, or HeartCatch Pretty Cure!, is a Japanese anime television series and the seventh installment in the Pretty Cure metaseries by Izumi Todo, featuring the fifth generation of Cures. The series is produced by Toei Animation, directed by Tatsuya Nagamine, and written by Takashi Yamada. Character designs were done by Yoshihiko Umakoshi who previously worked Ojamajo Doremi. The series premiered on February 7, 2010, on TV Asahi's ANN network, succeeding Fresh Pretty Cure!, and ended on January 30, 2011, where it was succeeded by Suite PreCure.
The series has three topics: the language of flowers, which is an important element in the plot; the second is fashion, as Tsubomi joins the fashion club; and the third is music, as some of the Cures' attacks are named after musical terms and the series has several music-themed episodes. Overall, the Cures' main motifs are related to flowers, nature, and music, which are prominent in the names of characters and items, as well as the main storyline.
Story 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, is defeated in battle and the Heart Tree loses its flowers, she sends two fairies, Chypre and Coffret, to the surface to seek out her replacement. They find Tsubomi Hanasaki, a shy flower-loving girl who recently moved to Kibougahana with her family who is given the power to become Cure Blossom. Alongside 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 Desertians. By defeating these monsters, they gain Heart Seeds, which allow the Heart Tree to become healthier again.
Characters HeartCatch Pretty Cures
The main protagonist. Tsubomi is a shy and introverted 14-year-old girl and a second-year student at Myōdōu Academy. She loves to plant flowers and initially plans to join the Gardener's Club, but Erika convinces her to join the Fashion Club instead. Her family's house is also a flower shop called the "Hanasaki Flower Shop", and her grandmother Kaoruko runs a botanical garden. She sees her change of schools as a chance to change herself, and after meeting Erika she starts to change. In the first fight, when Erika is targeted and turned into a Desertian, her desire to save Erika convinces the fairies she has the potential to become a Pretty Cure. As Cure Blossom, her dark red hair becomes light pink. Her powers are related to flowers and she can use auxiliary attacks such as Blossom Flower Storm and Blossom Double Impact in addition to her finishing attack. Her catchphrase is . Unlike most Pretty Cure protagonists, she has a shy personality, is not greedy with food, and enjoys studying. She introduces herself as Her theme color is pink and her flower symbol is the cherry blossom.
Erika is a 13-year-old girl and a second-year student at Myōdō Academy who is Tsubomi's classmate, neighbor, and friend. Her father is a cameraman and her mother is the owner of a fashion shop called "Fairy Drop". In addition, she loves fashion and designing her own clothing, and is the president of the academy's Fashion Club. She is jealous of her older sister Momoka, who is a model despite still being in high school. She is an energetic girl who bluntly says what she is thinking, although she also begins to change after meeting Tsubomi and convincing her to join the Fashion Club after its old members left. After she is informed of the qualifications of being a Pretty Cure, she agrees to help Tsubomi. As Cure Marine, her dark blue hair becomes light blue. She has powers related to the ocean and can use auxiliary attacks such as Marine Shoot and Marine Dynamite in addition to her finishing attack. Her catchphrase is . She introduces herself as Her theme color is blue, and her flower symbol is the blue daisy.
Itsuki is a kind and calm-tempered 14-year-old girl and a second-year student at Myōdō Academy. She is brave and compassionate, and she is the president of the academy's student council and the granddaughter of its current principal. She has many fans, and initially Tsubomi had a temporary admiration for her until discovering her gender. She crossdresses to substitute as the heir of the school and dojo in place of her ailing older brother Satsuki. She also has a fondness for cute and girly things, but is she not convinced to join Fashion Club. In Episode 22, she finds Potpourri, and later becomes Cure Sunshine to rescue Tsubomi and Erika and save Satsuki's Heart Flower. As Cure Sunshine, her short brown hair becomes longer and becomes golden. Her powers are related to the sun and tcan use auxiliary attacks such as Sunflower Aegis and Sunshine Flash, in addition to her finishing attack. Her catchphrase is . Her theme color is yellow, and her flower symbol is the sunflower. She introduces herself as
A 17-year-old girl and Momoka's best friend, who is a second-year student at Myōdō Academy's high school branch. She shares class notes with Momoka when the latter cannot attend classes because of her job and heads the list of successful candidates in the grade. Her father went missing while investigating the Heart Tree in France. As revealed in the novel, she met Cologne while searching for her father, and as Cure Moonlight, she protected the Tree of Hearts and knew Kaoruko when she was Cure Flower. Prior to the beginning of the series, she was defeated during her fight against the Dark Precure, and as result her Pretty Cure Seed broke and the Heart Tree withered. During the fight, Cologne sacrificed himself to protect her. As a result of her past trauma, she is not willing to help the new Pretty Cures, but later on the power of the Heart Tree and the Heart Pot allows her to regain her Pretty Cure Seed and become Cure Moonlight once more. As Cure Moonlight, her dark purple hair becomes lighter. She has powers related to the moon and can use auxiliary attacks in addition to her finishing attack. Her catchphrase is . Her theme color is purple and her flower symbol is the rose. She introduces herself as
Fairies Unlike other fairies in the franchise, the fairies in this series are born from the Heart Tree and can separately find their own partner to become a Pretty Cure. They are also different from previous mascots in that they all end their sentences with "desu".
