Pretty Cure

The Pretty Cure series (プリキュアシリーズ) is a Japanese magical girl anime franchise created by Izumi Todo and produced by ABC Television, Asatsu-DK and Toei Animation. Each series revolves around a group of magical girls known as Pretty Cures who battle against evil forces. Starting in February 2004 with Futari wa Pretty Cure, the franchise has seen many anime series, spanning over 850 episodes to date, as well as spawning movies, manga, toys, and video games. Its most recent iteration, Wonderful PreCure!, began airing in February 2024 as part of TV Asahi's Sunday morning children's television block. As of December 2022, three series have received English adaptations.

Overview
Each series focuses on a group of teenage girls who are granted special items that allow them to transform into legendary warriors known as the Pretty Cure. With the assistance of creatures known as fairies, the Pretty Cure use their magical powers and enhanced strength to fight against evil forces who create monsters to bring misery to the Earth. As the series progresses and stronger enemies appear, the Cures gain new magical items, new abilities, and sometimes new allies to help them in their fight against evil.

Main series
There are currently twenty-one anime television series in the franchise, two of which are direct sequels to their previous series. To date, three of the series have received English adaptations. Futari wa Pretty Cure was dubbed into English by Ocean Productions and aired in Canada under the name Pretty Cure. Smile PreCure! and DokiDoki! PreCure were adapted by Saban Brands and released on Netflix under the names Glitter Force and Glitter Force Doki Doki, respectively. The series, Kirakira Pretty Cure a la Mode, Healin' Good Pretty Cure and ''Tropical-Rouge! Pretty Cure'', began streaming in Crunchyroll on their respective territories. Each series has received a manga adaptation illustrated by Futago Kamikita, which is published in Kodansha's Nakayoshi shoujo magazine alongside the anime. Starting with Fresh Pretty Cure!, each ending movie featured a dance choreography by each series' Pretty Cure members.

As of 2020, Toei Animation Inc. owns the international rights to the franchise while both the dubs of Smile and DokiDoki alongside the Glitter Force brand is currently owned by Hasbro and eOne.

Films
Beginning with Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart, each television series has received a theatrical animated film based on the series, with Max Heart receiving two films. Starting in March 2009, crossover films featuring characters from multiple series have been released annually, with 12 crossover films released to date. The eleventh crossover film, Hugtto! PreCure Futari wa Pretty Cure: All Stars Memories, has been awarded the Guinness World Records title for "Most Magical Warriors in an Anime Film", with a total number of 55 Cures with speaking roles.

Video games
Several video games have been produced by Bandai Namco Entertainment (formerly Bandai) for video game systems and educational consoles, as well as Data Carddass arcade machines.


 * Console video games
 * Futari wa Pretty Cure: Arienai! Yume no En wa Daimeikyu (ふたりはプリキュア ありえな～い！夢の園は大迷宮) (2004, Game Boy Advance)
 * Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart: Maji? Maji!? Fight de IN Janai (ふたりはプリキュアマックスハート マジ?マジ?!ファイト de INじゃない) (2005, Game Boy Advance)
 * Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart: Danzen! DS de Precure - Chikara wo Awasete Dai Battle (ふたりはプリキュアマックスハート　DANZEN!DSでプリキュア力をあわせて大バトル！!) (2005, Nintendo DS)
 * Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash Star: Panpaka Game de Zekkōchō! (ふたりはプリキュア Splash Star パンパカゲームでぜっこうちょう!) (2006, Nintendo DS)
 * Yes! PreCure 5 (Yes！プリキュア5) (2007, Nintendo DS)
 * Yes! PreCure 5 GoGo!: Zenin Shu Go! Dream Festival (Yes！プリキュア5GoGo！ 全員しゅーGo!ドリームフェスティバル) (2008, Nintendo DS)
 * Fresh Pretty Cure: Asobi Collection (フレッシュプリキュア!あそびコレクション) (2009, Nintendo DS)
 * HeartCatch PreCure! Oshare Collection (ハートキャッチプリキュア!おしゃれコレクション) (2010, Nintendo DS)
 * Koe de Asobō! HeartCatch PreCure! (こえであそぼう!ハートキャッチプリキュア!) (2010, Nintendo DS)
 * Suite PreCure: Melody Collection (スイートプリキュア♪ メロディコレクション) (2011, Nintendo DS)
 * Smile PreCure! Let's Go! Märchen World (スマイルプリキュア!　レッツゴー！メルヘンワールド) (2012, Nintendo 3DS)
 * PreCure All Stars: Zenin Shūgō Let's Dance! (プリキュアオールスターズ ぜんいんしゅうごう☆レッツダンス！) (2013, Wii)
 * DokiDoki! PreCure: Narikiri Life! (ドキドキ!プリキュア なりきりライフ!) (2013, Nintendo 3DS)
 * HappinessCharge PreCure! Kawarun Collection (ハピネスチャージプリキュア! カワルン☆コレクション) (2014, Nintendo 3DS)
 * Go! Princess PreCure: Sugar Ōkoku to Rokunin no Princess (Go!プリンセスプリキュア シュガー王国と6人のプリンセス) (2015, Nintendo 3DS)
 * PreCure Tsunagaru Puzzlun (プリキュアつながるぱずるん) (2017-2020, iOS, Android)
 * Nari Kids Park: Hugtto! PreCure (なりキッズパーク　HUGっと！プリキュア) (2018, Nintendo Switch)


 * Arcade game
 * PreCure All Stars Data Carddass series (プリキュアデータカードダスシリーズ) (2007–2017)


 * Educational titles
 * Futari wa Pretty Cure (ふたりはプリキュア) (2004, Sega Pico)
 * Futari wa Pretty Cure: Max Heart (ふたりはプリキュアMax Heart) (2005, Beena)
 * Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash Star (ふたりはプリキュアスプラッシュスター) (2006, Beena)
 * Yes! Pretty Cure 5 Go Go: Love Love Hiragana Lesson (Yes！プリキュア5GoGo！lovelove☆ひらがなレッスン) (2008, Beena)
 * Isshoni Henshin Fresh Pretty Cure (いっしょにへんしんフレッシュプリキュア！) (2009, Beena)
 * Oshare ni Henshin HeartCatch PreCure! (おしゃれにへんしん ハートキャッチプリキュア！) (2010, Beena)
 * Suite PreCure: Happy Oshare Harmony (スイートプリキュア♪ハッピーおしゃれハーモニー☆) (2011, Beena)

Live-action drama
A live-action series, Koe Girl! (声ガール！), aired in Japan between April and June 2018, celebrating the franchise's 15th anniversary. The series follows a group of aspiring voice actresses and stars Haruka Fukuhara, who voiced Himari Arisugawa/Cure Custard in Kirakira PreCure a la Mode.

Reception
The combination of transmedia text products, including anime series, films, live performances, theme stores, and toys, has been analyzed as a "system of consumption, knowledge and action [that] creates a lifestyle-text, a set of fictional media works that are synonymous with the lifestyle practices they promote."

The Pretty Cure films are the seventh highest-grossing anime film franchise. Bandai Namco's net income from Pretty Cure video game sales was ¥billion (US$million) from April 2008 to March 2012, ¥billion (US$million) from April 2012 to March 2013, ¥million (US$million) from April 2013 to March 2014, and ¥million (US$7.8 million) from April 2014 to December 2020, adding up to ¥6.1 billion (US$73.1 million) net sales revenue for Bandai Namco.

Merchandise
Pretty Cure has had numerous licensed merchandise sold in Japan. By 2010, it became Japan's fifth highest-grossing franchise annually.