(Where I Watch) Heartcatch Precure!

[Wraithstrike]

Episode 29: Summer, Last gasp! My Dress is Complete.

We start with a young man from Tsubomi's homeroom struggling to ride his bike up a hill, which looks a lot like the hill in Splash Star.His name is Hayashi, and he's going to ride that bike from Kyoto to Tokyo...which is the same goal held by the little boy in Gokaiger Episode 22.

That's a journey of over 500 kilometers, and by transit, it takes 7 hours. By bike, it would take the whole summer. The rest of the class didn't think he could do it. But they do show up to commemorate the event. Tsubomi presents Hayashi with a hand-stitched medal and he shows off his pictures. He seems to be a bit distracted.

Throughout this episode, we get the flashbacks of Hayashi's trip. How he stayed at an inn, was run off the road by a minivan and ran out of water. But why does he give the medal back to Tsubomi?

The answer is because he didn't go all the way.At a steep road, he boarded a bus.

Tsubomi's goal for herself is to complete the dress by herself. It's not the same kind of struggle as taking the long bike ride, but for her hands it's a challenge.
After a long string of missteps, Tsubomi finishes her project. Here's the dress itself:

Elsewhere, Hayashi's moping has brought him into Kumojacky's path.

Precure Open My Heart: Tsubomi 27, Erika 26, Itsuki 7

The fight is on against the biciclye desertrian. All the RPMs in the spinning wheel make it hard to kick the Desertrian, but it admits that he gave up on the steep road to Hakone. One moment... *checks google maps*

According to Google maps there are three paths that can take you from Kyoto to Hakone. The shortest of these is 382 KM and the longest is 402 KM.

I understand wanting to make it the whole way, but biking that far over the course of a summer is nothing to sneeze at. Hell, I wish I could bike that far in my lifetime, let alone a summer.

Flashy Finishing move Count: 41
Sunshine locks the desertrian in place with Gold Forte Burst and Blossom finishes it with Pink Forte Wave.

Tsubomi wakes up Hayashi, and explains that her goal was to create a new style for the new her. And Hayashi realizes he has to tell the truth.

The class goes with my assumption that making it halfway is still pretty damn epic. And for Floral Heraldry, rapeseed means "Full of Energy." which suits both Hayashi and the new Tsubomi.

The episode ends with Hayashi attempting the back half of the ride again. Tsubomi's medal hangs from his travel bag as he pushes up the steep slope that beat him the last time.

Our next episode is Potpourri Runs Away! Itsuki falls Apart!

Thoughts on this episode:

The boy rode about 400 KM on a bike. Kumojacky has absolutely no basis to call him a weakling.

 

[Wraithstrike]

Episode 30: Potpourri Runs Away! Itsuki Falls Apart!

I should have seen it coming. I should have been prepared for a baby fairy to throw a tantrum. I should have been prepared to admit that there wasn't a manly word in that last sentence.

Summer's over and Itsuki has to go back to her duties as Student Council President. And when they tell the little one he can't go to school, he bolts. Yeah, that's the whole crisis here.

Potpourri meets a little girl named Haruka who immediately catches the little one. Haruka had a fight with her mom and she ran away from home. Her reason? Her Parentss wouldn't take her to the beach or amusement park. She decides to live in the playground.

The first one to find them isn't Itsuki, but Yuri. She stands outside the metal tube under her umbrella and convinces the two of them to go back home.
As they walk back under Yuri's umbrella, they come across Haruka's mother and the two other faeries. But Cobraja had spotted the mother and took her heart flower to create this:

The Light Pole Desertrian throws a punch at the group, and Potpourri blocks. Itsuki arrives to save Potpourri.

No! You don't have to apologize for anything! Your fairy is a brat! However, this is the first time that Cure Sunshine meets Cure Moonlight, who tells her that she has to be careful, lest she lose her partner. Hmm...

Precure Open My Heart: Tsubomi 27, Erika 26, Itsuki 8

The fight is pretty good, since the Desertrian is strong enough to provide a threat. Even when Marine and Blossom show up, it's still overpowering them. But at least Potpourri gets the message of the episode.

The three cures are underneath a steel hammer as they master a trio move. PRECURE IMPACT! This throws the Desertrian down and lets Sunshine declare that she will light the darkness in Cobraja's heart.

Flashy Finishing move Count: 42

Gold Forte Burst to purify the Desertrian.

Floral Heraldry: Verbena means family Joy.

