For its 25th anniversary, the first Cardcaptor Sakura animated film will return to movie theaters for a limited time in Japan, with a newly released trailer celebrating the special event. Notably, it will also be presented alongside a short film that was included in the original theatrical run back in 1999.
Initial details were presented in a press release from Gamer. The plot of Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie features an original story that takes Sakura and the rest of the cast to Hong Kong, the homeland of Syaoran Li, as seen in the newly released trailer below. Meanwhile, the included short film is a seven-minute production based on another of CLAMP’s works called Clover. The original Clover manga takes place over four volumes, which the short film adapts into an artistic vignette accompanied by a melancholic theme. With no time to spare for character introductions or much exposition, the impressive visuals and music accomplish a lot to capture the tone of the work. It certainly makes for a unique double feature alongside Cardcaptor Sakura, which shows CLAMP’s ability to create intriguing works for a wide range of audiences.
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Cardcaptor Sakura Gets New Trailer Release for Its First Anime Movie
Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie aimed to impress upon its initial release in 1999; while the original anime series crew was maintained throughout the entire production, Studio Ghibli assisted in the visual effects department. For their efforts, the film was rewarded with the Feature Film Award at the now defunct Animation Kobe event — a category it shares with the likes of Spirited Away and Paprika. This award was also given to the second Cardcaptor Sakura film, The Sealed Card, which served as the conclusion to the original anime series. The first movie goes to great lengths to portray Hong Kong in an authentic manner, even serving as something of a time capsule considering how much the region has changed since the ’90s.
Special Bonuses Await Fans Who Watch the Cardcaptor Sakura Film in Theaters
As an incentive for audiences to attend multiple screenings, the label attached to the re-release will supply special bonuses upon admission to the theater. For the first week, fans will be given one of two special illustrated cards designed by CLAMP. One features Sakura herself, while the other features the female protagonist of Clover, Sue. Throughout the rest of the film’s run in theaters, attendees will receive one of two colored designs of Sakura based on the anime’s style. For those in Japan looking to relive the experience, these illustrations will serve as wonderful mementos.
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Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card was released just one year after the first film, meaning 2025 will mark its 25th anniversary. It would therefore come as no surprise if a similar event was held in celebration of the second film at some point within the next year. For now, fans in Japan will be able to enjoy the re-released theater experience of the first movie starting on Aug. 9, 2024. For those outside the country, the first Cardcaptor Sakura anime series, as well as its newer sequel, Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, are available to stream on Crunchyroll, as are both of the original sequel films.
Cardcaptor Sakura
Sakura stumbled upon the book of Clow Cards in a library. Accidentally setting the magical cards loose, it’s now up to Sakura to catch them all with her best friend Tomoyo, and Kerberos, the guardian of the cards.
- Release Date
- April 7, 1998
- Main Cast
- Sakura Tange, Matt Hill, Andrea Kwan and Junko Iwao,
Source: Gamer
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