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| カードキャプターさくら | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Original cover of Vol.1 published by Kodansha in Japan. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Info | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Kanji: | カードキャプターさくら | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Romaji: | Kādokyaputā sakura | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| English Title: | Cardcaptor Saukra | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Genre(s): | Magical Girl, Romance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manga | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publisher: | Kodansha | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Demographic: | Shojo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Magazine: | Nakayoshi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Run: | May 1996 - June 2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| # of Volumes: | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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カードキャプターさくら (Kādokyaputā Sakura, Cardcaptor Sakura), is a shojo manga series written and illustrated by the mangaka team, CLAMP. The story focuses on 10 year old Sakura Kinomoto, who discovers that she possesses magical powers after accidentally freeing a set of magical cards from the book they had been sealed in for years. She is then tasked with retrieving those cards in order to avoid an unknown catastrophe from befalling the world.
Plot[]
Ten-year-old fourth grader, Sakura Kinomoto opens a mysterious book in her father's study and accidentally releases the magical Clow Cards. Created by the half-English half-Chinese sorcerer Clow Reed, the Clow Cards were sealed within the Clow Book upon his death and represent a combination of magic from Clow's mixed heritage. Each card has its own personality and characteristics and can assume alternate forms when activated.
Cerberus, the "Guardian Beast of the Seal", awakens and emerges from the book's cover. Upon learning the cards are gone, he tells Sakura that she must have special powers, and that it is now her responsibility to retrieve the missing cards. As she finds each card, she must battle its magical personification and defeat it in order to seal it away. Cerberus acts as her guide and mentor throughout the quest, while her classmate and best friend Tomoyo Daidouji films her exploits and provides her with costumes, insisting that she must "wear special clothes for special occasions." Her older brother, Touya Kinomoto, watches over his sister while pretending that he is unaware of what is going on.
As the series progresses, a rival in the form of Syaoran Li appears. A descendant of the late Clow Reed, creator of the Clow Cards' and their guardians, Syaoran travels to Japan from Hong Kong to recapture the cards, but finds his goal complicated as he comes to respect Sakura and begins aiding her instead. Once Sakura has captured all of the cards, she must undergo the Final Judgement. Yukito Tsukishiro, Sakura's crush and the best friend of her brother, is revealed to be the false form of the card's second guardian Yue. Yue is the one who must test Sakura and Syaoran to determine which one is worthy of becoming the cards' true master. Sakura is aided in the test by Kaho Mizuki, who is later revealed to have been sent by Clow to ensure Sakura is able to pass the test because he chose Sakura to be the cards' new master when he knew he was going to die.
With Sakura as the new master of the Clow Cards, life initially is peaceful until the arrival of a new transfer student from England, Eriol Hiiragizawa, which coincides with new disturbances occurring in Tomoeda. Yue and Cerberus find themselves unable to aid Sakura during a magical attack, and Sakura is unable to use the Clow Cards. Sakura transforms her wand and creates a new activation spell for it, enabling her to then transform one of the Clow Cards into a Sakura Card. As the series progresses, she continues finding herself in situations which cause her to have to transfer the cards, unaware they are being caused by Eriol and two guardian-like creatures, Spinel Sun and Ruby Moon. Yue, who requires the support of another to generate his own energies, begins growing weaker as time passes, though he initially does not tell Sakura that it is because her magic is not yet strong enough. The problem does not affect Cerberus whose power, like the sun, regenerates on its own with no need to draw extra power from other sources.
During these events, Sakura finds herself having to deal with the pain of Yukito's gentle rejection of her feelings, as he instead loves her brother Touya. Touya, in turn, gives all of his magical abilities to Yue in order to ensure Yukito doesn't fade away, making Yue promise to protect Sakura in his place as his loss of powers prevents him from knowing when she may be in trouble. Syaoran helps her recover from the hurt, while finding himself falling in love with Sakura but unsure of how to tell her.
