Heartcatch Precure!

After Hugtto Precure convinced me hard to give a chance to the rest of the franchise, I went for the entry that seems to be the most loved and popular (except maybe the original) of the franchise, did it live up to the hype? Well, it sure did in my opinion! Tsubomi, the protagonist of this story, is a shy girl who definitely didn't fit with what the image of what the standard Precure protagonist looked to me, I think that this is played very nicely through the story and seeing her open up more while keeping what makes her be her was so satisfying tosee. Together with the cheerful and absurdly lovable Erika by her side, they form the main duo of the story for a good time before the other Precure join. Those episodes with them alone were "the weakest" part of the series to me (saying that in quotes because they were still enjoyable) and were focused on giving the spotlight to side characters (mostly classmates or the family of the MCs) and our girls helping them both via interactions, and by kicking ass defeating the "Desertrians", monsters created by the enemies of this story combining an object and the wiltered hearts of the characters. This anime uses the fact that Tsubomi loves flowers very strongly using that detail, with the flower each character has having a meaning that fits with their problem. Once the other and equally nice Precure join the group, the plot starts to really pick up and only gets better and better, with very emotional moments and solid development for the characters. I don't want to possibly overhype it, but honestly the final episodes were some of the most epic I have watched. With a nice main cast is also needed a nice villain side, and The Desert Apostles did a successful job on that. Precure does a very good job at being lighthearted while also not shying away when it has to be darker, and the villains were a good example of that in execution, I enjoyed the interactions and comedy moments between them and/or with the Precures a lot and they ended up being very memorable as well when it came to the more serious parts involving their characters. The art style of the series is so visually appealing and allows for a wide array of nice reactions and goofy movements from the characters while looking perfectly fitting with the show, and the great designs by Yoshihiko Umakoshi (Casshern Sins, Boku no Hero Academia, Doremi, Mushishi...) definitely were a part of that, the action scenes are also solid, abundant and well animated, not to mention the nice transformation scenes of the characters. The soundtrack of the series is also nice and has some very memorable tracks. After only saying more and more positives I guess that it's time to say the problems I had with the series, which honestly didn't affect my opinion in the long run: - The first is the already mentioned slower start, while I always enjoyed watching the episodes, I didn't feel that it hooked me in nowhere as much as Hugtto or Princess Precure (which I watched right after) did, so I wasn't feeling as hyped and also a bit worried that maybe I wouldn't end up loving it as much as I wanted to, but yeah, that got fixed later on, boy it did. - The second is the mascot characters of the main duo, that honestly were pretty annoying at first and I was never a fan of the "a heart seed is coming out!" scene after they defeat the Desertrians they face (and thank god the animation of that part got more polished, they are clearly pooping it, c'mon!) But they grew on me as the episodes passed and even took the spotlight in a comedy focused episode that made me laugh really hard and I loved. - Lastly, this just seems to be a thing with the franchise as a whole. As a series that lives by selling the toys they make based on the anime they know that they have to advertise them, and how they do so? By making the objects the girls use look exactly like they would as a toy and even use CGI for some, this makes total sense but at times I couldn't help but feel like "man, they are really trying to sell the product here", which let's be honest, it's pretty stupid thinking about it: of course they are not making anime because why not, we wouldn't get more if it didn't sell! It's a matter of getting used to it, and why lie, I freaking want a Flower Tact! I'm not surprised at all that this is the best selling entry so far. If you haven't watched any Precure yet and you're reading my review you might feel put off by the last two negative points and think that this is in anime that only kids might find enjoyable, but I can promise you that this isn't the case and that anyone has a chance to really enjoy it, the characters are very compelling and likeable, the comedy is solid, the action is nice looking and the story is interesting and has some darker moments that definitely surprised me seeing. This franchise is so painfully underwatched in the west and I hope that this slowly changes as time passes. Nice anime I can't recommend enough and a totally good point to start with the franchise.

