Line #25 YMMV/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode


1	* AccidentalInnuendo: The use of cream in the first episode, with a battle resulting in an explosion of cream, the [[http://imgur.com/a/66ec8 move]] that Cure Whip uses to send the villain flying...
2	* AmericansHateTingle:
3	** While ''[=KiraKira=]'' is a ContestedSequel on both sides of the Pacific, the reception is a lot more (if not entirely) forgiving in Japan, where it was commercially successful compared to the previous two seasons and has an active following, as it still gets tons of fanarts to this day, and [[https://twitter.com/precure_15th/status/1752965005312655420 the announcement of releasing the whole season daily on YouTube]] in preparation for the upcoming ''Anime/WonderfulPrettyCure'' was met with excitement from Japanese fans and led some to hope that the upcoming season will have a {{Crossover}} with ''[=KiraKira=]'' thanks to its theme of animals. The non-japanese fans, however, are highly mixed over this season, there is one group that liked it, another one that hated it and even considers it to be one of the (if not ''the'') [[{{Sequelitis}} worst Precure seasons]], and a third one that is simply unenthusiastic towards it.
4	** While Cure Parfait and Pekorin are nowhere as popular as Cure Chocolat or even Cure Whip, they’re still fairly well-liked in Japan. But in the West, the former is a [[BaseBreakingCharacter very divisive character]], with some of her bashers accusing her of being a Mary Sue in a similar vein to [[WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents Chloe Carmichael]], mainly due to the constant CharacterShilling she got and how her conflict with her more popular brother was handled ultimately, while the latter is pretty much TheScrappy, especially after the last three episodes.
5	* AngstWhatAngst: [[spoiler: Episode 23 ends with Rio getting ''[[FamilyUnfriendlyViolence stabbed]]'' by Noir's arrow while trying to [[HeroicSacrifice save Ciel from the latter's influence]], resulting in him [[PutOnABus falling into a coma for a long time]]... and then comes the next episode (or even in the same episode right after this scene), and [[MoodWhiplash the tension was immediately gone]] while Ciel returns to her cheerful attitude rather quickly and doesn't seem very affected or scarred by that event, and while she still mentions her absent brother occasionally throughout the show, it doesn't last long and its purpose to the story and her arc is questionable.]]
6	* ArcFatigue: [[spoiler: Rio's ConvenientComa]] from the end of episode 23 to episode 39 was generally seen as this. While the reason for it was to [[spoiler: heal him after he took a hit by Noir's arrow]], a lot of fans felt that the 16-episode gap was needlessly long and even completely [[TrappedByMountainLions unnecessary]], not to mention that it ended up preventing [[spoiler: Rio]] from getting more CharacterDevelopment.
7	%%* AssPull: [[spoiler: Elyiso’s betrayal of Noir comes seemingly out of the blue and for no reason, as there seemed to be no hints that Elysio wanted to drain humanity of its emotions. On top of that, It also denies the Cures of a proper final confrontation with Noir.]]
8	* BaseBreakingCharacter: Pretty much every single character in ''[=KiraKira=]'' have proven to be this to some degree, but the mentioned below are the most prominent examples:
9	** Akira[=/=]Cure Chocolat is a popular Cure, particularly in Japan, thanks to her {{Bifauxnen}} design, as well as [[NiceGirl her compassionate]] [[CoolBigSis personality]] and relationship with [[LesYay Yukari]] and [[BigSisterInstinct her little sister Miku]]. However, she also suffers from HypeBacklash in some circles, as her detractors see her as a boring [[FlatCharacter non-entity]] who cannot stand on her own feet as a character. And then there is [[TakeAThirdOption a third group of people]] who likes Akira but feels that she was [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter quite underutilized compared to other Cures in this season]].