When there are only two cards left to be transformed, The Dark and The Light card which must be converted together, Eriol reveals himself to Sakura. Once she has successfully transformed the cards, he explains that he is half of the reincarnation of Clow Reed, with her father being the other half. Eriol has all of the memories and magic, enabling him to assist Sakura in converting the cards so that they would not lose their magical powers. With the task done, he asks Sakura to split his magic between himself and her father, so that he will no longer be the most powerful magician in the world. He then returns to England.
In the aftermath, Syaoran confesses his love for her, but Sakura is unsure how to respond. When he tells her that he is returning to Hong Kong, Sakura finds herself hurting and upset. After running into several of her friends, she realizes that it is because she loves Syaoran too. She rushes to the airport to tell him and he promises to return when he has taken care of some things. At the end of the series, he meets Sakura a year later having moved to Tomoeda permanently.
Main Characters[]
| Sakura Kinomoto | |
| 木之本 桜, Kinomoto Sakura Age: 10 (Original Series), 13 (Clear Card Arc) | |
| Cerberus | |
| ケルベロス, Keruberosu Age: Unknown | |
| Tomoyo Daidouji | |
| 大道寺 知世, Daidōji Tomoyo Age: 10 (Original Series), 13 (Clear Card Arc) | |
| Syaoran Li | |
| 李 小狼, Ri Shaoran Age: 11 (Original Series), 14 (Clear Card Arc) | |
Media[]
Manga Serialization[]
Japan[]
Cardcaptor Sakura began as a manga series written and illustrated by the manga artist group Clamp. It was serialized in the monthly shojo manga magazine, Nakayoshi from the May 1996 to June 2000 issue. The 50 individual chapters were collected and published in 12 tankobon volumes by Kodansha from November 1996 to July 2000. Kodansha released the first six volumes in bilingual editions that included both Japanese and English from May 2000 to July 2001. The bilingual volumes were part of an experimental line for helping Japanese children learn English. Kodansha stopped releasing the bilingual editions after the series was licensed in English for distribution in North America by Tokyopop.
North America[]
Tokyopop released the volumes of Cardcaptor Sakura from March 2000 to August 2003. Tokyopop initially released the first six volumes with the book "flipped" from the original Japanese orientation, in which the book is read from right-to-left, to the Western format with text oriented from left-to-right. These volumes were later re-released with the original orientation in two box sets, each containing three volumes.
Volumes seven through twelve were released in the original orientation with the subtitle "Master of the Clow".
Madman Entertainment used Tokyopop's English translation to release the series in Australia and New Zealand. Dark Horse Manga picked up the lisence after Tokyopop lost the license to Cardcaptor Sakura in 2009, Dark Horse then obtained the liscence and published an English edition of the series in four omnibus volumes. Each omnibus volume contained three of the original volumes.
The first omnibus volume was released in October 2010, followed by volume 2 in July 2011, and volume 3 in January 2012.
International Serialization[]
The manga series is licensed for additional regional language releases by Pika Édition in France, Star Comics in Italy, Egmont Manga & Anime in Germany, Editora JBC in Brazil, Ever Glory Publishing in Taiwan, Ediciones Glénat in Spain, Editorial Ivrea in Argentina, and Editorial Toukan in Mexico.
Anime Adaptation[]
Later on, the manga's story was adapted into a 70-episode anime, which was produced by Madhouse. It aired in Japan from April 7, 1998 until March 21, 2000. The anime was broadcasted by the TV network, NHK.
The first season, consisting of 35 episodes, aired between April 7 and December 29, 1998. The second season, with 11 episodes, aired between April 6 and June 22, 1999. The third season, containing 24 episodes, aired between September 7, 1999 and March 21, 2000. Directed by Morio Asaka, CLAMP was fully involved in the project, with head writer Nanase Ohkawa writing and composing the screenplay and Mokona Apapa overseeing the costumes and card designs. The series also aired across Japan by the anime satellite television network Animax, which later broadcast the series across its respective networks worldwide. The series was later released by Bandai Visual to 18 VHS, LD and DVD compilation volumes from September 1998 to May 2000. The anime also received two theatrical films.
