Amazon.com video review:
Ten-year-old Sakura's adventures continue as she pursues the magic Clow Cards and the spirits they control: Jump, a violent pink creature who resembles a mutant Pokémon, bedevils a woman who sells plush toys--until Sakura brings him to heel. Episode 9 stands out as an example of sensitive storytelling. Everyone perceives the eerie specter in the woods near their school differently; Sakura sees the ghost of her mother, who died seven years ago. Recalling Yuki's advice that her mother would never put her in danger, Sakura penetrates the ruse and captures Illusion, who shows people what they desire to see. Sakura's older brother is dumbfounded when he realizes their mother's spirit actually has been watching over her. But Sakura isn't the only one pursuing the enchanted Cards. Shaoran Li, the brash new student from Hong Kong, is a distant relative of the sorcerer who created the Cards: he arrogantly insists he's the only one qualified to deal with them. Despite his protests, Sakura demonstrates her skill by capturing the powerful Lightning. Kerberos presents details about Sakura's clothes and home between episodes. Cardcaptor Sakura offers warm but never saccharine entertainment. (In Japanese with English subtitles.) Rated 13 and up, but appropriate for children three to four years younger. An edited version of these same episodes is available, entitled Cardcaptors: Power Match that's suitable for the 6-year-old crowd. --Charles Solomon
Amazon.com video review:
As 10-year-old Sakura Kinomoto's abilities as a Cardcaptor increase, her life grows more complicated. When she meets Sonomi, the mother of her best friend Tomoyo and the president of a major toy company, she discovers Sonomi is a cousin of her mother, Nadeshiko. Sonomi looked after the lovely, klutzy Nadeshiko when they were growing up and still resents Sakura's father for marrying her closest friend. But also she's mature enough to recognize that Professor Kinomoto made Nadeshiko very happy during her brief life. Sakura is enchanted to learn about her mother, who died when she was only 3. Kero, Sakura's irrepressible familiar, provides a comic counterpoint to serious feelings in these episodes, playing video games and demanding his share of any snack. Shaoran Li, the rude new boy from Hong Kong, continues to compete with Sakura as magical Clow Cards appear and have to be subdued. Matters take a turn for the worse when Li develops a sort of crush on Yuki, the high school student Sakura adores. No American cartoon studio would tackle this story line, fearing accusations of promoting homosexuality from conservative watchdogs. Li's attraction to Yuki isn't sexual, but the normal feelings of a lonely 10-year-old in need of a big brother/role model, and the emotional honesty only adds to the charm of Cardcaptor Sakura. Rated 13 and up, but story line aside, appropriate for a younger audience. The series is available in an edited format entitled Cardcaptors that aired on the Cartoon Network. --Charles Solomon
Amazon.com video review:
Cardcaptors has a lot going for it, including likable characters,
well-crafted dialogue, and a cartload of similarities to the phenomenally
popular Pokémon. But as the three-episode video Tests of
Courage demonstrates, the series (seen on the Kids' WB network) also is
saddled with shortcomings, mostly in the form of flimsy concepts. Case in
point: episode 1, "Sakura's Rival." Here we're introduced to lead
character Sakura's sole competitor in the Clow Card-capturing arena, the
stern and unsociable Li. After a rocky first encounter, Li proves he's
worthy of Sakura's trust by helping her secure the weather-corrupting
Shadow Card (one of many cards bearing mystical powers that Sakura
unwittingly released from the magic Clow book). The segment sets the tone
for the pair's subsequent semicooperative, semiadversarial adventures,
but it doesn't fully explain the Shadow Card's scheme, nor the role of
Kero, the supposed guardian of the cards who bears a roundabout resemblance
to Pokémon's Pikachu. Episodes 2 and 3 are slightly more
successful in shedding light on what the wayward Clow Cards are up to, but
batches of not fully fleshed-out details, like where Li got his
card-impairing lasin board and what he intends to do with the cards he
collects, are apt to irk kids over 7 who like their cartoon adventures
unraveled logically. That said, Sakura's spunk and good judgment make her a
better-than-average role model for girls, and her cool haircut is apt to
earn her popularity points, too. --Tammy La Gorce
