Shinada Takumi (品田拓海)? is a supporting character from Delicious Party♡Pretty Cure. He is Nagomi Yui's childhood friend. He is a third-year student at Shinsen Middle School. His family owns a guest house called Fuku-An (福あん)?.
His alter ego is the Cook Fighter, Black Pepper (ブラックペッパー)?, also nicknamed BlaPe (ブラペ)? by the Cures.
Bio
Appearance
Takumi has short brown hair and blue eyes. He wears a purple shirt underneath a white hoodie and a blue jacket, along with black pants and light red sneakers. In the summer, he wears a white T-shirt with a black shirt underneath, blue jeans, red sneakers, black socks, and two black bracelets around his right wrist.
In the winter, he wears a grey sweatshirt beneath a black and blue jacket, denim jeans, dark blue socks, and white sneakers with blue shoelaces.
As a child, he wore a yellow top beneath a blue-white jacket, along with denim jeans and red sneakers.
As Black Pepper, his hair turns silver and a black mask appears over his eyes. He wears an off-white wide-brimmed hat that flops on the right with a black band around it with a matching plume held by his Delicious Stone. The inside of the hat is light blue with a gold scalloped border. His suit is off-white with gold lining and epaulets and a light blue collar and cuffs on the jacket along with white gloves. Underneath is a white shirt with a light blue sash across his chest with a black bow on top and a white bow below it. His boots are black with high heels and light blue and dark blue bows on the sides and are tucked into his pants. His cape is also off-white with pink on the inside and his belt is dark brown with a diamond-shaped buckle.
Personality
Takumi is straightforward but takes care of people. He gets disconcerted over issues related to romance. Takumi will do anything to protect Yui's happiness. Takumi also doesn't let other people's thoughts bother him, to the point that he is honest with his feelings and shares his opinions. He often doubts himself when he feels like he isn't being helpful, but overcomes the doubts through some motivation.
Relationships
- Nagomi Yui: His childhood friend. Takumi cares so much about Yui, to the point that he will do anything to keep her out of danger. Due to his feelings for Yui, he has a hard time keeping himself together, and has a habit of becoming flustered when he's around her.
- Shinada An: His mother. He can occasionally get embarrassed by her over-affection.
- Shinada Monpei: His father who he respects and cares about. Monpei entrusted him with a Delicious Stone after the stone glowed at Takumi's touch, and now Takumi has taken over his father's legacy as a Cook Fighter.
- Rosemary: Takumi initially thought Rosemary was the enemy after witnessing Rosemary always taking Yui with him to fight the Ubauzo. Even after realizing Rosemary is a good person, he still thinks of Rosemary as a nosy person, and is very tense around him. However, after being recognized as part of the team, Takumi begins to trust Rosemary more.
- Kasai Amane: His fellow schoolmate from the same grade. They both refer each other by their surnames. They are friends due to mutually knowing Yui, but he tends to be embarassed when she brings up his crush on Yui.
Etymology
Shinada (品田)?: Shina (品)? means "stock", "quality" and "dish"[1], with the latter alluding to the series' food theme. Da (田)? means "rice field".[2]
Takumi (拓海)?: Taku (拓)? means "to expand" or "to open"[3], while Mi (海)? means "ocean".[4]
Black Pepper is a flowering vine, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning.[5]
History
Takumi's Past
As a child, Takumi ignored Yui's crying, until he saw a rice-ball put a big smile on Yui's face. [[Nagomi Yone]|Yui's grandmother]] also gave Takumi a rice-ball, which he enjoyed. Yui tried to get him to say "Delicious Smile!" but he was too embarrassed. Takumi had found the courage to apologize to Yui, and watched Yui's grandmother teach Yui the phrase, "food brings smiles".
A year prior to episode 13, Takumi walked up to his father who was packing for a fishing trip. He discovered a box with a Delicious Stone that glowed when Takumi picked it up. There, Takumi learns that his father is from CooKingdom and that the Delicious Stone has chosen Takumi to be its user. However, his father told him not to use the Delicious Stone carelessly.
