Cardcaptor Sakura - episode 1

A heroic and brave 10-year old girl, Sakura Kinamoto is fated to become the master of a mysterious deck of cards that bestows upon its user unbeknownst powers. Inhabiting the town of Tomoeda in Japan, where she attends Tomoeda Elementary School, she is energetic and cheerful, with little concern to the duties of a card hunteress. That is, until she hears a weird sound and decides to go over to investigate the source of the unsettling noise. 

 

Compelled by her curiosity, she descends the steps leading into the basement of her house, where a multitude of books and volumes are neatly stacked (her father is a college professor, so it's only natural that he is in possession of vast amunts of reading material). The beckoning air vibrations takes her to a particular book titled "Clow", which issues a glowing aura. As if by instinct, Sakura holds the mysterious tome in both hands and casts a slight peek inside, causing a card with the inscription "Windy" to slip out from within the pages. True to its advertised element, a strong gust soon sweeps through the cosy in-house library, scattering all over other hidden cards in the book. Last to exit the book of Clow is Keroberus, a tiny flying creature capable of speech and emotions. He explains that he was entrusted to keep the cards safe inside the Clow book, until Sakura unwittingly opened it and sent them to the winds. The one card she had got hold of provides the improptu duo with the means to "seal it", the process of which consists of wielding a magical wand and hitting the card with it, shortly after its elemental beast/creature is subdued. In typical Sailor Moon fashion, the magical animal is in charge of furnishing the protagonist with everything to succeed: the Wand and the due explanation of the duty that awaits our heoirne. And so Sakura captures the first card - Fly.

Since it's the first episode, there isn't much of a plot. We are introduced to Sakura's close family: her father and brother Toya (Tori, in some adaptations) and we get acquainted with some of the common elements of the series: dream sequences, her romantic interest etc. The remainder of the characters are introduced piecemeal throughout the following episodes.

To me this series holds particularly endearing value; it's just so well done that it's almost impossible to do it justice in any attempt to describe it. I must say that this is the best bang for your buck as cartoons go. At least this style of animation and genre. It also has a timeless depth to it; causing it to feel recent whenever I watch it again. I can't pinpoint what gives it this tantalising quality, but it's there. And it always makes for an impressive experience.