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Klein is named after a Klein Bottle, which is an infinite mathematical object. To add to that list, I believe Eternal from Yes 5 GoGo were modeled after various mythological creatures (the second in command was basically Medusa for example). As for Happiness Charge, it could possibly be another religious situation like DokiDoki with the three main generals representing Sloth, Greed, and Pride respectively (Red is also basically a Satan analogue up until they run him back a bit at the very end). Not sure where Mirage and Phantom would fall on that list though (Envy and Wrath maybe?) I don’t think Futari really had a central theme with any of its villains (unless it had something to do with their names). The Dark Seeds and Guardians were just muscle bound demons and the original group was kind of all over the place (we had David Bowie in Kabuki paint, a giant troll, a vampire, a fairly ordinary looking humanoid boy and finally Albino Piccolo). Larryb fucked around with this message at 17:55 on Jul 23, 2019 |
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Jul 23, 2019 17:00
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Madoka having to learn Suite Precure lessons in this episode. More importantly, in this episode, when Madoka plays hanging icicles like a xylophone, she strikes the same icicle twice in succession, yet she produces two clearly different tones. I mean, what are we to believe, that this is some sort of magic icicle or something?
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Jul 23, 2019 19:08
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Twelve by Pies posted:Madoka having to learn Suite Precure lessons in this episode. I hope somebody got fired for that blunder. Seriously though, I think this episode did that particular lesson a little better (mostly because Hibiki’s dad is a terrible teacher) and I also like the little hint that Yuni genuinely does seem to have a appreciation for music and her Mao persona wasn’t completely an act. Also with only two pens left to go I’m very curious to see what they have planned for the back half of the season (I really hope they don’t wind up resetting the clock like they did in Smile). Larryb fucked around with this message at 19:23 on Jul 23, 2019 |
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Jul 23, 2019 19:21
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Larryb posted:HeartCatch: The main generals are all named after animals commonly found in the desert I get Cobraja and Sasorina but I feel like an idiot not knowing what animal Kumojacky is supposed to be.
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Jul 23, 2019 20:04
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blossommirage posted:I get Cobraja and Sasorina but I feel like an idiot not knowing what animal Kumojacky is supposed to be. Kumo is the Japanese word for "spider".
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Jul 23, 2019 20:15
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It's crazy that Madoka has gotten several episodes so far while Elena is starving for characterization.
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Jul 24, 2019 07:39
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Since we’ve finally met her dad and he seems like a decent guy I’m also kind of curious what they’ve got planned for Hikaru going forward now as well (though I suppose the whole secret alien theory could still be possible). At the moment this basically seems to be the Lala & Madoka Show feat. Yuni. On another note, it's also possible there may be some sort of Jekyll & Hyde thing going on between Darknest and another character we've already seen before (Toei does seem to still be keeping his voice actor a secret for some strange reason). Also I'm sort of curious what's going on with Aiwan as we haven't seen her since Episode 21 (and the one coming this week looks like another Tenjou episode). Larryb fucked around with this message at 11:20 on Jul 24, 2019 |
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Jul 24, 2019 10:09
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Edit: Nevermind On another note is there any good source out there for Precure related news/scans? I’ve mostly just been scanning the forum of the Precure wiki on occasion. Larryb fucked around with this message at 02:46 on Jul 26, 2019 |
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Jul 25, 2019 23:06
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On another note, I’ve come to realize that certain aspects of DokiDoki’s plot are very similar to that of Kamen Rider OOO. Both involve demons of avarice being set free by a king (albeit for vastly different reasons) and also feature a protagonist that is basically selfless to a fault (Eiji/Mana) who winds up getting involved with an (nearly) utterly selfish being connected to the villains of the series (Ankh/Regina). Both of whom eventually have to learn that selfishness and selflessness are two sides of the same coin and you need a healthy balance of both in order to properly function. There’s a little bit of Blade in there as well (what with the card theme and the sword themed Precure Makoto Kenzaki sharing a surname with that show’s protagonist) and Mana also does a Kamen Rider henshin pose in the first episode but I forget if it was meant to be based on a specific Rider. Larryb fucked around with this message at 02:19 on Jul 27, 2019 |
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Jul 26, 2019 21:22
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Larryb posted:On another note, I’ve come to realize that certain aspects of DokiDoki’s plot are very similar to that of Kamen Rider OOO. That explains why Regina is the best.
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Jul 27, 2019 01:53
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blossommirage posted:That explains why Regina is the best. Indeed she is and they really need to bring her back one day (I don’t think she’s had a speaking role since DokiDoki ended and has had maybe two post-series cameos in total). While you’re at it, bring back Sebastian as well (hell, just give us a DokiDoki sequel in general). Come to think of it, I don’t think Regina even got any merchandise made of her (even the Kiryuus from Splash Star eventually got some Figuarts at least). In fact, Regina was actually one of the few highlights of the Glitter Force dub for me. Her English actress fits the character almost perfectly and aside from downplaying her obvious infatuation with Mana her character is actually kept more or less intact in the English script. Larryb fucked around with this message at 02:37 on Jul 27, 2019 |
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Jul 27, 2019 02:13
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Regina (plus Yui/Bibury) got non speaking roles in the big crossover episode in Hugtto which is more than a lot of characters get. Plus the twins still include Regina in group Doki art sometimes. So while she deserves better she's at least not forgotten Still team up game with Bibury when
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Jul 27, 2019 03:26
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SatoshiMiwa posted:Regina (plus Yui/Bibury) got non speaking roles in the big crossover episode in Hugtto which is more than a lot of characters get. Plus the twins still include Regina in group Doki art sometimes. So while she deserves better she's at least not forgotten Said crossover also featured Royal Candy, Cure Mofurun and a shot of the Kiryuu sisters appearing into their “Cure” outfits for the first time since Splash Star ended so that’s something at least. That said, Regina is effectively the sixth member of the DokiDoki team (even her outfit looks a bit similar to theirs) and as such should be getting a lot more love than she currently is. Like I’ve said before, a full fledged DokiDoki sequel could potentially be great but I sort of doubt it’ll ever happen.
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Jul 27, 2019 03:40
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Bibury, Regina, and a resurrected Dark Precure form a team of their own. Thank you, Toei, I’ll be taking my royalty check.
