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UTA
UTA is a new actor whose debut came in the Netflix series Gas Human, and his first commercial broadcast drama role is in TV Tokyo's Akato Elegy, premiering October 8. His father, Masahiro Motoki, has spoken publicly about hoping the work broadens UTA's understanding of history and people.
Synthesized from 30
Yomimono stories · updated
4d ago
UTA entered acting through Netflix, debuting as the Gas Man in Gas Human. That credit is the one the stories fix on when TV Tokyo announced him among nine new cast members for Akato Elegy, the live-action adaptation of Kira Takashi's manga. UTA plays Yusaku, the missing ex-boyfriend of the heroine Chiko, and the role is his first appearance in a commercial broadcast drama. The drama premieres October 8, with Koyo Kurosaki and Yui Narumi leading the cast. Mari Hamada, Sarina Suzuki, and Yuichi Kimura are among the other additions.
The family context came first in the coverage. At an August 22 stage greeting in Tokyo for the film The Man Who Carries the Voice of August, Masahiro Motoki talked about his eldest son's debut. Motoki said he left UTA's education to UTA's mother, Yayako Uchida, and that he hopes UTA learns about history and humanity through his roles. The Akato Elegy announcement followed.
Coverage of UTA is thin and stops at those two stories. Both center on what he has been cast in rather than on how he works or what he has said. There is no material here on training, representation, or other projects. What is settled is the Netflix debut, the Akato Elegy role, and the October 8 premiere date.
Key facts
- Debut role
- The Gas Man in the Netflix series Gas Human ↗
- First commercial broadcast drama
- Akato Elegy on TV Tokyo, playing Yusaku ↗
- Akato Elegy premiere
- October 8 ↗
- Akato Elegy leads
- Koyo Kurosaki and Yui Narumi ↗
Timeline
- Sep 12, 2026 VIVANT Producer Ties Season 2 AI To Human Emotion
- Sep 11, 2026 Uta no Prince-sama ALL STAR STAGE -BEGINNING- Sets March 2027 Dates at Makuhari Messe
- Sep 11, 2026 Daichi Yamamoto Names Guests for Four-City Joint Show Series Hakka
- Sep 11, 2026 Bandai Reveals One Piece Skypiea Ichiban Kuji, On Sale From October 29
- Sep 10, 2026 Level-5 Announces Fantasy Life i DLC Celestial Train and the Happy Final Station
- Sep 10, 2026 Futabasha Releases Elma ASMR Video For Dragon Maid Spin-Off's 100th Chapter
- Sep 10, 2026 BAKUTAN Provides HR AI Platform To Mitsubishi Electric
- Sep 10, 2026 Sony Sets TGS 2026 PlayStation Booth Trials And GTA VI Theater
- Sep 9, 2026 UEC Game Research Center CEREC Sets September 29 Opening Ceremony
- Sep 9, 2026 Kodansha Confirms Gachiakuta Hiatus, Offers No Return Date
- Sep 8, 2026 UTA Makes First Commercial Broadcast Drama Appearance in Akato Elegy
- Sep 7, 2026 Uta Macross Rhythm Game Revival Heads to iOS, Android, Steam
- Sep 6, 2026 Automaton's Weekly Roundup: Gundam Rogue Orbit and Fate/EXTRA Record Get Release Dates
- Sep 5, 2026 New Kochikame Anime Sets 2027 Fuji TV Airing With Fresh Cast
- Sep 5, 2026 New Kochikame Anime Cast Announced, Ochiai Voices Ryotsu
- Sep 4, 2026 QUARTET NIGHT Cast Reunion in Live Costumes Stirs Fan Speculation
- Sep 4, 2026 Arc System Works Releases Alien Inspection Adventure Donutal on Steam
- Sep 4, 2026 Shiraku Utano Acoustic Live at Yamaha Sound Crossing Set for October 10
- Sep 4, 2026 The Tenth Mosaic Festival Lines Up Kodaka, Mizuguchi, Toyama Talks
- Sep 3, 2026 Macross Rhythm Game Uta Macross Returns as Buy-to-Play Title for 2027
- Sep 2, 2026 Kato Junichi to Face Senior Pro Team Matagi Snipers in VALORANT
- Sep 2, 2026 Yutaka Matsushige Writes and Directs Gourmet Drama for Prime Video
- Aug 30, 2026 Sayonara no Iikata Nante Shiranai Novel Series Gets Manga by Yukiko Seike
- Aug 29, 2026 MIRU-e Backs VTuber eSports Event Tenkahai -UTAGE- at Tokyo Venue
- Aug 29, 2026 Futari wa Pretty Cure Collaborates With Wacoal Innerwear Brand AMPHI
