Smile Precure!/Glitter Force Episode 1 Sub/Dub Comparison

Plot: Miyuki loves picture books because they all have happy endings. She hopes to apply the lessons she’s learned from picture books to her own life to find happiness in every day. One day, she sees a picture book fall from the sky along with a cute little fairy named Candy. She explains that she’s from Marchenland, but has no time to talk. As Miyuki tries to process what just happened, Candy disappears.

Miyuki tries to adjust to her life in a new school when a wolf monster named Wolfrun tries to bring despair to the world so he can revive his fallen emperor, Pierrot. Candy is trying to assemble the Precures to stop him and save her world.

Miyuki falls into a weird library after messing with a glowing book in the school’s library and is shown a portal to Candy’s location where she is fleeing from Wolfrun. Miyuki escapes the library and races to protect Candy. She’s no match for Wolfrun, but she won’t give up. She won’t allow Wolfrun to bring a bad end to everyone when she can achieve a happy ending with enough effort.

Her bravery and hope triggers a Smile Pact to appear before her, and she’s prompted by Candy to use it to become Cure Happy. She does so, and, after some trial and error, manages to take down Wolfrun’s house monster, Akanbe, and send him packing. Miyuki is now tasked with assembling the other Precures to retrieve the lost Cure Decors and save both of their worlds from destruction.

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Oh dear, I accidentally made a Shoujo Step-by-Step entry for Smile Precure when the suggestion was a Sub/Dub Comparison. But, eh, this is much too recent. It’s probably not that bad. I’ll just give the first episode a looksie and make a few footnotes about it in the SSBS review.

*One bad decision later*

Arhrhrhghghgggggggggggggggghghghghgh!……..geh……Saban….Why? Netflix…WHY? I thought we put dubs like these long behind us. This was released in 2015….On NETFL—WHY?!

Okay, okay…let’s calm down….and go through the episode….somewhat ironically, step-by-step.

Series Title Change: As you can probably already tell, the show’s title was changed from Smile Precure! to Glitter Force. I don’t really mind it being changed because Smile Precure just doesn’t seem like it would mesh with western audiences….but…Glitter Force? I was almost dying of girly overload before I even pressed ‘play.’

The original episode doesn’t start with the theme song. It starts with a vague unrelated and oddly quiet scene of the Precures posing, entering the picture book, the picture book flying away and then a bunch of balloons flying overhead. The theme doesn’t start until Miyuki has met Candy and runs to school.

The dub’s opener is much shorter, but does contain clips from the actual opener. The songs are also entirely changed. The original’s is pretty okay. I don’t really love it, but I don’t dislike it. The dub’s is catchy, but the lyrics are almost entirely just ‘Glitter Force’ over and over with some generic lyrics thrown in.

Title Change: In the original, the episode is titled A Star is Born! All Smiles: Cure Happy. In the dub, it’s An Exciting Beginning. Did the intern stay after hours an extra five minutes to come up with that one?

Also, the original has title cards, while the dub….puts their title on screen…..transitioned with sparkles and a glittery sound effect.

Subbed:

Dubbed:

I have my worries that this show will be Mew Mew Power levels of irritating to compare because we’re already starting off with another scene change – and the scene we’re starting from in the dub isn’t even from this episode.

I refuse to let you force me into doing as much work as I did with MMP, Glitter Force, so until we get to that scene in the original, I’m not going to compare this scene – I’ll just analyze it.

Name Change: Miyuki Hoshizora is changed to Emily. Like in many English magical girl anime, this name change ruins the meaning behind it. Miyuki can literally be translated to ‘happiness’ while Hoshizora can be translated into ‘starry sky,’ alluding to her light-based powers. According to her Wikia page, her name literally translates to, altogether, ‘The starry sky of happiness’

Emily, on the other hand, only means ‘rival’ ‘laborious’ and ‘eager.’ I don’t know much about the series so far, but I’d say the only one that suits her is ‘eager.’

