Kotozume Yukari (琴爪ゆかり?) is one of the six main Cures in KiraKira☆Pretty Cure A La Mode. She is a second-year student at Ichigo Field High School and is in the same class as Akira. She is rather selfish and above everyone else like a cat.
Yukari's alter ego is Cure Macaron (キュアマカロン?), the Pretty Cure of beauty and excitement, and she is based on macarons and cats. Her catchphrases are "How Interesting" (面白いわ?) and "Fufufu..." (フフフ…?).
Bio[]
Appearance[]
Yukari has sharp, purple eyes and long, wavy, purple hair. She likes to dress stylishly and usually wears a lilac trench coat with a lavender ribbon tied around her waist. She pairs it with a purple top and a short gray pencil skirt. Sometimes she wears a light purple and indigo dress or a light purple top with a purple skirt. She completes her look with thin purple boots, magenta earrings, and occasionally, a lilac hat.
In summer, she prefers a long light purple dress with a lilac sash and light purple heels. In winter, she wears a light purple cowl-neck sweater dress, indigo tights, and purple stiletto-heeled boots. Sometimes, she opts for a short lighter purple jacket and purple gloves.
In the movie, she wears a loose purple and pink top with a gray knee-length skirt and white boots. At the party, she wears her hair up and dresses in a light purple gown with white opera-length gloves and purple heels.
In the future, Yukari cuts her long hair into a bob. She wears a purple top beneath a white coat, a dark purple belt and heels, and black leggings.
As a child, she tied her hair into low twin tails. She wore an indigo dress with a lilac top and white socks.
As Cure Macaron, her hair grows longer and she wears a macaron hat with dark purple cat ears and a tail. She also sports raspberry earrings and a purple neck ribbon. Her purple dress has a white chest and puffed sleeves, and her mini-skirt resembles a macaron with raspberry and lavender middle. Her waist bow is purple. She also wears purple knee boots with paw-like toes, an anklet with raspberry spheres, and white opera gloves.
As Super Cure Macaron, her outfit and accessories become lighter in color, with the outfit mostly white and accented with lavender. Her skirt is slightly altered in shape and the bottom turns pale pink. Hanging from the back is a cape-like piece of fabric. She gains a pair of wings.
In her A La Mode Style, her hair grows longer and gains more volume. She gains a fluffy lilac hood, and a raspberry ribbon hangs from her macaron hat. Her neck ribbon gains a raspberry charm. Her dress changes to resemble a ballgown, with the top now being purple and raspberry with white fluff covering the top. Her white skirt has large purple spheres around the bottom with a layered purple split peplum over raspberry fabric on top. Her gloves end at the wrist with a raspberry bow around the wrist.
Personality[]
Yukari is a clever and refined lady with a fickle personality, who is prone to teasing others to get different reactions out of them, mostly out of being egotistical. She is quite perceptive, being immediately able to tell that something was off with Rio. Spending time with Ichika and the others and being a Cure makes every day an unpredictable experience, and this liveliness is something Yukari seeks. She also takes an interest in macarons after her own first batches fail, and she likes the idea of having something she can work on improving.
As a child, Yukari kept on trying out new things in order to find anything she would feel passionate about, but she was not able to. Being seen as "perfect" becomes depressingly dreary to her, and nobody wanting to look beyond that "perfection" makes her feel lonely. Since enjoyment cannot be given to her, she realizes that she needs to create enjoyable situations herself. She embraces this and herself in episode 29, and admits she won't be able to erase her inner darkness and sadness, but being with her friends and surrounding herself with a "colourful world" makes her able to deal with it.
Relationships[]
- Usami Ichika: Yukari is interested in Ichika's bumbling and is able to enjoy every day more after meeting her. Ichika in turn admires the older high school student greatly and they are on good terms with each other.
- Kenjou Akira: They go to the same school, and are very popular with the other students. Their personalities initially clash, with Yukari criticizing Akira's selflessness and Akira being at odds with Yukari's fickle nature. After Akira witnesses Yukari's kindness and Yukari recognizes Akira's passion and tenacity, they become very good friends. KKPCALM10 They are often seen spending time with each other afterwards. Akira and Yukari's relationship has developed in a romantic way over time, notably in episodes 25 and 29. Their duet is a love song as well.
