Cardcaptor Sakura

Ten-year-old Sakura Kinomoto is an ordinary fourth-grade student living in Tomoeda until, one day, she stumbles upon a mysterious book of cards titled "The Clow." Pondering over her discovery, she unintentionally causes a magical gust of wind to scatter the cards all over town.

The accident awakens the Beast of the Seal—Keroberos, nicknamed "Kero"—who tells Sakura that she has released the mystical "Clow Cards" created by the sorcerer Clow Reed. Due to each Card's ability to act independently and their incredible power, Clow had sealed them away. Now that they have been set free, the Cards pose great danger to the world, and it is up to Sakura to put an end to them.

Appointing Sakura as the "Cardcaptor" and granting her the Sealed Key, Kero tasks her with finding and recapturing all the Clow Cards. Alongside her best friend Tomoyo Daidouji, and with Kero's guidance, Sakura must learn to balance her new secret duty with the everyday troubles as she takes flight on her magical adventures as Cardcaptor Sakura.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Kinomoto, Sakura Main

Tange, Sakura Japanese

Li, Shaoran Main

Kumai, Motoko Japanese

Daidouji, Tomoyo Main

Iwao, Junko Japanese

Keroberos Main

Hisakawa, Aya Japanese

Tsukishiro, Yukito Supporting

Ogata, Megumi Japanese

Yue Supporting

Ogata, Megumi Japanese

Kinomoto, Touya Supporting

Seki, Tomokazu Japanese

Li, Meiling Supporting

Yukana Japanese

Hiiragizawa, Eriol Supporting

Sasaki, Nozomu Japanese

Spinel Sun Supporting

Konishi, Katsuyuki Japanese

Maseba, Yutaka Producer

Kondou, Eizou Producer

Asaka, Morio Director, Episode Director, Storyboard

Mima, Masafumi Sound Director

Reviews

Aug 24, 2024

SCLFI

Recommended

Speaking about The Tempest, Samuel Johnson wrote that "whatever might be Shakespeare's intention in forming or adopting the plot, he has made it instrumental to the production of many characters, diversified with boundless invention, and preserved with profound skill in nature, extensive knowledge of opinions, and accurate observation of life." Although much has changed from the days of either Johnson or Shakespeare, Cardcaptor Sakura manages to establish its own form of genre hyperspecificity. With this in mind, traditional English theatre should not be viewed as directly comparable to anime, owing to the lack of production value and choreography (as it is understood within a cinematic ... context) in the former case, and while Cardcaptor Sakura is certainly no exercise in trying to imitate Shakespeare, nor even to integrate it with the more kinetic forms of Japanese artforms such as noh or puppet theatre, it carries a significant point to remain aware of. Especially when considering an episodic format, Johnson’s comment is crucial, as it is not the machinations of plot that define an exemplary work, nor the action set pieces that characterise later cinematic works, as Cardcaptor Sakura operates and functions via hyperspecificity and the interconnection of multiple areas of design, it is all in the psychology, character, and location that coalesce to produce a work that manages to reiterate a familiar episodic format that balances its disparate elements in such a way that they enhance and enrich the whole atmosphere.

Compared to other contemporary mahou shoujo characters, even those of CLAMP’s own design such as Magic Knight Rayearth, Sakura’s design is notable in how subdued it is, with Sakura choosing to present herself to the world at large without the sort of extravagance that shoujo character design makes itself known for. As a furtherance, Sakura’s own demeanour is also modest, especially when viewed in contrast to that of Kero, Meiling or Tomoyo – Sakura’s own psychology is that of the superego, but lives in a world populated by the id. Navigating this world, and the simultaneous search for self and love for others within that world, is what exemplifies Cardcaptor Sakura. As with The Tempest, it is not a timeline or graphing of plot elements that are of defining importance, it is the establishment of character and atmosphere, a recognisable iconography of a world at large, all of which move in formation to create something meaningful. Across a wider generic scale, theorist Thomas Lamarre has stated that viewers are "encouraged to see shojo as a metaphysical construct with cosmological implications, precisely because she/it is a woman that is not one", and this is the defining struggle of Cardcaptor Sakura, to acknowledge the cosmological aspects of a world that is governed by the id (certainly, it would be impossible to define any semblance of authority or power structures otherwise), and to see through one’s own sense of growing confidence and understanding via apotheosis.