Yuri watches the reunion between Itsuki and Potpourri with...is that envy I see in her eyes?

Our next episode will answer that, as it's titled The Tragic Truth! That Was Yuri's Fairy!

Thoughts on this episode: While I didn't like the bratty fairy bit(I still dislike Porun for that reason) I thought they did the runaway girl story with a bit of caring. It's still a good episode, especially as it sets up for the next one.

 

[Wraithstrike]

Episode 31: The Tragic Truth! That was Yuri's Fairy...
We open with a Precure fight at a construction yard. Sunshine blocks a hit from the wrecking ball Desertrian as Sasorina watches. Once Blossom and Marine talk to the Desertrian, it stops moving and the Fortissimo happens. Sasorina teleports away, and whe nshe arrived in the dark desert, she spots a flower blooming on a cactus, and is immediately enraptured by its beauty. Maybe the bliss effect of the Gold Forte Burst hasn't worn off completely yet.

Tsubomi sees Yuri at the school's garden looking at the red spider lily. When Potpourri tries to get a hug from Yuri, she spins out of the way and walks off.

The girls at the fashion club have already finished their clothes and they suggest bringing Momoka and Yuri to the fashion show.

This is where we meet Saitani Hideo, a highschool supergenius who comes in second place to Yuri on all the tests.

Wait a minute...Yuri's family name is Tsukikage? Where have I heard that before...

OH YEAH! I knew it!

After the boys walk off, the girls mention that the theme of their fashion show is "A New me," Yuri walks off angrily.

Cobraja and Kumojacky suspect that Sasorina is in love. She's thinking about taking some great spiritual journey, even as Dune apporaches in a cloud of darkness. Sabark has a present:

Desertrians will be fiercer and stronger with these things, and the portion of Sasorina's heart that was purified is once again corrupted.

Down at the botanical garden, Yuri tells Kaoruku that she lost her fairy and her heart flower long ago. Tsubomi closes the door to the botanical garden and cries.
The next day, Erika and Tsubomi are training at Myoudouin Dojo to come up with new techniques, but her heart's not in it.

You know who else doesn't have his heart in it? Saitani. Once again he takes the number two spot on a test and his heart flower withers.
Sasorina is blocked by Yuri, but she still manages to claim the Heart Flower and merge is with Saitani's computer.

Precure Open My Heart Count: Tsubomi 28, Erika 27, Itsuki 9

Yuri gets the Desertrian to chase her away from the school, and the cures start playing volleyball with the Desertrian.

This is where the Dark bracelet comes in. Sasorina activates its power, and dives in to the Desertrian, which alters its appearance:

This allows Sasorina to directly control the desertrian by manipulating the heart flower crystal. It gets a boost to combat and defensive capabilities. If Sasorina can imagine it, she can make the Super Desertrian do it.

At this point, the fairies fly in to join the fight, despite Yuri telling them not to. The cures break free from their bonds and get back in the fight, to show the power of their training.

Flashy Finishing Move Count: 43
Sunshine creates a Gold Forte orb over her head, as the other two activate Floral Power Fortissimo. They dive into the orb, assuming golden forms. With one more spin of the Tambourine, Sunshine uses Blossom and Marine as ammuniton for the new trio finisher: Precure Shining Fortissimo!

Sasorina retreats and Yuki talks with Saitani afterward, and he promises to be a good rival for her.

Floral heraldry: Spinach means Vitality. Popeye agrees.

Huh. A green heart seed. That's new.

Yuri walks off once more, but this time promises to be a model for the fashion show if her Heart Flower blooms again.
Our next episode is: Duel with the Handsome guy? I didn't hear anything about this!!

Wait...wasn't this broadcast after Kamen Rider W? Are they dropping an Akiko reference in that title?

Thoughts on this episode:

The Dark Bracelet upgrades really seem to work. They take the castle crasher face of the desertrians and make them even more evil looking. Not to mention that now the Desert Apostles don't have to worry about losing control of their creations.

 

[Wraithstrike]

Episode 32: A Duel with the Handsome Guy? I didn't hear anything about this!

We open on a big burly brawl. Three Precures versus hundreds of snackies. They've got their flying capes, and they're slinging magic to protect the Heart Tree, but it is all for naught. Dune enters, narrating about how he'll make the Heart Flowers wither and crushes the heart Tree inbetween his fingers. The force of his evil beats the precures down to basic power stage, the glowing dress mode. He declares that the earth belongs to him.

