Kirakira Pretty Cure a la Mode

Kirakira Pretty Cure a la Mode (Japanese: キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード, Hepburn: Kirakira ☆ Purikyua Ara Mōdo, lit. "Glittering Pretty Cure à la Mode"), stylized as Kirakira☆PreCure a la Mode is a 2017 Japanese magical girl anime series produced by Toei Animation and the fourteenth installment in Izumi Todo's Pretty Cure metaseries, featuring the twelfth generation of Cures. It is directed by Kohei Kureta and Yukio Kaizawa. Jin Tanaka wrote the script, and Marie Ino designed the characters. The cake and sweets designs were handled by pâtissière Junko Fukuda.[1] The series began airing on all All-Nippon News Network stations in Japan on February 5, 2017, succeeding Witchy PreCure! in its timeslot.[2] It was then succeeded by Hug! Pretty Cure on February 4, 2018. The series' main topics are happiness and creativity, with desserts and animals as its motifs.

Kirakira ☆ Pretty Cure a la Mode
Cover of the final Blu-ray volume, featuring the six Cures. In clockwise order: Cure Chocolat, Cure Macaron, Cure Custard, Cure Whip, Cure Parfait and Cure Gelato in the center.
キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード
(Kirakira ☆ Purikyua Ara Mōdo)
GenreMagical girl
Created byIzumi Todo
Anime television series
Directed byKohei Kureta
Yukio Kaizawa
Produced byAkira Tanaka
Risa Endō
Yu Kaminoki
Written byJin Tanaka
Music byYuki Hayashi
StudioToei Animation
Licensed byToei Animation Inc. (Licensing)
Crunchyroll (Streaming)
Original networkANN (ABC, TV Asahi)
Original run February 5, 2017 – January 28, 2018
Episodes49
Manga
Written byIzumi Todo
Illustrated byFutago Kamikita
Published byKodansha
ImprintWide KC
MagazineNakayoshi
DemographicShōjo
Original runMarch 2017 – December 2017
Volumes2
Anime film
Kirakira Pretty Cure a la Mode the Movie: Crisply! The Memory of Mille-feuille!
Petit☆Dream Stars! Let's・la・Cookin'? Showtime!
StudioToei Animation
ReleasedOctober 28, 2017

Toei Animation Inc. licensed the series outside Japan for all territories, with Crunchyroll streaming the series starting on August 20, 2020.[3][4][5] With the exception of Smile PreCure! and DokiDoki! PreCure, which were released by Saban in English under the name Glitter Force, it is the third series to be released under the "Pretty Cure" name since Futari wa Pretty Cure.

Plot
See also: List of Kirakira Pretty Cure a la Mode characters

Ichika Usami is a second-year middle school student who loves sweets and wishes to work in a patisserie, but struggles to bake. One day, she encounters a fairy named Pekorin, who is able to detect "Kirakiraru", an element residing in sweets that represent the feelings put into them. However, evil fairies start to steal the Kirakiraru for themselves, leaving the sweets black and lifeless. Determined to protect the sweets, Ichika gains the power of the Legendary Patisserie and transforms into the Pretty Cure, Cure Whip, to protect the Kirakiraru. Joined by five other Pretty Cures, Ichika opens up a mobile sweet shop called the Kirakira Patisserie and spends her days making sweets while fighting against those who seek to steal Kirakiraru and bring misfortune to the world.[6]

Production

The series was first registered by Toei at the Japanese Copyright Office on October 25, 2016.[7] A month after its registration, Toei opened a teaser site for the series with the catchphrase "Create, Taste and Battle!".[8][9] On December 26, 2016, Toei updated the official website with the main characters and staff, alongside the two theme songs and the official release date. This revealed the series to be the third series in the franchise to utilize a five-person team. It was also confirmed that the main characters were running a sweets shop[10] and that the series would still feature battle scenes, but would have a different style of fighting called Colorful Pop Battles to fit with the series theme.

