This article covers the major characters of Clamp's manga Cardcaptor Sakura and its respective anime and movies. The manga and anime focused on Japanese schoolgirl Sakura Kinomoto who finds the magical Clow Book in her father's basement study, accidentally unleashing the magical Clow Cards loose across her hometown Tomoeda. Dubbed the Cardcaptor by the cards' guardian Cerberus (better known as Kero-chan), Sakura must wield the Clow Staff to capture the card spirits and turn them back into cards for her use. Sakura is aided by her best friend and cousin Tomoyo Daidouji, who creates battle costumes for her as well as videotaping her ventures as Cardcaptor; and later by Syaoran Li, a Chinese boy who is a descendant of the Clow Cards' creator Clow Reed. The anime also introduced a fourth companion, Meiling Li (sometimes spelled as Meilin Li), Syaoran's cousin. The rest of the characters are mostly oblivious to Sakura's magical life, aside from her brother Toya who has his own magical powers, and later Eriol Hiiragizawa, who is a reincarnated Clow Reed.
The anime was dubbed into English by Nelvana under the title of Cardcaptors, with most of the character names changed to English ones with the exception of Sakura, Meilin, Kero, Mr. Terada, Wang Wei, Ruby Moon, Yue, and Clow Reed.
A large number of the characters reappear as alternate selves in Clamp's other series, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle and xxxHolic.
Main characters
Sakura Kinomoto
is the heroine of Cardcaptor Sakura, named after the Japanese word for "cherry blossom". Her most defining character traits are her unyielding determination, caring nature and loyalty to her friends. Sakura is portrayed as a perceptively sweet, extremely energetic and cheerful character who is well-loved, pretty, cheerful, cute and at times naïve, clumsy, and clueless. Sakura is athletically gifted and skilled in sports at school, being an excellent runner and called the "best baton twirler in school" by her friends.Cardcaptor Sakura, Episode 1 Sakura and the Mysterious Magic Book She hates math and is openly phasmophobic. Sakura maintains a crush on Yukito Tsukishiro for most of the manga and anime, but when she finally confesses to Yukito, she is gently rejected by him. Then, when asked by Sakura, he reveals he has feelings for her big brother, Touya. Eventually, Sakura realizes she is actually in love with Syaoran, but doesn't realize her feelings until he first confesses his love for her. Although she fails to admit her feelings in the final episode, Sakura later manages to finally confess her love to Syaoran when he and Meiling return to visit in the series movie, Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card.
The manga version of the events leading to Sakura and Syaoran's confessions is quite different. Following the duel with Eriol, Syaoran reveals to Sakura his feelings to her one afternoon after school; telling Sakura that he loves her and that she is the one he loves most of all.Cardcaptor Sakura Collector's Edition 9, Kodansha USA English translation, 2021, P.152-154 Taking in Syaoran's words, Sakura struggles to understand her own feelings for Syaoran before realizing that she feels the same way about him. Before he leaves for Hong Kong, Sakura gives Syaoran a teddy bear she makes for him and tells him that he is her Number One; the person she loves the most. Now knowing that Sakura feels the same way about him, Syaoran promises to return once he's finished his business in Hong Kong and desperately asks Sakura if she will wait for him, and she promises that she will. Over the next few years Sakura and Syaoran maintain a long-distance relationship (which was the focus of a bonus one-shot Clear Card manga story released only in Japan called "Until We Meet Again"); writing letters and making phone calls. However, he reunites with Sakura when she starts Middle School and reveals to her joy that he is back in Tomoeda for good. The two happily embrace, with a tearful Sakura proclaiming that from now on, they'll be together forever.Cardcaptor Sakura Collector's Edition 9, Kodansha USA English translation, 2021, P.276-291
Sakura becomes the titular Cardcaptor by guardian beast Cerberus after accidentally opening and releasing the Clow Cards from the Clow Book. Aided by Cerberus, her best friend and cousin Tomoyo Daidouji, and later Syaoran, Sakura successfully captures all the cards and is named the new Clow Mistress by the cards' second guardian Yue (Yukito's true form).Cardcaptor Sakura, Episode 46 Sakura and the Final Judgment In the second half of the manga and anime, Sakura must use the power of her own star to transform the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards, or else the cards would lose their powers. In the beginning of the Clear Card arc, all the Sakura cards suddenly turn blank, losing their powers and while looking for a way to restore them, Sakura must capture new cards of an unknown origin that started appearing around town. She later learns that Syaoran was responsible for the Sakura cards' disappearance in a move to protect her, as her own power had grown too strong for her to control, leading to the creation of the Clear cards.
For all Japanese-language productions of the anime (including movies, audio CDs, and video games), Sakura is voiced by Sakura Tange. In the Animax English dub, she is voiced by Andrea Kwan. In the English dub of the second movie, she is voiced by Kari Wahlgren. In the English dub of the Clear Card arc, she is voiced by Monica Rial, who reprised her role as Sakura from Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle.