North American Release[]
Subbed[]
The Cardcaptor Sakura anime was licensed to be released in North America by the now defunct licensing company, Geneon. All 70 episodes were released and subbed.
Dubbed[]
Canada[]
Nelvana dubbed Cardcaptor Sakura into English and released it under the name Cardcaptors. The character's names, some Japanese text, musical score, opening theme and ending theme was changed. Controversial subjects such as same-sex relationships were edited out completely. This version of the anime aired in Canada on Teletoon -along with a French dubbing- and Cartoon Network.
United States[]
Cardcaptors first aired in the United States on Kids' WB between June 17, 2000 and December 14, 2001. The version aired on Kids WB featured heavily edited and reordered episodes, with some episodes left out completely. The editing to the original dub was done to refocus the series to be more action oriented for the appeal of male viewers, as they were seen as the largest audience of animation at the time.
The first episode aired in Kids' WB's version was "Sakura's Rival", the eighth episode of the series, having removed episodes focusing on Sakura and to have the show start with Syaoran's arrival. The series ran for 39 episodes, changing the original episode order but finishing with the show's actual final episode.
Pioneer Entertainment released the dubbed Cardcaptors episodes to nine VHS and DVD compilation volumes from November 2000 to July 2002. It also released the unedited Cardcaptor Sakura series with the original Japanese audio tracks and English subtitles to 18 DVDs from November 2000 to November 2003; the first 11 volumes were also released in VHS. Pioneer also contracted with Nelvana to release the dubbed episodes. The Cardcaptor Sakura TV series DVDs went out-of-print at the end of 2006 when the license expired.
Australian Release[]
The same version of Cardcaptors aired in Australia on Network Ten had the original Japanese opening and ending theme songs covered in English. Some minor changes to dialogue were made for the Australian version as well.
International Release[]
In Ireland the show aired on RTÉ Network 2, in the UK on CiTV and Nickelodeon. Animax created an English dub of the series as well, which was broadcast on its English-language networks in Southeast Asia and South Asia.
Reception[]
In 2000, Cardcaptor Sakura received the Anime Grand Prix on the category "Best Anime", while on 2001 it received the Seiun prize on the category "Best Manga". On a TV ranking poll by TV Asashi of the "100 Best Anime of 2005", the series ranked #69, while ranking #44 in 2006.
Other Media[]
Books[]
Art Books[]
- Cardcaptor Sakura: Illustrations Collection - Clow Cards (カードキャプターさくらイラスト集 クロウカード, Kadokyaputā Sakura Irasuto-shuu Kurou Kado)
- Cardcaptor Sakura: Illustration Collection 2 - Sakura Cards (カードキャプターさくらイラスト集 2 さくらカード, Kadokyaputa Sakura Irasuto-shuu 2 Sakura Kado)
- Cardcaptor Sakura: Illustrations Collection 3 - Extra (カードキャプターさくらイラスト集 3 エキストラ, Kadokyaputa Sakura Irasuto-shuu 3 Ekisutora)
- Cardcaptor Sakura Memorial Book (カードキャプターさくらメモリアルブック, Kadokyaputa Sakura Memoriaru Bukku)
