 |
| Source: My Anime list |
Cardcaptor Sakura is based on the famous shojou manga of the same name back in 1996 and it is created by one of my favorite illustrators in anime and in manga, CLAMP. They have created other iconic manga turned to anime, like Chobits, X, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles (with the characters of Cardcaptor Sakura as the main characters!) and Clamp Detective School. It was then adapted into anime in 1998 by none other than, Madhouse and as you all know it is a very famous studio in Japan. Now this anime is one of the cornerstones of the Shojou genre. It is an anime that was not only appealing to young girls, but also to older audiences and it is one of the most memorable anime shows. However just because it is memorable and an all-time favorite, does it mean it's ground-breaking or simply good? Let's find out.
This review is spoiler free.
PLOT
 |
| Cardcaptor Sakura (source: operationrainfall.com) |
Okay let me break it down for you; Sakura Kinomoto was just an ordinary school girl. That is until she discovers a book of cards--titled as the Clow Book/ Book of Clow-- in her father's basement. To her surprise, it was a magical book of cards and they all scattered across the town of Tomoeda. She then meets the guardian of the cards, Keroberos (also known as, "Kero") and learns that these cards were called Clow Cards and they each have a special ability. Kero decides to appoint Sakura as the official cardcaptor, and her job was to simply get them all back before they do anything chaotic. Sakura agrees to the responsibility and together with her friends, they get all the Clow Cards.
All in all, there are three seasons or 70 episodes of this series. The first two seasons were about Sakura capturing all 52 Clow Cards, and the third season was more or less an aftermath on what she should do with them. One thing is for certain, though. Every single episode follows a formula, and this is understandable since the anime is catered to younger and family-friendly audiences. The only episodes exempted from this formula would be the season finale episodes (obviously), but the rest of the episodes follow a predictable mini-storyline. The main hero has a personal problem, a card gets introduced, the problem in getting the card is somehow related to hero's personal problem, and she gets the card and resolves her internal struggles. The same thing happens in the third season, only Sakura is introduced to a brand new problem with the Clow Cards and she resolves each of them in every remaining episode. So if you're not really into stories with set formulas, maybe this anime is not for you. What will definitely keep you entertained are the Clow Cards themselves, because they not only have a specific power, but they also have their own personalities. Since they are roaming free and are basically out of control most of the time, it is interesting on how they cause a lot of trouble for Sakura and her friends.
Another thing I appreciate about this show is that it teaches kids how to think. Sakura comes up with different ways on how to capture or tame the cards, and you get to hear her thought process on this. A perfect example would be on the Watery card episode, where she really thinks hard on how to capture a card that can easily escape her clutches and with the limited resources that she had. We also get to see very refreshing themes on family and love all throughout the series. Unlike most anime shows, the family members in Sakura's home aren't completely aloof; they sometimes question Sakura's action and above all, they show concern, love, and understanding.
They also show different kinds of love on this show, heterosexual kind of love isn't the only thing that is in focus of the entire story! CLAMP and most particularly this anime is known for showing various types of romances. Without spoiling much, the most prominent type of relationship shown here is the May-December affairs. Nothing malicious though, because the anime addresses this in a civil manner. friendship with Tomoyo is one of the most beautiful things that blossom in this show, as well as Sakura's relationship with her family and even her enemies! So yes, the Syaoran and Sakura relationship isn't the only thing that shines.
In short, this show is able to educate young kids and familie to make the most out of their brains and to think for themselves. But another beautiful lesson Cardcaptor Sakura gives is to be sensitive and to think about others more often, or to simply be kind to other people. The students in Sakura's school are not bratty or realistically entitled like in most anime or mainstream western TV shows; they are kind and very respectful to almost everyone, especially to elder folk or to people with authority. And it is nice to see even the characters who are older, also show the same kindness and respect to the youngsters. Seriously, everyone in this show is so nice! Even the antagonists are nice! Is there even an antagonist in this show? I don't know! But it does not really matter, because this show has an excellent way of teaching kids important values and personality traits that they must have.
