darkershining

[darkershining]

Just watched episode 41, in which the Cures help the drama club put on a play at a festival.

The episode begins with two members of the school's drama club, Kitsunezaki and Tanukihara, trying to recruit Yuki to the drama club. Yuki is not interested, however, noting they've been trying to convince her to join for a while now. They explain that they've been asked to perform at an upcoming drama festival, planning to put on a performance of Romeo and Juliet since Kitsunezaki hasn't been able to come up with a original play to put on as she originally planned.

They've distracted when Karasuma enters the room looking for Satoru, having found an old diary that might interest him since he's been studying Animal Town's history. Curious, everyone present gathers around as Satoru begins looking through the diary. Reading through the parts he can make out, they discover it belonged to a man named Subaru, who helped an injured wolf. A few months later, that same wolf helped him find his way back when he got lost. The two eventually formed a friendship of sorts, and Satoru asks if he can keep the diary for a bit longer so he can try to make out more of what is written in there, with Karasuma agreeing to let him keep it for a while.

Kitsunezaki is inspired by the story in the diary, deciding to write a story partially based on it. The next day, she has a script ready, but Tanukihara reminds her that they're going to need new costumes and that they don't have enough actors that the script calls for. Iroha, Komugi and Satoru offer to help out, with Mayu admitting she's been wanting to try making stage costumes for a while and that she might as well take this oppurtunity to give it a try. Kitsunezaki then turns to Yuki, asking her if she's willing to help out too if Mayu makes her costume. With Mayu also getting into the idea of designing a costume for Yuki to wear, Yuki agrees to help out. Komugi asks if she can play a dog, although Kitsunezaki notes that there is no dog in the script. However, with Komugi getting Kitsunezaki to pet her just by being her usual self, Kitsunezaki decides to add a dog to the story, impressed with Komug's "acting skills".

The group spend the next few days preparing for the play. On the day of the festival, the play goes on as planned. Unbeknownst to the Cures, Zakuro is watching from a distance. She initially takes an interest in the wolf character, until she realizes it's just someone in a costume, and disappointed, goes to look for a suitable target to make a new Gaogaon, spotting someone's pet chameleon through a window.

Komugi and Yuki sense the Gaogaon, with Mey-Mey (who was watching the play in disguise) showing up along with Niko to alert the Cures about it. Wondering what to do since they're still in the middle of the play, Satoru notes that they still have one scene with Yuki's Goddess character in it. Niko offers to fill in for her while the Cures deal with the Gaogaon, so the Cures head out to stop the Gaogaon.

The Cures track down the Gaogaon and transform, only for the Gaogaon to disappear from their sights as soon as they finish transforming. Satoru realizes the Gaogaon is a chameleon and tells the Cures what they need to know, as they continue dodging the Gaogaon trying to hit them with its long tongue.

Meanwhile, Niko is easily able to play the part of the Goddess, considering she's basically lived through the story being told on stage. The other actors are impressed, while also wondering exactly who she is.

Cure Nyammy figures out how they can locate the Gaogaon, and calls on the Kirarin Fox's help, using his power to turn Cure Wonderful into a make-up brush. Following the Gaogaon's tongue while it's out, she manages to cover the Gaogaon in powder, allowing Cure Friendy and Cure Lillian to spot it and use their barriers to trap it. Niko has finished the scene and returns just in time to help the Cures purify the Gaogaon, returning the chameleon to normal. Zakuro apologizes to Gaou for getting distracted by another wolf as she retreats.

At the end of the play, the human and wolf characters are about to part way, when Komugi, remembering her experiences with Gaou, gets caught up in the moment and tells them they don't need to leave. Realizing her slip-up, Satoru tells Komugi to get onto the stage, with Tanukihara hastily improvising a line about the Goddess having granted the dog the ability to speak as well. Yuki also steps in to help Komugi out, and Komugi delivers a clumsy, but heartfelt speech about how it doesn't matter if they are different species, they can still be friends regardless.

After the play, the drama club compliment the group on a job well done, with Komugi admitting she caught up in the moment during the ending, leading to her ad-lib. Kitsunezaki takes it as a great compliment, before turning to Yuki, admitting she wrote the Goddesss character with her in mind and was impressed with her performance, which Yuki is pleased with. They then ask about who the other girl who briefly filled in for her was, asking if she'd be interested in acting alongside them again sometime. Yuki comments that if Niko is interested, then they won't need Yuki next time. The drama club members note they still want to work with Yuki again, but as far as Yuki is concerned, this was a one time thing.

Another fun episode! We get a bit more lore, and since we're in the final stretch of the story now, I'm guessing that uncovering the rest of the story between Subaru and the wolf I assume is Gaou went will play a role in figuring out how they can reach an understanding with the wolves.

I'll be looking forward to seeing what happens next!

[darkershining]

Just watched episode 40 of Wonderful Pretty Cure, in which an accidental burst of magic from Niko turns Iroha into a dog and Mayu into a cat.

The episode begins with Komugi and Iroha walking up the stairs to the Toboe shrine, except Iroha has been transformed into a dog. Yuki is holding Mayu, who has been turned into a cat. Satoru is confused as to what's going on, and the group try to remember how this happened in the first place.

They were headed for the shrine to look for Gaou in hopes of speaking with him, and Niko notes she can at the very least sense he was there recently. Yuki changes into cat form to check inside the shrine, but no one seems to be inside at the moment. Niko changes into her human form, attempting to use her powers to get a better idea of where Gaou might've gone. Niko suddenly pauses, and Iroha and Mayu walk closer to check if she's okay, only to get caught up in a sudden burst of magic that caused their transformation.

Niko sheepishly admits she did indeed cause their transformation, explaining her powers are still a bit unstable. However, she notes she should be able to change them back once she's regained some power. The group asks her how long she estimates that will take, with Niko noting she's not entirely sure, but gaining the power from everyone's smiles should speed up the process.

Meanwhile, Gaou is watching the view from a rock. Zakuro goes to join him, but he won't say anything. While Zakuro tries to get his attention, a bored Torame decides to go find something else to do.

The Cures wonder how they should pass the time while waiting for Niko's powers to recharge, since they can't exactly go home while Iroha and Mayu are in their current state. Komugi suggests they all go play, with Yuki and Satoru noting that with Niko gaining power form other's smiles, this might actually be a good idea. The group head to the park, with Iroha experiencing the fun of running around with Komugi, while Yuki takes the oppurtunity to cuddle and play with Mayu the same way Mayu usually does with her.

Mey Mey and Satoru observe the Cures, with Niko noticing that some of the other dogs in the park have taken an interest in dog!Iroha. When Iroha accidentally slips up and speaks within earshot of the other dogs' owners, Satoru quickly intervenes and pulls Iroha out of there.

Meanwhile, Torame has found a Garugaru egg in a nearby river, asking some frogs sitting nearby why they haven't gone into hibernation yet since the weather's been getting colder. Intrigued, he briefly attempts to have a conversation with the frogs before remembering what he was doing, and powering up the Garugaru egg, unleashing a frog Gaogaon.

The Cures sense the Gaogaon being summoned, with Iroha and Mayu also sensing it in their animal forms. The group quickly head over to deal with the situation, with Niko having regained enough power just in time to return Iroha and Mayu to normal so they can help deal with the Gaogaon. The Cures transform, and try to figure out how to deal with it, as its jumping capabilities and long tongue make it difficult to get closer. However, from observing its behaviour, Satoru realizes that the frog Gaogaon seems to have an easier time spotting things that are moving, giving the Cures an idea on how to use this to their advantage.

Getting on opposite sides of the Gaogaon, the Cures start a game of red-light-green-light with the frog, with the Cures on one side staying still while the two on the other side slowly move towards the frog until Torame draws the frog's attention to them, taking turns moving towards the frog. While Torame is distracted after stopping Cure Friendy and Wonderful in a pose that makes it difficult for them to hold still, Cure Lillian takes the oppurtunity to trap the frog in her Lillian Net, allowing the Cures to purify the Gaogaon returning it to normal and returning it to Niko Garden.

Torame comments that he had fun, and leaves. The Cures realize they've gotten to understand Torame a little better from their encounters with him, noting he mainly seems to want to play with them.

As they're heading back, Iroha and Mayu note they're glad to be back to normal, although they did have fun in their animal forms. Satoru wonders what being an animal would be like, and Niko offers to help him find out, turning him into a rabbit. Realizing Niko needs time to recharge once again, the group decide to head back to the park for a bit, with rabbit!Satoru being excited to find out just how fast his rabbit form is, calculating in his head how long it'll take him to reach the park at his current speed while the others try to catch up with him.

A fun episode! Iroha, Mayu and Satoru's animal forms are adorable. Fun seeing them basically get to experience what things are like from their pets' perspective, although I would've maybe liked it if they spent just a little more time exploring that aspect. Still a cute episode, though.

I'll be looking forward to the next episode!

