Hikawa Maria

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Hikawa Maria 氷川マリア Hikawa Maria
Description
Season	Happiness Charge Pretty Cure!
Age	Appears to be 16
Gender	Female
Eye Color	Bluish Purple (as Maria) Indigo (as Cure Tender) Red (Dark Tender)
Hair Color	Dark Gray (as Maria) Indigo (as Cure Tender) Violet (Dark Tender)
Home Place	Pikarigaoka
Relatives	Hikawa Iona (younger sister) Unnamed grandfather
First Appearance	HCPC16 (Cure Tender; flashback) HCPC37 (as Dark Tender)
Alter Ego	Cure Tender
Theme Color	Indigo
Japanese Voice Actor	Kobayashi Sanae

Hikawa Maria (氷川マリア, Hikawa Maria^?) is Iona's older sister. She was first mentioned in episode 13, but seen in episode 21. Her alter ego is Cure Tender (キュアテンダー, Kyua Tendā^?).

Personality

Maria is described as a kind, friendly and courageous girl who always wants to protect everyone. She gives people encouragement and she is admired by many of them. According to Glasan, Maria, when accepting to become a Cure, was known to be the strongest Pretty Cure, having a mighty, but gentle heart.

Appearance

As a civilian, she has dark gray hair that looks nearly similar to Iona's and smoky-purple eyes. She wore a light purple dress and black sandals.

As Cure Tender, she has indigo hair in a loose ponytail with a white and gold heart ornament for her hair. Her uniform is similar to Cure Fortune's, with a black vest lined in gold on top of a white ruffled blouse. The collar is purple, and beneath it is a gold heart emblem with a pale gold butterfly shaped bow attached to it. White ruffles line the bottom of the vest, and sewn to the back is a large white butterfly wing-shaped bow. Her skirt is straightened to look like a pencil skirt, with the bottom sticking up, and she gains white sleeves and a pair of white boots that match Cure Fortune's.

While under the influence of Queen Mirage, her outfit gets slight modifications. Most of the white parts of her outfit are now black, and the heart on her hair accessory has turned into a circle. Her front bow is now darker and she has elaborate butterfly-like wings on her back. Her hair retains the same style, but her eyes are red.

History

Becoming a Pretty Cure and Serving Queen Mirage

Cure Tender fighting Phantom

A long time ago, she protected Miyo from a Saiark attack, which had inspired her to create the show Pretty Cure Weekly. 

One night, she battled against Phantom, with young Iona watching them. When he attacked Iona, Tender stepped in to take the hit and protect her. Before she was sealed in a mirror, she gave Iona her PreChanMirror. Phantom did not know that Iona was Tender's sister until he picked up her PreChanMirror after defeating her. He added that Tender's kindness led to her downfall.

In episode 37, it was revealed that Cure Tender was freed, though she had been brainwashed by Queen Mirage. She appears before the Cures by freeing Oresky, who was about to become purified by the Happiness Big Bang attack. Once she steps out of the ensuing cloud of smoke, all of the Cures, Cure Fortune in particular, were very shocked. In the Pretty Cure Graveyard, Mirage freed Maria and controlled her, giving her dark powers. During the next episode, she battled against the Cures, easily beating them, even managing to overcome their Innocent Forms. All the while, Cure Fortune kept trying to get to her, but failed most of the time, as she was too deep under Mirage's influence. Every time her control over Tender would slip, Mirage would strengthen it. Just as Tender is about to kill her sister, she stops as she sees a vision of Iona in place of Fortune, which breaks the control temporarily. Mirage then brainwashes her once more, much to Fortune's devastation. However, those feelings awakened the Shining Make Dresser and allowed the Cures to use Innocent Purification to finally free Tender from Mirage's control completely.

Going to North America

In episode 39, Maria tells Blue, and later the others, that she is going to America to help the other Pretty Cures and see her parents. At first, Iona does not want her to go, wanting her to stay and join the Happiness Charge Pretty Cures, but Maria had already made her decision, even after dueling. Soon after, Iona understands her sister's choice and the next morning, Maria leaves. Before she did, she tells Iona that the Cures were strong enough to handle everything without her, and that they could overcome anything if they stick together. Iona promises to protect the peace of Pikarigaoka.

In episode 43, Maria as Cure Tender, is seen fighting against a Saiark while trying to protect North America from its attacks.

