Heartcatch PreCure!

A poster featuring Cure Blossom, Cure Marine, Cure Sunshine, Cure Moonlight, along with Chrype and Coffret

### Premiered

TV Asahi

**Heartcatch PreCure!** is the seventh anime series of the *Pretty Cure franchise*. Directed by Nagamine Tatsuya and produced by Toei Animation, the series premiered on February 7th, 2010, succeeding *Fresh PreCure!* on its timeslot. The series theme is fashion, flowers and their true definitions of Hanakotoba (花言葉 *"flower language"*) (e.g. the Forget-me-nots represents true love).

The series is famous for its unique character design by Umakoshi Yoshihiko and is one of the most successful *Pretty Cure* series, regarding merchandise and viewership.

## Synopsis

In each person resides a Heart Flower, which is connected to the great Heart Tree that watches over everyone. Protecting this tree are the HeartCatch Pretty Cures, who defend it against the Desert Apostles, who plan to wilt everything and turn the world into a desert. However, when the current Pretty Cure, Cure Moonlight, has been defeated in battle and the Heart Tree loses its flowers, she sends two fairies, Chypre and Coffret, to the surface in order to seek out her replacement. They find Tsubomi Hanasaki, a shy flower-loving girl that had just moved into the city with her family, who is given the power to become Cure Blossom. Joined by her new friend, Erika Kurumi, who becomes Cure Marine, they fight against the Desert Apostles who transform the wilting Heart Flowers inside people into monsters known as Desertarians. By defeating these monsters, they gain Heart Seeds which allow the Heart Tree to become healthier again.

## Characters

### Pretty Cure

* **Tsubomi Hanasaki** : Tsubomi is a second year junior high school student who just moved to Kibougahana City. She lives in a flower shop in which her parents run and her grandmother owns a botanical garden. Tsubomi loves flowers so much that she insists on joning the Gardening Club but instead joins the Fashion Club after getting to know Erika. Despite her complex with her withdrawn nature, she strives to change herself when transferring schools. Strangely, Tsubomi is good at proverbs and four-character idioms since she was raised by her grandmother when she was young while her parents were busy with work. Her catchphrase is **"I can't stand it anymore!"**. Together with Chypre, Tsubomi can transform into **Cure Blossom**.

* **Erika Kurumi** : Erika is a second year junior high school student who loves fashion. Her father is a professional cameraman and her mother is the owner of the fashion shop called "Fairy Drop" in which Erika lives. Erika is a cheerful and positive girl who immediately says what she thinks, which can be a fly in the ointment. She has a complex with her beautiful and stylish older sister. Her catchphrase is **"Even someone like me, with a heart wider than the ocean, is at her limit!"**. Together with Coffret, Erika can transform into **Cure Marine**.

* **Itsuki Myoudouin** : Itsuki is a second year junior high school student and everyone's longing student council president. Itsuki is also the granddaughter of the president of the school. She practicing everyday in order to follow the footsteps of the Myoudouin style on behalf of her sick older brother, so Itsuki is dressed like a boy at school but in fact, likes cute things. After meeting Tsubomi and Erika, she learns to be honest to what she likes. Her catchphrase is **"I will heal the darkness in your heart with my light!"**. Together with Potpourri, Itsuki can transform into **Cure Sunshine**.

* **Yuri Tsukikage** : Yuri is a smart and good-looking second year high school student who has a calm personality. Her cold behavior towards Tsubomi and the others begin to change gradually once she interacts with them. Her catchphrase is **"I'll keep fighting, for everyone's heart!"**. Yuri was unable to tansform into a Pretty Cure again due to her sadness upon the loss of Cologne, her fairy partner. But, with the help of Cure Blossom, Cure Marine, Cure Sunshine, Cologne, and the Heart Tree, she overcomes her trauma and transforms back into **Cure Moonlight**.

### Mascots

* **Chypre** : Chypre is Tsubomi's fairy partner who came to look for the Pretty Cures to save the Tree of Hearts. To Tsubomi, Chypre acts a lot like an older sister to her and she ends her sentences with **~desuu**.

* **Coffret** : Coffret is Erika's fairy partner who joined Chypre in the search of the Pretty Cures. He acts more of a younger brother to Erika, having a playful personality as well as being cheeky and spoiled. He ends his sentences with **~desu**.

* **Master Coupe** : A superior fairy who is greatly admired by other fairies such as Chypre and Coffret, who lives in the botanical garden that Tsubomi's grandmother cares for. He does not talk but is always watching over Tsubomi and Erika. In the past, he was the Kaoruko's partner when she was Cure Flower. He has the ability to transform into Mysterious Guy.