Emily is shown sleeping in her bed, wishing she’d have a familiar dream of her and the other Precure – I can assume they’re not called Precures here then, right? We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. She dreams of her and the other girls transforming – thanks for spoiling the other girls transformation sequences a bit, by the way.

The Smile Pact is changed to a Glitter Pact.

In order to activate the Smile Pact, the Precures say ‘Precure Smile Charge!’ In the dub, it’s ‘Glitter Force Makeover!’

The Smile Pact originally just says ‘Ready’ when activated. The Glitter Pact says ‘Activate Glitter Pact.’

After Miyuki says her line, the Smile Pact says ‘Go go go! Let’s go happy!’ In the dub, Emily says ‘Magic Glitter Puff! Here we go!’

Blah blah blah, they’re all transforming.

“It’s like a fairy tale with girl power and makeup!” My….soul…is…rotting.

Miyuki’s magical girl motto is “The light of the future, shining bright! Cure Happy!”

Emily’s motto is “A fabulous shimmer, a glow in your heart! I’m Glitter Lucky!”

I’m…a little annoyed by this name change. Isn’t Miyuki called ‘Cure Happy’ because she wishes to find happiness in every day and believes in everyone finding happiness in their lives? Isn’t her name also meant to point at the Bad Ending vs. Happy Ending theme we’ll have going here soon?

Her view is that people can change their happiness for the better if they try hard enough. You can’t change your luck no matter how much you try. What was wrong with calling her Happy? You can change the ‘cure’ part, whatever, but why change Happy?

Wow, guys, for real? You not only spoil the other girls transformations…but also their second forms? For absolutely no reason?! Come on. Why even let me watch the rest of the series? Just tell me how it ends so I can go on with my life.

Now we’re actually at the scene that episode one starts with. Emily blames her lateness on the unnecessary dream she had. Miyuki is just late for no reason.

Miyuki doesn’t mention that the butterfly she sees is good luck, but I’m assuming we have to jam mentions of luck in here somewhere.

Also, hi Laura Bailey! Thanks for being here so this dub can be tolerable.

Like a lot of magical girl anime sidekicks, Candy has a speech quirk – she tends to say ‘Kuru’ a lot. Also, yes, Candy is frickin’ adorable. In the dub, Candy does not have any speech quirk.

Miyuki asks if Candy is a cat, dog or raccoon-dog/tanuki. Emily asks if she’s someone’s toy, if she’s expensive and where she can buy one. I’ll answer that – No, she’s not a toy, but there is a toy version of her, and yes, she’s expensive. There’s one on Amazon for 85 bucks. Have fun.

Is it a change if Candy originally introduces herself as a fairy and in the dub she calls herself a pixie?….Fairly Odd Parents says I should. I will.

Candy is originally from Marchenland. In the dub, it’s Jubiland.

Marchenland is the land of picture books. Jubiland is the kingdom of happy endings….Hey, I know a place in the seedier part of town that also calls itself ‘the kingdom of happy endings’! *wink wink wink*

Also, hi Debi Derryberry! What a completely random place to see you. For those unfamiliar, she voices Zatch from Zatch Bell as well as Jimmy Neutron.

Miyuki asks Candy if she’ll be her friend. Emily asks if she’s the kind of pixie that grants wishes.

At this point, I think it’s safe to assume all of the BGM is replaced. It’s not bad, and I’ll be sure to note if it’s particularly inappropriate for a scene.

They edit out Miyuki freaking out internally for a while.

Oh my god, even the digital paint is back in full force. In the original, Miyuki’s name is written on the board behind her. In the dub, it’s painted away.

