HappinessCharge PreCure! the Movie: The Ballerina of the Land of Dolls

HappinessCharge PreCure! the Movie: The Ballerina of the Land of Dolls (映画ハピネスチャージプリキュア！人形の国のバレリーナ, Eiga HapinesuChāji PuriKyua! Ningyō no kuni no barerīna) is 2014 Japanese animated science-fiction film and the 17th Pretty Cure movie series based on HappinessCharge PreCure!, directed by Chiaki Kon, written by Yoshimi Narita, and produced by Toei Animation. The movie was released in Japanese cinemas on October 11, 2014.[1][2]

HappinessCharge PreCure! the Movie: The Ballerina of the Land of Dolls
Theatrical release poster
Japanese映画ハピネスチャージプリキュア！人形の国のバレリーナ
HepburnEiga HapinesuChāji PuriKyua! Ningyō no kuni no barerīna
Directed byChiaki Kon
Screenplay byYoshimi Narita
Based onPretty Cure
by Toei Company (under the Izumi Todo pseudonym)
Music byHiroshi Takaki
CinematographyYoshiyuki Anzai
Animation by
  • Masayuki Sato (Character Design)
  • Kazuhiro Ota (Character Design & Animation Director)
Backgrounds bySatoshi Shibata
Production
company
Distributed byToei Company
Release date
  • October 11, 2014 (2014-10-11)
Running time
71 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

The catchcopy of the film is "A bond of love and friendship causes a kiss!" (愛と友情のきずながキセキをおこす!, Ai to yūjō no kizuna ga kiseki o okosu!).

Plot

One day, after Megumi, Hime, Yuko, and Iona help put on a puppet show at a nursery, they come across a living doll named Tsumugi, who claims that her homeland, the Doll Kingdom, is under Saiark attack. As the girls follow Tsumugi to the Doll Kingdom, where they fight against a Windmill Saiark, Blue, who had never heard of the Doll Kingdom before, is suddenly attacked by a darkness coming from his mirror. After defeating the Saiark, the girls are introduced to the Doll Kingdom's prince, Zeke, who Hime gets an instant crush on, and are taken to the kingdom's castle for a celebratory party. As Yuko and Iona figure there is something amiss, Seiji is ambushed by Bee Saiarks and transformed into a doll. With more Saiarks suddenly appearing, Megumi learns that Tsumugi is the one who created the fake Saiarks and led the Cures into a trap. It is revealed that Zeke and the other residents of the kingdom are all dolls belonging to Tsumugi, who loved to dance in the real world but one day lost the ability to use her legs, shutting herself off from her friends and family. She was brought into a man-made kingdom by a commander from the Phantom Empire named Black Fang, who stated that the only way she would be able to continue dancing in this kingdom is to defeat the Pretty Cures. After the Cures retreat, Megumi laments how she can't help to cure Tsumugi's legs, but the others assure her they can do something if they work together. Together, they try to show Tsumugi what she truly needs to be happy, but they are all ensnared by Black Fang, who reveals he was the one who stole Tsumugi's ability to dance in order to wield the power born from her despair. Wanting Tsumugi to remember her happiness, Zeke and the other dolls sacrifice themselves in order to free the Cures, allowing Megumi to reach Tsumugi. Stating her firm desire to help her, Megumi helps Tsugumi realize there are things besides dancing that brings her happiness and stops her flow of despair, freeing the captured Seiji and Blue in the process. Black Fang uses what despair he has collected to transform into a more powerful form, which can even block out the power of the Miracle Dress Lights Blue sends to people around the world. However, Megumi's undying determination gives Tsumugi the strength to turn her despair into hope, allowing the power of the Miracle Dress Lights to reach Megumi, who transforms into Super Happiness Lovely and defeats Black Fang alongside the other Cures. After assuring Megumi that she does have the power to make everyone happy, Tsumugi returns to the real world and regains the use of her legs, finally able to dance the way she wants again.

