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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
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