History SpoiledByTheMerchandise / PrettyCure

** This was entirely mitigated in the last few years, due to using [=RFIDs=] and QR codes, which cannot be spoofed using this method. The most recent series even used a [=PreData=] Memory, effectively an expansion card, so the mid-season upgrades ''weren't even on the device''.

* The gift made by Mayu for Iroha in ''Anime/WonderfulPrettyCure'', a walking outfit for Komugi, was spoiled by the toyline a month before the episode introducing it aired.

* Beginning with ''Anime/MahoGirlsPrettyCure'', the merchandise releases became sneakier: Bandai would release a new version of whatever the item the Cures dance with in that season's first ending theme as a tie-in to the SixthRanger for that season, which plays music. One of the songs on said item is the second ending theme for that season, and the toys are usually released before the show uses the song. During the ''Anime/HugttoPrettyCure'' season, they also included Emiru and Ruru's ImageSong "Love and Love" weeks before it played on the show.

* Beginning with ''Anime/MahoutsukaiPrettyCure'', the merchandise releases became sneakier: Bandai would release a new version of whatever the item the Cures dance with in that season's first ending theme as a tie-in to the SixthRanger for that season, which plays music. One of the songs on said item is the second ending theme for that season, and the toys are usually released before the show uses the song. During the ''Anime/HugttoPrettyCure'' season, they also included Emiru and Ruru's ImageSong "Love and Love" weeks before it played on the show.

** This was entirely mitigated in the last few years, due to using [=RFIDs=] and QR codes, which cannot be spoofed using this method. The most recent series even used a [=PreData=] Memory, effectively an expansion card, so the mid-season upgrades *weren't even on the device*.

** This was entirely mitigated in the last few years, due to using [=RFIDs=] and QR codes, which cannot be spoofed using this method. The most recent series even used a PreData Memory, effectively an expansion card, so the mid-season upgrades *weren't even on the device*.

** This was entirely mitigated in the last few years, due to using [=RFIDs=] and QR codes, which cannot be spoofed using this method.

** An advert for the Heart Cure Watch accessory spoiled the fact ''at least'' Kome-Kome will have a human form (which was later revealed in the opening), with some of the trading cards showing Yui interacting with Kome-Kome as a human outside of the watch. The same watch was later used to find the final human form for Kome-Kome.
** In Episode 3, Pam Pam reveals that Kome Kome has to learn how to speak human language over time. However, the talking Kome Kome toy has several phrases that are in Japanese, rather than the "kome kome!" speaking pattern it used in the show at the time the toy was released (prior to episode one's premiere). The Heart Cure Watch also spoils this fact.

** Also, The assets for the hidden mode unlockable with Cure Finale's special Recipepe, involving picking up sweets from Fruit Parlor Kasai, was found through the same leak.

** ''Numerous'' details about the fourth Cure for ''Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCure'' were found through the Heart Cure Watch, in a similar sense to [[Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure Laura's early reveal]]. Not even a week after episode 1's airing, images of them as Cure Finale and Amane Kasai were leaked, and over the following weeks, their name, a brief biography and a simplified animatic version of their henshin were found out in short order, the henshin itself spoiling their [[Creator/AiKayano voice actress]], which revealed that Amane Kasai was an alias for ''Gentlu'', meaning this leak far outstripped the previous season's.[[note]]With the previous leak, none of her henshin was revealed, and most of the information was gleaned from other sources. With this leak, practically everything short of their debut episode was all discovered from the same source in only a couple of weeks(!)[[/note]]
** The Heart Juicy Mixer's existence was spoiled by early images of the Cures holding them in a similar way to guns, with ''everything'' remaining about them leaked as part of a toy release schedule.

** ''Numerous'' details about the fourth Cure for ''Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCure'' were found through the Heart Cure Watch, in a similar sense to [[Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure Laura's early reveal]]. Not even a week after episode 1's airing, images of them as a Cure and a civilian were leaked, and over the following weeks, their name, a brief biography and voice actress, spoiling their ''actual'' in-series identity, all were found out, including a simplified version of their henshin, far outstripping the previous leak.

