Little Women Pretty Cure

Ryū Shimai Pretty Cure (竜姉妹プリキュア Ryū Shimai Purikyua literally “Dragon Sisterhood Pretty Cure!”) Is a Japanese magical girl anime series of the Pretty Cure anime franchise by Izumi Todo. Produced by Toei Animation, succeeding Nanatsu no Taizai Pretty Cure! In its initial timeslot. The characters and the main story is loosely based on “Little Women” and the sequel “Good Wives” of the American author Louisa May Alcott with a Chinese influence, and the series' themes is the Dragons, the Four Seasons and the Solidarity.

Story:
The story begins seven years ago in the past before the main story of the Ryū Shimai Pretty Cure series begins. During the Dragon War in the absence of their father, who was hired as a warrior in the war for saving endangered dragons, four sisters in the Murakami family, who are Precures of the Four Legendary Dragons, they are from the middle class of society face the difficulties of everyday life in time of war. Reasonable and clumsy Megane, the intrepid and immature Jun, the charitable and shy Beniko, and the proud and serious Ame. They live in Kokorodo with their mother and faithful servant, Murai Hana. Ame, the youngest sister of the Murakami family, who is become Cure Ryujin which incarnate the Spring, fighting an Animamon and protect Haru the blue dragon-like fairy. Meanwhile, the members of the Saiyūki has Invaded the world, dive for the tragedies and despair in order to revive the demon-ox, Gyûmaô.

Characters:
Ame Murakami (村神 雨 Murakami Ame) / Cure Ryujin (キュア リュウジンKyua Ryūjin):

Voiced by: Mikoi Sasaki (Japanese), Cristina Vee (English).

Ame is the main character, the youngest sister and Precure of the Murakami family, 12 years old in the beginning of the story, 19 years old in present. Like her older sisters, Ame is sent to Doubutsu University. Interested in art, the science and manga, she is described as a "mature and sometimes a spoiled child" with long curly golden hair and dark blue eyes, always dressing herself like a manga character. She is the artist and Otaku of the family. Often spoiled because she is the youngest, Ame is honest and mature, but self-centered way. Despite of her self-centeredness and attachment to material things, Ame has been described as the most mature and honesty of the four sisters, she's falling in love with Ryunosuke Tetsuya and very jealous of Jun. Ame’s alter-ego is Cure Ryujin, she is the Cure of the Blue Dragon of the East and her season is Spring, Ame has high accuracy with an dangerous ability called "Dragon Eyes (ドラゴン アイズ Doragon Aizu)" that can see from a distance and detect traps, her odd eyes becomes golden, but her personality becomes darker, and launched a scary look and a vicious smile, that can wait the minds of the victims to give them headaches and heart ailments or kill them, but Ame could also turned into blue dragon if she reaches her limits. This is why she should wear a dragon skull mask, because without the mask and she activates "Dragon Eyes" can be very dangerous for Cures. Her catchphrase is "(Higher than the sky!)" (空よりも高い！Sora yori mo takai!). Her color themes are blue and pink and her elements are Wind and Wood, she’s named after the youngest sister, Amy March of Little Women.

Beniko Murakami (村神 紅子 Murakami Beniko) / Cure Bahamut (キュアバハムートKyua Bahamūto):

Voiced by: Suzuko Mimori (Japanese), Christine Marie Cabanos (English).

Beniko, 13 years old in the beginning of the story, 20 years old in present. She is described as kind, gentle, sweet, quiet and musical. She is the shyest of the Murakami sisters. Infused with quiet wisdom, she is the peacemaker of the family and gently scolds her sisters when they argue. She can not to integrate into the community, because she was often bullied by her classmates. She's especially close to Jun, during episode 17 she catches scarlet fever while trying to help the Hiragi family. Beniko is the most inclined of the sisters to sacrifice herself and protect people. . Beniko’s alter-ego is Cure Bahamut, and her season is Summer, her fire power which made her powerful, but also allows heal wounds quickly. Beniko’s main colors are crimson and orange and her elements are Fire and Light, her name is based on Elisabeth “Beth” March of Little Women.

Jun Murakami (村神 順 Murakami Jun)/ Cure Tiamat (キュアティアマト Kyua Tiamato):

Voiced by: Izumi Kitta (Japanese), Sarah Williams (English).

Jun, 15 years old in the beginning of the story, 22 years old in present. Jun is the central character, she is a strong and willful young woman, but very immature, and has a Tsundere personality. The second-oldest of four sisters, Jun is the boyish one, and her best friend and neighbor is Ryunosuke Tetsuya. Jun has a "hot" temper that often leads her into trouble. With the help of her own misguided sense of humor, her sister Beniko, and her mother, she works on controlling it. Jun loves literature, both reading and writing. She composes plays for her sisters to perform and writes short stories. Her alter-ego is Cure Tiamat, Jun’s season is Autumn. Her colors are white and silver and her elements are Earth and Metal, Jun’s name is after Josephine “Jo” March of Little Women.