Characters

Happiness Charge PreCure

Guest Characters
  • Yui Horie as Tsumugi Orihara (織原 つむぎ, Orihara Tsumugi), a girl whose wish is to become a ballerina dancer. She lost her legs' functionality by Black Fang who deceived her to stay in Doll Kingdom from Earth and he absorb her despair which to fuel his power. Ota based Tsumugi's character design on Horie herself.[3]
  • Daisuke Ono as Prince Zeke (ジーク王子, Jiiku Ouji), a prince from Doll Kingdom. He is shown to have feelings for Tsumugi.
  • Toshiyuki Morikawa as Black Fang (ブラックファング, Burakku Fangu), the main antagonist of the film and Phantom Empire's elite commander. A demonic man who created Doll Kingdom to deceive Tsumugi by making her staying there forever from Earth. He used Tsumugi's despair to fuel his power to take over the Earth but he was defeated by Cure Lovely in her Super Happiness Lovely form. As a character, he was described as "overwhelming bad guy", "zero familiarity". and "a partner who can be beaten in a row".[4]
  • Funassyi (ふなっしー, Funasshī) as himself,[5][6] appearing in the prologue "Funassyi Show", where he is attacked by a Saiark; it shakes the "Miracle Dress Light" in both the prologue and at the end of the story to cheer, and also called on the audience to cheer.

Production
Funassy, an unofficial mascot of the city of Funabashi, Chiba, makes a guest appearance in this film.

Chiaki Kon was appointed as the film's director, the first one outside of Toei Animation. Producer Hiroaki Shibata, along with character design/drawing director Kazuhiro Ota, both outside-appointed, said:

It is also interesting to have the outside staff set up in the main, and it also stimulates people inside.[7]

Kon was a fan of the previous Pretty Cure series, and had a dream of directing Pretty Cure. He asked Shibata to produce a performance from the previous year's DokiDoki! PreCure and became the film's director.[8]

Yui Horie, Daisuke Ono, and Toshiyuki Morikawa voice the film-only character Tsumugi, Zeke, and Black Fang.[9] Additionally, Funassyi, an unofficial mascot of the city of Funabashi, Chiba, appears as himself and was appointed as a support captain of this work.[10]

The film had a large-scale tie-up with Yokohama City. In honor of the dolls being the motif of the story, a special display of doll goods was held at the Yokohama Doll House,[11] and stamp rallies were held throughout the city.[12] On October 5, the four seiyu attended a ceremony to light the ferris wheel at Yokohama Cosmo World pink.[13]

At Shinjuku WALD9, a public event was held the day before the film's theatrical release. A free screening of the Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart film on Niconico Namahōsō to commemorate the Pretty Cure 10th anniversary; this was the first time a Pretty Cure work was screened there.[14][15]

Reception

It was released on 210 screens nationwide, and in its first two days (October 11 and 12), 85,396 people attended the film. With a revenue of ¥1389600, this was the first time Kōgyō Tsūshin ranked a Pretty Cure film at fifth-place in film attendance.[16] In addition, it ranked #2 in the first-day satisfaction ranking by Pia's survey.[17] However, box office revenues were sluggish, with the final office revenue ending at ¥530 million.[18]。

It was analyzed by Otapol and Itmedia's Netolab division that several issues hindered people from splitting income for the film, thus causing the film's box-office decline:

  • It was released during the consecutives holidays in early-October instead of the usual late-October;
  • It was released at the same time as athletic meet season and the approach and landing of Typhoon Vongfong;
  • The massive success of Frozen in Japan;
  • Two popular anime - Yo-kai Watch and Aikatsu! - had successful film adaptations during the 2014 holiday season.[18][19][20]

Music

The opening song is HappinessCharge PreCure! WOW!, sung by Sayaka Nakaya, and the ending song is Party Has Come. The insert song is Where Courage is Born (勇気が生まれる場所, Yūki ga Umareru Basho).

