Cardcaptor Sakura: One of the Magical Girl Greats!

The magical girl genre appeals to many fans worldwide because it explores how wonderful it would be to suddenly learn that our world is full of magic. To wake up one day and have everything you thought you knew turned completely upside down, with the fantastic bonus of knowing that you can cast magic. And for the series Cardcaptor Sakura, that’s precisely what happened to its main character Sakura Kinomoto.

Since the mid-90s, Cardcaptor Sakura has become one of the world’s most celebrated anime series ever. And if you want to learn more about it, this is the article for you!

What is Cardcaptor Sakura? 

In the distant town of Tomoeda, ten-year-old Sakura Kinomoto lives a happy but simple life. No magic, no adventures, nothing but school and friends. There’s nothing wrong with this arrangement, but when Sakura accidentally releases a set of magical cards known as Clow Cards, her simple life becomes a bit more action-packed. 

Because as Sakura comes to learn, there is something very special about her. Cardcaptor began as a 12-volume manga series by CLAMP from 1996 to 2000. It was later turned into an anime series by Madhouse, which ran for seventy episodes from 1998 to 2000.

Who is Sakura Kinomoto?

The Clow Cards that Sakura unleashed on the world can only be activated by someone with an innate ability to control magic. So, for her whole life, Sakura Kinomoto had magic within herself and didn’t even know it. With the guardian of the cards, Cerberus (aka Kero), helping her to track down and seal the cards, Sakura’s purpose in life becomes exceedingly different than she could ever have imagined.

What’s her personality like?

Sakura is an exuberant and bubbly girl who simply overflows with positivity. There’s no one she wouldn’t want to be friends with, and as she’s extremely outgoing, she’s always making new friendships.

Her positivity can be seen best when she casts her Invincibility spell and shouts, “Everything will surely be alright!” Being positive and friendly is nice, but she can also be aloof and ditzy throughout the day. But don’t let her airheadedness fool you; Sakura can be highly alert and receptive when needed.

How did she get her powers?

Sakura’s powers are said to come from the stars themselves. Clow Reed is a bit mysterious when he explains this to her, but as Sakura already had magical powers when she first discovered the Clow Cards, she was likely born with them. It would explain how she was able to activate them accidentally in the first place.

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Does she have any notable relationships?

Sakura has multiple relationships throughout her quest, some fun and silly, others a little more complicated. Kero, her constant companion, is a constant source of comic mischief for her. The two are friends, even if Kero often gets into situations that annoy her. Tomoyo Daidouji is her best friend (and also her second cousin.) 

While Tomoyo has no magical abilities, she is one of Sakura’s biggest and most important friends. Syaoran Li, the descendant of Clow Reed, is a young boy who also wishes to find all the Clow Cards himself. Syaoran begins as a rival to Sakura, but their relationship gradually takes on a new form as the story progresses.

Why is Cardcaptor Sakura so important?

Cardcaptor Sakura is an important series that helped broaden the magical girl genre. Like the legendary Sailor Moon before it, it told a tale about an average girl thrust into an extraordinary adventure.

The series’ allure is that Sakura was completely unaware of her magical powers until she was deep into magical antics. Suddenly discovering such great power within oneself is exciting. Everyone enjoys peaceful days, but sometimes even the calmest days can seem like doldrums.

Overall, Cardcaptor blends action, humor, romance, and even a little supernatural horror into one package. It offers viewers a little bit of everything, which is also why it’s such a great series.

While girls like Sakura are the target demographic, the quality of its storytelling and production make it appealing to a much wider range of audience. Everyone was young once and shared the same dreams of gaining extraordinary powers to save the world (even if we all don’t live outside of Tokyo.)

Do you like Cardcaptor Sakura? Have you watched the anime or read the manga? Do you have a favorite version? Please let us know in the comments below! We would love to hear why you love Cardcaptor!