Well, the first time we got a sequel to Precure, it didn't go very well. The more I look back on it, especially after having watched two genuinely good Precure seasons, the less fondly I think of Max Heart. So when I got to the second (and last) sequel Precure season in Gogo, I was concerned. Would this be another Max Heart? Or will Toei actually pull it off this time? The answer: Probably both.
Yes Precure 5 Gogo starts with this fairy delivery boy named Syrup giving Nozomi this thing called a Rose Pact, which an evil museum called Eternal is trying to retrieve. So the Cures has to find four elders to use the Rose Pact to find a princess in a garden all the while keeping it away from Eternal, and I'm sorry, this is an excuse plot if there ever was one. For most of the show, they never tell us why Nozomi needs to find the princess. Splash Star had a similar plot, but there, saving that show's princess was a consequence of healing all of the fountains. In Gogo, we have no idea what any of the characters actual want with the Rose Garden aside from Syrup (who hopes it'll help him regain his memory), so the plot lacks stakes. It also doesn't help that the elders once again show up randomly rather than for defeating the bad guys at Eternal. It's also really hard to shake just how merch-driven this season in particular is, the Precures get all sorts of magic wands, DS transformation devices, and other toys that don't actually contribute anything to the story or even the fight scenes beyond obviously being meant to be sold in toy stores. Like, I get it, this is a big money-making kids show, and a bit of commercialization can feel charming and of its time, but Gogo goes a bit too far with it. Really, the main highlight of this season in terms of plot is definitely Eternal, because I do genuinely like the concept of an evil museum, the minor villains are far more diverse and memorable, Anacondy is a great sympathetic antagonist, and Bunbee's redemption arc is probably the best thing about the whole season.
As far as the characters go, I'm a bit mixed here. The core five is pretty much intact, and are just as fun to watch as always. They may not have the strong arcs they had in Yes 5, but Gogo still makes sure to pick up where that show left off. The new characters, on the other hand, are very hit-or-miss. I'm split on Syrup. He's never annoying, his relationship with Urara is genuinely cute, and his character arc can be really engaging at points. As I mentioned, he's really the only reason why the main story actually has some degree of stakes up until the last few episodes, so he is genuinely important. However, he can also feel like a grumpy stick-in-the-mud that's not super fun to watch, especially in what are otherwise fun comedic episodes. Syrup is at his best in the plot-heavy episodes, but I just don't think he meshes with the slice of life stuff. Then, there's Milky Rose, Milk's human/Cure form, who I quite like. I already liked Milk, and it's nice that she's able to get more involved with the main cast. Having her keep her true identity a secret for a few episodes was kinda unnecessary though, it's blatantly obvious she's Milk. Finally, there's the elders, who just flat-out suck. They're dull, one-note, often grating, and bloat out the cast, at the cost of the few side characters we did have in Yes 5 getting even less priority and focus than before. Masuko Miko got it worst though, especially since she actually had a big scene in the show's opening, so her not having any actual presence feels like a massive disappointment.
However, even with all of my gripes towards the plot and characters, Gogo is still far better of a sequel than Max Heart was for one reason and one reason only: It actually feels like it has a goddamn soul. Episodes actually have conflicts, the characters feel actual emotions, I know this is the bare minimum but I guess that's just how bad Max Heart was. Even if Gogo felt like it dragged at points, it was still able to toss out some genuinely creative and weird standalone episode ideas, like the detective episode, the game show two-parter, the cooking episode, the shrinking episode, and a quite frankly ridiculous number of fairy tale episodes, albeit of varying quality. Once again, this is far more than I could say about Max Heart. If there's one thing I can unambiguously say Gogo improves on its predecessor in, though, it's in the visuals. While there are still some off-model expressions at points, this is a far more visually-polished and consistent-looking anime than Yes 5 was. The action is also leagues better, way more dynamic, energetic, and fluid. However, the issue with the overlong transformation sequences is still there, even worse now that there are six Precures to deal with. Speaking of transformation sequences, though, I can say that Gogo's designs for the Cure outfits are far better than the ones in Yes 5 as well. So overall, Gogo is at least a better, more polished, and more appealing show than Yes 5 on a visual level. Even the opening and ending themes are leagues better than the ones in Yes 5, which I thought were genuinely unlistenable.
Highlights:
Great Detective Komachi's Entrance (episode 9): While most of Gogo was pretty middling, this was flat-out one of the best episodes of Precure I've seen so far. I'm already a big fan of mystery plots, but it also helps that this episode was just plain hysterical, from Komachi wearing a detective outfit, to all the characters' absurd accusations of each other, to that brilliant subversion where Bunbee pulls out a Hoshina only to get immediately destroyed, depriving the episode of any actual fight scenes.
Full Of Friendship, Making Lunch Together (episode 21): As seen in Yes 5's fifteenth episode, putting the Yes 5 team in a room and forcing them to cook will always be an absolute blast. I thought the funniest part of this episode was Milk choosing to cook with Karen and Urara only to find that both of them are practically useless in the kitchen, and then Nozomi storms in with her curry-and-chocolate-infused omelettes. Definitely admire the gesture, but I'm not sure that'll actually taste all that good.
Syrup Has Betrayed Us?! (episode 23): Just like in Yes 5, the midseason arc was in fact pretty good, especially this incredibly well-executed and animated episode. The dramatic sunset lighting really suited Syrup's struggle, as he gets dangerously close to handing Eternal the Rose Pact.
Dangerous! Five De Chance (episodes 36/37): When Gogo is firing on all cylinders, that's how we get episodes like Five De Chance. A Precure-themed game show hosted by Mr Magic where he challenges each of the Cures in individual challenges, all rigged against them is brilliant. It's chaotic, creative, fun, and genuinely tense, especially with that coin flip mindgame. The first half is definitely the stronger episode, though, it's far more inventively animated and really does a good job at depicting the Cures going out of their mind. Nozomi's round in particular left me in stitches.
Our Feelings As One! Miracle Of The Blue Rose (episode 47): This episode had a lot going for it. Milky Rose having to save the rest of the Cures, Bunbee betraying Eternal, the Cures getting new powers, and Boss finally getting to have a conversation with Flora. It's definitely my favorite part of what was otherwise a just okay final battle.
Overall, this was a far better sequel than Max Heart. I actually enjoyed myself while watching it. Milky Rose and Syrup were both far better and more interesting additions to the cast than Hikari was in that show, it had some of the best comedic episodes in the entire franchise, and I'd actually say the animation, action, and villain team were vastly improved over Yes 5. However, that doesn't change the fact that this season still feels pretty superfluous, with a drawn-out and fairly uninteresting central plot, the shafting of several of Yes 5's best side characters, and a level of commercialization that feels almost desperate.
2/5 Stars
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