Fresh Pretty Cure!

Fresh PreCure! (フレッシュプリキュア!, Furesshu PuriKyua!) or Fresh Pretty Cure!, is a Japanese anime series and the sixth Pretty Cure installment by Izumi Todo. Produced by Toei Animation, the series was directed by Junji Shimizu (who also directed Jigoku Sensei Nube The Movie) and written by Atsushi Maekawa (writer for Bakugan Battle Brawlers and Jewelpet). Character designs were created by Hisashi Kagawa, who previously designed the characters in the anime Saikano, Bomberman Jetters and Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne. The series aired on TV Asahi's ANN network between February 1, 2009 and January 31, 2010, replacing Yes! PreCure 5 Go Go! in its initial time slot, and was succeeded by HeartCatch PreCure!. This is the first Pretty Cure series to extend the target-audience demographic beyond young girls, as well as the first to introduce CG-animated end credits focused on dance routines.

The series' main themes involve traditional playing-card suits, fruits and clovers, symbols that are associated with the cures, magical devices and attacks used by the series characters.

Story

Love Momozono is a 14-year-old student at Yotsuba Junior High School who at her own expense, one day, visits a show by the well-known Trinity dance company and decides to become a dancer. At the show subordinates of the Labyrinth Kingdom are also present to collect the unhappiness of the audience. Love receives the power to change into Cure Peach and fights them. Soon afterwards, she is joined by her friends Miki (Cure Berry) and Inori (Cure Pine) & later onwards, Higashi Setsuna (Cure Passion) to begin her life as a protector of all worlds (and to compete in the dance contest).

Characters

Fresh Pretty Cures

Love Momozono (桃園 ラブ, Momozono Rabu) / Cure Peach (キュアピーチ, Kyua Pīchi)

Voiced by: Kanae Oki

Love is a 14-year-old hapless matchmaker. Love is a fan of the Trinity dance company, and is being taught to dance by Miyuki (the leader of Trinity, grateful for Love's saving her in the first episode). Love forms Clover (a dance group) with childhood friends Miki and Inori. Love has messy, shoulder-length blond hair which she wears in two tight ponytails. As Cure Peach her hair becomes knee-length, platinum-blond pigtails. Peach's colors are pink and white, her symbol is the heart, and her fruit motif is that of peach. She introduces herself by saying "The pink heart is the symbol of love! Freshly-picked, Cure Peach!" (ピンクのハートは愛ある印！ もぎたてフレッシュ！キュアピーチ, Pinku no Hāto wa Ai aru Shirushi! Mogitate Furesshu, Kyua Pīchi!); as Cure Angel, she introduces herself by saying "The white heart is the heart of everyone! Freshly flapping, Cure Angel!" (ホワイトハートはみんなの心！羽ばたけフレッシュ、キュアエンジェル！, Howaito hāto wa minna no kokoro! Habatake Furesshu, Kyua Enjeru!).

Miki Aono (蒼乃 美希, Aono Miki) / Cure Berry (キュアベリー, Kyua Berī)

Voiced by: Eri Kitamura

Miki is a 14-year-old schoolgirl at Torigoe Academy for exceptionally talented performers. She is good at sports, has fashion sense, tries to be modest about her appearance and wants to be a fashion model. Her house is also a beauty salon, where she lives with her mother. Miki joins Love's dance group to maintain her weight. She has long, silky, lavender-colored hair that falls to her waist. As Cure Berry, her hair becomes lighter and she has a side ponytail. Berry's theme colors are blue and purple, her symbol is the spade, and her fruit motif is that of blueberry. She introduces herself by saying "The blue heart is the symbol of hope! Freshly-gathered, Cure Berry!" (ブルーのハートは希望の印！　つみたてフレッシュ! キュアベリー, Burū no Hāto wa Kibō no Shirushi! Tsumitate Furesshu, Kyua Berī!).

Inori Yamabuki (山吹 祈里, Yamabuki Inori) / Cure Pine (キュアパイン, Kyua Pain)

Voiced by: Akiko Nakagawa

Inori is a 14-year-old student at White Clover Academy, an animal lover who wants to be a veterinarian. Love sometimes calls her "Bukkī", a diminutive of her family name. Although Inori appears calm and quiet, she suffers from low self-esteem. To improve herself, she joins Love's dance group. Inori sometimes lacks common sense, and follows whatever situation in which she finds herself. Her hair is golden orange, brightening to blond when she is in Cure Pine form. Pine's colors are yellow and orange, her symbol is the diamond, and her fruit motif is that of pineapple. She introduces herself by saying "The yellow heart is the symbol of prayers! Freshly-harvested, Cure Pine!" (イエローハートは祈りの印! とれたてフレッシュ! キュアパイン, Ierō Hāto wa Inori no Shirushi! Toretate Furesshu, Kyua Pain!).

