Myoudouin Itsuki

Myoudouin Itsuki (明堂院 いつき) is the student council president at the Myoudou Academy Junior High School. She is the granddaughter of Myoudouin Gentarou, the president of Myoudou Academy. Because she looks and dresses like a male, she is often mistaken as one by new students, and even people who know about her situation state that sometimes they forget that she is a girl. She cross-dresses because she chose to take the place of her older brother, Satsuki, who is too sick to act as the heir of the family dojo. Her Heart Flower is the peony, symbolizing her rebirth as a person and her noble background. Itsuki's Cure ego is Cure Sunshine (キュアサンシャイン) and her catchphrase is "I will heal the darkness in your heart with my light." (その心の闇、私の光で照らしてみせる!).

Desertrian
After school, Itsuki visits Tsubomi and Erika's classroom, wanting Erika's fashion club list of members and giving a warning of disbanding the club. When the girls go to give Itsuki the members list for the fashion club, they find her training with the other students at the family dojo. Itsuki takes a break to talk to Erika and Tsubomi, and tells them she will allow the fashion club to remain. Then a student comes with tea for Itsuki and calls her "Lady", much to Tsubomi's surprise. Erika and Itsuki then proceed to explain to Tsubomi that due to a certain situation, Itsuki has to dress and act as a male, which shatters Tsubomi's crush on her.

She later receives a plush bunny from an admirer. She walks off and hides the doll behind a bronze statue, as she does not want anybody to see her feminine side. Cobraja, however, sees her with her wilted Heart Flower, and approaches her. He damages the doll and steals Itsuki's Heart Flower, creating a Desertrian out of a bronze statue. The Desertrian turns people to stone with its eyes, but in the end starts admiring the female school uniform and Cure Marine's clothes, informing Cobraja, who thought she was a boy, that she is female, shocking him. When the Desert Messenger insults her gender, Itsuki's Desertrian kicks him away, and Cure Blossom appears, now understanding how Itsuki really feels about her situation. She then purifies Itsuki's Heart Flower and asks her to join the fashion club afterwards, as a way to feel more feminine. Itsuki says she will think about it, and walks off with the fixed bunny and some male friends of her's from the student council.

Acceptance of Martial Arts and Girl Things
Still thinking about Tsubomi's offer to join the fashion club, Itsuki walks past Fairy Drop and spots a cute dress. Erika and Tsubomi talk to her shortly about joining the club, but she is still unsure. They advise her to at least try to design something she would like to make. And so having this in mind before training, she draws a dress and gives it to the fashion club the day afterward. The members of the club are impressed by her design, and asks her to follow them to the shop to find fabric for it. Itsuki is still in a dilemma over whether to try do to girly things or to maintain an image as a boy, but Erika and Tsubomi encourage her to finish the dress the day afterward at her home. She tries it on, and Satsuki sees it and states that it looks cute on her, though she is embarrassed and states that she is just fooling around. After a boy named Hiroto is targeted by Kumojaki, she briefly admires Cure Blossom and Cure Marine, before realizing the more important matter at hand. As Itsuki fights Kumojaki, she realizes what judo really means: to protect others. Itsuki joins the fashion club afterwards.

Becoming Cure Sunshine
When Kumojacky strikes and steals Mizushima Aya's Heart Flower during a storm, Itsuki orders the students to protect the curtain. She is present for watching Pretty Cure battle against a Desertrian. After the battle, Itsuki goes up to Potpourri (who is posing as a stuffed toy) and hugs him, saying that the plushie is cute. Unknown to her, Potpourri feels a warmth come into him because of her touch, making him think that she is the third Cure. She plays with Potpourri a little before Tsubomi and Erika close up to them, telling that it is their doll. When Itsuki asks where they bought it, however, Erika says that she made it, convincing Itsuki to give it back.

The next day, Satsuki learns of a surgery that can cure his illness, which makes everyone in the family happy, though Itsuki notes that something is wrong with her older brother. Later, she takes a fruit basket over to the hospital to cheer up Satsuki, but he politely rejects her attempts. Frustrated, Itsuki meets the girls again, not knowing that they had been stalking her the whole way because of Potpourri's claims that she is Pretty Cure. They reveal that they heard of the story from her mother, and she confesses her worry for Satsuki, making the girls forget to ask her if she has dreamed of the Tree of Hearts and Cure Moonlight.

