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Character

Hosoe Junko

hosoe_junko

Hosoe Junko is a recurring character in the *Uma Musume Pretty Derby* franchise, appearing as a race commentator. Based on and voiced by the real-life former Japan Racing Association (JRA) jockey turned horse racing pundit, she provides commentary during major race events alongside anchor Misato Akasaka across both the anime and mobile game adaptations.

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Overview

Hosoe Junko is a recurring character in the Uma Musume Pretty Derby franchise, appearing as a race commentator. Based on and voiced by the real-life former Japan Racing Association (JRA) jockey turned horse racing pundit, she provides commentary during major race events alongside anchor Misato Akasaka across both the anime and mobile game adaptations.

Appearance

She is depicted as a woman with short black hair and dark eyes. In her commentator role, she wears formal suits. In chibi-style animated appearances, she is styled as a bartender behind a counter.

Personality

In her professional commentator role, she maintains an earnest and knowledgeable demeanor with a visible passion for racing. Outside of formal broadcasts, she possesses an irreverent and offbeat sense of humor, well known for throwing unexpected innuendos and puns into casual banter that frequently leave fellow presenters at a loss.

Abilities

Drawing from her background as a former professional jockey, she possesses expert insight into racing mechanics, track conditions, and runner performance, allowing her to deliver accurate analysis during live event broadcasts.

Background

After graduating high school, she joined the JRA Horse Racing School and debuted as one of the pioneer female jockeys in Japan. Following her retirement from riding due to injury, she transitioned into a career as a racing analyst. In Uma Musume Pretty Derby, she performs as herself for race commentary in the anime and game scenarios, while also hosting promotional segments and making stylized cameo appearances as a bar owner in short animations.

Relationships

She works regularly alongside Misato Akasaka, who handles play-by-play reporting while Hosoe handles color commentary. From her real-life jockey era, her racing school peers include Yuuichi Fukunaga, Ryuji Wada, Yukiko Masuzawa (née Makihara), and Makiku Tamura.

Trivia

She is popularly known by the nicknames "Hosojun" and "Zunko." Her initial interest in riding was sparked in her youth by the anime adaptation of Lady!! as well as her admiration for jockey Yutaka Take. Her online alter ego and streaming persona "Snack Zunko" inspired the establishment "BAR Hosojun" that appears in the short series Umayuru.