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Jul 27, 2019 07:33
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Nodosaur posted:Bibury, Regina, and a resurrected Dark Precure form a team of their own. Thank you, Toei, I’ll be taking my royalty check. Might as well toss Michiru and Kaoru in there as well to complete the set. At any rate, this is crossposted from another forum I visit but I've made up sort of a beginner's guide for every Precure season. If I'm missing any important details/things of note let me know (note: "Why Watch" is the positives while "Things of Note" hint at negative elements without saying "this is why it sucks"). Part 1: 1. Futari wa Pretty Cure (2004 – 2005) Story: Two girls who barely know each other despite being in the same class are suddenly partnered with two fairies from an alternate dimension to save the world from basically a living black hole that's destroying all universes and itself with it. Why Watch: It’s the series that started it all: two girls in mini skirts using their fists empowered by magic fighting shadowy creatures and evil villains with the power of light; mix in some character development and a great supporting cast and you have a winner. Things to Note: The first 26 episodes are a complete story and basically all you need. After 26, though…prepare for a 70-episode post-script season starting with the next 22 here, driven with a derivative villain group tied to the main antogonist and a new fairy introduced at the end of the classic period that takes things in an…interesting…direction. But there are things worthwhile in the second half including some memorable episodes such as an infamous Romeo & Juliet performance and the touching backstory of the grandmother of one of the leads. 2. Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart (2005-2006) Story: The two original heroines must fight once again, this time against a new dark group who are trying to raise a little boy who has a massively evil potential (think a cuter version of Damien from “The Omen”). They’re joined by a new girl sort of tied to their boss with mysteries and powers of her own and must gather 12 elements to reawaken the light within them. Why Watch: There’s a greater depth to the concepts of light and darkness here and it sort of becomes more telling as the two mystery characters encounter each other multiple times throughout leading up to new moral implications of note, particularly by the end-game. Things to Note: This season introduces the first “new hero” element in the franchise, though Shiny Luminous’ likability and notoriety depends on how you feel on how she’s handled. There’s also a lot of repetition for the main heroines…a lot…of repetition; thus whether someone learns anything or not depends on who you like. Most of the villains are also kind of terrible in my opinion, generally coming off as complete idiots (and not even entertaining ones at that). 3. Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash Star (2006-2007) Story: Two girls who barely know each other (having only met once chance night years ago) are suddenly partnered with two fairies from an alternate dimension to save the universe from a shadowy being who wishes to destroy all universes, this time with a colorful cast of elemental villains. Why Watch: This series feels derivative of the original and wasn’t as popular in Japan because of the love of the original cast. However, don’t let that fool you: it has some original concepts that are fun in how they’re applied, improvements on ideas from the original, and a lot of fun twists. Further, the villain group of this season, Dark Fall, is actually one of the most memorable in the entire franchise, even 16 seasons in! The concept of the "Extra Cure" returns here in a different sense (that is we get a pair of girls with powers and later costumes of their own but are not officially considered to be on the same level as the main two for whatever reason) and while technically it started with a boy named Kiriya in the original series, this season also introduces the common series trope of "enemy spy inflitrates the Precure's school and winds up betraying their organization after getting too close and befriending the Cures". Things to Note: Unfortunately “mothers intervening because violence” is a thing in Japan in the same way as it is in America; thus the heroines here aren’t fist fighters but use more magic-based elements for combat; it takes away from the original concepts of the franchise and your mileage may vary on whether it works or not. Plus, in regard to derivative elements, the fairy duo are still similar but…slightly more annoying in some ways. (especially the voice of the main male, Flappy; even if it’s notable anime VA Kappei Yamaguchi playing them…it’s just something you have to deal with) 4. Yes! Pretty Cure 5 (2007-2008) Story: When an evil corporation destroys a kingdom of fairies (trust me, it makes sense in context), it’s two surviving princes must guide five girls of a private academy to embrace the power of dreams and fight while pursing goals and searching for 55 creatures to allow for a wish to let their kingdom finally be re-established, despite the leader of the villains also having desires of the same power. Why Watch: Hoping to freshen the franchise a bit, this series embraces the more Sailor Moon concept of a team of girls fighting villains but keeping the Cure concepts of personal developments as opposed to being more driven by lore. It shows with the main plots tending to focus on the Cures pursuing actual dreams to success when not fighting the villains; while Nightmare, the villain group, is an interesting squad themselves with a few neat twists and a fan-favorite major villain in the humorous middle-manager, Bunbee. Things to Note: One of the most infamous elements of this season is that the two prince fairies, who happen to be male, end up falling in love with two of the girls, who happen to be middle schoolers, making many of their scenes together possibly squeamish. Further, a new fairy emerges nearly halfway who possibly could be another “your mileage may vary” character in how they're used. 5. Yes! Pretty Cure 5 GoGo (2008-2009) Story: The five heroines from the previous season are called into action again due to the need to find four fairy rulers to gain the power to reach a mysterious woman from a world of flowers who wishes to meet them; all while fighting a group of collectors and joined by a haughty but slightly familiar new ally. Why Watch: Compared to the previous sequel, this feels like a true sequel with the Yes! 5 Cures moving forwards with their dreams (though by how much depends on the character) while introducing new twists, such as the mysterious new heroine Milky Rose and several new fairy allies of interest, including a “mail bird” and the aforementioned four rulers. Plus more Bunbee is a good thing. Things to Note: Compared to last season, there is more lore driving this season, and how strong it feels depends on how much you actually you care about it. Likewise, while some characters feel like they move forwards with their dreams or are doing something about it compared to last season, others don’t get as much focus which can feel like a problem. There are also some issues with how the villain group Eternal feels like Nightmare, but with their own quirks that may or may not work. 6. Fresh Pretty Cure (2009-2010) Story: Three friends of different schools in the same town are suddenly recruited by a talking ferret (no magic, no special powers…he’s just a talking ferret with a Kansai accent and a love of doughnuts) to care for a magical baby while fighting an Orwellian civilization searching for something called “Infinity”, which when acquired will allow all parallel dimensions to be under their control. Why Watch: Even with five seasons prior, this is really the season that gets the formula the franchise needed established in full, combining action, special powers and enough human interest and emotion to drive the entire story from start to finish. The cast is extremely memorable, and the story is told from start to finish, particularly driven with how obsessive and dark the villains this season, Labyrinth, are towards their goal. And while not the first time it’s done, it not only changes a villainous character to the side of the heroes but even makes them into a Cure! (the Cure part was novel, though) Things to Note: The main trio are strong personalities but their mileage may vary on how or if you like them or not: one is driven a bit too much into creating the ultimate dance troupe (leading to one of this season’s consistent plot elements, like it or not), one has an obsessive perfectionist streak as she aspires to be a model, and the third is obsessed with animals and pacifism to a fault; while Labyrinth is likewise a bit too driven by their obsessions, whether it be taking the heroes down (the bitter female Eas), schemes more insane than they let on (the cynical Soular) or just utter stupidity (the braindead Westar). The baby fairy Chiffon may feel a bit too much of a problem as well; and while a key element, it can at times lead to things getting a bit more hectic and problematic like earlier seasons and their immature fairies. And again: one of the main fairies is basically just a talking doughnut-obsessed ferret (he's awesome though). 