- Aug 29, 2026 Kabutack Joins MODEROID Plastic Model Line With Full Super Change Gimmick
- Aug 29, 2026 Aibou Season 25 Sets Record as Longest-Running Current Drama in Japan
- Aug 28, 2026 Masahiro Motoki Hopes Son UTA Broadens His Humanity Through Acting
- Aug 28, 2026 Dead Account: Two Blue Flames Gets PV, OST, and Pre-Registration
- Aug 28, 2026 Arc System Works' Donutal Alien Immigration Sim Hits Steam September 3
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Noted
- plays Yusaku · 2026-09-08
- Noted
- first commercial broadcast drama appearance · 2026-09-08
- Noted
- attended the Kabukicho event for Netflix series 'Gas Man' · 2026-07-09
- Noted
- revealed he binge-watched the show with his parents · 2026-07-09
- Noted
- kept his role a secret for three years · 2026-07-09
- Noted
- aims for international recognition as an actor · 2026-07-09
- Noted
- appears in an interview segment on A-Studio+ · 2026-06-18
- Noted
- UTA made his acting debut as the Gas Man in the Netflix series Gas Man. · 2026-08-28
- Noted
- Masahiro Motoki hopes UTA broadens his humanity through acting. · 2026-08-28
- Noted
- Motoki hopes UTA learns about history and humanity through his roles. · 2026-08-28
- Announced
- acting debut in Netflix series Gas Human · 2026-06-29
Connections
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CC BY 4.0.
All coverage
3h ago
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9h ago
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2d ago
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3d ago
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4d ago
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4d ago
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5d ago
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5d ago
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5d ago
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6d ago
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6d ago
Futabasha released an ASMR video for "Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: Elma's OL Diary" on September 10, read by Yuki Takada, who voices Elma. The video marks the spin-off's 100th chapter and depicts Elma encouraging a listener. Volume 12 of the series, drawn by Ayami Kazama from a story by coolkyousinnjya, also went on sale that day.
6d ago
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6d ago
Sony Interactive Entertainment will open advance trial reservations for PlayStation Plus subscribers on September 10, ahead of Tokyo Game Show 2026 at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to 21. Reservations, first-come and running until September 16 at 23:59, cover public days only and include Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, FINAL FANTASY VII REVELATION, Marvel's Wolverine, and ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE. The PlayStation booth also hosts a Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look theater, screening the new trailer on a 300-inch screen, with floor haptics that vibrate in sync with the video and sound. Theater visitors get a Grand Theft Auto VI PlayStation T-shirt. Business days run September 17 and 18, 10:00 to 17:00. Public days are September 19 and 20, 9:30 to 17:00, and September 21, 9:30 to 16:00. The venue is Makuhari Messe, with the TKP Tokyo Bay Makuhari Hall also listed.
Sep 9
The University of Electro-Communications will hold the opening ceremony for its Entertainment Creation Research and Education Center (CEREC) on September 29, 2026. The event features a panel between university president Masakazu Muramatsu and special visiting professor Ken Kutaragi, the engineer known as the father of PlayStation, moderated by CEREC center director Takuya Nojima. A second panel has young graduates from Sony Interactive Entertainment and Koei Tecmo Games discussing what UEC students bring to the industry. Admission is free.
