So it’s 2018, there’s a Madhouse series directed by Asaka Morio. And it’s Cardcaptor Sakura. That’s a thing.
As you know if you read my dispatches from Anime Expo and my writeup of the “Clear Card-hen” prequel OVA, Cardcaptor Sakura and me go back a long ways. Almost as far back as it goes in fact, at least as far as anime is concerned – there are a few hazy memories of Starblazers (Space Battleship Yamato 2199) and Speed Racer, but this show on Saturday mornings (butchered rather badly and known as “Cardcaptors”) may just have been my first anime exposure. So any return to this universe now, after almost two decades, is a serious nostalgia bomb to say the least.
I did eventually check out the series in its original language, and while I liked it I never became what you’d call a die-hard fan of the mythology. When I saw the Clear Card OVA at A/X it was really my first CCS exposure in well over a decade, so what I remember about the original story now pretty much comes out of that OVA and what still lingers in the cobwebbed corners of my memory after almost 20 years – which is to say only bits and pieces. I’m perfectly fine with that – one of my favorite parts of this, actually, is the sensation when some forgotten tidbit about the story pops back into mind prompted by an on-screen event. But it does mean I’m not your go-to guy for continuity issues and such (and I know the anime and manga parted ways at some point).
That also means that while I very much enjoyed both the OVA and this first episode (of a scheduled 22) of the TV version of Clear Card-hen, I may not be the best judge of whether they do the franchise justice. Someone for whom this is more of a personal obsession may be a harsher critic than me, which is fine – but to my fairly detached eye, both the OVA and the premiere have been very solid interpretations of the Cardcaptor Sakura oeuvre, as one might have expected it to evolve from one century to the next.
As best I remember, most of the anime-original stuff (including the ending of the original manga and a couple of characters) seems to have been set aside in favor of the CLAMP manga canon. The gist of the story is that Sakura (Tange Sakura) is now starting middle school along with BFF Tomoyo (Iwao Junko), her mahou shoujo past having largely been left behind. The entire cast is basically accounted for (though scattered as far as London in one case), but of foremost importance is that Syaoran Li (Kumai Motoko) has finished “what he had to do” in Hong Kong, and returned to Japan. And given that the OVAs ended with him effectively confessing to Sakura (to a pretty much universal “Squeee!”) that’s sure to be a huge matzoh ball going forward.
It can’t have escaped anyone’s attention that pretty much all of the original cast has returned, along with director Asaka Morio. With any revival of an anime franchise after this long, there are pluses and minuses to that, but on the whole I think the cast still sounds pretty good. But that doesn’t mean things are exactly the same. Morio-sensei is certainly going to bring a different sensibility to things after having achieved a magnificent career, the kids are now in middle-school (and thus things that were hinted at can now be confronted openly), and the world has changed around them.
And none of that is ignored here – there’s no feeling that we’re watching something from 1998. The visuals are more of a classic “modern” Morio look, a softer watercolor palette as opposed to the rainbow-bright aesthetic of the original. CLAMP character designs will always be singular, but the kids do look older, as they should. And this premiere goes out of its way to accentuate the embrace of technology – current-gen gaming systems, smartphones, communication by e-mails and texts. All in all I think Clear Card-hen looks fantastic, and it’s wonderful to have Madhouse back in the game as that seems all too rare these days. I also want to note that the ED (composed and sung by Hayami Saori) is a gorgeous marriage of music and animation. All in all I’m very pleased – this was the warm, cozy trip down memory lane I hoped it would be, without feeling like a lame attempt to travel back in time. YMMV depending on how big a fan you are, I suppose, but this casual one is a happy camper.
Kurik
January 7, 2018 at 3:19 pmI was in my late teens when i started watching this series and I really liked it then so it was good to feel a little nostalgic as I tried to remember the characters and their background. What I do appreciate in this first episode and what I hope to continue is that Sakura and her friends are quite open and there is no secrets or hidden emotions/feelings in their interactions. Everything so far is above board including how they Sakura and Syaoran feel about each other. That being said it does feel weird watching it in my ole age but as always for me, if the story is good i will watch :-)…
Molly
January 7, 2018 at 4:12 pmThank God for CCS. After Yue’s reveal, everything’s a blur in my memory.
P.S.: Is it just me or is this season DOA?
Guardian Enzo
January 7, 2018 at 4:17 pmMy expectations are modest, but I don’t think it’s “A”‘d yet for the most part.
Molly
January 7, 2018 at 5:47 pmI know but compared with previous winter seasons, it feels like it’s missing that elite series to anchor it… in the lines of Death Parade, Erased, Shouwa Genroku, even Ajin.
danes256
January 7, 2018 at 6:46 pmUsed to watch it when I was in elementary school 🙂
One of the thing that I remembered best is just how good the ending themes were, both the music and the animation. It’s good that they continued it here, and the new OP is also cool.
SF
January 7, 2018 at 9:00 pmI’m actually all for this anime at the moment.
As someone who actually hasn’t seen the first season, only heard enough stuff about it.
The 1st episode gave me enough to want to watch it and not mind some of the plot holes I’m missing.
Yukie
January 7, 2018 at 10:43 pmDuring elementary school, I remember catching a few episodes here and there after school (though it was never top show to go to, like Chibi Maruko or Detective Conan) , so I also enjoyed remembering all the tidbits from this episode (like some of Sakura’s quirky classmates, her Dad, character interactions, etc.). What really got my nostalgia going was when the opening and ending came on. They were similar to the old ones in tone, but updated and with even better animation. Both sent my spine tingling. Man, I wish Maaya Sakamoto did more openings nowadays.
Guardian Enzo
January 7, 2018 at 10:58 pmMaya Sakamoto is a marvel – she can pretty much do anything voice-related brilliantly. Women, boys, singing. – it’s all a day’s work.
GC
January 8, 2018 at 4:27 amThis was one of my 1st anime series (along with Chobits and UFO Ultramaiden) and it got me hooked on anime. The nostalgia feeling is strong. Really looking forward to seeing where this series goes.
sonicsenryaku
January 8, 2018 at 10:33 pmaahhhh watching the return of cardcaptor sakura was like being wrapped in a warm blanket. It has such a way of being pleasant (without overselling it) all the while letting the dark undertones of its narrative simmer underneath it’s cinnamon roll surface. I gotta say, this was quite the palette cleanser after binge-watching devilman crybaby, which was quite the kick in the nuts. I do think the visuals in this new cardcaptor adaptation, while pretty to look at, uses too much bloom sometimes. I also miss the vibrant, smart use of color and the abstract storyboarding of the old series. Still, i understand why this visual direction was chosen and i don’t begrudge it too much because it still works. However, I will admit that whenever i look at the visuals of the ending theme, I can’t help but think, “this is what an updated cardcaptor Sakura with the same visual aesthetic/philosophy of the original series would look like; why didn’t they do this for the whole series.” Regardless, the animation for ep 1 is clean as expected of the good side of madhouse, the characters look comparatively older from their original series counterparts as they should, and the tone of what made the original work during the more lighthearted segments of the series has remained in tact. Welcome back cardcaptor Sakura.
Bokusen
January 8, 2018 at 10:36 pmWatching this was a trip down memory lane. I’m just so happy to see the characters back again that I almost don’t care what they do. Everything reminded me of the old series, but with updated animation. I’m really glad they made this. <3