- Three-star Kitty: Yukari is apparently the only person this elusive cat allows to pet him, even going so far as to run up to her and lie down on his back as soon as he sees her.
- Kotozume Shino: Her grandmother and only known family member. Yukari has great respect and care for her. Shino is also the one who taught Yukari about ceremonies and manners.
- Pekorin: Yukari seems to adore Pekorin and enjoys stroking her gently.
Etymology[]
Kotozume (琴爪?): Koto (琴?) means 'harp' [1] while Zume (爪?) means 'fingernail' [2] or 'claw' which could be a reference to a cat's claw.
Yukari (ゆかり?) means 'affinity'. [3] It can also mean "violet", a nod to her color scheme.
Cure Macaron is a type of French dessert that has cream in the middle and comes in a variety of colors.
History[]
First Appearances And Transforming Into Cure Macaron[]
Yukari makes a brief cameo appearance in the first episode of the show, when she sees the vision of a macaron in the sky after a kirakiraru eruption at Ichigo Mountain. Her next short appearance is at the end of episode 4, when Ichika accidentally bumps into her as she takes a jump, and she chuckles in response.
Ichika, Himari and Aoi then learn more about Yukari, who is extremely popular among her high school peers and the townspeople and is rumored to be one of the most beautiful girls in the whole school. One day, while Ichika attempts to pet Three-star Kitty, Yukari notices and is successfully able to pet him herself. She then slowly warms up to Ichika. So much so, that the next day, Yukari takes her around town, first to a boutique where she tries on different outfits and then playing a crane game and looking at the different-colored macarons among other things. Ichika notices something is up with Yukari whenever she sees them, so she suggests Yukari stops by the KiraKira Patisserie soon so they can make their own macarons together. Himari and Aoi are shocked to see her at the patisserie as them, along with Ichika, start making the macarons. When they didn't turn out right, Yukari makes a batch herself, but they do not turn out right and didn't taste as well as they want it to. Yukari then briskly makes another batch, and the finished cookies all looked cracked, so she tries to make yet another batch when Ichika suggests decorating it to fix it, and she then does so for one of them, having it resemble a cat. Seeing it makes Yukari smile, but the celebration doesn't last long when Maquillon, a Kirakiraru Thief that would steal the Kirakiraru from macarons, appears and steals more from the ones they already made. The three Cures, wanting to protect them, transform to battle her but have a difficult time doing so. Just then, Yukari, wanting to defend the macarons, stands up to Maquillon. As a result, the cat macaron she held became an Animal Sweet and a Sweets Pact, allowing her to transform into Cure Macaron for the first time. Using her newfound cat-like agility, she is successfully able to defeat Maquillon, turning her back into her normal size and restoring the Kirakiraru she stole from all the macarons. KKPCALM05
Exposing Rio[]
When Yukari leaves for school, her grandmother stops her to bring up their upcoming tea time on Sunday. That evening, when everyone wonders what is the matter with her, Rio suddenly appears to ask if her problem is that everyone has their own special attribute at KiraPati that they enjoy, while she does not. She is actually suspicious of Rio, so she pretends to trust him and even lies to him that she has an older sister. After locating Julio surrounded by her unconscious fanclub and wasting no time transforming into Cure Macaron after he teases her, she pretends to be sad when he brings up her "sister", but she reveals the truth that she is only using that lie to confirm her suspicions regarding him. She admits that while she does feel pain from her lifestyle at times, she blames nobody else for the path she chose to walk, nor would she allow darkness to control her. KKPCALM16
Overcoming Her Past[]
One day, Yukari is seen to be noticeably more troubled. Akira tries to encourage her to enjoy life, but she doesn't feel the same way. On her way delivering the matcha macarons, she encounters Elisio who absorbs the macanrons' kirakiraru, and steps into the mirror Elisio created. Inside the mirror, Yukari finds a wall of images that is about her childhood, and meets her child self. She then gets restricted and shocked by vines formed by a dark mist. Although Macaron's child self tells her to give in to the darkness and that she admits that she will never be a good cheerful girl, she believes that there is light inside her as well. She then tells her younger self that when she is with others she is happier and things seem more interesting, that her world is more colorful now. Young Yukari cries out for her to stop, but Macaron continues by saying enjoyment isn't something she can receive but that she has to make herself. Macaron then embraces her younger self and says that she is her and that she loves her. Young Yukari starts to cry on Macaron's shoulder, then turns into light and disappears together with the mirror.