[darkershining]

Just watched episode 39 of Wonderful Pretty Cure, in which things take a dramatic turn during Halloween when the Cures have an encounter with Gaou.

The episode begins with Niko, in human form, observing the Cures during Animal Town's Halloween festivities, with Komugi, Iroha and Satoru handing out candy, while Mayu and Yuki do some face painting. However, over at the shrine the wolves are staying at, Gaou can sense the humans enjoying themselves and decides to head outside.

When Mayu and Yuki go to see Komugi and the others, they compliment Iroha and Satoru on their matching rabbit outfits, while Komugi asks them to guess what she's dressed as. They initially guess she's a different type of dog, but Komugi corrects them, pointing out she's actually dressed as a wolf. Before she can explain why she picked that, some of their classmates show up looking for candy. Some of them spot Mey-Mey observing from nearby, but luckily for him, they seem to think he's just someone dressed as a sheep. Niko (back in her fairy form) comes over to the Cures, and they comment on the diamond on her head glowing. She explains that all the smiles and positive energy of Animal Town has helped her gradually regain her power.

Meanwhile, Zakuro returns to the shrine to check if Gaou is still resting, only to find he's not in there. Realizing he may have finally woken up, she decides to go look for him, eager to spend time with him.

While Mayu is taking a picture of Iroha and Satoru, Komugi spots someone who also seems to be dressed as a wolf, and decides to go say hello. Gaou doesn't show much interest in her, until she tires herself out and turns back into a dog, drawing his curiousity.

The others notice Komugi has wandered off, and go to look for her. Gaou has brought her to the nearby river so she can have a drink of water. Noticing animals seem comfortable around him, Komugi remarks Gaou reminds her a bit of Iroha. Gaou is more interested in how Komugi gained the ability to change forms, however, and Komugi explains how she made her wish on the Mirror Stone.

Once Iroha and Satoru arrive, however, Gaou's demenour changes. Sensing the dark aura similar to when Garugaru or Gaogaon are created, they quickly realize that the figure in front of them is Gaou. Mayu and Yuki quickly catch up to them, and prepare to transform when Gaou is unwilling to hear them out. However, he uses his own power to prevent them from transforming. Niko arrives on the scene, revealing her human form to the Cures.

Niko realizes Gaou has a fragment of the Niko diamond with him, and Gaou reveals he used that power to aid in the creation of Garugaru/Gaogaon. Niko attempts to reason with him, but he's not interested in hearing her out. He then attempts to turn Komugi into a Gaogaon, but she resists the transformation, with Iroha doing what she can to help encourage Komugi to fight off the darkness. Niko pitches in as well, and Komugi is eventually able to break free.

With Gaou worn out from his attempt to transform Komugi, the power preventing the Cures from transforming wears off. Zakuro arrives on the scene, and quickly turns a nearby bat into a Gaogaon. The Cures transform, and Zakuro shrouds the area in darkness to make it difficult for them to see the bat. However, Zakuro soon realizes she overlooked something, namely Cure Wonderful and Cure Nyammy's night vision carried over to their human forms, and they have no issues keeping track of the bat and helping guide Cure Friendy and Cure Lillian so they can capture it.

The Cures purify the bat, returning it to normal. Niko is finally able to get some words in with Gaou, telling him she too once believed that humans and animals couldn't co-exist peacefully, but seeing how things are in Animal Town, she's changed her views. And why she understands his wish to avenge the other wolves, she can't allow him to keep hurting innocent animals in the process. Gaou, however, believes he's doing what needs to be done and that it is only a matter of time before humans betray them once more. Komugi wants to say something to Gaou, but he and Zakuro leave before she can say what she wanted to say to him.

Another good episode. The Cures finally met Gaou, and we get a little more insight into his mindset. Not surprised he tried turning Komugi into a Gaogaon, nor that Komugi would be able to resist the transformation with Iroha's help. Also, we got to fully see Niko's human form, and I really like that design. It's very pretty.

I'll be looking forward to the next episode!

[darkershining]

Just watched episode 38 of Wonderful Pretty Cure, in which Iroha discovers who was Komugi's previous owner and decides to pay him a visit.

The episode begins with Iroha spending time with Komugi, when a woman stops by the clinic, only to spot Komugi, recognizing the heart-shaped spot on the back of her head. When Iroha approaches to ask if something's the matter, the woman explains how Komugi resembles a dog named Marron, who went missing two years ago. She shows Iroha a picture, confirming that Komugi is in fact the same dog. Iroha asks the woman if she is Komugi's previous owner.

Inside, the woman introduces herself to Iroha and her parents, explaining she works at an animal shelter, and Komugi/Marron's previous owner left her in the shelter's care after he could no longer properly care for her himself due to health issues. However, sometime shortly after, Marron escaped from the shelter during the night, and was never found despite everyone's efforts to find her. After hearing the story, Iroha asks the woman about the location of the facility where Komugi's previous owner is currently living in.

Outside, Satoru called over Mayu and Yuki, just in case Iroha might need their support. Komugi admits she doesn't remember anything about her life before meeting Iroha, and when the others bring up the possibility of her old family wanting her back, Komugi protests that she doesn't want to leave Iroha. Iroha returns outside, meeting with the others, and tells Komugi they'll be paying a visit to her old family.

The next day, the entire group travel to the facility, with Iroha and Komugi both nervous, but after Satoru helps her calm down, Iroha goes on to let the staff know they've arrived. While waiting for the others, Yuki assures Komugi that no matter what happens, the bond between her and Iroha won't be broken so easily.

The group goes to the courtyard, looking around for Komugi's previous owner. They soon find him, Kurihara, an old man in a wheelchair. Iroha approaches him and the two introduce themselves to each other, and Kurihara is happy to see Komugi/Marron again, commenting on how she's grown since he last saw her and admitting he was worried when he heard she'd gone missing. He asks Iroha if he can hold her for a bit, with Iroha letting him do so, and as he pets Komugi, she manages to faintly recall a few memories from the time she spent with him.

Iroha and Kurihara bond over talking about the time they've each spent with Komugi/Marron, with Kurihara noting she used to be rather shy and a bit of a light eater, with Iroha surprised to hear that considering that's very different from the Komugi she knows, with Kurihara figuring the changes in personality is likely a sign of how well Iroha has taken care of her. Iroha tells him how when she first rescued Komugi, she had made a promise with her parents to return her to her old family if they ever found them. However, Iroha admits she can't bring herself to part with Komugi and asks if he's okay with letting her stay with her.

Meanwhile, Torame has been out on his own, looking for something to do. He spends some time chasing after a ferret, until he loses track of it and ends up near the facility and spots the Cures. Deciding to have some more fun, he powers up a Garugaru egg he had brought along, unleashing a stout Gaogaon. Komugi senses the nearby Gaogaon, and Satoru takes Kurihara to safety while the Cures head over to deal with the situation.

The Cures transform, but find themselves having trouble dealing with the Gaogaon moving at really high speeds, to the point where it leaves after-images, making it difficult to pin down its actual location. It manages to knock down Cure Nyammy and Lillian, but before it can attack Wonderful, Cure Friendy quickly steps in and blocks it with her Ribbon Barrier. As the Gaogaon tries to break the barrier, Cure Wonderful thinks about how she shares Iroha's feelings of wanting to stay with her forever, and uses her own barrier to strengthen Cure Friendy's.

As the Gaogaon begins running circles around the Cures again, they realize that in order to stop it, they first need to figure out where exactly it is. Since sight isn't enough, Cure Wonderful has an idea, calling in help from the Kirarin Rabbit and using her power of enhanced hearing to pinpoint the exact location of the Gaogaon. She keeps catching it off-guard, causing it to momentarily stop in its tracks, until the Cures are able to surround it. As the Gaogaon gives up, the Cures are able to purify it, returning it to normal.

Annoyed, Torame declares that he'll win next time before retreating, and Cure Friendy and Wonderful send the stout back to Niko Garden. Once things have calmed down, Komugi, still in human form, walks over to Kurihara to tell him how she's remembered a bit about her past and that she loves both him and Iroha. Kurihara is a bit confused at first, but soon realizes who the other girl is. He tells Iroha that in regards to what she asked earlier, he's perfectly fine with Komugi staying with her since she's clearly taken good of her, and he thinks they're both wonderful. The episode ends with a mysterious, yet familiar-looking girl watching them all with a smile on her face.

Another good episode! We finally get some answers about Komugi's past, and the mixed feelings Iroha and Komugi had to deal with in regards to this revelation. There were some really sweet moments, like Iroha and Kurihara bonding while comparing their experiences with Komugi, and the ending where Kurihara assures Iroha that he has no objections to her keeping Komugi, since she's clearly taken really good care of her.

Also, we get a brief look at Niko's human form that was previously hinted at. I like the design from what we've seen so far. She looks cute.

I'll be looking forward to the next episode!

[darkershining]

Just watched episode 37, in which Iroha and Satoru go on their first date.

