Smile Pretty Cure!

Smile Pretty Cure! (スマイルプリキュア！) is a Japanese anime series and the ninth Pretty Cure installment by Izumi Todo. Produced by Toei Animation, the series is written by Shōji Yonemura, who is best known as the series writer of several Heisei Kamen Rider series, including Kabuto, the second half of Decade, and OOO. It began airing on TV Asahi on February 5, 2012, replacing Suite Pretty Cure♪ in its initial timeslot. The final episode aired on January 27, 2013. The signature motif is based on fairy tales, while its other motifs are happiness and hope.

This series has been into a ripoff as Glitter Force, making it the second season to be released in the US since Futari wa Pretty Cure. The first 20 episodes were available on Netflix starting December 18, 2015 in every region except Asia. The other 20 episodes were available starting August 26, 2016. In Taiwan and Hong Kong the series is known as Smile光之美少女 (Smile Pretty Cure). In South Korea it's known as 스마일 프리큐어 (Smile Pretty Cure). And in Vietnam it's known as Chiến binh Nụ cười (Smile Warrior).

Official Announcement
Smile Pretty Cure! is formerly released in 2011.

In theaters, during the screening of movie Pretty Cure All Stars New Stage: Mirai no Tomodachi, it was revealed that the Smile Pretty Cure! movie, Ehon no Naka wa Minna Chiguhagu! would be released in October of 2012.

Plot
Far away in the universe exists a place called Märchenland, where characters from fairy tales live. Near the corner of Märchenland exists a world called Bad End Kingdom, where the antagonists of all fairy tales gathered. In order to show everyone the "Worst Ending", the people of Bad End Kingdom traveled to Earth to collect Bad Energy. If the villains succeed, all of the worlds in the universe will suffer from the "Worst Ending".
 * Smile Pretty Cure! episodes

In order to prevent the "Worst Ending", the 5 Legendary Warriors - Pretty Cure - need to collect Cure Decor: the power of happiness of Märchenland's Queen. The Cure Decor, however, has been stolen and hidden away. Set to the task of finding Pretty Cure, Candy the fairy follows the 5 Beams of Light to Earth, where she meets a flustered Hoshizora Miyuki, a transfer student on her first day of school, and already running late...

Pretty Cure

 * Hoshizora Miyuki (星空 みゆき) (known as Emily in the English dub) A fourteen year old girl with an interest in picture books and fairy tales, who transfered to Nanairogaoka Middle School. Like many of the lead Cures before her, Miyuki is cheery and optimistic, but also something of a klutz. Her catchphrase is "Ultra Happy!" She transforms into Cure Happy (Glitter Lucky in the dub) and uses the power of light.


 * Hino Akane (日野 あかね) (known as Kelsey in the English dub) A girl from Osaka whose parents run an okonomiyaki shop and is a member of the school's volleyball team. Akane may be a jokester, but when she has a goal set, she is very passionate about achieving it. She transforms into Cure Sunny (Glitter Sunny in the dub) and uses the power of fire.


 * Kise Yayoi (黄瀬 やよい) (known as Lily in the English dub) A girl who is in the Homemaking Club and aspires to be a mangaka. Though timid, shy about her work, and a crybaby, Yayoi is very loyal, diligent, and headstrong when pushed. She transforms into Cure Peace (Glitter Peace in the dub) and uses the power of lightning and thunder.


 * Midorikawa Nao (緑川 なお) (known as April in the English dub) A tomboyish girl from a family with many younger siblings who is a member of the school's soccer team. Nao is straightforward and reliable with a strong sense of justice, though she does get frustrated when things does not go according to plan. She transforms into Cure March (Glitter Spring in the dub) who uses the power of wind.


 * Aoki Reika (青木 れいか) (known as Chloe in the English dub) The student council vice president and a member of the Art Club, often writing poems and tanka. Reika is generally elegant and kind-hearted, but has a frightening temper once her patience reaches her limit. Her father is a painter whilst her mother practices aikido and her elder brother practises judo. She transforms into Cure Beauty (Glitter Breeze in the dub) and uses the power of snow and ice.

