Demon Slayer Imitates Umamusume For New Years Tribute

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2025 was a huge year for Demon Slayer, with the first movie in its final trilogy, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, becoming the highest-grossing anime film ever. While we don’t yet know what happens next in the battle against Muzan, Ufotable continues to keep the Demon Slayer story popular. With 2026 being the “Year of the Horse” in the Chinese zodiac, many anime series are planning special events. Inspired by the horse-themed anime Umamusume: Pretty Derby, the characters from Demon Slayer are getting a fresh new look.

Ufotable, the studio behind Demon Slayer, recently shared new artwork featuring the characters reimagined with a horse-racing theme, along with a New Year’s message to fans. They expressed sincere thanks for the support received throughout the year, wishing everyone health, happiness, and a wonderful 2026. While not an official collaboration, the artwork playfully imagines what Tanjiro and his friends would look like if they participated in “Pretty Derby.”

【明けましておめでとうございます】
本年も「鬼滅の刃」を
どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。

ufotable描き下ろしお正月イラストを公開しました。
ぜひご覧ください。#鬼滅の刃

— 鬼滅の刃公式 (@kimetsu_off) December 31, 2025

The Year of The Horse

Umamusume: Pretty Derby started as an anime with both a TV series and a movie, but it’s become incredibly popular thanks to its mobile game. The game has been downloaded over thirty million times globally, and players have spent billions collecting characters. Each character is based on a real racehorse, and some fans even visit stables to see the horses that inspired their favorites.

Similar to games based on franchises like Uma Musume and many other anime series, Demon Slayer also has mobile games that use a “gacha” system. This type of game often works well with anime because players enjoy collecting their favorite characters, and Demon Slayer has a large cast of heroes and villains perfect for a digital collection. It’s no surprise the popular series has found success in the mobile gaming world.

We still don’t know when the next Demon Slayer movie will be announced. Fans were hoping for news at the recent Jump Festa, but Ufotable didn’t share any details. However, some believe we might get a clue soon, possibly related to the upcoming “Year of the Horse,” about when Tanjiro and his friends will be back.

Check out this funny Demon Slayer New Year’s tribute! Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/gaming/feature/theres-a-clear-winner-for-best-mobile-game-of-2025-and-its-not-even-close/embed/#

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2025-12-31 23:15