Eas (イース Īsu) Setsuna Higashi (東 せつな, Higashi Setsuna) / Cure Passion (キュアパッション, Kyua Passhon)

Voiced by: Yuka Komatsu

Eas begins as a cold, isolated teenage soldier loyal only to Moebius. After spending time with the girls as Moebius' spy, she begins to wonder what would make her happy and slowly opens up to them. After a battle with Cure Peach in which she finally discovered happiness, Eas dies as a result of reaching the end of a predetermined lifespan; however, she is saved by the Akarun and Chiffon and reborn as Cure Passion. She lives with the Momozono family, joins the dance group and attends Yotsuba Junior High School with Love. She has dark purple hair as Setsuna, bluish-white hair as Eas and long, light-pink hair as Cure Passion. Passion's color is scarlet, her symbol is also the heart; in one of the video games, her symbol is the club, and her fruit motif is that of passion fruit. As Eas, she introduces herself by saying "I am Eas, denizen of Labyrinth, and faithful servant of Lord Moebius (我が名はイース。ラビリンス総統、メビウス様がしもべ！, Wa ga na wa Īsu. Rabirinsu soutou, Mebiusu-sama ga shimobe). After her rebirth as Cure Passion, she introduces herself by saying "The scarlet heart is the proof of happiness! Freshly-ripened, Cure Passion!" (真っ赤なハートは幸せの証！　うれたてフレッシュ、キュアパッション！, Makka na Hāto wa Shiawase no Akashi! Uretate Furesshu, Kyua Passhon!).

Mascots

Tart (タルト, Taruto)

Voiced by: Taiki Matsuno

A ferret-like fairy, Tart is Chiffon's caretaker who has trouble caring for her. He is anxious but kind, with a Kansai dialect. Tart brings Chiffon to the human world from the Kingdom of Sweets in his search for the Pretty Cures. He worries and grumbles, but is moved by a good story and enjoys Kaoru's donuts. Tart is a prince in the Sweets Kingdom, who went to the human world and is engaged to Azukina.

Chiffon (シフォン, Shifon) / Infinity (インフィニティ, Infiniti)

Voiced by: Satomi Kōrogi

A baby fairy from the Sweets Kingdom, Chiffon enjoys practical jokes. She uses "espers power" (ESP—magic with a green aura) to give people troubles or joy. Love and the others (including Tart) care for her. A mark on her forehead is a light with a number of abilities, including giving the Pretty Cures power to transform.

Azukina (アズキーナ, Azukīna)

Voiced by: Mayu Isshiki

A tall, squirrel-like fairy and Tart's fiancée, Azukina is from a kingdom near the Kingdom of Sweets. To unite these kingdoms, a marriage was arranged between her and Tart (crown prince of the Kingdom of Sweets). They have a close relationship, and are attracted to each other. When Tart goes to the human world with Chiffon to search for the Pretty Cures Azukina worries, and is relieved when he returns for a short visit with the Pretty Cures.

Tiramisu (ティラミス)

Voiced by: Kenichi Ogata

The elder of the Kingdom of Sweets, who found (and raised) Chiffon

Labyrinth

The series' villains are known collectively as denizens of Labyrinth (ラビリンス, Rabirinsu). Their names are derived from the cardinal points of the compass.

Moebius (メビウス, Mebiusu)

Voiced by: Tomomichi Nishimura

Moebius is a demon who is the leader of Labyrinth. He wishes to rule all worlds, considering his subjects mindless pawns. In episode 49, it is revealed that Moebius is a robot; the real Moebius is a supercomputer that hypnotized its creators (the people of Labyrinth).

Westar (ウエスター, Uesutā) / Hayato Nishi (西 隼人, Nishi Hayato)

Voiced by: Yasunori Matsumoto

Superficially attractive, Westar becomes comic relief later in the series. He seems to have romantic feelings for Eas, and is the most affected by her betrayal of Moebius. Westar's theme color is yellow. He and Soular die fighting Cure Berry and Cure Passion when they are sucked into a black hole. Soular and Westar are later brought back to life by Chiffon to help the Pretty Cures.

Soular (サウラー, Saurā) / Shun Minami (南 瞬, Minami Shun)

Voiced by: Kenichi Suzumura

Soular is calm and reserved, and resembles Mucardia from Yes! PreCure 5 GoGo. He plans his attacks before going on a mission, and his theme color is sea-green.

Northa (ノーザ, Nōza) / Nayuta Kita (北 那由他, Kita Nayuta)

Voiced by: Misa Watanabe

Northa is the highest-ranking member of Labyrinth, and the most evil. After Moebius deems Westar and Soular useless, he calls upon Northa to retrieve Infinity. She is created by Moebius from the DNA of a plant.

Klein (クライン, Kurain)

Voiced by: Kouji Hiwatari

Klein, a middle-aged man, appeared in a number of episodes. His theme colors are shades of yellow and indigo, and he was created by Moebius with the DNA of a lizard.

Nakewameke (ナケワメーケ, Nakewamēke)

Voiced by: Shintarou Nakano

Nakewameke are "monsters of the day", similar to the Zakenna, Uzaina, Kowaina, and Hoshiina in the preceding series. Their name can mean "cry and shout".^[1]

Nakisakebe (ナキサケーベ, Nakisakēbe)

Voiced by: Shintarou Nakano

Nakisakebe replace the Nakewameke as monsters of the day in episode 19. Their name can mean "cry loudly".^[2]

Sorewatase (ソレワターセ, Sorewatāse)

Voiced by: Shintarou Nakano

Sorewatase replace the Nakewameke and Nakisakebe in episode 36, and are a radar for finding Infinity. Their name means "give me that".