Mascots
Candy is the main mascot of the group. She was sent to Earth by the Royale Queen to find the Pretty Cure and to collect Cure Decor in order to save Märchenland. Pop is a lion-like fairy and the second fairy mascot in Smile Pretty Cure! who first appeared in Episode 6. He is the Candy's big brother and came to earth to pass the Cures the Decor Décor to collect the Cure Decor pieces in.
 * Candy (キャンディ)
 * Pop (ポップ)

Bad End Kingdom

 * Pierrot (ピエーロ) (known as Emperor Nogo in the English dub) is the sinful emperor of Bad End Kingdom, who invaded Märchenland to steal the Cure Decor and bring about the "Worst Ending".
 * Joker (ジョーカー) (known as Rascal in the English dub) At Pierrot's service, he is the leader of the Bad End Generals.
 * Wolfrun (ウルフルン) (known as Ulric in the dub) is a wolf-like monster whose mission is to chase Candy before she finds Pretty Cures. He is based on wolf villains from Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs.
 * Majorina (マジョリーナ) (known as Brooha in the dub) is one of Pierrot's subordinates. She is a little witch that reminds one of Snow White's stepmother
 * Akaoni (アカオーニ) (known as Brute in the dub) At Pierrot's service, he is a red demon that reminds one of oni from Japanese fairytales such as "Momotaro".
 * Akanbe (アカンベェ) (known as Buffoons in the dub) are monsters summoned by the villains of the series to battle the Pretty Cure. They are created by fusing an ordinary object with a Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, or Purple Nose containing Pierrot's power, turning the Cure Decor's energy to Bad Energy. Near the end of the series, the Bad End Generals are able to merge with the Akanbes and control them first-hand.

Items

 * Smile Pact - (Glitter Pact in English) The Cures' transformation device. If Cure Decors are inserted to the Smile Pact, it produces items, or allows the girls to transform.
 * Cure Decor - (Glitter Charm in English) The source of happiness of Royal Queen; special tokens that can be used either to revive Royal Queen of Märchenland or bring about the Worst Ending.
 * Decor Décor - (Charm Chest in English) A special box used to store Cure Decor pieces in, brought to the Cures by Pop in Episode 6.
 * Princess Candle - (Princess Wand in English) The Cure's main weapon, first used in Episode 23. Used alongside the powers of the Super Princess Cure Decors, the Cures can undergo their secondary forms called Princess Form (Glitter Princess Mode in English) to execute their most powerful group attack, Rainbow Burst.
 * Royal Clock - The Cure's weapon which allows them to transform into their Princess Form to execute their most powerful group attack, Royal Rainbow Burst. They also need their Princess Candles to perform it. It can also turn Hyper Akanbes to a normal, red-nosed Akanbe.

Locations

 * Märchenland (メルヘンランド) (known as Jubiland in the dub) is a fairy tale kingdom where all fairy tale characters live. The Queen has been sealed before the story begins. Märchen is German for "fairy tales".
 * Nanairogaoka Middle School (七色ヶ丘中学校) (known as Rainbow Hills Middle School in the dub)is the school that the Cures attend. Nanairo means "rainbow" in Japanese.
 * Bad End Kingdom (バッドエンド王国) (known as the Shadow Realm in the dub) is the home place of the series's antagonist, whose residents invaded Märchenland and travelled to Earth in an attempt to give it the "Worst Ending" by collecting Bad Energy.
 * Magical Library (ふしぎ図書館)  (known as the Library of Legends in the dub) is a magical location in Smile Pretty Cure!. It is the place where all fairy tales from the different worlds are stored. It seems to be located in an alternate dimension, separate from the human world and Märchenland, and can only be accessed through the Book Door Code. The girls' secret base is also located here.
 * Nanairogaoka (七色ヶ丘) (known as Rainbow Hills in the dub) is the home town of Hoshizora Miyuki, Hino Akane, Kise Yayoi, Midorikawa Nao and Aoki Reika.
 * Okonomiyaki "Akane" (お好み焼き屋「あかね」) is the home of Hino Akane, an okonomiyaki shop named after her by her parents after she was born.
 * Fairy Tale World (絵本の世界) is the place where Nico, a character from Smile Pretty Cure!: Ehon no Naka wa Minna Chiguhagu!, lives.