Various Encounters
Takumi shows up at Yui's family's diner, where he is greeted by his mother. Later on, he and Yui eat omurice together, but runs out of the diner after the omurice lost its flavor.DPPC01 He later checks up on Yui following the incident, and shows curiosity regarding Rosemary as he feels that he might've seen him before.DPPC02
Whilst on a walk, Takumi comes across Kome-Kome who was running an errand for Yui. He soon reunites the exhausted fox with Yui and Rosemary who were recently alerted of a distressed Recipepe.DPPC03
On the way to school, Takumi comes across Yui with the intention of inviting her to eat hamburgers at a local diner, only for Yui to run off to see Hanamichi Ran. Later at the burger place, Takumi is escaping the Ubauzo when he catches sight of Rosemary putting up a Delicious Field.DPPC08
When Yui and Ran are forced to do extra assignment after failing a surprise exam, Takumi is dragged into helping them finish it. After Ran leaves with her finished assignments, Takumi voices his concerns about Rosemary and the monster attacks to Yui. DPPC11
Becoming Black Pepper
Takumi is suspicious about Rosemary after seeing him with Yui every time an Ubauzo appears. He feels the need to protect Yui from danger, but hesitates after remembering his father's words, and feeling embarrassed about the costume he'll have to wear. Takumi also notices that he and Rosemary both have a Delicious Stone. After a video chat with Monpei and Hikaru, he stops his mother from going on about how she met her father to Yui. Afterwards, he remembers how he and Yui learned the phrase, "food brings smiles".
After his mother's memories are stolen, Takumi chases after Yui, but hides when Rosemary appears. He witnesses the confrontation between Yui and Narcistoru, and quickly runs into the Delicious Field while thinking of his father's warning about being careless with his Delicious Stone. He fires an attack as Black Pepper and disappears before Precious could figure out that he saved her.DPPC13
His Own Feelings
One day, Takumi is confessed to by his junior Honma Tomoe but before he can answer her, she runs off.
Later than night, Takumi is invited to eat with Rosemary at Nagomi Diner. Just as he tries to ask Rosemary something, Rosemary believes it is about his feelings for Yui. Having his feelings discovered, Takumi tries to deny it, though he only ends up embarrassing himself further and can only accept the box of candies from Rosemary to save face. At home, although he knows that Rosemary is a good person, he still can't help but decide to investigate more about the Pretty Cure matter.
The next day, Takumi decides to follow Rosemary and the three girls. When he realizes that they are involved with Narcistoru's Motto Ubauzo again, he runs into the Delicious Field and transforms into Black Pepper, though he leaves after helping them.
Soon after, Takumi honestly but kindly rejects Tomoe, but they become friends as a result.DPPC14
Having Doubts
Upon realizing Narcistoru is stealing memories again, Takumi transforms into Black Pepper and enters the Delicious Field, hoping that he can contribute his efforts. However, he then witnesses Cure Finale rescues Precious, which makes him doubt his own importance to the team. When Rosemary approaches him after the fight is over and tells Black Pepper that he wants to apologize to Cinnamon, Black Pepper is unaware that Rosemary is referring to his own father and bluntly replies that he doesn't know such a person, before leaving with lingering self-doubt. DPPC19
Considering Retirement
During the Cures' battle against a Motto Ubauzo, Takumi transforms into Black Pepper again to help, but it catches and deflects his attacks. Finale tells him to stop while Narcistoru mocks him for meddling in the battle. After the Recipepe is freed, Black Pepper apologizes before retreating. Later, Takumi wonders if he is doing the right thing. As that happens, he sees Minato, who wants to give his childhood friend Asae the "legendary crepe" as she recovers at the hospital. Takumi agrees to make it, going to Fruit Parlor KASAI to get some help from the girls. After several attempts, they perfect the crepe, but Minato catches up with Takumi, telling him that he's not ready to face Asae because of an argument they had. Upon learning that, Takumi starts to feel like he just got in the way again, but Rosemary suggests for him to go with Minato to visit Asae, and he agrees.