After receiving her cat-shaped glass statue, Shino comments that Yukari is amazing and is glad that she has made such good friends. After baking some cat macarons, Yukari says with a smile that they may not be perfect, but she likes them just the way they are.KKPCALM29
Switching Bodies And Dealing With A Conflict[]
One day, when Yukari tries searching for the crystal cat, who has run off on its own, she learns from Ciel about the watering hole where the animals and fairies come to drink. Her crystal cat then accidentally bumps into her when it tries to frantically report something to her but she fails to understand its message, resulting in them switching bodies. However, instead of freaking out, Yukari finds herself being in the body of a cat interesting. After overhearing a conversation between Three-star Kitty and his underlings, Yukari manages to tame them and learns from the Three-star Kitty that the cats are preparing to fight the fairies. When she gets suspicious of Diable being the culprit behind the conflict, Kirarin, Pekorin and the other fairies try to negotiate with the cats by bringing them cat-friendly sweets, only to have Diable instigate a fight between the cats and the fairies. Although Yukari halts the fight, she then decides to have a duel between herself and Kirarin, but then tells the cats that they should leave as well after she wins. She then resumes her fight with Kirarin until both of them reach the edge of a cliff and she chooses to fall off, but Kirarin catches her and says she won't let her fall for them.
After leaving the cats and the fairies, Yukari figures out that her own prediction about Diable being the culprit is right. When her friends come to her and Parfait's aid and get confined by Diable, Yukari decides to bump into her cat and they return to each other's original bodies. Together the Cures defeat the clones of Diable, and she looks at the Three-star Kitty enjoys his treat even though he is unaware that she is their former boss cat. KKPCALM34
The Decision[]
When Christmas is coming soon, Yukari suggests organizing a Christmas party, which makes the others curious her intention behind such an idea. She later tells a white lie to Pekorin when being asked if she will stay with everyone forever, and bakes batches of macarons with Ciel, though the others wonder why she is acting different than usual. However, when she later talks to her grandmother about her studies, it turns out that she has a hard decision to make.
At the Christmas party, when the girls give out their gratitude speeches to the guests, Yukari finally reveals her decision, which is to study aboard to the Kingdom of Confetto. It is because she wants to forge new experiences on her own and open up a whole new world of excitement by learning more about sweets and putting both the beauty of tea ceremony and sweets together. Although she encourages her friends that they will always stay together no matter how they are apart and they all successfully defeat Elisio, after the fight Ichika, Himari, Aoi and Pekorin begin to cry over her upcoming departure, and she soothes them hoping to make them feel better and never forget about her. KKPCALM45
Epilogue[]
Following the final episode of the series, Yukari is shown to be exploring the world as an adult, looking offshore from a beach.KKPCALM49
Cure Macaron[]
Cure Macaron
美しさとときめきを！レッツ・ラ・まぜまぜ！キュアマカロン！できあがり！
Utsukushisa to Tokimeki wo! Rettsu・Ra・Mazemaze! Kyua Makaron! Dekiagari!
Cure Macaron (キュアマカロン?) is the Pretty Cure alter ego of Yukari. In order to transform, she needs the Sweets Pact and her Animal Sweets. During the battles, she becomes quick and agile and her nails can grow into claws like a cat.