- Card captor Sakura 20th Anniversary Illustration Collection (カードキャプターさくら 連載開始20周年記念 イラスト集, Kadokyaputa Sakura Rensai Kaishi 20 Shūnenkinen Irasuto-shuu)
Settei Books[]
- Cardcaptor Sakura Animation Character Designs (Full-Scale Drawings) (カードキャプターさくら 設定資料集 (原寸版), Kadokyaputa Sakura Settei Shiryoshuu (Gensun-Ban))
- Cardcaptor Sakura Animated Works Special Edition (カードキャプターさくら 設定資料, Kadokyaputa Sakura Settei Shiryoshuu)
- Cardcaptor Sakura Revised Key Frames by the Animation Director (カードキャプターさくら 作画監督正集, Kadokyaputa Sakura Sakuga Kantoku Sei-shuu)
Other Books[]
- Clow Card Fortune Book - Cardcaptor Sakura (クロウカードフォーチュンブック―カードキャプターさくら, Kurou Kado Fochun Bukku ― Kadokyaputa Sakura)
- Nakayoshi 60th Anniversary Cardcaptor Sakura Volume 9 (Limited Edition) (なかよし60周年記念版 カードキャプターさくら 9, Nakayoshi 60 Shuunenkinen-ban Kadokyaputa Sakura 9)
Music[]
Singles[]
- Catch You Catch Me - OP Single
- Groovy! - ED Single
- Tobira wo Akete (扉をあけて, Open the Door) - OP Single
- Honey - ED Single
- Platinum - OP Single
- FRUITS CANDY - ED Single
- Tooi kono Machi de (遠いこの街で, In This Far Off Town) - Movie Single
- Ashita e no Melody (明日へのメロディー, Melody of Tomorrow) - Movie Single
- Okashi no Uta (おかしのうた, Song of Sweets) - Special Single
- Cardcaptor Sakura Character Single KERO
- Cardcaptor Sakura Character Single SYAORAN
- Cardcaptor Sakura Character Single TOMOYO
- Cardcaptor Sakura Character Single YUKITO
- Cardcaptor Sakura Character Single TOUYA
- Cardcaptor Sakura Character Single SAKURA
OSTs[]
- Cardcaptor Sakura Original Soundtrack
- Cardcaptor Sakura Original Soundtrack 2
- Cardcaptor Sakura Original Soundtrack 3
- Cardcaptor Sakura Original Soundtrack 4
- Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie Original Soundtrack
- Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card Original Soundtrack
Albums[]
- Cardcaptor Sakura Character Song Book
- Tomoeda Shougakkou Chorus-bu Christmas Concert
- Cardcaptor Sakura COMPLETE VOCAL COLLECTION
- Cardcaptor Sakura Theme Song Collection
- Yasashisa no Tane (やさしさの種子, Seed of Kindness)
Drama CDs[]
- Cardcaptor Sakura ORIGINAL DRAMA ALBUM 1: Sakura to Okaasan no Organ (カードキャプターさくら オリジナル・ドラマアルバム1 〜さくらとお母さんのオルガン〜, Cardcaptor Sakura: Sakura and Her Mother's Organ)
- cardcaptor sakura original drama album 2: sweet valentine stories (カードキャプターさくら オリジナル・ドラマアルバム2: スィートバレンタインストーリーズ, Kadokyaputa Sakura Orijinaru Dorama Arubamu 2: Suuito Barentain Sutori)
- Cardcaptor Sakura: Sakura no Oshaberi Talk CD (カードキャプターさくら さくらのおしゃべりトークCD, Cardcaptor Sakura: Sakura's Chit-Chat Talk)
- Kodansha CD Comic Cardcaptor Sakura (講談社CDコミック カードキャプターさく, Kodansha CD Komikku Kadokyaputa Sakura)
Video Games[]
12 video games across 7 consoles were made using the Cardcaptor Sakura title. From Sony's PlayStation, Nintendo's Gameboy, iOS apps to Bandai's WonderSwan.
- Animetic Story Game 1: Cardcaptor Sakura (アニメチックストーリーゲーム (1) カードキャプターさくら, Animechikku Sutorīi Gēmu (1 ) Kadokyaputa Sakura)
- Cardcaptor Sakura: Clow Card Magic (カードキャプターさくら クロウカードマジック, Kadokyaputa Sakura Kurou Kado Majikku)
- Tetris with Cardcaptor Sakura: Eternal Heart (テトリス with カードキャプターさくら エターナルハート, Tetorisu u~izu Kadokyaputa Sakura Etanaru Hato)
- Cardcaptor Sakura: Sakura-Chan to Asobo! (カードキャプターさくら: さくらちゃんとあそぼ!, Cardcaptor Sakura: Let's Play with Sakura!)
