Riko Kashimoto

Riko Kashimoto is a very tall and very thin woman.

She is usually dressed neatly and gives off a strict vibe.

Even her official art shows her as cool and a bit intimidating.

Riko Kashimoto is firm and straightforward.

She almost always speaks directly, so people sometimes see her as cold.

She does not hide her feelings and seems a bit too serious about the rules.

However, she actually cares a lot about the Uma Musume girls.

She is very smart and tries hard in her work.

Many people find her strictness a little much, but she means well.

Riko is awkward and really bad at sports, and even laughs at herself for it.

She is especially gentle when she lets her guard down.

Riko gets tired easily and cannot drink too much coffee or she can't sleep at night.

Riko Kashimoto works for the URA (the horse racing authority in the game world).

She spent years as a top trainer at the Tracen Academy and did very well.

Because of her strict but successful style, she was chosen as acting principal when Yayoi Akikawa went abroad.

Her belief in strict management comes from a big mistake she made as a trainer, which still haunts her.

She is the trainer for Bitter Glasse and Little Cocon.

She is an excellent and knowledgeable trainer.

Riko Kashimoto can manage up to 15 Uma Musume at once and keeps them all in top form.

She keeps detailed training plans for each girl.

Despite this, she is terrible at exercise herself, failing even at simple tasks like jumping and running.

She tries hard, but just can't move her body well.

She is good at organizing, planning, and giving advice.

Riko Kashimoto leads the team called "First" and trains Bitter Glasse and Little Cocon.

Outside the Aoharu Cup, she never lets her team members train together, always training them alone.

She is respected by her trainees, who actually believe in her methods.

The other teachers and trainers at the academy do not agree with her style, which leads to conflicts.

She sometimes gives advice to the player trainer, and her guidance can be helpful.

She is said to have a brother, but nothing else is known about her family.

Arrival at Tracen Academy

Riko Kashimoto comes to Tracen Academy as the acting principal while Yayoi Akikawa is away in America.

She quickly decides that the academy is too relaxed and needs strict rules.

Riko tries to start a "management education program," saying the current way is too soft.

The Aoharu Cup Trouble

Right after she arrives, she cancels the newly brought-back Aoharu Cup team tournament.

Almost everyone—students, trainers, and Uma Musume girls—are shocked and angry.

Riko is sure she is right and that strict management is best for the girls.

Challenge and Conflict

Many students fight her decision, so Riko offers a deal: if her team, "First," loses in a trainer match, she will give up the new rules and allow the Aoharu Cup to continue.

She is so confident that her way is right, she puts everything on the line.

Growing Doubt and Change

Even members of her own team start questioning her strict style.

Still, Riko blames herself for not being strict enough, not the system.

It is shown that her hard attitude comes from a past mistake: she once allowed her favorite Uma Musume to push herself too hard for the sake of teammates, which led to a bad injury.

Riko feels terribly guilty, and ever since then has tried to control everything to protect her trainees.

Ending

Depending on the story’s choices, her team can lose, which makes her rethink her ideas.

She learns step by step that there are different ways to care about others, not just strict rules.

Riko is given the chance to heal from her old pain thanks to the other trainers and students.

• Riko Kashimoto cannot drink more than two cups of coffee, or she won't be able to sleep.
• She is afraid of cows and sometimes mixes up the names of animals.
• As a student, she got all top marks, except in sports, where she barely managed a passing grade.
• She has become popular for being strict at work but rather helpless in daily life.
• Some fans call her the "Knee Goddess" for her clumsiness.
• She has been called "Riko-chan" or "Kasshi" by fans, showing her cuter side.
• In manga and movie versions, her bad sports skills are shown in a funny way.

• "It is a trainer's job to look after the health of Uma Musume. I always do my duty with care."
• "You must have a sense of tension if you want to keep everyone safe."

Riko Kashimoto appears in many parts of the "Uma Musume: Pretty Derby" world.

She has her own support cards: both R and SSR, focused on stamina and guts.

Her support events often show her funny and weaker sides, despite her strict image.

Even if she is not always the main principal or in charge, she still helps out as a trainer or friend.

She first appears as a strict boss, but with time, players see she is actually gentle, clumsy, and a bit sad, making her a very loved character in the fandom.