* Similar to the ''Star Twinkle Pretty Cure'' example, a mini-game glitch on the Mermaid Aqua Pot from ''Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure'', an interactive jar of Laura, showed a QR code, leaking that she's the fifth Cure and that she'll grow human legs in place of her tail. Additionally, her name is Cure La Mer, which was part of her last name.
* Besides being hit with unprecedented ContentLeak, ''Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCure'''s toys couldn't keep a couple of reveals a secret:

** ''Numerous'' details about the fourth Cure for ''Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCure'' were found through the Heart Cure Watch, in a similar sense to [[Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure Laura's early reveal]]. Not even a week after episode 1's airing, the watch was used to find the designs of the Cure's in both her transformed and civilian forms leaked online.

** In Episode 3, Pam Pam reveals that Kome Kome has to learn how to speak human language over time. However, the talking Kome Kome toy has several phrases that are in Japanese, rather than the "kome kome!" speaking pattern it used in the show at the time the toy was released (prior to episode one's premiere).

* Due to [[ScheduleSlip production delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic]], ''Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure'' suffered from this a lot:
** The Element Bottle for the Miracle Leap movie was released on the day the movie would have hit theaters before being delayed. Therefore, when inserted into the Healing Stick, it spoiled that Cure Grace got a solo attack called Time Illumination in the film if the person was using the Rabirin faceplate.

** Merchandise visibly depicting Cure Earth and her Element Bottles showed up around the time she was supposed to be introduced in the show (a rerun of episode 12 aired the week these items were released due to delays), as well as Latte being involved in the transformation. Instead of delaying the release, Toei decided to throw the towel in and officially announce Cure Earth, along with the second ending theme's title, themselves.
** Prior to the pandemic, merchandise at the Pretty Cure Pretty Store showed all the future elements, including three that were leaked by the Latte toy to be associated with the show's SixthRanger.

* Some of the transformation devices and weapons can produce sound effects spoiling new characters and forms by pushing down on the buttons activated by the collectible item with a toothpick, pencil or headphone jack. However, some toys are secretive about this, such as the toys for ''Anime/SuitePrettyCure'', where the collectible item for that season, the Fairy Tones, used batteries and not the actual attack and transformation items and the [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Smile Pact]], which says "Pretty Cure, power up! Let's go!" for all upgrade Cure Decors that aren't the Rainbow Healing ones, since they require a separate toy to produce the noises for said power ups[[note]] the Ultra Cure Décor for the Ultra Forms and the Miracle Tsubasa Puff for Cure Happy's movie upgrade[[/note]].

* A sneaky example of this was the idol singer minigame on the Mirai Pad made for ''Anime/HugttoPrettyCure'', which showed Emiru's idol costume, but not the character herself, as you would need to insert the red Mirai Crystals to show Emiru in said minigame, as she will not show up if any other crystal is inserted.
* Perhaps the most notable was the merchandise for ''Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure''. Due to how easily the collectible items (Star Color Pens) could be misread, some fans claimed that their Cure Milky transformation pen or Gemini Star Princess Pen was misread as the pen for Cure Cosmo, the fifth cure. In addition, when the Star Color Pendant is switched on, it flashes in pink, green, yellow, purple and blue as the girls say "Star Color Pendant!", with blue being Cosmo's color. Fortunately, her identity was not revealed until her debut, with her [=PreCoord=] doll using her Mao form instead as the alternate costume.

** Merchandise depicting Cure Earth showed up around the time she was supposed to be introduced in the show (a rerun of episode 12 aired the week these items were released). Instead of delaying the release, Toei decided to throw the towel in and officially announce Cure Earth, along with the second ending theme's title, themselves.
** Prior to the pandemic, merchandise at the Pretty Cure Pretty Store showed all the future elements, including three that were leaked by the Latte toy to be associated with the show's SixthRanger.
* Similar to the ''Star Twinkle Pretty Cure'' example, a mini-game glitch on the Mermaid Aqua Pot from ''Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure'' showed a QR code that revealed Laura's human form.
* In episode 3 of ''Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCure'', Pam Pam reveals that Kome Kome has to learn how to speak human language over time. However, the talking Kome Kome toy has several phrases that are in Japanese, rather than the "kome kome!" speaking pattern it used in the show at the time the toy was released (prior to episode one's premiere).
* This occasionally happens with merchandise preorders for '''the actual series''' before the official website reveals the designs of the characters. This has happened twice so far:
** In November 2013, 3DS cases revealed the character designs for Cure Lovely and Cure Princess of ''Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure''. Amazon pulled the preorders as a result.
** In December 2019, Amazon preorders for lunch items accidentally revealed the designs for the entire cast of ''Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure''. The preorders were kept up, but the image was replaced by a generic placeholder instead.
* The Korean dub merchandise of the series is really bad about this. Unlike in Japan, the merchandise for the SixthRanger is released the moment the series comes out in Korea. The same Cure is also featured on other tie-in merchandise such as stickers and books.

