Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Precure Splash Star (Series 3)

Sequel Precure series like Max Heart are actually pretty rare. Most Precure anime actually start anew with an entirely new cast, setting, and set of antagonists. Splash Star had the tall ask of being the first Precure anime to do this, and it couldn't have made a worse first impression. And that's a shame! Because once you get past a rough pilot, Splash Star is far and away an improvement than its predecessors.

Before I talk about all the things Precure Splash Star does right, we need to talk about what it does wrong, which is pretty much just the pilot. It's especially worth comparing it to Futari's far superior pilot. Futari's first episode quickly and efficiently established Nagisa and Honoka's offbeat dynamic, set up the anime's lore, introduced all of the side characters and how they know each other, and even got to show off some of the anime's iconic hand-to-hand combat. In comparison, Splash Star's pilot is pretty much identical, but worse in every single way. We all know Saki and Mai look pretty similar to Nagisa and Honoka, but we never actually get to see how they or their dynamic differs from them since the episode instead fixates on repeatedly telling us about how they met five years ago. We get like one or two scenes in the school, but we don't actually get to meet many of Saki's friends like we did with Shiho and Rin. Once Flappy and Choppy appear, they lay on the exposition pretty thick rather than slowly dole it out over the next few episodes. And the big action showcase at the end of the episode is really short and lacking in any sort of kinetic choreography. As a result, Splash Star's pilot paints the show as just being a worse version of Futari. It's a failure of a first episode on pretty much every level.

Thankfully, the pilot is by far the worst episode of Splash Star. Right from Episode 2, the series begins to really establish itself. Splash Star is about Saki and Mai trying to restore magical fountains scattered around their beach town and stop the evil Dark Fall from destroying the all-important World Tree. While Saki and Mai and their two fairies Flappy and Choppy may start out seeming like clones of their Futari equivalents, but the differences become apparent fast. Where Nagisa is cynical and pretty down-on-her-luck, Saki is far more cheerful, determined, and earnest. She tries so hard and I adore her for it. Mai is a bit more similar to Honoka, but she's also more spacey and introverted, with less confidence in herself. As much as I adore NagiHono's mid-battle quips, there's something about Saki and Mai's more supportive and natural dynamic that really does it for me. The beach town location also really helps Splash Star stand on its own, as it comes with a comfy vibe, beautiful vistas, and a fantastic score that gives off some serious Chrono Cross vibes.

And there's a lot of elements that I thought were vast improvements over Futari. The villains are far more visually varied and memorable, Saki's love interest Kazuya has way more depth than the bland Fuji-P (and it helps Saki doesn't become a stuttering mess everytime he's around), Saki's sister Minori is far more lovable than the bratty and tropey Ryouta, Pollun's replacement in Moop and Foop are genuinely adorable and likable without driving me up the wall, and most of all, the way the show deals with interpersonal relationships is wonderful. The closest thing I can compare much of Splash Star to are those heart-warming moments in Nichijou. It's obvious that the cast of Splash Star cares about each other, and they're always willing to be supportive and show how much they care no matter what. While characters do get into arguments every once in a while, the arguments never feel forced, the characters never drag it out, and it's always used as an opportunity for more bonding and growth. And none of this feels cheap or ploying, it's all incredibly genuine and natural. The beach town setting helps with this, it feels like there's a strong sense of community within Splash Star's beach town that forms the beating heart for this series. 

But the real highlight is the series is absolutely Michiru and Kaoru. They're a lot like Kiriya from Futari, that one villain that tried to spy on Nagisa and Honoka by joining their high school. But to put it frankly, I just think they're a far better execution of the concept. Michiru and Kaoru are given a bit more time to learn about being human, and actually get the chance to properly become Saki and Mai's friends (though slightly reluctantly). I like how they start off unknowledgeable to the point of coming off as accidentally cruel to the other classmates, and not even knowing how to eat until a student offers them food. It all falls in line with the anime's themes on community, and Michiru and Kaoru's character arc about slowly and naturally becoming a part of the beach town is super compelling. But best of all, unlike Kiriya, they actually manage to redeem themselves without dying... well, kinda. Michiru and Kaoru get erased halfway through their series, but their disappearance lingers with Saki and Mai in a way Kiriya's death didn't, and they end up managing to return in a phenomenal final ten episodes about the two fighting fate and finding a found family with Saki and Mai. It's a truly fantastic way to cap off Splash Star, and makes for easily the best ending to a Precure season so far.

Highlights:

Softball Is The Bond Between Parents And Children (episode 15): This episode encapsulates everything that makes Splash Star great, taking a neat premise and running the bases with it. I love the idea of an Uzaina/Zakenna being used to interfere with one of the characters' life, and Saki's bizarre softball throws and screams "I'm in bad form!" are incredibly funny until you start to realize it's all a metaphor for losing your touch. The rest of this episode is super heartwarming as both Mai and Saki's mom try to help her regain her mojo in various ways, culminating in some truly beautiful sunset-lit scenes on the beach. 

Shine In The Night Sky! Friends In Starlight (episode 21): The midseason arc of Splash Star is all fantastic, but I wanted to highlight each episode individually. Friends In Starlight is both yet another visually stunning episode, boasts a strong darkly comedic premise, and leaves a big impact on the plot. Michiru and Kaoru repeatedly getting interrupted every time they try to kill Saki and Mai is great, especially as each interruption leaves them increasingly unsure about actually going through with it. And the final few minutes are fantastic, from Michiru and Kaoru realizing Saki and Mai are fighting for them to Mai picking up on their real identity.