10	** [[SixthRanger Ciel[=/=]Kirarin[=/=]Cure Parfait]]. Fans like her for her design (both in her fairy and human forms), cheerful personality, and interactions with other Cures and [[spoiler: Bibury]], and see her StoryArc about her relationship with her twin brother [[spoiler: Rio[=/=]Pikario[=/=]Julio]] as the most engaging part of her character. Her detractors, meanwhile, see her as a boring, one-note and overpowered character who [[SpotlightStealingSquad hogs screentime]] from not only her brother who's seen as more interesting than her, but other Cures as well, to the point that the NonSerialMovie primarily centers around her, despite not adding much to the series outside of her sparse moments with [[spoiler: Rio and Bibury]], and see her relationship with [[spoiler: Rio]] as a poorly-written mess that only made her UnintentionallyUnsympathetic as a result. On a minor note, opinions on Cure Parfait's design are a bit split, some find her outfit to be a mess, though some find that part endearing in a way.
11	** Pekorin. Some find her [[{{Moe}} adorable]] and enjoy her moments with other characters, particularly Ichika and to a lesser extent [[spoiler: Bibury]], In contrast, others find her [[TheLoad useless]], [[LivingProp superfluous]], ugly, and makes [[Anime/SmilePrecure Candy]], who has been bashed for almost the same reasons, look useful in comparison. [[spoiler: And her becoming [[EleventhHourRanger Cure Pekorin]] in episode 47 only added fuel to the fire, while some cheered for her, others accuse her of being a CreatorsPet who didn’t accomplish anything before to deserve becoming a Cure and, unlike Rio and Bibury whom fans wanted either of them to take her place instead, wasn't relevant to the story until this point, and see her transformation as a case of OnlyTheAuthorCanSaveThemNow.]]
12	** When he first appeared, [[TheDragon Elysio]] won over a lot of fans and was seen as a compelling replacement for Julio, thanks to his sinister appearance and cunning attitude toward his victims. But over time, there is a decent number of fans who got sick of him and see him as a shallow villain with nothing to his character outside of causing misery for others, despite having more screentime than Glaive, Diable, and even [[BigBad his master Noir]]. Speaking of which, [[spoiler: his betrayal of Noir and [[HijackedByGanon him taking over his former master's place]] as the BigBad since episode 46 only broke the fanbase even further. While both sides agree on that [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot the execution leaves a lot to be desired]], there are defenders who don't mind the twist and find Elysio's motivation more believable (if lacking any prior buildup) compared to Noir's which was seen as [[{{Wangst}} pathetic]] and [[EvilIsPetty disproportionate]], while detractors find Elysio's motivation hard to swallow due to its [[AssPull out of nowhere nature]], and hated how the twist prevented Noir's conflict with Lumiere from getting any resolution and how Elysio was EasilyForgiven and (alongside Glaive) [[KarmaHoudini got away with everything he's done]] at the end, and the fact that he shares his fate with both BigBad from [[Anime/HugttoPrettyCure the following]] [[Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure two seasons]] doesn't help.]]
13	* BrokenBase:
14	** Perhaps the most divisive aspect about ''[=KiraKira=]'' is the number of the main Cures being 6 instead of the usual 4 or the occasional 5, as well as its attempt to balance between the main characters and focus on each one as individuals, something the head writer was claiming in one interview for this series to go with. Some like that approach, saying that it gives each Cure a chance to grow as characters by getting an equal amount of [[CharacterFocus focus episodes]], and don't mind the team being huge as it adds some variety to them. While others feel that the team was needlessly bloated, since there were members (especially Aoi and Akira) who added basically nothing to the story and[=/=]or remained static, and find the series' attempt to "individualize" the characters utterly misguided, because not only it harmed the main cast by making them [[GoneHorriblyRight coming off as isolated from each other]] and prevented the supporting cast from getting more focus, but also it was done poorly, as each focus episodes were seen as either [[StrictlyFormula repetitive]] or [[ItsShortSoItSucks somewhat rushed]] as a result of balancing out a huge team, not to mention that except for Himari, the series didn't manage to develop the cast well, Ichika in particular.
15	** The season's constant use of [[CharacterSong Character Songs]] during battle scenes and colorful frames every once in a while has its fans who feel that these two give the season its own identity, however, there are some people who find them gaudy, distracting, and random, and see the use of character songs as a blatant marketing gimmick.