Escapism is an overused word. Escapism, pandering, or fan service all cover similar territory in their attempt to appeal to certain desires and expectations of an audience, but I elect to instead call it the viewer’s own id. The character of Tomoyo is central here, firstly through her recording of Sakura, making her a viewer-director in her own right, and by providing Sakura with elaborate costumes for her to wear, and these two points merge to provide a metafictional depiction of the viewer’s id. Significantly, doubly so for something released so soon after Perfect Blue, Tomoyo’s id is not framed or articulated in a negative manner, there is nothing nefarious or voyeuristic (avoiding an echo of a Hitchcock-De Palma sensibility by specifically watching Sakura as she is in danger) within her behaviour, and by extension the series itself. The viewer’s id demands to be presented with its own unique and exciting audio-visual experiences, and it is in this respect that Cardcaptor Sakura is perhaps most notable. Sakura’s apotheosis may be unlike that of a typical warrior or hero, in part due to the lack of apocalyptic implications typical of many anime, but the combination of an original iconography, kinetic action and inventive use of the opportunities created by the setting all share one commonality, remarkable in how controlled they all are. By extension, they may not appeal to the sort of psychedelia or pure disregard of standard form that characterises some of the most intricately directed and choreographed action sequences, De Palma’s included, but the consistently retained control is what elevates CLAMP’s direction. The use of stillness is emphasised, but it is through a continued use of forward motion that a sense of energy is created, the feeling of movement even when the frame remains still, orchestrated in such a way that while the frames often remain still, they do not repeat or reverse themselves, and the points of movement themselves are typically quick, making each moment and decision crucial to any given situation.

The embedded nature is the point that is perhaps of the highest importance. Sakura embeds herself onto others, who reflect back onto her, and this is also the basis for most magical encounters, finding the correct means of breaking through, as failure to do so only results in ricochet and reflection. The embedded nature also extends to the world itself, which harnesses its own magical properties (or ‘presence’) at certain times in certain areas, and it is at these junctures that a recognition of the self within this world becomes crucial. Rather than a purely introspective approach, Cardcaptor Sakura understands the importance of recognising the ontological status of all that one engages with, and it is for this reason that it manages to be so engaging as it develops twofold: Sakura understands her superego, the viewer understands their id, and both of them manage to find the sublime by the process.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Dec 29, 2023

KrenZane

Mixed Feelings

*The ending's strong brainwash still left the messy spots unperturbed*

~~

!! SPOILER-FILLED REVIEW/REFLECTION !!

~~

I don't even think I've outgrown children's shows. I literally adore Takahata's adaptation of Anne of Green Gables. Looking at my favorites, Inazuma Eleven's high up there as well, so I cannot give the reason of me growing out of pure, innocently hopeful, and straightforward tales such as Cardcaptor Sakura as the cause of my substantial lack of affection. Much to my frustration, I noticed a lot of flaws in mind.

To get straight to it, the magical system's ceiling is far too high for a child like Sakura to reach. Clow Cards! Amazing, ... hooked me the instant Sakura showed the powers off. Incantations, magic circles, flying, arcane wizardry, adorable characters defending the city from the supernatural--my inner child was bubbling from the exposition, rousing the young adult me at the reality of watching an anime classic imbued with nostalgia. And it's pink! And the colors are cute, and the atmosphere is light, and it's looking like it could be an enjoyable comfort watch to stave the stress away.

But I go back to my point: the magical system's ceiling was far too high. It is no doubt that the concept of the Cards is a pivotal entertainment device for a magical girl series. To top it off, we are essentially stuck in a Card-of-the-week design, limiting each episode to the whims of the formula. Now, it isn't that an episodic show instantly spells disaster, but in my opinion it does make it really difficult to effectively impact the viewers. You're trading the element of surprise for a sense of familiarity as you allow the audience to warm up to the cast at a very leisurely rate, which then puts the show at the mercy of pacing. That can be combatted through spice with a distant expiry date, but the thing is, the warm air of Cardcaptor Sakura just was not sufficing at all. Rather, it made me sweltering with desires to move past this endless stifling spring-summer air. And most especially, the magical flair lacked, well, flair.

Sakura never underwent training. This whole ploy of Clow Reed's took this ignorant, supposed-to-be-ordinary young girl by surprise. And honestly, there is just so much to expect from a child, and we see Sakura battle against self-doubts precisely because of the situation, one that is marked by an impending calamity to boot. Although yes, the conclusive triumph was Sakura gaining the confidence to take over Clow Reed's mantle as the new master of the now-Sakura Cards, but see, there was something more that I wished could have been there throughout all magical frays, and that is the creative usage of Cards individually or through mix-and-matching them.