7. HeartCatch Pretty Cure (2010-2011) Story: A shy, insular girl moves to a new town in a crisis, attacked by beings stealing “Heart Flowers” as part of a scheme to turn Earth into a lifeless desert. Luckily, this girl is the descendant of a Cure who protected the planet long ago and now she must step up and claim her legacy to defeat the desert invaders before they destroy Earth. Why Watch: Cited by many to be Pretty Cure’s best season, this season is filled with many twists and turns on both the action and personal front with the main heroine’s trials and tribulations. It takes several daring moves that bring new perspective to the franchise, doing away with the magical world and making everything for and about Earth (including the fairies) while creating ideas of Cure legacy both in the descendant element and the legacy of the fallen Cure, Cure Moonlight, who is also tied to the story much deeper than initially imagined. The monsters are all actually based on the psyche of the episode’s victims allowing for a connection for the heroines and with many not merely just victims of the week in the end; which surprisingly include two who eventually become Cures themselves by interesting and surprising circumstances. Even further is the villains, who are actually assisted by a “Dark Precure” who is working with them to prevent the heroic Cures from stopping their leader’s plans. Oh, and there’s Coupe…just…Coupe…yes it’s a fairy but they just have be seen to be believed. Things to Note: The main heroes this time are both notable in being slightly different, in particular the main duo being an inverse of the typical Cure situation; the Pink, Cure Blossom, being the insular girl and the Blue, Cure Marine, being so sociable and controlling that her antics can either be hilarious or annoying based on who you ask. The villains, the Desert Messengers, can also range from overbearing to bland despite their twists; while some of their twists and connections can be rather bizarre. Oh, and the fairies poop the collectables up…I wish I didn’t have to write that but that’s how the team gets them at first. 8. Suite Pretty Cure (2011-2012) Story: On the day that a song is to be performed to guarantee the happiness of the worlds for the year, a gaudy, over-the-top villain tries to steal the score to change it into a song of sadness, forcing the leader to scatter the notes to prevent this from happening. Now the notes must be recollected within the year by two legendary warriors who should be friends…but now hate each other! Why Watch: Some would wonder how derivative this season is to previous seasons (the two Cure concept, the collectables) with a music theme, but this season does it so well that it’s hard to see that as a problem. Despite the similarities, this season drives a major focus on the relationships of its characters, still having an interesting town and magical world in it but focusing mainly on the Cure Melody/Rhythm duo and their bond while also focusing on other key elements and past events that drive one of the strongest, most complete stories in the franchise. Other key aspects involve the main fairy, a white cat named Hummy, and her relationship to the traitorous black cat Siren; as well as a mysterious “Cure Muse” who helps the main duo but has her own agenda that may or may not have to do with their mission in regathering the notes and stopping the brilliantly exhibitionist Mephisto, the leader of the Minor Land forces. All the relationships and lore come together in a surprising final act that uses everything to work towards a peculiar conclusion. Things to Note: While the Melody/Rhythm partnership is key to this season, the first half could be difficult to deal with since most of it involves repetitive schemes by the fairy to get them strong enough to face what Minor Land throws at them (as well as the fact that our starting Cures spend about as much time fighting amongst themselves as they do with their enemies, thankfully this goes away as the series progresses). Likewise, there aren’t many villains this season and they tend to stick together and act as a unit, whether it be Mephisto, Siren or the chorus-like Trio de Minor, which could be rather dull if you aren’t a fan of these characters. And then there’s the note collection, which can be random in how it works and involves three full episodes which involve nothing but collecting notes…and in one episode, it basically comes off as “swinging nets to catch air” and that may be a tad ridiculous if you think about it. 9. Smile Pretty Cure (2012-2013) Story: A new girl in town who loves fairy tails suddenly finds herself the heroine in one, teaming with a fairy and her four classmates to stop fairy tale villains (a wolf, an Oni, a witch and a psychotic jester) from summoning a dark being to the planet to bring a “Bad End” to our world. Why Watch: After the Tohoku earthquake/nuclear disaster occurred during Suite, Toei pulled back somewhat with the following season to make a much simpler Cure season made for fun than anything particularly dark or thought provoking. And it’s this simplicity that works to this season’s advantage, giving us a fun squad of heroines that include some brand-new concepts to the franchise including a manga-writing otaku and a girl who watches over a huge family like their mother! The one-shots can vary from tender to supremely dark to extremely hilarious and ridiculous. There's a consistency regarding the evolution of the story with the collectables, the timer used by the villains and the evolution of the main fairy partner: the sheep-like Candy. Smile is also fairly unique in that it's about the only season (though you could possibly make a case for Happiness Charge as well) that, aside from a certain development in the final arc, does not introduce additional team members beyond the main 5. Things to Note: To add to this season’s simplicity, there is a similarities of certain plot beats and the main villain, Pierrot, to previous Cure threats, which either could lead to a nice homage or repetitiveness dependent on whom you ask. Further, the collectable element this season can be rather repetitive, especially when once one collection is done, the Cures must do it two more times before the show ends. As for the show’s simplicity, this could either make you “ultra-happy” it was done this way or likewise a negative in that not much is done with the characters and there isn’t much to this world other than throwing the Cures into one weird thing after another until it’s time for a major plot element. 10. DokiDoki Pretty Cure (2013-2014) Story: After witnessing the destruction of their world to the power of selfishness, the survivors of the attack (a Cure turned pop idol, a curio seller and three fairies) must regroup in our world while finding new Cures to side with them to prevent the same selfish fate from befalling our world. Why Watch: As the 10th Cure season, this season returns to something darker after the much lighter Smile; the season literally begins with the other world destroyed and the survivors trying to cope and regroup in our world! With that said, there are a lot of homages to previous seasons here and it is fun to pick up on them, including three close friends who suddenly find themselves heroes, a mysterious baby the team must watch over tied to their mission, a villainous girl who gets close to the heroines that they try to bring to their side, another girl who suddenly joins them as a key ally, a Cure legacy of the cast and a close knit community who is suddenly under threat during the finale. Of these elements, probably the biggest standout is the villainous girl Regina, who brings about some neat twists to what we’d typically have from this type of character. Further, one of the main Cures, Cure Rosetta, has so many cool concepts tied to them (including the greatest butler in this franchise and an enjoyable rival) that you need to wonder why she was thrown in this group instead of being the heroine of her own show. Things to Note: This show has so much going on all at once that sometimes you have to wonder if the season is just trying too hard to embody the 9 previous ones series, making it almost feel too much. Another issue is the heroines this time all seem to be extreme overachievers that almost seem too perfect, from a Pink Cure Heart who basically runs her school to a super-smart Blue Cure Diamond, the “super-kind rich girl” Yellow Cure Rosetta (who doesn't get nearly as much focus as she probably should), the “ultimate idol” Purple Cure Sword and the later Cure, Cure Ace, who…seems so bizarre at times she almost feels like a troll character than a legitimate one. (see how she’s introduced and this season’s movie) The Selfishness villains aren’t much to write home about at times despite trying a bit too hard, with only Regina feeling like a truly memorable threat; and some of the twists are questionable. Larryb fucked around with this message at 13:51 on Jul 27, 2019 |
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Jul 27, 2019 12:43
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Part 2: 11. Happiness Charge Pretty Cure (2014-2015) Story: When a Pandora’s Box is opened revealing a threat from the past, a God releases an entire worldwide movement of Cures to take them down; however the greatest team of Cures to face this threat down comes together when a weak Cure princess uses the last of this God’s power to empower a girl meant to be her new friend and partner. Why Watch: Also somewhat made as an anniversary season (for the 10th of Futari), this season shows a lot of ambition with it’s ideas and concepts, keeping it simple but also working to try and create something bigger and grander than your typical Cure season. The concepts of the worldwide Cure movement allows for much more diversity and a bigger set of stakes in this season which likewise remains on Earth full time, showing the growing friendship and partnership of the duo of Cure Princess and the “partner” she makes, Cure Lovely, while bringing in other twists regarding the situation at hand. The strength of the season is mostly in the views of perspectives, particularly regarding the truth of the Phantom Empire and the one who is controlling it, creating a rather cosmic finale that still finds time for personal emotions. There’s also a neat form change element that while mostly used on mooks, allows for a nice gimmick for the girls. Things to Note: Like Yes! 5, the most infamous element of this season is in aspects of relationships, whether it be Cure Lovely with a guy who may like her or, even worse, with the God Blue, who is the main mentor of the season and who basically leads to a more forbidden love element that feels somewhat ridiculous (even if it somewhat hints towards elements of the season). Blue is also possibly the worst mentor in the entire franchise and at least 90% of the core conflict of the series is basically his fault. Likewise, while the worldwide Cure movement is important, it almost feels like an afterthought outside adding in some variety to the team over time. Plus, the Cures themselves almost feel like some of the strangest of the franchise, whether it’s the Pink over-obsessed in finding happiness for others, the Blue who overdoes the whole “I’M NOT A WIMP!” angle, and the Yellow who shows up a bit later but is there from the beginning and has many, many things that one can wonder regarding how they thought she was a good idea. (there are so many questions regarding Cure Honey that really you have to see the season to make your own decision on her). As such, Purple is the only character with a consistent arc in the series (Blue sort of does too but it's kind of rushed to a conclusion by the writers fairly quickly). 