Hello all, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m happy to announce we’re returning to Hugtto! Precure, though frankly, I’m a little intimidated by the kind of episode we’ve presumably got coming. Apparently the franchise is celebrating its ten year anniversary, which in practical terms means the original Pretty Cure have just popped out of the sky, ready to celebrate their formidable legacy. Unfortunately, I haven’t actually watched any of that legacy, so I’d ask you all to please bear with me, as I’ll likely be out of my depth for any major callbacks to earlier seasons. That said, given this franchise’s general focus on accessibility, I’m sure there’ll be plenty to enjoy even for the more recent Cureheads in the audience. Let’s check in with the Precures of Old, and learn what wisdom we can glean from their vast Precure knowledge!
Tag Archives: Hugtto
Hugtto! Precure – Episode 19
Hello folks, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. You all up for some Precure? It feels like we’re living in a different timeline entirely from when we last checked in, and though the world at large is still mostly on fire, I imagine the world of Hugtto is as friendly and soothing as ever. A bit moreso than usual, in fact, considering Emiru and Lulu just poignantly reaffirmed their friendship.
The Emiru-Lulu relationship has turned into one of Hugtto’s unexpected highlights, contrasting two of the show’s most unusual characters in a way that humanizes both of them. Last episode reconciled them on an emotional level, but they’re currently still just Precure-adjacent, rather than actual Precures. I’m expecting that to change soon, but whatever happens, I’m sure Hugtto has a delightful time in store for us. Let’s get to it!
Hugtto! Precure – Episode 18
Hello all, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. It has been far too long since we checked in on the stars of Hugtto! Precure, so today we’re addressing that oversight directly, and diving back into the world of Hana and her very patient friends. We arrive on the heels of an absurd run of episodes, with two of the series’ greatest animation spectacles leading directly into Lulu’s long-awaited break from Criasu Corp. In our last episode, Lulu’s story came full circle, as she once again confronted Hana in a maelstrom of flowers, and ultimately came to embrace the joy and the pain of a human heart.
All that’s well and good, but personally, I’m mostly just waiting for Lulu’s reunion with my own favorite Precure, the anxious rock star Emiru. Last episode left her stranded mid-step, as she raced to save her friend in need, so I’m hoping this episode will open with them bonking heads pretty much immediately. But however the story winds, I’m sure we’ll have an excellent time with Huggto. Let’s get to it!
Hugtto! Precure – Episode 15
Hello everybody, and good to see you here at Wrong Every Time. Today I’m delighted to be continuing our journey through Hugtto! Precure, which is always a wonderful time, but which I’ve also currently got even more reasons to be excited for. For one thing, we’re still right in the middle of the “Lulu Infiltration Arc,” as Lulu pretends to be Hana’s long-lost cousin in order to get more info on the Pretty Cures. Of course, Lulu herself is far from impervious to Hana and the other’s charms, and it’s been wonderful to see her developing both affection for Hana specifically and more emotions in general, like her absurd baby-knowledge rivalry with Saaya.
Beyond that, I’ve also been told that this episode will serve as the triumphant return of Emiru, The Precure With Anxiety. I relate to Emiru heavily, as I am also deeply self-conscious and generally certain I’m about to die, so I’m eager to see how she fits back into the story, and particularly what she makes of Lulu. Let’s get back to the Pretty Cure!
Hugtto! Precure – Episode 14
Hello all, and a warm welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I am thrilled to be returning to the world of Hugtto! Procure, after altogether far too long of a break. We’re even returning on a particularly exciting moment – having finally connected with Lulu emotionally during the climax of the previous episode, we might finally be due for charming odd-couple bonding between the ever-exuberant Hana and the literally robotic Lulu. Classic sitcom shenanigans, here we come!
Tonal expectations aside, Lulu’s arc has been foreshadowed through moments of hesitation and doubt since nearly her first appearance. Having been presumably built by Criasu Corp, and spent her whole life within their corporate, hierarchical structure, Lulu’s liberation feels like Hugtto’s most dramatic example so far of its principle theme: that our current circumstances are not our destiny, and that we can transform ourselves to become the adults we want to be. Simultaneously, rescuing Lulu will also stand as Hana’s most dramatic expression of her signature power: the ability to inspire others through her faith in them, and help them arrive at a happier self-image. Let’s enjoy more of these two’s adorably goofy relationship as we return to Precure!
Hugtto! Precure – Episode 13
Folks, it has been altogether too long since we checked in with the stars of Hugtto! Precure, and I’m aiming to fix that right now. When last we left off, the gang was enjoying some well-earned time off, as they hosted a classic slumber party over at Harry’s quasi-treehouse. That episode concluded on a menacing cliffhanger, however, as we learned that Criasu Corp’s resident robot had somehow smuggled herself into Hana’s home, and even brainwashed her mother into believing she’s a member of their extended family. Having spent a great deal of time with some of twitter’s preeminent magical girl aficionados, I already know that Lulu the robot is a fan-favorite character – and with her currently disrupting Hana’s home life, I’m eager to see how the team deal with this unprecedented new attack. Let’s get to it!