* Similar to the ''Star Twinkle Pretty Cure'' example, a mini-game on the Mermaid Aqua Pot from ''Anime/TropicalRougePrettyCure'' showed a QR code that revealed Laura's human form.

* Beginning with ''Anime/MahoutsukaiPrettyCure'', the merchandise releases became sneakier: Bandai would release a new version of whatever the item the Cures dance with in that season's first ending theme as a tie-in to the SixthRanger for that season, which plays music. One of the songs on said item is the second ending theme for that season, and the toys are usually released before the show uses the song. During the ''Anime/HugttoPrettyCure'' season, they also included Emiru and Lulu's ImageSong "Love and Love" weeks before it played on the show.

* Beginning with ''Anime/MahoutsukaiPrettyCure'', the merchandise releases became sneakier: Bandai would release a new version of whatever the item the Cures dance with in that season's first ending theme as a tie-in to the SixthRanger for that season, which plays music. One of the songs on said item is the second ending theme for that season, and the toys are usually released before the show uses the song. During the ''Anime/HugttoPrettyCure'' season, they also started including an ImageSong related to the sixth rangers alongside the new ending theme on these toys weeks before it plays on the show.

'''As this is a spoiler trope, all spoilers will be unmarked''''

* Perhaps the most notable was the merchandise for ''Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure''. Due to how easily the collectible items (Star Color Pens) could be misread, some fans claimed that their Cure Milky transformation pen or Gemini Star Princess Pen was misread as the pen for [[spoiler: Cure Cosmo, the fifth cure]]. In addition, when the Star Color Pendant is switched on, it flashes in pink, green, yellow, purple and blue as the girls say "Star Color Pendant!", with blue being [[spoiler: Cosmo's color]]. Fortunately, [[spoiler: her identity was not revealed until her debut, with her [=PreCoord=] doll using her Mao form instead as the alternate costume]].
** Another common misreading was for the [[spoiler: Shiny Twinkle Pen]], which has the ability to [[spoiler: turn Fuwa into a pegasus]] when used with the Twinkle Book. This aforementioned form also showed up on a package of strawberry ramune candy sold at Lawson in July of 2019.

** The Element Bottle for the Miracle Leap movie was released on the day the movie would have hit theaters before being delayed. Therefore, when inserted into the Healing Stick, [[spoiler: it spoiled that Cure Grace got a solo attack called Time Illumination in the film if the person was using the Rabirin faceplate]].
** Merchandise depicting [[spoiler: Cure Earth]] showed up around the time [[spoiler: she]] was supposed to be introduced in the show (a rerun of episode 12 aired the week these items were released). Instead of delaying the release, Toei decided to throw the towel in and [[spoiler: officially announce Cure Earth, along with the second ending theme's title, themselves]].
** Prior to the pandemic, merchandise at the Pretty Cure Pretty Store showed all the future elements, including [[spoiler: three that were leaked by the Latte toy to be associated with the show's SixthRanger]].

* Some of the transformation devices and weapons can produce sound effects spoiling new characters and forms by pushing down on the buttons activated by the collectible item with a toothpick, pencil or headphone jack. However, some toys are secretive about this, such as the toys for ''Anime/SuitePrettyCure'', where the collectible item for that season, the Fairy Tones, used batteries and not the actual attack and transformation items and the [[Anime/SmilePrettyCure Smile Pact]], which says "Pretty Cure, power up! Let's go!" for all upgrade Cure Decors that aren't the Rainbow Healing ones, since they require a separate toy to produce the noises for said power ups[[note]] the Ultra Cure Décor for the Ultra Forms and the Miracle Tsubasa Puff for Cure Happy's movie upgrade[[/note]].

** Beginning with ''Anime/MahoutsukaiPrettyCure'', the merchandise releases became sneakier: Bandai would release a new version of whatever the item the Cures dance with in that season's first ending theme as a tie-in to the SixthRanger for that season, which plays music. One of the songs on said item is the second ending theme for that season, and the toys are usually released before the show uses the song. During the ''Anime/HugttoPrettyCure'' season, they also started including an ImageSong related to the sixth rangers alongside the new ending theme on these toys weeks before it plays on the show.