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Sakura Kinomoto
'Cardcaptor Sakura Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle xxxHolic character
Sakura Kinomoto in Cardcaptor Sakura
First appearance	First episode (CCS anime) First episode (Cardcaptors anime) First Chapter (CCS manga) First episode (Tsubasa anime) First chapter (Tsubasa manga) Chapter 7 (xxxHolic)
Last appearance	Cardcaptors Sakura 2nd Movie: The Sealed Card Last chapter (CCS manga)
Created by	Clamp
In-universe information
Alias	Sakura Avalon (Eng Cardcaptors)
Gender	Female
Title	Cardcaptor (CCS) Master of the Clow (CCS) Princess of Clow (Tsubasa)
Occupation	Student (CCS) Princess of Kingdom of Clow (Tsubasa) Waitress (Tsubasa)
Relatives	Toya Kinomoto (Older Brother) Fujitaka Kinomoto (Father in CCS) Nadeshiko Kinomoto (Mother in CCS, deceased) Tomoyo Daidōji (2nd Cousin in CCS) Sonomi Daidōji (1st Cousin in CCS) Syaoran Li (Husband in Tsubasa) '(Original) Syaoran' (Son in Tsubasa)
Nationality	Japanese

Sakura Kinomoto (木之本 桜, Kinomoto Sakura) is a fictional character, the heroine of Clamp's anime and manga series Cardcaptor Sakura. She is known as Sakura Avalon in the English anime adaptation Cardcaptors. For all Japanese-language productions of the anime (including movies, audio CDs, and video games), Sakura is voiced by Sakura Tange. For English-language productions, she is voiced by Carly McKillip through Cardcaptors and the first movie. She is voiced in the second movie by Kari Wahlgren.

Sakura is also a main character in Clamp's later work, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle. In its anime adaptation, she is voiced by Yui Makino in Japanese and Monica Rial in English.

She also appears in another Clamp title xxxHolic and briefly cameos in chapters 7, 8, 133, 136, 137, 140, 145, and 146.

She is very popular in Japan as an Anime character. She won the championship by the first time Anime Saimoe tournament in 2002.^[1]

Sakura's given name (さくら) means cherry blossom. Her surname, Kinomoto (木之本), literally means the origin of wood.

In Cardcaptors, Sakura was originally going to be called "Nikki," but Nelvana kept her given name because of the reception of the Cardcaptors adaptation and the difficulty and expense of editing out numerous appearances of her name in rōmaji in the series.^{[citation needed]} Her family name was changed to "Avalon."

At the start of the series, Sakura is 10 years old and living in a fictional town called Tomoeda in Japan. ^[2] It is supposedly located not far from Tokyo.^[3] One day in early April, shortly after her birthday and only slightly into her fourth grade year at Tomoeda Elementary School (Reedington Middle School in Cardcaptors), young Sakura stumbles across a mysterious old book called The Clow in her father’s study.^[4] Instantly upon touching the book, a confused Sakura mistakenly awakens one of the card’s guardians, Cerberus who was sleeping on the front cover where he was supposed to be guarding the Clow Cards: a deck of 19 (52 in the anime) magical cards with incredible powers. ^[5] Upon emerging from the book, Kerberus admits to having let the cards slip away as he slumbered, and, realizing Sakura’s magical potential, cunningly tricks her into becoming the "Cardcaptor" and duty bound to collect all of the missing cards and return them to the book where they will then be under her control.^[6] What is not revealed until much later is that Cerberus, by appointing Sakura this position, was marking her as his one and only chosen candidate to become the next master of the Clow Cards and their guardians. ^[7] The anime version of the series presents a slightly altered chain of events in which, on the afternoon after her first day of eighth grade, Sakura hears a mysterious sound coming from her father's library in the basement. She, nervously armed with her cheerleading baton, goes downstairs and there discovers the book of the Clow with all of its cards (the anime extends the deck to contain 52 cards) still within it. In this altered version of the story, Sakura picks up the top card and reads its name aloud, "Windy". This activates the Card, summoning a large wind that blows the remaining Cards out of the house and into the distance after which Kerberos emerges and appoints her to retrieve them. This was most likely added to not only give Kerberos a more justifiable reason to send Sakura on her mission, but also to give her an easier time at completing it, as she now begins her adventure with one of the cards, Windy, already under her control, as opposed to starting with no cards at all as in the original manga.

