Star Twinkle PreCure
Star Twinkle Pretty Cure is a Japanese magical girl anime series by Toei Animation. It is the sixteenth installment in the Pretty Cure franchise, and the last series released in the Heisei period. It features the fourteenth generation of Cures. It is directed by Hiroaki Miyamoto and written by Isao Murayama. The series aired on all ANN stations in Japan from February 3, 2019, to January 26, 2020, succeeding HUG! PreCure in its time slot. It was then succeeded by Healin' Good Pretty Cure on February 2, 2020. The series' main topics are imagination and diversity, with outer space, constellations and singing as the Cures' main motifs.
Story
The Starry Sky World is the home of the twelve Star Princesses, who are based on the Zodiac signs and maintain order in the universe. When the Notraiders attack the Star Palace, the princesses scatter themselves across the universe as the Princess Star Color Pens. Seeking to revive the princesses and prevent the universe from being consumed in darkness, the aliens Lala and Prunce travel with the fairy Fuwa to Mihoshi Town on Earth, where they meet the imaginative Hikaru Hoshina. After receiving a Star Color Pendant and a Star Color Pen, Hikaru transforms into the legendary Pretty Cure, Cure Star. Joined by Lala and two other girls, Elena and Madoka, as well as the shapeshifting catgirl alien Yuni, Hikaru leads the Star Twinkle Pretty Cure as they seek to revive the Star Princesses and fight against the Notraiders.Characters
Pretty Cures
;Hikaru Hoshina Cure Star;Lala Hagoromo Cure Milky
;Elena Amamiya Cure Soleil
;Madoka Kaguya Cure Selene
;Yuni Cure Cosmo
Starry Sky World
; Fuwa; Prunce
; AI
; P. P. Abraham
Star Princesses
The Star Princesses are 13 princesses who represent each of the 12 Zodiac signs and protect the balance of the universe. Ophiuchus was originally the 13th princess, but betrayed them after disagreeing with their plan to bestow half of their collective power to all life in the form of imagination. When the Notraiders attacked, the Star Princesses used the last of their power to create Fuwa, and afterward were scattered across the universe as the Princess Star Color Pens, which the Pretty Cure and the Notraiders are after.;Taurus
;Leo
;Libra
;Capricorn
;Scorpio
;Sagittarius
;Virgo
;Gemini
;Aries
;Aquarius
;Cancer
;Pisces
Notraiders
The Notraiders are the main antagonists of the series. They originate from the dark and forgotten parts of the universe and are an intergalactic army of space raiders seeking universal dominion by obtaining the power of the Princess Star Color Pens to purge the universe of light. Later, they seek to capture Fuwa and use her as a vessel in Ophiuchus' ritual. Their leading members are based on yokai from Japanese mythology. Their name is derived from the word "Notto", meaning take over.Leaders
;Darknest / Ophiuchus;Garuouga
Commanders
Garuouga's subordinates, who aid in reviving Darknest and each use a different method to battle the Pretty Cures. Garuouga later increases their powers, with Darknest upgrading their abilities further.;Kappard
;Tenjou
;Aiwarn
Grunts
;Notrei;Notrigger
Hoshina family
;Harukichi Hoshina;Terumi Hoshina
;Youko Hoshina
;Youichi Hoshina
;Yeti
Lala's family
;Toto;Kaka
;Lolo
Amamiya family
;Carlos;Kaede Amamiya
;Touma Amamiya, Reina Amamiya, Takuto Amamiya, Ikuto Amamiya, Anna Amamiya
Kaguya family
;Fuyuki Kaguya;Mitsuka Kaguya
Yuni's family
;OlyfioOthers
;Drams;Yanyan
;Tatsunori Karube
;Sakurako Himenojo
;Yumika Nasu
;Nodoka Hanadera / Cure Grace
;Latte
Movie characters
;Piton;Yango
;President
;UMA
;Mary Anne
;Gyro III, Hydro, Burn, Dive, Chop
Media
Anime
Star Twinkle PreCure was announced on November 28, 2018, following a trademark filing reported on October 5, 2018. The series is being directed by Hiroaki Miyamoto and written by Isao Murayama, with character designs by Akira Takahashi and music by Yuki Hayashi and Asami Tachibana. The series aired in Japan from February 3, 2019, to January 26, 2020, succeeding the previous series Hugtto! PreCure in its initial timeslot. In addition, a PreCure Horoscope by Arisu Yamada is shown at the end of every episode which features three lucky zodiac signs while in the final episode, Cure Star and Cure Grace tells the viewers that everyone is lucky.Music
Opening
Endings
| Song | Artist | Episodes |
| "Papepipu☆Romantic" | Chihaya Yoshitake | 1 – 5, 6 – 8, 9 – 20 |
| "Please Tell me...! Twinkle!☆" | Chihaya Yoshitake | 21 – 34, 35 – 38, 39 – 49, Super Sentai Movie Party |
| "WINkle! Pretty Cure Miracle Universe☆" | Rie Kitagawa | 6 – 8, PreCure Miracle Universe |
| "Twinkle Stars" | Cure Star, Cure Milky, Cure Soleil, Cure Selene, Cure Cosmo | 35–38 |
| "Twinkle Stars" | Rina Chinen | Star Twinkle PreCure the Movie: These Feelings Within The Song of Stars |
Insert Songs
| Song | Artist | Episodes |
| "Star Color Pendant! Color Charge!" | Cure Star, Cure Milky, Cure Soleil, Cure Selene, Cure Cosmo | All |
| "Sparkle☆彡Star☆Twinkle PreCure" | Cure Star, Cure Milky, Cure Soleil, Cure Selene, Cure Cosmo | 49 |
| "Twinkle Stars" | Cure Star, Cure Milky, Cure Soleil, Cure Selene, Cure Cosmo | Star Twinkle PreCure the Movie: These Feelings Within The Song of Stars |
| "Cosmic☆Mystery☆Girl" | Cure Cosmo | 15, 23, 24 |
| "The Constellation's Power" | Chihaya Yoshitake | Star Twinkle PreCure the Movie: These Feelings Within The Song of Stars |
Films
The characters appear in the theatrical crossover film Pretty Cure Miracle Universe, released on March 16, 2019, alongside characters from Hugtto! PreCure and Kirakira PreCure a la Mode.An anime film titled Star Twinkle Pretty Cure the Movie: These Feeling Within the Song of Stars was released on October 19, 2019. Yūta Tanaka is directing the film.
Pretty Cure Miracle Leap: A Strange Day With Everyone!, was released on October 31, 2020.
Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Futago Kamikita began serialization in Kodansha's Nakayoshi shoujo magazine from February 1, 2019.Reception
Gadget Tsūshin listed Hikaru's catchphrase "Kirayaba~☆" in their 2019 anime buzzwords list.Cosplay marathoner Mitsunobu Saita ran in the 2019 Kobe Marathon as Cure Cosmo.