As it is, I can't help but feel like Sakura could have more cleanly or more elegantly dealt with many iffy situations. Shaoran was introduced to have a refined grasp on the Cards, but even that was nerfed as he joins the protagonist's side. And Keroberos, the keeper of the Book, one half of the guardians placed by Clow...I don't even understand why he was blatantly useless during battles when he knows what personalities each Card has. I would have expected him to also possess extensive wisdom of their capabilities, but for some reason he falls short of that. Kero-chan is plenty cute, but man do I want him to be more helpful in critical situations, even if not always, since it does take away the suspense. I do not mind that Sakura is challenged to the brink because it ultimately aids in her growth as a Cardcaptor and as a person overall. It's just that, the presentation was rather unjustified in my eyes. The screenplay was scarce from coherence.

Speaking of Cards having personalities, that area remained highly unexplored. The Dash and The Mirror were definite stand outs, then there are some that reside within the threshold, and then the rest were bland. One thing that this opened up was the concept of compatibility, and we see this with Cards having their own strengths and weaknesses. That as well wasn't executed adeptly. When we are told that the Cards have unique personalities and when Sakura is shown to care a lot for her Cards, I expected the Cards to adequately present themselves sentient enough to accrue sentimental resonance from the viewers as the protagonist has. And well, cooler clashes could have happened especially when Sakura unlocked enough power to summon multiple Cards at once.

You know, maybe this is my battle shounen meathead shooting out bolts and sparks at lost potential. But who's to say these principles are unnecessary for a show like Cardcaptor Sakura with an episodic formula? All of this progressively turns the atmosphere stuffy with its repetition and sluggish approach. The texture becomes coarse, and much of the substance has lost down the road (considerable courtesy to my personal preferences).

However, let's try to set this aside and keep the magical affairs as it is, with no sort of training expedition delving deeper into the intricacies of Clow Reed's magic, with Sakura, novice as she is, possessing subpar skill of the arts, with Kero-chan and Shaoran greener than they were introduced, because Cardcaptor Sakura doesn't really focus on clean supernatural engagements (although I really only argued a lot for its capacity as a complementary tool to enhance the entertainment value of the story as an episodic magical girl show) but more so the goings-on of Sakura's daily lives amidst a love-filled environment.

To put it simply, I couldn't care less about Sakura's circle in school at all. Everything they did just felt like passing time to me. There was nothing interesting about them, especially not their romantic relationships, one of which is particularly...odd, to say the least; the mundanity of it all didn't serve to be in favor of the show's daily-lives aspect. They are as endearing as cute little ducklings, but then not even that made me giggle like an older sister witnessing her younger sibling flocking around having fun with fellow adorable like-minded girls.

Past that, I did enjoy her interactions with Shaoran, Meiling, Yukito, Kero-chan, Tomoyo, and her family, the last two way ahead of the race for very obvious reasons which I think are universally shared. Comedy and intimacy were both amazing. Somehow those were weighed down by how much repetitive and dragging the show itself has been. Somehow its optimistic heart didn't bring me down to my knees. And it feels depressing not being able to thoroughly enjoy the childlike wonder Cardcaptor Sakura specifically has...

I'll praise its foreshadowing were it not for it literally being mudded by filler scenes (and by filler I do not mean it in a non-canon sense since majority of the adaptation is not manga canon anyway, but with its truer definition as a fattener of content). I simply cannot be elevated by the bare minimum when a lot of factors have already affected my view on the show. Halfway past, some time before Yue's reveal, my like meter has considerably clouded, much to my dismay. (The "catastrophic doom" thing of everyone losing their loved ones did not really hit right at that very instant, but it definitely aged like wine. I'll explain later.)

Sadly, I've had my fill. The initial excitement I've had for some things (like Shaoran's love for Sakura), compared to the peak of their post-birth stages, have dissipated. Unsurprisingly, Tomoyo's antics with Sakura remained absolutely entertaining. She is such a dear. I'll take this moment to ride the wave of appreciation for this literal goddess.

Take the most emotionally mature person you know. Place them beside the most selfless being on earth. Now, complete the triad with the most supportive friend there ever is. Fuse them together and you have Daidouji Tomoyo.

And did I ever mention that she can sing, videograph and edit, and design clothes at age 11? We can never know what else she has in store for the world.

