Higashi Setsuna


 * "Cure Passion" redirects here. For the Fresh Pretty Cure!-character who was speculated for being Cure Passion, please see Chinen Miyuki.

Higashi Setsuna is a young girl who appears to be in her late teens. She works for Labyrinth until episode 23, and is the first of the original three members to appear, as well as the only female of the group. Her catchphase is, "I'll do my best!" (精一杯、頑張るわ！). Though she has recently appeared as Cure Passion, she has just joined the other girls. Her Pickrun, the Akarun, has a ribbon and wings. She can transform into Eas (イース) and Cure Passion (キュアパッション).

Eas
Eas first meets Momozono Love while working at the Labyrinth fortune-telling house. She, disguised as Setsuna at the time, tells Love that she will soon "encounter great happiness." Later on, Eas disrupts the Trinity concert where Love is in by summoning a Nakewameke that attacks Chinen Miyuki, the leader of the dance trio. However, Eas then witnesses that Love gains the ability to transform into Cure Peach and defeat the monster. Eas retreats into the shadows, stating with a cold laugh that she was sure they would meet again.

Eas, now as Setsuna, finds Love playing Lucky Draw in town and asks her for a tour of the town. During and after the tour, she tries to steal Love's Linkrun. After the repeated failures, Setsuna receives a clover necklace from Love, which is just an item to show she is friendly at first. Setsuna and Love meet again later, this time with Miki and Inori with her. During a get-together, Setsuna tries once again to steal Love's Linkrun, but when it reacts, she puts it down.

Moebius begins to realize that something is hindering Setsuna, as Eas, from eliminating Pretty Cure, so he gives her the Nakisakebe cards. Upon using it, thorny, black vines dig into her skin. It is not until Pretty Cure defeat it after a hard battle that she is saved. The third time the card is used, the Akarun is spotted in town, but has a hard time choosing its master. The vines fully bind her, but the Nakisakebe is defeated, stopping any further damage.

Resurrection
Soular talks to Eas after the third defeat, because Moebius has given her one last chance to defeat Pretty Cure. During the fourth Nakisakebe attack, Cure Peach encounters Eas. Setsuna reveals her human identity and breaks the clover necklace. After a final battle between her and Cure Peach, Eas' body dies due to her life being offered. She, however is saved by the Akarun, giving her a new form: Cure Passion. Although Love accepts her immediately, she walks away, conflicted on what to do.

Setsuna has realized that now that Labyrinth has kicked her out, she has no place to go. While wandering the streets, she meets Love and her family, who are going to a restaurant to eat. Love convinces her to join and Setsuna begins to enjoy herself more. Westar, wanting to confirm Eas has switched sides and possibly get her back, attacks the city with a tower turned Nakewameke. Cure Peach first confronts the menace on her own, but then Setsuna, realizing that she has felt more happy spending time with Love, becomes Cure Passion and uses Happiness Hurricane to purify the Nakewameke. Love's mother offers to let Setsuna stay in their house, to which she accepts.

Setsuna and Cure Passion
Although Setsuna is adapting to the society of a normal girl, she is still haunted by her past deeds as Eas everywhere she goes. However, she is backed up by the rest of Pretty Cure, and when a Nakewameke representing Eas, attacks the girls, she confronts the fake and defeats her with the girls, putting her past to rest. She later on feels that she should start dancing with the girls, becoming a part of their dancing group Clover, and although she hesitates, she gets help from Inori.

Setsuna transfers to Love's school. She proves to be quite capable and hard working, answering math problems correctly and playing sports well. This gathers the attention of a lot of fans, and she becomes popular, to Daisuke's dismay. After Westar turns a pitching machine into a Nakewameke, Cure Berry uses the Burun to change the group uniforms. Setsuna gets a home run, and all four finish off the Nakewameke.

One day, when Setsuna and Love have been out shopping, Setsuna wonders how Labyrinth is doing with their mission. While easing donuts at Kaoru's shop, she explains what Infinity is and why the Labyrinth is after it. Though the girls are worried about it, they decide to do their best beating the villains. On their way home, they are told by several people good things that are going to happen the day after. It turns out that, after defeating Labyrinth and the Nakewameke that stopped the clock, that Chiffon actually is Infinity, before said mascot disappears.