Single
"Where Courage is Born"
Single by Cure Lovely (Megumi Nakajima); Cure Princess (Megumi Han); Cure Honey (Rina Kitagawa); Cure Fortune (Haruka Tomatsu); Tsumugi (Yui Horie)
B-side"If You Look to the Blue Sky"
ReleasedOctober 8, 2014
GenreJ-pop, Anime song
Length19:50
LabelMarvelous
Composer(s)Hiroshi Takaki
Lyricist(s)Masaori Koda (#1)
Sumiyo Mutsumi (#2)

Where Courage is Born (勇気が生まれる場所, Yūki ga Umareru Basho) is an insert song of the anime film HappinessCharge PreCure! the Movie: The Ballerina of the Land of Dolls released on October 11, 2014. It is sung by four Cures (Nakajima, Han, Kitagawa, and Tomatsu) appearing in the film.

The single was released from Marvelous on October 8. The B-Side is the image song "If You Look to the Blue Sky" by Megumi Aino (Nakajima) and movie-only character Tsumugi (Yui Horie).

Overview

Producer Hiroaki Shibata wanted to make another Pretty Cure insert song like with DokiDoki! Precure the Movie: Mana's Getting Married!!? The Dress of Hope Tied to the Future the previous year. Director Chiaki Kon agreed to this, and decided to use a song that would heat up the climax battle scene like with Sailor Moon R: The Movie's "Moon Revenge". He also specifically ordered composer Hiroshi Takaki to make the song "contemporary style with a hot feeling".[21]

The songs were recorded in the order of Tomatsu, Nakajima, Kitagawa, and Han. Although they were not asked which scene they were used for after-recording of animation, they were immediately used in which scene when they read the lyrics.

  • Tomatsu said: "It's very cool that there are many talks, or there are many overlapping ones."
  • Nakajima said: "'Shiawase wo akiramenai!' was a lovely line in the play as it is in the lyrics, and it made it so crowded."
  • Kitagawa said: "I felt that while I was singing, I thought that a slightly different [Cure] Honey could be seen from this song."
  • Han said: "The message that [Cure] Princess told in the film is the same song [...] It is something that four people sing and can not sing without one. [It is] a song that everyone sings together."[22][23]

Horie said of If You Look to the Blue Sky:

It was very easy to get in because the lyrics were drawn with a film version of the story. It was difficult [for me] to sing as a small child.[24]

The single topped at #59 in the Oricon Singles Chart on October 20, 2014.[25]

Track listing
  1. Where Courage is Born (勇気が生まれる場所, Yūki ga Umareru Basho) (5:01)
    Sung by: Cure Lovely (Megumi Nakajima); Cure Princess (Megumi Han); Cure Honey (Rina Kitagawa); Cure Fortune (Haruka Tomatsu)
    Lyrics： Masaori Koda
    Work and Arrangement： Hiroshi Takaki
    • Insert song of HappinessCharge PreCure! the Movie: The Ballerina of the Land of Dolls
    • Later used as a song in episode 44 of the main series.
  2. If You Look to the Blue Sky (見上げれば青い空, Miagereba Aoisora) (4:56)
    Sung by: Cure Lovely (Megumi Nakajima); Tsumugi (Yui Horie)
    Lyrics: Sumiyo Mutsumi
    Work and Arrangement: Hiroshi Takaki
  3. Where Courage is Born (Original Karaoke) (勇気が生まれる場所（オリジナル・カラオケ）, Yūki ga Umareru Basho (Orijinaru Karaoke)) (5:01)
  4. If You Look to the Blue Sky (Original Karaoke) (見上げれば青い空（オリジナル・カラオケ）, Miagereba Aoisora (Orijinaru Karaoke)) (4:56)

Soundtrack
HappinessCharge PreCure! the Movie: The Ballerina of the Land of Dolls
Film score by
Hiroshi Takaki
ReleasedOctober 8, 2014
Recorded2014
GenreSoundtrack
Length54:01
LabelMarvelous