Sakura is an extremely energetic and cheerful character. She is very athletic, being a member of her school's cheerleading squad and an excellent runner. ^[8] Her "invincible spell", "Everything will surely be all right." (「絶対大丈夫だよ。」, "Zettai daijōbu da yo."), has carried her through innumerable trials and obstacles as she masters her magical skills. She often comes across as naïve, clumsy, and clueless, but she has her perceptive moments on occasion. Her favorite foods are omelette and noodles with seafood and her favorite recipe is pancakes. Her birthday is on April 1. She hates Mathematics and her blood type is A.^[9]

Sakura's optimistic and trustworthy character allows her to be friendly with everybody, and the entire series focuses on the friendships she creates with people, whether strangers, loose acquaintances, or rivals. In fact, her personality is a dominating factor in her relationships, especially with Syaoran.

Sakura lives with her older brother, Touya Kinomoto (Tori Avalon), and her father, Fujitaka Kinomoto (Aiden Avalon). The three help manage their home together, often rotating cooking and cleaning chores. Sakura's mother, Nadeshiko Kinomoto (Natasha Avalon), became seriously ill, and died when Sakura was three years old. In Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, In Chapter 189, it is revealed that she had a son with Syaoran Li, who is the hero of Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles. Her son's real name currently remains unknown.

Sakura's character designs for the manga were originally developed by Mokona of Clamp. She was designed to capture the image of Mokona's then two-year-old niece Kawaji. Kawaji wore short hair in pigtails much like Sakura does in the anime and manga.

Sakura's most sacred and important items are most likely her sealing wand and cards, since they are her main weapons in magic. Throughout the series, Sakura's magical powers get progressively stronger. ^[10] This is mostly verified by Cerberus at random points in the series, as Sakura would otherwise appear to have equal expertise in each capture, when she summons Clow Cards. Throughout the Clow Card arc, Cerberus's comments seem to imply that Sakura's magic grows as she battles and captures more Cards. ^[11] This is also implied in the corresponding anime. In contrast of this, in the second half of the series we are reminded of Sakura’s inexperience as she often collapses after transforming the cards. ^[12] However, as she grows progressively proficient in changing Clow Cards into Sakura Cards, she becomes less tired and more aware of Clow Reed's presence. ^[13] She also remembers more details about her prophetic dreams. ^[14] During the last of Eriol's trials, she is able to transform several cards at once. ^[15] This sequence of events during the second arc is more or less true in the anime version of the series as well, with only a few changes made. The most obvious of these is that Yue (a character who, in the original version of the series is shown as becoming much closer to Sakura throughout Eriol’s trials to the point of accepting her at least as a valued friend ^[16]) is shown throwing her a constant stream of criticism as a reminder of Sakura’s lack of experience. Another interesting change made in the anime variation is that, by end of the series, she, unconsciously, manages to create a new Card, the nameless card, which would later serve as a major plot point for the second movie.

After Final Judgement, Clow Reed tells her that her magic seems to be drawn from the power of the stars, which may start small, but are ever-shining with their own brilliant light. However it should be noted that like Clow Reeds magic, Sakura's is a balance of sun and moon magic. ^[17]

Sakura gives the Star Wand up to Yuko Ichihara as payment for allowing her son to travel to Clow Country.^[18]

Key Of Clow Key of Clow, Power of Magic, Power of light, Surrender the Wand, The Force ignite. Release!