The episode begins with Iroha's mother helping Iroha get ready for her first date with Satoru. Iroha's father and Mey-Mey barge into the room when they hear what is going on, only to quickly get thrown back out. Tsuyoshi tries to be supportive, although he admits he may need some time to get used to the idea. Mey-Mey, meanwhile, is concerned for other reasons.

While Satoru waits for Iroha to arrive, he admits to Daifuku that he is a bit nervous. Mayu and Yuki come across the two, with Mayu being ecstatic when she learns that Satoru and Iroha are going on a date. Iroha arrives along with Komugi, with Yuki deciding to offer to take Komugi on a walk so Iroha can have some alone time with Satoru. With Mey-Mey arriving and trying to invite himself along on the date, Mayu instead suggests he look after Daifuku for the day.

As Iroha and Satoru head out, Mey-Mey tries to follow them, much to Daifuku's frustration. Mey-Mey tries to make up an excuse that he wants to make sure Satoru and Iroha dating won't interfere with the latter's duties as a Pretty Cure, but Niko sees right through him.

Iroha starts getting nervous, while Satoru notes that he may have to adjust the plans he had for the date a little since Komugi and Daifuku's not with them. Iroha tries to start up conversations in order to calm her nerves. Unbeknownst to them, Mey-Mey is still following them, with Niko and Daifuku having to keep him from disturbing the two. Mey-Mey eventually admits he's worried about how the new relationship status between Iroha and Satoru will affect his own friendship with Satoru. Annoyed, Daifuku (with Niko translating for him) tells Mey-Mey that if he really considers himself a good friend to Satoru, then why can't he just be happy for his friend?

Meanwhile, Yuki and Mayu are spending time with Komugi at a mall. When Mayu and Yuki notice Iroha and Satoru arriving to go to the aquarium, they try to keep Komugi from noticing their presence so she won't interrupt them. They then notice Mey-Mey trying to follow them, and stop him from doing so.

At the aquarium, Iroha apologizes to Satoru for acting weird, admitting she got nervous. Satoru assures her that it's fine, admitting he was actually a little relieved to see her acting different from the usual, and that he too was a little nervous about the date.

While the rest of the group are outside, they are spotted by Torame, who challenges them to deal with a Gaogaon from a powered-up Garugaru egg, unleashing a giraffe Gaogaon. Mey-Mey is about to go alert Iroha, but Mayu tells him to wait, wanting to try to see if the three of them can handle it on their own. Since Iroha and Satoru are always working so hard to help everyone, she figures they deserve a moment to themselves to just enjoy each other's company. Remembering Daifuku's words from earlier, Mey-Mey agrees to let them try, noting that he will have to alert Iroha if the three of them get into trouble.

The three Cures transform, and try to limit the Gaogaon's movements by forming barriers around its neck, but the Gaogaon overpowers them and knocks them aside. Cure Wonderful and Nyammy get trapped under a bunch of shopping carts, while Cure Lillian continues to try to calm down the Gaogaon. Mey-Mey rushes in to help out, removing shopping carts from the pile until Wonderful and Nyammy are able to free themselves.

At the mall, Iroha and Satoru have been alerted to the commotion outside, and decide to go deal with the situation. Iroha transforms into Cure Friendy and joins the other three. Satoru tells the Cures to aim their barriers at the Gaogaon's legs, allowing them to stop its movements and purify it. With the giraffe back to normal, Cure Lillian and Cure Nyammy send it back to Niko Garden. Torame decides he's had enough fun for one day, and leaves.

After things have calmed down, Satoru assures Mey-Mey that even if he and Iroha are a couple now, he'll still spend time with Mey-Mey as friends, allievating the sheep butler's worries. As everyone is heading home, Iroha tells Satoru there was something she wanted to ask of him: She wants him to start calling her by her first name. Satoru does so, and the two hurry up to catch up the others.

Another good episode! Some nice moments showing everyone dealing with Iroha and Satoru's relationship upgrade, with the date itself, Mayu and Yuki being supportive friends, Komugi not really fully understanding what's going on, but being happy for Iroha and Satoru anyways, and Daifuku and Niko having to deal with Mey-Mey's antics until he gets over his jealousy. I also had a feeling Satoru would finally start calling Iroha by her first name now that they've started dating, so that's sweet too.

I'll be looking forward to the next episode!

[darkershining]

Just watched episode 36 of Wonderful Pretty Cure, in which Iroha tries to figure out if she merely thinks of Satoru as a friend, or if there's something more.

Picking up where the last episode left off, Komugi doesn't quite understand the situation, while Mey Mey attempts to defuse the awkwardness by claiming he was just joking. However, Satoru decides to finally be honest and tell Iroha how he really feels. Iroha, caught off-guard and unsure how to handle this revelation, runs off. Mayu, Yuki and Komugi chase after her, with only Komugi able to catch up to her.

Mey Mey tries to apologize to Satoru for causing this mess, but Satoru doesn't hold it against him, noting at least he finally managed to say it. He gets the impression Iroha doesn't return his feelings, though, but Niko disagrees, telling him she thinks Iroha just needs some time to think it over first.

Mayu and Yuki wait for Iroha at her place, as she and Komugi return from their walk. Yuki keeps Komugi company while Iroha and Mayu have a talk. Iroha asks Mayu what the difference between platonic and romantic feelings are, but Mayu admits she isn't quite sure herself. Iroha's father briefly enters the room to bring the girls some snacks, before Iroha's mother sends him to deal with a new client. Noticing Iroha seems troubled, Yoko correctly guesses that Satoru finally confessed to her.

Iroha asks her mother about it, with Yoko admitting she's gotten a few love confessions in the past, but when it came to Tsuyoshi, she was the one who confessed to him.

Meanwhile, Satoru tells Daifuku he finally confessed to Iroha. Niko shows up, deciding to translate for Daifuku as the rabbit expresses his feelings on the matter, being happy Satoru finally confessed to her. Niko and Daifuku are able to cheer him up, although he's still unsure about what to make of Iroha's reaction from before.

Later that night, Iroha lies awake, still trying to make sense of things.

Elsewhere, Zakuro is annoyed that she can't get Gaou's attention, and decides to go out and find some excitement to make herself feel better.

The next day, Iroha is still unsure how to approach Satoru. Satoru decides to tell her that if she's more comfortable just staying friends, then that's fine. However, that doesn't make Iroha feel better. Mayu asks Satoru if he's really okay with that, while Yuki tries to encourage Iroha to have a proper talk with Satoru. They're interrupted when they sense a Gaogaon having been created, with Zakuro having transformed a black kite to take out her frustration on other couples.

The Cures arrive on the scene and transform, with the bird Gaogaon quickly getting the upper hand. With Satoru's glasses getting knocked off, Zakuro takes a closer look at him. Noting she likes the look in his eyes, she figures that if Gaou won't pay attention to her, she might as well take Satoru out for some fun instead and tries to take him away. Cure Friendy is not having any of that, though, quickly giving chase with the help of the Kirarin Swan's power. Back on the ground, Cure Nyammy comes up with a plan for how she and the other two Cures can stop the Gaogaon.

As Cure Friendy pursues Zakuro in order to rescue Satoru, she is able to properly reflect on her feelings for him. With the help of the other Cures and their barriers, they are able to stop the Gaogaon in its tracks and rescue Satoru, with Cure Wonderful ensuring he and Cure Friendy have a soft landing, while Cure Lillian traps the Gaogaon in her net. With the Gaogaon caught, the Cures are able to purify it, returning it to normal.

Sensing the romantic vibes between Satoru and Cure Friendy, Zakuro decides to give up on him. After all, Gaou is the one she truly wants. After Zakuro leaves, Mayu, Yuki and Niko invite Komugi to go on a walk so Iroha and Satoru can have a moment to themselves to talk things out. Iroha is finally able to put her feelings into words, and Satoru realizes that she returns his feelings.

Another good episode. So, Iroha and Satoru are a couple now. This is certainly a special occasion, since as I mentioned in my thoughts on the previous episode, past Pretty Cure series with a male implied love interest for the Cures rarely get to the point of confessing, and when they do, what happens after is usually left vague. Not this time, though. Some great animation to go with the special occasion as well, as well as some great teamwork between the Cures to stop the Gaogaon and rescue Satoru.

Speaking of Zakuro, I guess not getting any sort of attention from Gaou must've made her kind of desperate. Her going for Satoru is a little creepy, though, considering he's 14, while Zakuro's human form looks to be a few years older, I'd guess she'd probably be in her late teens at the youngest. At least she gave up on it pretty quickly, though, so I guess she was mainly just trying to forget about her own frustrations with Gaou.

Other than that, there was some nice moments, with Mey Mey assuring Satoru he'll still be there for him if he needs to talk, Niko giving Satoru some insight into how Daifuku feels about Satoru's relationship with Iroha, and Yuki and Mayu keeping Komugi entertained so Iroha can figure out the important stuff.