HOLY CRAP. That's a powerful image right there. As is the one that follows: a crying Tsubomi, on the barest dregs of power doing all she can: hugging her fairy and waiting for the end.

Fortunately, it's all a dream. However, unlike the first episode where Tsubomi was dreaming of Cure Moonlight, this dream comes to us via Grandma Hanasaki. She's having the dream on the porch of the house, and Tsubomi wakes her. The camera focuses on grandma's pendant as she tries to forget the dream.

Let's level. She's a legendary warrior, several generations removed from the current one. She probably had this dream about herself and whatever team she had back then. If it was just her back then, then damn. That's pretty raw emotional stuff. But what makes it really hurt is she's watching her granddaughter in the one position she never wished for her to have.
Grandma Hanasaki obviously supports the Precures as well as she can, but if she had had any say in the matter, the power would have definitely skipped over Tsubomi and her friends. This is not a matter than can easily be put aside as "Oh, it was nothing." It is every ounce of love, every shiver of fear, every tear Tsubomi cries, alll given form. It is something that has to be mentioned to someone. Even if she's trying to protect Tsubomi from that premonition of disaster, she has to tell someone, like Yuri. It's only going to hurt more if she doesn't talk about it.

Getting back to the story, all three girls are enjoying Coupe's pillowesque nature. Not that I can blame them after how tough the last fight was. That's the topic of discussion. They won just barely against a Bracelet Powered Desertrian, and now need a boost. Moonlight once told Chypre and Coffret about the legendary artifact that Cure Flower found. Something which could give them infinite power.

Grandma isn't having any of it. She doesn't think they're ready for the power of the Heartcatch Mirage.

Hold it...The Grand Power is named after a common element associated with deserts? Even Gekired could see the flaw in that logic.

Fifty years ago, Cure Flower fought against Dune.

She had the Mirage with her and used the last of her magical essence to tap into it. She just barely eked out a victory, but lost her ability to transform.

Grandma wants to watch Tsubomi become an adult(I'm pretty sure she's already there) and urges her to forget about the Heartcatch Mirage. No chance in hell. The girls are adamant that they be allowed to find this great treasure.

They have an unexpected ally in Yuri. She believes the girls should be allowed to go the secret base, Precure Palace, and get the Heartcatch Mirage in preparation for bigger fights to come.

Even Yuri's insistence isn't enough to soften Kaoruko on this matter. But when Tsubomi says "I'm not the same little girl any more," she takes them to the door in the botanical gardens. Potpourri's been carrying the golden seed which opens the door to a teleport chamber to the Palace. And Tsubomi asks Yuri to come along, to help heal her heart flower.

Here's the palace, and it's time for
Precure Open My Heart Count: Tsubomi 29, Erika 28, Itsuki 10

The Great Heart Tree Abides. But... oh my god! Everything that kicked this series off was based on Cure Moonlight's attempt to recover the Heartcatch Mirage. She lsot to Dark Precure even before she could try the ordeal.

The ordeal is to defeat the previous generation of Precure, or someone who represents them, in combat. Since Tsubomi will not harm her grandmother and vice-versa, Sora takes her place.

"In secret, I adored you." Blossom admits "But if you are to be the ordeal that prevents us from obtaining the Heartcatch Mirage, I swear to overcome you."

He has full control of the terrain here, and instantly reads their strengths and weaknesses. With one blast he knocks back Blossom and Marine, and takes advantage of Sunshine not protecting her back.

Grandma calls them out for being too immature to take this challenge on, but the cheering voices of the fairies bring them back to fighting condition.

"We might be young, but together, we're unbeatable!" They get their second wind and get back into a fight which would not be out of place in a game of Exalted.

Sora flings the floors at Blossom, who jumps from block to block, timing her punches so she builds up more speed with each strike. She plants a solid right on Sora, who flies back to be intercepted by a full flipping kick from Marine. Marine drives him down, bringing the ceiling with him towards Sunshine. Up goes the Sunflower Aegis and Sora attempts to slide past it, when Blossom and Marine descend from above to punch him back. As Granny puts it, they're reading his movements.

"Feel the power within our hearts!"
Flashy Finishing move Count: 44
Shining Fortissimo for the win. As the image of Sora rises on the flower, he smiles. "You certainly have grown." And the disguise is thrown aside to reveal Coupe!

All three cures and Yuri place their hands upon the golden seed which changes into yet another key. They enter a chamber where there are statues of hundred of Precures. The Great Heart Tree, using the collective voice of all the Precure souls, congratulates them for a job well done. Gee, this gestalt voice sounds a whole lot like the Queen of Light.