The show is definitely warm and welcoming, but when it becomes eerie and scary, it does become eerie and scary. And no, you won't die of a heart attack when you see a scary clow card, but you are conditioned to expect that something is about to happen and as a kid, you must prepare yourself for something shocking or just plain awesome. With the set formula it has, it becomes accomplishing when you watch how many cards Sakura is able to collect and how close she is to getting to the end, you will definitely feel that as Sakura improves in not only in her magic, but also in her character and in the way she interacts with the new people in her life. And again, not a single episode is dull and boring because CLAMP cooks up different cards with different problems and adventures. Alongside of that, we obtain important lessons about how we should be critical, kind, and respectful to the people around us.
Score for plot: 
CHARACTERS
 |
| Source: www.seasonalanimecheckup.com |
Since I've already mentioned that all the characters are generally nice, it's easy to say that they lack depth and that they have bit too much of humanity. First of all, this is a show catered to kids or to family and I think it is one of the anime I've reviewed so far that has that demographic in mind. You can still have a good piece of story, just as long as you are aware of what kind of story you are telling and what kind of characters will helm it. And Cardcaptor Sakura is very much aware of what kind of anime they are, so they do not look like they are trying too hard nor are they not taking themselves seriously, because the people involved in making this are aware of what kind of story this will be.
Also, the characters do have depth, just not the kind we are not used to because again, it is an anime for younger audiences. The characters whom I've mentioned that are just generally nice are just the side characters like Sakura's other friends, classmates, and family members who are not aware of Sakura's Cardcaptor side. But the main characters like Sakura, Tomoyo, Kero, Syaoran, Toya, and Yukito have a certain appeal and depth to them. They are just done in the most simple way possible for kids to understand.
One thing is for sure is that these characters know how to act their age and they don't attempt to be too childish or too adult. Sakura's character is actually pretty realistic to me. She is described to be this cheerful young girl, but she knows how to get scared and she also knows how to get angry. And it often comes out as amusing because she is thrown into a not-so ordinary situation and she has no choice but to deal with it. And for a girl who doesn't see herself as intelligent or intellectual, she knows how to think for herself and for others, which is very fundamental to her character. Her ability to love and stay positive is something we eventually appreciate about Sakura, so we care when she gets stuck in an almost impossible situation and we feel for her triumph when she makes it. Yes, as an adult, they can come out as cheesy, but again..this is for kids during the 90s.
 |
| Source: Youtube and Fanpop |
I also said that the relationships are shown beautifully in this anime. Another I almost forgot to mention is the friendship between Yukito and Toya. It is very easy to "ship" them because they have the "will they, won't they" kind of dynamic; meaning you are not sure if they're just friends...or more than that. But if you put those kinds of thoughts aside and appreciate for how it really is, just two people genuinely looking out for each other, you will see how Cardcaptor Sakura is able to uphold a unique set of themes and morals when it comes to love and cherishing the people that you love, no matter who they are and what kind of relationship that you have. Love is love, that's the thing.
Syaoran is also another proof that there are characters with depth in this show. Syaoran primarily becomes Sakura's rival to collecting the Clow Cards at first, and he comes off as austere and plain mean. But then you see glimpses of humanity in his character, making you realize that maybe he is not such a bad person after all. And he really isn't. As soon as he grows closer with Sakura, he learns how to respect her and eventually care about her. So is the romance between Sakura and Syaoran weird because they're kids? It really depends on how you look at it. To me, this anime was able to show an accurate portrayal of what elementary love looks like. Because the love that they have is barely romantic in nature. They don't love each other because of how hot they look, they love each other because they enjoy each other's company and they admire how they continuously grow as better individuals. Syaoran adores Sakura's positive spirit, Sakura adores Syaoran's caring nature. I guess it is trying to show to young kids that finding a love like this with a significant other is far more fulfilling than basing your love on just a surface level, which I think is also a very good lesson to share to families.
 |
| Source: Pinterest |
Tomoyo makes me smile, her understanding and kindness is profound. This makes her represent one of the important values the anime tries to show. But I think she also addresses major tropes in the Shojo genre. She fangirls about Sakura fighting for justice and peace, in the most dramatic way possible. She films and makes Sakura wear very cute costumes that she has made, and it is kind of like throwing it out there that Magic Girls always wear cute costumes and that they always talk about peace or justice. It seems to look like that since Sakura is a magic girl without a transformation sequence, at least in the dress-up aspect. Also Tomoyo is characterized as a kind of person who is very observant and already has an idea on what her friends are thinking or feeling.