The film's original soundtrack was released on October 11, 2014. Hiroshi Takaki recorded the soundtrack. In addition, the movie-sized theme song is included. A jacket-size sticker was bundled as a first-time limited-time offer. It topped at #254 at the Oricon Albums Chart on October 20, 2014.[26]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Appear in a Pinch! HappinessCharge PreCure! (ピンチに登場!ハピネスチャージプリキュア!, Pinchi ni tōjō! Hapinesuchājipurikyua!)"2:10
2."Pretty Cure・Happiness Big Bang!! (プリキュア・ハピネスビッグバーン!!, Purikyua hapinesubiggubān!!)"1:42
3."The Invitation From Within The Mirror (鏡の中からの誘い, Kagami no naka kara no sasoi)"0:25
4."The Fun Puppet Show (楽しい人形劇, Tanoshī ningyō geki)"1:17
5."Dreaming Hime (夢みるひめ, Yumemiru Hime)"0:37
6."The Mysterious Doll (ふしぎな人形, Fushigi-na ningyō)"1:17
7."HappinessCharge PreCure! WOW! (Movie size) (ハピネスチャージプリキュア!WOW! (映画size), Hapinesuchāji Purikyua! WOW! (Eiga size))"1:32
8."Disturbing Shadow (不穏な影, Fuon'na kage)"0:38
9."PreCure! Kururin Mirror Change! -charge up version- (プリキュア!くるりんミラーチェンジ! -charge up version-, Purikyua! Kururin Mirāchenji! -charge up version-)"1:58
10."Defeat! The Windmill Saiark (倒せ!風車サイアーク, Taose! Kazaguruma saiāku)"2:08
11."Prince Zeke on the White Horse (白馬の王子ジーク, Hakuba no ōji jīku)"1:16
12."PreCure Parade (プリキュア・パレード, Purikyua Parēdo)"1:14
13."Tsumugi's Dance (Flower Waltz) (つむぎの踊り (花のワルツ), Tsumugi no odori (Hana no Warutsu))"0:39
14."Doll Castle’s Ball (Vienna Essence) (ドール城の舞踏会 (ウィーン気質), Dōru-jō no budōkai (Wīn katagi))"3:25
15."Even though I did my best... (がんばったけど私は…, ganbattakedo watashi wa…)"1:05
16."The Attacking Saiark (襲いくるサイアーク, Osoi kuru saiāku)"2:10
17."For Tsumugi's sake (つむぎのために, Tsumugi no tame ni)"1:01
18."My Legs Cannot Dance (踊れない足, Odorenai ashi)"1:09
19."Tsumugi's Kingdom of Dreams (つむぎの夢の王国, Tsumugi no yume no ōkoku)"3:03
20."Unfulfilled Feelings (届かぬ思い, Todokanu omoi)"1:36
21."That's what HappinessCharge PreCure is! (それがハピネスチャージプリキュア!, Sore ga Hapinesu Chāji Purikyua!)"2:02
22."Black Fang's Temptation (ブラックファングの誘惑, Burakku Fangu no yūwaku)"0:56
23."Let's Go Back Together (いっしょに帰ろう, Issho ni kaerou)"1:04
24."Spinning the Unhappy Thread (紡がれる不幸の糸, Tsumugareru fukō no ito)"2:58
25."Help Tsumugi! (つむぎを助けて!, Tsumugi o tasukete!)"2:43
26."The Counterattack of Rage (怒りの反撃, Ikari no Hangeki)"2:00
27."Because We're Friends (友だちだから, Tomodachi dakara)"2:57
28."Black Fang's Threat (ブラックファングの脅威, Burakku Fangu no kyōi)"2:25
29."PreCure Ganbare! (プリキュアがんばれ!, purikyua ganbare!)"1:40
30."Happiness for Everyone (ハピネスをみんなに, Hapinesu o min'na ni)"1:35
31."Keep Up With Your Dreams (夢を追いつづけて, Yume o oi tsudzukete)"1:01
32."Party Has Come (Movie size) (パーティ ハズカム (映画size), Pāti Hazukamu (eiga size))"2:03