Treasure Get!
This is the treasure that can infinitely expand one's potential, and as Marine puts it "It might even grant Yuri the power to be a Precure again."
Our Next Episode is: Cure Moonlight, Finally Revived!
Thoughts on this episode:
IT WAS AWESOME. That is all.

 

[Wraithstrike]

Episode 33: Cure Moonlight is Finally Revived!
Yuri stands on the bridge, thinking about the parts of the previous episode we didn't see. Namely, the other powers of the Heartcatch Mirage. It allows instant warping to the Great Heart Tree, and the ability to see people's Heart Flowers. To dissuade the others from making her a Precure again, Yuri tells Tsubomi to look at her Heart Flower.

Ouch. That's why she thinks she can't be a Precure, but the thought of it still saddens her. And as she cries for her lost companion Cologne, his voice echoes back from the Great Heart Tree. "Don't cry, Moonlight. I'll be able to see you very soon."

Yuri's backstory involves the disappearance of her father while he was searching for the Heart Tree when she was chosen. During the fight for Heart Tree before Moonlight's Ordeal, Sabark fired a blast at Moonlight and Cologne intercepted.

Moonlight was saved, but at the cost of Cologne's life. And she soon lost the bigger battle. This is more than the precures can bear, so they rush off to try to cheer her up and revive her Heart Flower.

The next day at school all three leads have drawn up designs for Yuri to wear to the fashion show. While they try to persuade her of the magic that comes from creating a new self-image, Coupe's plushie belly glows, the same way it did when Potpourri was born. The Faeries are dispatched to bring Yuri and the others in. Using the Mirage, they gaze upon the Heart Tree to see that Cologne is being reborn. Yuri has to go see him, because a miracle like this only happens once.


However, in the dark dimension, Dark Precure senses that something is up because the half of the seed she has is glowing. She uses it to track Yuri, but the other Precures step out to protect her while she goes to the Heart Tree.

Precure Open My Heart Count: Tsubomi 30, Erika 29, Itsuki 11

When Yuri meets up with Cologne, she can't touch him because his body is gone. They remember the talks they had, how Moonlight overestimated her own power. She didn't want anyone else to get hurt, so she took the whole burden for defending Earth upon her own shoulders. Cologne doesn't hate her, he isn't angry at her stubbornness. Rather, he's proud of her kindness.
But the situation has changed. She gave up on believing in herself, and as a result fell from grace. She needs to regain that belief, and should rely on her new comrades to make it happen. The broken seed is the shape of her broken heart, but it can be healed if she declares her wish to become a Precure again.

A portal opens at the Heart Tree, allowing Yuri to witness the fight on the ground.

Flashy Finishing move Count: 46

We're stepping up to Shining Fortissimo, which does nothing against the power of the Dark Power Fortissimo.

Yuri speaks her wish to the Great Heart Tree to regain her power, and the Heart Tree greants her desire, sending a rush of energy through her, her seed and every tree on earth. And Yuri returns to earth.
"Courage.Love.Friendship.Kindness.Sadness.Joy. So many emotions in everyone's hearts. And I will protect them once more!"

Precure Open My Heart count: Tsubomi 30, Erika 29, Itsuki 11, YURI 1

"A Serene Flower in the Moonlight! CURE MOONLIGHT!"

Cure Moonlight has entered the building!

The Next Episode is: GREAT POWER! CURE MOONLIGHT!

Thoughts on this episode: This is not a rushed story. By building up the mystery of Cure moonlight, they've made me interested in her story. By allowing her time to grow, Yuri has become one of my favorites. Though she got the whole series started by her defeat, now she's going to see it through to victory for her sake and the sake of her new comrades.
Oh, and she's going to open a six-pack of whupass. There is that.

 

[Wraithstrike]

Episode 34: Great Power! Cure Moonlight!

Because it bears repeating, this episode opens with Yuri's first Precure, Open My Heart moment. This is followed by a long slow plan up her outfit, followed by reaction shots from Dark Precure and the other Precures.

When cure Moonlight was beaten, a portion of her power was given to the Spirit of Cologne. She didn't need the other half of her Precure Seed, though she wasn't aware of it.
Now, Dark Precure is upset and moves to strike Cure Moonlight, who just seems to be a little bit faster than every strike. One blast launches Cure Moonlight, unharmed, fifty feet downrange.