I guess it is a sin to not include Kero. But the way I see his character is that... he's just information dump. He tells Sakura about certain things about her powers and the Clow Cards, but that's just it. Thankfully he does not come off as too annoying, but he does have those moments where he bugs Sakura at the most inappropriate times especially when he is hungry. There is a bond between Sakura and Kero, but it isn't as strong as the other bonds Sakura forms in the anime. I can say the same for the character of Eriol, who is supposedly the antagonist of the series. But he feels more like an entity than a character that you interact or be empathic with. He does play a significant part in the show, but his character was simplified as a person who is mature beyond his years and that's pretty much it. We do not see any struggle or flaw in him, making him feel less of a character in my opinion.
 |
| Source: Pinterest |
Surprisingly, I found Meiling's character entertaining and she actually has growth in the anime. And she's not even a character in the manga; her only purpose is to fawn over Syaoran and to show endless support just like how Tomoyo supports Sakura. It was an odd choice to add another character, but I honestly didn't mind because she had moments of humanity in the anime and she is also not completely useless.
Overall, what you see is what you get with most of the characters in the show. If you are expecting them to have a painful past or a fatal flaw, you will not get any of that at all. They have their strengths and flaws, but they are shown in the most understandable way possible.
Score for Characters: 
MUSIC
The music is definitely memorable, at least in my case because I saw it a bunch of times. But it is indeed unique and it corresponds well to the aesthetic and theme Cardcaptor Sakura has. The tunes are the kind that make you either happy or very excited about something. Whether it attempts to calm you or just put you at the edge of your seats, the score and soundtrack is iconic. When you hear it somewhere in public, you just know right away that it is either Cardcaptor Sakura or a random anime show made by CLAMP. With three seasons and incoming fourth one, the anime has three openings and three endings that capture the whole vibe of Cardcaptor Sakura. And each song is memorable to this day. My personal favorite is the second theme song entitled, "Tobira O Akete" by Anza. One thing score or theme that I can never forget is the "Yasuragi No Hi" theme because it brings joy to my heart whenever Sakura goes to School or when has a joyous moment.
But Cardcaptor Sakura has an array of iconic songs and themes that are not easy to forget. Yoru No Uta, sung by Tomoyo or Iwao Junko (her seiyuu), is another beautiful song that is constantly played all throughout the anime. It is also yet another iconic song. It is safe to say that CLAMP makes really really good songs and scores for their anime.
Score for Music: 
ART
 |
| Source: www.indiewire.com |
 |
| Source: Pinterest |
 |
| Source: http://wishluv.blogspot.com/ |
What immediately drawn me towards Cardcaptor Sakura was the animation. This was created during the 90s, but this anime has attention to detail. From the magic circle that appears when Sakura transforms, to the backgrounds of Tomoeda, the animation is undeniably great. The character designs are also really good and it is for this alone that has gotten me into drawing anime characters myself. There is a harmonious relationship between minimal and complex between the lines that were drawn. The shapes are soft and at the same time, rigid. The colors are vibrant and warm, and when it can turn dark...it turns dark. There is not a single episode to me where animation has fallen flat. Hopefully, the fourth season will still be able to live up to this kind of standard.
Score for Art:
Cardcaptor Sakura is an anime that not only reflects it times but is aware of its times. But I think the reason why it is enjoyed up till today, because of the values and lessons that you are able to learn throughout the process. Kindness, respect, and unconditional love are easily labeled as underrated or sometimes too cliche. But with the overwhelming presence of it in this anime, it is hard to not ignore it and it is even hard to smile and appreciate it. That's what makes the anime itself timeless; because it is never too late to be kind to others and to have just the right amount of optimism. Cheesy, yes, but this anime can teach you that it doesn't matter if it's too cheesy. Being kind and respectful will take you to places, and you just need to have a little faith. This may sound biased but I am giving it my recommendation.
CARDCAPTOR SAKURA IS HEREBY CERTIFIED
AND IS TAMAGO CERTIFIED
I know, it sounds very biased. But please...if you love anime, give this show a shot. It will make you feel something again, something good hopefully. Because as Sakura's immortal magic words always say, everything will definitely be all right. May your 2018 be magical.
Previous post: NARUTO 101: Tackling Misconceptions and Confusing Tales
No comments :
Post a Comment