One of the fairies who protects the Heart Tree. To save it from danger, she has come to look for the Pretty Cure, the legendary warriors chosen by the Heart Tree. She gives Tsubomi a Pretty Cure Seed and Heart Perfume, allowing her to transform into Cure Blossom. She often disguises herself as a stuffed animal. She has the power to give birth to Heart Seeds, which are said to cause a miracle if collected. Chypre tends to be calmer than her fellow mascot, Coffret. She often behaves as if she is Tsubomi's big sister. She is named after the floral perfume family chypre.
One of the fairies that protect the Heart Tree, and gives Erika a Pretty Cure Seed and Heart Perfume, allowing her to transform into Cure Marine. He also tends to disguise himself as a stuffed animal and can give birth to Heart Seeds. He is rather bold and nice to others, and is like a little brother to Erika. He is named after a French term for a jewelry box or casket.
First appearing in episode 20, Potpourri is a baby fairy born from the Heart Tree, who is colored orange-white rather than cyan-white like Chypre and Coffret. Potpourri carries an orange Heart Seed in their bag, which acts as the key to the Pretty Cure Palace, and has the ability to create barriers to protect others. Potpourri can be rash and bratty at times, but has a strong desire to protect the Pretty Cure. In Episode 22, Potpourri becomes Itsuki's partner and allows her to transform into Cure Sunshine. Potpourri is named after potpourri, a mixture of dried plants used to provide fragrance. Being younger than both Chypre and Coffret, Potpourri tends to end their sentences with 'de-chu' instead of 'desu'.
Cologne was Yuri's partner fairy, who sacrificed himself to protect her. He had nursed Chypre and Coffret since their birth, behaving calmly as their elder brother. His spirit now resides in the Heart Tree and keeps watch over her, and reappears in episode 30 to speak to her. He is also colored differently from other fairies, being lavender-white instead of cyan-white like Chypre and Coffret. He is named after cologne, a type of perfume for men.
A giant fairy who resides in the botanical garden that Tsubomi's grandmother Kaoruko cares for. He does not talk, but is always watching over Tsubomi and Erika. He is a legendary fairy that is said to have supported Kaoruko in the past when she was Cure Flower. The younger fairies admired him. He also has the ability to transform into a human, usually taking the form of Kaoruko's late husband, Sora Hanasaki. He saves the Pretty Cures several times, but they are unaware of his identity as Couple until he guards the Heartcatch Mirage to test the Pretty Cures. He is named after Coupé, a type of closed car body style used on hardtop sports cars.
Kibougahana residents
Tsubomi's grandmother and Yoichi's widowed mother, who is a famous botanist and owner of the Flower Shop. Kaoruko is considered to be wise and kind, and cares deeply for her granddaughter, who she helped to take care of when she was younger. She loves flowers, which inspired Tsubomi's love for them. When she was younger, she became the youngest champion in the history of the national judo contest and met Sora during her time living in Kamakura. In her youth, she became Cure Flower in her youth after she met Coupe while studying the Tree of Hearts, and was the previous senior of Cure Moonlight. She once defeated Dune using the Heartcatch Mirage, but at the cost of her own Pretty Cure Seed being destroyed in the aftermath. In Episode 44, her Christmas wish is to become Cure Flower again for one day to help Tsubomi and the others, which she succeeds in. Like Tsubomi, her attacks are related to flowers, but she lacks the power to conjure up stronger attacks. As Cure Flower, her theme color is pink and her flower symbol is the Lotus Flower. She introduces herself as
Tsubomi's mother, a florist at the Hanasaki Flower Shop. She was once an officer of a famous florist chain supplier called "Red Florian". After the events of the series, she gives birth to a second daughter, .
Tsubomi's father and Kaoruko's only son, who is a florist at Hanasaki Flower Shop and a part-time professor.
Tsubomi's late grandfather, Kaoruko's husband, and Yoichi's father, who died after his son's birth. He was a cellist living in Kamakura, who met his future wife at his cabin in a lavender forest.
Erika's mother, who is one of the owners of Fairy Drop and was a famous former model.
Erika's father, a famous photographer who likes to take pictures.
Erika's older sister, who is a second-year student at Myōdō Academy's Senior High School branch, and is nicknamed Momo-nee by Erika. She is a popular part-time model, which caused Erika to be jealous of her. In Episode 8, she was revealed to be equally jealous of Erika's ability to easily make friends.
Itsuki's mother and Gentarou's daughter.
Itsuki's older brother, an outstanding fighter who was originally the heir to the Myoudouin family's dojo. But as a result of his health condition, Itsuki began crossdressing to take his place. In contrast to his sister's masculine appearance, Satsuki exhibits an effeminate appearance.
Itsuki's grandfather, who is the principal of Myōdō Academy and the leader of Kibougahana's local dojo.
Yuri's mother, who has worked at a convenience store near the local train station since her husband disappeared.