A Big Surprise! Michiru And Kaoru's Shocking Confession (episode 22): What a tense episode. Saki and Mai's face off with Michiru and Kaoru felt increasingly inevitable as it went on, and what we got of it in this episode definitely lived up to all that buildup. I like that Michiru and Kaoru brought actually hand-to-hand back into Precure, and Saki's speech that nearly got them to turn was so well-executed.

Finally Showdown! Menace Akudaikan (episode 23): This one needs no introduction. Considered one of the most heartbreaking Precure episodes in general, Menace Akudaikan has Michiru and Kaoru finally redeem themselves and change sides... only to have to sacrifice themselves to save Saki and Mai. This is Uranus/Neptune levels of devastating.

Moop And Foop Make Their Entry! Wait, Who? (episode 24): While Kiriya's death was pretty sad, it didn't leave much of an impact on the leads outside of Honoka occasionally remembering him. That is not the case in Splash Star. The entire first half of this episode is Saki and Mai mourning Michiru and Kaoru, made worse by the fact that no one else remembers they even exist. It's heartbreaking. Oh yeah, and Moop and Foop debut.

The Power Of Miracle! Pretty Cure's Big Transformation (episode 30): Ms Shitataare was easily one of my favorite of the side villains, not just super hammy and super fun, but as this episode shows, perfectly willing to betray the other villains if she doesn't get her way. And it says a lot that Ms Shitataare's hilarious betrayal was the highlight of this episode considering it also had Choppy and Flappy getting captured, Gohyan getting to fight for the first time, and biggest of all, Saki and Mai getting entirely new Precure forms. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this the only time that happens in the whole franchise? That's huge.

Now's The Final Round! Fight, Nagichuu Softball Club (episode 35): Why are the sports episodes so good?! Two seasons worth of Nagisa's predictable lacrosse wins conditioned me into thinking Saki's team would triumphantly win at the last second... but it didn't happen. Saki lost. The whole softball game was so tense, so well-animated, so perfectly-executed that seeing Saki lose felt a massive punch in the gut. But I also think this episode was necessary, and packed a good message for the kids watching the show. I criticized Max Heart for feeling artificially positive, but this kind of realistic hopefulness is exactly what I want from Precure. Also, I can not express how happy I am that Kintoleski is so far the first and only villain to not interrupt an important sports match, huge respect for the guy.

Culture Festival Arc (episode 36-37): Splash Star had been building up to the culture festival for a while now, and these two episodes were not a let-down, resolving the arcs and subplots of a whole bunch of characters, particularly Mai and Kenta/Miyasako. But there's also a pretty top-notch action scene in the forest, an absolutely hysterical horror house subplot, and quite possibly the cutest SakiMai scene in the whole show. 

Welcome Back! Michiru And Kaoru! (episode 42): Michiru and Kaoru finally return, and they make a hell of a triumphant return in this episode, but while that's all fantastic, I need to talk about Princess Filia for a bit. Remember when Max Heart promised that we'd get to see Nagisa and Honoka living with Wisdom and the Elder only for them to move out only a few episodes after for no reason? Well, once again, Splash Star actually gives me what I wanted by having Princess Filia spend time in Saki and Mai's world... albeit in the body of the cat Korone. So cool so see the high entity actually do stuff this time, and Korone's deep male voice gives me Sakamoto vibes in the best way possible.

A Sudden Twist?! Who Is The Mastermind?! (episode 47): Futari's Dark King was certainly menacing, but it's not like he was all that interesting of an antagonist. As cool as his design is, Akudaikan isn't much different, which is why the twist that Goyan was his real creator is so great. The manipulative Goyan was always the more interesting villain, you spend more time with him and it's never quite clear what he's thinking at any given moment. So the big twist about him works because it's surprising, makes sense, and in my opinion, makes the finale better than if it was just a standard fight against Akudaikan.

The Final Battle! The Stolen Land Of Greenery! (episode 48): Ah yes, the infamous Dragon Ball Z episode. No seriously, the action in this episode is straight-up a DBZ fight. There's flying, laser beams, Super Saiyan transformations, teleportation, giant balls of death and destruction, screaming, nonstop punching, and it's fucking awesome! As a whole, Splash Star's action has been a lot weaker than in Futari, but they really saved the best for last. This whole episode goes ridiculously hard. 

But that's just the first half. Because the second half not only has Michiru and Kaoru finally turn into Cures, but it also has Goyan flat-out destroy the goddamn Earth. THIS IS KIRBY LEVELS OF MOOD WHIPLASH! WHAT IS THIS SHOW?! 

Reach To The Top! The Eternal Starry Sky Of Friends (episode 49): What a perfect ending. The final battle may not have had the same WTF-ery of Episode 48, but it was just as fast, well-choreographed, bombastic, and over-indulgent in the best way possible. The Spiral Heart Splash Star was the best title drop I've seen since Bocchi The Rock (which isn't that long ago, but trust me that's a compliment). And the epilogue was fantastic too, giving everyone the happy ending they truly deserve and letting Michiru and Kaoru live. Oh, and the fairies actually properly leave this time!

Overall, Splash Star really won me over in the end. While it made a pretty bad first impression with its pilot episode, it quickly managed to improve on the things Futari did well while also carving out its own identity. The characters and their relationships to each other felt far more natural and developed, the villains were far more entertaining and interesting, the plot escalated at a perfect pace, I loved the distinct beach town setting, Michiru and Kaoru's subplot was so freaking good, and the entire final arc was absolutely top-notch. 

5/5 Stars

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