"Until all hearts on earth are in full bloom...

And then comes the promised cans of Whupass. She throws hundreds of punches at Dark Precure. When Dark Precure tries to move to sniper range, Moonlight launches two saucers of energy called "Moonlight Reflection" One bounces the energy blast back towards Dark Precure, who dodges, only for the energy to bounce off the other saucer, which had tracked behind Dark Precure. Dark Precure gets a taste of her own medicine.
Cure Moonlight taps into the Chuck Norris Force, roundhouse kicking Dark Precure away towards a fountain. The Desert Apostles appear at the order of Sabark, and Kumojacky catches Dark Precure.

Cobraja starts the fight with his shuriken glossies. Moonlight casually smacks each one down. Cobraja responds with the Dark Bracelet and fires a joker card, imbued with darkforce. It splits into five different beams, and Cure Moonlight saves against all but the last. Cure Moonlight takes 1d4-2 damage from the attack.

By the point, Marine, Blossom and Sunshine have entered the battle in time to each face a Desert Apostle with Dark Bracelet power. Blossom dodges almost all of the stings of Sasorina's Hair, Marine's Marine Shoot counters the energy waves from Kumojacky's new canesword, and Sunshine's Sunflower Aegis cracks from the strain of Cobraja's Phantom Jokers.
Sunshine getting knocked back distracts the other two. Blossom is entangled and Marine is knocked back. Marine takes 1d6 damage.
Meanwhile, over the skyline Moonlight and Dark Precure keep fighting.

Flashy Finishing Move Count: 48
The Silver Forte Wave and the Dark Forte Wave meet in the middle for a beam combat moment. And while trying to push it aside, Cure Moonlight demands to know what Dark Precure meant by "You are Me."

"You are the light of the moon. I am the shadow. When the shadow consumes the light, the moon is whole." Dark Precure opens the yellow eye, pouring a massive amount of power into her Forte Wave. This knocks Moonlight down, but not out.
Moonlight is cheered on by Cologne's spirit, and she remembers that she's no longer fighting alone. As long as she has him watching over her, she can't lose.

Flashy Finishing Move Count: 50

Floral Power and Dark Power Fortissimo meet several times, streaking through the sky like supersonic comets. The final time they meet, it sends an explosion across the city skyline. Both precures drop, just like the first fight in the series. And while Cure Moonlight takes 1d6 damage, Dark Precure takes 5d12. Cure Moonlight moves in for the coupe de grace, when Sabark shows up to take Dark Precure away.

This is when Moonlight hears the other cures screaming. While Blossom remains bound, Chypre tries to hold the stinger away from her face.
Moonlight dives in, giving Sasorina an impromptu haircut. Then what follows is an epic badass moment. Cure Moonlight lands in front of Sasorina, and throws her Tact into the air. While Sasorina is distracted by this, Moonlight uses Trip and Sidestep to gain an extra action, which she uses to kick Sasorina into the fountain, five hundred yards downrange.

Moonlight kicks at Kumojacky's sword, then dodges all his shockwave strikes placing one delayed reaction strike on him. When she's clear to the other side, she lets it hit him. Kumojacky joins Sasorina in the fountain.

Sunshine's getting wounded by the Phantom Joker Cards, and even Potpourri's shield isn't enough to hold it back. Moonlight kicks the last card from Cobraja's hand...wait, where did she just place her hand? With a Moonlight Silver Impact, she drives Cobraja backwards.

Sasorina pulls her head out of the water in time to just barely dodge Cobraja's screaming crash.

"We'll take it from here!" Blossom tells Moonlight.

Flashy Finishing Move Count: 51

Shining Fortissimo! The Desert Apostles know how bad it would be for them to get purified, so they retreat.

At last, all four precures are together. The sun breaks through the clouds and at the great heart tree, Cure Moonlight's Heart Flower blooms anew.

With one last smile, Cologne's spirit vanishes. Though Moonlight has returned, Cologne has gone to his final rest. And everyone sheds a tear for his passing.

There's one more thing that needs be done. Yuri gives her ok for joining the fashion show, and Erika does her instant assessment trick of Yuri's sizes, whispering the numbers into her ear. Yuri is flabbergasted that Erika gets it right on the first try. Now it's time to get her ready for The Exciting School Festival! The Fashion Club is Frantic

Thoughts on this episode:
There's something going on between Sabark and Dark Precure. He shows none of the same concern for the Desert Apostles as he did for her.