Subbed:

Dubbed:

Name Change: Akane Hino is changed to Kelsey. Like with Miyuki, her name also has meaning. In addition maybe being a sendup to Rei Hino of Sailor Moon, the Hino part translates to ‘of the sun’ or ‘sun’ and ‘field’ and Akane is meant to be ‘madder red’ or ‘sunset,’ altogether meaning ‘madder red sun field’ or ‘madder red sun field sunset.’ Grammatically, that doesn’t make much sense to me, but I lifted that from the Wikia, so take that as you will.

Kelsey means ‘brave’ or ‘ships victory.’ I’ll accept that as being fitting, but there’s lost symbolism.

Akane originally tells Miyuki to introduce herself. Kelsey asks if Emily’s playing charades since she’s great at them.

Originally, Miyuki is stuttering through her introduction. In the dub, she suddenly blurts out part of the pledge of allegiance. I don’t think I’ve seen many dub jokes that would literally only be understood in America, but Saban did it. Good job.

Okay…so the dub….makes off like Emily’s psychic? Because they make a point to show her as Glitter Sunny after Kelsey shows her face to her when this shot isn’t present in the dub because, at this point, Miyuki has no idea about Precures nor who the other Precures are. Then she thinks to herself ‘She’s from my dream!’

Name Change: Cure Sunny is changed to Glitter Sunny.

Akane says Miyuki’s a bit of an airhead but focuses deeply. Kelsey says Emily’s not very good at public speaking.

Akane says Miyuki likely has a little brother named Mitaro Hoshizora, which literally translates to ‘Let’s look at the stars!’ because he really loves stars. Kelsey says Emily’s a transfer student, she thinks it’s nice to meet them and she waves her hands a lot. I guess that last part is a joke to anime and cartoons sometimes overdoing the nervous hand waving thing with shy characters.

Might I just say that Akane comes off as much more jovial and playful than Kelsey? She just seems like she’s making fun of Emily while Akane seems like she’s trying to break the ice for Miyuki.

Also, hi Colleen O’Shaugnessey! You’re kinda following me this week, aren’t you?

When Nao/April has her line, we’re again interrupted by a shot to Emily and the flash to April’s transformed state, Glitter Spring.

Name Change: Nao Midorikawa is changed to April. In addition to this maybe being a sendup to Lettuce of Tokyo Mew Mew (??) Midorikawa literally translates to ‘green river’ while Nao means ‘straight’ So, basically, a straight green river.

April is, surprisingly, very fitting. In the original, her Cure form is Cure March, alluding to spring and wind, so April is a nice name here.

Name Change: Cure March is changed to Glitter Spring.

Reika says introductions are something you should do for yourself. Chloe says it’s alright for Emily to be nervous because everyone’s nervous on their first day.

Like with Kelsey and April, Chloe’s appearance is also followed by a shot to Emily and a flashback to Chloe’s transformed state, Glitter Breeze.

Name Change: Reika Aoki is changed to Chloe. Aoki can be translated to ‘blue wood’ or ‘blue tree’ while Reika is meant to be translated here as ‘beautiful’ or ‘elegant.’ Altogether, it’s meant to say ‘beautiful blue tree’ or ‘beautiful blue wood’ but I prefer the former.

Chloe means ‘green herb’ or ‘fresh blooming’ which makes zero sense given her power and seems like a rough draft name for April.

Name Change: Cure Beauty is changed to Glitter Breeze.

Might I say that this name change also makes no sense? Nao/April’s power is wind….Why would Chloe, whose power is ice, be named Glitter Breeze instead of April? Why not Glitter Snow or Glitter Ice or something?

Did they just have too many ideas for names for Nao and not enough for Reika that they just gave her hand-me-down names?

Akane says Nao’s kinda like a gangster. Nao yells out “Gangster?!” in response while Miyuki also says “Gangster?” In the dub, Kelsey says April’s tougher than most of the boys at their school. She says she’s not that tough, and Emily says ‘nice to meet you.’

Akane says all the guys think Reika’s a real hottie. Reika then says “Hottie?” In the dub, Kelsey says “She’s so perfect, it’s almost scary.” Chloe then says “I’m not perfect.”