12. Go! Princess Pretty Cure (2015-2016) Story: After a chance encounter with a mysterious boy in her childhood encourages her to follow her dreams, a girl decides she wants to be a princess and follows said dream from then on, ultimately enrolling in an academy for noble ladies where she stands out and ultimately becomes a princess Cure courtesy of said boy (who turns out to be an extra-dimensional prince) to fight warriors who bring despair. Why Watch: In some respects, this season is an updated, meatier Yes! 5 in following a similar formula but getting a bit more out of the concept. Instead of five Cures in a private academy, we instead start with a trio and a large, diverse school population whom allow for the Cures to interact with and protect their dreams (HeartCatch-style) from the despair bringing villains. The main trio range from our princess-obsessed lead, Cure Flora; the elegant but somewhat lost class leader Cure Mermaid; and the standout model-in-training (and doughnut obsessed) Cure Twinkle; while the class support is headlined in particular with one girl whose there from the beginning and plays an active role in the Cure’s saga without actually becoming one herself. The villains of the despair-bringing DysDark are rather bizarre but notable in their own right from punks to dandies to brats and even their own mysterious female warrior, the main villainess’ daughter Twilight, who seems to somehow use similar gimmicks to the Cures themselves as if she is one. Things to Note: The similarities with HeartCatch can be both a good and bad thing, with a similar situation of creating random MotW that mean nothing to the main narrative other than to give the Cures something to fight; while some of the dream elements can seem questionable, particularly with Cure Flora and why she wants to be a princess to begin with. Likewise, the season seems to push this idea of “Princess Lessons” for the entire team, when it’s really just the main character who undergoes them and leads to a certain fairy that is way more annoying than most of the main fairies who aren’t as powerful but still worthy members of the cast. Some of the plot beats seem to come and go a bit too quickly at times (including a self proclaimed rival character for the Yellow who just disappears for some reason between her debut and the final arc of the show), while the endgame does feel less grand than it should be considering things. 13. Maho Girls (Mahotsukai) Pretty Cure (2016-2017) Story: One day, a girl from our world meets a witch-in-training from a parallel “Magic World”, both of whom possess a strange gemstone which, when threatened, transform them (by means of a teddy bear come to life as a medium) into legendary mages who must defend both their worlds together from a squadron of dark mages who wish to bring about darkness and chaos. Why Watch: For the most part, this season is “what if Harry Potter was a magical girl series”; and in that regards it’s actually way better than it sounds. This series revels in the world of magic and all things about it, with a rather meaty and fun alternate universe by which the main Cure, Cure Miracle, must protect and even learn in to be able to use her powers to stop the possible dark threats with her partner, Cure Magical. The magic elements are done extremely well and it throws interesting twists to the formula of the franchise, such as a more typical “fantasy” fairy being one the duo raise as their daughter and the typical “Cure” fairy being Miracle’s now-sentient teddy bear, Mofurun. Instead of multiple Cures, we get form changes that are rather diverse in usage from generic magic to fisticuffs to elemental powers to an unexpectedly useful Green Lantern-esque power using candy; though we do get another Cure later that’s tied to the main lore of the season better than you’d expect. The Magic-side cast are extremely well used; and while this season has two sets of villains, they are used effectively well to show the growing threat that feels like something you’d expect from Lovecraft horror than this franchise. Also because of this, the three Cures we do get have a much closer relationship with each other (feeling more like a legitimate family rather than simply just partners and friends as is the case in most seasons). Things to Note: Your mileage may vary in regards to the Cures themselves (Miracle is a bit too dependent on her girlfriend and never really gains a particular goal of her own aside from wanting to study magic while Felice's constantly peppy attitude can sometimes get on your nerves. Magical is fine for the most part though). Likewise while the Magic World cast is well done, the human cast of the main world tend to fall down flat comparatively, and with maybe one exception sort of feel like an afterthought. While the villains tend to be done well done this season, some members aren’t quite as good and just feel generic compared to the stand-outs of this season. Also, a lot of the important elements regarding the main villain of the first half aren't really explained until the second-half, thus making their downfall feel rather inconclusive and almost feel like he was removed for something interesting when it was part of the plan. 14. KiraKira Pretty Cure a la Modé (2017-2018) Story: A wannabe patisserie teams up with a pair of fairies (who, like in HeartCatch, once again come from our world as opposed to another dimension) whose home was attacked by the bad guys and all their friends scattered. It’s now up to said girl and her friends (most of whom are total strangers to start with) to stop said villains from stealing all the “kirakiraru” (more on that later) from the world while running their own patisserie shop on the side. Why Watch: The main cast is really fun for the most part (Pink is an energetic girl who loves baking and is always coming up with new ideas, Yellow is a science geek with an encyclopedic knowledge of sweets, Blue is another rich girl but chooses to forgo the usual trope in favor of being an aspiring punk rock musician complete with her own band, Red & Purple are essentially a nicer, more child friendly version of Haruka and Michiru from Sailor Moon and the Green Extra Cure is a fairy turned famous patisserie who owns a shop of her own). The suit design is unique as well with each Cure having an outfit that combines a specific dessert with the look and powers of an animal (Pink: whipped cream rabbit, Yellow: flan squirrel, Blue: ice cream lion, Red: chocolate fox, Purple: macaroon cat, Green: parfait unicorn). Most of the villains aren’t anything to write home about but without getting into spoilers one of them (Bibury) is probably one of the best characters in the entire show. Surprisingly, there are also actually very few MOTW in this series aside from the initial few episodes. Instead, a few of the enemy generals have a transforming gimmick that basically serves the same purpose. Things to Note: The show doesn’t really have a plot or even a reoccurring villain until about 12 episodes in, the plot itself is fairly thin and some aspects are poorly explained (for example, what “kirakiraru” actually is. I think it’s supposed to be the physical representation of the love that goes into making the sweets but all stealing it appears to do is take away the color). Physical combat is also basically nonexistent, replaced by attacking monsters with magic wands that shoot out streams of sugar (most of the Cures do have some kind of signature attack as well though). 