Created by manga collective CLAMP, Cardcaptor Sakura debuted as an anime in 1998. It follows Sakura Kinomoto, an elementary school-aged girl who becomes involved in the issue of the Clow Cards, which it falls to her to capture and bring under her control.

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As the series goes on and as she captures more cards, meets more friends and enemies, and learns how to use her powers, she becomes stronger, as do some of the people also involved in the magic of the Clow Cards. Other characters fall by the wayside a bit, seeming less powerful by the end of the series so that the strongest characters at the beginning of the series aren’t necessarily the same as those at the end.

8 Yue Has Moon-Based Magic That He Learned To Use On His Own

cardcaptor sakura yue and sakura final judgement

Though he doesn’t know it at the beginning of the series, Yue goes by the name Yukito Tsukishiro and actually doesn’t know about his role as a Guardian of the Clow Cards. His magic is originally dependent upon a master helping him control and use it, but by the end of the series, he’s actually able to use his magic himself. His magic is based on the moon, and he has half of the Clow Cards, later Sakura Cards, under his protection.

7 Sakura Kinomoto Is The Most Powerful Magician

Sakura Kinomoto

Sakura Kinomoto is easily the most powerful magician at the end of Cardcaptor Sakura. Once she captures all of the Clow Cards, they become Sakura Cards instead. She has always had innate magical abilities, but as she collects the Cards, she becomes able to use this magic better and a more powerful magician overall. Clow even designed the capturing of the Cards in such a way that he split his own magic in order for Sakura to easily be the most powerful magician in the world.

6 Syaoran Li Is A Gifted Swordsman & Martial Artist Who Also Uses Elemental Magic

Syaoran Li from Cardcaptor Sakura.

Syaoran Li isn’t as powerful of a magician as Sakura is overall, but there are ways in which he is even stronger than she is. He is incredibly sensitive to magic and can use this sensitivity to detect the Clow Cards. He can detect them, and other magical activity, even when an attempt is made to cloak it.

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He is a master swordsman and remarkable martial artist who is also able to use elemental magic, making him a well-rounded powerful character.

5 Cerberus Can Detect Magic & Use Fire-Based Attacks

Kero In His Drawer

It’s hard to imagine that Kero, the tiny plush lion that flies around Sakura’s house or stows away in her bag looking for food and playing video games, is especially powerful. But as Cerberus, he is incredibly important to Sakura’s ability to capture the Clow Cards. He can detect the magic of the Cards, and he's able to offer her advice about how to capture them. He can transform into a larger lion that can shoot fire breath out of his mouth.

4 Kaho Mizuki Isn't Shown Using Any Magic, But Cerberus Senses Incredible Power From Her

Kaho Mizuki

Kaho Mizuki doesn’t directly use magic at any point during the series. But the series hints at the fact that she is an incredibly powerful user of magic. Cerberus comments when he meets her that he can feel the tremendous power that she has at her disposal. While she doesn’t use any magical powers, she is seen acting as a shaman in order to contact spirits in the spirit world. She is immune to magic used by others, and she can also sense the Clow Cards.

3 Eriol Hiiragizawa Doesn't Need Cards To Use Magic

Eriol in Cardcaptor Sakura.

Eriol is the reincarnation of Clow Reed who, up until his death and his intentional splitting of his powers, was the most powerful magician in the world. So it’s no surprise that Eriol retains some impressive magical abilities of his own.

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He’s a great sorcerer that can hold his own against a lot of other high-ranking magic users. Unlike most magic-users, even Sakura in most cases, he doesn’t need to use Cards in order to channel or use his magic.

2 Spinel Sun Becomes Stronger When He Can Channel The Power Of The Sun

spinel sun

Like Cerberus, Spinel Sun is one of the Guardians of the Clow Cards. As such, he has much of the same magical power that Cerberus does. He is able to fly, and he also has two forms: a cuter plush form and a larger, more powerful form. He is less powerful than Cerberus and Yue in that he can’t transform into his real form without Eriol’s help, but his magic is still remarkably powerful, particularly when he can channel the power of the sun.

1 Ruby Moon Uses Moonlight & Crystal Shards To Her Advantage

ruby moon

Ruby Moon is Spinel Sun’s counterpart. Where Spinel Sun is able to utilize and channel the power of the sun, Ruby Moon does the same with moonlight. Ruby Moon, like all of the Guardians, is able to fly. She also has similar offensive and combat-focused powers as Yue, particularly the use of crystal shards. She can use lunar power to form energy around her hands in the shape of blades, which she can then use to fight.

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