Sep 9
Kodansha's Weekly Shonen Magazine confirmed on Sep 9 that Gachiakuta is on hiatus, after chapter 174 missed its Aug 25 release with no word from the staff. The magazine apologized for the concern the unannounced delay caused but gave no cause and no resumption date. The confirmation follows weeks of silence after author Kei Urana and graffiti artist Hideyoshi Andou stepped back from X following a public fallout with toxic fans.
Sep 8
TV Tokyo announced nine new cast members for its October drama Akato Elegy, the live-action adaptation of Kira Takashi's manga. UTA, who debuted in Netflix's Gas Human, plays Yusaku, the missing ex-boyfriend of heroine Chiko, in his first commercial broadcast drama appearance. Mari Hamada, Sarina Suzuki, and Yuichi Kimura also join, along with five more actors. Kōyo Kurosaki and Yui Narumi lead the cast. The drama premieres October 8.
Sep 7
AUGUST Inc. announced it is developing a revival version of the Macross rhythm game Uta Macross: Smartphone De Culture for release on iOS, Android, and Steam next spring. A crowdfunding campaign launches on Campfire Thursday with a 30 million yen goal to fund development and additional content.
Sep 6
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Sep 5
The new anime adaptation of Osamu Akimoto's long-running comedy manga Kochikame, titled New Kochikame: Katsushika-ku Kameari Kouenmae Hashutsujo, will air on Fuji TV and stream across multiple platforms in 2027. The project marks the 50th anniversary of the original manga's serialization. The main cast was announced during a live-streamed event on September 5 on the Jump Channel, with Fukushi Ochiai voicing protagonist Ryotsu Kankichi, Shouta Aoi as Keiichi Nakagawa, M·A·O as Reiko Akimoto, and Raiko Sakamoto as Daijiro Ohara. Akitaro Daichi directs the series, with animation production by Gallop, the studio behind the earlier Kochikame TV anime. A character PV, which reveals the new cast's voices for the first time, and a key visual were released alongside the announcement. Original creator Osamu Akimoto expressed delight at hearing the characters again, noting the art has evolved to a modern style while remaining impactful and funny. The cast announcement event, titled "Start! Reiwa Kochikame Grand Strategy," remains available as an archive on YouTube.
Sep 5
The cast and staff for New Kochikame, the 50th anniversary anime project based on Osamu Akimoto's Kochikame, have been revealed. Fukushi Ochiai voices Kankichi Ryotsu, with Shouta Aoi, M·A·O, and Raiko Sakamoto in supporting roles. Jiro Akatsuki directs. The series airs on Fuji TV in 2027 and will stream on various platforms.
Sep 4
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Sep 4
Arc System Works released the alien inspection adventure game Donutal on Steam on September 4. The player is an immigration inspector who wakes from 150 years of cryosleep at an international space port in 2206 and must inspect visiting aliens to pay off a debt they do not remember incurring. Inspections run in groups of up to eight, with two called in at a time. The game costs 1,000 yen.
Sep 4
UniVIRTUAL virtual singer Shiraku Utano will hold "Shiraku Utano ACOUSTIC SPECIAL LIVE at Yamaha Sound Crossing" on October 10 at Yamaha Sound Crossing Shibuya STAGE. The event runs in two parts, at 13:00 and 17:00, with free admission. Each part offers 20 reserved seats through a lottery open from September 3 to September 6. The second part will stream on her YouTube channel.
Sep 4
Archipel will hold The Tenth Mosaic, a two-day game culture festival, on September 22-23 at Tokyo Nichi-Futsu Gakuen. The lineup includes talks with Kazutaka Kodaka and Masafumi Takada, a Rez 25th anniversary session with Tetsuya Mizuguchi and Ken Ishii, a horror panel with Keiichiro Toyama and Frederic Raynal, and a Persona 30th anniversary talk. Shuhei Yoshida curates an indie legacy showcase with 15-plus titles, and music sets include Yuzo Koshiro and Saori Kobayashi. Several talk sessions have already sold out.
