Cardcaptor Sakura

Sakura encounters a magical book and becomes a Cardcaptor after losing cards

Sakura Kinomoto wakes from a dream involving Tokyo Tower and introduces her family and friends. After school, she investigates a noise in her basement using a cheerleading baton. She discovers a glowing book containing 52 cards. Accidentally activating the Windy card causes the cards to scatter outside her home. A creature named Cerberus emerges from the book and designates Sakura as the "Cardcaptor," entrusting her with the Sealing Wand to retrieve the scattered cards. This sequence marks the beginning of her new responsibility as she deals with the magical artifacts that have escaped her possession.

Sakura's Wonderful Friend

After uncovering Sakura's secret, Tomoyo learns about the Clow Cards and her role as Cardcaptor from Cerberus, who adopts the nickname Kero-chan. The following day, students discover school desks and equipment piled up. Kero attributes this to a Clow Card and insists Sakura visit the school at night. There, she encounters The Shadow, leading to a direct confrontation regarding the mysterious event that disrupted the school environment.

Sakura's Aquarium Trip and Unexpected Cafe Date with Yukito

Sakura’s class visits an aquarium where a penguin drags a trainer into the water during a show. Sakura’s brother, Touya, who works part-time there, rescues them. Later, Tomoyo provides Sakura and Cerberus with mobile phones. On the way home, Sakura encounters Yukito, who invites her to a casual date at a cafe he knows is near Touya’s workplace. While they eat, a creature named Watery breaks the aquarium glass, causing a flood. This event occurs during Sakura’s class field trip, highlighting the chaotic interactions between her friends and the supernatural elements present in their daily lives.

Sakura discovers dormant Clow Cards while cleaning, leading to a jungle inside the house

During routine household cleaning, Sakura uncovers two inactive Clow Cards known as The Wood and The Rain. Later, while she is out running an errand for her father, these specific cards suddenly activate. Their activation causes an unexpected transformation within the home, resulting in the interior of the house being completely overtaken by a dense jungle environment. This sudden change creates a chaotic situation that Sakura must address upon her return, as the magical flora spreads rapidly throughout the living space.

Sakura and friends help Maki at Twin Bells while searching for the Clow Card Jump

Sakura encounters Maki Matsumoto opening her stuffed doll shop, Twin Bells, on her way to school. After visiting with friends, they assist with unpacking merchandise. Chiharu Mihara purchases a stuffed panda that vanishes at home, leading Sakura to discover it back at the shop. Maki reveals her business struggles with mysterious events nearly forcing closure. While Tomoyo distracts Maki, Sakura and Kero search for the Clow Card Jump. The card escapes, taking all the stuffed dolls with it during the commotion.

Sakura investigates a mysterious light in the woods that resembles her late mother

Naoko shares a tale about a bright light in the woods, prompting Sakura and her friends to investigate after school. They witness the phenomenon, but each sees a different apparition, causing panic. Driven by curiosity and despite her fear of ghosts, Sakura returns at night to find the light. It transforms into the image of her deceased mother, Nadeshiko. Enchanted, Sakura walks toward the figure and off a cliff but is rescued by an unknown entity and lowered into Yukito’s arms. Days later, she returns to the cliff and steps off again, only to realize the figure was not her mother but The Illusion.

Sakura attempts to capture a Clow Card while investigating a mysterious painting restoration.

During a museum visit, Sakura and Kero suspect The Silent Clow Card caused a boy to alter a painting. That night, Sakura infiltrates the museum and meets Yuuki Tachibana, who seeks to restore a work by his deceased father obscured by the card. Repeated capture attempts fail as the card transports them outside. Utilizing The Shadow, Sakura successfully captures The Silent from a distance, restoring the artwork and revealing Yuuki is actually a girl. The episode concludes with a stranger in an odd costume appearing and muttering that he senses a Clow Card.