After arriving at the hospital, Takumi gets Minato to give Asae the crepe and Minato apologizes to her, and the two make up and share memories of how he would always buy her the crepe during her middle school days. Just then, Narcistoru captures the Crepe Recipepe and Minato and Asae's memories of it disappear. Takumi then heads to where the Cures are and prepares to enter the Delicious Field, but he hesitates when he remembers Narcistoru's words. After a while, he transforms and enters it, but Narcistoru tells him that not even the Cures want his help. Still, Black Pepper is determined to recover Minato and Asae's memories. After the Motto Ubauzo absorbs his attack, Black Pepper deflects it back to Narcistoru. The Cures then join Black Pepper to help him, with him and Precious attacking it together before it got purified. Before Black Pepper retreated, Precious smiles at him, happy for his help. He then has another talk with Minato, glad that he feels that he has been doing the right things. DPPC22
Befriending Kosuke And Helping Matasaburo
After seeing Asai Matasaburo again, Takumi plays baseball with his friends, but when he is talking with Yui, Matasaburo's grandson Kosuke mistakes him as a potential love rival. Kosuke challenges Takumi to determine which of them can go on a date with Yui, surprising Takumi. Motivated to impress Yui, Takumi gives his all in the baseball game, while also becoming good friends with Kosuke. Takumi later checks on Matasaburo, where he offers to taste his oden stew to cheer him up. He then advises Matasaburo to respect Kosuke's wish.DPPC34
Revealing His Identity
With his father home, Takumi sits down with Rosemary and Monpei, where he is told to return his Delicious Stone. Takumi is reluctant at first, but eventually hands it over. On his way to school, he overhears Yui talking to her friends about Secretoru when Yui notices him and asks him to make bûche de Noël. He promises Yui that he'll make an extra big one this year. Later that day, Takumi meets up with Rosemary, where he asks Rosemary to not tell the Cures that he is Black Pepper. Their conversation is cut short by Secretoru stealing the Christmas Cake Recipepe, as well as kidnapping the Energy Fairies.
Takumi and Rosemary chase after Secretoru, with Takumi hiding when Yui shows up. However, when Yui gets hurt, Takumi breaks her fall. Takumi then begs Rosemary to give him a Delicious Stone so he can transform into Black Pepper to save the Energy Fairies. Rosemary gives him the Delicious Stone, where Takumi transforms in front of Yui, revealing his secret to her. With the fairies saved, Black Pepper joins the Cures and Rosemary inside of the Delicious Field so they can fight the Ubauzo. Black Pepper notices the dazed Precious, so he tells her to speak to Secretoru. A little while later, Black Pepper protects the Cures from the Ubauzo's giant yellow beam, but gets back up, healing his wounds in the process. Black Pepper than gives the Cures a few words of encouragement, and works together with them to overpower the Ubauzo.
With the Ubauzo defeated, Black Pepper de-transforms back into Takumi, shocking Spicy, Yum-Yum, and Finale. However, Precious starts crying, which takes Takumi by surprise. He later comforts Yui by giving her a rice ball, and apologizes for keeping his identity as Black Pepper a secret from her. Takumi later talks to his father about how serious he is about being Black Pepper and wanting to help. Monpei lets Takumi keep his Delicious Stone as it turned out there was a spare one, and asks him to help repair the Special Delicious Stone. Takumi accepts the offer. The next day, Takumi promises Yui that he'll make bûche de Noël when he comes back.DPPC40
Battle Against Godatz
After Fennel reveals himself to be Godatz, Black Pepper is ordered to heal the girls by Monpei, only to watch Monpei get severely injured. Furious at Godatz, Black Pepper follows him into the Bundoru Gang headquarters. When Precious tries to stop him, he gets angry at her and decides to fight Godatz on his own, even refusing Godatz's offer to join him. However, Precious stops him from directly fighting Godatz, and reminds him that his powers are for helping people. Unfortunately, Black Pepper ends up getting injured by Godatz and reverts back to Takumi, but is saved by Kome-Kome when she teleports him, Rosemary and Yui back to Earth.DPPC42 Due to his Delicious Stone breaking, he is unable to transform into Black Pepper. Takumi still encourages Yui before she, as Precious, leaves to help her friends defeat Godatz.DPPC43 Fortunately, his Delicious Stone is repaired by the Hoka-Hoka Hearts, so he helps the Cures, his father and Rosemary defeat Godatz.DPPC44
Epilogue
After the events of the final battle, he gives boxes of vegetable rice to Yui. When he visits CooKingdom, he thanks CooKing and CooQueen for everything before taking part in the grand celebration.