Transformation[]
Cure La Mode・Decoration!: The sequence begins with Yukari's Sweets Pact opening up and her reflection is shown in the mirror. She is now wearing a purple translucent dress and she then shouts "Cure La Mode・Decoration!" as sparkling light passes by her. Her hair appears to have already lengthened before the transformation starts. Her Animal Sweet appears and she then shouts "Macaron!" as she grabs it and inserts it into the pact. Then a small light pink beater-like pen appears, which she takes and presses the light pink stars, saying "beauty" when pressing the first one and "excitement" after pressing the second one. Beams of purple and fuchsia-colored light respectively shine from the small bowl-like part of the pact after she presses them. She then shouts "Let's・La・Mix It All Up!" as she uses the stylus to mix the two lights together, which spin around and coalesce into meringue. It forms a giant purple macaron that Yukari stands on top of.
She takes up some of the meringue with the pen and spins around. The meringue then turns into light that surrounds her and causes her dress and gloves to appear. Then her choker and the ribbon on the back of it appear. Yukari then lands on top of the macaron again and her boots appear, followed by the anklet around her left ankle. Yukari then blows on the pen, which still has some meringue left on it, and her hat appears. She then swirls more of the meringue around and draws her Animal Sweet, which then appears too. She kisses it and her ears appear. Then her Sweets Pact is inserted into the case as the ribbon appears. Finally, her tail appears as she strikes a cat-like pose. Macaron jumps and flips up before landing and striking her finishing pose.
Attacks[]
- Kirakira♪Kiraru: The main method of attack used by the Cures, which manifests in the form of magical batter within the Sweets Pact. As Cure Macaron, Yukari has shown she has the ability to:
- Blow a flurry of purple bubbles at the foe that explode on impact.
- Attack the foe with powerful slashes of purple energy from her claws.
- Kirakirakirarun♪Kirakiraru♪: A more powerful version of the original incantation, giving Macaron the ability to summon large circular structures resembling macaron cookies and yo-yo's. She uses them to envelop the foe in a spider-web-like structure that implodes and sends them flying.
- Three・2・Wonderful A La Mode! (スイー・２・ワンダフルアラモード！?) is the group attack Cure Macaron performs with the other four Cures. To perform it, she must use the Candy Rod.
- Macaron Julienne (マカロンジュリエンヌ?) is the first sub attack Cure Macaron uses in episode 16. To perform it, she needs the Candy Rod.
- Animal Go Round! (アニマルゴーランド！?) is the group attack Cure Macaron performs with the other five Cures. To perform it, she must use the Kirakiraru Creamer and her Crystal Animal.
- Fantastic Animale (ファンタスティックアニマーレ！?) is the group attack Cure Macaron performs with the other five Cures. To perform it, she must she must use the Kirakiraru Creamer and her Crystal Animal and be in her A La Mode Style.
Songs[]
Yukari's voice actress, Fujita Saki, has participated in several image songs for the character she voices. Many of them include duets with Miyama Karen, who voices Usami Ichika, Fukuhara Haruka, who voices Arisugawa Himari, Muranaka Tomo, who voices Tategami Aoi, Mori Nanako, who voices Kenjou Akira, and Minase Inori, who voices Kirahoshi Ciel.
Duets[]
- Macaronage of Love and Excitement (Along with Mori Nanako)
- Let's・La・Cookin'☆Showtime ~KIRAKIRA☆Patisserie・Version~ (Along with Miyama Karen, Fukuhara Haruka, Muranaka Tomo, Mori Nanako, and Minase Inori)
- Mémoire・Mille-feuille (Along with Miyama Karen, Fukuhara Haruka, Muranaka Tomo, Mori Nanako, and Minase Inori)
Trivia[]
- Yukari's birthday is on June 11th, making her Zodiac sign Gemini.
- Yukari shares her voice actress (Fujita Saki) with Chieri/Past Cure Flora from Go! Princess Pretty Cure.
- She is very skillful on taming animals and fairies with her gentle strokes as displayed in multiple episodes.
- According to the Ino Marie Toei Animation PreCure Works artbook, Yukari, along with Akira, is twenty-three in the epilogue.
Gallery[]
- Main Page: Kotozume Yukari/Image Gallery