The day afterward, Potpourri calls out to Itsuki before landing into her arms, scaring Itsuki when she realizes that what she thought was a doll talks. Potpourri reveals to Itsuki that she is the third Cure that can transform and fight to protect the Tree of Hearts. However, despite liking the Pretty Cure clothes, Itsuki rejects Potpourri's offer, stating that she doubts she can protect anyone. Right then, Tsubomi and Erika arrive with a bunch of sunflowers, and Potpourri hides inside Itsuki's shirt, making her look pregnant. When they open Satsuki's door, they see that the window is broken, the bed is empty, and the other half of a Heart Flower falls on the floor, revealing Satsuki. They see a wheelchair-Desertrian cause havoc outside the hospital, and Itsuki witnesses Tsubomi and Erika transform into Pretty Cure, revealing their identities. She soon understands that the Desertrian is Satsuki when it starts talking about its fear for surgeries, but even when she tries to wake him up, it only makes the monster hit her. Potpourri protects Itsuki, saying with tears that they both want to protect something, but feel useless alone. Sasorina, realizing that Potpourri is the third fairy they are looking for. She tries to take him, but Itsuki protects him, stating that she will become a person that protects people. This causes Potpourri's crest to shine, and they all realize that he was right in that Itsuki is the third Cure. The fairy summons the Shiny Perfume, and Itsuki transforms into Pretty Cure. She is stunned, but when Potpourri tells her to find a name, she sees the sun's shine and fights shortly with the Desertrian before claiming that her name is Cure Sunshine. She fights off the Desertrian using Gold Forte Burst, and together with Tsubomi and Erika go to the Tree of Hearts to see it. There, she reveals her dream about the tree and Cure Moonlight, and meet Dark Cure in person for the first time. She manages to defend herself before finding a strategy to occupy Dark Cure long enough for her and Potpourri to recreate the barrier around the tree, making it disappear. They are transported back to Kibougahana, and after the surgery, she is with her mother and grandfather to greet Satsuki, relieved that he made it okay.

Trial of the Super Silhouette
Cure Sunshine along with the others go to the Pretty Cure Palace to undergo the ultimate test: to obtain the item called Super Silhouette and their upgraded forms. Cure Sunshine's test involves facing a past version of herself. Her past self attacked her in a rage over how she has abandoned her dedication to her martial arts and her devotion to her brother. Cure Sunshine realizes that she has not abandoned her martial arts or her brother, but she has now embraced her love of cute items and fashion. Her past self prepares to attack; she stops just short of Cure Sunshine face and asks why she let her guard down. Cure Sunshine replies that she has not abandoned her martial arts or her brother but now does things that will make her brother smile. She returns to the Pretty Cure Palace which creates a statue of Cure Sunshine in recognition of her passing the test. Cure Sunshine along with Moonlight and Marine are forced to hold the Desert Devil at bay while Cure Blossom completes her test. The three fight the Desert Devil, managing to keep it off-balance and buy time for Cure Blossom, who arrives just in time, having passed her test. All four summon their new forms, the Super Silhouette.

Responsibility as Cure Sunshine
In episode 40 Itsuki reveals to Tsubomi and Erika that, due to the increasing strength of the their foe, she has decided that she needs to focus on being a Pretty Cure. Therefore, she will not enter the elections for student council president, which will reduce her other responsibilities and allow her vice president the chance to run for office.

The Return of Dune
At Christmas Dune returns to earth and is after the power Cure Flower sealed of his from their battle. The Cures attack Dune seemingly getting the upper hand. As the dust settles Dune is still standing and then goes on the offensive against the Cures. Taking out Moonlight first quickly followed by Sunshine and Marine he then turns his attention of Cure Flower. Cure Blossom tries to stop him but is unsuccessful and also falls to his power. Dune and Cure Flower then fight but she also is no match for him in her weakened state and defeats her. Leaving for his fortress with Kaoruko the Cures are left defeated and unconscious. She awakens in the botanical gardens with the others which has been protected but Coupe and hiding them while they recover. When the girls go outside they are met with the shock of seeing their world as a desert. Itsuki runs home calling for her grandfather and brother, but no one replies. The 4 girls reunite and all are feeling defeated, until Erika's sister Momoka rushes out of nowhere revealed to see her sister is alive. The girls then notice others arriving all of which had been saved by the Pretty Cures which included Itsuki's brother Satsuki. Itsuki rushes to him and clearly revealed he is OK tries to speak only for him to stop her and apologizes for making her worry and asks her to show him her beautiful smile. After being reminded of how much faith their friends have in the Pretty Cures Tsubomi declares the Pretty Cures will not give up. A desert devil arrives and the girls tell everyone to get into the botanical gardens, they transform and defeat the desert devil using Heartcatch Orchestra. Coupe joins the girls pointing to the sky indicating to the girls he knows where Kaoruko is and puts Cure Marine on his back to let them know he is going with them. Just as the girls are about to leave to rescue Kaoruko there friends come out of the botanical garden to wish them luck with Satsuki telling her to return safely. The Pretty Cures and their mascots arrive at Dune's fortress and begin fighting the Snackeys.