The next day, while sitting with Yui, Yui asks him if he wants to join her friends for another fun day. Takumi hesitates at first, but joins the girls anyway. He is last seen having fun with the girls with a smile.DPPC45
Black Pepper
Black Pepper (ブラックペッパー)? is Takumi's Cook Fighter alias. During battles, he usually comes to the Pretty Cures' aid when they are in a pinch. Aside from hand-to-hand combat, he can fire energy balls similar to pepper pellets. He soon gains the ability to use his cape to shield himself from enemy attacks.
As shown in episode 38, his Delicious Stone has the power to heal his injuries quickly. It's revealed in episode 42 that it can heal others too.
Attacks
- Pepper Mill Spin Kick (ペッパーミルスピンキック)?: A sub-attack that Black Pepper uses during battle.
Songs
Takumi's voice actor, Uchida Yuma has participated in an image song for the character he voices.
Trivia
- Takumi's birthday is on November 3rd, making his Zodiac sign Scorpio.
- He shares his given name with Takumi from HUGtto! Pretty Cure.
- He likes adding black pepper into his meals DPPC14, which interestingly fits his Cook Fighter title.
- He used to hate bell peppers as a child, but starts enjoying them after his father Monpei secretly put some into meat patties. DPPC26
- He excels in playing baseball. DPPC34
- In the Oops! All PreCure Animage interview, Takumi's role in the season is to demonstrate that male characters like him can also support the main Cures.
- Despite never being featured in the anime, a profile of Takumi wearing his summer school uniform is featured in the Delicious Party♡Pretty Cure Official Complete Book.
- In an interview in the Official Complete Book, Fukasawa Toshinori believes that Yui and Takumi will keep going out until Takumi confesses his feelings to Yui, where they'll get married, have children, and inherit their respective shops.[6]
- His voice actor, Uchida Yuma, is the younger brother of Uchida Maaya. She voices the younger self of Empress Undergu, the former main antagonist from Hirogaru Sky! Pretty Cure.
- On January 1st, 2024, Uchida Yuma announced his marriage to Hidaka Rina, who voiced Laura, one of the main Cures from Tropical-Rouge! Pretty Cure.[7]
- Black Pepper has his own transformation phrase and sequence during the live on stage shows of Delicious Party.
Gallery
- Main Page: Shinada Takumi/Image Gallery
References
- ↑ https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%93%81
- ↑ http://www.romajidesu.com/dictionary/meaning-of-%E7%94%B0.html
- ↑ https://nihongomaster.com/japanese/dictionary/kanji/1775/%E6%8B%93
- ↑ https://nihongomaster.com/japanese/dictionary/kanji/286/%E6%B5%B7
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_pepper
- ↑ https://twitter.com/ayusheknows/status/1655050585320873984
- ↑ https://twitter.com/oricon_anime_/status/1741670087046918210?t=RxBlQmbHzlQxJmOOoqIzpg&s=19
- ↑ https://x.com/kentawong94/status/1807058715893448807
| V • E Delicious Party♡Pretty Cure characters | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cures | Nagomi Yui/Cure Precious • Fuwa Kokone/Cure Spicy • Hanamichi Ran/Cure Yum-Yum • Kasai Amane/Cure Finale | |
| Mascots | Kome-Kome • Pam-Pam • Mem-Mem | |
| Villains | Godatz • Gentlu • Secretoru • Narcistoru • Spiritoru • Ubauzo | |
| Others | Rosemary • Recipepes • Shinada Takumi/Black Pepper • CooKing • CooQueen • Fennel • Cerfeuil • Ginger • Nagomi Akiho • Nagomi Hikaru • Nagomi Yone • Fuwa Hatsuko • Fuwa Shousei • Todoroki • Hanamichi Tsurune • Hanamichi Koshinosuke • Hanamichi Rin • Hanamichi Run • Kasai Botan • Kasai Shuichi • Shinada An • Shinada Monpei • Kasai Yuan • Kasai Mitsuki • Matsuyama Sakie • Maira Isuki • Tatemoto Hanna (Tatemotte) • Other Minor Characters | |
| Movie only | Cait Sith | |