They omit Akane stating she moved from Osaka….which might mean….Oh god. They might be pretending this series takes place….In America!

Yayoi tries to speak in Akane’s defense to Miyuki stating that she was just trying to loosen her up by messing around. In the dub, Lily sounds…a little like an idiot. She says she liked Emily’s introduction and especially liked the part where she said her name was Emily (That’s really the only thing she said) because she had a hamster named Emily.

Name Change: Yayoi Kise is changed to Lily. Kise means ‘Yellow river rapids.’ while Yayoi translates to ‘March’ and I think lines keep getting crossed on both ends or else people just have a lot of ideas for names for Nao and keep chucking them to others.

Lily’s name, while being another spring themed name, means ‘pure’ ‘innocent’ or ‘cute’, which I, oddly, find more appropriate than Yayoi.

Name Change: Cure Peace is changed to Glitter Peace.

Fun fact! Supposedly, in the ‘Smile Warrior’ dub, she’s called Warrior Peace….if there were ever a more contradictory name.

Again, her appearance is followed by a shot of Emily followed by her transformed state in a flashback, this time a longer shot of Emily stating that she’s also from her dream, so maybe it wasn’t a dream.

Just to reiterate that this whole introduction scene is a lot of exposition, like I mentioned in the SSBS entry for this episode, Kelsey literally says ‘Last but not least’ when she reaches Lily, because that rounds out all of the girls and no one else in the class matters.

Oddly, despite the change from happiness to luck, Miyuki’s actual introduction about loving happy endings in pictures books and wanting to find happiness in her own life is left entirely alone.

Akane asks what happiness means to her. Kelsey asks if she means like when the cafeteria serves fries instead of creamed spinach and peas.

Akake says she’s not sure she understands what she means, but she kinda does. Kelsey says she thinks Emily’s talking about sun stroke. Haha, get it? Because she’s Glitter Sunny? Hahahaha. Ha.

Teacher: “Well, aren’t you lucky?” Hahah, get it? Because Emily’s Glitter Lucky? Hahaha. Ha.

For the sake of time, thanks to that dream sequence insert I surmise, they completely remove Miyuki seeing Candy out the window, freaking out because of it, getting chastised for yelling in class, sitting back down and pouting.

Miyuki says she doesn’t want to keep Akane from her club activities. Emily says she wants to go to the library to check out a book on dreams.

Miyuki goes to search for Candy while Emily goes immediately to the library.

Because Miyuki’s searching for Candy and not the library, she first finds the music room, then the science lab then finally the library. Even if she wasn’t looking for Candy, it’s realistic for a transfer student to have difficulty finding a specific location within the school.

Miyuki says an empty library is kind of mysterious. Emily says that, with so many books, there has to be something on dreams.

Aw, they got rid of this joke. And more digital paint emerges. In the original, the glowing book is titled ‘Mysterious Doorway’ which I thought was pretty funny. In the dub, this is changed to ‘The Library of Legends.’ Also, they painted away the Japanese text on the book spines around it. Because it’s so terrible to have text in this library—oh God, 4Kids flashbacks! You had no problem showing Japanese text in shows like Digimon – why care now, Saban?

Subbed:

Dubbed:

Minor, but the light makes sounds like a lock when the books are shifted, which makes sense because it’s literally a lock. In the dub, it makes weird laser noises.

Miyuki says that the books are glowing. Emily says ‘Emily, you’re not in Kansas anymore!’ That movie reference was necessary. Also, that’s something better to say after you’ve been transported somewhere else.

They, again, remove a scene with Candy. She’s running around yelling for the Precures when she catches her first glimpse of Wolfrun.

No more eyecatches! I don’t really see the need to get rid of eyecatches all the time. Just shift them around if the timing of the commercials is off.

Eyecatches:

Emily: “Magical books! In glittery pixie dust!” Please shut up.

