Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.0

Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie Blu-ray Movie Review

Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie is an exhilarating action-adventure following the hit anime series. Based on the original manga created by CLAMP, Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie features animation produced by studio Madhouse (Di Gi Charat, Trigun). Produced by Kazuhiko Ikeguchi (Cowboy Bebop, Spriggan) and Tatsuya Ono (Chobits, Galaxy Angel), Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie was released with distribution by Shochiku.

Executive produced by Masao Maruyama (Hellsing Ultimate, Texhnolyze), Shigeru Watanabe (Akira, Memories), and Tetsusyoku Ohkawa, Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie has an outstanding theme song composed by Naomi Kaitani. Featuring the voices of Sakura Tange, Megumi Hayashibara, Aya Hisakawa, Hideyuki Tanaka, Junko Iwao, Megumi Ogata, Motoko Kumai, Tomokazu Seki, and Yukana Nogami, the film has a lot of spectacle for fans of the series. Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie is a must-see for CLAMP fans.

Sakura Kinomoto (Sakura Tange) is the Cardcaptor and she has the most talented skills of all. Sakura is having the time of her life when she is on a special trip overseas. Exploring Hong Kong, Sakura finds a dreamlike state of exploration interrupted and brought to a halt by her nightmarish visions and her haunting dreams.

Exploring a strange phantom world, a mysterious shadowy woman is discovered by Sakura. Sakura is overwhelmed by her discovery. Sakura might have found another card – or perhaps there is something else going on with this woman? A mystery unfolds as Sakura faces one of her biggest missions to date as Cardcaptor Sakura.

The character of Sakura is one of the most charming characters in animation history – anime or otherwise. This is one of the central reasons the anime has become such a beloved favorite. A continuation of the beloved anime series, the feature-film does a great job expanding on the journey of the beloved character.

The character designs by Kumiko Takahashi (Cardcaptor Sakura) are impressive in so many respects. The design work is tremendous. There is a lot to appreciate about the design element – which adds so much to the experience. The original designs are by CLAMP (and the transition to the anime is well-done and remains faithful to the original manga).

The chief animation direction for Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie is handled by Hitoshi Ueda (Ninja Scroll, Steamboy), Kumiko Takahashi (Dirty Pair, A Wind Named Amnesia), Kunihiko Sakurai (Trigun: Badlands Rumble, Wicked City), and Masaru Kitao (Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals, Project A-ko 3: Cinderella Rhapsody). The animators involved do outstanding work with the production. The art style is masterful. Breathtaking animation is brought to life by the animators – and the storyboards by Morio Asaka are utilized by the animation team to make the film an even more special experience. The art direction by Katsufumi Hariu (Cardcaptor Sakura, Macross Plus) contributes to the majesty of the film, too.

The score composed by Takayuki Negishi (Cardcaptor Sakura, Lupin III: The Secret of Twilight Gemini) is a highlight of the filmmaking. Negishi is a wonderful composer and someone who has a great knowledge regarding the craft of scoring for anime. The composer picks up the reigns from working on the series itself and expands with the feature-film. The music is beautiful, serene, and melancholic as needed.

The cinematography by Hisao Shirai (Cardcaptor Sakura, Galaxy Express 999) is exquisite. The visual style of the film is something that provides an essential foundation to the production. The visuals manage to create an ambitious atmosphere that carries throughout the film. Exceptional.

Written by Nanase Ohkawa (Cardcaptor Sakura, Magic Knight Rayearth), Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie does a good job expanding on the series. Fans of Cardcaptor Sakura won’t want to miss it. Plenty of compelling elements are at play in the script. Good moments are provided to Sakura and to her best friends. The script feels right-at-home alongside the series.

Directed by Morio Asaka (Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits), Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie is a fun and epic anime film for fans of the beloved anime series. The original anime series has gained one of the most loyal followings worldwide as an essential masterpiece of Japanese anime. The film does a good job exploring the same universe and adding to the mythology. A fun and engaging film for fans.

Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Discotek, Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The high-definition presentation certainly is a mixed-bag on the release. The transfer is an early-era high-definition encode. With encoding and film preservation circa the early era of Blu-ray (with Discotek utilizing the source on the original Japanese release), the film uses a somewhat aged looking high-definition master. This is a little bit unfortunate. Although the transfer appears filmic and engaging (the best available on home media to date), the transfer has some downsides. The color reproduction could have been more robust looking on the release.

The anime series received a stunning new 4K restoration from Anime Limited in the United Kingdom. By comparison, it is hard to accept that the feature-film has a presentation that has not been given the same kind of care or treatment. The feature-film does not look as impressive as the original anime series does (with the series 4K remastering being exceptional). Despite some reservations, the release still looks good considering the age of the source. One can hope that someday a new 2K or 4K restoration can happen for the feature-film – bringing the presentation to being more in line with the television series.

Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes several audio options: Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (with English subtitles), Japanese uncompressed PCM 2.0 (with English subtitles), English Dolby Digital 5.1, and English Dolby Digital 2.0. The lossless audio on the release fares a bit better than the dated video presentation. In comparison, the lossless audio capably retains the sound direction by Masafumi Mima (Cardcaptor Sakura, My Hero Academia). The audio quality on the release is impressive and adds a lot to the viewing experience. The score and soundstage are much more robust and engaging sounding with the lossless audio encoding.

Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Theatrical Trailer (HD, 00:59)

Theatrical Teaser (HD, 1:12)

TV Spots (SD, 1:16)

English Trailer (SD, 2:10)

Production Art (HD, 3:06)

English Credits (SD, 4:40)

Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie is a must-see anime film for fans of the beloved animated series. Cardcaptor Sakura is one of the most cherished of all classic anime series and the film is a fun, charming, and entertaining experience as well. The Blu-ray release features a somewhat dated looking high-definition master. The lossless audio presentation fares better than the video encode (which could benefit from a 4K restoration).

The Blu-ray release comes with a small selection of bonus features. Despite some shortcomings, currently the release represents the best available presentation for Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie. I would re-buy in a heartbeat if a 4K restoration is done but until then, the release comes recommended.