I've been thinking a lot about why I haven't enjoyed Precure lately. I think it has a lot to do with its nature as an episodic, formulaic show that is really... how to put this... manufactured I guess is the right word. Very by the books. With over ten seasons under its belt, this is becoming more and more apparent to me.

I started thinking about the idea of a Precure season doing a rescue arc like shows such as Bleach have done famously. I thought it would be interesting if it was the lead Cure who was taken captive. She would be able to interact with the comic relief villainous trio in their own home, seeing what they're like when they're not out causing mayhem and instead have to serve as her prison guards. It would be a good chance for either side to get some development, coming to understand each other better and having the lead Cure cope with the reality of her captivity.

Her teammates would have to struggle with not having their leader, who is usually "the heart" of the team. Maybe it wouldn't be an overnight mission and they would have to find a way to cover the absence of their friend from her family. A mascot critter could probably assume her likeness, and hijinks would ensue as it tries to mimic her personality.

Then when it finally comes time to storm the villain's base, they're immediately greeted with their leader, shrouded in a dark aura and smiling menacingly.

Of course that quickly got deflated when I realized that Precure would never do something like that. At best they have maybe a two-parter where it's the mascot critter that gets taken usually because of some plot device power. This has happened in a few seasons such as Splash Star, Fresh, Smile and Doki. It's usually resolved pretty quickly, with the end result being a new power-up form or something.

Usually that kind of thing gets wrapped up just in time for the obligatory beach or holiday episodes, another thing that keeps these kinds of shows on a strict formula.

I think what I'm trying to get at is that after watching so many of these Precure seasons, I'm starting to realize that they are indeed rather samey. The few times it seems like they're gonna deviate from the norm, it's usually in the first eight or so episodes, then everything goes back to being school life and monster of the week plots.

Thinking back on the seasons I watched each episode per week when they aired (Smile, Doki) and the ones that I watched multiple episodes in a row when they had already aired (Heartcatch, Fresh, Happiness Charge, Yes 5, Splash Star, Mahou) I don't think it had all that much to do with which way they were watched, but I am thinking that maybe shows like this are better digested in small bits, like maybe one episode a day.

Since they're very episodic I think it might be best to just try to appreciate each episode for what it is, disregarding how it affects the overarching plot. Those tend to not be so good in Precure anyway. I've come along way from watching Smile and expecting it to be like Heartcatch, but after Mahou ended up being a disappointment I can't help but think I should just take any Precure seasons I watch again very slowly, with very low expectations.

I've noticed watching Yes 5, Mahou and non-Precure but very similar, Aikatsu, that I tend to get impatient after watching several episodes, growing bored and occasionally skimming. Honestly after episode 26 Yes Precure 5 is kind of a blur to me.

Precure does a good job of making its protagonists endearing most of the time, and I've said before that if the cast of Smile Precure were in a K-ON esque slice of nothing ever happens type show, I would actually enjoy that. But the often repeated storylines, lackluster villains and formulaic structure start to beat down on me after a while.

So yea, I think it might be better to just take a show like this little by little, treating each episode as its own individual thing.

Oddly enough, pretty much all my best experiences with Precure have been the ones I watched in big marathongs. Particularly Heartcatch, Suite and Smile Precure which I just crammed through and I loved every moment.

The one Precure season I have followed weekly right to the bitter end is... Doki Doki. While I can think of a multitide of reasons why that season didn't captivate as much as... well, just about EVERY OTHER season of Precure, I feel like following it while it was airing did hurt my enjoyment. Not a whole lot happens in the typical episode of Precure. 

Watching the episodes weekly is fun in its own way, but it can also my very draining. It's never hugely fun from start to finish which is what usually leads me to give up. I eventually persevered with Doki Doki and while I don't completely regret the decision I can't say I have a lot to show for it other than a sloppy MyAnimelist review that I got out before most other people had a chance to.

So all in all, I think waiting until it ends is better.

You know, Link, I think you might be right - and I think you may have just helped me figure out why I have difficulty watching long anime with lots of fillers. When the fillers are too similar to each other, I tend to get bored. (Hello, Mermaid Melody!) I think maybe, next time I try watching an anime, I'll watch it bit by bit.