- Cardcaptor Sakura: Itsumo Sakura-chan to Issho (カードキャプターさくら 〜いつもさくらちゃんといっしょ〜, Carcaptor Sakura: -Always with Sakura-chan-)
- Cardcaptor Sakura: Tomoeda Shougakkou Daiundoukai (カードキャプターさくら ~ 友枝小学校大運動会 ~, Cardcaptor Sakura: -Tomoeda Elementary School's Sports Day-)
- Cardcaptor Sakura: Sakura Card de Mini-Game (カードキャプターさくら: さくらカードdeミニゲーム, Cardcaptor Sakura: Sakura Card Mini-Game)
- Cardcaptor Sakura: Sakura Card-Hen - Sakura Card to Tomodachi (カードキャプターさくら <さくらカード編 ~さくらとカードとおともだち~, Cardcaptor Sakura: Sakura Card Arc -Sakura Card and Friends-)
- Cardcaptor Sakura Solitaire (カードキャプターさくら ソリティア, Kadokyaputa Sakura Soritia)
- Cardcaptor Sakura Puzzle Sweet-Hen (カードキャプターさくら パズルお菓子編, Kadokyaputa Sakura Pazuru Okashi-Hen)
- Cardcaptor Sakura Puzzle Clow Card-Hen (カードキャプターさくら パズルクロウカード編, Kadokyaputa Sakura Pazuru Kurou Kado-Hen)
- Cardcaptor Sakura Typing Adventure -Clow Card-Hen- (カードキャプターさくらタイピングアドベンチャー ～クロウカード編～, Kadokyaputa Sakura Taipingu Adobenchā ~ Kurou Kado-Hen ~)
- Cardcaptor Sakura: Sakura to Fiushigi na Card (カードキャプターさくら ～さくらと不思議なカード～, Cardcaptor Sakura: Sakura and the Mysterious Card)
Desktop Accessories[]
- Animation Cardcaptor Sakura: Nice to Meet You! Sakura! (アニメーション カードキャプターさくら はじめまして! さくらです!, Animeshon Kadokyaputa Sakura Hajimemashite! Sakura Desu!)
- Let's Play with Sakura! TV Animation "Cardcaptor Sakura" (さくらとあそぼ! TV Animation "Cardcaptor Sakura", Sakura to Asobo!TV Animation "Cardcaptor Sakura")
- Let's Play with Sakura 2! TV Animation "Cardcaptor Sakura" Sakura's How to Use PC (はじめまして! さくらです 2! TV Animation "Cardcaptor Sakura" さくらのパソコンどうぐばこ, Sakura to Asobo 2!TV Animation "Cardcaptor Sakura" Sakura no Pasokon Dougubako)
Crossovers[]
Angelic Layer[]
- In volume 9 of Cardcaptor Sakura, Kero is reading an Angelic Layer strategy guide, for the video game he's playing.
- In Volume 1 of Angelic Layer, Icchan Mihara sings the season 1 opening song of Cardcaptor Sakura, "Catch You Catch Me", during karaoke.
- Eriol Academy is named after Eriol Hiiragizawa; the name of one half of Clow Reed's reincarnation.
Tsubasa: Reserviour Chronicle[]
Many of the characters in Tsubasa Chronicles are references to the Cardcaptor Sakura characters. They are not the same characters, but rather, alternate universe characters. Some of the Cardcaptor Sakura cast do appear as themselves in the series.
- Sakura Li, Princess Sakura, Tsubasa Li, Syaoran Li, King Touya, King Fujitaka, Queen Nadeshiko, Clow Reed, Kero, Tomoyo Daidouji, and Yukito are all alternate universe characters of Sakura, Touya, Fujitaka and Nadeshiko Kinomoto; Syaoran Li, Clow Reed, Kero, Tomoyo Daidouji and Yukito Tsukishiro.
- Sakura Kinomoto made a cameo appearance in Tsubasa Chronicle: Tokyo Revelations as a spirit of the feather that Fuuma had, who guided Princess Sakura back to the group.
- King Touya is the son of King Fujitaka and Queen Nadeshiko, just like how he is the fun of Fujitaka and Nadeshiko Kinomoto in Cardcaptor Sakura.