching a very expensive theater production lose a race.
Honestly, the TM Opera O build is one of the most rewarding yet frustrating projects in the game. You're dealing with a girl who literally demands a spotlight. Her stats need to reflect that. You can't just slap a generic build on her and expect her to win the Arima Kinen or the Tenno Sho Spring consistently. You have to understand how her "Schwarzes Schicksal" unique skill actually functions in the meta. It’s not just a speed boost; it’s a positioning tool that requires her to be surrounded. If she's too far ahead, it won't fire. If she's too far back, she's trapped.
The Core Stats: Breaking the Stamina Myth
Stop over-investing in pure Stamina. Yes, she runs long races. Yes, the Tenno Sho Spring is 3200m of pure pain. But if you sacrifice Power for Stamina, you’re dead in the water. TM Opera O needs enough Stamina to survive, obviously, but her real strength lies in her ability to push through the pack.
For a solid TM Opera O build, you’re looking at a target of at least 800-900 Stamina for Long distance, but you absolutely must pair that with at least two gold recovery skills. Without Maestro of the Arc or Cool Down, she’s going to gas out regardless of her base stats. Speed is still king, as it is with every girl in the Cygames ecosystem, but for Opera O, Power is the secret sauce. She needs to navigate traffic. She’s a "Betweeners" (Sashi) or "Leaders" (Pre-front) runner usually, though most high-level builds lean into Leader for consistency.
Speed should be your priority in the Grand Live or UAF scenarios. Aim for that 1200+ cap. But don't ignore Guts. In the current 2026 meta, Guts has become the "last 200 meters" stat. If your Opera O has 400 Guts, she’s going to get overtaken by a Special Week or a Grass Wonder who actually bothered to hit the gym. You want at least 600-700 Guts to ensure she doesn't crumble when the finish line is in sight.
Support Card Selection: Quality Over Rarity
You don't need a full deck of MLB (Max Limit Break) SSRs to make this work, though it certainly helps. What you need is synergy. For a competitive TM Opera O build, the Kita-San Black (Speed) card is still a staple for that "Arc Maestro" access if you're not getting it elsewhere, but newer cards like the Jungle Pocket (Speed) or the recent 2025/2026 power-creep cards offer better multipliers.
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Look for cards that offer "Leader" specific hints. Opera O shines when she has Speedster or Right-Turn buffs. Because her unique skill triggers when she's near other runners, you want skills that keep her in the top 30% of the pack without letting her run away with the lead too early.
- Speed: Jungle Pocket or El Condor Pasa (SSR) for the sheer stat gains.
- Stamina: Super Creek is the old reliable for Maestro, but if you're running a more modern scenario, you might swap this for a card that provides Non-Stop Girl.
- Intelligence: Fine Motion or Mejiro Ramonu. You need high Intelligence (900+) so she actually uses her skills. A brilliant horse who forgets to run is just a horse.
Strategy: Why "Leader" Beats "Betweener"
There is a loud group of players who insist on running Opera O as a Betweener. They love the drama of her coming from the back. It’s thematic. It fits her personality. It’s also a great way to lose your PvP points.
In the actual game mechanics, the Leader (Pry-front) position allows her unique to trigger more reliably during the final corner. If she's stuck in the back as a Betweener, she often gets "blocked" by slower runners with low Power. Since her unique requires her to be "contesting" or "near" others, being in the front pack gives her the best chance to activate it exactly when the speed cap increases.
Wait. There is one exception. If you are specifically building for a rainy, heavy-track race, a Betweener build with high Power and Guts can actually overpower Leader builds that struggle with the stamina drain of the turf. But that’s a niche counter-pick. Stick to Leader for 90% of your runs.
Inheritance: What to Borrow from Friends
Don't just grab a 9-star Speed parent and call it a day. For a truly elite TM Opera O build, you need to inherit Stamina and Power factors. Since you’ll be spending most of your training turns on Speed and Intelligence (the "Meta" training loop), your inheritance needs to patch the holes in your Stamina.
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Blue Factors: 9 stars in Stamina or a 6/3 split between Stamina and Power.
Red Factors: Long Distance or Medium Distance "S" rank is mandatory. The difference between an A-rank and an S-rank in distance aptitude is roughly a 5-10% hidden speed modifier in the final stretch. You cannot win high-level Champions Meetings without that S-rank. It’s the "hidden" part of the build that most casual players ignore.
Also, look for "White Factors" that give you discounts on Ura’s Blessing or Clockwise. These small stamina and speed boosts add up when you’re trying to squeeze every point out of your build.
The Training Loop: Avoiding the Mid-Game Slump
TM Opera O has a notoriously annoying training schedule. She wants to go to every race. She wants the glory. But if you over-race her, you’ll miss those crucial Summer Training camps. You need to hit the Triple Crown. It's not just for the stats; it’s for the hidden bonuses and the fan count that boosts her unique skill level.
During the first year, focus entirely on building your "bond" with support cards. Don't worry about the stats yet. You want those rainbow training flashes to start appearing by the first summer. If you aren't hitting rainbows by Senior year, your TM Opera O build is effectively dead.
The biggest pitfall is the "Senior Tenno Sho Spring." If you haven't secured a gold recovery skill by then, she will lose. She will come in 5th, her motivation will drop, and you’ll want to throw your phone. Plan ahead. Save your skill points. Don't spend them on "green" skills like Sunny Day until you’ve secured your survival skills.
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Actionable Steps for Your Next Run
Ready to actually build her right? Stop hovering and start clicking. Here is exactly what you should do in your next training session:
First, check your parents. Find a friend with a Mejiro McQueen or a Rice Shower that has 9-star Stamina factors. You need those to survive the early Senior races without wasting turns on the Stamina training button.
Second, prioritize Intelligence early. High Intelligence in the early game reduces the chance of training failure and gives you more "rest" turns without actually resting. You want Opera O to be smart enough to manage her own ego.
Third, aim for the "S" rank in Distance. If you finish the training and she’s still at "A" rank for Long Distance, she’s a benchwarmer. Reset or use her for casual fodder. The S-rank is the barrier to entry for competitive play.
Finally, balance your skill deck. You want three types of skills: 1. Recovery (at least 1 gold), 2. Positioning (like Vertical Jump or Leader's Pride), and 3. Final Stretch Speed. If you over-index on just one, she’ll either gas out, get stuck in traffic, or get out-sprinted.
Opera O isn't a "set and forget" character. She requires you to pay attention to the race simulations and adjust your support deck based on where she's failing. If she's losing in the middle of the race, more Intelligence. If she's losing at the very end, more Guts and Power. Fix the leak, and the Emperor will finally take her throne.