After Miyuki replaces Candy’s book on the shelf, it glows and falls back out, revealing a portal to Candy’s location. In the dub, they use this opportunity to give us the full backstory on the Glitter Force as told by the magical book.

I wanted to stop before I even watched the scene because I’m trying to review the original series, but the dub keeps spoiling everything.

Well, like last time, let’s just analyze the scene. The book introduces herself as the Queen of Jubiland, It was a bright and joyful world yadda yadda, it was attacked one day by an evil emperor, blah blah blah.

“Until it was attacked by the evil emperor Nogo, ruler of the Shadow Realm.”

….E…excuse me….what?

“Nogo, ruler of the Shadow Realm.”

I’m…I’m sorry, one more time.

“Ruler of the Shadow Realm.”

Yeah….that’s what I thought you said….

I don’t know how to respond to this….The goddamn Shadow Realm….They HAD to know….It’s practically a meme! You can’t tell me they didn’t know! Hundreds of people working on this shit and no one stops to say ‘Hm, Shadow Realm. Where have I heard that before?’

The only way I’ll forgive this is if Nogo turns out to be Marik or Yami Bakura or something and the Glitter Force has to fight him with Millennium Items.

I was only kidding about the 4Kids stuff, but wow. Just wow. This threw me for a massive loop. If they start calling riceballs donuts, I’m out of here.

Name Change: Pierrot is changed to Nogo. I actually don’t mind this because I can’t separate that name from Studio Pierrot.

The Queen says that she is using all of her power to keep the evil at bay while Candy goes off to find the five legendary warriors to combine and make the Glitter Force, but they must retrieve the five Glitter Charms from the enemy in order to achieve their full power.

Cure Decor are changed to Glitter Charms.

Wow, spoiling their second transformed states AGAIN. You’re just being an ass now, Saban.

We don’t originally learn that Miyuki’s one of the Precures until she’s trying to defend Candy much later. In the dub, the Queen just blurts it out. She says that she has to find and assemble the other warriors to restore a happy ending to their world and hers.

Queen: “You, Emily, are our only hope!” Only you can use your main character default-leader-ness to save us!

They shifted the previous lost scene of Candy running into Wolfrun to immediately after the Queen stops talking. They still keep the book falling to the floor as cut and don’t show Miyuki peeking through the books.

Her finding out that she’s a legendary warrior so soon kinda damages the story. Miyuki tries her best to save Candy, knowing she’s just a regular girl and has little to no chance. This shows incredible bravery and firm resolve. In the dub, she knows she’s a legendary warrior before she even realizes Candy’s in trouble (She even says stuff like ‘She’s looking for me!’ when Candy is shown looking for the legendary warriors and says ‘I can’t believe I’m a superhero!’ when she continues searching for her), so she feels more compelled to find her and save her as a legendary warrior.

Signs are painted!

Subbed:

Dubbed:

Bookshop signs!

Subbed:

Dubbed:

Miyuki just says ‘Candy’ over and over while Emily says ‘I can’t believe I’m a superhero!’

More signs are painted as she chases Candy.

Name Change: Wolfrun’s changed to Ulrich.

Another sign’s painted away…Can I default to my ‘If you see a sign, it’s most likely painted’ mode? Because this is getting tiresome already. I’ll take notes for important signs.

I’m not sure the clock thing has a name in the original, but I sincerely doubt it’s the ‘Wheel of Doom.’

Candy doesn’t call Wolfrun a ‘Flea bag’ like the dub does.

Ulrich: “What a load of hooey!” Gotta love when bad guys say stuff like ‘hooey’

In the original, Miyuki just says if someone’s going to pick on someone as small as Candy, she’ll do everything she can to protect her no matter who it is. In the dub, she says she’s read enough fairy tales to know you never trust a wolf.

