Episode 10 - Pretty☆Sexy★Honey Cat!

Pretty☆Sexy★Honey Cat! (プリティー☆セクシー★ハニーキャット！) is the tenth episode of the Aikatsu Friends! anime series. It aired on June 7th, 2018.

Summary
Ema and Maika are searching for a Friends partner. From an outside perspective, the two fit each other perfectly, going against their expectations. Although their personalities and preferences are polar opposites, no matter how you look at it, they have the best compatibility... Who exactly are the partners that these two have chosen!?

Plot
Aine approaches Mio one day to ask her if she has chosen a Friend yet. She answers she hasn't, and Aine points out that Mio has several girls who would love to be her partner because she's so talented, as well as the Muse and Top Designer for her own brand, Material Color. Despite this, Mio suggests that Aine is more impressive to her due to how much she's grown in such a short time, along with her desire to get closer to her fans. Aine is delighted and asks Mio if she has improved enough to be Friends with her yet, but after Mio goes silent, Aine claims she was only kidding. She isn't nearly a match for Mio.

Inspired she gets up and decides to go for a run, but in the process of exiting the room she runs into a hurried Tamaki. While scolding Aine she begins packing her items and explains how she has business to attend to at Sutekigahara Highlands, where Dream Park Land is. Mio correctly guesses that it involves Ema and Maika, and Tamaki brings up how they were asked to head there for work. Suddenly Aine asks Tamaki if either of them have chosen a Friend yet.

Meanwhile, Ema and Maika are shown discussing Friends while traveling and enjoying a snack. Ema brings up how reliable and talented Mio is and thinks she would be the most suitable, but Maika claims Aine is a lot more fun. However, regardless of their partners they promise not to lose to each other as they arrive.

After changing into their casual clothes the girls begin filming, starting at the entrance of the park and introducing themselves before discussing the amazing scenery that surrounds it. They explain how they will be showing everyone the hot spots outside of the park, including the large field full of activity- like enjoying the huge park, visiting the camp ground, eating barbecue, and for the romantics there is even a gondola ride that circles the park.

Eventually the girls arrive to a beautiful view of the sunset in the distance. They make a few last remarks before the recording ends and the staff compliment their efforts. As everyone is preparing to go, Tamaki approaches with the park Executive Manager, who also remark on how well the girls did before taking off. Tamaki is relieved knowing things went so well as she thinks back to earlier that morning. Mio had noticed that lately Maika was in a slump over the upcoming release of Dancing Mirage's Premium Rare dress, while Ema's game has been lacking and she only has a single match left before the upcoming tournament. She wasn't sure they will be able to focus, but Aine surprises them both by claiming they will be since they work together very well. She goes on to suggest they become Friends. Upon finishing the story, Tamaki watches as the girls react with shock.

That night the girls make conversation while Tamaki checks them in at their hotel, amused by the idea of a Friends unit. They soon go silent, and Tamaki returns suggesting they have dinner, where the girls begin to take note of how different they are; starting when Ema remarks on how Maika always eats Japanese Food. Maika is quick to point out how Ema only seems to like western food though, and after Ema reacts with disgust when she tries a piece of Maika's food. She complains that it isn't sweet, but Maika claims she doesn't like it sweetened. During dessert, after Ema brings up how well black tea and chocolate cake go together, Maika brings up how she would prefer coffee with it, although she would rather have dorayaki instead. Ema remarks she would rather have taiyaki.

By this point Tamaki suggests the girls should get their bathes and head for bed since they need to get up early. But still hung up over their differences, the girls continue to compare themselves. After finishing their baths, Ema claims a warm and slow bath is good, but Maika claims a really hot bath is more refreshing. Their drink preferences are different, with Ema enjoying fruit milk after a bath and Maika preferring coffee milk. It's then Ema brings up that this area is also really popular during winter as a resort. Of course the only thing to do in such times is to go snowboarding, although Maika insists on skiing. They also bicker on the means of travel, with Ema suggesting a speedy jet while Maika would rather take the more refined choice, a cruise ship. Followed by discussing their favorite parts of train travel, like going over the bridge or through the tunnels, and the long nose of an elephant against the long neck of a giraffe.

Now in bed the girls realize they really are a lot different than they thought. They don't see how a Friends unit could work between them if they don't have anything in common.