Home media

The film's DVD/BD was released on March 18, 2015. On March 30 the special-version DVD and regular-version DVD charted at 55 and 139 in the Oricon DVD Chart, while the BR charted at 28 in the Blu-ray Disc Chart.[27][28][29]

Notes

    References
    1. "Funasshi Pear Fairy Mascot Makes Movie Debut in Precure". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
    2. "Funassyi to Make His Film Debut in "HappinessCharge PreCure" This Fall". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
    3. Animage, November 2014
    4. Animedia, November 2014
    5. Komatsu, Mikikazu. "Funassyi to Make His Film Debut in "HappinessCharge PreCure" This Fall". Crunchyroll.
    6. "Funasshi Pear Fairy Mascot Makes Movie Debut in Precure". Anime News Network.
    7. 『プリキュア新聞』2014年秋号2面、日刊スポーツ新聞社、2014年10月7日発行
    8. 『エンタミクス』2014年11月号P106,KADOKAWAエンターブレインBC,2014年9月20日発行
    9. 堀江由衣、小野大輔、森川智之！「プリキュア」映画に人気声優集合！, シネマトゥデイ,2014年9月9日
    10. ふなっしー「プリキュア」でアフレコ挑戦, 日刊スポーツ,2014年8月26日
    11. 「これもこれも全部欲しい！！」　横浜人形の家でプリキュア展, 産経新聞,2014年9月22日
    12. "『映画ハピネスチャージプリキュア！人形の国のバレリーナ』 横浜で公開記念イベントを実施します！ (2014年9月19日)". エキサイトニュース.
    13. 中島愛らプリキュア声優陣、横浜を“ビッグな愛”のピンク色に染め, 映画.com,2014年10月5日
    14. 「映画ハピネスチャージプリキュア!」前夜祭を生中継、声優特番も, おた☆スケ,2014年10月3日
    15. プリキュアMax Heart無料上映&最新作前夜祭, ニコニコインフォ,2014年10月3日
    16. 夫婦連れやシニア層が後押し！『ふしぎな岬の物語』が『るろうに剣心』を抜いて首位スタート, WalkerPlus,2014年10月15日
    17. 吉永小百合主演『ふしぎな岬の物語』に高い満足度, ぴあ映画生活,2014年10月14日
    18. "2014年映画業界総決算". キネマ旬報（2015年3月下旬 映画業界決算特別号）. キネマ旬報社 (1684): 78–79. 2015.
    19. 『映画キラキラ☆プリキュアアラモード パリッと！想い出のミルフィーユ！』小ネタ満載で実にコミカル！終始笑いと感動の大傑作だった！, おたぽる,2017年11月6日
    20. 「映画ハピネスチャージプリキュア！」の興行収入はなぜ半減した？　2014年の出来事から考える, ねとらぼ,2017年11月9日
    21. Animage HappinessCharge PreCure! Special Issue, December 2014, pages 34 and 41
    22. Animage HappinessCharge PreCure! Special Issue, December 2014, pages 20-21
    23. 中島愛、潘めぐみ、北川里奈がドレスアップして『映画プリキュア！』史上初の前夜祭イベントに出席！ Archived 2014-10-15 at the Wayback Machine,テレビドガッチ,2014年10月11日
    24. Animage HappinessCharge PreCure! Special Issue, December 2014, page 23
    25. "映画ハピネスチャージプリキュア!人形の国のバレリーナ 挿入歌シングル | サントラ". ORICON NEWS.
    26. "映画ハピネスチャージプリキュア!人形の国のバレリーナ オリジナル・サウンドトラック | サントラ". ORICON NEWS.
    27. "映画ハピネスチャージプリキュア!人形の国のバレリーナ【DVD特装版】 | アニメーション". ORICON NEWS.
    28. "映画ハピネスチャージプリキュア!人形の国のバレリーナ【BD特装版】 | アニメーション". ORICON NEWS.
    29. "映画ハピネスチャージプリキュア!人形の国のバレリーナ【DVD通常版】 | アニメーション". ORICON NEWS.
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