Paris to! The Mille-Feuille of Memories! is the second Kirakira☆Precure a la Mode film. Unlike most other feature films, this one is closely connected to the series, even going so far as to clarify certain aspects of the characters’ backstories and continuing some narrative threads—something rarely seen in this franchise, as the movies usually tell stories loosely connected to the main plot.

The series, in my opinion, has its ups and downs, but the film manages to stay consistently engaging. It takes place in Paris (in France), because Ciel promised Madame Solaine she would participate in a competition—an event that occurred in episode 37, which effectively acts as a “prequel.” In that episode, Jean-Pierre was also introduced; he was the fairy’s first teacher and is one of the main characters in this story. He is introduced from the beginning as an odd fellow who is rather inconsiderate of others, but is highly skilled as a patissier. He considers solitude a strength, but at the same time desires recognition, also for material survival. For this reason, in addition to accusing Ciel of having weakened because of her friendships, he is easily corrupted by the fairy Cook, who promised him he would be able to create the perfect dessert by listening to her. In truth, she intends to turn Jean-Pierre himself into the dessert—a fate that, lost in his madness, he willingly accepts. What I liked about his resolution is that Ciel remained respectful towards him, not forcing him to connect with others, because his way of making desserts is also, at its core, respectable, and she isn’t someone who should force him to change.

Despite that, in the finale he decides to voluntarily collaborate with Cook, who has reincarnated in human form. In fact, she lived a life similar to his, as she was a patissier with poor skills and little affection, dying alone. Upon meeting Jean-Pierre, she manipulates him. An interesting aspect of her characterization is that she strongly despises Ciel, since she is a prodigy. She intends to devastate Paris with dessert-shaped monsters, but I was never able to see her as a real threat or true antagonist—perhaps also because of her cute design.

Then, the last 10 minutes had pacing that was too fast in my opinion, especially the final battle against Cook. I consider the better-animated battles to be the ones involving the Mahoutsukai Precure… Yes, they are present too. They had already met the Kira Kira in the Dream Stars movie and are in Paris because they sensed danger. Their role, however, will be extremely marginal, as they will not have significant interactions and will be busy fighting monsters around the city. One peculiarity is that the Eiffel Tower often ends up involved in the fights—it collapses and is lifted back up at the end of the film.

I liked that it was remembered that the Kira Kira Precure have powers linked to animals, which are reflected in their design—this is why Cook associated them with other animals to weaken them. However, they still managed to outsmart her in fun ways and defeat the various enemies. Speaking briefly about Ciel, I liked her relationship with Jean-Pierre—it’s treated with respect, but not as a master-student dynamic, so much so that their farewell is a headbutt, which is also what allows him to come back to himself. Moreover, her closeness to him explains why she had distanced herself so much from Pikario: he’s an individualist, so he must have influenced Ciel to be like him. In fact, during her first appearance in the series, she said she didn’t want students, just like Jean-Pierre. Over time, of course, she changes her mind.