Atsushi Maekawa

Fresh Precure Head Writer: If The Show Had Failed, the Franchise Would Have Ended

Head writer Atsushi Maekawa revealed at the "Precure Thanksgiving Screening Event vol. 2" event at the Marunouchi TOEI theater on Sunday that the fate of the franchise once hinged on Fresh Precure!'ssuccess. Maekawa stated that if the the 2009-2010 anime series had failed, the entire franchise would've ended there.

"Fresh was a new experimental work, and it was my first time participating in the series, so it was a case of trial and error over and over again. If Fresh had failed, the series would've ended there. If it was a success, it would've continued forever ... that was the high hurdle."

Maekawa then elaborated that the overall success of the Precurefranchise is thanks to its fans.

"What I want to say is that, it's because of us that the series has continued. No, it's because of all the fans who have watched the series!"

The "Precure Thanksgiving Screening Event vol. 2" event celebrated the franchise's 15th anniversary since Futari wa Pretty Cure premiered in February 2004. The series has introduced over 50 different Pretty Cureheroines since it debuted. The celebration event screened the Yes! Precure 5: Kagami no Kuni no Miracle Daibōken!, Yes! Precure 5 GoGo! Okashi no Kuni no Happy Birthday, and Fresh Precure! Omocha no Kuni wa Himitsu ga Ippai!? films.

Maekawa was a guest at the event along with voice actresses Yuko Sanpei (Nozomi Yumehara/Cure Dream) and Kanae Oki (Love Momozono/Cure Peach) and Toshiaki Komura (Yes! Precure 5 series director).

The franchise's latest incarnation, Hugtto! Precure, is currently airing in Japan.

Source: Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web