Sealing A Clow Card I command you to return to your power confined, <Card Name>. (*If she doesn't know the name of the Clow Card, she would say: Clow Card)

Clow Cards (Fortune Telling) Ancient Cards of Clow, Give me vision now. Show me if you may, Who is standing in my way?

Sakura releasing new Star Wand Key of the Star With powers burning bright Reveal the staff And shine your light! Release!

Sakura Changing a Clow Card into A Star Card I call upon the power of my star Ancient forces, near and far <Card Name> transform all your might and draw your power from my light! Star Card!

The Key (Sealing Wand) The key that hides the powers of the dark, reveal your true form before me! I, Sakura, command you under our contract. Release! ^[11]

To Seal a Clow Card Return to the guise you were meant to be in, Clow Card! ^[11]

To do a Divination Cards created by Clow, answer my query. Show me the true form of the one who opposes me. ^[19]

The Key (Star Wand) The key that hides the powers of the stars, reveal your true form before me! I, Sakura, command you under our contract. Release! ^[20]

Clow Cards to Sakura Cards Card created by Clow, abandon your old form and reincarnate! Under the name of your new master, Sakura!<Card Name>!

Sakura's relationship with Syaoran Li (Li Syaoran) is the most recognized relationship in the series, mostly because the second half of the series is heavily devoted to its development.

Most significant to the development of their relationship is Syaoran's changing opinion of Sakura, mostly because of Sakura's own heart-warming personality. In the beginning of the series, Syaoran immediately considers Sakura a rival when he finds out she is the Cardcaptor and concludes her unworthy of bearing the responsibility of the Clow Cards. ^[21] Sakura is constantly intimidated by his glares and brash attitude both at school and while capturing Clow Cards. However Sakura never gives back any negative responses or behavior. Most of the time, despite Syaoran's aggression, she thanks him for his help and effort. This eventually becomes very confusing to Syaoran, whose gentler side soon causes him to be more humble than arrogant.

An important turn in their relationship occurs when the Earthy reveals itself in the manga chapter entitled "The Power of the Elements", where Sakura falls into a deep crevice created by the card. ^[22] Running to save her, Syaoran yells out to her, calling her by her first name. ^[23] After being rescued by Cerberus, Sakura returns this by asking if she can start calling him "Syaoran-kun". ^[24] This is paralleled in the anime where, in episode 57, Tomoyo, Syaoran, Eriol, Sakura take a visit to a teddy bear museum. (The journey through the museum is accompanied by the song Ki Ni Naru Aitsu or That Girl I Can't Ignore , sung by his voice actress, Kumai Motoko [Cardcaptor Sakura Character Single: Syaoran]). This is followed by a scene in an elevator between Syaoran and Sakura where events similar to those centered around the Earth card occur. Syaoran screams out Sakura's name here when she falls into a hole. Sakura later tells him she heard this, and asks if she can call him "Syaoran-kun" instead of the more neutral "Li-kun".

Throughout the series, Syaoran gradually becomes more committed to caring for Sakura romantically, most especially after Yue forces him to confront his feelings early on in the second story arc, but she remains completely oblivious of his feelings. ^[25]Syaoran's blushes become more frequent, and there are some occasions where he would suddenly become clumsy when in her presence. ^[26] Sakura will either keep an innocent smile on her face or look confused and worried at Syaoran whenever he trips and falls.

When Sakura confesses her feelings to Yukito, only to have them essentially rejected, Syaoran is there to comfort her in the park afterwards. ^[27] It is a very emotional period in the series, but she is able to recover, thanks to Syaoran being there to help her get her emotions out. ^[28]To give thanks, she spends a week making him a scarf. Similarly, in the manga, Sakura returns the favor by spending a week making him a yukata which she gives to him after he agrees to accompany her to a festival. ^[29] Sakura is finally made aware of Syaoran's feelings when he personally confesses them near the end of the series, after the final battle with Eriol Hiiragizawa. ^[30] The news comes as a complete shock to her, and it is ever present in her thoughts over the next few days. After talking to her friends about why she is upset and confused about her feelings, those feelings lead her to conclude that Syaoran is her true "number one person," and she confesses her newfound feelings as Syaoran suddenly leaves for Hong Kong (though only temporarily). The anime stretches out the suspense, with Sakura not yet answering Syaoran in the last episode of the series. Instead, her confession comes at the end of the second movie, after several failed attempts throughout the film.