Sep 3
AUGUST Inc. announced on September 3 that it is developing Uta Macross, a buy-to-play rhythm game based on the smartphone title Uta Macross: Smartphone De Culture, which ended service in 2022. The game is planned for Steam, iOS, and Android with a release around spring 2027. A crowdfunding campaign on CAMPFIRE runs from September 10 at 20:00 through October 31 at 23:59, with funds going toward platform expansion and new song additions via DLC. The base package includes roughly 50 songs, more than 1,000 plates of rarity ★4 or higher, and over 20 costumes per singer, all available from the start. The gacha for raising plate rarity is free with unlimited pulls, switched to a box gacha type for easier completion. Development is handled by xeen, which worked on the original service version, with Big West and DeNA cooperating. Producer Hiroshi Hirono said the project began from fan requests for a revival after service ended. Macross series creator Shoji Kawamori also commented on the project's start.
Sep 2
Streamer Kato Junichi will face the senior pro gaming team Matagi Snipers in VALORANT on September 13 at 19:00. Kato proposed the matchup during his September 1 Twitch stream. His team currently includes Yuyuta, Koku-nii, and Daso, with remaining slots to be filled by beginners to balance against the seniors' Iron to Silver ranks. Matagi Snipers' players for the match are not yet announced.
Sep 2
Yutaka Matsushige plans, produces, writes, and directs the drama "The Way to Make Delicious Food," which streams on Prime Video starting October 3 at midnight. Yukiya Kitamura plays the lead, with Non and Mariko Kaga in supporting roles. The original script follows a chef, his granddaughter, and her grandmother connected through cooking.
Aug 30
Yutaka Kōno announced on X that his Sayonara no Iikata Nante Shiranai novel series will get a manga adaptation by Yukiko Seike on Kodansha's Comic Days platform in fall. The novels are part of the overall Kamisaki series, which Kōno relaunched as a solo author in 2019. Shinchosha published the 11th volume on August 28 with illustrations by Hagu Koshijima.
Aug 29
Tweet Inc.'s eSports-focused VTuber project MIRU-e is fully supporting Tenkahai -UTAGE-, an eSports event hosted by affiliated VTubers. The festival-style offline event takes place Saturday, August 29, 2026, at eSports Field in Itabashi Ward, Tokyo. MIRU-e handles event planning, performer casting, production management, venue experience design, and on-site operations. The event combines game tournaments with spectating, interaction, festival stalls, photo spots, and food and drink. Teams are joined by coaches with competitive experience, and matches get live commentary and analysis.
Aug 29
The TV anime Futari wa Pretty Cure and Wacoal innerwear brand AMPHI are collaborating for the first time. The Glamarich Volume UP Type bra and three types of shorts will be available at the Wacoal Web Store from August 27 and at select stores and EC sites from August 28. The collaboration includes lace designs inspired by Cure Black and Cure White.
Aug 29
Good Smile Company announced a MODEROID plastic model of Kabutack from the 1997 Toei special-effects series 'Beetleborgs Kabutack.' The kit fully recreates the Super Change transformation from Normal Mode to Super Mode without replacement parts. It stands about 140mm tall in Normal Mode and about 170mm in Super Mode. The weapon Billit Stick and a purchase bonus Star Piece are included. Release is scheduled for May 2027 at 8,700 yen.
Aug 29
TV Asahi will air Aibou season 25 for two consecutive seasons starting in October, starring Yutaka Mizutani and Yasufumi Terawaki. The series, which began in 2000, sees the Sugishita Ukyo and Kameyama Kaoru duo enter their 12th year together, setting a new record as the longest-running current drama series in Japan.
Aug 28
Masahiro Motoki appeared at a stage greeting for the film The Man Who Carries the Voice of August in Tokyo on August 22. He spoke about his eldest son UTA, who made his acting debut as the Gas Man in the Netflix series Gas Man. Motoki said he left UTA's education to his mother, Yayako Uchida, but hopes UTA learns about history and humanity through his roles.
