The Pretty Cure series is not one to rest on its laurels. All of the Magical Girl series’ incarnations share a lot of similarities, but in recent years, the series’ individual installments have made an effort to stay true to the franchise’s spirit while yet being innovative. Flavorful Party Precure presented us with Black Pepper, a character akin to Tuxedo Mask that battled alongside the females, Soaring Sky! Wonderful Precure! presents the first mascot character to become not only a Cure but the main Cure, following the transformational boy that Pretty Cure presented in Cure Wing. You may argue that Maho Girls Precure!’s Ha-chan/Cure Felice is the real first (and I’d definitely entertain that notion). Even yet, Cure Wonderful is the first magical lady we meet and, for a little period of time, the sole Cure; she is unquestionably the mid-season Cure. The easiest way to put it could be that Cure Felice walked in order to provide Cure Wonderful more freedom to jump and run around.
Furthermore, Cure Wonderful is nothing if not ebullient. As seasoned fans of the genre would have noticed, a lighter series usually follows a more serious one; for official English-subbed releases, this is best shown in the way the fun and vivacious Tropical-Rouge! Precure came after the somber Healin’ Good Precure. Sky Ablaze! Wonderful Precure! is noticeably fluffier in the first twelve episodes, whereas Pretty Cure also tackled some tough subjects. This is brought forth by the characters’ interactions with the monsters as well as the inclusion of animals in the narrative. Cures Wonderful and Friendly play with the Garugaru, who are giant, evil versions of their base animal, chasing and finally hugging them when they’re exhausted, as opposed to battling them. The Garugaru is swaddled so that it cannot hurt the Cures as they approach for the hug, even when they get a more spectacular dual attack in the Friend Liberale. They battle with love, guiding the monsters back to their real selves with the warmth and might of their adoration.
This explains the variations in the fighting styles of Cure Nyammy, who first appears in episode twelve, and also ties in neatly with the backgrounds of the Cures. Iroha’s father is an animal groomer and her mother is a veterinarian, so they are both in the animal care industry. Since the family’s practices are also housed in the family’s home, Iroha has grown up with the belief that animals need compassion and understanding when they’re in need; memories of her parents teaching her to assist Komugi when she first saw the abandoned puppy serve to underscore this belief. The Komugi is a small, decorative dog breed that belongs to the “toy” spaniel class. Despite being called “gun dogs,” which refers to retrievers, they are lively, inquisitive, and definitely not hunting dogs. This indicates that her breed retrieves what has already been killed rather than hunting. Because retrievers have “soft mouths,” which allow them to transport prey without harming it, Cure Wonderful is a good fit for this situation as she has no desire to hunt or harm the Garugaru. Cure Nyammy’s far more brutal (yet typical for magical females) methods feed into the widespread preconceptions of dogs versus cats, where cats are perceived as toying with their prey in an entirely different manner.
Perfectly for a series that debuted just after the franchise’s 20th anniversary, Wonderful Precure! feels like a return to the days when magical girls were more often seen in pairs than in teams. As I indicated earlier, Maho Girls Precure! This follows that format more closely than any of the four series that come before it: there are only two Cures for the most part of this first course, despite the opening theme hinting at two more. A close-knit group, Friendy and Wonderful are able to communicate with one another even when feelings of envy get in the way. Cure Nyammy’s combat style feels a lot like that of Uranus and Neptune’s initial appearances in Sailor Moon, when they declared their lack of interest in working with the main squad. It seems as though the show is preparing for two quite distinct teams, which would be an intriguing premise considering the Pretty Cure franchise’s strong emphasis on camaraderie. However, it would also be fitting considering that Iroha and Komugi’s relationship as humans and dogs is one of their strongest points, and we’ve seen how much Mayu relies on her cat Yuki to help her deal with her debilitating anxiety.
Satoru, an Iroha and later Komugi classmate and friend, is the other intriguing piece. (A dog attending school proceeds according to plan.) Even if Satoru and his pet rabbit, Daifuku, may end up becoming Cures themselves in later episodes of the show, Satoru still has a significant impact on these episodes. He is the operation’s brains, able to temper Komugi’s naive enthusiasm and assist Iroha in gaining a clearer perspective. Mey Mey, the girls’ primary contact in the necessary magical country they’re attempting to safeguard, finds comfort in his presence. Even though Satoru often has a look on his face like he’s thinking about how to pay his mortgage, he offers a quiet oasis in these episodes, even though his crush for Iroha may be entirely hidden from her.
Fantastic Precure! can go too slowly for certain viewers. If you’re more accustomed to the quicker pacing of previous franchise entries, you might find it bothersome that the second group of Cures aren’t included in the tale just yet. It’s also taking its time to uncover who the big evil pulling the strings is. However, these episodes are filled with pure happiness and the delight of a relationship between a person and their pet. They also feature some really lovely visual details, like the way Cures Wonderful and Friendy wear each other’s colors in their ribbons and how Iroha’s father doesn’t look like a stereotypically masculine man. After Soaring Sky, this respite is more leisurely! Beautiful Cure, and quite enjoyable to see, to be honest.