The Final Battle
While fighting there way to Kaoruko, Kumojaki and Coboraja appear before the girls challenging them to a final battle. Cure Marine along with Cure Sunshine accept the challenge telling Cure Moonlight and Cure Blossom to believe in them and for them to rescue Kaoruko. Cure Sunshine fights Cobraja and he takes her away from Cure Marine so the two can fight alone. Coboraja claims that Cure Sunshine is the best to fight him as she has such beauty on the battle field. He evades her attacks again and again, even destroying her shield by making his cards absorb into the shield and explode. Just as he prepares to defeat her Potpourri jumps in front of her and protects her with his own shield and tells Coboraja that Cure Sunshine is the most beautiful there is for how she wants to protect everyone's hearts and smile. Cure Sunshine and Potpourri combine the shields to deflect Coboraja's attacks and then use Sunshine Beam together putting Coboraja on the fence. Cure Sunshine then purifies him with Gold Forte Burst and Coboraja is lifted into the sky by the golden sun flowers.

She meets back up with Cure Marine and the two are clearly exhausted from their fights, so to evade the Snackys they disguise themselves as Snackys to get to Kaoruko. They get to Kaoruko and are so revealed they collapse to the floor. Coupe presents the Heart Pot and with the hope of all there friends Itsuki and Erika are given energy to continue fighting. They fight there way to find Cure Moonlight and Cure Blossom. Moonlight and Blossom just managing to hold there own against Dune until Dune shoots dark energy at them which exploded on impact. As the dust settle Marine and Sunshine are revealed to have saved them from the attack making Blossom glad to see them safe, they join Moonlight and Blossom in fighting Dune. All the cure use there Forte Wave attacks against Dune followed by Marine and Sunshine combining to use Floral Power Fortissimo and Moonlight and Blossom to combine to use the same. All four hit dune at the same time and then call fourth the Heartcatch Mirage and use Heartcatch Orchestra against Dune.

Although it proved to be useless as Dune was able to break free from it, before the four could finish him off.

Appearance
Itsuki in her civilian appearance has brown hair cut into a short boyish style with the tips fanning out a bit with straight bangs, and has brown eyes. In school she wears the boys uniform instead of the girls uniform in order to conceal her real gender. In later episodes she does wear the girls uniform and has allowed her hair to grow out. Her casual clothes consist of a yellow dress with orange trim and a pictures of an orange bow on it, dark blue leggings and white tennis shoes.

As Cure Sunshine, her hair turns yellow and changes length drastically and is pulled into two twin tails tied with orange ribbons and orange blossoms attached, and her eyes also changed to a yellow color. Her outfit is a two-piece midriff-baring set in white with orange trim. The top of her outfit has puffy sleeves and a large golden bow on the chest with a green and silver brooch at the front. A orange ribbon is tied around her neck and forms a bow in the back. The skirt of the outfit has a top white layer consisting of several panels, and underneath that is another layer of golden-orange fabrics made to look like petals. The waistband of the skirt is orange, has pale yellow flowers attached, and forms a v-shape revealing her navel. Her boots reach up to under her knees and are trimmed in orange with ribbons lacing up in the front and forming bows in the back. She wears an orange wristlet with a petal-like frill around each wrist and a set of gold/orange flower earrings.

Personality
Itsuki is gentle, civilized, and very caring for her friends. She is also shown to be somewhat girly, as she finds many toys to be cute and has fashion desires, though she hid them at the beginning. Every time she see's Potpourri showing cuteness, she goes (insanely!) girly and forgets to be calm. Speaking of which, she is usually calmer than Tsubomi and Erika, but nevertheless dislikes seeing her friends suffering or in pain. Like Tsubomi, she has a more calm and caring personality; Erika's lively and care-free manner contrasts sharply with both of them. Itsuki appears to be a gentle, handsome, and athletic girl with a princely demeanor who attacked many subordinates and fans. At the beginning, Tsubomi developed a temporary admiration for Itsuki until discovering her female gender.