At the end of their journey, when Moebius has been defeated, Setsuna decides to follow Soular and Westar back to Labyrinth in order to make it a happy place, just like how Love and Clover Town made her happy. Before she leaves, she attends and wins the dance competition with the rest of Clover.

Personality
Setsuna starts out as a cold and isolated girl, loyal only to Moebius. When she, as Setsuna, meets Love, Love's nature makes her slightly open up to the girls. She does have a stubborn mind, however, as she refuses to accept the fact that she has weaknesses. This is shown every time Soular or Westar asks her about Pretty Cure after losing to them, in which she throws small fits and leaves, usually thinking that she will be the one defeating Pretty Cure. After switching sides, she seems to have lost most of her stubborn mind, and is typically sweet and reserved, though her nature may be due to naivety and guilt.

Relationships
Eas was only loyal to Moebius at first and only follows his commands, which may often be seen as an obsession. Although the Nakisakebe card is taking away her life, she is still grateful that Moebius has entrusted her the card, and is willing to sacrifice her life to use it. Soular has also noted that, although Eas has become Higashi Setsuna, she still cannot live without him, a fact that may become a burning point later.

Westar is the one most concerned about Setsuna, as he tried to get her back on their side after she became a part of Pretty Cure, though Setsuna thinks that he only wants her back because of the new power she now possesses as a Cure. Especially after witnessing him attacking the citizens, she gains a antagonistic relationship toward him.

Eas, in order to spy on Pretty Cure, uses her Setsuna Higashi form to get closer to them, specifically Love. Though she in the beginning only viewed them as a mean to fulfill her mission, she develops a friendship with Love, which also begins making her open up.

Eas


"I am Eas, denizen of Labyrinth, and faithful servant of Lord Moebius!" 我が名はイース. ラビリンス総統、メビウス様がしもべ！ "Wa ga na wa Iisu. Rabirinsu soutou, Mebiusu-sama ga shimobe!" Eas (イース) is the original part of Setsuna, and the one that represents her past as a Labyrinth member. Eas was very stubborn and had a great part of pride, refusing to admit defeat to her partners or let them help her. When meeting Cure Peach the first time, Eas swore to be her enemy by telling that they would meet again. Since then, Eas tried her best to defeat Pretty Cure, and in the end, asked Moebius for his help. At her last days, she was given the Nakisakebe cards, since it was obvious that Pretty Cure were getting stronger, and that she herself was having doubts about Labyrinth's goals.

When Eas' body died and her life energy was sacrificed for Labyrinth's goal, Akarun was summoned by Chiffon and entered her body, causing it to be revived as Cure Passion's. After this, it does not seem like Setsuna can become Eas anymore, though she herself has decided that she will never again be helping Labyrinth, so it is possible she still has the ability to transform, but does not want to.

Cure Passion


"The scarlet heart is the proof of happiness. Freshly-ripened fresh, Cure Passion!" 真っ赤なハートは幸せの証. うれたてフレッシュ、キュアパッション！ "Makka na haato wa shiawase no akashi. Uretate furesshu, Kyuapasshon!" Cure Passion (キュアパッション) did not appear until episode 23. In order to find out who she was, the other girls had to find the Akarun. Cure Passion's theme color is red and is possibly the strongest of Pretty Cure.

Cure Passion can use the attack Happiness Hurricane, and, unlike the other Cures, does not need to get to know Chiffon better in order to summon Akarun and the Passion Harp, though she does not yet have any Fresh upgrade, even if her normal attack is considered equal to said upgrade. Later than half-through the season, Pretty Cure use the power of the Clover Box to use the group attack Lucky Clover Grand Finale, in which Cure Passion transfers her powers into the Happiness Leaf.

Cure Angel
"The white heart is the heart of everyone! Freshly-flapping fresh, Cure Angel!" ホワイトハートはみんなの心. 羽ばたけフレッシュ、キュアエンジェル！ "Howaito haato wa minna no kokoro! Hanebatake Furesshu, Kyuaenjeru!" Cure Angel (キュアエンジエル) is a second Cure form Pretty Cure gains in the series thanks to the people of Labyrinth. When transforming, the four-leaf clover brooch acquires a fifth white leaf, representing the final transformation. Cure Angel's clothes resemble Cure Passion's, but has longer skirt and different tights, as well as wings. Her wings can act like a shield.