15. Hugtto Pretty Cure (2018-2019) Story: A girl aspiring to become more mature begins her first day of middle school and winds up getting thrown into the middle of a new conflict when a talking hamster and mysterious infant crash land in her bedroom. It seems the two came from the future where an evil corporation has all but destroyed their world. Said corporation has also traveled through time and has now set their sights on the present. Using special crystals to transform into Precure, it’s up to the girl, her two classmates, and later a safety conscious child who loves music and an android from the future to protect the world and act as surrogate mothers to the infant they now find themselves saddled with (all while helping their new hamster friend run a salon and dealing with their own lives and aspirations on the side). Why Watch: For a Japanese show, Hugtto contains some surprisingly progressive writing (the central message of the show is literally “You can do anything! You can be anything!). For example, there’s a male character on the show who likes wearing women’s clothes and cares little about “traditional” gender roles. This character is never treated as a stereotype or the butt of a joke and even briefly becomes a Cure himself later on. The characters are also fun (for the most part) on both sides and the main protagonist is basically Mirai from Maho Girls done right with a little bit of Miyuki from Smile tossed in for good measure. The series also sees a return to the physical combat that had been sorely lacking in the past few years. Things to Note: The plot is decent but poorly executed in some areas. Also, I understand this was not the intention but the main villain’s obsession with our Pink of the season kind of makes him come off as a creepy pedophile at times. Aside from being based on various careers (cheerleader, nurse, flight attendant, Lolita rockstar), the suit design is kind of all over the place and doesn’t really have many cohesive elements to tie them together (as a result, nearly every Cure looks like she stepped out of a different season). As part of the 15th anniversary celebration, they devoted four episodes to some crossover material between Hugtto and the previous Cures (the first being a team up with Nagisa and Honoka from Futari Wa and the second being a mini All Stars movie in episode form). While fun, these do kind of distract from the main plot and either should have been the basis of the entire show ala Gokaiger or done away with entirely and replaced by some more subtle homages instead. Also the Futari duo doesn’t really get to do much in the first set of episodes (though they make up for this with a full length movie later on) and in the second a fight with one of the enemy generals is arguably treated with more gravitas than the show’s actual final battle. 16. Star Twinkle Pretty Cure (2019-2020) Story: An energetic girl who loves space and the supernatural has her dream come true when an alien girl, tiny octopus, and mouse suddenly land in her neighborhood. Some time earlier, 12 Princesses based on the Zodiac responsible for maintaining order in the universe were attacked by a group of interstellar invaders. The Princesses channeled their power into special Star Pens which were then scattered across the cosmos. Now it’s up to the aforementioned girl, her new alien friends, the two most popular girls in her school and later a feline space thief (who also happens to be the sole survivor of her home planet) to use the power of IMAGINATION to scour the galaxy, recover the Princess’s power and restore peace. Why Watch: In my opinion Star Twinkle is one of the best seasons in a while with a good cast (on the hero side at least), great action and thanks to the plot involving the girls traveling back and forth between Earth and space we wind up with a lot more unique locations than your average Precure season. We also have a unique cast with two non-human members as well as our very first dark skinned Cure. Even the families of the various Cures seem a bit more dysfunctional than normal this time around which makes things feel a tad more realistic. Though they’ve become a bit more prevalent lately it also takes several episodes early on before we even see our first MOTW. We’re still only about halfway in at present but the plot has been genuinely intriguing so far with a lot of potential threads being set up (time will tell if those manage to be resolved in a satisfying manner of course). Things to Note: The Green and Purple Cures are the clear stars of the show (and with recent episodes you can probably add Blue to that list as well) and seem to get the most focus so far (with the former sometimes even getting major roles in episodes that are explicitly not supposed to be about her) while Yellow and strangely enough Pink to a lesser extent have barely gotten any individual development at all (the former is basically just a Hispanic version of Nao from Smile minus the competitive streak). This could possibly change later down the road though. The villains aren’t really anything special either with a small handful of exceptions (and at least one of those is already gone now). The whole Space Yokai aspect they’ve got going on is interesting though. Larryb fucked around with this message at 16:28 on Jul 27, 2019 |
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Jul 27, 2019 13:06
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Festival episode actually had plot points. And Funny Yuni faces. MANY FUNNY YUNI FACES Also a huge rear end plot thread tease too
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Jul 28, 2019 00:58
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Star Twinkle 25: It's a Japanese summer festival. You've seen them in anime, you've seen them in Precure, and this one follows many of the same plot beats. Yuni doesn't kill steal this time, allowing the Southern Cross to be used one more time. Though the main thing I got from this episode was how much Lala was showing Yuni around. She's gone native to Earth, and is nearly as familiar with its traditions as an actual Japanese person. Which makes for an interesting contrast when someone from her planet (her brother?) is able to make a connection to her ship and send a transmission to Earth. Next week is a pajama party, but if it's like Hugtto, that usually means something more dramatic is just around the corner. Especially if Lala's homeworld is finally showing itself in the plot. Welp we’ve met everybody else’s family, guess now it’s Lala’s turn Still no change to the OP but if I recall correctly Hugtto took a while to incorporate MaCherie and Amour into theirs as well. Wonder if they’re holding off until another major character is introduced or something. Either way it’s still weird to see Yuni and Bakenyan still being treated as separate characters. I’m also very curious as to where Aiwan went after episode 21 as it’s mostly just been Kappard and Tenjou as the villains of the week for the past few installments. Larryb fucked around with this message at 01:16 on Jul 28, 2019 |
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Jul 28, 2019 01:04
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Plot summaries for the next few episodes confirm that was indeed Lala’s older brother who contacted her. The Precure will be visiting her home planet next week
Larryb fucked around with this message at 02:44 on Jul 28, 2019 |
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Jul 28, 2019 02:41
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Subs are out for Episode 25, it seems Yuni is currently homeless and lives in the woods. Also, apparently Tenjou doesn’t even need a victim to create her suped-up Nottreis. Yuni has some good faces in this one, meets Sakurako which I hope gets revisited later (still want her to become a Cure at some point honestly), and she and Lala have a nice little chat about their respective experiences. We’ve already met the families of the other 4 Cures (if Yuni’s explanation in 21 is to be taken literally then the leader of her people somehow birthed her entire race) so next time (or in two weeks to be exact as the next episode appears to primarily take place en route to her home planet) it looks like it’s Lala’s turn as the guy contacting them at the end is apparently her older brother. Still curious where Aiwan ran off to though (or if Darknest and/or Galogre will finally get off their rear end and actually do something any time soon). At the very least I hope the NotRaiders get some new blood soon as bouncing back and forth between Kappard and Tenjou (or in this case, Tenjou twice in a row) is going to get old real fast. It’s also sort of unfortunate that our first non-white (or darker skinned to be exact since they’re all technically Japanese) Cure in history is also the one with the least amount of focus right now (though I’m still not sure what they’ve got planned for Hikaru now that we know her dad’s actually a pretty cool guy and doesn’t appear to be hiding anything) but hopefully that may change in the future. Fun Fact: Lala’s brother who appeared at the end of this episode is apparently named Lolo. Wonder if that was an intentional reference Larryb fucked around with this message at 04:05 on Jul 30, 2019 |
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Jul 29, 2019 11:59
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Some new episode titles are out: 27: The Ocean Planet! Become a Mermaid and Swim Swim 28: Burning Heart! A Craftsman’s Flare and Rocket Repair 29: I’m Home~lun: Planet Saman in a Depressed State Seems like we’ll be mucking around in space for a bit before the gang finally reaches Lala’s homeworld in Episode 29. Also, considering she apparently just lives in the woods by herself at the moment I’m kind of curious if Yuni will eventually enroll in Hikaru’s school as per the usual pattern or if they’re going to do something different with her. On another note, in addition to a large chunk of the Sailor Moon cast (between the original and Crystal that is) being in Precure, the actors for a few prominent characters in One Piece have also lent their voices to the franchise: Luffy: Ira (DokiDoki) Nami: Foop (Splash Star), Hosshiwa (Happiness Charge) Usopp: Flappy (Splash Star) Chopper: Candy (Smile) Robin: Ichika’s mom in KiraKira Tashigi: Harry (Hugtto, in his hamster form at any rate) Vivi: Northa (Fresh) Rob Lucci: Mepple (Futari Wa) Boa Hancock: Hummy (Suite), and to be honest I somehow only just now realized that Hancock was played by Sailor Moon's VA. And possibly more I’m forgetting. On that note, I would personally love to see a Precure fairy/villain voiced by Kazuki Yao one day. Speaking of actors, Tsubomi’s VA also played Cheelai in the recent Dragon Ball Super movie as well as being the voice of Hinata in the Naruto series. Additionally, Regina was the voice of Shippo In Inuyasha, Tomoki/Tommy in Digimon Frontier, and one of the Amazon Quartet in Sailor Moon SuperS as well as a MOTW in the first season. Larryb fucked around with this message at 05:33 on Aug 1, 2019 |
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Jul 31, 2019 18:38
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Guess who's finally in the OP! They integrated her in really well too, IMO.