Aug 28
Smilegate and Megaport opened the brand site for Dead Account: Two Blue Flames on August 26, releasing the first promotional video and the official theme song. The game, developed by IAN Games, adapts the manga Dead Account into a team-based roguelite action title. Players form parties of up to five characters, each with unique psychic abilities called den'no, and battle ghost accounts, the revived SNS profiles of the dead. The PV covers protagonist Enjo Aoshi's awakening and his transfer to Yaden Academy. Pre-registration is now live on iOS, Android, and PC via STOVE. Participants receive the SSR character Kie Urushigawa, a profile frame, and a title. Milestone rewards include 10 character recruitment tickets for every 100,000 registrants, up to 50 tickets at 500,000. The game will also be playable at Tokyo Game Show 2026 from September 19 to 21. The theme song is by Haru Igarashi, who also worked on the anime's music.
Aug 28
Arc System Works announced Donutal, an alien immigration simulation game, will launch on PC via Steam on September 3 (September 4 in Japan). A new character overview trailer is streaming. Buyers between September 3 and November 30 get future access to a 13-track soundtrack. Players act as a Chief Extraterrestrial Counselor, screening aliens for Earth entry, with gameplay similar to Papers, Please.
Aug 28
The Idolmaster's dual twin live tour wrapped its Tokyo leg on August 27 at Zepp Haneda (TOKYO), with twin idols Ami Futami and Mami Futami performing the final show of "Futagoboshi no Tsubasa" [KIRAKIRA FUTARIBOSHI]. The event was streamed via ASOBI STAGE alongside the in-person audience. The performance featured a special fusion of the sisters' solo songs, "On Stage Player!" and "Unique Star Player!", combined into "Unique Stars On Stage!!", a number the report notes was performed on stage for the first time in this merged dance form. Technical troubles hit the show, including a lighting failure early on and a microphone issue during the song "Tsubasa", which left Ami's voice inaudible. The pair returned after the credits to perform two encores, "Start Star" and "Tsubasa", with the crowd joining in. The show closed with the pair declaring that love lets them fly without wings, a theme echoed in the picture-book story that framed the concert's narrative.
Aug 28
Gravity Game Arise announced on August 27 that the Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PS4 versions of the bakery management and dungeon exploration action RPG Aeruta will be released on December 10, 2026. The game, developed by FromDawn, is available as a download for all three platforms at 1,980 yen, with physical standard editions and a limited Collector's Box for Switch and PS5. The standard edition costs 3,850 yen, and the Collector's Box, which includes an acrylic diorama stand, an 80-page art book, and a 28-track soundtrack CD, is priced at 8,778 yen. The PS4 version is download-only. Pre-orders for the physical editions began the same day. Aeruta follows a fox-eared girl named Chaya who breaks a bakery's oven during an adventurer guild mission and works at the bakery to repay the damage. Gameplay alternates between dungeon exploration with weapons like a whip, rolling pin, and rapier, and running the bakery by stocking shelves, operating the register, and cleaning. The game first launched on Steam in early access in May 2024, with a full release in November 2025, and holds a 'Very Positive' rating from over 2,400 user reviews.
Aug 28
Taito announced on August 27 that it will release "Arcade Collection PART2," the fifth additional SD card for the tabletop arcade cabinet Egret II Mini, on March 25, 2027. The announcement came during a Famitsu LIVE broadcast. The card includes 10 games released between 1980 and 1993 by Universal (now Universal Entertainment) and Irem (Irem Software Engineering), such as "Lady Bug," "Undercover Cops," and "Cheeky Mouse." With this addition, the total number of playable titles across the Egret II Mini series reaches 100. The card sells for 9,878 yen and bundles a 32-page strategy guide, "Dengeki TAITO STATION VOLUME 6," plus an Instruction Card Mini for each of the 10 titles. Pre-orders have begun. On December 17, 2026, Taito will release three dedicated peripherals in a Violet Color: the Paddle & Trackball Controller, the Control Panel, and the Control Pad. Connecting the Paddle & Trackball Controller adds 10 titles such as "Arkanoid" and "Cybattler" without needing an SD card. A set bundling the Egret II Mini Violet Color body with Arcade Collection PART2 is set for March 25, 2027 at 31,856 yen.
