Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d stop back in with the heroes of Hugtto! Precure, which my autocorrect will probably never stop replacing with “procure” every time I type it. Boo to autocorrect, but hurray for Precure, which never fails to conjure a tear and a smile. Our last episode fell more towards the tearful end of the spectrum, as Hana at last confronted the girl who inspired her pre-series transformation. Hana’s defense of Eri back in middle school led to her total ostracization, forcing her to rebuild herself as a new and resolutely chipper Hana for high school. But when faced with the girl who forced that change, Hana reverted to her old fears, worrying that even her courage was a burden to Eri.

Fortunately, the Hana we know is a far cry from the Hana of middle school – and perhaps even more importantly, she now has an unwavering support group of friends to stick by her. Just as Hana has so often demonstrated the power of a friend cheering you on, so was she invigorated by the words of her own friends, to the point where she actually rekindled her friendship with Eri. As it turns out, the feelings we anxiously assign to others are often just projections of our own fears; both Eri and Hana truly wanted to reconnect, and simply needed a slight push to get there.

Meanwhile, it seems like the forces of Criasu Corp are cannibalizing themselves faster than ever. Funny thing, that; when your organization is designed as a zero-sum corporate bloodbath, it’s kind of difficult to maintain a willing labor force. With our heroes on the ascent and Criasu on the backfoot, let’s see what new schemes our villains concoct in a fresh episode of Precure!

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Hello everyone, and welcome on back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m delighted to announce we’re returning to Hugtto! Precure, a show that most recently tore my heart to pieces with the introduction of Hana’s grandmother. Last episode’s reflection on the cruelty of time, and how we can age out of the things that define us, was an unexpected but very welcome compliment to Huggto’s usual optimism. There was no great victory Hana could achieve to dispel last episode’s worries, no villain to defeat in order to restore her grandmother’s youth; aging is just tough, and I always appreciate when a children’s show handles such difficult aspects of life with both sensitivity and frankness. We cannot hope to stop the clock or turn back time; all we can hope for is to age with grace, and not miss out on future happiness by lamenting the things we’ve lost.

Episodes like that demonstrate the emotive potential of great children’s media, stories that trust their audiences can handle complex and difficult topics. Most children are not foreigners to loss, and can appreciate media that acknowledges and helps contextualize the hard moments in their lives. That said, I’m also a big fan of Hugtto’s goofier content, and I’m guessing an episode that heavy demands an extremely silly followup. Let’s see what we’ve got!

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m delighted to announce we’re charging right back into Hugtto! Precure, and I couldn’t begin to guess what we’ll do next. I mean, last episode’s concept turned out to be “Homare’s Dog Falls in Love with a Pet Food Mascot,” and I have to say that wasn’t even in my top twenty guesses. We’re apparently in the generous middle stretch of a Precure season, where the established nature of the team and antagonists allows Toei to get a little wild in their episodic conceits. Personally I’d love to see more of Harry’s old friends, but wherever the wind blows us, I’m sure this cast and production team will make the journey special. Let’s pile in for a fresh episode of Huggto! Precure!

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Alright everyone, pile on in and welcome to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be returning to the epic trials of Hana and her companions, as the team attempt to find their destinies, save the world, and keep Hugtan happy all at the same time. Our last episode was a particularly charming excursion, featuring the triumphant return of Hana’s father Hug Man, who did his best to make a father out of their homeroom teacher. The episode culminated in a delightfully ridiculous battle outside the hospital, wherein Dr. Traum proved he was at least enough of a gentleman to keep it down for the sake of the babies.

And now, sweet continuity! After a series of episodes that mostly saw the Precures faffing about without much narrative direction, last episode’s conclusion revealed that Traum is actually Lulu’s father (or creator, I’m not really sure of the nomenclature when it comes to robot daughters). With Traum having repeatedly proven he possesses a tad more moral complexity than someone like Charalit, and Harry’s old friends still bound to the will of Criasu Corp, I’m hoping we’ll learn more about our villains’ motivations over the episode to come. But either way, it’s hard to have a bad time watching Hugtto, so let’s get to it!