* **Potpourri** : Potpourri is Itsuki's fairy partner born from the Tree of Hearts. Since she is still a baby, she acts selfishly and can be a bother to Chypre and Coffret. Potpourri also posseses incredible protecting powers and ends her sentences with **~deshu**.

* **Cologne** : Cologne was Yuri's fairy partner who died during the battle against the Desert Apostle while trying to protect her. He is still watching over Yuri from the Tree of Hearts.

### Desert Apostles

* **Desertrian** : Desertrians are the monsters used by the Desert Apostles, created by fusing an object with the wilting Heart Flower of a person.
* **Kumojaki** : The apparent leader of the three managers of the Desert Apostles. He trains a lot and is sometimes shown wielding a sword.
* **Sasorina** : The only female of the three managers of the Desert Apostles. She is a direct person and battles Pretty Cure with the fullest of her feelings. She can attack with her hair, like a scorpion tail.
* **Cobraja** : The third member of the three managers of the Desert Apostles. He is a strong narcissist who thinks he is the most beautiful man in the universe. He always tries to look as beautiful as possible, even in battle.
* **Snackey** : The underlings of the Desert Apostles, who are always hard-working. Cobraja seems to make the most use of them, having them assist him with things such as lighting and photography for impromptu photo shoots during his missions. In episode 39, the leader of the Snackeys, Boss Snackey, appears.
* **Desert Devil** : The Desert Devil is a powerhouse in Dune's army. He sends the Desert Devil to a thriving planet full of life, allowing it to turn the planet into an endless lifeless desert.
* **Dark Pretty Cure** : A mysterious woman who has powers very much like those of Pretty Cure, including her own Tact. It is unknown if she is a real Pretty Cure or if she was merely created by Professor Sabaku to resemble and act like one. She has complete heterochromia, her left eye is light blue while her right eye, which she usually keeps closed, is yellow.
* **Professor Sabaku** : The acting main villain in the series. He is very mysterious, constantly keeping his face hidden beneath a mask. He usually has Dark Cure by his side.
* **Dune** : The actual leader of the Desert Apostles, who has been in deep sleep after he was defeated by Cure Flower.

## Trivia

* There are several new mechanics introduced in this season, some of them are present in subsequent seasons:
	+ The story starting with two Cures has returned. However, the two Cures can transform and attack independently. Also, this is the first season to have sub-attacks. This is also the latest season where the group attack with all main Cures is first used.
		- The stereotype of pink and blue Cures has switched e.g. Erika is the energetic Cure while Tsubomi is the shy one.
	+ The main Cures sing their first image songs as insert songs:
		- Hanasaki Tsubomi: *Tsu.Bo.Mi ~Future Flower~* in episodes 4, 24 and 25.
		- Kurumi Erika: *Special\*Colorful* in episodes 8 and 19.
		- Myoudouin Itsuki: *Power of Shine* in episode 46.
		- Tsukikage Yuri: *MOON ~Moonlight~ ATTACK* in episodes 35 and 47.
		- Though not an image song, *HEART GOES ON* by Ikeda Aya and Kudou Mayu is one of the main insert themes for the series.
			* Due to the songs being released as image songs so early, there are remixes made for them in the two vocal albums. Making *Heartcatch!* the first season to receive actual remixes for some of its songs.
	+ The villains do not possess items but instead, items are secondary materials for that job. Also, the upgrade the monsters-of-the-day receive has no specific name and they are still called "Desertrian".
	+ The place where the fairies come from is actually a native place in Earth and not in a parallel world. Also, there isn't a certain place the Cures have to protect, but a living being instead.
	+ This is the first season to feature pre-season Cures.
		- According to its tie-in novel, aside from Cure Ange and Cure Flower, there was actually another predecessor called Cure Rose, although she never made an in-person appearance in the anime.
	+ Starting from this season's finale, there will be an ending card that thanks viewers for completing the season.
* *Heartcatch!* is the first Pretty Cure series that received an afureko (after recording). Mizuki Nana (voice actress of Hanasaki Tsubomi) was a guest in Shin Domoto Kyodai.
* *Heartcatch!* had its opening theme performed in the 61st NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen. The performers were Maeda Atsuko, Ooshima Yuuko, Itano Tomomi (ex-AKB48 members) and Mizuki Nana (Hanasaki Tsubomi's voice actor).
* A *Heartcatch Pretty Cure!* poster appears in the final episode of *Imagin Anime*, a spin-off of the *Tokusatsu* series *Kamen Rider Den-O*. Momotaros complains about the poster's size and him being left out of the poster.
* In the "All Pretty Cure Big Poll", *Heartcatch Pretty Cure!* is ranked 2nd in "Favorite Series Productions".