How many times have you heard the saying that ‘The flower who blooms slowly is the best of them all’? Yeah, you are probably thinking that you might have heard it in some other ways, but, anyways, as old and boring as that saying sounds, Heartcatch is proof of that. And it takes it to another new level. Flowers, like everything else, have a reason for being given, gifted. Heartcatch is here to explain that, and the main character’s heart seeds beautifully bloom. One thing that I will always like about Heartcatch is its creativity and experimenting with different flowers. At each episode’s end, they willsay what somebody’s heart seed says about their personality. Now that’s something to watch, with that many different things. But nevertheless, the characters and their own development are a spectrum of flowers of their own. And each has their thorn. Story: 8 out of 10 The story is like every other Pretty Cure series’. But with a twist. Each person possesses a heart seed inside their heart. They are all connected to the Heart Tree, which watches over them. But, of course, The Desert Apostles are here to destroy that tree and to desert the entire world. Cure Moonlight, a powerful pretty cure, ends up defeated, and two tree fairies/mascots, deliver the Heart Perfume, the Transformation Item, to a girl, Tsubomi Hanasaki, who is supposed to be the new Cure and defeat the enemy. The story is cheesy, but what the creators do with it, takes the Pretty Cure franchise to a whole new level. The pacing is pretty good, not forcing things and giving each character room to develop and understand/agonize over things the right amount of time. It has some filler since it’s Pretty Cure, but each are enjoyable and not something to be bored of. Although, Heartcatch has a more focused storyline than different seasons, so there is not that much filler in it. The comedy is also good, without moments just being randomly thrown in. Art: 8 out of 10 The art is amazing. Extremely luscious, pastel colors are used. The characters are drawn differently from the other series, but that just makes it interesting. Their moods are portrayed very well in their face expressions and movements. They also have hair colors, clothes, according to the side they are on. If they are good, they have bright colors. If they are evil, they have dark colors. The art depends on the atmosphere, if it’s a happy scene it’s pretty vivid and bright, if it’s a dark scene it’s pretty dark. It’s very creative and it was a pretty good direction for this season. Buildings, sceneries, towns are drawn very well and you can point out the details. As I said and will probably keep on saying, it’s very creative. Some things are pretty quirky and fun and they give you a pretty good feeling. It’s extremely vivid also. The special effects and CG are also good. They seem much vivid than in other seasons and they just blend in with the show and its creativity naturally. Sound: 7 out of 10 The sound is good, but that’s it. The opening theme is pretty catchy and so is the first ending theme. Characters dancing, ‘bringing it to life’ in the ending themes help out. The second ending theme is more slow and has a softer tune. It is enjoyable, regardless. The OST is cool too, with happy themes and not so happy themes. Still, as I said, it’s not the most memorable thing, but enjoyable. Voice acting is perfect. Nana Mizuki does a great job in voicing Tsubomi and making her introverted yet quirky personality come to life. Fumie Mizusawa also does a great job in showing Erika’s lively character. Overall, the voice acting is pretty good. Character: 8 out of 10 What Heartcatch does with it’s characters it’s amazing. Honestly, that’s it. Tsubomi, unlike many other mahou shoujo heroines, who are clumsy, ditzy, cheerful and extroverted is weak-willed, shy, studious and introverted. That’s one of the many things that sets this show apart from Pretty Cure and probably some other magical girl shows. Tsubomi does not actually want to be a Pretty Cure. Remember the Fresh season? Love accepted her powers so fast and without any questions, but Tsubomi is the complete opposite of that. You will only hear her screaming for help and complaining in the first episodes. And she’s right . It’s not easy putting your life out on the line and getting introduced to such unreal things. What the show does with her is amazing. She says she wants to change and she does. It’s not a one episode change where it all happens and she becomes confident and stuff. It happens slowly. In the end, she not the same she was at the beginning, but she’s not also fully changed either. That is something that I find very true, that people can’t really change completely and that it takes time. Contrasting Tsubomi and her shyness is Erika, who ironically is supposed to be the ‘blue’, water-themed character, but she is the total opposite of that. Erika is lively, confident, talkative and fun. She may come off as nosy at first but she is a great friend to Tsubomi and her other friends. And she does not change. A bit. But that’s what I love about her. Other characters include Itsuki, the yellow cure, who is a very courageous and quirky character. Her development with some things going on with her is pretty good and in the end, you see that she has changed a lot since the beginning. Yuri, Cure Moonlight is a fallen cure, who slowly regains her pride and comes to terms with what she’s done. She seems like a strict individual, but has a good heart. Her development is nice too. The villains are fine. There’s Sasorina who is a selfish and proud woman, who always wants to be the best. Kumojacky, a hot-blooded man who lives for fighting, but is respectable and wants a good opponent to fight. There’s also Cobraja, a narcissistic blue-haired man who has a great love for beauty. There’s also Dark Pretty Cure, who as the name implies is a Dark Pretty Cure, badass and surrounded by mystery. Things will get intense if she appears. Overall, Heartcatch is a good magical girl series. If you want to watch a fun magic girls show, then Heartcatch is for you. It’s okay if you don’t even want to watch the whole Pretty Cure franchise, just watch Heartcatch. It’s on a whole new level. But you can always drop it, you know. Anyways, Heartcatch is the most critical acclaimed Pretty Cure season for a pretty good reason.