I'll be looking forward to the next episode!

[darkershining]

Just watched episode 35 of Wonderful Pretty Cure, in which Mayu and Yuki encourage Satoru to finally confess his feelings to Iroha.

The episode begins with Satoru turning down a love confession from a girl at the school, the girl realizing he might already have feelings for someone else. Mayu and Yuki happen to witness the exchange while looking for a notebook Mayu had accidentally left behind. Satoru admits this isn't the first time another girl has confessed to him, and Mayu suggests he try confessing to Iroha. Satoru, however, tells her he's fine with things as they are, not wanting to make things complicated between them.

As they walk down the hallway, they meet with Komugi and Iroha, who are eager to get home to meet with a client of theirs, Keiji. Iroha seems quite fond of Keiji, talking about the things she admires about him, with both Satoru and Mayu concerned he may be a rival for Iroha's affection.

Heading over to investigate, they soon discover that Keiji is in fact a dog, who is currently training to become a police dog. Satoru is relieved, but Yuki tells him it might be too soon to relax, noting that Iroha does seem to get along well with Keiji's owner, Keiichi. Feeling a bit anxious, Satoru decides to leave, with Mayu and Yuki deciding to follow. The two try to convince Satoru to go back and confess his feelings to Iroha, noting that if she does have other potential suitors, then Satoru has to confess to her first. Admitting he wouldn't feel great about seeing someone else date Iroha, Satoru decides to do it and begins trying to think of what to say to her. Niko, having been observing from a distance, decides to head over and offer some assistance.

They head over to Niko Garden, where Mey Mey decides to have Satoru observe the courtship rituals between the other animals to possibly give him some ideas. Turns out Mey Mey was never told about Satoru's feelings for Iroha despite all the times they had spoken, leaving Mey Mey feeling a bit dejected that Satoru wouldn't tell him something like that.

Trying to take a simpler approach, Mayu decides to ask Satoru about what exactly it is he likes about Iroha, and when he can't decide on just one thing, asks him about when the two of them first met. Satoru explains they first met around three years ago, shortly after he first met Daifuku. He had found the rabbit hurt by a snake, and brought him to the clinic. While Iroha's mother was treating Daifuku's injury, Iroha approached Satoru, reassuring him that Daifuku would be okay.

After Daifuku's injury was treated, Satoru asked if the rabbit's ears not pointing up was due to the injury, with Iroha clarifying that no, it isn't, Daifuku is just of a breed whose ears are normally like that. As the two talk, Iroha compliments Satoru on his kindness, and that's when he developed his crush on her.

Mayu and Yuki tell Satoru to just be honest with Iroha, but Satoru begins overthinking things again trying to figure out the best way to get his feelings across, while Mey Mey tries to get his attention, wanting some reassurance that Satoru considers him a friend he can confide in.

Elsewhere, Torame is trying to get Gaou's attention. When he doesn't get an answer, he decides to go do something on his own. He finds a Garugaru egg and powers it up, unleashing a kangaroo Gaogaon that starts punching down trees in the forest. Sensing the Gaogaon's appearance, the Cures head over. Iroha and Komugi arrive first, with the rest of the team arriving shortly after.

The Cures transform, but have some trouble dealing with the kangaroo Gaogaon's strong punches, with Cure Friendy getting sent flying. Satoru runs over to her, giving her some advice, pointing out that kangaroos can't move backwards. Starting to put together a plan, the Cures call on the Kirarin Lion for help, allowing Cure Friendy to get ahead of the kangaroo and lure it away. The other Cures are about to follow, but Satoru stops them, as there's something else they need to do.

As Cure Friendy is leading the kangaroo Gaogaon to a particular spot, Satoru follows after them, thinking about what he wants to say to Iroha. Arriving at a bridge, Cure Friendy finds the other three Cures waiting, with Cure Lillian and Nyammy preparing a net to catch the Gaogaon. The shape of the net reminds the Gaogaon of its mother's pouch, leading it to willingly jump into the net. With the Gaogaon having calmed down a bit, the Cures are able to purify it and return it to Niko Garden. Torame figures it was a fun enough distraction and decides to leave.

At the bridge, the others watch in anticipation as it seems Satoru is about to confess to Iroha, only for him to decide not to do it after all. Mey Mey walks over, wondering why Satoru didn't tell Iroha his feelings... only to realize he just asked that out loud while Iroha was still right in front of them. And at that awkward moment, the episode ends.

Another good episode. Nice getting to learn how Satoru met both Daifuku and Iroha. And things took an interesting turn with Iroha now knowing how Satoru feels about her, and how that might affect things once she's processed this information in the next episode. After all, in the series that have them, it is pretty rare for the male support character with a crush on the lead Cure to actually confess their feelings for her (or well, I guess Mey Mey accidentally did it for Satoru in this case), and even in the series where she does find out, it usually happens near the end of the series, leaving it pretty vague if it'll change anything between them. So, I'm quite curious to see if this will affect the status quo in any way.

I'll be looking forward to seeing what happens next!

[darkershining]

Just watched episode 34 of Wonderful Pretty Cure, in which Mayu's father arrives in Animal Town to put up a photo exhibit, and while Mayu is spending time with him, Yuki decides to take some time to herself and try some new things.

The episode begins with Mayu asking Yuki to play with her. Yuki is initially uninterested, until Mayu brings out Yuki's favorite cat toy. Yuki tries to resist the temptation, but eventually gives in. Play time is interrupted when Mayu's parents return home, with Mayu happy that her father is finally back from travelling for work. Mayu asks about how his trip went, and he offers to show her some of the photos he plans to show off at an upcoming exhibit.

The next day, Iroha, Komugi and Satoru are headed to the exhibition, Mayu having invited them. Niko is also with them, expressing a desire to have her picture taken too, before Satoru reminds her she's supposed to stay hidden.

Heading in, the group meet up with Mayu and admire some of the photos. Komugi asks where Yuki is, with Mayu explaining she decided to stay home, wanting some alone time. When Mayu's dad, Takayuki comes over to talk to them, Niko quickly hides herself in Iroha's bag before he can spot her. Takayuki is happy to finally meet Mayu's friends, explaining that she's talked about them in video chats with him.

Unbeknownst to the group, Yuki decided to stop by to check on Mayu, observing from outside. Yuki figures that Mayu is fine, and decides not to enter the building. Since she's already outside, Yuki decides she may as well take the oppurtunity to try some things she'd secretly been wanting to try for a while.

After spending some time enjoying some of the things Animal Town has to offer, Yuki arrives at a park. She spots some cats having a meeting, recalling having seen them while out on a walk with Mayu before. She wonders again how Mayu is doing, reflecting on how much Mayu has grown since becoming a Pretty Cure. Her thoughts are interrupted when she spots a grey kitten being bothered by some crows, and rushes in to help. Noticing the kitten seems lost, Yuki decides to help the little one out.

Meanwhile, Zakuro is by herself, complaining about the couples around her and wishing she and Gaou could be like that. Her daydreaming out loud causes some bewildered looks from onlookers.

At Pretty Holic, Mayu notes that Yuki isn't home, and wonders where she might've gone. Komugi offers to help find her, and so the group decide to go look for her.

Back at the park, Yuki has changed back into cat form to ask the other cats if any of them recognize the grey kitten. The kitten's mother quickly walks over, and Yuki is about to leave, but the other cats invite her to stay and join their little gathering. Yuki tells the cats a little bit about herself, and then asks the cats what their meetings are usually about. However, the meeting is interrupted when Zakuro shows up. The boss cat tries to chase her away, scratching at her. Yuki changes into her human form, startling the other cats. Zakuro recognizes Yuki as one of the Cures, while Yuki tells the other cats to get to safety.

Annoyed at getting scratched, and figuring the boss cat is an acquaintance of Yuki, Zakuro decides to turn him into a Gaogaon. A short distance away, Komugi and Niko sense what has happened and the group hurry over to the park.

Cure Nyammy tries to dodge the cat Gaogaon's attacks, managing to hold him off until the other Cures arrive to assist her. Cure Nyammy gives the others a brief explanation of who the boss cat is, asking for the others' help in returning him to normal. Hiding in some bushes, Satoru, Niko and the rest of the cats from the meeting watch things unfold between the Cures and the Gaogaon. Satoru wonders why the rest of the cats haven't fled to safety, with Niko explaining they're concerned about their leader and want to support Cure Nyammy.

Continuing to dodge the cat Gaogaon's attacks, the Cures go over what they know about cats to determine how to best resolve the situation. Cure Lillian asks Cure Nyammy for her input, with Nyammy replying that Lillian already has the skills she needs to handle it. Realizing what Cure Nyammy has in mind, Cure Lillian calls on the Kirarin Fox for help, turning Cure Nyammy into a giant cat toy. Cure Lillian then uses the transformed Nyammy to get the Gaogaon's attention, with Satoru having to hold back the other cats to keep them from trying to join in.

