Kitasan Black

"You gotta try first! You won't start anything if you don't at least try!" Kitasan Black (キタサンブラック, Kitasan Burakku) is a character in Uma Musume: Pretty Derby.

Profile
An energetic and cheerful young horse girl who loves festivals! But when she's not at one, Kitasan Black has a penchant for helping people: someone having a bit of trouble? She runs over to ease the load. Someone worried about something? She sits and listens to what they have to say. She is a kind girl who is loved by many, but she does have a habit of singing in a loud and belligerent tone.

She is still unaware of what her dream is.

But that's why she runs with a smile on her face.

Towards a future brimming with a fantastic light!

Relationships

 * Satono Diamond: Childhood friend.
 * IRL: Fought twice. Their fathers are brothers.
 * Matches (KB/SD)
 * 2016 Arima Kinen 2nd/1st
 * 2017 Tenno Sho Spring 1st/2nd
 * Cheval Grand:
 * Satono Crown:
 * Duramente: Rival at the Classics.
 * IRL: Rival at the Classics. Duramente didn't lose any races to Kitasan Black.
 * Matches(KB/Du):
 * 2015 Satsuki Sho 3rd/1st
 * 2015 Japanese Derby 14th/1st
 * 2016 Takarazuka Kinen 3rd/2nd (1st: Marialite)
 * Copano Ricky: Childhood friend.
 * IRL: Their breeder is Yanagawa Farm.
 * Gold Ship: Team Spica member (in anime season 3).
 * IRL: Fought once at Gold Ship's retiring race.
 * Matches (KB/GS)
 * 2015 Arima Kinen 3rd/8th
 * Sakura Bakushin O: Bakushin O feels bond with her.
 * IRL: Broodmare sire.

Songs

 * Lost Shine (solo song)
 * Umapyoi Densetsu
 * Make Debut!
 * Ambitious World
 * Yume o Kakeru
 * NEXT FRONTIER
 * Never Looking Back
 * We are DREAMERS!!
 * GIRLS' LEGEND U
 * Gaze on Me
 * Ms. VICTORIA
 * DRAMATIC JOURNEY
 * L'Arc de gloire
 * Tracen Ondo

Special Commentary

 * Requirement: Winning Arima Kinen (either classic or senior)
 * Reference: 2017 Arima Kinen, by Masami Kobayashi (Radio NIKKEI)

Trivia
"When Kitasan Black ―my cherished horse― was active, he challenged a number of rivals and was encouraged by everyone's big cheers... I can't forget my impression at that time. And now, I heard 'Kitasan Black' is still loved by lots of fans through Uma Musume. I am so glad and grateful of that. As well as best bouts need best jockeys and best trainers, Uma Musume needs powers by voice actors such as Hinaki Yano-san and other members of the production team, and more than anything else, fans that cheer them up together. Unexpectedly, TV anime is going to be broadcasted on October 4, my birthday. I wish the anime to weave a brand-new 'Kitasan Black story', given their passions."
 * Her father is a major enka singer.
 * In the TV commercial, One of his jockeys Yutaka Take appears and plays Uma Musume game, wearing "Kitasan" racing silk.
 * Saburo Kitajima, Kitasan Black's real-life owner, sent a message for anime season 3.

- Saburo Kitajima "Though I was too surprised to speak on air, I am so happy to know Kitasan Black and Kita-chan are really loved. I always treasure her when acting. Not only me, of course, other casts respect real-life racehorses to act, so I am so glad you sent such a message. I appreciate you again. Thank you so much. I will act her cherishingly from now on."

- Hinaki Yano, Kitasan Black's voice actor

Real Life
"And he became an everyone's favorite. The horse, that the owner and the jockey love, came into people's hearts whenever he repeated fights. Majestically, the new monarch's journey will continue. With many sentiments."

- JRA Heroes poster

Kitasan Black is a racehorse in the middle of 2010s. He won seven G1s as many as Vodka or Symboli Rudolf, and earned over 1.8 billion JPY, the most in Japan at that time.

Name origin

 * Kitasan ― A crown name. It stands for Kitajima Saburo (北島三郎), his owner.
 * Black ― Comes from his father, Black Tide.


 * His owner is Saburo Kitajima (real name: Minoru Ono), an enka singer. Kitasan Black is the first G1 winner in his horses, through his 50 years of owner life.
 * Kitajima promised to sing his song "Matsuri " when Black would win Kikka Sho, and he actually did.
 * He sang again at 2017 Arima Kinen, his retirement race. He made a song "Thank you, Kitasan Black " and sold online. Those profit is donated for retired horses.
 * Fans say this was the first winning live in real life with a joke. Of course, it is not true. The first announcement of Uma Musume Project was in 2016.


 * Sakura Bakushin O is his broodmare sire. Though he is a sprinter, Kitasan Black became a stayer.
 * Though Satono Diamond is described as "her" friend and rival in Uma Musume, In real life They fought only twice because Black is one year older than Diamond. At the Classics, he fought rather with Satono Crown, his contemporary.
 * He could not defeat Duramente. He lost the Satsuki and the Derby, at the Kikka Duramente broke his leg, at 2016 Takarazuka both lost and Duramente finished earlier. Duramente retired after Takarazuka, and Black lost the opportunity to defeat him forever.