In this Cure form, Cure Angel is capable of flying in fast speed, and has a powered up strength. Together with everyone else, she can use the attacks Loving True Heart and Loving True Heart Fresh.

Cure Rainbow Passion
Cure Rainbow Passion (キュアレインボー・パッション)}} is an upgrade Cure Passion gains in Pretty Cure All Stars DX 2: Kibou no Hikari - Rainbow Jewel o Mamore!. Together with the others' upgrades, the group of seventeen girls form the group Cure Rainbow. This upgraded outfit resembles that of Cure Angel in the season's finale, except with a pair of small, golden wings instead of white ones.

Etymology
Higashi (東): 'Translates to east'', an obvious reference to her alter ego of Eas. Hayato, Shun and Nayuta each also have surnames referring to the other three cardinal directions.

Setsuna (せつな): A variety of different meanings can be given to this name, particularly since it is written in hiragana and not kanji, therefore making it difficult to find an exact meaning. One possibility is that it refers to the word setsuna (刹那), meaning moment; instant. Some fans believe this to be the case because, like Hayato and Shun's names, it refers to speed or something that occurs quickly. It may also be in reference to the word setsunai (切ない), meaning painful; heartrending; oppressive, perhaps in reference to her painful past as Eas. Setsunaru (切なる) is another adjective that Setsuna's name could be derived from, meaning eager; earnest and possibly referring to her positive qualities, particularly after she leaves Labyrinth and joins Pretty Cure. Certainly it's also possible that her name is intended to have more than one or all of these meanings.

Cure Passion: Refers to the passion fruit, the alternative name of the fruit passiflora edulis, following the pattern of naming Cures after fruits in Fresh Pretty Cure!.

Eas: Comes from the word east. She, like Soular, Westar and Northa, is named after one of the four cardinal directions of the compass. Currently it is unknown if there is a specific reason that she was named after this particular direction.

Trivia

 * Although Setsuna officially lives with the Momozono family and calls them by family names, she still uses her own surname.
 * So far in the Pretty Cure series' history, Setsuna differs from her Pretty Cure form the most, followed by Love. It should also be noted that all her forms (Higashi Setsuna, Cure Passion and Eas) differ from each other.
 * Out of Pretty Cure in Fresh Pretty Cure!, Cure Passion is the one who resembles the original Pretty Cure the most. This fact may be the reason Akarun has a ribbon; the ribbons used to be one of the original Pretty Cure's trademarks.
 * Some people consider the clothes of Cure Passion's upper level to be inspired from Cure White, while her lower level is inspired from Cure Black.
 * Cure Passion's suit symbol has not been seen, though stars has been presented when Akarun summons the Passion Harp. However, as the three others from Pretty Cure uses the suit symbols heart, spade and diamond, many believe that Cure Passion's symbol is the club.
 * During the opening of the Fresh Pretty Cure DS game, each Cure is shown with a background involving her signature color and symbol. Setsuna has a red background with a white club patern.
 * Cure Passion is the only Cure in Fresh Pretty Cure! who does not introduce her heart's color in English; instead she says makka (真っ赤), which is translated to "deep red" or "scarlet".
 * It should also be noted that she is the only one who does not say "the symbol of" (の印), but rather "the proof of" (の証). It is a possibility that it is a pun toward her color theme, as the "aka" is pronounced, though not written, like the Japanese word "aka" (赤), which means "red".
 * Coincidentally, Cure Passion's color theme, red, is the same as Cure Rouge, who is the Cure of Passion; though Cure Rouge represents the emotion passion, while Cure Passion's name is from the passion fruit.
 * Eas is the only true antagonist to become a part of Pretty Cure, beside the Kiriyu sisters from Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash Star, where it is unknown if they stayed as Cures.
 * Cure Passion is the only one of the Pretty Cures who did not receive a Cure Stick from Chiffon while fighting a Nakewameke. However, she (as Eas) was the villain of the day when the three first Pretty Cure members received their powers.