Pretty Cure All Stars DX2: Light of Hope - Protect the Rainbow Jewel!

Lore & Background

The film follows the HeartCatch PreCure! team, Tsubomi and Erika, who receive an invitation to Fairy Park from Chypre and Coffret. There, they encounter the Fresh Pretty Cure! team and later other Pretty Cure teams. The villains Northa, Uraganos, Kintoleski, and Mucardia appear, revived by the power of the Rainbow Jewel, which the evil entity Bottom seeks. After Bottom takes over Fairy Park and separates the girls from their mascots, each team assists Tsubomi and Erika in reuniting with Chypre and Coffret. When Bottom absorbs the Rainbow Jewel and transforms into a gigantic being, Blossom and Marine use Miracle Lights to grant all Pretty Cures Rainbow forms, allowing them to defeat Bottom with the attack 'Rainbow Jewel Splash.' In a post-credit scene, Tsubomi panics about waking up late, but Erika shows that the other girls are waiting outside their house.

Reader's Guide

Pretty Cure All Stars DX2: Light of Hope - Protect the Rainbow Jewel! is significant as the second crossover film in the Pretty Cure franchise, expanding the shared universe of the series. It marks the first film appearance of the HeartCatch PreCure! team, integrating them into the larger narrative alongside previous teams from Fresh Pretty Cure!, Yes! PreCure 5 GoGo!, Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash Star, and Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart. The film features a large ensemble voice cast, including Nana Mizuki, Fumie Mizusawa, Kanae Oki, and Yōko Honna, among others. Its box office performance, debuting at number 2 in Japan and later dropping to number 12, indicates moderate commercial success. The film's legacy lies in its role as a bridge between seasons, showcasing team-ups and introducing the Rainbow Jewel as a plot device, while also setting the stage for future DX installments.

Did You Know?

• The film was directed by Takashi Otsuka and written by Isao Murayama, the same key staff from the first DX film.
• The evil entity Bottom is voiced by Kiyoyuki Yanada.
• The film debuted at number 2 in the Japanese box office in its opening weekend.
• In the post-credit scene, Tsubomi freaks out about waking up late, but the other girls are waiting outside her house.

Position in the DX Trilogy

Pretty Cure All Stars DX2: Light of Hope - Protect the Rainbow Jewel! occupies the middle slot in the three-part DX trilogy, arriving after the 2009 debut entry and before the 2011 conclusion. Released on March 20, 2010, by Toei Animation, it continues the crossover tradition established by Izumi Todo's television franchise, gathering heroes from multiple seasons into a single theatrical story. As the second installment, it carries the momentum of the series' first film while setting up the finale that would follow the next year. The DX trilogy as a whole represents the early era of the All Stars format, a period when the films featured Cures from every series produced to that point rather than limiting the cast to just the current and two preceding teams—a restriction that would only arrive later with Dream Stars. This broader roster approach meant DX2 could showcase a wider array of characters, making it a particularly rich gathering point for fans of the franchise's earlier seasons.

Character Roster and Narrative Role

The film's cast includes every Cure from the series that preceded it, with the notable addition of the team introduced in HeartCatch PreCure!. Following the All Stars convention, this newest group carries the heaviest narrative weight, driving the plot forward more than any other team. A beloved running gag anchors the opening: the latest Cures accidentally collide with their predecessors, establishing a lighthearted tone before the adventure begins. Beyond the heroines themselves, the fairies associated with each team are portrayed as mutual friends, creating a warm web of relationships that spans generations of the franchise. This emphasis on camaraderie across series reinforces the All Stars identity—every team, regardless of when they debuted, belongs to one extended family. The Rainbow Jewel at the center of the story serves as the unifying object the assembled heroes must protect, giving every character a shared purpose.

The Miracle Lights Spectacle

One of the most distinctive features of DX2, shared by nearly every All Stars film, is the use of Miracle Lights—small flashlights distributed to audience members before the screening begins. These are not mere novelties; they become integral to the cinematic experience. During the climactic battle against the main antagonist, the film explicitly invites the entire theater to wave their lights in support of the Cures, transforming passive viewers into active participants in the heroes' victory. To ensure young attendees can join safely, the movie typically includes a brief instructional segment demonstrating proper handling of the Lights. The tradition extends beyond the theater as well, with Miracle Lights produced for specific individual-series films, allowing fans to recreate the communal glow at home. For DX2, this interactive finale turned a family movie night into a collective, participatory event that reinforced the franchise's message of unity.

Release Timing and Franchise Tradition

Like its All Stars siblings, DX2 was timed to release shortly after the premiere of a new Pretty Cure television series, a scheduling pattern that keeps the franchise's theatrical and broadcast offerings in close dialogue. This proximity ensures that the newest team—HeartCatch PreCure! in this case—arrives in theaters still fresh in the minds of the audience, maximizing their emotional investment in the crossover story. The March 20, 2010 release date also situates the film within the traditional spring window for the series, following the same seasonal rhythm as the 2009 DX1 and the 2011 DX3. Produced by Toei Animation under the creative umbrella of Izumi Todo's original franchise, DX2 exemplifies the franchise's strategy of using theatrical crossovers as celebratory milestones. By the time of its release, the All Stars format had already established itself as a beloved annual event, and DX2 reinforced that reputation by delivering a full ensemble spectacle that honored every preceding season.