Once the Gaogaon has calmed down a bit, the Cures are able to purify it, returning the boss cat to normal. Zakuro decides to leave to treat the wound from where the boss cat scratched her earlier. Niko heals up the boss cat, who then decides to show his appreciation for Yuki helping save him with an affectionate lick, catching her off-guard. The other cats show their appreciation as well through cuddles. Mayu is happy to see that Yuki has made some new friends among the other cats.

The episode ends with Yuki and Mayu back home, with the latter excitedly asking the former to tell her about her day, wanting to know all about how Yuki met the other cats.

Another fun episode! Nice to see a little more of Mayu's father, and him meeting Mayu's friends. And it was nice seeing Yuki decide to take some time to explore new things at her own initiative. Her interactions with the other cats were also nice, and I'm kind of hoping to see more of them.

I'll be looking forward to seeing what happens next!

[darkershining]

Just watched episode 33 of Wonderful Pretty Cure, in which we get to know Iroha's father a little better.

The episode begins with Iroha's father tending to Witt (the dog from episode 22), before getting ready to move on to Yuki, since Mayu wants to make sure she trimmed her claws correctly. Komugi is out playing in the dog run with other dogs brought to the clinic, including Moca, a new client.

After checking Yuki's claws, and giving a finishing touch with a nail file, Tsuyoshi gets ready to go give Moca a fur trimming, but Moca isn't interested. He decides to join Komugi in playing with Moca in order to get the dog to warm up to him so it'll let him groom their fur.

Satoru stops by, having come to get Daifuku's claws checked. While the group waits in Iroha's room, they ask her about how her dad got into the animal grooming business, noting it's kind of rare to find men in said profession. Iroha's mother stops by bringing snacks for the group, so they ask her about it since Iroha doesn't know.

Yoko explains that she first met him in the park, where he was working to learn about animals so he could get into the animal grooming business, but was having some trouble getting the dogs to trust him. Yoko gave him some tips to speak in a higher voice since a lower voice might come across as aggressive and make the dogs nervous, which is how he developed the voice he uses when addressing the dog clients at the clinic. Since Yoko was also looking to open an animal clinic, she invited him to work with her.

Somewhere in the city, Torame has picked up a Garugaru egg from somewhere, and is observing people walking their dogs, wondering why the dogs put up with having to walk on a leash. He powers up the Garugaru egg, unleashing a pig Gaogaon. Sensing it from a distance, the Cures head out to deal with the situation.

Satoru isn't entirely sure if the Gaogaon is a pig or a boar, but figures that either way, they might be able to calm it down by leading it to a patch of mud near the riverbank, since pigs love playing in mud. The Cures change up their strategy of chasing the pig, instead getting ahead of it, and trying to make a page from Tsuyoshi and speak to the Gaogaon in a cheery voice to lure it to the patch of mud.

The plan works, and upon reaching the patch of mud, the Gaogaon eagerly jumps in to play in it. With the Gaogaon distracted, the Cures are able to purify it, revealing it to be a pig from Niko Garden. Torame exits the scene, while Cure Lillian sends the pig back to Niko Garden.

Returning to the clinic, Tsuyoshi has successfully befriended and given Moca their first trim, with Moca's owner complimenting him on his work. As Tsuyoshi heads inside to take a break after saying good-bye to Moca and their owner, the Cures admire how well Tsuyoshi does his work and Komugi and Yuki both request that their owner brush them later. Niko observes from inside, commenting on everyone's smiles.

Another good episode! Nice to get to know Iroha's parents a little better, including how they first met. Not much else to say about this particular episode.

I'll be looking forward to the next episode!

[darkershining]

Just watched episode 32 of Wonderful Pretty Cure, in which the Cures visit Animal Town's petting zoo.

The episode begins with a flashback to when a younger Iroha was visiting a petting zoo with her parents, with the younger Iroha feeling nervous as an elephant approaches. Being woken up by Komugi, Iroha notes that she has yet to take Komugi there, and thinks it might be fun to bring everyone to the Petting Zoo, with Niko inviting herself along as well.

The Cures arrive at the Petting Zoo, with Mayu admitting she's been wanting to visit it for a while, while Yuki says she only came along because Mayu wanted to go. The Cures head in, with Mayu amazed at how much freedom some of the animals around the zoo have. Exploring the area, Komugi asks why the kangaroos jump around instead of running. Satoru is about to explain, when they hear someone else explaining it to their friends: Tsubasa, who is explaining it to the rest of the Hirogaru Sky Cures. Sora suggests they follow the kangaroos example as a way of exercise, but Mashiro insists they just stick to exploring the area for now.

As the Cures continue looking around, we see that a few of the Undergu Empire denizens are also loitering around at the zoo. While the others are checking out a reptile exhibit, Yuki and Niko wait outside, with Niko trying to start up a conversation with Yuki about how she and Mayu became friends, but Yuki is more interested in learning of why Niko is currently sticking around on Earth rather than return to Niko Garden. Niko explains she simply wants to make everyone smile, and asks Yuki what else makes her happy.

While the Cures are later checking out a rabbit section, Satoru shares his knowledge on the various types of rabbits, and helps a young boy approach one of the rabbits without scaring it.

Eventually, the Cures arrive at a savannah area, where Iroha introduces her friends to an old elephant named Sakura. Iroha explains that when she first met Sakura when she was younger, she was initially nervous, but when Sakura gently reached out to her, she felt a connection with the old elephant and realized she could befriend animals.

While the Cures are having lunch, we get another cameo as we see the Mahou Tsukai Cures are also visiting the zoo. Zakuro has also come across the zoo, and deciding she doesn't like some of the animals being confined, decides to explore the premises to find a suitable Gaogaon among the zoo animals. She briefly considers some wolves, before deciding against it and moving on, eventually settling on, of course, Sakura the elephant.

Discovering a Gaogaon has been summoned, Iroha quickly recognizes it as Sakura, and the Cures quickly transform in order to save her. The Cures struggle against her strength, with the Gaogaon easily breaking their barriers. They try asking the Kirarin Bear for help, but it's not enough and the Gaogaon begins attempting to break through the wall around the area. Cure Nyammy decides to call in the Kirarin Panda and simply put Sakura to sleep to resolve the situation quickly, but unfortunately, Sakura is still in too much of a frenzied state for it to work.

The Cures keep trying to keep her from breaking out, but nothing seems to work. However, as Zakuro is ordering Sakura to break the wall, the other animals in the savannah area suddenly step in to block the path, much to Zakuro's confusion. Sakura hesitates, and the Cures realize she's fighting the darkness from inside. Niko tells the Cures that they can purify her now, and the Cures do so, returning Sakura to normal. Niko heals up Sakura after her ordeal, while an annoyed Zakuro leaves the area.

The others tell Iroha they see why she likes Sakura so much and have grown fond of the elephant as well. Yuki, not simply admitting she also enjoyed her time at the petting zoo, comments that she'd be willing to visit again if Mayu wants to go. The episode ends with Iroha telling Sakura she'll always love her.

Another good episode! Even if it was just cameos, it was nice seeing the Hirogaru Sky and Mahou Tsukai teams again. Since I've read those two teams will be assisting the Wonderful Cures in their upcoming movie, I guess their appearances here is just sort of a teaser for that.

I'll be looking forward to the next episode!

[darkershining]

All right, I'm all caught up! Just watched episode 31 of Wonderful Pretty Cure, in which Mayu gets an oppurtunity to clear up a misunderstanding with an old friend of hers.

The episode begins with Mayu showing her mother videos she took of Yuki. Sumire suggests that Mayu post her videos and pictures of Yuki online, thinking it might make for some good publicity for the store. Mayu has some reservations, however.

She later discusses it with her friends, with the group explaining the concept of social media to Niko who decided to join in on the conversation. Noticing Mayu seems hesitant, they ask if it's because Yuki's not interested, only for Yuki to clarify that if Mayu wants to do it, then she's okay with it. Mayu clarifies she's worried people won't like her content, but Yuki manages to convince her that it won't be a problem.

Later in the night, Yuki gives Mayu the encouragement she needs to make her first post. Mayu's post receives plenty of positive attention from classmates and Pretty Holic customers. However, there's also one post commenting that getting popular with cat videos isn't that difficult. Yuki quickly points out another post underneath, with another poster basically being like "So what? The cat's cute." Unbeknownst to the two, Mayu's post has also caught the attention of Mayu's old friend from her previous school.

Zakuro has been observing the animals and people in Animal Town, wondering how they can possibly be getting along so well. She figures that if she can show them that humanity is their enemy, then perhaps Gaou will praise her.

The next day, Mayu's old friend, Yuma, heads into Animal Town with her mother, so her chinchilla, Kotetsu, can get a check-up at the clinic run by Iroha's family. Turns out Iroha is already acquianted with Yuma as her family has visited the clinic before since not all animal clinics know how to handle chinchillas. Komugi notes that Yuma reminds her a bit of Mayu, and takes a moment to explain who Mayu is. Yuma's mother asks them if the Mayu they're referring to is perhaps Mayu Nekoyashiki.

