Pretty Cure - Recurring Elements

Recurring Elements

Pretty Cure (プリキュア, Purikyua?)

The Pretty Cure, or PreCure, are girls who are given the ability to transform into magical girls in order to protect the earth. Though their origins differ throughout each series, they are always referred to as "legendary warriors" (伝説の戦士, densetsu no senshi?). Most Cures can transform individually whilst some Cures, such as those found in Futari wa Pretty Cure, Pretty Cure Splash Star and Suite PreCure, must transform in pairs. Girls chosen to be Cures are typically fourteen year old Japanese middle school girls, although there are exceptions where younger and older girls, or those from other worlds, have also become Cures. As opposed to most traditional magical girls, Cures typically fight opponents using martial arts and hand to hand combat. In order to properly defeat their opponents once they are weakened, Cures use special purifying attacks, some of which are performed in pairs or groups and/or with the use of magical items.

Fairies (妖精, Yōsei?)

Fairies are magical creatures who come from worlds different to ours in order to assist the Pretty Cure, bearing appearances similar to animals. They generally have a speaking habit of adding a final particle to their sentences, most often pertaining to their name or the animal they are based on. Fairies in earlier series have the ability to change into transformation items to allow the Pretty Cure to transform, whilst some later magical items or abilities require a fairy's assistance in order to work. Throughout the series, certain fairies have been able to change into human form and even become Pretty Cures themselves.

Magical items (関連アイテム, Mahō Aitemu?)

Magical items play a key role in each series. The most notable items in each series are the transformation items which allow the Pretty Cure to transform. Aside from transformation, these items usually have other minor abilities which mostly pertain to the fairies, such as feeding them. Other items include weapons to fight off evil forces and special items which enhance the Cures' power, some of which requires a fairy's power.

Monsters

In each series, there is a variety of monster that the villains can summon, either by using dark energy or a certain evil object. These monsters generally possess and take the form of a nearby object and are defeated when the Pretty Cure successfully use a purifying attack against it. Depending on the series, there can be benefits and rewards to the side of good upon defeating these monsters, whilst in some cases, the summoning of these monsters can bring the side of evil closer to their goal.