Great Precure! is the twenty first anime sequence to hold the Precure identify, and it continues a development of breaking unstated guidelines of the now decades-old magical lady franchise. However whereas the earlier sequence broke age and gender boundaries, Great Precure! defies probably the most core features of its predecessors: the way it approaches violence.
The story of Great Precure! facilities round Komugi, a Papillon Canine and resident of Animal City who needs she may talk together with her proprietor, Inukai Iroha. When the city’s mystical Mirror Stone grants Komugi the power to talk human language and even remodel into an individual, her friendship with Iroha grows nearer than ever. She additionally positive aspects the power to rework into the magical lady Remedy Great and face off towards monsters known as Garugaru—once-peaceful animals who’ve been twisted and corrupted into darkish creatures. Later, she’s joined by Iroha (as Remedy Friendy), in addition to Remedy Nyammy and Remedy Lilian.
Komugi shouldn’t be the primary mixture of magical lady and mascot in Precure, with characters like Milky Rose and Remedy Parfait coming earlier than her. Nevertheless, she’s the primary to be the principle heroine. This in itself is a notably completely different angle taken by Great Precure!, however even greater is the truth that Great Precure! is the primary Precure to all however eschew fight as a elementary a part of the Precure expertise.
When Futari no Fairly Remedy hit Japanese airwaves again in 2004 and kicked off the Precure franchise, one thing caught the eyes of viewers about the way in which its heroines fought. Motion-focused magical ladies had been a factor since Cutie Honey within the Seventies, and Sailor Moon was dwelling to heroines who may shoot lightning and trigger earthquakes, however Remedy Black and Remedy White threw palms. They’d punch, kick, again fist, throw, and when the time got here, shoot a large vitality beam to complete monsters off. (The unique director additionally famously labored on Dragon Ball Z). Although by no means portrayed in a bloody method, violence grew to become a key component of Precure. Later entries would comply with this to various levels, some preferring to pay attention extra on elemental blasts and mystical energies, whereas others persevering with the fisticuffs with gusto.
In distinction, exterior of some episodes the place it’s a degree of character battle, the heroines of Great Precure! don’t ever attempt to harm the Garugaru. Quite, they attempt to nook them like, properly, animals in order that they will heal and restore the poor remodeled critters. The strategy is comprehensible: The creators in all probability needed to discourage youngsters from punching animals. I can also’t inform if eradicating violence from Precure is a courageous transfer or a conservative one, however it does make for a a lot much less action-packed anime consequently, for higher or worse.
Precure has all the time primarily focused younger ladies (with issues for older followers to understand), however Great Precure! has a extra infantile really feel than all earlier titles. That stated, this sequence isn’t completely toothless. The animal theme emphasizes cuddles and enjoyable, however the sequence additionally brings up the hurt people have inflicted on animals and the surroundings. The fact of individuals being liable for the extinction of complete species turns into a significant a part of the narrative, particularly in the direction of the tip. It’s simply that Great Precure! approaches its pacing extra like episodic anime from many years previous, saving all of the heavy stuff for the ultimate stretch. It additionally has what I feel is the perfect execution of an precise heterosexual romance Precure has ever seen, in addition to presumably the perfect most important villain ever.
One different factor that I imagine is especially cool in regards to the sequence is that it tries exhausting to counter gender stereotypes. Iroha’s dad (who so far as we all know is straight) is a mountain of muscle who attire in frilly pink and exhibits tender kindness to all of the animals he takes care of. Iroha’s longtime buddy, a boy named Toyama Satoru, is a delicate soul who makes use of his devoted examine of animals to assist the ladies. And funnily sufficient, Satoru has a pet rabbit named Daifuku, who you may anticipate to be an cute cinnamon roll. However when Komugi interprets Daifuki’s speech, it seems the fluff ball has probably the most badass manly speech mannerisms in all the sequence. Belief me that the final facet pays off.
Whereas Great Precure prefers it heroines to not kick ass and take names, that isn’t the case with the subsequent sequence, You and Idol Precure! This may occasionally very properly be the primary and final time Precure decides to take a extra peaceable strategy, however it makes for a sequence that stands out all of the extra consequently. Great Precure! might be profound in its personal methods if you happen to give it the possibility to inform its story.