16	** While Rio is generally well-liked as a character, his character arc, on the other hand, was met with mixed reactions. Fans see it as the strongest aspect of the season thanks to its focus on his conflict with [[spoiler: his sister Ciel]] and the development of both characters, while critics find it rushed, melodramatic, and unsatisfying, as it [[AbortedArc ignores several aspects of his character]] (such as his interpersonal problems and inadequacies, his relationship with other characters, and [[spoiler: his TragicDream of becoming a Precure]]) all in favor of [[SatelliteFamilyMember his relationship with his sister]], which was seen by critics as lackluster, due to the series' minimal focus on the relationship and, despite being introduced first, Rio having less screentime and accomplishments than [[spoiler: Ciel]], who, according to her detractors, took all the benefits from his arc and [[KarmaHoudini never faced any consequences]] for [[spoiler: neglecting her brother [[AesopCollateralDamage who suffered the most from it]]]].
17	*** [[spoiler: Rio's HeroicSacrifice in Episode 23 was either a [[TearJerker heartwrenching]] and powerful moment that proves his love and forgiveness for his sister which motivates her to get stronger as Cure Parfait, or a pointless, [[{{Glurge}} emotionally manipulative]], and excessively mean-spirited moment, as well as a blatant sign of the writer's laziness and lack of planning to develop the character in a satisfying way, and the writer’s claim in an interview that this moment was [[YankTheDogsChain the reason why Rio didn’t become a Cure]] doesn’t help, while the excuse of motivating Ciel to become stronger was seen by critics as forced and flimsy, given her prior training and the fact that Rio's absence didn't affect her character that much.]]
18	* ContestedSequel: ''[=KiraKira=]'' is an extremely controversial season among the fandom, even moreso than [[Anime/MahoGirlsPrecure its predecessor]]. Fans adore it for its aesthetic, designs, soundtrack, and characters, while detractors revile it for its pacing and tone problems, convoluted and poorly thought-out setting and story, inconsistent and overly convenient writing, lackluster villains, and [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter constant mishandling for its characters]], especially Rio and Akira, to name a few. One thing both sides generally agree on is that the lack of hand-to-hand combat was a major minus for this season.
19	* DesignatedMonkey: Pikario can be seen as this, especially when it comes to his dream of becoming a Precure alongside his sister Kirarin, considering that his attempts [[spoiler: turn him to the Dark Side]], and when he seems to get out of it, [[spoiler: he falls into a coma while Kirarin does get to become Cure Parfait]], and [[spoiler: when he comes back at the end of episode 39 to save the Cures thanks to Cure Lumiere's power he gained, [[YankTheDogsChain he only loses it in the very next episode]] when his newly received rod was broken by Glaive, who tells him that he's not a real Precure]], that scene, as well as his wish to become a Precure, was completely ignored afterward as he has been DemotedToExtra since then. Suffice to say, a lot of fans felt that all of what happened was [[KickTheDog extremely cruel]] and unwarranted, as well as uncharacteristic for a whimsical and optimistic series like ''Pretty Cure'', and the fact that the next season ''Anime/HugttoPrettyCure'' and later ''Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure'' featured a male Cure only makes Pikario's arc a lot more jarring retroactively.
20	* DiagnosedByTheAudience: Given her [[ShrinkingViolet painfully shy nature]] and unusual interests in sweets, [[https://www.quotev.com/story/13534217/Autistic-Pretty-Cure-Database/4 it is very]] [[https://autisticheadcanons.tumblr.com/post/163632757979/arisugawa-himari-cure-custard-from-kirakira easy to see]] [[https://prettycure.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000000000305 Himari]] [[https://twitter.com/kibourainbou/status/1287567955262398464?lang=en as being]] [[https://youtu.be/0AlE1S8kFGY?t=164 on the]] [[{{UsefulNotes/Autism}} Autism Spectrum]].
21	* EvilIsCool: While the Servants of Noir as a whole are this to some degree, the special mention goes to Julio and Elysio, the former for his snarky attitude and entertaining fights with the Cures, and some fans even [[spoiler: [[MoreInterestingAsAVillain prefer him over]] his post-HeelFaceTurn character who suffered from BadassDecay and minimal screentime]], while the latter for his manipulative and cunning demeanor and nightmarish appearance which make him a threatening villain, and both having [[LongHairedPrettyBoy attractive designs]] is just a cherry on top.
