Rating: 
Summary: Any Anime Fan Ought to try at least One Volume
Review: Before anything else, a word on the content of the disc: "Cardcaptor Sakura" is a subject of much passion among anime fans, because of the existance of "Cardcaptors". I will refrain from trying to assess and pass judgement on that series here (there are others who do, both in these reviews and on websites, neither of which are hard to find if you want opinions); suffice to say that although CardCaptors is derived from Cardcaptor Sakura, it is not the same program. This disc ("The Clow") is presented completely uncut and unedited, with only the Japanese language track and optional English subtitles. (Hint: the subtitles are hidden under the Extras menu, and are turned off by default.)Now, the review proper. I like Mr. Solomon's characterization of the series as "sweet but never sacchrine", for this is really the heart of the matter. Many anime fans who consider themselves "mature" (or for that matter, if they are male) may be turned off by the focus on elaborate costumes, the relentlessly pink cover, and the fact that most of the cast in this series consists of ten-year-old girls. But, speaking as both a male and someone who watches "mature" anime (Cowboy BeBop, Evangelion, Haibane Renmei come to mind), I implore people who might think these things to stop and reconsider. Despite an outward appearance that may be called "childish", "Sakura" in fact contains a strong and interesting story with strong and interesting characters. Sakura herself manages to be an engaging heroine, while still seeming realstic in her tussles with her own day-to-day affairs. Now, granted, in the world of "Sakura", no plot line (especially on this first disc) ever goes completely beyond the ability of the characters to ensure a happy ending. But at the same time, the anime (the scripts for which were supervised by Ookawa Nanase, the writer of the original manga series) never fails to create tension and suspense even as you're assuring yourself that this show would not let anything truly terrible happen to its inhabitants. There's even reason for those who have faithfully read the "Cardcaptor Sakura" manga to check out this anime--although the basic plot is the same, the actual execution is quite different in both forms. Cards Sakura catches in the manga appear in different orders and are conquered in different ways, and the anime also involves a number of Cards that don't appear in the manga at all. The animation is crisp and bright, and the voice actors do an excellent job all around. But above all, it's next to impossible to watch this series and not feel good. The energy and upbeat personality of the series comes through everywhere, and is thoroughly infectious. Not the simple or even shallow show it may seem at first, Sakura can be enjoyed by anyone of any age, and all fans of anime (and of fun cartoons and good storytelling, for that matter) owe it to themselves to give this series a chance. ~
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