Aug 27
Good Smile Company and Front Wing released the PC novel game COCORO on August 27. The game is available as a download only, priced at 3,800 yen, with a 20 percent off launch sale on Steam through September 8. A demo version is also on Steam. COCORO is set in Tsukumishi, a former utopia destroyed by a global AI rampage. The story follows Hinata Mimine, a boy who lost his hometown, and Cocoro, a humanoid girl who wishes to become human and dreams of marriage. Hinata returns to the ruined city during summer vacation and reunites with Cocoro at a botanical garden, where she tends flowers and awaits a fiance she does not realize is him. The game features full voice acting except for the protagonist. Hina Yumiya voices Cocoro, with a cast including Hikaru Tohno, Yasuaki Takumi, Riona Imaizumi, Maaya Uchida, and Shuta Morishima. Planning and scenario are by Asta Konno of ATRI -My Dear Moments-, character design by Akio Watanabe of the Grisaia series, and music by Fuminori Matsumoto. The game supports Japanese, English, and Chinese.
Aug 27
FromSoftware released ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28, 2026, at a price of 9,020 yen. This all-in-one version bundles the base 2022 action RPG with the SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE DLC from June 2024, four new armor sets, two new origins, and a feature to change the appearance of the spectral steed Torrent across three types. The new content is also available as the Tarnished Pack for 550 yen on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Steam, requiring the separately sold base game. A preview by GAME Watch's Yuta Yashiro reported that the Switch 2 version runs comfortably in handheld mode with comparable graphical detail, and that the new Knight of Ides origin suits beginners due to its light greatsword with fast animations and long reach. The Heavy Knight origin offers high defense and poise, though starting equipment makes rolling a slow heavy roll unless pieces are removed. Nintendo's official YouTube channel published a seven-minute introductory video titled ELDEN RING for Beginners on August 27.
Aug 21
The Grand Prix winning commemorative work "Pig Pearl" by director Issun Saki wa Oji has been released on the official TikTok of "TikTok TOHO Film Festival" and the official YouTube of "TikTok Japan". The vertical short animation stars actress Kyoko Saito as Chika, a girl navigating life with her mother and her idealized future. The work was produced under Toho's talent support project "GEMSTONE Creative Label".
Aug 21
Episode 7 of the TV anime Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You aired August 20, 2026. Sasaki writes a support message for Yamada, passes her promotion exam, and the pair exchange keepsakes: his letter to her and the ashtray she carries. New character Chief Maezawa, voiced by Yoko Hikasa, debuts and draws strong viewer reactions.
Aug 20
The official website for Uta no Princess-sama, the female idol counterpart to Uta no Prince-sama, announced last Saturday that the project's third anniversary concert has been canceled due to "various circumstances." The concert was announced in December without a date or venue. The project launched in March 2023 and features two trio groups, Flower Candy and Silent Queen.
Aug 20
Good Smile Company has announced three new figures in its POP UP PARADE L size series, a line known for scale-figure-level detail and satisfaction. The first is Saya from the visual novel 'Saya no Uta', a long-awaited re-release based on the game's package illustration. She is sculpted in a seated pose with a voluminous design, featuring a fleeting expression and clear parts for her wings. Saya is priced at 8,800 yen and is scheduled for release in January 2027. Also announced is Dorothy Haze from 'VA-11 HALL-A', a girl-type android and regular at the game's bar. Her figure stands approximately 220mm tall and exposes mechanical structures at the joints, a charm noted by the sources. Both a normal color and an Another Skin Ver. with white skin will be released in March 2027, each priced at 8,800 yen. Reservations for the Dorothy Haze figures are open until September 23. The third figure is Daiwa Scarlet from 'Uma Musume Pretty Derby', depicted in her race outfit at approximately 225mm tall. She is scheduled for February 2027 release and is priced at 9,800 yen.