Relationships
Myoudouin Satsuki - Satsuki is Itsuki's older brother and a source of inspiration for her. Her desire to protect Satsuki allowed her to become Cure Sunshine and their relationship had a part in choosing her name.

Potpourri - Potpourri is Itsuki's mascot partner. Itsuki initially thought Potpourri was a cute toy. They eventually bonded when they realized they both want to protect people, but feel they can't do it alone.

Hanasaki Tsubomi - When Tsubomi saw her at first sight, she admired and had a crush with her male disguise. But when she discovered she was a "girl", she gotten heartbroken and fell sick for it. Tsubomi seems to support after she and Cure Marine rescued her heart flower, she encouraged her to join the fashion but politely rejects the offer but Tsubomi tried once more and Itsuki joined. And when they were going to the Tree of Hearts by flying and Tsubomi was afraid of heights, Itsuki held her hand and gave her courage to not be afraid of flying. Later on they seem to become best friends.

Kurumi Erika - She respects Itsuki as the president of Student Council and good terms on each other. Itsuki is a kind person that she let Erika continue on the Fashion Club even though she was late and soon Erika recruited her to join the Fashion Club. Ever since Itsuki join the club and became the third Precure, they been good friends and great teamates.

Cure Sunshine
"The flower that bathes in sunlight, Cure Sunshine!" 陽の光浴びる一輪の花、キュアサンシャイン！ Hi no hikari abiru ichirin no hana, Kyua Sanshain!

Cure Sunshine (キュアサンシャイン) is the Cure identity Itsuki gains when she has to protect her older brother when he becomes a Desertrian. She is very different from Cure Blossom and Cure Marine in the sense that her Heart Perfume is called the Shiny Perfume, she uses the Shiny Tambourine rather than the Flower Tacts and her attack is named Gold Forte Burst rather than the usual Pink, Blue, Silver and Dark Forte Wave. When facing the advanced Desertrian, Cure Blossom, Cure Marine and Cure Sunshine can also perform a group finisher called Shining Fortissimo.

She can perform Floral Power Fortissimo with Cure Moonlight, as shown in episode 38. During the final battle against Dune Cure Sunshine and Cure Marine perform Floral Power Fortissimo together. Later on in the series, she becomes Heartcatch Precure Super Silhouette along with Cure Blossom, Cure Marine, and Cure Moonlight in episode 38.

Attacks

 * -|Finishers=
 * Gold Forte Burst - The finishing attacks that Sunshine uses to purify a Desertrian.
 * Floral Power Fortissimo - Her finishing attack with Moonlight or Marine.
 * Shining Fortissimo - Her finishing attack with Blossom and Marine.

Except for purification attacks, Cure Sunshine can use offensive and defensive attacks on her own for fighting use:
 * -|Sub-attacks=
 * Sunflower Aegis - The sunflower-shaped shield generated by Cure Sunshine. Soon after an attack of an enemy hit right onto the shield, the attack goes towards where it was set. However, once an attack is boosted by the Dark Bracelet, it starts to take some shatters.
 * Sunflower Aegis Impact - Cure Sunshine generates a Sunflower-shaped shield then propels it at the enemy.
 * Sunflower Protection - Cure Sunshine's secondary shield attack, which protects her from incoming attacks. Unlike Sunflower Aegis, the attack does not recoil back to the enemy.
 * Sunshine Flash - One of Cure Sunshine's attacks, similar to Cure Blossom's Blossom Shower and Cure Marine's Marine Shoot. She draws a circle of light with both hands and then releases the light at the target.
 * Pretty Cure Impact - All the three Cures use their power to knock the enemy away.
 * Sunshine Dynamite - Like Cure Marine's Marine Dynamite and Cure Blossom and Cure Marine's Pretty Cure Daibakuhatsu, Sunshine Dynamite creates a large explosion. As it is only featured in Kaoruko's dream, it is unknown if she can use it in reality.

Super Cure Sunshine
"The flowers shining around the world, HeartCatch Pretty Cure, Super Silhouette!!" 世界に輝く一面の花、ハートキャッチプリキュア・スーパーシルエット！ Sekai ni kagayaku ichimen no hana, HātoKyachi PuriKyua Sūpā Shiruetto!!