The teddy bears (seen in the above picture) are named Sakura and Syaoran, respectively, referring to a fictional tradition where if two people make teddy bears for each other and the recipients name them after their donors, the two will be a couple forever. ^[31] In the manga, Sakura and Syaoran name their bears after each other after she confesses her love to him. However this is slightly changed in the anime, where, Syaoran gives Sakura his bear (she asks to have it) in Episode 70, but Sakura never gives him one, having already given it to Yukito earlier in the series.^[32]

In the second movie, Syaoran returns to Japan with his cousin Meiling Li (Meilin Rae) (anime only character) who was having secret phone calls with Tomoyo Daidōji who helped plan their return. Tomoyo and Meiling attempted to organise outings for Sakura to tell Syaoran about how she feels but, rather amusingly, she gets interrupted until the end of the movie where Sakura confesses her love believing that Syaoran had forgotten his most important feeling. She begins to cry but Syaoran surprisingly replies "Me too, Sakura." The song Ashita e no Merodi plays with the sunrise clear in the background to symbolize happiness and victory. Sakura is so overjoyed by the revelation, that she recklessly leaps across a large hole in the floor to reach Syaoran. The film ends on a cliffhanger with Sakura halfway through the air, but a still image released with the film shows that she makes the leap, right into Syaoran's arms.

Sakura and Syaoran are likely Clamp's most famous fictional couple, as they make a lead appearance in their crossover manga series, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle. The original Syaoran tied to that storyline is revealed to be the son of Syaoran Li and Sakura Kinomoto in Chapter 189.

In the first half of the series, before any hint of a relationship with Syaoran, Sakura's primary romantic focus was on the older Yukito Tsukishiro. On a class trip in the fourth volume, Sakura reveals to Syaoran that her crush on Yukito began when Touya brought Yukito home on the day Yukito transferred to Touya's school. Yukito's presence always causes a significant effect on Sakura's feelings, commonly provoking her "floaty" exclamation, "Hanyaan~" (はにゃあん～). Unlike Syaoran, who is attracted to Yukito because of his power, Sakura is truly in love with Yukito.

Sakura always does her best to impress Yukito, on rare occasions even competing with Syaoran to give the better compliment or gift. ^[33] She often looks forward to going to school with Yukito each day, and she is worried when he is not there. ^[34] Most times when her brother, Toya, is present, Sakura is often provoked to raise her voice or else act "unladylike" at Toya, which immediately elicits her embarrassment when she realizes Yukito is also there watching her.

Late in the series, Sakura finally decides to confess her love to Yukito instead of forever skirting around the issue. ^[35] However, Yukito does not return the feelings, admitting that he loves her also but only in a platonic way. ^[36] He asks her to reevaluate her feelings towards him and suggests that she feels attached to him more because he resembles her father. Sakura agrees with Yukito after some thought, and he continues to reassure her by saying that the real "number one person" for her is still out there somewhere, and she should not give up searching for him. ^[37]

After an emotional afternoon in the park, Sakura is able to get over Yukito but still remaining a close friend through the end of the series. She, in a rare perceptive moment, also realizes that Yukito's feelings have always been aimed towards her brother, Toya. ^[38] She accepts that fact, also, and wishes them the best.

Interestingly, in the last book of the manga (episode 70 of the anime), Eriol reveals to Yue that when Clow chose Sakura as the future new Master of the Clow Cards and their guardians, he had expected that in the future Yukito would love Sakura more than anyone else and vice versa. ^[39] Yukito's feelings for Touya and Syaoran and Sakura's feelings for each other were the unforeseen occurrences, a few of the deviations from Clow's plan, that Eriol mentions to Sakura and friends at the party in Clow's mansion.

