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PETA Sparks Backlash With Graphic Umamusume Illustration
Controversial Post Intended to Highlight Real-World Horse Cruelty
PETA’s relationship with gaming communities has been strained for years, largely due to its tendency toward shock-driven campaigns. The organisation’s latest target is Umamusume: Pretty Derby, the hit gacha game that reimagines real racehorses as idol-like characters. What was meant to be an advocacy message quickly turned into a controversy that spread across X and beyond.
In its recent post, PETA attempted to draw attention to cruelty within real-world horse racing. However, the approach stunned fans.
The organisation released a graphic illustration depicting the Umamusume character Silence Suzuka in a severely injured state after a fall, with visible wounds and an exposed bone. The image carried the caption “If Umamusume: Pretty Derby Was Honest,” positioning the artwork as a commentary on the sport’s dangers.
Rather than generating meaningful discussion, the depiction was criticised for sensationalising an absolute tragedy and using a beloved character in a way that many deemed disrespectful and unnecessarily gruesome.
Fans Condemn the Post and Highlight Policy Violations
The backlash was immediate. Umamusume: Pretty Derby fans slammed PETA for exploiting a character based on a real racehorse and for reducing a historical event to shock imagery. Community Notes were quickly attached to the post, clarifying that Cygames enforces strict rules on how the franchise’s characters can be depicted in fan art and licensed materials.
PETA’s illustration appeared to violate these guidelines, which are in place to protect the series’ idol-themed tone and maintain the trust of racehorse owners who grant likeness permissions. Fans argued that the post crossed both ethical and legal boundaries, prompting a wave of users to report it.
Many players also began circulating instructions encouraging others to notify Cygames directly, hoping the developer would request a takedown or respond publicly to the misuse of Silence Suzuka’s depiction.
Cygames Has Not Yet Responded
As of publication, Cygames has not commented on the situation, and PETA’s post using Umamusume: Pretty Derby remains online. Given the company’s historically cautious approach to licensing and portrayal standards, fans expect some form of action to follow.
For now, the controversy highlights once again how PETA’s shock-focused communication strategies often backfire with gaming communities, who tend to push back firmly against perceived disrespect toward beloved characters or fictional worlds.