Super Cure Sunshine (スーパーキュアサンシャイン) is the Super Silhouette upgrade Cure Sunshine receives after passing the trial in the Pretty Cure Palace. This form is obtained when the items called Heartcatch Mirage and Super Pretty Cure Seed is used.

Super Cure Sunshine has slightly longer skirt with sharper edges, and the ribbons on her chest and hair are enlarged and slightly differed. Her yellow color has also become shades lighter, and her gloves have now expanded to near her shoulders while her pigtails have grown to near her ankles. In this form, she can use the group finisher, Heartcatch Orchestra.

Songs
As a Cure, Itsuki has an image song dedicated to her, though only one, compared to Hanasaki Tsubomi and Kurumi Erika's two songs. To make up for this, Heartcatch Pretty Cure! ending theme singer sings a character song about her. However, there will be a single released with new character songs for Itsuki and Tsukikage Yuri.
 * Taiyou no Symphony
 * Himawari (character song by Kudou Mayu)
 * Kokoro no Hana (along with voice actresses of Hanasaki Tsubomi and Kurumi Erika)
 * Power of Shine

Etymology
Myoudouin (明堂院): Myou (明) translates to bright or light, in reference to Itsuki's sunlight-based powers as Cure Sunshine. Dou (堂) comes from the prefix to building meaning magnificent, and in (院), meaning institution, temple; mansion; school, a reference to her connection to Myoudou Academy Junior High School Together, its meaning is roughly bright magnificent school.

Itsuki (いつき): A Japanese unisex name, it can have many different meanings depending on how it is written in kanji, however since Itsuki's name is written in hiragana, the meaning it is difficult to come up with an exact meaning for her name in particular. The most likely intended meaning is timber trees (樹), which would fit with the theme of Heartcatch Pretty Cure!.

Her name means, "bright magnificent institution timber trees."

Cure Sunshine: Itsuki's Cure alias is a name she chooses herself, after looking up and laying her eyes upon a sun. In-story, she chooses the name in inspiration for her brother, who used to cheer her up by using the sun.

Trivia

 * Itsuki named her stuffed bunny Usapyon. Usapyon is also the name of Momozono Love's childhood toy.
 * Oddly, Itsuki's uniform is white while the normal uniform is grey. Even during the summer, Itsuki's still wears the winter uniform.
 * Cure Sunshine was a long-standing rumor from leaked magazine scans, but was confirmed to be real. Merchandise of her started to be for sale in July 2010, and the July 2010 issue of Nakayoshi confirmed her first appearance in episode 23 on July 18, 2010.
 * Cure Sunshine is the second yellow Pretty Cure to have her hair in the twintails.
 * It is speculated that Cure Sunshine's name comes from the fact that the sun keeps life in flowers, Cure Blossom's control field, which would fit with Cure Moonlight's name, in which the moon manipulates the sea, which Cure Marine has the power of. Because of this, many fans believed Cure Sunshine to be Cure Moonlight's partner in her generation. However, Cure Sunshine belongs to the newest generation of Pretty Cure, despite her name theme matching Cure Moonlight rather than Cure Blossom and Cure Marine.
 * Cure Sunshine and Cure Passion have a similarity of both being considered to have different attacks, devices than the respective Pretty Cures.
 * Itsuki is the fourth Pretty Cure Pretty with the elderly person in the family.
 * Itsuki's birthday is April 15th.
 * Her zodiac is Aries.
 * Itsuki is the first Pretty Cure which does martial arts, followed by Aoki Reika and Yotsuba Alice.
 * Itsuki is the second Pretty Cure to be the student council president of their school, following Minazuki Karen.
 * Seeing in HPC48, she can use a Forte Wave.
 * For the Pretty Cure All Stars DX3 Movie Character Polls held by Toei Animation, Cure Sunshine appeared in the following rankings:
 * 8th in "Favorite Pretty Cure"
 * 6th in "The Pretty Cure you want to team up with most"
 * 6th in "The Pretty Cure you want to be most"
 * In the Pretty Cure All Stars Suite Flower Card Collection, Itsuki is represented by the sunflower, which symbolizes aspiration and brilliance in the Language of Flowers.

Gallery
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Screenshots
Myoudouin Itsuki

Merchandise
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