There's a vast measure of difference in the power scale between Blossom/Marine and Moonlight. Is it because Moonlight was at it longer, or because she had to have that much power because she was fighting alone?

 

[Wraithstrike]

Episode 35! Exciting School Fair! The Fashion Club is Frantic!

Yuri and Momoka are getting prepared for the school festival. Momoka might be getting into it just a bit too much.
Erika's running through the planning stages of the fashion show, and getting her nerves frazzled. It gets worse for her as Itsuki and several of the other club members rush out to their various event plannings.
With only two days left, there's not much time to do everything that's going on. While they do finish the dress for Yuri, Tsubomi gets roped into helping Ban with his manga and Kanae with the photography club's presentation. While Tsubomi's struggling to keep up with favors, Itsuki has a boatload of paperwork and gets called out to check on the location of the sign.
This leaves Potpourri open to rubberstamp...everything. He tries so hard, doesn't he?

While Erika gets caught up helping the tea ceremony club, Tsubomi's trying to find Yuri to give her the dress, when she bumps into Sugiyama from the Film Club. Today's Victim has been detected.

T minus one day to the Fashion Show and Erika's suffering a nervous breakdown. Without Yuri around, Momoka's trying on the dress, but her neck is too big to fit it. Erika resolves this by snipping off a bit of fabric on the neck.

More and more preparations fall into place. The Theater Club and Fashion Club's presidents renew their rivalry. Fortunately, before any more panic can set in, Ban, Kanae and
Azusa are asked to help with the signs, posters and announcements.

However, up in the movie research room, Sugiyama meets Kumojacky with a predictable result:

Once the Desertrian starts wrecking the place, Tsubomi, Erika and Itsuki are forced to help with the evacuation of the schoolyard, and can't transform. however, there is one who's not part of the school.

Precure, Open My Heart Count Tsubomi 30, Erika 29, Itsuki 11, Yuri 2

The appearance of Cure Moonlight is something new for the other students, and they rush to get pictures. Moonlight's appearance also forces Kumojacky's hand and he uses the Dark Bracelet to Dive in.

Just how powerful is Moonlight? Strong enough to hold back a Kumojacky-powered Desertrian with one hand. The force of the explosion sends Ban and the girls reeling, and this gives the cures a chance to clear them out of the area.

Flashy Finishing move Count: 49
Silver Forte Wave to end it. Moonlight solos the fight and saves Sugiyama. This leadsi nto him agreeing to provide the lighting for the fashion show.

Floral Heraldry: Chinese Bellflower means Never Changing.

They meet Yuri in the Fashion Club Room. She hadn't been avoiding them, but rather seeking the right shoes for the outfits they made.
The next episode is "Everyone's a Star on our Stage!"

Thoughts on this episode:
I liked how easy it was for Tsubomi to get tied up doing favors, only for her to turn that back on them. I enjoyed watching Moonlight beat down the Desertrian and the reaction of the artsy students to her appearance. But aside from that, it just felt like "Hey, we've just done three episodes without a major villain fight. We have a formula to maintain."
Moreover, Sugiyama meets Kumojacky because Kumojacky shows up in the film he's reviewing. That seems more like a Cobraja tactic.

 

[Wraithstrike]

Episode 36: Everyone's a star on our main stage

As the opening ceremony kicks off, it's a who's who of who's been helped by the Precures. Almost everybody who's been rescued is there, even as the fashion club works down through thier last minute things. Everytime someone else talks, Tsubomi can be seen with a bigger load of clothes. Not bad for a running gag. She falls under the belief that if she stops moving she'll faint. Of course, it helps that she has all of her precure comrades and Momoka on her side. They understand she's nervous. Everyone else has their own worries. Itsuki's whole family is there to cheer her on.

The problems come with the information that the fashion show goes last after the light music club. The same club that had their lead vocalists just walk out.
And Cobraja's coming in to wreck the say and show off his own "beautiful self."

So what's the problem with Aya and Mayu? Stage Fright? Obviously, but it doesn't stick as they get convinced by the Cures to get on stage. They freak out once more, and Cobraja takes the stage, going after Aya and Mayu's heartflowers.

He uses the dark bracelet to merge them into one Desertrian, seen here:

Precure, Open My Heart Count: Tsubomi 31, Erika 30, Itsuki 12, Yuri 3

Marine kicks the Desertrian out of the stage, and it attacks them with exploding musical notes. When Blossom drops it, the combined voice explains it's terrfied of singing poorly. I kind of saw this coming, but this is made up for by Blossom and Marine showing why they're reserve members of the Dai Gurren Brigade:

Blossom:"Believe in the Light Music Club that Believes in You!"
Marine:" And Believe in Us! We believe in you!"