In the Nelvana English dub Cardcaptors, she is known as Sakura Avalon, though her given name is repronounced as "Sa-KU-ra" instead of "SA-ku-ra". She is voiced by Carly McKillip. In this version, she is portrayed as a more thick-skinned character than in the original anime, her initial romantic feelings for Yukito and fear of ghosts are removed, and later in the series she and Syaoran never developed their romance as it was heavily edited out.
The decision to have Sakura and Syaoran become a couple at the end of the series was popular amongst fans, with Nanase Ohkawa noting in a February 2001 interview that she was glad that the readers were happy that Sakura and Syaoran got together.
During a CLAMP Twitter Space discussion in April 2024, which took place a month after a special chapter of Clear Card was published in Japan (which was the last story reprinted in the final volume of Clear Card), CLAMP were asked if they had plans for another story arc, perhaps one about Sakura and Syaoran's wedding. Responding to the question, Nanase Ohkawa expressed her view that "it'd be best for everyone to imagine Sakura and Syaoran's wedding in their own hearts," but did not rule out a continuation of the story after the final volume of Clear Card.Report of CLAMP's Twitter Space - April 1st, 2024 (part concerning Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card)
Cerberus
( Kérberos ), nicknamed Kero by Sakura; is the appointed guardian of the book which holds the Clow Cards, as well as the series' provider of comic relief. He is one of two magical creatures created by Clow Reed along with the Clow Cards. Before his death, Clow appointed Kero as the one to select the potential candidate to be the next master of the cards, Cerberus himself, and his "brother" and fellow guardian, Yue. After Sakura accidentally releases the cards, Cerberus chooses her to be the candidate and teaches her the basics of capturing the cards. Throughout the series, he displays an extensive knowledge of mysticism. After Sakura passes the Final Judgment to become the Clow Cards master, Cerberus remains with her as a friend, companion, adviser, and protector when new threats appear.
Having spent a lengthy amount of time in the book while it was in Osaka, Cerberus speaks with a pointed Osakan-accent. He tends to be bossy, demanding, egotistical and gluttonous, but clearly displays his affection for Sakura, especially if she is hurt or in danger. He becomes very fond of video games, and is addicted to sweets. Cerberus spends most of his time in a "temporary" or "false form": a small figure resembling an orange stuffed animal with wings. Unlike Yue, Cerberus' magical powers are like the sun, and thus largely self-sustaining, and he is subsequently not as dependent on his master's power to support his life as is Yue. However, his master must have control of the Firey and Earthy cards in order to power his true form, a large-winged mountain lion. In the anime adaptation, the Light card is changed to the Earthy card to delay his obtaining his true form. Cerberus' name is taken from the Greek mythological figure, Cerberus, a large three-headed dog who was assigned to guard the gates of the Greek underworld. In the bilingual Kodansha version of the manga, the name for Cerberus' borrowed form is Cero.
In the anime adaptation, his false form is voiced by Aya Hisakawa, while his hidden form is voiced by Masaya Onosaka. In the Animax dub, his false form is voiced by Sarah Hauser, whereas his true form is voiced by Darren Pleavin. In the Cardcaptors dub, his name is spelled Keroberos (based on the Japanese pronunciation of his name), and "Kero" was repronounced as "kirō" instead of "kerō". In this dub, his false form is voiced by Matt Hill with a New York accent, and Richard Newman voices his true form, though the accent is not as distinct. In the second film, he is voiced by Wendee Lee and Dave Wittenberg, in his respective forms. In the English dub of the Clear Card arc, Kero's false form is voiced by Mikaela Krantz and Kero's true form is voiced by Christopher Sabat.
Cerberus appears in Episode 44 of Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle in his borrowed form, although in the parallel world he dwells in it appears to be his singular body.Tsubasa Chronicle, Episode 44 Kero-chan and Mokona Cerberus (using "Kero" as a nickname) guards the Country of Kero, and has a prophetic dream of Syaoran, Sakura, Fai, Kurogane and Mokona, the protagonists of Tsubasa, arriving in his world and recruits Mokona to climb up a mountain to retrieve one of Sakura's memory feathers which shrinks down the protagonists in size. Aya Hisakawa reprised her role as Cerberus for this character appearance, while Chris Cason provided his English voice.
Tomoyo Daidouji
is the best friend and primary assistant of Sakura Kinomoto, and her second cousin on their mother's sides. The daughter of the president of Daidouji Toy Company, Sonomi Daidouji (Sakura's aunt),Cardcaptor Sakura, Episode 10 Sakura and the Sports Day of Flowers Tomoyo is a person of good breeding and dignified bearing. She is svelte, sophisticated, and ladylike, and lives a life of wealth, watched over by a team of female maids and bodyguards.Cardcaptor Sakura, Episode 2 Sakura's Wonderful Friend She has access to a variety of state of the art prototype technological gadgets from her mother's company, and supplies Sakura and Cerberus with different mobile devices throughout the series. Her most defining character traits include her attentiveness, integrity and selflessness towards Sakura's welfare, and her love of spoiling her friends.