Pretty Cure

Pretty Cure (プリキュア Purikyua?, also known as PreCure) is a Japanese magical girl anime metaseries created by Izumi Todo and produced by ABC and Toei Animation. The first program Futari wa Pretty Cure debuted in 2004 and has continued with sequels and spinoffs into the current series Suite PreCure♪ airing in 2011 as part of Asahi Broadcasting Corporation(Osaka, Japan) or TV Asahi(Tokyo, Japan)'s Sunday morning children's television block, following Super Hero Time.

Contents

Recurring elements

Pretty Cure
The Pretty Cure, or PreCure, are girls who are chosen to transform into to protect the earth. Though their origins differ throughout each series, they are always referred to as 'legendary warriors'. While most later Cures are able to transform individually, some Cures, particularly in earlier series, often have to transform in pairs. Generally in each series, Pretty Cure are originally normal Japanese girls in middle school, though in recent series, there have been older and younger girls to be Pretty Cures, and others from foreign countries where the legend didn't mention as exceptions. Rather than traditional magical girl anime, it features with magical "fighters" who directly use martial arts to attack and weaken enemies, though in the end they still use magical attacks to finish enemies. It makes their statue in the story as super heroines, similar with Super Hero Time.
Fairies
Fairies are magical creatures who come from worlds different to ours in order to assist the Pretty Cure. They generally have a speaking habit of adding a final particle to their sentences, most often pertaining to their name. Fairies in earlier series have the ability to change into transformation items to allow the Pretty Cure to transform, though some later transformation items require a fairy's assistance in order to work. Throughout the series, certain fairies have been able to change into human form and even become Pretty Cures themselves.
Magical items
Magical items play a key role in each series. The most notable items in each series are the transformation items which allow the Pretty Cure to transform. Aside from transformation, these items usually have other minor abilities which mostly pertain to the fairies, such as feeding them. Other items include weapons to fight off evil forces and special items which enhance the Cures' power.

Pretty Cure series

There are currently nine anime television series in the franchise, two of which are direct sequels to their previous series. Each series of Pretty Cure has its own story and motifs:

Futari wa Pretty Cure (ふたりはプリキュア Futari wa Purikyua?, lit. Together, We are Pretty Cure)[1]
Futari wa Pretty Cure, also known as simply Pretty Cure, is the first Pretty Cure series which aired between 2004 and 2005. The series focuses on two girls named Nagisa Misumi and Honoka Yukishiro who are chosen by fairies of the Garden of Light, Mipple and Mepple, to defend their world against the Dark Zone as the Emmisaries of Light: Cure Black and Cure White. The series' theme is duality. This series is currently the only one to receive an English language version, which was aired in Canada and the United Kingdom.
Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart (ふたりはプリキュア マックスハート Futari wa Purikyua Makkusu Hāto?)[2]
The second series and a direct sequel to Futari wa Pretty Cure, which aired from 2005 to 2006. In this series, Nagisa and Honoka are reunited by their fairy partners and meet a mysterious girl named Hikari Kujou, revealed to be the "Life" of the Queen. Cure Black and Cure White once again battle against the forces of the Dark Zone, with Hikari backing them up as Shiny Luminous. The series' theme is hearts.
Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash★Star (ふたりはプリキュア スプラッシュ☆スター Futari wa Purikyua Supurashu Sutā?)[3]
The third series and the first time to introduce new characters and story, airing from 2006 to 2007. The story this time revolves on Saki Hyuuga and Mai Mishou along with their fairy mascots, Flappy and Choppy, as they are appointed to protect the Fountain of Sun, the last of the seven fountains that feed the World Tree, from Dark Fall. They fight together as Cure Bloom and Cure Egret, later gaining the ability to also transform into Cure Bright and Cure Windy. The series' theme is stars.
Yes! PreCure 5 (Yes!プリキュア5 Iesu! Purikyua Faibu?)[4]
The fourth series, airing from 2007 to 2008. The series focuses on Nozomi Yumehara, a student from Upper East Side who discovers the Dream Collet and meets Coco, a fairy from the Palmier Kingdom. Nozomi decides to help restore his world by completing the Dream Collet and finding the 55 Pinkies to make any wish come true. Given powers to became Cure Dream, Nozomi gathers four other Cures: Cure Rouge, Cure Lemonade, Cure Mint and Cure Aqua, and battle against an evil organization known as Nightmare. The series' theme is butterflies.this will be soon be in English dubbed.
Yes! PreCure 5 GoGo! (Yes!プリキュア5GoGo! Iesu! Purikyua Faibu GōGō!?)[5]
The fifth series and a direct sequel to Yes! PreCure 5, airing from 2008 to 2009. The story revolves again on Nozomi as she meets a mysterious fairy named Syrup, carrying an item called the Rose Pact. She and her friends now battle against a new evil group, called Eternal, who wishes to get Four Keys to gain access to the Cure Rose Garden. Along the way, they are accompanied by a mysterious heroine, Milky Rose. The series' theme is roses.
Fresh Pretty Cure! (フレッシュプリキュア! Furesshu Purikyua!?)[6]
The sixth series, airing from 2009 to 2010, and the first to introduce CG-animated ending sequences. The story focuses on Love Momozono, who has dreams on becoming a dancer. When her city comes under threat of the evil Labrynth, who utilize the power of sorrow from its citizens, she is given the ability to become Cure Peach. Joined by her friends Miki Aono and Inori Yamabuki who become Cure Berry and Cure Pine respectively, they team up with the fairies Tarte and Chiffon to protect the world from Labrynth. The series' theme is clovers.
HeartCatch PreCure! (ハートキャッチプリキュア! HātoKyacchi Purikyua!?)[7]
The seventh series which aired from 2010 to 2011, and the first to officially use the shortened romanization, PreCure. The series focuses on Tsubomi Hanasaki, who is approached by two fairies called Chypre and Coffret, who protect the Heart Tree. Tsubomi and her new friend Erika Kurumi become Cure Blossom and Cure Marine to defend the world from the Desert Apostles, who steal the Heart Flowers within people and create Desertrians. The series' theme is flowers.
Suite PreCure♪ (スイート プリキュア♪ Suīto PuriKyua♪?)
The eighth and currently ongoing series which began airing in 2011. The story revolves around Hibiki Hojo and Kanade Minamino as they meet the fairy Hummy and transform into their alter egos, Cure Melody and Cure Rhythm. Their job is to find the scattered notes that make up the Melody of Happiness and prevent them from falling into the hands of the evil Mephisto, who plans to use them for a Melody of Sadness. The series' theme is music.
Smile PreCure! (スマイルプリキュア！ Sumairu PuriKyua!?)
The ninth and upcoming Pretty Cure series announced in Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web in November 2011, which will begin airing in Japan from February 5, 2012.[8][9] When the land of Märchenland is invaded by the evil Emperor Pierrot and its Queen is sealed away, a fairy named Candy is sent to search for the Cure Décor, who can help revive the queen. She encounters a girl named Miyuki Hoshizora who helps Candy search for the Cure Décor as Cure Happy. Miyuki gathers four other Cures: Cure Sunny, Cure Peace, Cure March and Cure Beauty, and battle against the evil Bad End Kingdom. The series' theme is fairy tales.

Films

Each Pretty Cure series spans at least one movie per season as a side story. Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart holds the record of having two movies in one season and Pretty Cure All Stars DX celebrates the series's 5th anniversary. So far, 12 movies have been produced, with eight based on the individual series and four Pretty Cure All Stars DX movies, with crossover characters from all the series to date.

