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Hugtto! Precure Anime Reveals Main Cast, Staff, Song Artists

Toei Animation's official website for Hugtto! Precure, the next installment in its Precure magical girl franchise, updated on Saturday with the main cast, main staff, and theme song information. The website had briefly listed the cast and staff in December, before removing the information until this latest update.

The main cast members are:

Rie Hikisaka as Cure Yell/Hana Nono, a girl transfering to a new school in her second year of middle school. Compared to other girls her age, she is relatively short, but she wants to be a cool adult big sister. She will try her hand at anything that interests her, but frequently makes mistakes: on her first day at her new school she messes up cutting her bangs and is late for class. She transfers into Cure Yell out of the strong desire to protect the mysterious baby Hug-tan. Her catchphrase is "Cheering everyone on! Energetic Precure! Cure Yell!"

Rina Hon'izumi as Cure Ange/Saaya Yakushiji, the class representative from Hana's class, and a girl everyone says has the kindness of an angel. Her mother is an actress, so Saaya herself has played child parts from a young age, but she worries about what she herself wants to do. She transforms into Cure Ange because of her strong desire to help Cure Yell. Her catchphrase is "Healing everyone! Wise Precure! Cure Ange!"

Yui Ogura as Cure Étoile/Homare Kagayaki, a stylish and mature girl in Hana's class. She was once a figure skater but has distanced herself from the sport after a failed jump. On meeting Hana and the others, her passion is reignited and she decides to try again. She transforms into Cure Etoile due to her strong feelings of wanting to conquer her own weakness. Her catchphrase is "Everyone Shine! Strength Precure! Cure Étoile!

Konomi Tada as Hug-tan, a baby who came from the sky. Hana looks after her. Together with her mangager (?) Hari, she flees from the evil Clias Company. She carries the Mirai Crystal (Future Crystal), a crystallization of the power that creates tomorrow. If it is captured, everyone's futures will be lost and Hug-tan will disappear..

Junko Noda as Hariham Hari, a hamster that speaks with a Kansai dialect. He is supposed to instruct Hana and the others about how to be Precure, but he is not very willing. He can transform into a good-looking guy.

Akifumi Zako (Fresh Pretty Cure, Toriko) and Junichi Sato (Aria, Kaleido Star, Ojamajo Doremi, Pretear, Princess Tutu, Sailor Moon) serve as series directors at Toei Animation, and Fumi Tsubota (12-Sai: Chiccha na Mune no Tokimeki) is in charge of the series scripts. Yuuki Hayashi (Diabolik Lovers, Eiga Kirakira ☆ Precure a la Mode: Paris to! Omoide no Mille-Feuille! , My Hero Academia, Welcome to the Ballroom) is composing the music, and Toshie Kawamura (Smile Precure!, Yes! Precure 5, Yes! Precure 5 GoGo!) is designing the characters. Nagisa Nishida (Heartcatch Precure!, Smile Precure!) is the art designer, and the producers include Kazusa Umeda (ABC Animation), Fumi Yazaki (ADK), and Keisuke Naitō.

Kanako Miyamoto (Glitter Force Doki Doki's Makoto Kenzaki/Cure Sword, Kirakira ☆ Precure a la Mode ending) is performing the opeing theme song "We can!! Hugtto! Precure." The characters Cure Yell, Cure Ange, and Cure Étoile (as played by their respective voice actresses) are performing the ending theme song "Hugtto! Mirai Dreamer" (I'm Gonna Hug! Future Dreamer). The theme song single will go on sale on March 7.

The series will premiere on Japan's ABC, TV Asahi, and affiliated stations on February 4 at 8:30 a.m.

The title includes the English word "Hug" with the quotation particle "to," which is used in casual speech when the speaker is resolving to do something. The tagline on the website reads, "You can do anything! You can be anything! Embrace a shining future!"

Futago Kamikita is launching a Hugtto! Precure manga in the March issue of Kodansha's Nakayoshi magazine on February 2. Izumi Todo is credited with the original work.

The currently airing Precure (Pretty Cure) series, Kirakira ☆ Precure a la Mode, premiered on February 5. The Eiga Kirakira ☆ Precure a la Mode: Paris to! Omoide no Mille-Feuille! film premiered on October 28 in Japan.

The 2012-2013 Precure anime series Smile Precure! has been localized in English as Glitter Force, and is available streaming on Netflix. Netflix also premiered the 2013-2014 Dokidoki! Precure anime series with the title Glitter Force Doki Doki on August 18.

Source: Comic Natalie