"CardCaptors" (2000) TV series

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Writers:

Clamp (comic)
Jennifer Pertsch (writer)

Genre:

Animation | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Expect The Unexpected

Plot:

CardCaptors is the American version of the Japanese anime Card Captor Sakura. The main characters are Sakura Avalon and Li Showron...

Plot Keywords:

Anime | Magic | Magic Wand

Cast

Carly McKillip	...	Sakura Avalon (voice)
Rhys Huber	...	Li Showron (voice)
Matt Hill	...	Keroberos (voice)
Maggie Blue O'Hara	...	Madison Taylor (voice)
Tony Sampson	...	Tori Avalon (voice)
Sam Vincent	...	Julian Star / Yue (voice)
Brian Drummond	...	Aiden Avalon / Mr. Terada (voice)
Linda Rae	...	Layla MacKenzie (voice)
Kelly Sheridan	...	Nikki (voice)
Jocelyne Loewen	...	Chelsea (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andrew Francis	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Janyse Jaud	...	Natasha (voice)
Jordan Killik	...	Li Showron #2 (voice)
Sarah Lafleur	...	Ruby (voice)
Kirby Morrow	...	Sakura's Dad (voice)
Colin Murdock	...	Spinner Sun (voice)
Richard Newman	...	Keroberos (voice)
Bill Switzer	...	Eli Moon (voice)
Nicole Oliver	...	Meilin Rae (voice) (uncredited)
Dale Wilson	...	Clow Reed (voice) (uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Clamp		comic
Jennifer Pertsch		writer

Original Music by
Dave Doré

Casting by
Karl Willems

Art Department
George Peter Gatsis	....	graphic designer

Music Department
Neil Parfitt	....	music editor

Other crew
Lucia Frangione	....	adaptor: English

Production Companies

• Nelvana
• The Ocean Group

Distributors

• Kids' WB
• Pioneer Entertainment
• Teletoon

Other Companies

• NHK Enterprises  original publisher
• NHK  original publisher
• Nelvana  dubbing
• The Ocean Group  dubbing

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA | Japan | Canada

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Certification:

UK:PG (some epiosodes) | UK:U (some epiosodes) | USA:TV-Y7

Company:

Nelvana

Trivia:

In the U.S. and Canada the show was place out of order and skipped around. However in most other countries they followed the original story line.

Goofs:

Plot holes: The scenes shown at the end of early episodes are spoilers for as-yet-not-seen episodes

Quotes:

Sakura: Are you okay?
Li: Well, I've been better...

Movie Connections:

Alternate language version of "Cardcaptor Sakura" (1998)

Depends on how you look at it

When looked up as a dub of the original Japanese "Card Captor Sakura" series, "CardCaptors" embodies absolutely everything that is wrong with the dubbing process. Storylines butchered, plots changed, episodes cut to shreds and aired in different orders, etc, etc.

However, when viewed as a separate series unto itself - if you forget the Japanese version exists, just for a while - "CardCaptors" can be quite entertaining. Some of the dub changes can be VERY hard to swallow when you're aware of the true meaning behind things (Madison's in love with Sakura, Tori and Julian are an item, Li has a crush on Julian, etc), but it makes me laugh, and I can't help but enjoy it.

It does have it's flaws, though - specifically, it sets up a big plot arc... then does absolutely nothing with it. For example, season one - after excessive random card capturing, the concept of Sakura's dream is introduced, along with the mysterious teacher, Miss McKenzie. We then proceed to see Sakura's dream in every following episode, and Miss McKenzie acts more and more mysterious... but *nothing actually happens.* The mystery of the plot is not advanced in any way, save for the occasional mention of the enigmatic "Yue." Then it all comes crashing down at once. Same with season two - we're introduced to the new kid, Eli, who obviously has mystic powers, and two familiars like Keroberos and Yue, and yet all he does it put Sakura in peril from behind the scenes, over, and OVER, and OVER. The pacing of the series can be very bad - and then, you have to consider what it must be like for the Japanese viewers, as for us, there are a lot of episodes that don't get aired, and it STILL seems to take too long.

The animation's a bit iffy, as well. There are two sizes... short, and immensely tall. There's nothing in between. Plus all the adult men are exceptionally... pointy.

The way the Japanese writers overindulged themselves also grates. More than fifty percent of the main cast is homosexual or bisexual, which, towards the end, creates some problems because it threatens to affect the outcome which the writers want to have (Li and Sakura together). So it's all just shoved aside without so much as a by-your-leave. And there's never any reason given for why the cards had to BECOME Star Cards at all.

If you think too much about this show, you'll probably quickly stop being a fan of it. So just enjoy it for what it is.