The following day the girls decide to show some of the fun activities to do in the park, but after how the prior evening went they both continue to struggle. First Ema demonstrates the bungee jump, but when Maika tries to take her turn she is overcome with fear and can't do it. Ema tries to encourage her by bringing up how Maika never lets fear take over- instead she charges through it boldly. Maika argues that she isn't Ema though, and they decide to take an easier approach by visiting the Fluffy Puffy Petting Zoo, where Maika is shown to do very well as Ema recoils in fright of the small animals. She explains how frightened she is at the idea she could hurt them, which doesn't make sense to Maika but she tries to convince her it will be fine. Ema doesn't believe her though, repeating what Maika said.

After recording finishes the girls are left unsatisfied while Tamaki and the Manager speak. They are disappointed realizing that maybe they aren't suitable partners after all before they overhear a little girl with her parents nearby. They find her admiring the Cure Power Girlies show and observe the poster before asking Coco to tell them more about the series. She brings up how the popular series revolves around two heroines -Girly Cat and Girly Honey- who defend the world's fashions in perfect synchronization.

It's then Tamaki and the Manager approach with some bad news. They bring them back stage of the performance area and explain how the actresses who play Girly Cat and Girly Honey are stuck in traffic and won't be able to make it in time for the show. They had a huge crowd of little girls coming to see the performance and was hoping they could help by filling in for them. While both girls have acting before, they head out into the hallway after Aine gives Ema a call to ask how things have been going. They were seriously considering turning the request down because they know they'll have trouble but Aine quickly tries to reason with them, saying they would make a great team because of their differences. This leaves the girls surprised as she explains what she meant, and she brings up how they manage to share the same feelings; such as not wanting to let down the people who came to see the show, and how they both love doing Aikatsu with the intentions of making others smile. Realizing Aine is right and that they do share a common goal, Ema and Maika agree to try.

The program starts with the appearance of Jersey Noire and his henchmen. Quickly Girly Cat and Girly Honey arrive and introduce themselves, performing a flip in sync and landing with ease- only to mess up when they pose wrongly. This alerts the audience members that something is off but the girls continue anyway as Tamaki laments from backstage watching them. She realizes asking them to suddenly perform at the last-second was probably a mistake as they choose the wrong directions to start their attack, but a fight breaks out either way. Maika and Ema are able to defend themselves well, but they are still out of sync and are failing to remember their times correctly. Despite this, Tamaki watches as the fans in the audience begin to get into it and cheer for the girls as they take down Jersey Noire.

After returning home, Ema prepares for her upcoming Lacrosse match. But as she remembers that it will be the final game before the tournament and how her team needs to win to apply for it, she suddenly gets frightened. She suddenly remembers what Maika told her at the petting zoo, causing her to realize that she isn't the type to just give up, and she rises, ready for the game.

Meanwhile, Maika tensely awaits for her turn in the Audition to determine the Muse of Dancing Mirage. But as she remembers Ema's words from the day before, she realizes that she must give it everything she has. In this time the girls realize they aren't each other, but this is what allows them to be good friends and determine who it is they wish to stand by.

Maika is soon revealed to be the winner of the Audition and she stands in the waiting area admiring her brand new Premium Rare coord. She runs forward and changes into it before appearing on stage to perform "Girls be ambitious!". Afterwards, the audience admires the sexy appearance of the coord and how well Maika performed, including Aine and Mio.

Later Ema is shown scoring the final point needed to win her game. She leaves the building to find Maika, Aine, and Mio awaiting and Maika approaches her. They begin to discuss names, settling on Honey Cat, and in this time Aine and Mio realize they have formed a Friends unit. Aine is delighted to have witnessed this and further excited, she turns and starts running. Maika and Ema ask Mio if she's chosen a partner yet as they watch her, and she stands in silence while observing Aine.

Characters

 * Ema Hinata
 * Maika Chōno
 * Aine Yūki
 * Mio Minato
 * Coco
 * Tamaki Enjōji

Trivia

 * The One Night Mirage Coord makes its debut in this episode.
 * The brand Dancing Mirage makes its debut in this episode.
 * The song Girls be ambitious! debuts as an insert song.
 * The Friends unit Honey Cat is formed in this episode.
 * The video game Ema is shown thinking about resembles Super Mario.