I don’t need to capture it by force…
Creative Staff
Story & Art: CLAMP
Translation: Devon Corwin
What They Say
More Cards, More Problems
Now that she’s in middle school, Sakura’s having a lot of fun with her new friends, and these days she’s busier than ever. But one day when she’s about to have dinner, she’s transported away by a mysterious figure standing among the gears—but what is that figure trying to tell her?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
When you think about Cardcaptor Sakura, the first thing you think about is the cards. The sheer variety of “creatures” and in turn abilities each card contains is insane, giving this “monster of the week” vibe to the series.
But the weird thing about CCS is if you bother to watch/read the series, it becomes increasingly apparent that it’s so much more than just self-contained monster fights. What made and continues to make Cardcaptor Sakura interesting is how it’s able to so casually shift gears between these giant, bombastic card showdowns and these equally endearing moments that build up the surrounding world and its characters along with it. With each card captured, there’s a very specific forward momentum it brings to the overall plot, with chapters bursting out of their supposed self-contained box and bleeding together to form this charming narrative.
While volume 2 of the Clear Card arc brought a very specific focus on the cards themselves, unleashing new monster designs through these spectacular single and double-page spreads, volume 3 takes a closer look at the plot in relation to the prophetic dreams Sakura has been having. In them, Sakura sees a vast world of clock gears, and a single cloaked character, about her height. Strangely enough, this is about the same time the transfer student Akiho makes her way to Sakura’s class.
And while it’s yet to be confirmed whether or not CLAMP will repeat their own trope of making Sakura’s transfer student relevant to the plot, at the very least I will say her introduction has been quite the treat. Compared to the series’ previous go-arounds with new teacher Mizuki and transfer student Eriol, Akiho fits in far more naturally into the series. Instead of going out of their way to make the character feel different, CLAMP has made Akiho a near-perfect complement to Sakura. Whereas the Mizuki and Eriol almost set a dividing line between “card capture moments” and “plot-building moments,” Akiho feels like a balance between the two. The scenes of her chit-chatting and generally getting along with Sakura are endearing, but they also transition perfectly into moments when a clear card suddenly makes their way into the scene. In this case, the line between scenes is less distinct. They’re blurred in such a way that makes sequences feel almost dream-like themselves—a clear indication of how much CLAMP has honed their abilities since the original manga.
In Summary:
Clear Card Volume 3 sacrifices the stunning nature of the Card fights in favor of better fleshing out the overarching plot. And while it’s painfully obvious who the cloaked figure in Sakura’s dreams will end up being, I’m glad to see Akiho treated with such care. Her relation with Sakura is genuinely endearing and enjoyable, which I’m sure will only make an inevitable twist in the plot that much more heartbreaking.
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: A
Packaging Grade: A
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: Teen
Released By: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: April 10, 2018
MSRP: $10.99