Differences Between Smile and Glitter Force /Adaptations to English audiences

 * The names of the Cures are "Americanized" and the villains' names are changed as well.
 * The Akanbes are renamed "Buffoons."
 * Most, if not all of the music in the dub, is rescored.
 * Only 40 episodes are dubbed in English, with 8 of them omitted. This is mostly due to cultural differences between Japan and America.
 * Märchenland has been renamed as Jubiland and Nanairogaoka has been renamed as Rainbow Hills.
 * The transformation phrased is changed to "(Altogether!) Glitter Force, Makeover!" Unlike in Smile Pretty Cure!, they also talk during the transformation.
 * Fairies have been renamed 'Pixies' in the dub.
 * The Bad End Kingdom has been renamed the 'Shadow Realm'.
 * The Magical Library is now called the 'Library of Legends'.
 * The Bad End Pretty Cure are now called the 'Glitter Shadow Force.'
 * Many scenes of the show, including parts of the opening and the transformation and attack sequences, are darkened heavily. This is to reduce the risk of viewers suffering under epileptic seizures or developing eye problems from the bright and flashing colors.
 * Various signs, letters, or anything featuring Japanese text is either replaced with English sentences and phrases or completely removed.
 * The ending alternates every four episodes. While the first two contained footage from the Japanese endings, the other three are new with different CGI models.
 * Smile Precure begins just with Miyuki that meets Candy while she is late for the first day at her new school, while in Glitter Force, a part was added that that showed Emily (Miyuki) dreaming of transforming with other strange girls, which causes her to be late for school, and then suddenly meets Candy.

Reception
Smile Pretty Cure was well-received, placing regularly in Japan's weekly top ten anime shows broadcast.

Ella Anders of BSC Kids writing for Glitter Force was critical about the amount of Americanization and the title change provided by Saban Brands, writing that the "With the world so interconnected as it is now the removal of cultural aspects was saddening. It would be such a great chance to celebrate and focus on the Japanese culture." She also mentioned that fans of the Pretty Cure series dislike the Saban dub.

Trivia

 * Smile Pretty Cure! and Yes! Pretty Cure 5 share the same character designer. A book about Kawamura Toshie's design work at Toei Animation was brought out under the name Kawamura Toshie Toei Animation PreCure Works. The book features artwork from both shows.
 * In the magazine Animage's 7th issue of 2012, an interview with one of the producers revealed that all the Cures were initially designed to have long flowing hairstyles.
 * Quote: "However, letting all the Cures have long hairstyles seemed to take away their personality differences, so we did quite a bit of thinking to rectify that. (...) Both final hairstyles and Cure theme colors were determined not by looking at each girl alone, but everyone as a group. We needed to see them together before we settled on their final design, in order to achieve a good total balance."
 * Smile Pretty Cure! is the first season to have varying eyecatches every episode. In this case, it's a picture of a different Cure in every episode (or in some cases, an Akanbe).
 * Smile Pretty Cure! has an onomatopoeia on every member's introductory speech (Happy: "kirakira" - Sunny: "sansan" - Peace: "pikapika" - March: "rinrin" - Beauty: "shinshin")
 * Smile Pretty Cure! is the first season to have the Cures turn into fairies, which took place in episode 24. Futari wa Pretty Cure, however, did have a sequence where Nagisa transformed into a fairy in her mind.
 * Smile Pretty Cure! is one of the few seasons to have received a novel adaptation. The novel was released on October 4, 2016 for 670 yen, and takes place 10 years after the last episode.

Merchandise
Please refer to the main page Smile Pretty Cure! Merchandise for more information.

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