Megane Murakami (村神 目鏡 Murakami Megane) / Cure Fafnir (キュアファフニール Kyua Fafunīru):

Voiced by: Sora Tokui (Japanese), Lauren Landa (English).

Megane is the eldest sister, has 16 years old in the beginning of the story, 23 years old in present. She is referred to as a beauty, and runs the household when her mother is absent. As such, Meg is based in the domestic household, she does not have significant employment or activities outside of it. Prior to her marriage with Josuke, Megane is employed as a governess for the Kurokagi brothers, a wealthy local family. Megane’s alter ego is Cure Fafnir, and her season is the Winter. Megane’s which protects through a giant shell created by Megane, in exchange she will lose her velocity. Her colors are black and purple and element are Water and Ice. She’s named after Margaret “Meg” March, the eldest sister of Little Women.

Mascot(s):
Haru (春 Haru):

Voiced by: Sanae Kobayashi (Japanese), Alison Viktorin (English).

Haru is a blue dragon-like fairy, he is Ame’s partner, and he is the youngest of the four brothers. As a human form, he has 8 years old. His name means “Spring” in Japanese language, he is also based on the Azure Dragon of the East and the Four Seasons, and he ends his sentences with "-kaze".

Natsu (夏 Natsu):

Voiced by: Ayahi Takagaki (Japanese), Kate Higgins (English).

Natsu is a crimson dragon-like fairy, he is the third of four brothers and Beniko’s partner. As a human form, Natsu has 10 years old. His name means “Summer”, and he is based on the Four Seasons. He ends his sentences with "-hono".

Aki (秋 Aki):

Voiced by: Haruka Chigusa (Japanese), Maxey Whitehead (English).

Aki is a golden dragon-like fairy, he is the second of four brothers and Jun’s partner. As a human form, Aki has 12 years old. His name means “Autumn”, and he is based on the Four Seasons. He ends his sentences with "-daichi".

Fuyu (冬 Fuyu):

Voiced by: Nozomi Yamamoto (Japanese), Cherami Leigh (English).

Fuyu is a silver dragon-like fairy, he is Megane’s partner, and the eldest brother. As a human form, Fuyu has 14 years old. His name means “Winter”, and he is based on the Four Seasons. He ends his sentences with "-yuki".

Allies:
Louisa May Alcott (ルイーザ メイ オルコットRuīza  Mei Orukotto):

Voiced by: Miki Itō (Japanese), Wendee Lee (English).

Tetsuya Ryunosuke (龍之介 哲也Ryūnosuke Tetsuya):

Voiced by: KENN (Japanese), Josh Grelle (English).

He is a rich young man, Tetsuya had 15 years old and a mixed blood of his mother is a Dragon woman and a human father. Tetsuya is the "boy next door" to the Murakami family, and has an overprotective paternal grandfather, Mr. Ryunosuke Junichi. After eloping with a Dragon woman, Tetsuya's father was disowned by his parents. Both he and Tetsuya’s mother died killed, and the baby Tetsuya was taken in by his grandfather. Preparing to enter in “Dragon University”, Laurie is being tutored by Burrito Josuke. He is described as attractive and charming, with gold eyes, and curly gold hair. During episode 8 when Ame is immersed in icy water, projected by an Animamon. Tetsuya is named after Theodore “Laurie” Laurence of Little Women.

Antagonists:
Gyûmaô (牛魔王Gyûmaô):

Voiced by: Unshō Ishizuka (Japanese), Kirk Thornton (English).

Is the main antagonist of the series, Gyûmaô is the Demon-ox and he has a strong desire to plunge the world into the tragedy, and eliminate all dragons.

Saiyūki (西遊記Saiyūki): Are a group who serve as Gyûmaô's top minions, having the power to trap an animal, and change and create an Animamon. Their names in Japanese are based on the characters of “The Journey of the West” is the Chinese novel.

Sha Gojou (沙悟浄Sha Gojō):

Voiced by: Chihiro Suzuki (Japanese), Bryce Papenbrook (English).

Sha Gojou is first member of the Saiyūki. He’s the water dragon. But at the end of the series, they found the memories of their past and live an ordinary life in their human forms.

Son Gokū (孫悟空Son Gokū):

Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro (Japanese), Luci Christian (English).

He’s a playful Monkey King, and second member of the Saiyūki. He was born from a magic stone that sat on the top of a mountain that had been receiving the powers of the heavens and the earth since the beginning of time and had thereby gained miraculous powers. Son Gokū with his magical staff and a golden flying cloud, he is also in love with Beniko and betrays his friends for his love Beniko after killing her.

Genshou Sanzou (玄奘三蔵Genshō Sanzō):

Voiced by: Kosuke Toriumi (Japanese), Ian Sinclair (English).

He is Son Gokū’s foster father, and third member of the Saiyūki. Genshou Sanzou is the monk and the only human of the group. Like Sha Gojou, Son Gokū and Cho Hakkai, Genshou Sanzou obeyed by Gyûmaô to perform their dark designs.