Sakura encounters a rival transfer student who challenges her during a card capture

Sakura experiences a recurring dream about a sword-wielding boy in Chinese attire, which Cerberus and Yukito identify as a foretelling dream. A new transfer student from Hong Kong, Shaoran Li, sits behind her and intimidates her with his glare. He demands the Clow Cards during recess. Later, under a lightning storm without rain, Cerberus explains Shaoran belongs to the Li clan, a renowned family of Chinese sorcerers related to Clow’s mother. The storm returns, prompting Sakura to battle the Thunder card. Shaoran demonstrates mastery over elemental magic, summoning the thunder god to restore the card. He advises Sakura to use the Shadow card to trap the Thunder card for capture. Despite the success, Shaoran’s constant derogatory remarks leave Sakura feeling upset after her first card capture.

Sakura feels sad over Shaoran's skill, but a brooch possession leads to a battle and chocolate jealousy.

Sakura becomes depressed due to Shaoran's superior abilities. Rika and Tomoyo take her shopping for brooches, and they return to Sakura's house for tea and pudding. When Rika wears her brooch, the spirit Sword possesses her and attacks Sakura. Shaoran intervenes to protect Sakura, who refuses to fight Rika. Sakura uses Illusion to distract Rika, allowing her to capture the Sword spirit. The following day, Shaoran is upset seeing Sakura give chocolate to Yukito. He quickly offers sweets as well. Tomoyo explains to Sakura that Shaoran is interested in Yukito, just as Sakura is interested in him.

Sakura attends school Sports Day and encounters Tomoyo's mother Sonomi Daidouji.

During Sakura's school Sports Day, family members gather to support the students. Sakura meets Tomoyo's mother, Sonomi Daidouji, for the first time. When Sonomi and Sakura's father, Fujitaka, meet, both are shocked. Their conversation reveals that Sonomi is a cousin to Sakura's mother and she blames Fujitaka for her death, though not in any direct way. While Sonomi and Fujitaka race in the parent's race, there is a shower of flower petals. Sakura suspects a Clow Card and finds The Flower on the roof of the school.

Sakura visits Tomoyo's mansion and helps capture a Clow Card

Sakura visits Tomoyo's home for the first time and is surprised by the large mansion and staff. Sonomi greets her and shares memories of Nadeshiko over tea. Tomoyo shows Sakura a box that refuses to open, which Kero identifies as a Clow Card barrier. Sakura uses the Sword card to break the Shield card's protection and captures the card. The box contains a dried cherry blossom bouquet from Sakura's mother's wedding and a bunny-shaped eraser, which was the first gift Sakura gave Tomoyo.

Sakura's Time Loop Mystery Involving the Time Card and Shaoran

Fujitaka visits Sakura's school to discuss archaeology, where Shaoran becomes a fan until learning Fujitaka is Sakura's father. The following day, Sakura fails a recorder test and falls asleep, only to wake up when the clock tower strikes midnight. She discovers the previous day has repeated itself. Shaoran suspects a card is responsible and attempts to capture it, but the loop continues. Eventually, Sakura chases the Time card from the tower into Shaoran's thunder ward trap. Because Shaoran restores the card to its original form, he gains ownership of the Clow Card.

Sakura Faces a Mammoth Strength Test During the Zoo Field Trip

Sakura’s class visits the zoo to observe elephants when a mysterious force breaches the cages, causing panic. Kero identifies the invisible Power card as the culprit tormenting the animals. Sakura attempts to save the elephants by challenging the card to a tug-of-war but struggles against its immense strength. Just as defeat seems imminent, Shaoran employs the Time card to freeze time, allowing Sakura to gain the upper hand. This strategic intervention forces the Power card to surrender, resolving the crisis and ensuring the safety of the elephants and the other visitors at the zoo.

Sakura and Shaoran confront the Mist card during the school festival play

Sakura attends her high school culture festival, where she reunites with Tomoyo and Shaoran. The group watches a performance by Yukito and Touya’s class. A mysterious mist appears outside the auditorium and infiltrates the building through the ventilation system. This supernatural fog destroys the stage, endangering Touya and a student named Yoko. Sakura and Shaoran rush to the lighting room to address the threat. Sakura summons the Shadow card to capture the Mist card, while Shaoran uses his wind powers to rescue Touya and Yoko from falling debris. The incident occurs during the school festival event.

