The Essentials
Name: Cardcaptor Sakura - The Movie 2: The Sealed Card
Genre:: Fantasy, Adventure
Episodes: N/A
Released: July 15, 2000
Based On: Cardcaptor Sakura anime and manga series by CLAMP
Director: Morio Asaka
Produced By: Madhouse, Bandai Visual, Kodansha, Shochiku
US Distribution By: Pioneer/Geneon
Major Japanese Cast
Sakura Kinomoto: Sakura Tange
Shaoran Li: Motoko Kumai
Kero (little): Aya Hisakawa
Kerberos: Masaya Onosaka
Tomoyo Daidouji: Junko Iwao
Yukito Tsukishiro/Yue: Megumi Ogata
Toya Kinomoto: Tomokazu Seki
Meilin Li: Yukana Nogami
Nothing Card: Maaya Sakamoto
Naoko Yanagizawa: Emi Motoi
Takashi Yamazaki: Issei Miyazaki
Chiharu Mihara: Miwa Matsumoto
Rika Sasaki: Tomoko Kawakami
Fujitaka Kinomoto: Hideyuki Tanaka
Sonomi Daidouji: Miki Itou
Eriol Hiiragizawa: Nozomu Sasaki
Kaho Mizuki: Emi Shinohara
Major English Cast
Sakura Kinomoto: Kari Wahlgren
Shaoran Li: Mona Marshall
Kero (little): Wendee Lee
Kerberos: David Lelyveld
Tomoyo Daidouji: Michelle Ruff
Yukito Tsukishiro/Yue: Steve Cannon
Toya Kinomoto: Robert Lloyd
Meilin Li: Julie Maddalena
Nothing Card: Lia Sargent
Naoko Yanagizawa: Roberta Kim
Takashi Yamazaki: Joshua Seth
Chiharu Mihara: Dorothy Elias-Fahn
Rika Sasaki: Stevie Bloch
Fujitaka Kinomoto: Michael McConnohie
Sonomi Daidouji: Wendee Lee
Eriol Hiiragizawa: Johnny Yong Bosch
Kaho Mizuki: Sue Beth Arden
Scores
Animation: 9/10 (x 4 = 36 pts)
Story: 9/10 (x 4 = 36 pts)
Music: 9/10 (x 4 = 36 pts)
Coherence/Story Arc: N/A
English Dubs: 7/10 (x 1 = 7 pts)
Gut Score: 9/10 (x 5 = 45 pts)
Total: 160/180 (88.9%)
Review
Cardcaptor Sakura: The Sealed Card finally wraps up all the lose ends from the end of the TV series as we (sort of) find out the purpose of the final card that Sakura creates at the end and Sakura’s and Shaoran’s relationship finally comes to fruition. Shaoran and Meilin have come to Tomoeda to visit Sakura and to hang out during the town’s festival that is going on during the upcoming weekend. However, weird things start happening, such as Sakura losing some of her Sakura cards, and things disappearing. Soon Eriol calls Sakura up and tells her that she must defeat a new and more powerful menace than she’s ever faced before - a secret clow card which has broken through it’s seal now that all the other cards have been converted to Sakura Cards, and which contains negative energy equivalent to the power of all 52 clow cards and has the power to turn anything into “nothing.”
The existence of this card was held so secret that not even Keroberos or Yue know of it’s existence, and Eriol only becomes aware of it once it has broken it’s seal. The only way to seal it is to turn it into a Sakura Card as well - an action that will cost Sakura her most cherished feeling.
The Sealed Card definitely feels more like the series than the first movie, and it’s better for it. This movie is set in Tomoeda and Sakura actually uses her clow cards rather extensively this time around. I think it also balances the romance aspect between Sakura and Shaoran and the action in the movie rather well. There is quite a bit of comedy has Sakura tries to confess her feelings to Shaoran as well as the normal bad relation between Shaoran and Sakura’s brother Toya. There are some action sequences as well, especially at the end when the action gets rather intense.
The story blends all of these aspects together very well, making a coherent story which has enough comedy, romance, and action to please, but doesn’t overdo any of them. The only issue may be that prior knowledge of the franchise is recommended before watching this movie, or else you may be lost at first.
As is usual of Cardcaptor Sakura, the movie is highlighed by excellent animation and, as can be expected of a movie, is even richer than the TV series. The music, while mostly original, is still in the Cardcaptor Sakura style. This movie also comes with a different English dub from the Cardcaptors Nelvana adaptation and the first movie. This time around the dubs are much better, though not perfect, but the voice actresses voices do at least fit their characters this time.
In the end, The Sealed Card is a fitting send off for a series that was 3 years, 70 episodes, and 2 movies in the making. If you’re a fan of the Cardcaptor Sakura Series, you’ll definitely like this movie.
First Watched: September 2006
Do I Own: Yes
Do I Recommend: Yes