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Aug 4, 2019 01:09
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Star Twinkle 26: This week on Astra Lost in Space (which, coincidentally, Fuwa and Kappard's VAs are both in), it turns out the reason we're getting a bunch of detours before visiting Lala's home is Hikaru and Fuwa's fault. Hikaru was so excited about visiting Lala's homeworld that she was like a kid waiting for Christmas, and caused her and Fuwa to stay up all night, botching the warp. This leads to a fun pajama party, where it turns out Hikaru and Madoka love cheesy B-movies, Elena and Lala can't stand them, and Yuni sleeps through them. Then the team encounters a cute crab alien named Yanyan voiced by Asuka Nishi (Shinobu in Kiniro Mosaic). Also, Lala's twin older brother Lolo (wonder if that was an intentional reference) is voiced by Souma Saitou (Utsumi in SSSS.Gridman) It's a fun episode that sets up for next week's trip to a planet where everyone becomes mermaids, and Aiwan shows her face for the first time since Cosmo's debut. And as mentioned above they finally got around to putting Cosmo in the opening (which also features a shot of Aiwan wearing a yellow cloak). On a side note, a group has apparently begun work on a fandub of Go Princess and released the first episode a little while ago, you can find it here: https://facebook.com/xprecurefandub Some of the voice acting could use a bit of work but not a bad effort overall. Finally, here’s the obligatory summer group picture: 
Larryb fucked around with this message at 04:24 on Aug 5, 2019 |
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Aug 4, 2019 01:17
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Thinking about it a bit more I now have a new theory in regards to Star Twinkle. Darknest isn’t Hikaru’s dad...he’s Madoka’s. As we know, Darknest’s goal is to wipe out all traces of imagination and independent thought in the universe. Meanwhile, Fuyuki (Madoka’s dad) is a cold, emotionally distant man who expects total perfection and honesty from his daughter and is both verbally and emotionally abusive to her (we’ve seen from early episodes that she’s literally afraid of him). He also seems to be somewhat knowledgeable about aliens and appears hellbent on continuing his investigation. We also don’t know exactly how long the NotRaiders have been around but their members appear to have been conscripted from various planets. I’m not sure whether it’s possession, some sort of Jekyll and Hyde thing that even he isn’t aware of or if Darknest is some kind of avatar that’s being controlled remotely (Fuyuki does have access to a lot of high tech equipment and could probably pull something like that off) but the pieces do kind of fit. Also Toei seems to be purposefully hiding the name of Darknest’s VA at the moment which kind of makes me think that it’s somebody we’ve heard before in this series. There also seems to be a bit of a filter masking said voice. Time will tell of course. Even if that doesn’t turn out to be true I still fully expect there to be some kind of confrontation between Madoka and her father before the end of the series. I originally it might be Hikaru's dad early on since he's into space and the supernatural, plus up until recently the show seemed like it was being purposefully vague regarding him. But after actually meeting the man and discovering that he's basically just a male version of his daughter who loves his family quite a bit despite only seeing them once a year I realized that Madoka's father fit the bill a little better. Sure, it's kind of a repeat of HeartCatch but I think it could possibly work. I also initially thought that it was going to turn out that Hikaru was half alien and the reason her dad couldn't visit that often was because someone discovered him (the rules of space travel in this series seem to be that if someone discovers you're an alien then you are legally demanded to leave the planet immediately, though that particular rule only seems to apply to Earth for some reason). Larryb fucked around with this message at 23:05 on Aug 5, 2019 |
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Aug 5, 2019 11:39
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Out of curiosity, are any other groups still subbing Star Twinkle currently? Overtime’s release seems particularly late this week for whatever reason.
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Aug 8, 2019 20:11
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I just know about Anon's and Overtime's. Anon's is usually up a lot quicker.
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Aug 8, 2019 23:44
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Pikestaff posted:I just know about Anon's and Overtime's. Anon's is usually up a lot quicker. Do you happen to know the link to Anon’s site?
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Aug 8, 2019 23:51
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they don't have one, they just upload it to the resident hub for [FILES]
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Aug 9, 2019 02:32
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Good to know, and speaking of which their version of Episode 26 is out if anyone was curious and doesn’t want to wait for OT. Also here’s the new opening from said episode: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Q18wEH462Rk Not only is Yuni incorporated into it properly now but we also see that Aiwan is not only still with the NotRaiders but is now wearing a yellow cloak for some reason (maybe she’s switched over from science to witchcraft now). Either way, she’ll finally be making her reentrance into the series in this Saturday’s episode.