22	* FanNickname:
23	** [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic "Cure Rainbow Dash"]] fits a little ''too'' well for Cure Parfait[=/=]Ciel to be a coincidence…
24	** "Cure Waffle" for [[spoiler: Julio's post-HeelFaceTurn transformation]] in episode 39, not just by fans, but also some of the season's staff, including the series directors and Ichika's voice actress.
25	* FranchiseOriginalSin:
26	** While the [=KiraKira=] team being made of 6 members has been a controversial choice among the fans, It's not the first series to have such a team, ''Anime/YesPrettyCure5'' also had 6 members with a few supporting characters to boot, but the key difference is that the SixthRanger was introduced in the sequel series ''[=GoGo=]'', while the other five members and the supporting cast already got their share of focus and character development in the original series, so the case was well-accepted. ''[=KiraKira=]'''s case, on the other hand, was seen as problematic in comparison, with the common criticisms against it being how the series introduces each member rather quickly and doesn't give each one enough time for their development, if at all, all while leaving the supporting cast OutOfFocus most of the time, and what makes things more complicated is the writers' decision to focus on each team member as an individual, something many fans felt had done more harm than good to both the characters and the pacing of the series.
27	** [[spoiler: Likewise, ''[=KiraKira=]'' isn't the first series where a major character [[PutOnTheBus disappeared from the narrative for a long amount of time]], with [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar the Kiryuu sisters]], [[Anime/DokiDokiPrecure Regina]] and, to an extent, [[Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure Prince Kanata]] being the most prominent examples of this, and while this habit has been controversial among the fanbase, especially regarding its necessity and effect on the absent characters' own arc, many fans felt that at least the mentioned characters' respective series made up for their disappearance and they retained their importance after [[TheBusCameBack they returned]]. Rio's case in this series, on the contrary, was widely loathed by the fanbase, who felt that not only his 16-episode ConvenientComa was undeserved and [[ArcFatigue excessively long]], but also it ended up harming his character arc and the series didn't make up for it, as his only major appearances after his comeback were episodes 40 and, [[OutOfFocus to a lesser extent]], 41, and then he gets [[DemotedToExtra demoted to a background character]] while tons of aspects of his character that were introduced earlier, except for his relationship with his sister, [[AbortedArc went nowhere]] afterward, thus rendering him as a [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter wasted and underdeveloped character]] to many fans.]]
28	* HilariousInHindsight:
29	** Akira's younger sister's name is Miku. Her teammate [[Creator/SakiFujita Yukari]] is most known for providing the voice for Music/HatsuneMiku. And that's not even getting into the [[http://www.toei-anim.co.jp/ptr/precure/store/2017120101.php official crossover]] with Vocaloid for Miku's 10th anniversary, where both girls wear her clothes in their motif colors.
30	** There is a minor character in this season named Emiru, which is this when you realize that the [[Anime/HugttoPrettyCure next installment]] we have a Cure whose civilian name is Emiru.
31	** Also, Yukari's name and theme being cats, as well as having implied LesYay with Akira, become this with [[Characters/HugttoPrettyCure Ruru]] whose seiyuu is [[Creator/YukariTamura Yukarin]]. Not to mention Ruru's buns resemble cat ears and even turned into a catgirl in one episode.
32	*** Even funnier, in ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'' we have Himiko, who is voiced by Yukari Tamura, who when using one of the skills [[https://youtu.be/jcOjz1hghts?t=350 says Kira Kira]]
33	** This Precure season wouldn't be [[Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure the only one]] [[Anime/WonderfulPrettyCure to use an animal theme]]
34	** Anime/WonderfulPrettyCure also has a ''literal'' dog and cat as the lead and one of the secondary Cures, and is another season with little to no violence against monsters.
35	* HoYay: [[HoYay/PrettyCure Enough for its own page.]]