Minor characters

Miyuki Chinen (知念 ミユキ, Chinen Miyuki)

Voiced by: Mayumi Iizuka

Miyuki is leader of the Trinity dance company, and Love's group-dance coach (whom she rescued, and admires). She has magenta hair, yellow eyes and red outfits.

Kaoru (カオルちゃん, Kaoru-chan)

Voiced by: Ken Maeda

Kaoru sells donuts in a park; when Love and others are upset, he encourages them. Although his full name is Kaoru Tachibana (橘 薰, Tachibana Kaoru)), he has a mysterious past with multiple careers.

Daisuke Chinen (知念 大輔, Chinen Daisuke)

Voiced by: Tarusuke Shingaki

Daisuke is Miyuki's brother and Love's classmate, a brash, stubborn baseball player. He is a close friend of Love; although they often quarrel, he secretly helps her.

Yūki Sawa (沢 裕喜, Sawa Yūki)

Voiced by: Shinsuke Ueda

Yūki is Love's classmate and attracted to Miki (although Miki has no interest in dating).

Kento Mikoshiba (御子柴 健人, Mikoshiba Kento)

Voiced by: Toshiyuki Toyonaga

Kento is Love's classmate and the heir to the Mikoshiba Zaibatsu. Tall, gentle, bespectacled and timid, he seems to like Inori.

Kazuki Ichijo (一条 和希, Ichijō Kazuki)

Voiced by: Kenn

Kazuki is Miki's 13-year-old younger brother, who lives with his father after his parents' divorce and attends Torigoe. Miki often persuades him to go out with her, disguised as her boyfriend to keep other boys away. He has had low blood pressure since birth, and dreams of being a doctor.

Keitarō Momozono (桃園 圭太郎, Momozono Keitarō)

Voiced by: Akimitsu Takase

Love's father Keitarō is a hard-working design chief for a wig company.

Ayumi Momozono (桃園 あゆみ, Momozono Ayumi)

Voiced by: Kyōko Hikami

Love's mother, Ayumi, is a clerk at the local supermarket and a former beauty queen. Like Love, she is a picky eater who hates spinach. Kind and affectionate, she sees Setsuna as a second daughter after she begins living with them.

Remi Aono (蒼乃 レミ, Aono Remi)

Voiced by: Sakiko Uran

Remi is Miki and Kazuki's mother. A former model, she owns a salon and lived with Miki after divorcing her father.

Tadashi Yamabuki (山吹 正, Yamabuki Tadashi)

Voiced by: Masafumi Kimura

Inori's father and the local veterinarian, Tadashi owns a clinic in the town of Yotsuba. Bold and generous, he is patient with animals and a great influence on Inori.

Naoko Yamabuki (山吹 尚子, Yamabuki Naoko)

Voiced by: Michiko Neya

Inori's mother Naoko is the assistant in her husband's clinic.

Reika and Nana (レイカとナナ, Reika to Nana)

Voiced by: Saori Seto (Reika) and Mayu Isshiki (Nana)

Reika and Nana are the two other members of Trinity. When performing, they wear black visors over their eyes.

Media

Anime

The anime series was directed by Junji Shimizu and Akifumi Zako, and aired in Japan on ABC and other ANN stations between February 1, 2009 and January 31, 2010. It has four pieces of theme music: two opening and two ending themes. The opening theme for episodes the first 25 episodes is "Let's! Fresh Pretty Cure" (Let's!フレッシュプリキュア, Rettsu! Furesshu Purikyua) by Mizuki Moie, and the ending theme is "You make me happy!" by Momoko Hayashi. For episodes 26–50 the opening theme is "Let's! Fresh Pretty Cure! ~Hybrid Version~" (Let's!フレッシュプリキュア~Hybrid.ver~, Rettsu! Furesshu Purikyua ~Hybrid.ver~) by Mizuki Moie and Momoko Hayashi, and the ending theme is "H@ppy Together" by Momoko Hayashi.

Films

A film, based on the series, entitled Movie 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!?, Eiga Furesshu Purikyua! Omocha no Kuni wa Himitsu ga Ippai!?) premiered in Japan October 31, 2009.^[3] The heroines also appeared in Pretty Cure All Stars films, beginning with 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) released March 14, 2009.

Video games

A video game based on the series, titled Fresh Pretty Cure! Asobi Collection (フレッシュプリキュア!あそびコレクション, Furesshu Purikyua! Asobi Korekushon), was released by Bandai for the Nintendo DS on October 29, 2009.

External links

• Toei Animation's Fresh Pretty Cure! site (in Japanese)
• ABC's Fresh Pretty Cure! site (in Japanese)
• Fresh Pretty Cure! movie site
• Fresh Pretty Cure! (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia

References