Over at Pretty Holic, Mayu admits to Yuki that she's been thinking about reaching out to Yuma and try to sort out the misunderstanding that occured over a year ago. Yuki thinks its a good idea, but worries Mayu might be overthinking when she starts trying to think of a plan to do just that, entering focus mode.

Yuma's mother suggests that Yuma go try talking to Mayu, and Yuma tries mustering up the courage to approach her. However, when she can't get Mayu's attention, she gives up and goes to leave. Luckily, Yuki spots her and manages to snap Mayu out of focus mode. Mayu is initially upset that she made the same mistake again, but Yuki encourages her to do something about it, pointing out they might still be able to catch up to Yuma.

As Yuma and her mother are driving down the road, Zakuro suddenly lands on the hood of their car and grabs a hold of Kotetsu's cage, pulling it from Yuma's hands. She turns the poor chinchilla into a Gaogaon, with Yuki sensing one has been summoned. Mayu tells her they should prioritize dealing with that situation, noting she'll just have go talk to Yuma at a later time.

The Cures arrive on the scene and transform, while Satoru and Niko observe from a distance. Satoru asks if Niko can tell which Niko Animal they're up against this time, only for Niko to inform him that this one isn't one of theirs. As Yuma and her mother arrive on the scene to try to calm down Kotetsu, the Cures realize what has happened, with Niko expressing surprise the wolves could do this to Animal Town's animals as well.

Cure Wonderful and Friendy get Yuma and her mother to safety, having Satoru stay with them to make sure they stay safe. Cure Lillian tries to talk to Kotetsu while Nyammy chases after Zakuro, seeming to get through to Kotetsu a little, but not enough to calm him down. Cure Wonderful and Friendy return, and they decide to have Lillian use her net to hold Kotetsu still so they can purify him.

Cure Wonderful and Friendy try to buy Cure Lillian enough time to make a big enough net, with Cure Nyammy abandoning chasing after Zakuro in favor of assisting the other Cures. Cure Lillian manages to make the net, and the Cures are able to purify Kotetsu, with an annoyed Zakuro noting she won't get praised by Gaou now as she leaves. Noting Kotetsu seems a bit weak from his ordeal, Niko decides to help out by healing him. Yuma and her mother show up to see that Kotetsu is okay, and thank the Cures for saving him.

After taking Kotetsu back to the clinic to make sure he's okay after what just happened, Mayu takes the oppurtunity to finally talk things out with Yuma. The two finally mend their friendship, with Mayu finally being able to give Yuma the handkerchief she has originally intended to give her for her birthday last year. As they look on from outside, Niko comments to Yuki how wonderful it is to see the two friends make up, hoping they might be able to sort things out peacefully with Gaou someday as well.

Another good episode! I'm happy Mayu and Yuma were able to finally sort things out, with a little help from Yuki. And I figured it was only a matter of time before regular animals not from the Niko Garden would become potential targets for being turned into Garugaru/Gaogaon.

I'll be looking forward to the next episode!

[darkershining]

Almost caught up now. Just watched episode 30 of Wonderful Pretty Cure, in which Niko and the Cures try to figure out what to do next in the light of recent revelations.

The episode begins with Niko and Mey-Mey in front of the Mirror Stone, with Niko explaining she's the one who placed it there a long time ago and that it's a part of the Niko Diamond. She explains how it was meant to help humans and animals become friends, but there were also those who misused its power. She admits that she didn't know it could grant the Pretty Cures their power, and she's considering taking that power back so she can face Gaou at full power.

At the shrine hideout, Gaou has been informed of the Pretty Cures and how they've been interfering with the Garugaru. Torame and Zakuro aren't too concerned as they don't see the Cures as that big of a threat, but Gaou would rather not take any chances. With the Gaogaon rampaging around town, the people of Animal Town are told to stay inside.

Following the encounter with the wolves, Iroha is still at a loss of what to do. Mayu is not much better, still shaken up after seeing Iroha falling into self-doubt. Satoru is trying his best to research everything he can about wolves, not knowing what else to do. As he's about to give up, Daifuku thumps his foot to get Satoru's attention. As Satoru lets him out of his cage, Daifuku hops onto Satoru's office chair, silently urging him to continue his research and looking for possible solutions.

Back at the shrine, Zakuro wants to go take out the Pretty Cures in hopes of impressing Gaou, but Torame protests he should be the one to go since he's the one who unleashed the Gaogaon that's currently rampaging. The two get into a brief argument, before settling the matter with rock-paper-scissors, with Torame winning and heading off into town.

At Iroha's place, Komugi goes to cheer up Iroha. Komugi points out that she used to distrust humans as well, but was eventually able to become friends with Iroha, and how happy she is now that they've made so many more friends since. Komugi encourages Iroha to keep believing in her dream of befriending all animals, telling her that it might take a while, but there's still a chance they might be able to become friends with the wolves.

As the two finish their talk, Iroha's father lets them know that Satoru is calling, and Iroha goes to answer. Satoru explains that he saw one of the wolves heading into town on the news, and thought he should let her know, wishing he could do more to help. Iroha assures him he's already done plenty, and that she appreciates everything he's done for her and the other Cures.

At Mayu's place, Yuki helps Mayu calm down, and suggests they'd feel even better with the rest of the Cures, having finally accepted the idea of the four of them as one team. As everyone arrives at an empty mall where Torame has just summoned the Gaogaon, Yuki tells the other Cures that they should try working closer together this time instead of moving about separately. The Cures transform, but still have trouble against the Gaogaon and its duplicates.

Niko decides she'll take back their power and handle the rest on her own, but Mey-Mey protests, pointing out that the Cures have successfully rescued many animals that were turned into Garugaru. As the Cures get back onto their feet, each of them call in the help of a Kirarin Animal to even the odds. Mey-Mey tells Niko that it's not just the Kirarin Animals supporting them, but every animal in Niko Garden is cheering the Cures on.

Seeing the Cures' resolve, Niko decides to put her trust in them as well, and grants them a new power via the Diamond Ribbon Castle. With their new power, the Cures are able to purify the Gaogaon. Cure Friendy asks Torame to tell Gaou that they wish to meet with him. Torame is more amused by her request than anything, but since things look to be getting more interesting, he agrees to pass on her message before leaving. Cure Lillian and Cure Nyammy send the monkey back to Niko Garden.

Mey-Mey apologizes to Niko for disobeying her, worried she'll fire him from his butler position now. Niko gently assures him that she isn't flawless either, and that they should both keep doing their best. The episode ends with Niko introducing herself to Iroha's parents and asking them if she can stay over at their house for a while, while a shocked Mey-Mey asks her why she's not coming back to Niko Garden with him.

Another really good episode! So, now we hear Niko's side of the Mirror Stone legend, and her version gives a different explanation for why the Mirror Stone lost its power, with selfish humans having tried to take advantage of it. Part of me is wondering if Niko's account is the correct one and its as simple as that, or if there might be some truth to both versions of the legend we've heard.

Anyways, aside from some new info, it was nice seeing Mey-Mey standing up to the Cures when Niko considering taking her power back from them, and Niko deciding to entrust them with a new power. After the previous season didn't have the Cures get an outfit change with their mid-season power-up, they brought that element back for this one. It was also neat seeing the Cures officially coming together as one team, instead of two separate teams working together, with a nice display of character development from Yuki.

I'll be looking forward to seeing what happens next!

[darkershining]

Still a few episodes left to catch up on, just watched episode 29, in which the Cures finally meet Niko in person and learn how the animals they've been rescuing were turned into Garugaru.

The episode begins with Komugi being woken up by Niko's egg shining brightly, other animals in town also sensing it, including Daifuku and Yuki. Seeing the egg beginning to hatch, Komugi quickly wakes up Iroha. The two gather the others, and they watch as Niko emerges from her egg. Mey-Mey is overjoyed to finally have her back, and explains to Satoru that she is known as the Diamond Unicorn. As Niko is about to speak, the group wait in anticipation to hear what she's about to say. After observing them for a moment, Niko cheerfully introduces herself.

Iroha and the others introduce themselves to Niko, gradually explaining what's been going on. Mey-Mey is initially worried when Niko finds out he'd failed to keep the Niko Garden a secret as promised, but thankfully the others vouch for him that it wasn't his fault that the secret got out, to which Niko decides to let it slide.

Niko wants to go back to Niko Garden, and notices the Cures have the emergency trunk. She is initially angry that Mey-Mey gave it to them, until he points out that it was an emergency, and so she lets it go. Niko teleports to Niko Garden ahead of the others, and upon arriving in Niko Garden, they see that a large crowd of animals have gathered to witness her return.

