Himura Akiko

Himura Akiko (緋村明子) is a main character and the lead Cure in Earth Defense Pretty Cure!. She is a first year transfer student at Kawai High School. Her family runs a local karaoke place called Kurotama. She also has a older sister named Noya. Akiko is strange and endlessly carefree often doing some odd things that seem to interest her. She also loves cute and cuddly things, such as her fairy mascot.

Her Cure form is Cure Scarlet (キュアスカーレット). She controls the power of Holy Light.

Appearance
Out of the 5 girls, Akiko is the shortest in terms of height. She has short, fluffy blonde hair with bangs parted onto either sides and a portion of her hair sliding down to the center of her forehead just above her line of sight. Her eyes are reddish brown.

Akiko wears a long-sleeved white shirt with a light pink hood attached to it. Overtop, she wears a red vest with mini hearts on the side and a light blue two-layered skirt. She also wears red sneakers and black knee-high socks.

Her school uniform is a yellow sweater with white high-lights, unzipped, a white shirt with a sailor suit design cuff, a black skirt, ankle high white socks, and dark brown shoes.

As Cure Scarlet, Akiko's hair length stays the same but is noticeably shinier. Her eye colour changes to red. She wears a white vest with frilled sleeves that have red, flipped up cuffs with base extensions in the form of a frilly six coat tails which have a red underside, a red bow just below her neck that has a small, red, heart-shaped jewel with wings, embedded into it, a pair of white silk gloves, a white skirt which have red lace bordered at the base, a pair of white boots where the upper part is flipped upside down on either side, which are red in colour and have another heart shaped jewel embedded into it.

Personality
Akiko is innocent, gullible, seems to be a cheerful and happy-go-lucky. She transfers to Kawai High in her first year, and is the newest member to the Defense Club. She lacks a bit of common sense and seems completely unfazed by strange events, as seen when she wasn't bothered by the fact that there was a talking pink wombat near her. She is also endlessly carefree. She has a living fascination with cute and cuddly objects, as seen when she doesn't give up on a chance to hug Wombat. Akiko is very straightforward towards problems, though she is always awkward or tactless leading the situation to resolve itself. She loves to work and encourage others, seeing that she can easily make friends. Her unorthodox thinking, while not the best for her grades, assists her with defeating the Loveless.

Background
Akiko works at her family's local karaoke shop named Kurotama and is often just lazing around. She enrols into Kawai High School, and later joins the Defense Club.

Family
Himura Noya - Noya is Akiko's older sister.

Friends
Mizushima Umi - A senior in the Defense Club.

Kazesawa Suzu - A senior in the Defense Club.

Amachi Rio - A senior in the Defense Club.

Sakurai Maki - A senior in the Defense Club.

Cure Scarlet
"The Sparkling Princess! Cure Scarlet!" スパークリングプリンセス! キュアスカーレット! ''Supākuringu Purinsesu! Kyua Sukāretto!'' Cure Scarlet (キュアスカーレット) is the alter ego of Himura Akiko. Cure Scarlet has the powers of Holy Light. She is represented by hearts, and her main colour is red. She could transform by saying the transformation phrase, "Pretty Cure, Love Switch!".

Angel Scarlet
"The Sparkling Princess, Angelic Love! Angel Scarlet!" スパークリングプリンセス、天使の愛！ エンジェルスカーレット！ ''Supākuringu Purinsesu, tenshi no ai! Enjeru Sukāretto!'' Angel Scarlet (エンジェルスカーレット) is another version of Cure Scarlet. When the Pretty Cure are nearly defeated by the new enemy, thanks to the power of LOVE, a special power was granted upon the Pretty Cure, the cures were given newly advanced outfits as well as angel wings. Thanks to this, they are able to use a powerful version of Love Attack.

Attacks
Scarlet Lumiere - is Cure Scarlet's main purification attack. To perform it, she needs her Love Stick. It makes it's debut in episode 1.

Love Attack - is Cure Scarlet's first group attack that she performs with Cure Cerulean, Cure Epinard, Cure Sulphur, and Cure Vesta, when the tops of the the Love Sticks join together.

Etymology
Himura (緋村) - Means "scarlet village" from hi meaning "scarlet", which is probably a reference to her name, "Scarlet", and mura meaning "village".

Akiko (明子) - From Japanese aki (晶) means "sparkle", a reference to her introduction speech "The sparkling princess!", aki (明) "bright" or aki (秋) "autumn" combined with ko (子) which means "child".

Cure Scarlet means a brilliant red color with a tinge of orange.

Nicknames
Kouhai (後輩) - A kouhai is a underclassman, junior in school, work, etc. the opposite of a senpai.

Songs
Akiko's voice actor has participated in one image songs for the character she voices.
 * LOVE&JOY!!!

Duets

 * Fallin' LOVE! Earth Defense Pretty Cure!
 * L-O-V-E Start!!!

Trivia

 * Himura Akiko is the gender bend of Yumoto Hakone from Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!.