Heartcatch Precure is absolutely gorgeous to look at and Yoshihiko Umakoshi’s character designs are absolutely stunning, the fight scenes in this series are well-choreographed. If you’re looking for a series that is rich in pretty sakuga then Heartcatch is definitely that, oh!, and if you like this then Katanagatari would definitely be up your alley! • To me, Heartcatch is far more of a story-driven plot than character. I didn’t feel much of an affinity for any of the characters. I felt like a had a girlfriend, who looked very pretty, but I didn’t like hanging out with her for too long. Yeah, that’s an aptcomparison. • As the Precure series have evolved, Japan seems increasingly aware that their target is no longer children, but mostly otaku… because, well, the Japanese aren’t reproducing. So, over the years, the lesbian innuendoes in Precure are heavy and the girls are more moe than ever. • I liked how the plot wrapped around, and the landscapes as well as the characters and choreography were stunning. The twist at the end was fairly obvious to someone who is not a child, but it was a fun adventure. • Some parts of the series felt like tiresome filler to me, which made Go! Princess Precure a slightly better series overall. Minor character growth happens but not in spades, growth especially with Tsubomi breaking out of her timid, meek, nerd shell (ironic, since the name Tsubomi literally means blossom), but some characters really didn’t change much, like Erica and Itsuki. • The change in Yuri’s cool and collected act seemed pretty subtle as well. I think the series was a rather enjoyable experience on the eyes. If you’re looking for an intellectual, deep plot then no, you wouldn’t like this series, but if you just want basic fun and pretty girls then… yeah, totally! It’s like a field of flowers… that happens to be full of floral symbology! • Overall, I initially was going to rate Heartcatch Precure a 7/10, because the filler segments seemed uninspired and empty at times, but the way that the ending tied the loose ends together deserved a 8/10 in my eyes!

Heartcatch Pretty Cure taught me the importance of the precure template used in each series. The heads and bodies are of similar design. Factors as eyes, hair color and texture, relative size work to differentiate each girl of the team. These external factors plus that most important internal. Personality. I was surprised at the animation style used for HeartCatch. The characters appear more cartoonish than the precure series before and after them. Eyes accentuate each member. But, for the extremely different style, I would say that important changes were made with the coming of Cures Sunshine and Moonlight. As iftheir entry into the plot demands a stricter presentation. So much so, that I would have Cure Sunshine as one of the 'Five Most Stunning' Pretty Cures in the franchise. For the record, my picks would be 1. Cure Beauty; 2) Cure Ange; 3) Cure Sunshine; 4) Cure Melody; 5) Massive tie involving 45-50 other precures (and please, don't ask me for the 'Ugliest Precure." Such things aren't possible!). I could offer you the rationale for these selections, but we need to get back to the important matters of Precuria. So much for intriguing animation technique. Let's get back to the issue of personality. Tsubomi (Cure Blossom) is painfully shy to the point of introversion. We meet her as a bookish bespectacled girl just moved to a new town with all the feelings of inferiority which meshes with being the new girl in school. Devoted to her family and their love for flowers, Tsubomi enjoys the company of her grandmother who also has Prety Cure roots. Erika (Cure Marine) is the converse of Tsubomi. Extroverted to the point of being pushy, Erika needs the gentle touch of Tsubomi to become more giving to her growing cadre of friends. Her gift is fashion, and she envies her older sister because of her popularity as a renowned fashion model. Erika wishes to be a model, too, but her talent is in fashion design. Ironically, her older sister envies Erika because of her ability to gather friends; the life of a model draws fickle admirers, but few friends. Itsuka (Cure Sunshine) admires her older brother, but his sickly frame has disabled him to advance in his grandfather's dojo. So, Itsuka assumes the aura of masculinity to thrive in the arena of martial arts. But, she is a girl at heart and loves cute things as dresses and plush toys. Still, she must maintain this act of being strong and male. Tsubomi falls in love with the boy-like Itsuka and is disappointed when Erika tells her that Itsuka is a girl. Yuri (Cure Moonlight) is the first Pretty Cure we meet and the last one to become part of HeartCatch Pretty Cure. She failed to defeat the forces of desertification years ago and has lost the ability to become a cure. She has the knowledge of the legendary warrior and offers Blossom and Marine sage advice in facing the foe. All this while enduring the depression which comes from the knowledge of failure. But, it is Blossom and Marine which motivates Yuri to strive to become the strongest precure ever. This in light of the fact that Tsubomi suffers the stigma of being the weakest precure ever. It will take nearly the full forty-nine episodes for these girls to come together and weld into a well-disciplined fighting unit. Cure Sunshine enters in at episode 23 and Moonlight about ten episodes later. But the glue to the team is Tsubomi's grandmother who had been Cure Flower two generations prior. She leads the four girls into battles with self to prove their merit as Pretty Cure; Tsubomi has a particularly difficult time in facing her alter-ego, for this means the resentment of her introversion. She must accept that personality change does not mean the hatred of self but the acceptance of the change anyone is capable. The villains are multi-faceted. A trio of generals who are resolved to destroy the Pretty Cure. A created cure called the Dark Precure who was responsible for the defeat of Cure Moonlight. A treacherous professor who has conspired to destroy Cure Moonlight. Then the ultimate foe, the world-destroying Dune who cannot be beaten by hatred, but is a poor mark for the reception of love. The plotline was strong as we watch each girl develop into a stronger personality capable of the rigors of being a Precure. The whole series created a range of personability where Cure Marine could become the clown princess of Precuria, whose antics and facial rages would not have parallel until the coming of Cure Princess in Happiness Charge Precure. Where Cure Blossom could be the symbol of gentility which overcomes all obstacles. Where Cure Sunshine could find her proper role as a girl without sacrificing the power and strength of the martial arts she truly loves. Where Cure Moonlight can recapture the courage needed to face all challenges ... and win. Where personalities, like flowers, bloom.

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