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Watching Heartcatch now in between eps of Hirogaru Sky.

One thing I really like about Heartcatch is that the monsters are verbalizing the inner sadness/doubts/etc of their host bodies in clear, legible language. It makes them much more sympathetic.  I think this is a great twist on the usual Monster-of-the-week formula and I'm surprised that the series turned away from that in future installments, rolling back to 'monsters who roar their subgenus name' (Ranborg, Zetsuborg, Yarane-da, etc)

One other thing I really like about Heartcatch is the strong visual style and clear directorial voice that elevates the show. It has an unusual, distinctive look that isn't afraid to squash and stretch and go wildly off-model for greater impact. Reminds me of Junichi Sato's comedy takes, especially the extreme reaction shots. The backgrounds are clean and lyrical, too.

One thing I can't STAND about Heartcatch are the fairies. Fairies have always been the hardest characters in Precure for me to swallow, because I find them irritating screen grabbers who overstate the obvious and shout too much, eating up screen time from the actual protagonists. Puf and Aroma in Go Princess were a bit less shrill and demanding, Laura basically took over the mascot role in Tropical Rouge, and Tsubasa is a high elevated version of the trope with Elle, a human baby, being the 'fairy' in Hirogaru. I much prefer Precure when it takes that kind of route.

Really not in love with the 'Heart Seeds' thing being basically an extended pee-joke either - although it has the audacity of an Ikuhara manuever to be so direct, something he pulled himself in Penguindrum with the 'urine stars' joke. I know, I know, Precure is for little kids. Body humor plays differently in Japan too. I'm torn between amused at the crass intrusion just for them having the guts to do it ass-waggling to camera and all, and annoyed that I have to keep seeing it.

These two fairies basically had a scene early on where they were trying to pressure Erika to become a Precure quickly and it clicked for me - ohhh so THAT'S where Shaft got Kyubey from. When you realize Heartcatch was on air at the same time as Madoka Magica was in animation/development.... well, it makes Madoka's riffs on fairy/mascot chars seem a little more pointed in hindsight. Of course Kyubey is also clearly a riff on Luna being a pushy pushy cat on Usagi and practically bullying her into becoming Sailor Moon. But in particular, Heartcatch's fairies have the same kind of white body, beady eyes, clingy vibes thing, and the other fairy (whose name eludes me at the moment) has an 'eyes staring directly into the screen' moment in an early Heartcatch eyecatch. I could imagine SHAFT looking to Heartcatch for bits and bobs of magical girl trope.|

(June me updating May me: Actually Gen Uroboshi is on record as saying he didn't watch Heartcatch until after finishing Madoka's script, and then he thought he had a 'bad heart' because of it, lol)

I am also really liking the villain designs, especially Sasorina, who would absolutely fit into Sailor Moon Super, and Kumojaki and Cobraja, who could waltz in the front door of Ohtori Gakuen and go right up the elevator to the Student Council platform without missing a beat. I read Kumojaki as an old-school Matsumoto/Harlock riff, especially with the excessive hair, one-eye-covered-at-all-times, and the absurdly high coat collar. Then again, the character designer for Heartcatch DID work on Saint Seiya Omega as well.  70's style designwork showing up in Precure is always a good sign.

Blossom and Marine's combo pink and blue finisher Floral Power Fortissimo completely kicks Updraft Shining to the curb though. I hope Sora and Mashiro get an upgraded combo attack soon in Hirogaru.

I'd rate Heartcatch 7/10 right now - it'd be 9/10 but I really have to ding it for the fairies. Otherwise it's growing on me. Viewed through episode 6.

(Update from June me to May me: Heartcatch Precure is now your #1 Precure and it's because of That Scene. You know the one. 9.5/10, final rating, dinged for fairies