Is it bad that I can see this making sed Uma faster as a failed effect
Combine the two and you get in-universe(and nega-verse where Shirogane is an uma in the game) memes and art of Shirogane serving food being like insert evil person here manning a takoyaki stall.
I mean, that's kinda every sport in general.
We also haven't dived into the mystical side of things yet. If Zone represents a way to turn willpower into speed, then how fast is an Uma that already spent an entire lifetime in a clash of wills with the gods going to get when she taps in?
It isn't just the commenters. Most of her Japanese call her Shirogane so they don't have to try saying Orzel. Shiro is fine with it since Orzel isn't her real name anyways.
Probably some bad luck omen. Bird of Calamity, maybe?
Shirogane the Silver Collector would be a pretty funny nickname, but unlike Nice Nature she would be completely unbothered by this.
Shirogane is probably not going to win the Kikuka Sho, but it is one of the races she has a better chance at. Though that doesn't mean she can't block a favorite from winning the race.
Technically speaking, if Shirogane ran full speed for the whole race, she would be fairly competitive, judging by the list of winning times for the Arima Kinen and Autumn Tenno Sho. Once she figures out a running style more suited to her talents, and with the right weather conditions, she could mathematically pull it off if her opponents are a few seconds slower, or if her top speed increases by a few kph.
It's also a bit weird to compliment your opponent in this kind of competition. It's not like football or martial arts, where there is some down time during matches. Doubly so when you're the one getting passed up.
Shirogane "I'm just here for the money" Orzel could be a pretty effective rage bait for some runners.
It is worth noting that Tanya/Salaryman does not really take much active enjoyment in doing the kill maim burn things. They're nominal goal was to provide enough value to society so they can have a comfortable retirement, which in 21st century Japan meant salaryman, and in pre-war Empire, Tanya would probably not have joined the military if she hadn't been given the impression that mages were all conscripted into the military. They are a character who will do some very uncomfortable or questionable things to get what they want without any real remorse, but they don't really actively seek out those things for their own sake.
To some degree, that's actually the intended effect, as that will wear them out faster. Shirogane loses to most of her competitors in a burst at the end, speed wise, so getting them to use up that energy earlier is advantageous for her.
It's mostly a matter of perspective, since Shiro is looking at things more from a clinical perspective as opposed to someone whose dream it is to make it big on the track.
I'm wondering, do racing umas tend to empathize with their race names? I get the feeling they do, especially since they tend to match the names from their past lives. If so, Shiro's disconnect from her racing name might be another source of dissonance between her and other umas.
