Umamusume: Pretty Derby fans in Los Angeles will not get their concert this week. The game’s English account announced the cancellation of the Umamusume: Pretty Derby 7th Event: The Stage concerts planned for October 22 and 23, saying the performers and staff could not get the visas they needed to enter the United States.
“Although we have coordinated repeatedly with all parties concerned and explored every possible option in our efforts to make this event happen, we were unable to obtain the necessary visas for entry into the US, so we have come to the painful conclusion that holding the concerts is no longer possible,” the team wrote. It apologized to the “Trainers” who had been looking forward to the shows, and for announcing the news so close to the date.
Refunds and what happens next
According to Anime News Network, refunds will be processed for both in-person and streaming tickets. The organizers are also looking into some kind of response for fans who planned to attend in person, with details to come later on the event’s website.
The cancellation did not come out of nowhere. On Sunday, the team warned that the US visas had not been approved yet and said it would make a final call on Monday night. The decision came late Monday, Central time.
What fans are missing
The two shows were set for the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, at 8 p.m. PDT on October 22 and 7 p.m. PDT on October 23. That is 10 p.m. and 9 p.m. CT. The lineup included Machico as Tokai Teio, Tomoyo Takayanagi as Oguri Cap, Yui Ogura as Manhattan Cafe and Hitomi Sasaki as Admire Vega, among more than a dozen cast members.
The 7th Event: The Stage is the franchise’s first world tour. It opened in Tokyo on June 20 and 21, and after Los Angeles it was scheduled to visit London, Seoul and Yokohama. No changes to those later stops have been announced.
Live shows have become a bigger part of how game series celebrate their fans, from anime idol tours to orchestral nights like the concert planned for Halo Fest. For Umamusume’s English-speaking audience, losing the first US show at the last minute is a tough break, and fans will be watching for any make-up plans the team announces.
