Seventeen years after its original conclusion, one of the definitive magical girl manga series makes its return in an all new series from original creators Clamp. Clear Card picks up right where Cardcaptor Sakura left off, with Sakura and Syaoran starting junior high school. With the Final Judgment passed, Sakura thinks school life will be quiet, but then all her cards suddenly turn blank! The mysterious new power she discovers will change how she thinks about her powers…
When you talk about important titles in the magical girl genre of manga, it is imperative that you include Cardcaptor Sakura in that mix. One of the most highly regarded titles in legendary manga group Clamp’s body of work, the manga and its subsequent anime adaptation helped popularise the genre and the medium in general in the west. Sakura Kinomoto in turn became one of the most popular manga heroines of all time and would have an alternate version of her as one of Clamp’s later works Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle. As of late though, Clamp have been revisiting several of their classic series so it was inevitable that they would return to arguably their biggest title.
This opening volume serves the dual purpose of continuing Sakura’s story for older fans whilst also introducing her world to new readers. Clamp do a top job with both these objectives with Clear Card retaining all of the charm that was present in the original and bringing back the classic characters fans would expect to see. Obviously, Sakura and Syaron’s relationship is still one of the main focuses and both characters remain highly likable, and it is intriguing to see the direction the series will go in with these slightly older versions of these well-established characters. But it is Sakura’s best friend Tomoyo who continues to be the main highlight with her obsessive behaviour still in full force when it comes to fashion and Sakura herself. There’s plenty for fans of the original to enjoy but it’s also very easy for new readers to jump in.
The artworks as one would expect from Clamp is top notch with their delicate style showing no signs of fraying around the edges since the original series. It maintains an incredibly bright feel for a series that is mainly in black and white, and the character designs that Clamp are renowned for continue to be out of this world.
Fans of magical girl manga and Clamp will rightfully consider this must read material whilst anyone looking for an accessible manga that’s of a less serious affair should definitely give this series a look.
Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card 1 is out now from Kodansha Comics
9781632365378 – P/B – £9.99
Post by Leo