Candy responds to Miyuki bringing up the stuff about gaining happiness as long as you try hard enough, which leaves Candy surprised and calms her down. In the dub, Emily asks Candy what happened to all the stuff she was talking about with the happy endings and never giving up. Candy responds with “Well….”

In the original, Miyuki yells out “That’s what happiness is to me!” right as Wolfrun makes his attack. In the dub, she yells “Now it’s going to be happy ending!” I find this change funny, because I can’t stop imagining how this would go if his attack landed. “Now it’s going to be a happy ending!” *STAB*

Candy: “You’re Glitter Lucky!” How do you know which warrior she is? Also, let her friggin’ transform before you keep saying stuff like that! Does this show hate surprises?!

Candy: “Now use your Glitter Puff to put on shades of power!” RRRRRGHHHHHHHGHGHGHGHGHGHGH!

Emily: “Poof poof, Glitter bands!” Oh God….

“Poof poof, Glitter boots!” Please…..no….….

“Heheh, poof poof poof! I’m glittertastic!”

I am struggling to figure out what is worse. This or ‘Mew Mew Style, Mew Mew Grace, Mew Mew Power in your face!’ I am leaning heavily towards Glitter Force….

By the by, she doesn’t say anything when putting on her outfit in the original….

Side-Note: Dear god, those pigtails. How is her neck not broken?

The monster’s name is originally Akanbe. In the dub, I can’t understand what Ulrich’s saying. Let’s jump into the credits to see if it’s listed. Ladeeda….Ch….wha? The group who sings the Glitter Force theme song is called ‘Blush’? Seriously, show, tone down the girliness. It’s getting ridiculous.

….They don’t list the voice actors in the English credits? The hell? They list them in the credits for the other language adaptations….Only the Spanish credits list this guy, so I guess he’s Bufon?

Miyuki just yells ‘I’m scared!’ In the dub, she says it’s like a terrifying circus bouncy house.

Attack Name Change: Happy Shower is changed to Sparkle Storm. I don’t much care for the former, but damn, Sparkle Storm.

Dub, you don’t have to add the word ‘glitter’ to everything magical. Please stop.

Miyuki just keeps repeating ‘Spirit!’ Emily makes a literal cheer. ‘We’ve got spirit, yes we do! We’ve got spirit, how ‘bout you?!’ No…No I don’t.

Miyuki yells out ‘I was so scared!’ Emily yells out ‘I hope I don’t have to do that everyday!’

Okay, here’s something that’s weird. The ending credits, in the original, run over a CGI music video of the girls all dancing to the music. In the dub, they keep in a good chunk of the animation and include their own music with it….but….they don’t have the credits running over it. They come after this segment and just play an ‘ending theme-ized’ version of the opening theme over a still image of the girls.

Uhm….what is the point of keeping this if you won’t use it for the credits? It just makes it seem like you jammed in half a music video for absolutely no reason.

Being fair, the song they made here is actually pretty good. Poppy and a little generic, but I like the melody.

The original song is alright and kinda catchy, but a little annoying.

They remove the next episode previews.

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My views on the episode itself can be found here.

As for the comparison, this dub is brutally mangled. Being fair, the show, on its own, seems like a fine show. None of the characters seem bad, nor do they have annoying voice actors like 4Kids would opt to do (though, oddly, Laura Bailey was somehow starting to get on my nerves after a while…) but as an adaptation, this fails on so many levels.

They scene swap and insert for no reason, they spoil things in the plot for no reason, they’ve adopted 4Kids’ ‘erase all text’ policy, though they do keep the English words for the most part, they’re obviously pretending this show takes place in America, they change most of the names for no reason, they add a bunch of cringey dialogue and they change things that actually make some aspects of the show make no sense. Not to mention, it is insane how much even one episode of this is making me hate the word ‘glitter.’ I want to take a glitter hammer and throw it through my glitter computer with all my glitter strength.

Next episode, we meet Cure Sunny/Glitter Sunny!

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