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Hello everyone, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. Today I am delighted to be returning to Hugtto! Precure, where we most recently accompanied Saaya on a trip to her mother’s TV production studio. It was a classic character-building installment, as Saaya gained more confidence in her professional decisions, while the rest of us were gifted a generous array of gently painted compositions. I’ve always admired Hugtto’s softly textured background art, so it was nice seeing the show’s intricate, almost cut-paper background textures take center stage. And now, with Saaya’s confidence reaffirmed, I must admit I have no idea where we’re going next.

The last three episodes were “pool party” into “Harry’s history” into “Saaya spotlight,” so it’s not like there’s any pattern to draw on. Emiru and Lulu were kinda central to the pool party, and Homare got second billing in Harry’s episode, so maybe it’s a Hana adventure? Although personally, I’d love to get back to Harry’s drama, and maybe meet the rest of his notorious hamster gang. Or maybe it’s time for some George backstory? Regardless of what the future holds, I’m sure Hugtto will execute it with the same warmth and aesthetic distinction it brings to all its stories. Let’s get back to Hugtto Precure!

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re diving right back into Hugtto! Precure, in the wake of Harry finally revealing his troubled past. It turns out Harry was actually a former employee of Criasu Corp, along with his ragtag hamster companions. When confronted by his old friend Bishin, Harry was briefly consumed by Criasu’s negative energy; fortunately, Homare was there to remind him that we are not defined by our regrets, and that he is not alone.

It was an excellent climax for a variety of reasons, as one of Hugtto’s most closely-guarded secrets (Harry’s past) collided with one of its strongest emotional threads (the bond between Harry and Homare). As the unofficial group parents, it’s been delightful watching them support each other in times of trouble, and this served as the most resounding affirmation of their friendship so far. Meanwhile, the reveal of Harry’s former associates promises a whole new host of “villains” to defeat and befriend, as well as more information about Criasu Corp itself. What can you tell us about your old friend George, Harry? Let’s find out!

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. It has been far too long since we last stopped in with Hana and the rest of the Hugtto crew, so today we’ll be remedying that post-haste, as we return to the charming world of Pretty Cure. The show’s last episode felt something like a post-act breather, as all the characters we’ve come to know joined together for a combined pool party and concert. It was a charming and low-stakes episode that nonetheless served as a key rite of passage for our team.

In keeping with Hugtto’s themes, that episode saw our leads taking tangible steps towards their futures, embracing adult responsibilities and taking charge within their community. The value of honest work, and the pride that comes from executing your craft, stand as core tenets of Hugtto’s philosophy. Having each struggled with doubts about their passions, our leads have learned to embrace their desires, whether those feelings lead them to figure skating or rock music or what have you.

Among all her friends, Hana remains the one without a clear professional trajectory. The very qualities that make her great at supporting others leave her personally unmoored; her talent is “supporting others in achieving their dreams,” and she’s at times wondered whether that’s really a talent at all. Her personality is a jumble of contradictions that make her perfectly suited to lead this narrative, and I’m eager to see how her journey continues. Let’s get right back to Hugtto Precure!

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Hello everyone, and welcome on back to Wrong Every Time. Y’all ready for some Precure? Considering last episode featured the original Precure tumbling out of a wormhole because Baby Said So, it would seem presumptuous to offer any kind of confident predictions about what happens next. That said, it does seem like we’ve reached a turning point in the narrative. Our full Precure team has at last been assembled, and with Emiru having resolved her immediate anxieties, it’s looking like they’re ready to turn towards the future. At the same time, Popple’s defeat clears out the initial wave of Criasu Corp antagonists, and opens the door for her mysterious benefactor’s actual debut. Given all that narrative board-clearing, I’m actually expecting this episode to be a light one, and serve as a sort of palette cleanser before we get into the next major arc. The crew has assembled and there’s evil afoot, so let’s dive right back into Hugtto!

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