Returning to Pikarigaoka to Save the Cures

In episode 46, Cure Tender returned to defend the Happiness Charge Cures against one of Red's Saiarks. The Cures were nearly defeated by a brainwashed Seiji and they, especially Megumi, were afraid that they may not save him and defeat Red, but she, along with the other International Cures, encourge them to keep fighting. With that, they transformed again to battle the Saiark. During the fight, Tender performed a combination attack with Fortune. As the Cures fly off to Red's planet, she wishes them good luck and is confident that they could save the world.

Relationships

• Hikawa Iona: Her younger sister. When she went missing, Iona began to grieve as she wants to defeat Phantom to avenge her. Maria proved to be protective of her as she took an attack from Phantom intended for Iona. Iona also said that Maria was very powerful and popular with a strong heart. In episode 38, Iona had to save Maria, who was under the control of Queen Mirage. Throughout the battle, she tries to make Maria remember that she was her sister and that she saved her from Phantom's attack. After a fierce battle, Iona and the rest of the Cures freed Maria using Innocent Purification and the sisters shared a tearful reunion after the battle ended.
• Glasan: Not much is known about their relationship. But Glasan seems to know and even understand her. Also, she admires Cure Tender a lot. Glasan is possibly her old partner.
• Phantom: Phantom has defeated her and trapped her into a mirror. He said that among the Cures he had faced, she is the strongest.

Cure Tender

Cure Tender (キュアテンダー, Kyua Tendā^?) is Maria's alter ego. As Glasan and Iona described, she is powerful and has a strong heart. She had used her PreChanMirror to transform, which was later taken by Iona.

In episode 37, she was turned into Dark Tender by Queen Mirage. She was completely different from her true self. She was very loyal to Queen Mirage and also very powerful, even stronger than Phantom, as she broke up Happiness Big Bang with ease, and even fought the Cures in their Innocent Form. However she was still reached by Fortune's feelings, and then be purified with Innocent Purification.

Attacks

• Finishers

• Tender Rising Starburst (テンダーライジングスターバースト, Tendā Raijingu Sutābāsuto^?) is the first finisher that Cure Tender uses, debuting in episode 39.

Etymology

Hikawa (氷川, Hikawa^?): Hi (氷) means "Ice" and kawa (川) means "River". Together, Hikawa (氷川) is "glacier".

Maria (マリア, Maria^?) has many translations. In Latin it can mean "wished for child" or "star of the sea". Despite the name's non-Japanese origin, it has decent popularity as a girl's name in Japan.

Trivia

• She shares her first name with Kasugano Maria and Hojo Maria.
• Cure Tender is one of the only Pretty Cures who's skirt is not very short and instead it ends right near her knees rather than her thighs.
• She is the second relative of a main Cure in a series to be also a Cure, preceded by Hanasaki Kaoruko.
• Cure Tender does not have a LovePreBrace, yet Fortune did when she had her powers, before they were taken by Phantom.
• In episode 22, Iona took her device after being defeated by Phantom as seen in the flashback.
• She is the first Pretty Cure (who was on a good side at the beginning) to be turned into a evil Pretty Cure.
• In her evil form, her outfit shares some similarities to Unlovely.
• Despite having no LovePreBrace or item like Cure Honey and Cure Fortune (after episode 22), Cure Tender is capable of performing her attacks without any of those which could explain why she is so strong.

Gallery

Official art of Cure Tender Dark Tender Stance.png Official art of Dark Cure Tender Tender as she appeared in the flashback. Tender fighting the Saiark. Tender full looks. Cure Tender trapped in the mirror. Cure Tender's PreChanMirror. Cure Tender fighting Phantom with Iona watching. HCPC21 Tender Precure Graveard.png Maria in the Pretty Cure Graveyard as seen in episode 21. Tender protecting Iona. Tender's attack. Cure Tender in a flashback in Episode 31. Dark Tender (Episode 38 PV).png Dark Tender in Episode 38. Dark Tender attacking. Dark Tender in the beginning of episode 37. Iona and Maria hugging. Maria Back to Noraml a Sister Moment.jpg Tender is Saved Inoocent Pureifiction Thank you.jpg HCPC38 Fortune Hugs Dark Tender.jpg Cure Tender profile art. Curetenderin epiosdes39.jpg Cure Tender saying Tender Rising StarBurst. A closer look of Tender. Iona massaging Maria. Maria wins Young Maria practicing karate with Iona. Megumi and Hime admiering Maria.png Megumi and Hime admiring Maria. Maria wants Iona to massage her for 30 minutes if she wins. Tender fighting against a Saiark. Cure Tender fighting along side her sister Tender saves Megumi in the nick of time Cure Tender with the Alo~ha Pretty Cure