History Anime / PrettyCure

* GroupPictureEnding: From Anime/SuitePrecure onwards, the final episode of every season ends like this as a way to thank the viewers.

* '''''Anime/Anime/SoaringSkyPrecure''''' marks the franchise's twentieth anniversary. Aspiring hero Sora Harewataru travels to the capital of Sky Land to further pursue her ambition, but gets sidetracked when she witnesses the abduction of the infant Princess Elle by an agent of the Underg Empire. Without missing a beat, Sora springs into action and rescues the child. In the process, the two pass through a portal and [[GravityIsAHarshMistress quite literally]] drop into Sorashido City, Earth. Kabaton, the aforementioned agent of the Underg Empire, pursues them to take Elle back, but Sora refuses to back down, even in the face of being overpowered by Kabaton's Ranborg. That determination is what allows Elle to awaken the power of Precure within her, resulting in Sora transforming into Cure Sky. Sora and Elle find assistance and shelter with the help of the gentle Mashiro Nijigaoka, who soon thereafter awakens to the power of Cure Prism. Over the course of the series, they are joined by the ambitious and scholarly Tsubasa Yuunagi as Cure Wing, and the enthusiastic kintergarden teacher Ageha Hijiri as Cure Butterfly. The four of them protect both Princess Elle and Sorashido City from the Underg Empire with action on a level not seen since the days of ''Futari wa.''

* '''''Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure''''' marks the franchise's twentieth anniversary. Aspiring hero Sora Harewataru travels to the capital of Sky Land to further pursue her ambition, but gets sidetracked when she witnesses the abduction of the infant Princess Elle by an agent of the Underg Empire. Without missing a beat, Sora springs into action and rescues the child. In the process, the two pass through a portal and [[GravityIsAHarshMistress quite literally]] drop into Sorashido City, Earth. Kabaton, the aforementioned agent of the Underg Empire, pursues them to take Elle back, but Sora refuses to back down, even in the face of being overpowered by Kabaton's Ranborg. That determination is what allows Elle to awaken the power of Precure within her, resulting in Sora transforming into Cure Sky. Sora and Elle find assistance and shelter with the help of the gentle Mashiro Nijigaoka, who soon thereafter awakens to the power of Cure Prism. Over the course of the series, they are joined by the ambitious and scholarly Tsubasa Yuunagi as Cure Wing, and the enthusiastic kintergarden teacher Ageha Hijiri as Cure Butterfly. The four of them protect both Princess Elle and Sorashido City from the Underg Empire with action on a level not seen since the days of ''Futari wa.''

Creator/SabanBrands attempted to do what they did for both ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' and the ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' (Super Sentai) and licensed the franchise for the West in late 2015, first dubbing ''Smile'' and rebranding it as ''Glitter Force'', with the show being released on Netflix as a "Netflix Original" (except in selected territories) in 2016. They would later dub ''[=DokiDoki=]!'' the next year and release it as ''Glitter Force Doki-Doki!''. However, Saban Brands eventually sold their assets to Creator/{{Hasbro}} and shut down, with the franchise's international rights returning to Toei Animation, who has no interest in continuing the ''Glitter Force'' brand. Platform/{{Crunchyroll}} now hosts officially subbed versions of ''Futari wa'', ''Kira Kira'', ''Healin' Good'', ''Tropical-Rouge!'', ''Delicious Party'', and ''Hirogaru Sky!'' as part of their lineup, thus bringing the franchise Stateside proper, simulcasting the series starting with ''Healin' Good''.

** ''Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure'': Kabaton and Cure Sky certainly fall under this. Even their final battle is a one-on-one fight between the two.

** White: [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Cure White]][[note]]Like Cure Black, her blue sub-theme color causes her to often be grouped with the blue cures, however there are other white cures that are later introduced.[[/note]], [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar Cure Egret]], [[Anime/SuitePrettyCure Cure Rhythm]], [[Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure Cure Prism]]

** Pink: [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar Cure Bloom]], [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Cure Dream]], [[Anime/FreshPrettyCure Cure Peach]], [[Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure Cure Blossom]], [[Anime/SuitePrettyCure Cure Melody]], [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Cure Happy]], [[Anime/DokiDokiPrettyCure Cure Heart]], [[Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure Cure Lovely]], [[Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure Cure Flora]], [[Anime/MahoGirlsPrecure Cure Miracle]], [[Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode Cure Whip]], [[Anime/HugttoPrettyCure Cure Yell]], [[Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure Cure Star]], [[Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure Cure Grace]], [[Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCure Cure Precious]], [[Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure Cure Butterfly]], [[Anime/WonderfulPrettyCure Cure Wonderful]]

