Star Detective Precure! has finally solved one of its biggest mysteries. Episode 25, which aired in Japan on July 19, revealed that Cure Eclair’s true identity is Kurea Howa, a 16-year-old pastry chef voiced by Ikumi Hasegawa.
The reveal also introduced Shushutan, Cure Eclair’s partner fairy, giving the newest Precure an official place in the series’ growing team. For longtime fans, the announcement is notable not only because of the character’s identity, but also because it marks Hasegawa’s first time voicing one of the franchise’s central heroines.
Kurea Howa Wins the Cure Eclair Mystery
The anime spent its four previous episodes presenting four possible candidates for Cure Eclair: Eliza Kurusu, Shiruku Ieiri, Kurea Howa, and Rei Kaneda. Each character received a spotlight episode between June 21 and July 12, giving viewers clues while keeping the identity of the mysterious fourth Precure under wraps.
That mystery extended beyond the television broadcast. From June 21 through July 19, viewers could vote once per day through the campaign website or submit ballots at designated locations in Japan. More than 250,000 votes were cast, and Kurea ultimately received more than half of the total.
Shiruku placed second, followed by Rei and Eliza. While the vote did not determine the anime’s story outcome, Kurea’s strong showing made her victory a fitting result for a campaign built around audience deduction.
Ikumi Hasegawa Steps Into a Major Precure Role
Ikumi Hasegawa is familiar to anime viewers through roles including Desumi Magahara in Love After World Domination, Ikuyo Kita in BOCCHI THE ROCK!, and Pop Step in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes. She also previously appeared in Delicious Party Precure, the franchise’s 19th television series, where she voiced several minor characters.
Cure Eclair is a much larger role. Hasegawa said she was surprised to learn that she had been selected, especially after being instructed to keep the character’s identity secret from the rest of the cast and the public. That secrecy lasted through the first half of the series, making the Episode 25 announcement a particularly unusual casting reveal.
Hasegawa has also described Kurea as someone she looks up to, adding that she had been quietly preparing for the opportunity to show the character’s appeal. With Cure Eclair now part of the story, her performance will be central to how the team’s dynamic develops in the second half of the series.
A New Precure Joins a Time-Traveling Mystery
Star Detective Precure! is the 23rd television installment in Toei Animation’s long-running Precure franchise. The series follows 14-year-old Anna Akechi, who encounters a magical fairy on her birthday and is transported from 2027 to 1999.
In the past, Anna meets Mikuru, a spirited girl who dreams of becoming a detective. When mysterious thefts lead to rumors of the Phantom Thieves, the pair transform into Detective Precure and use deduction, courage, and friendship to investigate the cases. Anna must also uncover the secret behind her journey through time.
Cure Eclair’s arrival adds another layer to that central mystery. Kurea’s background as a pastry chef at Patisserie ChuChu gives her a distinct identity among the candidates, while Shushutan’s appearance establishes the fairy partnership that will accompany her transformation and future adventures.
The series began streaming on Crunchyroll in February 2026 for members in North America, Central America, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the CIS. That gives international viewers a chance to follow the Cure Eclair storyline as the new heroine becomes part of the regular cast.
There is also more Star Detective Precure! on the horizon beyond the television series. A feature film based on the anime is scheduled to open in Japan on September 18, 2026, and promotional material has already included Cure Eclair alongside the series’ other Precure heroes.
Now that the secret is out, the next episodes will show how Kurea and Shushutan fit into the team—and whether Cure Eclair’s connection to the series’ larger time-traveling mystery brings the heroes closer to solving the case.
Sources
crunchyroll.com
tv-asahi.co.jp