Cho Hakkai (猪八戒 Cho Hakkai):

Voiced by:

Cho Hakkai is , and fourth member of the Saiyūki.

Animamon (アニマモン Animamon):

The Animamons are the series' monsters of the week. They are created when a scattered element is exposed to the anger, combining with a nearby animal to form a monster, causing to attacking people. When they are defeated by the Pretty Cures, they return to the original form. The name of Animamon from "Animal" and "Monster".

Others:
Burrito Josuke:

The Hiragi family: A family consisting of a widowed mother and six children. Meiko and the girls help them by bringing food, firewood, blankets and other comforts. All of the children die of scarlet fever and Basara contracts the disease while caring for them. The father died in the war, and the mother's family turned into Kuraseiza. Unfortunately, she died killed by Cure Suzaku with her own hands in despair, which ended the Hiragi family.

Murakami Meiko (村神):

Voiced by: Kikuko Inoue (Japanese).

Murakami Ryoga (村神):

Voiced by: Suwabe Junichi (Japanese).

The Kurokagi sons:

Hana Murai (村井 花 Murai Hana):

Voiced by: Michiko Neya (Japanese).

The Murakami family maid and cook, their only servant. She is very dear to the Family. She is treated more like a member of the family than a servant. She’s named after the servant Hannah Mullet.

==== Movie Characters: ==== Kogane Ryuko (黄金 竜子Kogane Ryūko) / Cure Kōryū (キュア コリュ Kyua Kōryū):

Voiced by: Saori Hayami (Japanese), Erica Mendez (English).

Ryuko is the guest character of the movie, she is the Precure of the Golden Dragon of the center, and the Original Cure of the all dragons. She was revealed that she to capture, Ame and her sisters because they were possessed by the Four Legendary Dragons spirits, to regain their true appearances the order to defeat Escalus. But they rebelled against her after having transformed them. In the past, Ryuko create the powers of the legendary dragons, all her friends are dead killed by the king Escalus and she was the only one to have survived the battle. In the form of the golden dragon, she dies sacrificed to destroy Escalus and saving the Murakami sisters, but at the end of the film, Ryuko’s spirit to amalgamate with Ame.

Escalus (エスカラス Esukarasu):

Voiced by: Wataru Hatano (Japanese), Clifford Chapin (English).

Items:
Spirit Beast (霊獣 Reijū): This is a magical and spiritualism device, they using and moves the Spirit Beast Drive, the four Kanji appears, and then a yin yang appears in the ground to enter, a Legendary Dragon spirit appears and enter the body, to be transformed into Precures, and then exit to reappear as a Precure.

Locations:
Animal Country (動物の国 Dōbutsu no Kuni): This is the legendary land of fairies and animals there where Haru, Natsu, Aki, Fuyu and Shikiko, lives. The Four Legendary Dragons are guardians in the past, and they were now the spirits who possess in the bodies of members of the Murakami family for generations.

Kokorodo (ココロド Kokorodo): The Cures’ main hometown, the city is much like a Chinese country, the name is refers with Concord is USA.

Ryūgo University (竜語大学Ryūgo Daigaku): The Cures’ main university school.

Trivia:
・Although Ryū Shimai Pretty Cure. The main Precures have the same Japanese voice actors from Milky Holmes.

・Murakami Ame / Cure Ryujin: Hercule Barton = Sasaki Mikoi.

・Murakami Beniko / Cure Bahamut: Sherlock Shellingford = Mimori Suzuko.

・Murakami Jun / Cure Tiamat: Cordelia Glauca = Kitta Izumi.

・Murakami Megane / Cure Fafnir: Yuzurizaki Nero = Tokui Sora.

・The new season of Pretty Cure Series is more supernatural than magical and fairy.

・This is the second series where having the main Cures share the same birthdates of their Japanese voice actors, the first is Dokidoki! Pretty Cure.

・Murakami Ame / Cure Ryujin = Sasaki Mikoi, March 30th.

・Murakami Beniko / Cure Bahamut = Mimori Suzuko, June 28th.

・Murakami Jun / Cure Tiamat = Kitta Izumi, Novamber 27th.

・Murakami Megane / Cure Fafnir = Tokui Sora, December 26th.

・This was the series where four main Cures are sisters.

・This is the first series where a main Cure dies during of the series.

・Some scenes referred to are related to the original story of "Little Women" and "Good Wives", like in episode 8 where Ame burn Jun's manuscript, after that Jun refused to take her to the theater, and later Ame has fallen into the icy ground and saved by Ryunosuke. Or in episode 17 when Beniko catching scarlet fever while trying to help the Hiragi family and fell ill.

・There's influences and elements of the series Onmyou Taisenki.

・All Cures of the season to have a traditional Oriental influence in their design.

・This is the only normal season of Cure Salamander to have Story Arcs.