Cardcaptor Sakura: 18 Years Later

Cardcaptor Sakura is one of my favorite magical girl anime, and while watching the anime all over again, it had thrown me into a world of nostalgia. From the outfits to the love that Syaoran and Sakura had felt, this had been such a beautiful anime to watch and to see how it had evolved. We once more look at the battles and trials that she had to face while finding herself and taking the title as Cardcaptor. We see the many unique characters that are introduced throughout the different episodes and gasp when we find out that Yukito was nothing more but another being.  Yes, we are still in a whirlwind of our lovely grey-haired anime boy that we had all fallen for and rooted for. Only to turn our sights to Syaoran, especially, in the episode, “Sakura, Syaoran, and the Elevator.” While this was all happening, and the secrets revealed to everyone around them, we learn so much from the group that was in an anime beyond its time.

However, the ending was such an open one as we wait to see Syaoran once more and see if he would ever return from Hong Kong as he gives Sakura a teddy bear with his name. We enter with the two anime movies that had come out, one during the anime and another after the anime. However, the issues arise in the first Cardcaptor movie, as the dubbed version had chosen different voice actors. That is the cringe factor came in as Sakura once high, and girly voice given a deeper one. Along with Kero sounding more like a surfer “dude” that didn’t even belong. And then the names were changed entirely from Yukito being Julian and Touya’s name is changed to Tori along with some others. Confusion fell over this change when the movie progressed and threw chaos around what was happening. The dubbed version is one to avoid and to move towards the subbed version, while finding only the subbed version of the second move, Cardcaptor Sakura: The Sealed Card, on Crunchyroll. While the anime is after the ending of Cardcaptor Sakura anime, we held our breaths in hopes that Syaoran will return. And while those hopes had been answered, we were still wondering what Sakura true feelings would be towards the boy that had given her a teddy bear in the end.

Syaoran, Kero, and Sakura

As months have passed since the ending of the second movie, we see in the prologue of the second series of Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, we noticed a figure in the distance as the cherry blossoms fall all around Sakura. And as the distance between them close, we scream to see that Syaoran has returned to continue where the story has left off. And we start once more the journey of Sakura and her cards that she has finally accepted her in the end. The anime shows a glimpse of the past coming forward as we say hello to all the characters that we haven’t seen in the lost 18 years of magical girl animes. While the story continues, and a new set of cards have flooded through, bringing out the star wand and the changing outfits once more, thanks to Tomoyo for those.

The animation for the new Cardcaptor has evolved as we had all expected, while the animation has moved forward since the 1990s. We do see a crisp of the characters now; we do enjoy the new animation of that CLAMP has seen such the new look on the characters. The lightness of everyone’s hair and the way their faces have taken a rounder and define look into the age of modern anime. We do applaud the new Cardcaptor with the new look and a more in-depth storyline that does touch base on the original Cardcaptor Sakura. The opening for Cardcaptor Sakura is “Catch You Catch Me” by Gumi, which was beautiful to see as it was filled with such nostalgia, seeing the cherry blossom petal fall and then seeing Sakura in one of her outfits and school uniform. While it progresses to see the different characters that will soon swarm around her love and magic that she wields and the story that will soon unfold before them all. The ending song is “Groovy!” by Kohmi Hirose with just Kero in chibi form, running on the hill with a blue sky and white clouds giving us the feeling of happiness.

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card opening is called, “Clear” by Maaya Sakamoto, giving the trademark cherry blossom in the beginning and Sakura in her outfits once more. We watched with joy as the characters are gracing our screens once more, seeing them slightly older from before. The star wand does make an appearance as we see Sakura flying with Kero in the sky as cherry blossoms flow around them. The ending song is called, “Jewelry” by Saori Hayami, it is a light song as we see the everyday life of the characters, seeing Sakura Syaoran, and Tomoyo along with Kero being filmed and cooking. Such an experience that has always been seen within the anime. We also can’t help but laugh when we look at Kero dancing, giving us fits of laughter. The new animation styles for both songs have been beautiful to see, and we hope that this isn’t the end, just yet. We would love to see more of Cardcaptor and hopefully not wait another 18 years for another season of the life of Sakura and her cards.