** Blue: [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Cure Aqua]], [[Anime/FreshPrettyCure Cure Berry]], [[Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure Cure Marine]], [[Anime/SuitePrettyCure Cure Beat]], [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Cure Beauty]], [[Anime/DokiDokiPrettyCure Cure Diamond]], [[Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure Cure Princess]], [[Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure Cure Mermaid]], [[Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode Cure Gelato]], [[Anime/HugttoPrettyCure Cure Ange]], [[Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure Cure Cosmo]], [[Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure Cure Fontaine]], [[Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure Cure La Mer]], [[Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCure Cure Spicy]], [[Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure Cure Sky]], [[Anime/WonderfulPrettyCure Cure Nyammy]]
** Purple: [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Milky Rose]], [[Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure Cure Moonlight]], [[Anime/DokiDokiPrettyCure Cure Sword]], [[Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure Cure Fortune]], [[Anime/MahoGirlsPrecure Cure Magical]], [[Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode Cure Macaron]], [[Anime/HugttoPrettyCure Cure Amour]], [[Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure Cure Selene]], [[Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure Cure Earth]], [[Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure Cure Coral]], [[Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure Cure Majesty]], [[Anime/WonderfulPrettyCure Cure Friendy]]
** Orange: [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Cure Sunny]], [[Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure Cure Wing]]

** Out of the main Cures, [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Nagisa and Hikari]], [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar Saki]], [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Rin]], [[Anime/FreshPrettyCure Miki]], [[Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure Tsubomi and Yuri (her case is very odd)]], [[Anime/SuitePrettyCure Kanade]], [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Akane and Nao]], [[Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure Haruka]], [[Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode Akira]], [[Anime/HugttoPrettyCure Hana]], [[Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure Elena]] and [[Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure Sora]] all have younger siblings.
** [[Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure Cure Moonlight]], [[Anime/DokiDokiPrecure Cure Ace]], and [[Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode Cure Macaron and Chocolat]], [[Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure Cure Flamingo]] and [[Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure Cure Butterfly]] count for their teammates in spirit rather than actually being related.

** [[Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure Empress Undergu]] has Skearhead... [[spoiler:only to reveal that the latter ''is'' the BigBad by using her for his own evil plans.]]

** Tsubasa from ''Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure'' is a weird but justified case. He cannot fly in his bird form, as he comes from a tribe of flightless birds. But in his Cure Wing form, he can fly naturally.

** [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Nagisa and Honoka]]. [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar Saki and Mai]]. [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Nozomi and Rin]]. [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Komachi and Karen]]. [[Anime/FreshPrettyCure Love and Setsuna]]. [[Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure Tsubomi and Erika]]. [[Anime/SuitePrettyCure Hibiki and Kanade]]. [[Anime/SuitePrettyCure Siren and Hummy]]. [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Nao and Reika]]. [[Anime/DokiDokiPrecure Mana and Rikka]]. [[Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure Megumi and Hime]], [[Anime/MahoGirlsPrecure Mirai and Riko.]] [[Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode Akira and Yukari]] may as well avert the "heterosexual" bit. [[Anime/HugttoPrettyCure Emiru and Ruru, Henri and Masato.]] [[Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure Hikaru and Lala.]] [[Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure Manatsu and Laura.]] [[Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure Sora and Mashiro.]]

* TheLeader: All the pink Cures with three exceptions: [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Cure Black]] (despite her name, she's retroactively considered pink as it's her sub-color), [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar Cure Bloom/Bright]], [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Cure Dream]], [[Anime/FreshPrettyCure Cure Peach]], [[Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure Cure Blossom]] (who is also TheHeart), [[Anime/SuitePrettyCure Cure Melody]], [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Cure Happy]], [[Anime/DokiDokiPrecure Cure Heart]], [[Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure Cure Lovely]], [[Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure Cure Flora]], [[Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode Cure Whip]] (who doubles as the de facto Manager of their patisserie), [[Anime/HugttoPrettyCure Cure Yell]], [[Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure Cure Star]], [[Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure Cure Grace]], [[Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure Cure Summer]] (rainbow is her main color while pink is her sub-color), [[Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCure Cure Precious]], and [[Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure Cure Sky]] (she's a blue cure while Cure Butterfly is the pink one of their group).

** Those monsters are [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Zakenna]], [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar Uzaina]], [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Kowaina (Hoshina in the sequel)]], [[Anime/FreshPrettyCure Nakewameke, Nakisakebe, Sorewatase, Hohoemina]] (though Hohoemina is harmless, as it's a purified, good version of Nakewameke), [[Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure Desertrian]], [[Anime/SuitePrettyCure Negatone]], [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Akanbe]], [[Anime/DokiDokiPrecure Jikochuu]], [[Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure Saiark]], [[Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure Zetsuborg]], [[Anime/MahoGirlsPrecure Yokubāru and Donyokubāru]], [[Anime/HugttoPrettyCure Oshimaida and Mou-Oshimaida]], [[Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure MegaByogen and GigaByogen]], [[Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure Yaraneda, Zenzen Yaraneda, Zettai Yaraneda and Cho Zettai Yaraneda]], [[Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCure Ubauzo, Motto Ubauzo, Gossori Ubauzo]], [[Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure Lanborg and Kyoborg]].

* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: Starting with ''Go! Princess'', the last or next-to-last episode of each season features a timeskip with older versions of the Pretty Cure team. The only series that make an exception to this formula (for now) are ''Healin' Good'', ''Tropical-Rouge'' and ''Delicious Party''.

* AloofAlly: [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Milky Rose]], [[Anime/SuitePrettyCure Cure Muse, Cure Beat (for a few episodes)]], [[Anime/DokiDokiPrecure Cure Sword, Cure Ace]], [[Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure Cure Fortune]] and [[Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure Cure Cosmo]].

* LateArrivalSpoiler: Every SixthRanger.

* NewTransferStudent: Several Cures start out as this. In chronological order: [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Hikari]], [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar Michiru and Kaoru]] (even if they're not actually Cures), [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Urara and Kurumi]], [[Anime/FreshPrettyCure Setsuna]], [[Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure Tsubomi]], [[Anime/SuitePrettyCure Ellen]], [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Miyuki]], [[Anime/DokiDokiPrecure Makoto]], [[Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure Hime]], [[Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure Towa]], [[Anime/MahoGirlsPrecure Mirai (In Riko's world), Riko (In Mirai's world) and later Kotoha (In both worlds)]], [[Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode Ciel]], [[Anime/HugttoPrettyCure Hana, Ruru]], [[Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure Lala]], and [[Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure Nodoka]], [[Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure Laura]], [[Anime/SoaringSkyPrecure Sora]], [[Anime/WonderfulPrettyCure Mayu and Komugi]].

* NotAllowedToGrowUp: As of 2008, the older Cures have been subjected to this. It's been years since ''[[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Max Heart]]'''s end, but Nagisa, Honoka and Hikari don't look a day older than they were back then. Although it should be noted that this depends only on whether or not you count the ''All Stars'' movies as canon. The character designer of ''Anime/FreshPrettyCure'' actually posted [[http://precure.livejournal.com/3001783.html this art]] of the characters looking seven years older, and starting with ''Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure'', seasons typically have a WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue that involves a timeskip. ''Anime/HugttoPrettyCure'' addresses this for its crossover event, where the side effects of the time travel apparently include de-aging.

* RunningGag: The InASingleBound gag on a new lead Cure's first transformation, and the CrashIntoHello gag when first meeting the mascot.

* TheSmartGuy: Only those who doesn't have a double role. Mostly the blue Cures: [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Cure Aqua]], [[Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure Cure Moonlight]], [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Cure Beauty]], [[Anime/DokiDokiPrecure Cure Diamond]]. [[Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode Cure Custard]], a yellow Cure, is an exception.

** Yui Nagomi meets the ''Tropical Rouge'' Cures when she mistook the riceball cardboard for the real food. Surprisingly, it occurs during [[Main/TheStinger The Stinger]] instead of the episode proper.
** In the same manner as the previous season, Sora Harewataru meets the ''Delicious Party'' team by lending her Mirage Pen in order to write a message to [=CooKingdom=] before their trip. Unlike previous cameos, Sora isn't shown transforming into Cure Sky at all.

** Justified in ''Anime/SmilePrettyCure'', where the blue nosed Akanbe, Super Akanbe and Hyper Akanbe can only be killed by Rainbow Healing, Rainbow Burst and Royal Rainbow Burst, respectively. These have relatively long sequences.

* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Several Pretty Cures are all terrorfied of ghosts. These Cures being. [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Rin]], [[Anime/SuitePrettyCure Ellen]], [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Nao]], [[Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure Minami]], [[Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure Manatsu]] and [[Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCure Amane]].
* WonderTwinPowers: The first three seasons and ''Suite''. ''Heartcatch'' also has this to a lesser extent. ''Mahou Tsukai'' brings this concept back, while ''Hugtto'' uses an interesting take of this by using this on their SixthRanger instead.
* WorldOfTechnicolorHair: While in ''Futari Wa'' the hair colors were pretty normal and only supernatural characters had inhuman colors, starting with ''Splash Star'' and officalized with ''Yes! 5'', natural hair colors that aren't genetically possible in real life, including pink, blue, green, purple, and so on, became the norm rather than the exception, and nobody treats this as unusual.

* LensmanArmsRace: You can expect the Cures to obtain a new power-up, additional Cure, and/or team attack whenever a new general shows up or a new stronger variation of the MonsterOfTheWeek is introduced.
* MegatonPunch: While not as prevalent as the {{diving kick}}s from ''Franchise/KamenRider'', Cures are somewhat associated with punches due to them being Cure Black's main way of fighting till a point ''All Stars'' has several {{Combination Attack}}s in which the Cures punch an enemy together with ''All Stars F'' having the final attack being a punch from all 88 mainline Cures up till that point.

** ''Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure'': The Mermaid Queen. Melusine Muses Mnemosyne.
** ''Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCure'': The [=CooKing=] and [=CooQueen=] of the [=CooKingdom=]. and Ginger
** ''Anime/SoaringSkyPrettyCure'': Princess Elleelain/Cure Noble