Sakura and Kero's Big Fight

After Shaoran captures the Storm Clow Card, tension rises between him and Kero, leading to a fight after Kero ruins Sakura's desk drawer. While at school, Kero eats alcohol-filled chocolate, wanders out the window drunk, and meets a young girl named Akane who lives with her mother. Unable to escape, Kero secretly contacts the worried Sakura by fax. Akane wishes to fly to see her father in heaven, and the Float card grants her dream. Sakura rescues Kero and brings him home. To make amends, Sakura redesigns her bottom desk drawer to serve as Cerberus's bedroom from now on.

Sakura enjoys a countryside vacation and shares a farewell rainbow with her great grandfather.

Sakura and Yukito vacation in the countryside, where she befriends an elderly man living in a nearby mansion. He shares tea and tennis with her, showing her the room of his deceased granddaughter and gifting her the girl's clothes. The following day, Fujitaka provides cookies for Sakura to deliver to the old man. During their interaction, he inquires about her father. On the final day of her stay, Sakura asks the man to stand on the balcony of the granddaughter's room. Using the Rain card from a distance, she creates a rainbow as a parting gift. Sonomi then reveals to the old man that he is the grandfather of both Sonomi and Nadeshiko, as well as Sakura's great grandfather.

Sakura faces a frightening beach trip test of courage with Shaoran.

Sakura and her classmates travel to the beach for a few days. On the first night, Naoko tells a scary story, causing Sakura to flee to the teacher's lodging. Shaoran finds her after sensing something in a nearby cave. They have their first civil conversation at the beach, where Shaoran mentions Wei, someone he lives with. The next night, a test of courage requires students to enter the cave and place a candle by the shrine. Inside, Sakura's friends begin to disappear. Shaoran, the only one left, stops Sakura from panicking and guides her to capture the Erase card, even as he starts to fade away. When Sakura offers to give him the card, Shaoran refuses it.

Sakura and Yukito encounter falling lights at the shrine during a summer festival outing.

Sakura attends a summer festival accompanied by Tomoyo, Yukito, and Touya. During the event, they meet Chiharu and Takashi before Sakura and Yukito separate from the group. They discover glowing lights descending from a tree at the rear of the shrine, resembling snow, which mirrors a dream Sakura had the previous night. Although Sakura intends to share a thought with Yukito, she is interrupted by their friends. The group then departs to eat snow cones, leaving Sakura to capture the Glow card in their absence.

Sakura struggles with homework and encounters a mysterious moving book at the library

With summer holidays ending, Sakura negotiates with her brother and Kero to finish her assignments, leaving only a book report. She visits the library with Tomoyo, where Shaoran refuses to share a cubicle due to a fortune telling bad luck with women. When the required book vanishes and reappears, the girls discover the Move card is responsible. Kero explains the situation, forcing Sakura to use her magical senses to capture the card for the first time. She succeeds, retrieving the book and the new card, but accidentally falls into a river with Shaoran. He invites them to his apartment for dry clothes, but their visit is interrupted when a Chinese girl suddenly appears and embraces him.

Shaoran's pale cousin Meiling arrives to help him collect the Clow Cards.

Shaoran appears exhausted by the arrival of his cousin Meiling from Hong Kong, who claims to be his fiancée and believes Sakura is trying to separate them. She insists on helping him retrieve the Clow Cards faster, despite his initial reluctance and her lack of magical ability. Meiling challenges Sakura to a gymnastics contest, initiating a recurring rivalry where she attempts to outperform the protagonist, though Sakura shows no interest in competing. Later, Meiling confronts the Fight Card at a park, showcasing the martial arts skills taught to the Li family children. Shaoran arrives to find she acted without his permission, revealing her vulnerability and prompting his protective, albeit condescending, response to her safety concerns.

Sakura undertakes an exceptionally lengthy marathon event

Sakura and Her Caring Father

Sakura, Tomoyo, and a Wonderful Song

Sakura embarks on a small journey