*I will be using the phrase "PreCure" instead of "Pretty Cure"
Ahh, Smile PreCure... I have to say, it was my favorite PreCure season, and I was really disappointed that it didn't get a sequel. Well, I thought it didn't get a sequel. Then one day, I was looking through Google, and I see, "Smile PreCure Novel Announced!" And it was true, Smile PreCure actually got a sequel novel! It was released for 670 yen on October 4th of 2016, so, not to recently. The novel stars the Smile PreCures as adults, and so far, it's pretty cool! As of right now, only the first chapter has been released, but it's 30 pages long, and quite fascinating.
Here's the link to the first chapter:
https://precure.livejournal.com/3248386.html
Anyways, as parts of the translated novel come out, I will be giving a brief summary of each section, and giving my personal reviews on them. So let's get started!
Summary:
24-year-old Hoshizora Miyuki is working at her part-time job at a local bookstore, when a young Yoshimi-chan overhears her reading out loud "The Greatest Smile", a book about 5 girls who transform into the legendary PreCure to fight evil. The two bond the book, and soon form a close friendships, until an unfortunate event causes the bookstore to shut down. With only a month left with her beloved bookshop, Miyuki is saddened. However, for the sake of others, she keeps a smile on her face, just like Hoshizora Miyuki in her treasured picture book. But something is wrong. She doesn't remember her times as a PreCure, nor does she know why she drew the picture book. What has happened in the 10-year time skip to cause such a loss of memory so great that she forgot her friends?!
Review:
First, we'll start with the character review. First up is: Hoshizora Miyuki!
Miyuki:''' Wow, has she changed! I remember watching Smile PreCure, and always knowing Miyuki to be the optimistic airhead. But now, I have to give her a new nickname... She's matured so much over the past 10 years, that it's hard to believe she's still Miyuki! Most and if not all of her actions are really responsible, and while still keeping her love for picture books and fairy tales, little Miyuki has grown a lot. But seriously, WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO HER?! She's forgotten legit everything. About her being a PreCure, how it lead to her making the picture book, and she even forgot about her beloved friends?!? Like seriously, WHAT HAPPENED! (more on this later)
Yoshimi-chan: Yoshimi-chan! You're so CUTE! Yoshimi is a young (novel exclusive) girl who shows up at the beginning of the first chapter. After hearing Miyuki reading, the two become close friends, and their interactions are really cute. I like how Yoshimi-chan is pretty much a young Miyuki, like how she is incredibly shy, but grows to be more social after small interactions. I hope Yoshimi-chan appears again in the novel, because she is really a nice character. (she is also the only one who believes Miyuki is a PreCure after she saw Miyuki's name tag)
The Manager: Since we don't have an official name yet (or I just didn't see it), we're just gonna call her "The Manager". Miyuki refers to her as a strict yet kind-hearted manager, but she also states that she is normally angry at her clumsy behavior. She was the one to make the decision of closing the bookstore due to a large shopping mall planning on being built in the area. Despite how much it pains both her and Miyuki, the Manager doesn't believe they have enough money to keep going.
Miyuki's Parents: While they don't play a huge part in the chapter, I still think they are important side-characters. They meet up with Miyuki after one of her workdays, and they have a very nice chat. Her father brings up Miyuki's childhood, such as how she had a crush on Peter Pan, or how she loved picture books more than anything. Miyuki also mentions how she aspires to be like her mom: a beautiful and level-headed women how always manages to stay positive. Miyuki's parents, especially her mom, are very supportive, and I'm glad they were included in the chapter.
*There is one more character, but I'm saving her for the next chapter. :)
Now, time for the plot review. (aka. me rambling about the Cure's memory loss)
So... Wth happened here? Throughout the whole first chapter, Miyuki acts like the whole PreCure thing never happened. REALLY MIYUKI? OUT OF ALL THE THING YOU CAN FORGET, YOU FORGET ABOUT THE PRECURE?! (well, it probably has something to do with Joker(if you read the chapter, you'll see why) ) Anyways, everything regarding PreCure has been removed from Miyuki's memory, and nobody really knows why? She also can't remember why she wrote "The Greatest Smile", nor can she remember "Why she modeled the PreCure after her friends"... Yeah, that what she thinks right now... Speaking of her friends, Miyuki also states (after a certain encounter) that she also forgot about her friends' existence! It's one thing to forget about being a magical girl, but it's another to forget about your closest friends. Like seriously, WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED?!? However, I believe she might begin to remember everything again, as the chapter ends with her instinctively opening the Book Portal again after hearing Candy's voice. :O This all makes me really excited to read the rest of the novel, and I can't wait for this summer. (that's when the first part of chapter 2 is planned to come out)
So, that was my review of the first chapter of the Smile PreCure novel. It's really nice seeing Miyuki (and soon enough the other girls) all grown up, and I can't wait to read the other chapters. Also, the first 5 chapters are supposed to star each of the Cures, while the last chapter is (I'm guessing) supposed to have the girls reunite and maybe even fight! Please do go support the translator and read the translated version. If I can, I will go find a link to the product, and provide it in my next review. Thank you for taking the time to read my review on "Novel: Smile! PreCure".
-PreCure All Stars (NekoAnnie)