title_name=Cardcaptor Sakura
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Cardcaptor Sakura volume 1 manga cover Japanese edition
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カードキャプターさくら
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Kādokyaputā Sakura
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Shōjo
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Magical Girl , Comedy , Romance
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Animanga/Manga| Information
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Animanga/Anime| Information
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Animanga/Movie| Information
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Animanga/Movie| Information
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, also known as '' (with the space) and often abbreviated as '''''CCS''''', is a
Magical Girl Manga series from the well-known all-female artist team
Clamp . ''Cardcaptor Sakura'' is published in Japan by
Kodansha and was serialized in ''
Nakayoshi ''. The series consists of twelve volumes. It won the noted
Seiun Award for best manga in 2001.
The
Anime television series (1998-2000) based on the manga consists of 70 half-hour episodes (spread over three seasons), two theatrically released movies, and several specials. The second season of TV series won the
Animage Anime Grand Prix prize in 1999.
Nelvana produced an English dub of the anime series, titled '', which aired in English-speaking countries.
1 An
Unedited English Translation , entitled ''Cardcaptor Sakura'', was broadcast in its English-language networks by the anime television network
Animax . ''Cardcaptor Sakura'' has also been released in English-speaking countries in an unedited and subtitled DVD under its original title.
As the series progresses, there is a pattern of foreshadowing and dreams that lead to an unusual conclusion. Like ''
Magic Knight Rayearth '', one of Clamp's previous works, ''Cardcaptor Sakura'' is a new twist on an old genre.
Most of the characters in ''Cardcaptor Sakura'' also appear in one of Clamp's later manga series, ''.''
The show begins as a simple girls' anime of the
Magical Girl genre. Ten-year-old
Sakura Kinomoto opens a mysterious book in her father's study and accidentally lets loose the magical
Clow Cards . By her ability to open the seal, Sakura is revealed to have special powers, and it becomes her responsibility to retrieve the missing cards.
The task involves finding each card, battling its magical personification, and sealing it away. She is assisted by
Cerberus (Kerberos, also known as Kero-chan), the ''Beast of the Seal'' assigned to protect the cards, who was asleep when Sakura opened the Clow Book (He was on a "nap" at the time, which lasted 30 years). Kero, who looks like an animated plush toy throughout most of the series (his "borrowed" form), guides Sakura as she develops her ''Cardcaptor'' powers. In the first episode, he presents her with the ''Key of the Seal'', which allows her to fight and capture the Clow Cards.
The first and second seasons of the anime and first six volumes of the manga focus on Sakura's attempts to capture the released Clow Cards. Cerberus acts as her guide and mentor throughout the quest, while classmate and best friend
Tomoyo Daidouji (who is also her second cousin) assists in designing Sakura's battle costumes and filming her adventures.
Sakura also competes with
Syaoran Li , the descendant of the Clow Cards' creator, Clow Reed, in capturing the Cards. The first half of the series ends after the Final Judgment, in which those who have attempted to capture the Clow Cards are tested by the mysterious
Yue for the right to become Master of the Clow.
Occurring between episodes 35 and 36 of the 1st and 2nd seasons, respectively, (or the middle of the 1st season in international releases), the first movie takes Sakura and company to
Hong Kong during winter break.
Still in her quest to capture all the Clow Cards, Sakura encounters new challenges, some of which take place in ominous dreams. Sakura must defeat a vengeful sorceress called Madoushi who was rejected by Clow Reed in the past or risk losing her family and friends.
The third season of the anime and last six volumes of the manga introduce several new characters, including the enigmatic
Eriol Hiiragizawa . Since Sakura has now become the new Master of the Clow Cards, she must transform them under her own magic into Sakura Cards. At the same time, new strange disturbances are occurring in Tomoeda, which adds further pressure to Sakura's task. Meanwhile, Syaoran falls in love with Sakura and tries to find a way to admit his feelings to her.
Occurring after the end of the 3rd season (2nd season in international releases), the 2nd movie brings closure to the relationship questions between Sakura and Shaoran, which were left somewhat unanswered in the last episode of the TV series.
Like the 1st movie, the 2nd movie does not follow or adapt from any events depicted in the manga and, therefore, closes the anime series in a different manner. Syaoran has already admitted his feelings to Sakura, but she has yet to answer him. Chances become good when Syaoran visits Tomoeda from Hong Kong over the summer and participates in a school play with Sakura during the Nadeshiko Festival. However, Sakura has more issues challenging her than finding the right moment to confess to Syaoran. A strange force begins stealing the Sakura Cards and erasing portions of Tomoeda. Sakura soon encounters a mysterious Clow Card called The Nothing, the antithesis of the 52 Sakura Cards with as much negative power as all their positive powers combined.
While several characters can be considered main characters due to their importance to the plot, Sakura Kinomoto is the
Protagonist of the story. Other characters who have supporting roles often have reoccurring appearances in the story.
See Also: Clow Cards
See Also: List of Cardcaptor Sakura episodes
See Also: Cardcaptor Sakura media information
See Also: Voice actors of Cardcaptor Sakura
''Cardcaptor Sakura'' was adapted into an
Anime television series, which was animated by
Madhouse and directed by
Morio Asaka . The character designer and chief animation director for the series was
Kumiko Takahashi . It premiered on
NHK from
April 8 ,
1999 and finished airing on
March 21 ,
2000 . CLAMP were fully involved in the project, with head writer
Nanase Ōkawa writing and composing the series's screenplay and
Mokona Apapa overseeing the costumes and card designs.
The series has been adapted into multiple
Video Games , developed for the
Game Boy ,
PlayStation ,
WonderSwan ,
Dreamcast ,
Game Boy Advance and
PlayStation 2 . All games have been released in Japan only.
The
Manga was translated into
English by
Tokyopop (Formerly Mixx). Characters kept their
Japanese names in the translated manga, however Yukito's nickname, Yuki, which is used by only Toya in the original version, is used by the entire cast in the English version. Plotwise, the manga is mostly unchanged from the original.
The earlier edition of the first six volumes were flipped to read left to right, while the later six volumes, released under the name '', read the original right-to-left way. The original six volumes were later re-released in the original right-to-left format with the same cover style as the latter six volumes.
Kodansha also published bilingual editions of the manga to help Japanese children learn English. Kodansha stopped publishing the editions when it was found that English-speakers in North America imported Kodansha's translations ahead of Tokyopop's releases and did not buy Tokyopop's releases. Therefore, only Tokyopop has all of the volumes translated.
The North American translation is imported to Australia by
Madman Entertainment .
See Also: Cardcaptors
''Cardcaptor Sakura'' was adapted into English by
Nelvana and brought to the United States and other English-speaking countries under the name ''.
The anime .''
Animax South Asia's Page for their ''Cardcaptor Sakura'' (Season One) Dub ''''
Animax South Asia's Page for their ''Cardcaptor Sakura'' (Season Two - Last Two Seasons) Dub ''
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Clamp
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Cardcaptor Sakura
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1996
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Kodansha
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; Official sites
