List of Pretty Cure Manga (Kamikita Futago)

The Pretty Cure manga adaptions by Kamikita Futago (上北ふたご) (literally translated and hereby also referred to as the Kamikita Twins) are manga adaptions of the various Pretty Cure seasons.

The Kamikita Twins are twin sisters, manga creators and character designers that were first commissioned in 2004 to create two manga adaptions for Futari wa Pretty Cure. Since then, they've made a manga adaption of every single season and some of the movies.

Serialization and Publishing of Pretty Cure manga
The chapters are serialized in Nakayoshi, a monthly, long running shoujo demographic manga magazine.

However, some are also published directly as tankobon (individual comic books) by Kodansha, or in mooks (sturdy magazines that stay on bookshelves for a longer time). In the mooks, promotional material for Pretty Cure merchandise and the series, along with small gifts was usually included. Many volumes include extra chapters made specifically for the published books.

Initially, the publishing of the Nakayoshi chapters was sparse. But with the tenth anniversary of Futari wa Pretty Cure and the 60th anniversary of Nakayoshi in 2014, all content, including the out-of-print directly published volumes in 2004-2006, have been brought out as tankobon under the Pretty Cure Collection label. In 2015, with Go! Princess Pretty Cure, two volumes with large extra chapters has become the norm, and since Mahou Tsukai Pretty Cure!, the tankobon are also brought out in limited editions, with a booklet attached. The booklet can contain another comic or colored illustrations.

Near the end of 2016, the Kamikita Twins also made a twitter account, and have been since excitedly sharing and promoting their work.

Work Process

 * See also: Katou Reizuna's Interview with the Kamikita Twins

As Pretty Cure was an anime first, the Kamikita Twins stay in contact with the producers and some series staff, but also get feedback from the Nakayoshi editorial department. For each series, the main characters, a compilation of setting design, and some finalised scenarios of the episodes and the general turn of the story are shared with the Kamikita Twins even before the series starts airing. Sometimes, anime storyboards are shown as examples as well. That way, they can start making a draft for the first chapter and think about the course of the manga.

A Nakayoshi chapter is usually only up to ten pages long or less, so if the events of the anime are followed in the story, they are often slightly changed and condensed to fit. The Twins stated that the writing process for a Nakayoshi chapter takes about ten days, while drawing takes five days. They both draw and write, meaning there isn't a specific task assigned to either of them.

For each series, the anime style changes, so for the manga, the Twins tried to reflect that by changing the style between different serializations: While Yes! Pretty Cure 5 is drawn in shoujo style with delicate and detailed hair and eyes, the Heartcatch Cures look cartoonier im style and proportions.

Futari wa Pretty Cure

 * Main Article: Futari wa Pretty Cure Manga (Kamikita Futago)

It was serialized in Nakayoshi from the April 2004 issue to the February 2005 issue (for eleven chapters), as a slice of life series.

In 2005, another manga following the anime events was published. All Nakayoshi chapters and the 2005 manga were reprinted in 2014 under the Pretty Cure Collection label.

Notes and citations
References

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