Hugtto! Precure – Episode 11
I’ll let you folks in on a secret – at the time of writing this article, Huggto’s eleventh episode wasn’t actually funded yet. Normally I try not to push ahead of the funding on specific projects, even if I’m fairly sure they’ll get there, because I’ve already got more than enough projects to work on – but today, I feel like I just need some Huggto! It’s been a long week, I’ve accomplished more work than I have in over a month, and I think I’ve earned the right to spoil myself with some charming magical girl adventures. We’re checking in with Hana and the gang, and that is final.
When we last left Huggto!, I was actually feeling some uncertainty about our current arc. Hana has always served as a beacon of optimism within the group, essentially embodying the “hope for the future” that this season’s enemies are trying to destroy. Having her lose that hope simply by seeing her friends competently serve as waitresses felt a little abrupt, narrative-wise – though of course, Hana is young and impressionable and far less certain of her identity than an adult would be. At times like this, you need friends who can build you back up, and personally, I’m hoping this situation provides a chance for Emiru to return to the narrative, and maybe even pay back Hana for her support before. Look, I’m a simple and very anxious person, “The Magical Girl With Anxiety” is an easy sell for me. Either way, let’s see what awaits in the next Huggto! Precure!
Hugtto! Precure – Episode 9
I’ve checked the stars, sifted through the tea leaves, and consulted with the Old Ones, and it is abundantly clear that it is time for more Hugtto! Precure. In the show’s last episode, the introduction of Henri prompted Homare to reconsider the trajectory of her life, and her decision to step back from the rigorous training demands of a classic professional skater trajectory. Henri frankly and convincingly argued that taking a break at this point could easily be detrimental to her career prospects – and in response, Homare argued with equal certainty that it was the close support of her friends that had given her the courage to return to the ice at all, and that their continued support gave her a kind of strength unreachable through personal effort alone.
Henri ultimately ceded to this argument, because Henri’s a pretty great character. The episode’s treatment of Henri was likely its greatest strength, from its positive framing of his androgynous, multiracial identity to the way it managed to cast him as an “episode antagonist” while still keeping his position consistently sympathetic. It was an episode that clearly demonstrated the strengths of Hugtto’s storytelling, and I’ve been eager to watch the next one for far too long. Let’s see what’s in store in the ninth Hugtto! Precure!
Hugtto! Precure – Episode 5
Folks, it has been far too long since we watched Precure, and that ends right now. I’ve been greatly enjoying our journey through this latest Pretty Cure production so far, with the show’s most recent episode standing as the clear and dazzling standout. The first segment of Homare’s introduction to the team was a stunning display of evocative direction, fluid animation, and poignant storytelling, conveying Homare’s fears with engaging visual direction and welcome understatement. Sequences like the basketball match were elevated through both energetic action cuts and a close focus on character acting, while scenes of Homare intentionally distancing herself from potential suffering were given visual gravitas through their careful staging. That episode rose up to a finale that excelled in both narrative and visual execution, balancing action cuts that really conveyed the weight and scale of this battle with Homare’s painful and deeply held fear of failure. I’m not expecting another episode quite that good so soon, but Homare’s story has been told with grace so far, and I’m excited to see how it ends. Let’s get right to it!
Precure Hugtto – Episode 4
Alright folks, let’s get back to Precure Hugtto! The show’s most recent episode was interesting and a little unexpected – instead of either directly advancing the central narrative or introducing us to another Cure, it focused more on fleshing out the context of Hana and her friends’ lives. There was some exposition related to Harry’s past and the nature of their enemies, but the bulk of the episode was simply dedicated to exploring Hana’s home town, meeting new people, and adding texture to her relationship with her friends and family.
I really appreciate that focus, personally. One of the things I like about shows like Ojamajo Doremi, and children’s anime more generally, is that they tend to embrace a communal approach to storytelling that emphasizes how we all live in a larger society, and are all connected to each other in a variety of ways. Anime aimed at teens often tends to adopt the worldview of teens – their perspectives are often narrow, families are barely present or absent entirely, adults are either fools or villains, and the immediate substance of a protagonist’s personal interests reign over all. That’s a fine and appropriate choice for many narratives (and given my love for Monogatari, I’m certainly capable of appreciating the emotional myopia of friggin’ teens), but it’s refreshing to counterbalance that with shows aimed at parents and their children, which in their general positivity and willingness to embrace overt moral lessons tend to actually come off as more mature in their view of society. And authenticity of the perspective aside, it’s simply nice to watch a show that loves its cast, loves its setting, and wants us to love them too.
Given that episode concluded by closing us back in on Homare, I’m guessing this next episode will guide us through her formal introduction to the team. If the hair scheming holds up, Homare will be a yellow cure, which I believe generally slants towards the spunky/sporty member of the team? I know blue cures tend to echo the Sailor Moon “blue is the nerd” approach, but I’m not really all that clear on the general trends beyond that. Regardless, with all this gentle setup behind us, I’m eager to explore more of Hana’s world. Let’s jump right back into Precure Hugtto!