While having tea, the Cures ask Niko about what happened the day the garden was attacked. Niko explains that it was the doing of Gaou, who was once the leader of a wolf pack. With his power, he turned a lot of animals into Garugaru, and Niko was the one who trapped them in egg form, temporarily sealing them away. She laments that she couldn't do more to stop it.

Elsewhere, Gaou can sense that Niko has reawakened, and wondering what's been going on with the beasts he unleashed, decides to call upon his two allies, Zakuro and Torame, to go check on the situation. The two of them come across a Garugaru egg, and decide to enhance it.

Sensing something is going on, the Cures return to Animal Town, and spot several animals fleeing as the sky grows dark. They encounter Torame and Zakuro, the former enhancing the Garugaru egg with his power, leading it to hatch into an even stronger beast. With Komugi commenting on its "Gaogaon" cry, Torame decides that's as good as any name for the stronger beast and orders it to attack.

The Cures transform, and initially try to talk the villains out of fighting. However, the two of them quickly make it clear they have no intention of becoming friends with humans, reminding the group that it was because of humans in the past that the wolves in the area went extinct. The Gaogaon multiples, the Cures struggling to deal with it and its three duplicates, and soon discover that their purification moves won't work on them.

The Cures are ultimately defeated, but before the Gaogaon can deliver a finishing blow, the two villains hear Gaou summoning them back, so they decide to leave and let the Gaogaon go on a rampage elsewhere. The Cures are left shaken up and unsure of what to do, especially Iroha.

Really good episode! We finally meet both Niko and the villains of the season, and I'd say it was worth the wait. The designs of both Torame and Zakuro are great, both their wolf forms and especially their human forms. Gaou himself looks pretty cool too. And I figured a stronger variant of the Garugaru would be introduced sooner or later as well.

As for Niko, her design is cute, typical Pretty Cure mascot-esque design. When I first saw her face the first thing that came to mind was Kirarin from Kira Kira Pretty Cure A La Mode, though. Or I guess a combination of her and Pekorin's (also from Kira Kira Pretty Cure A La Mode) faces. Well, considering how many mascot character they've designed over the years, I guess some are bound to look similar.

I'll be looking forward to seeing what happens next!

[darkershining]

Still catching up on Wonderful Pretty Cure, just watched episode 28, in which the Cures visit a farm.

The episode begins with the Cures visiting a farm run by the family of one of their classmates, Ohkuma. Komugi is especially excited, while Yuki only came along because Mayu did. Ohkuma is happy to show the others around, and invites them to join in a stamp rally they've got going on the farm for the summer. While Ohkuma is checking on some of the other people visiting the farm, Mey-Mey reveals that he decided to come along too, bringing Niko along.

Ohkuma returns to the group, who quickly have to convince her that she imagined Mey-Mey talking, while Mey-Mey quickly gets down on all fours and tries to act like a normal sheep. Luckily she buys it, and takes a moment to wonder where he came from, before convincing herself the only likely explanation is that he's one of the farm's sheep who got separated from the herd.

While a worker takes Mey-Mey over to the other sheep, Ohkuma guides the others around, letting them take part in activities like milking cows, making ice cream from the fresh milk and looking at the various animals. While the group is later watching a sheep dog show, Komugi notices that Mey-Mey is struggling to keep up with the other sheep. While Mey-Mey tries to explain to the sheep dog, Andy, that he's not really part of their herd, Komugi decides to cheer Mey-Mey on to reach the finish, with others joining in. Motivated, Mey-Mey decides to continue running alongside the sheep dog to the finish.

Some time later, after Mey-Mey has managed to get away from the other sheep and rejoin the group, he complains about how his day has turned out so far. However, he cheers up when Komugi notices that Niko's egg is glowing, and Iroha comments that Niko must've been enjoying herself. Mey-Mey concludes that if Niko enjoyed it, then all that running was worth it.

Of course, there's a Garugaru egg somewhere on the farm, which soon hatches into an alpaca Garugaru and puts the animals on the farm on edge. The Cures quickly transform, and find themselves having to dodge the Garugaru's balls of acid spit. While Cure Friendy and Wonderful are trying to dodge the spit, Cure Lillian and Nyammy make an attempt to approach the Garugaru from behind. However, it spots them and tries kicking at them.

The Garugaru momentarily loses track of where the Cures are, giving them a moment to try to come up with a plan for how to stop its attacks. They are interrupted when Ohkuma shows up, having chased after a calf that ran into the field. Ohkuma tries telling the Garugaru to leave, but it tries spitting at her, with Cure Friendy having to quickly leave the hiding spot to shield them with her Ribbon Barrier. It works, sending the ball of acid spit flying in a different direction, forcing Cure Friendy to quickly move out of the way as it flies in her direction.

Satoru quickly takes Ohkuma and the calf to safety, while Cure Nyammy and Cure Lillian formulate a plan now that they know that their barriers can block the Garugaru's acid spit. Cure Lillian calls on the Kirarin Swan for help, using its power of flight to keep the Garugaru's attention. When the Garugaru tries spitting at her, she reflects it back, causing the Garugaru to freak out. However, Cure Wonderful and Nyammy then use their own barriers to stop the attack as the Garugaru looks on. Cure Wonderful and Cure Friendy manage to purify the Garugaru, and then they send the alpaca back to Niko Garden.

The group complete the stamp rally, and Mey-Mey quickly moves out of sight when Ohkuma shows up to give the group their reward for finishing the rally; stickers based on the different animals at the farm. The episode ends with them all taking a picture together.

Another fun episode. Nice to get to know one of the classmates we've seen in episodes taking place at school a little better. Not much else to say about this one.

The preview for the next one, however... now this is going to be interesting! Looking forward to checking it out!

[darkershining]

Still catching up on Wonderful Pretty Cure, just watched episode 27, where the Cures participate in a search for tsuchinoko.

The episode begins with Mayu petting and cuddling Yuki, until the cat declares she's satisfied and moves away from Mayu. Yuki is briefly startled when she mistakes one of the ribbons laying on a desk for a snake, but plays it off when Mayu asks if something is wrong. Iroha and Satoru show up, asking Mayu to join them to search for a tsuchinoko.

Mayu doesn't know what tsuchinoko are, so Satoru and Iroha explain how they're said to be snake-like creatures, but not quite snakes. No one knows if they exist, but in Animal Town there's an annual event where the people in town search for them, and considering it's Animal Town, Iroha would not be surprised if they turned out to really exist. Mayu decides to join them, and while Yuki is uninterested, she decides to come along since Mayu is going.

The group arrive at the location of the event, with several stalls set up much like a festival. The mayor of Animal Town gives a speech kicking off the event, and everyone begins their search, except Yuki who decides to just watch the others. Eventually, the group take a break to have lunch together, when Mey-Mey calls them to ask about how Niko is doing. Iroha tries to explain that they're not home at the moment, only for Komugi to reveal that she decided to bring Niko with them, with Mey-Mey critizing her for putting her in the same bag where she kept her snacks.

While Mey-Mey polishes the Niko egg, the group explain to him what they're doing, and Mey-Mey remarks that there are plenty of tsuchinoko in Niko Garden. An excited Satoru begins asking him questions, with Mey-Mey explaining a bit about them, but before he can explain that the tsuchinoko have a particular power one should be vary of, he ends up dropping the egg. The group scramble to try to catch the Niko egg, except Yuki, whose instincts kick in when the egg lands near her, leading her to bat it away instead.

The egg falls into a hole, and as if that wasn't bad enough, Komugi and Yuki realize there's a Garugaru egg in the pit as well that is about to hatch. Mey-Mey tells the Cures to hurry up and transform, and they do just that. Since they can't fit into the hole, they ask the Kirarin Hamster for assistance, shrinking them down so they can enter the hole. The Garugaru egg hatches just as they arrive, revealing a snake-like Garugaru, which instantly puts Cure Nyammy on edge. The Garugaru ends up swallowing the Niko egg, with Satoru and Mey-Mey listening in from outside the hole.

The Cures begin trying to figure out how to deal with the Garugaru so they can retrieve Niko, and noticing how Cure Nyammy is acting, Cure Lillian recalls that cats tend to be scared of snakes, despite Cure Nyammy trying to insist she's fine. Looking closer at the shape of Garugaru, Cure Friendy wonders if it might not be a snake at all, but rather a tsuchinoko. Satoru is excited, but Mey-Mey reminds him that it's still currently a Garugaru that the Cures have to deal with.

The Cures soon discover what Mey-Mey was trying to warn them about earlier, when the tsuchinoko ends up petrifying Cure Friendy and Cure Lillian from the neck down. Mey-Mey explains that tsuchinoko can turn others to stone with their eyes when angry. Despite being scared, Cure Nyammy is able to pull the partially petrified Cure Lillian to safety as the Garugaru tries to attack her, while Cure Wonderful attempts to calm the Garugaru so she can purify it.