Cobraja get his first Dark Bracelet Dive In.

He uses a mega clef missile on the Precures, calling them out for being cowards for holding to the unlovely concept of friendship.
Deflected by Sunflower Aegis! And the Cures get their dramatic speech before unleashing the Shining Fortissimo.

Flashy Finishing move Count: 50
With all the ruckus, the light music club doesn't get a chance to perform, so it's time for the fashion show. of course, Erika comes up with the plan to merge their performances.

Wow. It's a Glowstick rave! How'd they manage that in such short time? The song is pretty cool, and of course it works out perfectly.

Floral Heraldry: Aster means "A Heart that Believes"

Group Shot:

Our Next Episode is: Become Stronger! The Ordeal is Precure Versus Precure. It looks like this is going to be the precures fighting against their own insecurities.

Thoughts on this episode:

Meh. For all the buildup to the fashion show, they made it visually pleasing. But coming so far down the pipe and just going with Stage Fright as the source of power just falls flat.
Also, Aya and Mayu's Heart Flowers were perfectly similar in type and level of decay. They could have added a bit more complication if they got mixed up.

 

[Wraithstrike]

Episode 37, Become Stronger! The Ordeal is Precure vs Precure!

There's a pleasant meeting at the botanical gardens, and we see just how much they've all grown in the course of the series. Tsubomi's overcome her own bashfulness, Itsuki's showing honest interest in all sorts of things. However, there's a Jurassic Park-esque rumbling in their teacups.

Something massive flies overhead, impacting a few miles away from the gardens.

When they arrive, they find this thing waiting for them:

It's not a Desertrian. But it does have the power to instantly kill flora. And the Precures can't stand for that.

Precure Open My Heart Count: Tsubomi 32, Erika 31, Itsuki 13, Yuri 4

The new creature is pummeling them left and right, and Moonlight suggests a simultaneous finisher.

Flashy Finishing Move Count: 54

It has most of the desired effect, but then they see the monster has turned into a device of some sort. Dune speaks:
"I am Dune, the Desert King."

Yes, Marine, that's exactly what it means.
"No matter how much effort you put into it you cannot stop me." Dune shows them his Planetary Castle that can fire Desert Seeds that instantly wither the greenery.

The Desert Devil Seeds are being used to destroy the Heartcatch Mirage, the Great heart Tree and everything on earth.

Moonlight and Grandma mention that they have a final ordeal to face to gain true power. If they overcome that, they'll gain infinite power. Obviously, they have to go back to Precure Palace.

In this ordeal, each Precure is alone. Blossom stands beneath a cherry tree with an eclipse overhead. Marine is deep out in the ocean, standing on stilts. Sunshine is inside a giant sunflower field. Moonlight is in a field of white flowers. Each one has to face an ordeal alone, without even seeing the fairies.

Each one has to face a copy of themselves, their shadow selves. It's not just facing themselves, but the darkness in their own hearts. The people they were before their transformations. In the midst of this fighting, Sunshine has the real introspectin. While she's able to hold her shadow back and say "I've grown, I do things because I like them, and I'm honest about what I like." her shadow responds "After all that, you no longer need me?"

Moonlight's shadow is giving her all of her own insecurities. "Because of my own weakness, I lost Cologne. I couldn't protect him and I became weak." Moonlight admits this is true.
"But I've come to appreciate my friends, my allies. I will not mope any longer." She trips up her shadow self. "Someone has to break the chain of sadness."

Marine tells her shadow "I no longer envy my sister. She's a wonderful person and I want to be wonderful as well."

"Then why do I still exist?" The shadow throws a punch and Marine intecepts.

"It can't be helped! You're always a part of me!"

Marine embraces her shadow, and says "I don't hate you. I love all of myself!" And the shadow becomes part of her again.

Sunshine drops her guard because her shadow is not the enemy. She wants the rigid part of her, and the honest part of her to become one. And she reclaims her shadow, teleporting off.

Moonlight declares that even with half of her heart missing, she'll keep fighting until all hearts are happy. She will bear her sadness and endure, and wrap that sadness in love. Her shadow is claimed and she returns to the Precure Palace.