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Aug 9, 2019 02:48
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Lala's family: Starting from the left we have Kaka (her mom), Toto (her dad), and Lolo (her older brother). Larryb fucked around with this message at 14:02 on Aug 9, 2019 |
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Aug 9, 2019 13:02
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Star Twinkle 27: "How many atmospheres can this ship withstand?" "Well, it's a spaceship, so I'd say anywhere between zero and one." This week on Mermaid Melody Pichipichi Pitch, everything's better down where it's wetter. I think the last time something even remotely like this happened was in Smile, though thankfully Lala's electricity doesn't cause the same problems that Yayoi's did. This also proves that Prunce is a Yanyandere. He gets mushy when anything involves Yanyan, and will push himself for her. It's a peaceful episode, reminiscent of the Seaside Kingdom from Mario Odyssey. Then Aiwan shows up. Not only did she hijack Yuni's ship (and still has a grudge against her), she gave it a custom paint job and configured it so that it can transform into a robot. That's apparently her gimmick now that the Star Pens are just about running out. It's a fun episode, but only part one of two on this waterworld. Next time: It really is the Seaside Kingdom! Also apparently Overtime’s main translator for the series was busy last week but hopefully Episode 26 will be out before long (Anon has already released their version of the episode though). Considering there’s only two pens left (and they’re already in pursuit of Cancer) I’m wondering what’s going to happen when the hunt is finally complete (unless the others get stolen/lost somehow and put them back at square one, but it seems a bit late in the game for them to reset the clock at this point). Based on toy scans there’s also apparently a red Star Pendant out there that has yet to be introduced (though whether it’s actually tied to a Sixth Cure or is just some kind of powerup remains to be seen). If it’s the former I’d kind of like to see it go to Sakurako personally, though another alien would give us an even split among the team. Finally I’m curious if Yuni is actually going to start attending school with Hikaru and the others at some point or if they’re actually going to forgo that particular trope this time (she currently appears to be living like a hermit in the woods when she’s not with her team). Larryb fucked around with this message at 01:56 on Aug 11, 2019 |
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Aug 11, 2019 01:12
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I hope Uni just stays feral. Lala goes to school, but Uni's gonna learn how to Earth in the woods with some wolves and just gets called when they need a sixth ranger.
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Aug 11, 2019 03:18
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blossommirage posted:I hope Uni just stays feral. Lala goes to school, but Uni's gonna learn how to Earth in the woods with some wolves and just gets called when they need a sixth ranger. Her never integrating into Earth society and just popping up when needed would be an interesting change of pace at the very least (she’s mostly just using the Precure as a means to an end at the moment after all). That said, it might be fun to see her interact with some of the supporting cast like Sakurako a bit more though. On another note, we’re almost at the 30 episode mark and Elena still desperately needs some character development aside from just being a Hispanic version of Nao from Smile minus the competitive streak. Also now that we know her dad’s a decent guy I honestly have no idea what they have planned for Hikaru going forward either.
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Aug 11, 2019 03:44
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Subs are out for Episode 27 (Anon’s version). It seems that Aiwan is no longer part of the NotRaiders (for now anyway, she’s still shown with them in the opening wearing a yellow cloak so we’ll have to see what that’s about) and is now solely focused on personal revenge. With only two pens left it appears she’s picked up a new gimmick for creating monsters as well by using canisters filled with her own malice to turn things into robots (as demonstrated on Yuni’s ship in this episode). Larryb fucked around with this message at 21:54 on Aug 11, 2019 |
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Aug 11, 2019 21:51
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Overtime has finally released their versions of 26 and 27. On another note, here’s a list of most of the name puns/meanings used in Precure. I’m mostly limiting this to Cures, Cure-like allies, and MOTW so if there are any other notable ones (or if I made a mistake with any of these) feel free to chime in: Futari Wa/Max Heart: Nagisa Misumi: literally “Beautiful Ink Shore”. The dub went for a more literal pun and renamed her Natalie Blackstone Honoka Yukishiro: Can be translated as “Snow Castle Spike Fragrance”, “Snow Castle Harmony Flower” or “Snow White Spike Flower”. Called Hannah Whitehouse in the English dub (Hannah means “grace” in Hebrew). Hikari Kujo: “Nine Lights”. The last name could be a reference to the Queen splitting herself into multiple parts (also the Japanese word for queen is “Jouou”) Zakenna: Comes from “zakennayo”, a Japanese curse that basically means “Don’t mess with me” or in context, “gently caress you” (kind of a weird thing to put in a kids show but there you go). Splash Star: Saki Hyuuga: roughly, “Blooming Towards the Sun” Mai Mishou: “Beautiful Flying Dance” Michiru Kiryuu: “Full Pure Mist” Kaoru Kiryuu: “Pure Mist Scent” Uzaina: “It’s annoying” Yes 5/GoGo: Nozomi Yumehara: “Hope Dream Field” Rin Natsuki: “Dignified Summer Tree” Urara Kasugano: “Bright Beauty of a Spring Day” Komachi Akimoto: “Autumn Belle” Karen Minazuki: “June’s Purity” Milk/Kurumi Mimino: Written backwards her human name spells out “miruku no mimi” or “Milk’s ears”. Kowaina: “Frightening” Fresh: Love Momozono: Momozono means “peach orchard” Miki Aono: “The Blue Beautiful Hope” Inori Yamabuki: “Faith Mountain Blow”. Yamabuki is also used to refer to a kind of yellow flower known as Japanese Kerria Setsuna Higashi/Eas: “Eastern Sadness”. Her Labyrinth name is just a shortened version of the English word “East” (all the generals in Fresh except Klein are named after the four cardinal directions). Nakewameke: “To cry out” Nakesakebe: “To cry out in anguish” Sorewatase: “Give me that” HeartCatch: Tsubomi Hanasaki: “Blooming Flower Bud” Erika Kurumi: “Coming Sea Spring Heathers” Itsuki Myoudouin: “Bright Magnificent Timber Tree” Yuri Tsukikage: “Moonlight Lilly” Kaoruko Hanasaki: “Blooming Flower Child” On a side note, all the fairies in this series are named after fragrances (except Coupe who’s name comes from a type of car). Suite: Hibiki Hojo: “North Line Echo” Kanade Minamino: “South Field Performance” Siren/Ellen Kurokawa: Her fairy name is a reference to creatures from Greek mythology that used their songs to lure sailors to their death. Her human name literally means “Electric Black River”. Ako Shirabe: “Playing Acoustic Music” Smile: Myuki Hoshizora: “The Starry Sky of Happiness”. Her dub name Emily also sort of fits as it’s the feminine form of Emil which means “eager”. Akane Hino: “Madder Red Sun Field”. Her English name Kelsey means “Brave”. Yayoi Kise: “Yellow River Rapids March”. Her English name Lily comes from the flower of the same name and can mean “pure” or “innocent”. Nao Midorikawa: “Green River Straight”. She’s ironically given the name April in the dub (with Cure March being changed to Glitter Spring) but it still fits the theme regardless. Reika Aoki: “Elegant Blue Tree”. Her English name Chloe means “Fresh Blooming” in Greek. Ayumi Sakagami (New Stage 1 happened during Smile so I’m just shoving her in here): “Walking Uphill” Akanbe: The act of pulling one’s eyelid down and sticking out their tongue. DokiDoki: Mana Aida: “The Love Between People” (Aida also means “helpful” in Italian). Her English name Maya means “illusion” or “magic” and is an alternate name of the Hindu goddess Durga. Rikka Hishikawa: “Six Flower Diamond River”. Her English name Rachel means “One with Purity” in Hebrew. Alice Yotsuba: “Noble Four Leaves” (Alice could also be