Unfortunately, Cure Wonderful ends up petrified as well, with Cure Lillian urging Cure Nyammy to run away, while Satoru begins digging another hole using the equipment he brought for the tsuchinoko search. Cure Nyammy manages to overcome her fear enough to keep the Garugaru distracted, running around with her eyes closed to avoid being petrified while relying on her other senses to keep track of where it is. Cure Wonderful tells her to try calming the Garugaru, but Cure Nyammy draws the line at touching it. Luckily, the hole Satoru made ends up letting in light into the pit, startling the Garugaru and causing the petrification effect to wear off. Realizing they have an oppurtunity now, Cure Nyammy and Cure Lillian purify the Garugaru.

With Niko retrieved and the tsuchinoko from Niko Garden back to normal, the Cures take a moment to talk to it, except Cure Nyammy who'd rather keep her distance. The Cures send the tsuchinoko back to Niko Garden, and go to enjoy some food at the end of the event. Iroha notes that she still thinks tsuchinoko might exist in Animal Town, and hopes to meet one of those someday. Mayu compliments Yuki on how she managed to face the Garugaru despite being scared, although Yuki doesn't think her own performance this time was particularly impressive. The episode ends with Yuki getting startled when she notices the shadow of what appears to be another tsuchinoko slithering through some bushes.

Another good episode! I like how Satoru got to save the Cures and give them the chance they needed to purify the Garugaru, and the Cures finally got into a situation requiring the Kirarin Hamster's ability, meaning they've now used all the Kirarin Animals' abilities at least once.

I'll be looking forward to checking out the next episode!

[darkershining]

Still got more Wonderful Pretty Cure to catch up on. Just watched episode 26, in which the Cures try to figure out how to stay cool when a heat wave hits Animal Town.

The episode begins with Iroha out on one of her daily walks with Komugi. She notes its starting to get kind of hot, and asks Komugi if she's okay, which she seems to be. Elsewhere, Mayu and Yuki are heading out to buy some embroidery thread, with Yuki complaining about the heat. Mayu suggests she go back home, but Yuki insists on accompanying Mayu. As the heat starts to really get to them, the girls begin to imagine walking through a desert, eventually coming across Iroha and Komugi, with the latter also feeling sluggish from the heat now. As the two pets collapse from the heat, Iroha and Mayu desperately make their way for an "oasis", where a startled Satoru accidentally splashes water on them, snapping them back to reality.

Taking some time to cool off at Satoru's house, he shows off his collection of animal books and explains how he keeps the air conditioner running all year to ensure that Daifuku is comfortable and talks about finding other ways to stay cool, as the weather forecast indicates the heat wave will last a while. Iroha is concerned about how she'll go on her daily walks with Komugi under these conditions, but seeing as Satoru and Mayu both have found ways to manage, she figures she'll be able to figure something out as well.

When Mey-Mey suddenly calls Satoru, Iroha has an idea and opens the portal to let Mey-Mey in. She asks for permission to walk Komugi in Niko Garden during the summer, but Mey-Mey refuses. Not convinced the heat is that bad, Mey-Mey decides to head over to check up on Niko. As he's making his way there, he quickly realizes that Iroha wasn't exaggerating.

Elsewhere, a Garugaru egg hatches in a parking lot, Komugi and Yuki sensing it. The Cures quickly head over, concerned that the Garugaru might suffer from the heat too. Upon seeing it, Satoru identifies it as a camel, which won't have such issues in the heat. Wanting to get things over with quickly so they can return home and cool down, the Cures transform and go to deal with the Garugaru.

It becomes apparent that the heat wave is affecting the Cures' abilities as well, as they struggle to dodge the camel rapidly spitting metal shards at them. Cure Nyammy wishes they had a way to make it less hot, which gives Cure Lillian an idea. She calls on the Kirarin Penguin for help, using its gliding ability to generate ice to cool down the battle field. Feeling better, Cure Wonderful and Friendy approach the camel, who is having trouble moving across the icy ground.

However, the ice begins to break and melt underneath the camel, who starts feeling weak due to the sudden rise in humidity. Acting quickly, Cure Wonderful and Friendy purify the camel and send it back to Niko Garden. The Cures decide to make their way home, although Mayu briefly stops to wonder if there was something she had forgotten to do today.

Returning home, Iroha and Komugi check up on Niko, and meet up with Mey-Mey, who had some of his wool sheared by Iroha's dad to help cool him down, with Komugi laughing at how silly he looks in that state. Iroha points out how Mey-Mey earlier claimed not to be so easily bothered by the heat, with Mey-Mey sheepishly (no pun intended) admitting he was wrong.

The next morning, Iroha wakes up Komugi so they can go for their daily walk before the sun comes up, having realized they can avoid the worst of the heat that way. The episode ends with Mayu and Yuki making another attempt to get through the heat in order to buy that embroidery thread Mayu forgot to get the day before.

Another nice episode. There was some funny little moments, like the Niko egg escaping the heat by teleporting inside Iroha's fridge, Satoru's freak out at the realization that Iroha is in his room, followed by Mayu trying to sneak away to give the two some space while Satoru is showing Iroha some books on dogs she might be interested in. Also, we finally got to see Cure Lillian's animation for calling on a Kirarin Animal for help. Was wondering when we'd see that. Also, I guess they went with a different verse of the ending theme this time around, giving more focus to Cure Nyammy and Lillian for that section. That's neat.

Looking forward to checking out the next episode!

[darkershining]

I've got several episodes of Wonderful Pretty Cure to catch up on. Let's start with episode 25, in which the Cures head to the beach for an independant research project.

The episode begins with the Cures observing Niko's egg, noting she seems to have a favorite spot by the window in Iroha's room. Iroha calls Mey-Mey over, explaining that she and the others will be heading out for a bit, and asking him to watch Niko for her in the meantime, which he of course agrees to do. Mayu asks Iroha about their summer homework, with Iroha explaining she figured now would be a good time for the four of them to get their independant research project done, since Satoru already finished his summer homework. Yuki is initially reluctant, having wanted to do it with just her and Mayu, but Iroha eventually convinces her to work with her and Komugi as well.

The group heads to the beach, with Satoru joining as well. Mayu teases him about his feelings for Iroha, but he insists he's just here to help with their project. Iroha wants to do the project on sea turtles, since every year around this time of year, sea turtles will show up on the beaches of Animal Town to lay their eggs. The others agree, but Satoru points out the turtles will likely not show up until nighttime. Since they're at the beach, Iroha figures they can pass the time having some fun in the meantime.

Everyone reveals they came prepared, changing into appropriate beach-wear, with Mayu having brought along some for Yuki who didn't bring any herself. The group spends the day having fun at the beach, building sandcastles, surfing, practicing swimming and so on.

While having lunch, Satoru tells the group a bit more about sea turtle facts. He figures the turtles like the beaches of Animal Town since the sand is the ideal texture and temperature for the eggs, explaining how the temperature can affect the gender of the turtles and how if its too cold, they might not hatch.

Unbeknownst to the group, there's a different type of egg nearby, a Garugaru egg, which soon hatches into a sea turtle Garugaru. The Cures transform, and Cure Lillian grabs onto the Garugaru's shell, refusing to let go even as the Garugaru carries her off to sea. The Cures try to follow, eventually realizing its heading for a particular island nearby. After taking a moment to consider how to get there and which Kirarin Animal they should ask for assistance, they decide to call on the Kirarin Fawn and make their way over by jumping across the smaller islands on the way.

Cure Lillian loses her grip on the Garugaru just as the other Cures arrive. She assures Cure Nyammy that she's unharmed, and that she's more concerned about the Garugaru. As the Cures try to avoid the Garugaru's water attacks, Cure Lillian notices that some regular sea turtle eggs are buried in the sand nearby. Worrying that the water will cool the sand to the point where it might damage the eggs, Cure Nyammy decides to muster up as many barriers as she can to block attacks from all possible angles from further reaching the eggs.

Cure Nyammy wants to do it on her own, but Lillian reminds her that she can rely on the others, including Wonderful and Friendy. Together, the Cures continue protecting the eggs, until they manage to distract the turtle and stop its attacks, giving Cure Wonderful and Cure Friendy the oppurtunity to purify it. With the turtle back to normal, Friendy and Wonderful send it back to Niko Garden.

Later in the night, the group wait for a sea turtle to show up, with Iroha's parents having arrived, presumably to give everyone a ride home once they've got everything they need to finish the project. Mey-Mey also came along, telling Niko how the Cures have been helping the Niko Garden animals that were transformed into Garugaru return to normal and find their way home.

A sea turtle shows up, and the Cures observes it as it lays its eggs. Yuki admits that she had a good time working with everyone on the project, with Komugi and Iroha happy that Yuki is getting even more comfortable around them to the point where she's calling them by name now. They ask her to do it again, but an annoyed Yuki refuses while the turtle returns to the sea.

Another fun episode. I really like the dynamics between the main characters. I don't really have much else to say about this one.

Looking forward to seeing what happens next!