Though non-romantic, Sakura's close relationship with Tomoyo Daidōji (Madison Taylor) is likely the second most significant relationship in the series. Sakura and Tomoyo are best friends (and second cousins as their mothers were cousins), meeting randomly for the first time in the third grade when Sakura offered Tomoyo one of her erasers. ^[40] Since then, Tomoyo has been very attentive to everything that Sakura does, including finding a passion for filming her throughout her daily activities.

Sakura holds a lot of trust in Tomoyo, often allowing her to take lots of measurements for the multitude of battle costumes and dresses that are made for her. Tomoyo is also one of the few keepers of Sakura's secret as the Cardcaptor, often accompanying Sakura in many of her adventures for filming and costume-testing opportunities. In the second half of the series, when Sakura gets a new wand and mission, Tomoyo is responsible for choreographing Sakura's new action poses.

Tomoyo holds a special, arguably romantic attachment, to Sakura, of which Sakura is completely oblivious. In both the manga and anime, Tomoyo admits that she loves Sakura, but Sakura replies innocently, "I love you, too," in the platonic sense. (This is emphasized using manga conventions: Tomoyo declares her love against a background of flowers, while Sakura replies against a blank white background). The manga takes the scene further where Tomoyo comments that her love is more than what she is thinking it is. Sakura gives a confused look, but Tomoyo drops the topic, adding, "I'll tell you when you're older." ^[41]Throughout the series, Sakura never realizes this deeper attachment, simply remaining Tomoyo's best friend. Tomoyo, however, selflessly does not mind this at all and even helps Sakura most times in setting up situations with Yukito and Syaoran, as Tomoyo understands they are the ones who would make Sakura the happiest.

Because Tomoyo lacks magical powers, Sakura takes on a protective responsibility most times when capturing or transforming cards. If Tomoyo is ever in danger (or missing), Sakura will be the one concerned for her most, and her focus changes from that of the Card at hand to Tomoyo's safety. Fortunately, Sakura has always succeeded and hugs Tomoyo warmly whenever she reunites with her. ^[42]

Clamp has stated that the image to the right is Tomoyo fixing Sakura's hair, however, it is often seen to have a romantic element to it as the expressions and pose resemble two people about to kiss.

While Sakura does not have a direct role in xxxHolic, Yūko Ichihara mentions her on several occasions and has a replica of her first sealing wand. She also states there is a Sakura, who Yūko explains is related by blood to Clow Reed, living in their world with her boyfriend, hinting of Sakura Kinomoto (and Syaoran Li) from Cardcaptor Sakura.^[43]

Sakura (from Tsubasa) first appears in the manga in an unconscious state, held by Syaoran.^[44] She next appears when Watanuki's dream connects him to the world her "soul" resides in.^[45] She does this several more times, each time holding a short conversation with Watanuki. In one such conversation, she explains that she changed the future in such a way that Syaoran would not be stabbed and so that everyone would still live, including herself.^[46] An important occurrence in another dream is the emphasis put on Sakura's, Syaoran's, and Watanuki's birthdays – they are all on April 1st.^[47]

After the first of these meetings, Yuko tells Watanuki that if Sakura's soul is separated from her body too long, she will die.^[48]

She has also appeared in xxxHolic when Watanuki falls into the Dream world again, and a hand pops out behind of Sakura. The hand belonged to the real Syaoran, then another hand pops out and the cherry blossoms fluttering around are blocking Watanuki's view so he doesn't know who's hand that was (It actually belonged to the clone Syaoran). He then eventually went back to his world.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2008)

Sakura has achieved notable popularity in Japan. In both 1999 and 2000 she won the Animage Grand Prix for Best Female Character.

• Clamp (w). "Cardcaptor Sakura" Cardcaptor Sakura, vol. 1-12 (1999). Kodansha.