When you overcome the last ordeal, your statue joins the other in the great hall. Thus Moonlight, Sunshine and Marine return, their likenesses enshrined in the Precure Palace for future generations.

But while three of them have returned, Blossom has not come back yet. Her shadow declares that she cannot change, ever. Her eyes fade, staring up at the eclipse as she wrestles with this falsehood, that she nonetheless believes.

The next episode is: Precure, Transform into Super Silhouette Form!

Thoughts on this episode:
This is very well done. A looming threat comes to earth, and the method of the final ordeal is a challenge for everyone, not just those with Precure powers. How many people struggle with self-image in this way? To understand that the person you are now, and the person you were before are two parts of the same puzzle. You don't cast one aside to be the other. You have to remember where you came from to truly appreciate yourself as a whole person.

 

[Wraithstrike]

Episode 38: Precure Transforms into Super Silhouette Form

"When I was little..." The Shadow Tsubomi narrates. "I was surrounded at all time by my family. My grandmother, mother and father were always with me and I never wanted that to end. I am the reflection of you, Cure Blossom. So, don't hate me. Don't erase me!"
We see that Cure Blossom isn't even trying to fight back. When the Shadow says that she can't change, she stands up, only to be cut across her torso by an energy blade. She's struggling, even as the others pray to the mirage for answers.

"Everyone can change. By choosing to know one's true self and accepting it, everyone can change." Grandma says. "Everyone ponders, suffers and despairs until they find hope. And this time, it's Tsubomi's turn. You can only win a battle against yourself by yourself." And all the others can do is wait.

The Desert Devil Seed still flies towards earth, no doubt being picked up on its approach by NASA and ESA... wait a minute... Dune is a kid? Desert Devil comes crashing down at the Precure Palace.

Holy crap, it's the gigademon from All Dogs Go to Heaven. The Three Cures step up to flying mode to fight the Desert Devil. It doesn't go well. Even when moonlight attacks with the Silver forte Wave, bringing the total count to 55, it only minorly inconveniences the desert devil. It punches through the Sunflower Aegis, even as Sunshine pours more power into it.

Inside her ordeal, Tsubomi tries to run away, a fact that saddens her shadow.
"You don't have to face me. You can run away. Then you don't have to face your own weakness. You can keep telling yourself that it's not your fault." The shadow begs Blossom to give up. "Even if you don't transform, Even if you don't fight, people will still be kind to you."

"That's not right. I hated myself for being shy and reserved. But I met everyone, my strong and kind friends. I do my best because they're all there for me. Even if it's little by little, I am changing. I can make a brand new me. You're just the me from a little while ago. I can change. I can make myself better." Blossom finally gets it.

As the other cures rush to battle once more, Blossom's voice can be heard from the turrets of the castle. "Chypre, Let's Go!"
Flashy Finishing Move Count 56
It's a massive Pink Forte Wave that smashes the Desert Devil's face. "Sorry to keep you waiting." Blossom says. Moonlight's snarky response? "You're Late."

Flashy Finishing Move Count: 63
Everybody pumps their the finishers into the Desert Devil. Standard finishers, A Sunshine/Moonlight Fortissimo and a Marine/Blossom Fortissimo that punches through the the Desert Devil's chest cavity from both sides.

All four release their Precure Seeds into the Heartcatch Mirage and it's time to test their new power.

"Mirror, O Mirror, Grant Power to the Precures!" The Mirage shoots out upgraded jewelry for all the Precures as they assume pure white forms.
"A field of flowers shining throughout the world! Heartcatch Precure Super Silhouette!"

Flashy Finishing Move Move Count: 64
Their new power involves summoning a massive angelic being almost ten times the size of the Desert Devil in an amazing finisher called "Heartcatch Orchestra!"

The angel brings down a set of holy brass knuckles on the desert devil and they raise it heavenward for the final purification.
The sky turns blue again as the Desert Devil vanishes. "In order to truly grow as Precures, we have to come to grips with ourselves, and understand who we really are." As the sky clears entirely, we hear a soft arrangement of "Alright, Heartcatch Precure." and Blossom recalls how she accepted her shadow as a part of her whole being.

Our next episode is Erika's in a Pinch! Her Marine Tact Gets Stolen!

Thoughts on this episode:
It took a lot longer for Tsubomi to accept her darker side. But that's to be expected. Every person grows and matures at different speeds.
The Super Silhouette forms are pretty awesome. And the Heartcatch Orchestra is probably one of the most graceful finishers I've seen.