Tomoyo is practically the embodiment of love in the series. There's the protagonist, of course, but for the sake of the rhythm, let's give the crown to the queen. She didn't come from any magical bloodline. Yet with no powers at all, she never hesitated coming along with Card battles, and they compromise the safety of civilians with their volatile personality, hostility, and huge potential for collateral damage! (Regarding that, it's just so funny not even the police in Tomoeda have been shown to have an inkling of the Cards' existence despite the existences of Create, Big, Earthy, among many others. There were no reports, or "I'll be leaving Tomoeda" stampedes or anything.) It's nothing short of praiseworthy how deep Tomoyo's love for her best friend and cousin is to always join in on every step of Sakura's journey as a Cardcaptor. She is quick on her wits too. At times she turned the tide of battles with her intellect, aiding Sakura with appropriate usage of her Cards, pinpointing the opponent's weaknesses or unloosing the right questions to initiate victory.

With her keen perceptiveness of people's behavior, she was able to be a reliable shoulder to lean on from other characters. When Meiling was in despair from Shaoran's rejection, it was Tomoyo who comforted her broken heart, with the aura of a legit mother (and boy was that such a depressing episode). It was within her embrace Meiling decided to melt on due to the trust she has for Tomoyo's understanding. When Shaoran was twiddling his thumbs, wallowing in self-doubt, hesitating to confess his love for Sakura for more than half of the series, Tomoyo was able to pick up on his feelings and provided ample assistance for Shaoran to gather courage to push through. She is literally one of the most un-hateable characters graced by Japanese storywriters, and is 100% a god disguising as a 4th grader. Her character is highly relevant and beneficial to the soul of the show--and I dare say she carried it heavily, for she captures in frame the beautiful aspects of love.

If the catastrophe were to occur, if everyone were to lose love for their loved ones, then that brings so much misfortune to the world, because that would have meant losing Tomoyo's supportive love.

Now that we're on the topic, I would like to briefly say that the chain of romance was something else. Sakura liked Yukito, Shaoran liked Yukito (but actually not; still, seeing someone like Shaoran liking Yukito was a breath of new air), then he liked Sakura, and Tomoyo likes Sakura, then Yukito likes Touya (real). I utterly despise Akizuki solely for always coming in between the two lovey dovey guys even if it's for plot.

Speaking of plot, the episodes approaching the ending had me gradually recovering from my plight. I would have thought that anything after the Final Judgment was unnecessary, but the events Eriol triggered were much more enjoyable than the "gotta catch 'em all!" arc. And the ending, well it's actually one of those conclusions that brainwashed me to like the story far more, substantially disregarding the monotony and flaws of much of its runtime.

Enter Sakura's greatest spell: "Everything will be alright."

Absolutely adorable message. And a perfectly appropriate one for Cardcaptor Sakura.

Centuries prior to the start of the tale, Clow Reed has already planted the seeds for his plan regarding the next successor of the Clow Cards. Everything that has happened was essentially his machinations in order to make Sakura a powerful enough Cardcaptor that can carry on the Cards' legacy. Somehow, he had to make Sakura's father possess the Cards. How this happened is still beyond me. Maybe Fujitaka has also been inhabited by Clow's soul or something? When he occasionally closes his eyes and acts calm, Fujitaka does seem to resemble Clow, but I digress. Going back, the Cards being released was for Sakura to catch them all and officially be trialed to vie for ownership. Eriol's appearance, with his overwhelming power, allowed Sakura to turn the Cards into her own bit by bit. Cruel stuff, Mr. Clow, but I never felt a sense of suspense because of my trust in Clow himself, that he would never harm Sakura way more than is intended, and during the indoor pool flood episode, suspicions were confirmed.

I've got to say though, I personally would have been induced some sort of psychological trauma at the end of it all, being haunted by a specter of the past that wants to mould me into a respectable successor of the Cards even with good friends and family and a mythical creature by my side, disrupting my daily life and whatnot, but maybe that's just me. Maybe a raised-well secure child just has inherently more resistance. So anyway it's been the same old with the formula, waiting for confrontations and narrative spikes, because I knew everything will be alright. A bit more push, and Sakura finally came face-to-face with Clow Reed.