36	* HypeBacklash: Yukari[=/=]Akira is not only the most popular ship in this season but also among the most popular {{Yuri}} ships in the franchise as a whole. But just like Akira, the ship has also its share of critics, who see it as [[TheyCopiedItSoItSucks a shameless knockoff of]] [[Manga/SailorMoon Sailor Uranus[=/=]Sailor Neptune]], and find it to be bland, or at least underdeveloped, and [[SpotlightStealingSquad distracting]].
37	%%* JerkassWoobie: Bibury, especially when she finds out who Noir really is.%% Insufficient context. How or why is Bibury a JerkassWoobie?
38	* MemeticLoser: [[spoiler: Noir pretty much lost all credibility as a terrifying villain once his backstory revealed [[EvilIsPetty he's a manchild throwing a tantrum because one woman refused to bake sweets for only him]]. Some fans jokingly believe that it was why the last few episodes ended up getting [[HijackedByGanon Hijacked by Elysio]].]]
39	* MemeticMutation: [[Memes/PrettyCure See this page for examples.]]
40	* MoralEventHorizon:
41	** If it wasn't his [[spoiler:manipulating of Julio and Bibury]], Noir crossed it with [[spoiler:his attempt on Ciel's life but hits Julio instead. Keep in mind that although deaths have occurred in the world of ''Pretty Cure'' and Julio gets better later, this is so far the closest the franchise had for a HeroKiller (not to mention the boy is ''[[WouldHurtAChild a minor]]'').]]
42	** Elysio crosses it in Episode 46 and 47 [[spoiler: when he captures Noir and Lumiere and uses their powers to turn the whole place into his own police state and burn every sweet as garbage.]]
43	* OneSceneWonder: [[Anime/HugttoPrettyCure Cure Yell's]] appearance in the final episode where she was actually ''kicking'' the PostFinalBoss [[WinBackTheCrowd greatly hyped up the fans]] for the upcoming series.
44	* PreemptiveShipping: Yukari[=/=]Akira is a pretty popular pairing even before the show aired, thanks to some merchandise featuring them together in some fashion. Their interactions and ShipTease in the show itself only reinforced this popularity.
45	* ReplacementScrappy: While [[spoiler: Cure Pekorin]] is already divisive on her own, she is near-universally considered to be vastly inferior to [[spoiler: Rio’s appearance]] in episodes 39 and 40, as [[spoiler: her transformation]] was seen by most fans as [[{{Asspull}} out of nowhere]] and unwarranted given her lack of development compared to the latter, who had an arc that [[spoiler: more-or-less explores his wish of becoming a Precure alongside his sister]], and the fact that [[spoiler: Pekorin kept her power at the end while Rio ended up losing his right in the same event he gained it]] only made it worse.[[note]]Interestingly, Episode 37 of ''[=HuGtto!=]'' attempts to throw a bone to [[spoiler: Rio]] during the All For You! finisher by showing that [[spoiler: he, complete with his magical form which was featured again in ''All Stars F'', didn't quite lose his power and still can help the Cures ''without'' his broken rod]]. However, this only raises one big question: [[spoiler: [[PlotHole Why didn't he use his remaining power before?]]]][[/note]]
46	* RetroactiveRecognition: Nanako Mori, the voice of [[{{Bifauxnen}} Akira Kenjou]], would later go on to voice Taki in ''VideoGame/SoulcaliburVI''.
47	* {{Shipping}}: Although ''Pretty Cure'' is far more well known for its abundance of lesbian subtext, Ichika[=/=]Rio is relatively popular as far as hetero ships in the fandom go, and the teases from their voice actresses[[labelnote: namely...]]when Rio's VA conveyed her admiration for Cure Whip while using the character's voice in a blu-ray event, and when Ichika's VA said at some point that Rio is her favorite character[[/labelnote]] don't hurt. Unsurprisingly, the lack of interaction between the two in later episodes was met with disappointment from many fans, especially since [[FandomSpecificPlot the majority of Rio-related fanworks have him interacting with Ichika]] (when it's not [[spoiler: his sister Ciel]]), and him having any romantic feelings for her, mutual or otherwise, is a common {{Fanon}}.
48	* SlowPacedBeginning: The first 11 episodes were quite light-hearted and borderline SliceOfLife. Then comes episode 12, where the first real villain appears and the larger plot starts unraveling.
