10 Reasons Why Miyuki Hoshizora/Cure Happy is an Excellent Pink Leader in Pretty Cure
Smile Pretty Cure is generally beloved and enjoyed its massive success in Japan. And one of those primary factors are its wonderful and strong casts of characters, even the villains. The Pink Lead, Miyuki Hoshizora aka Cure Happy, is among the many standouts of this season who perfectly embodies what makes Smile so great thanks to her love for stories, humorous and endearing moments, outstanding willpower, and pivotal character moments that cemented her as a great Pretty Cure leader. Inspite of a few vocal Western detractors of Smile Pretty Cure during its air time and some of its characters (to my surprise), Cure Happy remains as endearing pink leader to the vast majority of the audience overall. So let’s narrow down the ten reasons why Miyuki is an excellent leader and among the best the franchise has offered.
10. She’s Balances the Traditional Genki Trope Perfectly.
Within the fandom, there seems to be a common belief among long time Pretty Cure fans that any Pink Lead having genki traits are doomed to have a cookie cutter personality but we had Cures in the past and future that nullifies this argument and Miyuki is one of them. In the first couple episodes in the series, she definitely cranks that up to 11 largely due to the comedic focus of Smile, but as we progress through the series we actually begin to see sides of her that are the exact opposite of usual traits. She’s determined but still has vulnerabilities. Cherished happiness but faces hopelessness. Naive but not ignorant. We’ll elaborate more on these later but know that this makes her a well-rounded character.
9. She’s Emotionally Intelligent and Perspective
Despite Miyuki definitely being light on the head, she has demonstrated attentiveness to a person’s state of emotion and it usually occurs at the season’s crucial moments. She was able to access Akane’s unusual behavior when a visiting tourist named Brian was about to head back home and even detected Wolfrun’s aggression. This highlights her emotional awareness.
8. She Frees Candy and the Team from Joker’s Ball of Neglect
Easily one of the most notable moments that established her role as a leader is how her influence has freed Candy and the others from the Ball of Neglect. In Episode 31 and 32, Joker developed nifty new weapons: The Ball of Neglect and Black Noses. He initially trapped Candy in the former which makes her lax and negligent but everything Miyuki taught her earlier were eventually able to wake her up and escape its influence, just in time to deal with the Black Nose-empowered Wolfrun. Joker would later trap all the Cures within the same ball which Miyuki pursuits, leading into a climatic battle against a Yellow Nose Akanbe. Despite taking some heavy blows, Happy never falters and her words proved to be a massive breakthrough in freeing the Cures as well.
7. She’s Guides and Motivates the Other Cures
In a team comprised of individuals who possess great athleticism or intellect, you need to prove why exactly you have to take lead and Miyuki has showcased this with her determination and charisma. This isn’t limited to combat either but in their characters’ respective dilemmas as well. From Akane’s reluctance to see Brian off to supporting Reika’s election in being Student President. But one of best instances of this is their first major defeat at the hands of Joker where everyone seems to be at lost but Miyuki suggests to everyone to think hard and remind themselves in what they are fighting for. This soul searching moment made the entire team have her take the lead in rescuing Candy without debate. To be the one to keep the team together and make sure the team doesn’t fall, it’s a quintessential role of a leader and it’s not to be taken lightly.
6. Her Attacks and Powers Are Incredibly Badass
This is admittedly more of an asset but you can’t deny how cool her powers are. Wielding the sacred power of holy light, she showcased some divine abilities and her attacks are abit more akin to what is normally seen in the Dragon Ball franchise (RIP Akira Toriyama). From her signature Happy Shower, to flying and executing light speed dashes, firing multiple lasers, get a massive power boost with the Ultra Decor, create a shower of light beams to rain upon foes via Happy Shower Shining, utilize photokinetic combat such as light punches, becoming a massive angelic figure, and can also create a rainbow-colored forcefield. Plus, Ultra Cure Happy is easily one of the coolest transformations in the franchise.
5. There’s Hidden Depths to Her Love For Stories
Miyuki’s love for books and fairy tales isn’t a mere gimmick to the season’s theme. It’s actually a prominent part of her character. Since she was all alone and friendless when she was younger, the stories she reads gave her all the comfort she needed. It’s why she had a strong connection to them. One to note is Anne of Green Gables, where Anne and Diana pledged their eternal friendship in a secret base in the woods. Miyuki reflected that it’s the kind of friendship she desires. Her love for stories even played a significant part in her character within the Smile movie where she reconcile with Nico.
4. She’s A Unique Case of Being Ambiverted
A unique aspect of Miyuki’s character that differentiates from other leads is that she’s extroverted AND introverted. We see her approaching Akane and the others members in their respective debut episodes but at the same time, she’s too nervous about her class introduction or her Mother’s Day gift. All these lead to the reveal that she wasn’t able to communicate with anyone that much due to fear or anxiety, so she eventually had to develop them only after reading Nico’s book and her grandmother’s influence. This makes her the first Pink Cure where her extroverted traits aren’t natural and doesn’t just exist for the sake of fulfilling the status quo.
3. She Learns The Importance of Experiencing Happiness and Despair
Miyuki’s ordeal is her pursuit of what it means to be truly be happy. However, she was only able to understand this by facing some rather heart-gripping problems. Whether it’s her own inabilities or the difficult trails she faced as a Pretty Cure such as the world nearly being destroyed, it enables her to realize how truly valuable happiness means as bad times are inevitable. But by enduring and overcoming the distress and misery of the bad times, it makes the enjoyment of happiness all the more better. This sends a really message to viewers in not letting grief overwhelm you from looking forward to what lies in the future ahead and it couldn’t come at a better time.
2. Leading the Smile Cures Helps Her Overcome Her Nervousness
As mentioned before, Miyuki lived a life of loneliness when she was younger due to her inadequate social skills, making her abit scared. Although she became more outspoken and interactive recently, part of those reclusive traits still lingers in her……until she stands up for Candy in spite of being in the Bad End Space. We see that while Miyuki doesn’t think much of herself, she’s more than willing to take a stand for a victim. When the time comes as her role as a pink lead, she instinctively acts on the team’s behalf. She’s willing to face any threat head on, even when her uncertainty and reluctance tries to take over but as we see throughout the series, this fear eventually vanishes.
1. She Lives Up To Her Name
Do you expect any less from a Cure named Happy? Miyuki never ceases to cheer her friends and family. Yayoi, Akane, Nao, and Reika in the Smile movie expressed how happy she made her and you can tell that despite her clumsiness, she’s cherished by her parents and grandparents due to her bright personality. This also extend to the Bad End Generals where she used her powers to heal their curse. With her hilarious moments such as her bad luck streak or turning into a giant fighting robot, which easily makes some of the most amusing moments in the series, this can even go for the audience. She wants to share happiness to return the favor for anyone who makes her feel that way and fights for those who aren’t happy, which is exactly what she does.