a reference to Alice in Wonderland, which also involved a card kingdom). Her dub name Clara means “bright” or “famous” Makoto Kenzaki: “Sincere Sword”. Her English name Mackenzie means “fire born” or “child of the wise ruler” Aguri Madoka: Aguri means “Last Daughter” and Madoka can mean “circle” (it’s also an alternate name for Japanese yen). Her English name Natalie is a Latin word meaning “Christmas Day”. Regina: the Latin word for “queen”, which fits in with the whole card theme the team has going on. Also if you remove the “R” and the “I” her name is an anagram of “Ange”. Jikochuu: “Selfish” Happiness Charge: Megumi Aino: “Love’s Blessing” Hime Shirayuki: “Princess Snow White”, it’s also literally the Japanese title of that particular fairy tale. Yuko Omori: “The Great Forest of a Fertile Child” Iona Hikawa: “Blessed/Violet Glacier” Maria Hikawa: Maria can mean “wished for child” or “star of the sea” Saiark: “Terrible”, though I also like the translation the subs I watched used “Terribad”. Go Princess: Haruka Haruno: “Spring Flower” Minami Kaido: “Beautiful Ocean Wave” (Minami also means “South”) Kirara Amanogawa: “Sparkly Milky Way” Towa Akagi: “Eternal Crimson Dragon” Zetsuborg: “Despair Cyborg” Maho Girls: Mirai Asahina: “Future Day” Riko Izayoi: Riko means “jasmine/truthful child” while Izayoi means “sixteen day moon”. Ha-chan/Hanami Kotoha: Her real name means “leaf” while her human name is roughly “Flower Sea Spell” Mofurun: “Fluffy” basically. Yokubaru: To Covet KiraKira: Ichika Usami: “Beautiful Strawberry Flower”. Usami could also be a play on “Usagi” or “rabbit”. Himari Arisugawa: “Sunny Village River”, her last name also contains the word “risu” (squirrel). Aoi Tategami: Literally “Blue Mane” Yukari Kotozume: “Violet Harp Claw” Akira Kenjou: “Bright Sword Castle” (“ken” can also be used in place of “inu” when referring to dog breeds) Kirarin/Ciel Kirahoshi: “Glittering Starry Sky” (kira can also mean “fine clothes”) Pekorin: Japanese onomatopoeia meaning a quick bow (“pekopeko” also means “very hungry”) Lumiere: French word for “light” Pikario/Rio Kuroki: Rio can mean “center” while Kuroki means “Black Tree” Hugtto: Hana Nono: “Wildflower” Saaya Yakushiji: Saaya: “Blooming Love”, Yakushiji: “Temple of Doctors” Homare Kagayaki: “Sparkling Reputation” Emiru Aisaki: “Small Peninsula of True Love” Ruru/Lulu Amour: “Owl Love” or “Pearl Love” depending on which version of her first name you prefer. Henri Wakamiya: Henri: “Home Ruler”, Wakamiya: “Young Imperial Prince”. Oshimaida: “It’s the end” Star Twinkle: Hikaru Hoshina: “Bright Star” Lala Hagoromo: “Wing Robed Song Princess” Elena Amamiya: “Shining Bright Sky Shrine” Madoka Kaguya: “Round Eternal Arrow” (Kaguya is also derived from the moon princess of the same name from Japanese folklore). Yuni/Uni: Shorthand for “universe”. When spelled “Yuni” it can also mean connection or union. Larryb fucked around with this message at 01:49 on Aug 13, 2019 |
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Aug 12, 2019 02:38
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Larryb posted:(the rules of space travel in this series seem to be that if someone discovers you're an alien then you are legally demanded to leave the planet immediately, though that particular rule only seems to apply to Earth for some reason). I assume it's Star Trek Prime Directive rules. If the planet is capable of interstellar travel you're cool to visit it and let it be known you're an alien, but if they haven't then you have to be secretive.
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Aug 15, 2019 22:48
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Twelve by Pies posted:I assume it's Star Trek Prime Directive rules. If the planet is capable of interstellar travel you're cool to visit it and let it be known you're an alien, but if they haven't then you have to be secretive. That makes sense, yeah. I’m also sort of curious what’s going on with Aiwan now, in the most recent episode we learn that she’s no longer part of the NotRaiders and is now solely out for revenge. However she’s also shown still with the other generals in the new opening wearing a yellow cloak. Her acting as a separate threat for the time being could be interesting though with her now serving as a more personal rival to Yuni (also I could see them doing an episode where the two of them have to begrudgingly team up again to get out of a bad situation). We’ll see of course.
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Aug 15, 2019 23:10
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So I’ve been going through the Precure dubs lately (DokiDoki is done and I’m currently on the home stretch of Futari and Smile) and while it’s not great by any stretch I will say that Glitter Force is not quite as terrible as I’d been lead to believe. The voice acting is decent, when it’s not making stupid jokes the translation is faithful enough for the most part and a lot of the darker moments are actually kept more or less intact. Also the Happy Robo episode of Smile is hilarious in both languages and dub Regina is about as spot on as you can get. Out of curiosity though, why does the screen just randomly dim at times during certain fight scenes? Despite them shrinking the series down to 30 episodes for some strange reason I actually thought the DokiDoki adaption was a little better than Smile’s. The stupid added jokes aren’t quite as prevalent, they eventually learn to shut up during transformation sequences/quiet moments, and as I mentioned a lot of the darker moments are kept more or less intact from the original (I also don’t mind them changing Sword to Spade and Rosetta to Clover, it helps match the card theme a little better). That said, there are a lot of weird cuts in there as well such as Rikka discovering that Mana was a Precure (we just open the second episode with her already knowing), most of Rikka’s character arc in general being gone, Bel killing his fellow generals is still there but the arc that followed with him controlling Ira and Marmo through special rings is completely gone, the episode where the girls get their angel powerup is gone (though they’re still shown using said powerup later), and for some reason they cut Jonathan’s backstory almost completely (just saying that Marie Ange was his fiancée and leaving it at that) but later leave King Selfish’s story entirely untouched (including the part where his daughter was literally dying). That said, I actually wouldn’t mind seeing another attempt to bring Precure to the west one day but I’m not sure if Hasbro has any experience dubbing anime and you’d really have to market the hell out of it in order to make it work. Alternatively you could give the license back to Ocean Group who handled the Canadian-exclusive Futari dub. Incidentally, why was that never brought over to the US anyway? I know 4Kids had the license at one point but never ended up doing anything with it (which is probably for the best really) Larryb fucked around with this message at 15:06 on Aug 17, 2019 |
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Aug 17, 2019 14:54
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Larryb posted:they eventually learn to shut up during transformation sequences/quiet moments I'll never understand why American TV producers think that there has to be someone talking at all times.
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Aug 17, 2019 19:10
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Twelve by Pies posted:I'll never understand why American TV producers think that there has to be someone talking at all times. Yeah, I’m not a big fan of dubs that feel the need to fill every scene with mindless chatter (even when there was no dialogue in the original). The Smile adaption did this pretty much all the time. Also since Glitter Force was exclusive to Netflix there was no real no reason for them not to adapt every episode (hell, they left in arguably much darker stuff than they actually cut). To be fair though, the episode of Smile where the girls were preforming at a comedy show probably wouldn’t have worked quite as well in English. Changing Alice to Clara was also kind of weird (Mackenzie Mack is a good name though). Larryb fucked around with this message at 19:28 on Aug 17, 2019 |
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Aug 17, 2019 19:18
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