49	* SoOkayItsAverage: This is the final overall reception of this season among the more forgiving side of the fanbase, who agree that it could have been a lot better, but feel that it also could have been a lot worse.
50	* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: The second ending theme, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFfsTeExwbQ Shoobie-Doobie Sweets Time]]", bears a striking resemblance to, of all things, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aXzOfGQdMQ Bills]]" by Lunchmoney Lewis.
51	* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: The overall lack of hand-to-hand combat in the fight scenes has not been well received by the fanbase since violent action is what ''Pretty Cure'' is famous for.[[note]]To give an explanation on how ''Pretty Cure'' is famous for its violent action, before the franchise existed, most magical girls such as ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' would sense danger, stand around for a bit then use a wand. That all changed when ''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure'' started airing in 2004 with its unique action scenes as a result of the choreography and animations that involve hand-to-hand combat which was inspired by action scenes of ''Series/SukiSukiMajoSensei'' (one of Japan's first-ever superheroines). As a result, ''Pretty Cure'' is one of the first series in the magical girl genre ever to use hand-to-hand combat during action scenes, and as such, the franchise revolutionized the action scenes in magical girl shows. Magical girls franchises such as ''Franchise/GirlsXHeroine'' and ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' would have not been made if ''Pretty Cure'' doesn't exist.[[/note]]
52	* TheyCopiedItSoItSucks: With the characters being human-animal hybrid [[MagicalGirlWarrior Magical Girl Warriors]] with food-themed codenames in their Cure forms, it's not surprising that some fans have accused it of plagiarizing another [[Anime/TokyoMewMew famous shoujo franchise that uses those motifs]].
53	* UglyCute:
54	** All of the Kirakiraru Thieves have decidedly bestial and feral appearances, but it just seems to reinforce their cuteness. Gummy, for example, looks almost dragonlike.
55	** Pekorin can also be seen as this [[TakeAThirdOption for those who don't find her outright adorable or ugly]].
56	* UnexpectedCharacter:
57	** [[TropesAreTools For better or worse]], the appearance of the team from ''Anime/MahoGirlsPrecure'' in this season's '''standalone''' movie, which is the first time that Pretty Cures from different seasons have teamed up in a movie outside of the ''Anime/PrettyCureAllStars'' crossovers. That said, some fans feel that the team's involvement was unnecessary and only made the [=KiraKira=] team look weaker in comparison
58	** [[Anime/HugttoPrettyCure Cure Yell and Hugtan]] appearing in this season's finale just like Ichika appeared in the last season's was also quite a surprise.
59	* VanillaProtagonist: Ichika gets a lot of flak for being this from many fans, who consider her development and involvement in the story lacking despite her position as the leader of the team, especially in comparison to other Cures and some other characters who are more colorful and relevant than her.
60	* ViewerGenderConfusion: Julio initially. He's always been in the opening since the first episode but many assumed he was a DarkMagicalGirl. Considering past seasons, it's not hard to see why many assumed this. Then come Episodes 10 and 11 and we find out he's a ''boy''.
61	* {{Wangst}}:
62	** Some fans see Ciel's behavior in episode 23 as this. While [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone her massive guilt]] over leaving Pikario behind in Paris was perfectly understandable, the problem is that she [[DespairEventHorizon falls into despair]] because of it ''after'' he was purified and is alive and well (sure, he can't make waffles as before, but still), and then she [[IdiotBall accepts Noir's offer very easily]] despite that, and it doesn't help that [[spoiler: it all leads to Pikario's 16-episode coma]], which Ciel ironically had [[AngstWhatAngst the exact opposite reaction]] to.
63	** [[spoiler:Noir's entire backstory immediately turns him into this for a lot of fans. What was his excuse behind all the atrocities he committed? Just because Lumiere turned him down in the far past, and that's, of course, without mentioning the way he confessed to her (by telling her to make sweets [[ItsAllAboutMe for him alone]]).]]
64	%%* TheWoobie: '''Pikario''', full stop.%% Insufficient context. How or why is Pikario TheWoobie?

Context YMMV / KiraKiraPrecureALaMode