You know, I'm a sucker for the passage of time. It is my Achilles' heel due to its elegant poetic connotations. And all of the sequence within that space glitters with whole glory at the unfolding of Clow Reed's hopes for Sakura's growth. Our protagonist carries with her a love that is pure, a love that is bigger than her tiny stature. And that love is not destructive at all. It reaches towards her hard-earned Cards, treating them like darling friends as well. Practically everyone in Tomoeda is magnetized by her aura. Those who know her describe her as someone one who is delightful to be with. That is because she is a giver love.

Etched in her name is a symbol of an unchanging season of life, the unequivocal majesty that is spring. When sakura trees are in full bloom, one can't help but be amazed. Albeit ephemeral, it still leaves with its petals and their dance performance with the wind and their song number with the animals and graduating students an impact lasting throughout the following seasons. As a successor of the dual combo of fall and winter, spring is nature's way to comfort weary souls. Simply, the trees tell the world that they "will inevitably return. Meanwhile, grow to become more flourishing within or without bloom," an insinuation that, indeed, although problems are sure to come straight at us, all things will be alright in the end. It will hold exceptionally true with unyielding hope of that most powerful magic spell. And just like how she turns the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards, Sakura is able to turn bad things into positive experiences.

When Sakura was being reassured by Clow of the strength she possesses to bring that charm to fruition, it honestly felt like it was me being soothed and pampered. In turn, the inner child of mine told this pathetic young adult that I can continue to endure. To quote a Filipino band's song, Leaves by Ben&Ben,

"Leaves will soon grow from the bareness of trees
And all will be alright in time"

Truly a comforting end to Sakura's journey.

See what I meant by being successfully brainwashed? In sitting upon that conclusion I allow the shore in my mind to be washed with magical force waves making the entire run worth it somehow, smearing away the potent misgivings I've had. But that's an aspect of art, isn't it? Sometimes, traversing into a less decent part of the story after feeling strong about its message and themes does not mean that that part is revitalized and you become blind to the discomfort it brings.

To sum up what I feel about Cardcaptor Sakura, it leaves off on a very poetic note which comes to a thematic and literal full circle that releases the watcher's hand as gently as a leaf falls off on its branches, but it still is weighed down a lot by how it misses its mark on some character writing and its potential in terms of the magical stageplay, largely exacerbated by its episodic method which makes it more difficult for the audience to accept redemption.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Jul 3, 2020

nic016

Not Recommended

NOTE: I am not comparing this anime to the manga.

Story: The story itself is good. The plot on paper seems like it would be a great action-packed anime with lots of complex relationships and a cool backstory. The problem arises in the execution itself. The story is dragged out slightly, with pacing issues riddled throughout the series. Leading up to the finale of the first season was definitely dragged out, with a dream sequence appearing in the last 15 episodes that were just repeated over and over again and got really tiring. The second season could have been done better, with what feels like a ... cheap ending.

Art: The art was lacking unfortunately. The art in the cards themselves were great, but this was short lived and the rest of the series felt like it copied and pasted throughout the anime.

Sound: Sakura saying "Yukito" became a joke while watching this anime. There are also points where they didn't cut off the Japanese original voices before the dub came in, so you would get half of the Japanese word before the English began... and I found that absolutely hilarious. The mixing was all over the place, and there were so many times where you could tell they just copied and pasted the same sounds or voice clips from characters throughout the series.

Character: The main character got annoying. I know that I'm hating on the main character but her personality is very basic and you can predict pretty much everything she would say or do. I wish we could see more Yukito and Toya. I feel like a lot more feelings could have grown through the series instead of it being a stagnant infatuation with certain characters. Anytime there was a character whose feelings felt like they would finally be shared or evolved, there would be a distraction. EVERYT. TIME. Now i get it this is normal, but man at least give us something. Once in a while, sure, but every time? The characters barely grew, and when something finally did happen between two characters i would yell out "FINALLY" because this is what the audience wants! Am I the only one who thinks that? Also, there were really really vague conversations between characters when Sakura is trying to figure something out. Literally Kero would be trying to help Sakura, but speak in literal riddles for Sakura to find out on her own.

Enjoyment: I mean, I finished it. By the end I definitely wanted it to end lol. I roughed it out because I wanted to finish it, not because I was enjoying it.

In the end, this is definitely a story for kids. I mean, I watched it as a kid. That was the entire reason I revisited the show. But if you're a teenager or young adult watching this hoping for cool action, character development, romance, or anything of substance, its kind of lacking. Remember, this is a grade 4 school girl trying to collect cards across her home town. Unless the collection of the cards are over many years, you can only get some much from a plot like that.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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