In an interview with the team behind the series, they expressed several concepts being used and adapted in the series. The producers stated that a five-person team was being used after ten years to differentiate it from the previous series, Maho Girls PreCure!, which initially had a duo that later expanded to become a trio. Producer Yu Kaminoki said that "Running a sweets shop/bakery is one of many jobs girls have dreamed of being when they grow up, and that is a good theme for the next series. However, deciding how fighting elements would fit in a dessert-themed series is hard and is not compatible with Pretty Cure or any fighting girls series". They also stated that "using animals as a secondary motif could help balance the first motif of the series and is possible with imagination, to actually make the series work than just using sweets as the series' motif". Lastly, they said that the "animal motif would extend to the main character, Ichika, who decorates and creates desserts with an animal motif due to her huge imagination."[11]

While discussing the staff, the producer said that Kohei Kureta and Yukio Kaizawa were chosen to direct the series to lessen the burden in production while coming up with newer concepts. Yukio Kaizawa was chosen due to his work with the Cure Flora and the Mischievous Mirror short film, and he stated that as director, he wanted to incorporate new ideas into the series. Kaizawa also stated that it was his first time directing a series in Toei's Sunday morning lineup since joining the staff, and that directing alongside Kohei Kureta would be a challenge. Kureta was grateful that he could work alongside him. Despite working together, both directors will direct the series in different episodes and are responsible for how the series will turn out.[11]

For the characters, the staff made each of their personalities unique to match the animal motif of the series. The most unique one is Akira, as the producers based her overall role on the "Otokoyaku (男役, "Male Role") actresses of Takarazuka Revue, a theatrical group owned by Hankyu Corporation. Nanako Mori said that her experience with the group in the past is the inspiration for her role in the anime, and that playing a big sister in the series is a first.[12]

Media

Anime
See also: List of Kirakira Pretty Cure a la Mode episodes

The anime began airing on All-Nippon News Network stations in Japan, including ABC and TV Asahi, on February 5, 2017, replacing the previous series, Maho Girls PreCure!, in its initial timeslot.[13] The opening theme is "SHINE!! Kirakira ☆ PreCure a la Mode" (SHINE！！キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード, SHINE！！ Kirakira ☆ Purikyua Ara Mōdo) by Yuri Komagata, while the ending theme for the first 22 episodes is "Let's La Cooking☆Showtime" (レッツ・ラ・クッキン☆ショータイム, Rettsu Ra Kukkin ☆ Shōtaimu) by Kanako Miyamoto.[14][15] From episode 23 onwards, a second ending theme is used, called "Shubidubi☆Sweets Time" (シュビドゥビ☆スイーツタイム, Shubidubi ☆ Suītsu Taimu) by Miyamoto. The music of the series is composed by Yuki Hayashi (My Hero Academia, Haikyū!!, Gundam Build Fighters). The first single of the series was released on March 1, 2017 along with the first official soundtrack on May 31, 2017 titled Precure Sound Decoration!!. A second official soundtrack for the series was released on November 29, 2017 with the title Precure Sound Go Round!!. A vocal best album titled Suite☆Etude☆A La Mode was released on January 24, 2018, which featured songs from the anime and its movie. Toei Animation Inc. licensed the series outside Japan with Crunchyroll streaming the series in Europe, the Middle East and Africa from August 20, 2020, and in North America, Latin America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand from August 24, 2020.[16][17][18]

Films

The characters of the series appeared alongside characters from Go! Princess PreCure and Maho Girls PreCure! in the crossover film, Pretty Cure Dream Stars!, which was released in Japan on March 18, 2017.[19] A film based on the series,[20] titled KiraKira☆PreCure à la Mode: Crisply! The Memory of Mille-feuille! (映画 キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード パリッと！想い出のミルフィーユ！, Eiga Kirakira ☆ Purikyua Ara Mōdo: Paritto! Omoide no Mirufīyu!), including a fully CG animated short titled Petit☆Dream Stars! Let's・la・Cookin'? Showtime! (Petit☆ドリームスターズ！レッツ・ラ・クッキン？ショータイム！, Puchi ☆ Dorīmu Sutāzu! Rettsu Ra Kukkin? Shōtaimu!) was released on October 28, 2017.

Manga

The manga adaptation of the anime was serialized in the March 2017 issue of Kodansha's Nakayoshi magazine, written and illustrated by Futago Kamikita and ended serialization on December 29, 2017.[21] The first tankōbon was released on August 10, 2017,[22] with the second released on March 13, 2018.