  1. Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart: The Movie (映画 ふたりはプリキュア ー マックスハート Eiga Futari wa Purikyua Makkusu Haato?) [10]
  2. Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart 2: Friends of the Snow-Laden Sky (映画 ふたりはプリキュア Max Heart 2 雪空のともだち Eiga Futari wa Purikyua Makkusu Haato 2: Yukizora no Tomodachi?) [11]
  3. Pretty Cure Splash☆Star: Tick-Tock Crisis Hanging by a Thin Thread! (ふたりはプリキュア スプラッシュ☆スター チクタク危機一髪! Futari wa Purikyua Supurashu Sutā Tiku Taku Kiki Ippatsu!?) [12]
  4. Yes! Precure 5: Great Miraculous Adventure in the Mirror Kingdom! (Ｙｅｓ!プリキュア５ 鏡の国のミラクル大冒険! Iesu! Purikyua Faibu: Kagami no Kuni no Mirakuru Daibōken!?) [13]
  5. Yes! Precure 5 GoGo! Happy Birthday in the Sweets Kingdom (Yes!プリキュア5 GoGo! お菓子の国のハッピーバースディ♪ Iesu! Purikyua Faibu GōGō! Okashi no Kuni no Happī Bāsudi♪?) [14]
  6. Pretty Cure All Stars DX: Everyone's Friends - the Collection of Miracles! (プリキュアオールスターズＤＸ みんなともだちっ☆奇跡の全員大集合！ PuriKyua Ōru Sutāzu Dirakkusu: Minna Tomodachi— Kiseki no Zenin Daishūgō!?)[15]
  7. Fresh Pretty Cure! The Kingdom of Toys has Lots of Secrets!? (映画フレッシュプリキュア!　おもちゃの国は秘密がいっぱい!? Furesshu Purikyua! Omocha no Kuni wa Himitsu ga Ippai!??)[16]
  8. Pretty Cure All Stars DX2: Light of Hope - Protect the Rainbow Jewel! (プリキュアオールスターズＤＸ 希望の光レインボージュエルを守れ！ PuriKyua Ōru Sutāzu Dirakkusu Tsu: Kibou no Hikari Reinbō Jueru wo Mamore!?)[17]
  9. HeartCatch PreCure! the Movie: Fashion Show in the Flower Capital... Really?! (映画ハートキャッチプリキュア！花の都でファッションショー···ですか！？ Eiga HātoKyatchi PuriKyua! Hana no Miyako de Fasshon Shō...Desu ka!??)
  10. Pretty Cure All Stars DX3: Deliver the Future! The Rainbow-Colored Flower That Connects the World! (プリキュアオールスターズDX3 未来にとどけ！世界をつなぐ☆虹色の花 PuriKyua Ōru Sutāzu Dirakkusu Surī: Mirai ni Todoke! Sekai wo Tsunagu Niji~Iro no Hana!?)
  11. PreCure All Stars DX: 3D Theatre (プリキュアオールスターズDX 3Dシアター PuriKyua Ōru Sutāzu Dirakkusu: Surī Dī Shiatā?)
  12. Suite Precure The Movie : Take it back! The Miraculous Melody that Connects Hearts (映画 スイートプリキュア♪ とりもどせ! 心がつなぐ奇跡のメロディ♪ Eiga Suīto PuriKyua♪: Torimodose! Kokoro ga Tsunagu Kiseki no Merodi!?)
  13. Pretty Cure All Stars New Stage: Friends of the Future (プリキュアオールスターズ New Stage みらいのともだち PuriKyua Ōru Sutāzu Nyū Sutēji: Mirai no Tomodachi?)

Video games

Several video games have been produced by Bandai for handheld systems and educational consoles.

Handheld titles
Educational titles

References

  1. ^ ふたりはプリキュア. Toei-anim.co.jp. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.
  2. ^ ふたりはプリキュア マックスハート. Toei-anim.co.jp. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.
  3. ^ ふたりはプリキュア スプラッシュスター. Toei-anim.co.jp. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.
  4. ^ Yes！プリキュア5 -東映アニメーション. Toei-anim.co.jp. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.
  5. ^ Yes！プリキュア５GoGo！ -東映アニメーション. Toei-anim.co.jp. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.
  6. ^ フレッシュプリキュア！ 東映アニメーション. Toei-anim.co.jp. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.
  7. ^ ハートキャッチプリキュア！ 東映アニメーション. Toei-anim.co.jp. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.
  8. ^ "Smile Precure Confirmed for Next Spring". 2011-11-27. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-11-27/smile-precure-confirmed-for-next-spring. Retrieved 2011-11-28. 
  9. ^ "Smile Precure's 1st Anime Art, February 5 Debut Revealed". 2011-12-01. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-12-01/smile-precure-1st-anime-art-february-5-debut-revealed. Retrieved 2011-12-02. 
  10. ^ 映画 ふたりはプリキュア マックスハート. Toei-anim.co.jp. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.
  11. ^ 映画 ふたりはプリキュア マックスハート２ 雪空のともだち. Toei-anim.co.jp. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.
  12. ^ 映画 ふたりはプリキュアSplashStar チクタク危機一髪！. Toei-anim.co.jp. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.
  13. ^ 映画『Yes！プリキュア5〜鏡の国のミラクル大冒険！〜』公式サイト！. Toei-anim.co.jp. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.
  14. ^ 映画Yes！プリキュア５GoGo！ お菓子の国のハッピーバースディ. Toei-anim.co.jp. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.
  15. ^ 映画　プリキュアオールスターズ　みんなともだちっ☆奇跡の大集合. Toei-anim.co.jp. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.
  16. ^ 映画フレッシュプリキュア！ おもちゃの国は秘密がいっぱい！？. Precure-movie.com. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.
  17. ^ 映画プリキュアオールスターズDX2 希望の光☆レインボージュエルを守れ！. Precure-allstars.com. Retrieved on 2010-03-03.

External links

Pretty Cure
Created by Izumi Todo
TV Anime
Episodes
Other media