No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1 August 10, 2017978-4-06-337866-5N/A—
2 March 13, 2018978-4-06-511046-1N/A—

Promotion

To promote the anime series, they launched the campaign for the Kirakira Pretty Cure a la Mode themed hotel rooms at Shirakaba Resort's Ike no Taira Hotel in Lake Shirakaba, Nagano Prefecture.[23] In their "7 Great Gay and Lesbian Relationships In Anime" opinion feature,[24] Crunchyroll included the relation between Cure Macaron and Cure Chocolat, and compared it to the romantic[25][26] relationship of Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus. However, the voice actress for Cure Macaron had said in an interview that, since it is a show aimed at little girls, she had been told by the staff that the feelings of the characters were not "love". Nonetheless, she expressed that there is room for different interpretations of relationships and love.[27]

References
  1. "東映アニメーション公式 on Twitter".
  2. "「キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード」17年2月5日放送開始 テーマは「スイーツ」と「アニマル」". Archived from the original on December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
  3. "Kirakira ☆ Precure a la Mode Will Stream to the U.K." Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  4. "Crunchyroll Adds Fan Favorite Shows to European Catalog!". Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  5. Luster, Joseph. "Crunchyroll Expands Crunchyroll Expands KIRA KIRA☆PRETTY CURE A LA MODE Territories". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on August 24, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  6. "ストーリー＆キーワード - キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード-東映アニメーション" (in Japanese). Toei Animation. Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  7. "'Kirakira Precure a la Mode' Trademark Filed". Anime News Network.
  8. "Toei Confirms Kirakira Precure a la Mode TV Anime for 2017". Anime News Network. November 28, 2016. Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  9. "プリキュア：第14弾「キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード」が17年春スタート つくって！たべて！たたかって！". Archived from the original on December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
  10. "TVアニメ『キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード』は2月5日（日）放送開始。キービジュアル・キャラクター設定なども解禁". moca. Archived from the original on December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
  11. "肉弾戦を封印することで描けるプリキュアらしさがある！ 『キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード』神木優プロデューサー＆暮田公平ＳＤ＆貝澤幸男ＳＤインタビュー" (in Japanese). Animate. Archived from the original on February 4, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  12. "キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード - ニュース". toei-anim.co.jp. Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  13. "Kirakira Precure a la Mode Anime Reveals February 5 Debut, Theme Songs, New Visuals". Anime News Network. December 26, 2016. Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  14. "新プリキュアはパティシエ！スイーツ×アニマル変身「キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード」". Archived from the original on December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
  15. Corporation, Mynavi (December 26, 2016). "プリキュア最新作! 『キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード』、来年2月より放送". Archived from the original on December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
  16. "Kirakira ☆ Precure a la Mode Will Stream to the U.K." Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  17. "Crunchyroll Streams Kirakira Precure a la Mode Anime in Europe, Middle East, North Africa".
  18. "Crunchyroll Expands KIRA KIRA☆PRETTY CURE a LA MODE Territories". Archived from the original on August 24, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  19. "Precure Dream Stars! Film Announces Guest Cast, Story". animenewsnetwork.com. January 12, 2017. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  20. "Kirakira Precure a la Mode Anime Gets Film in October". Anime News Network. March 21, 2017. Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  21. "Kirakira Precure a la Mode Manga Ends in December". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  22. 東映アニメーションオンラインショップ. "☆書影解禁☆【キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード】ブック♪「プリキュアコレクション1特装版／通常版」ご予約受付中！東映アニメオリジナル特典の詳細はもう暫くお待ち下さいね". @toeianime_shop (in Japanese). Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  23. "Have Magical Dreams in Kirakira ☆ Precure a la Mode Hotel Rooms". Anime News Network. March 13, 2017. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  24. "7 Great Gay and Lesbian Relationships In Anime". Archived from the original on October 18, 2019. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  25. Cadorniga, Carlos (November 7, 2017). "7 Great Gay and Lesbian Relationships In Anime". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on June 18, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  26. "Naoko Takeuchi. The creator of BISHOUJO SENSHI SAILORMOON speaks at the 1998 San Diego International Comics Convention". Archived from the original on June 18, 2019. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  27. "「『プリアラ』らしさが常に出ているライブになるはず」琴爪ゆかり＆キュアマカロン役・藤田咲さんインタビュー - 『キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモードLIVE2017』リレーインタビュー第4回" (in Japanese). Animate. Archived from the original on June 12, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
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