When CLAMP's popular shojo manga series Cardcaptor Sakura was adapted into an anime in 1998, the world quickly fell in love with its cast of adorable, funny characters. Following Sakura Kinomoto as she set out to capture the 52 mystical Clow Cards which she accidentally released from a spellbook, the magic girl and her friends delivered countless hilarious one-liners and moving wise words throughout the original series' 70 episodes.
Truth be told, there are so many memorable quotes from the series that cover everything from the importance of family and friendships to love and loss. To honor the beloved series, we've ranked 10 of the best quotes from Cardcaptor Sakura.
10 "If that brat had become the Master, I'd have lost all my confidence to live!" - Cerberus
It's fair to say Cerberus and Syaoran were never fond of each other. Convinced that Sakura was the true Cardcaptor and put off by Syaoran's overconfidence, Cerberus quickly began referring to the arrogant young boy as "brat."
Nevertheless, Cerberus was willing to accept Syaoran when Sakura befriended him and began to develop feelings for him. After all, his main duty is to support and comfort Sakura. But as this quote shows, acceptance doesn't necessarily mean friendship, as Cerberus wouldn't have been too pleased if Syaoran had been the one to successfully pass the Final Judgement and earn the title of Master of the Clow Cards.
9 "No matter what you're thinking, if you don't say it, you won't be able to express it." - Tomoyo
Filming all of Sakura's adventures, Tomoyo is a natural observer, so it's no surprise that she quickly realized Syaoran had a crush on Sakura. Although she delights in teasing the blushing boy, she encourages him to open up to Sakura. Wanting what's best for her BFF, she strongly believes that Syaoran would make Sakura happy, which would make Tomoyo happy.
Syaoran's pride often stands in the way of wearing his heart on his sleeve, but as Tomoyo succinctly explains, you'll never be able to fully understand your emotions if you leave them bottled up inside. Wise words for an 11-year-old!
8 "Even if I lose this feeling, I'm sure that I'll just fall in love with you all over again." - Syaoran
Originally an antagonist, a relationship between Syaoran and Sakura seemed very unlikely. But Sakura's warm heart can soften even the toughest of exteriors. Her persistent efforts to be his friend paid off, and as their bond grew, Syaoran realized he was in love with her.
It wasn't until Cardcaptor Sakura The Movie 2: The Sealed Card that the pair finally declared their feelings for one another. Though Syaoran would have to return to Hong Kong, he said "Though we had to part, though we could never be together again, we had no regrets ... Our hearts had joined and so ... we were together always, always. I would never let go of this feeling, or my love of her."
7 "I'm really lucky to have a dinosaur for a little sister!" - Touya
Tormenting your siblings is a rite of passage when growing up. Believing he's the only one entitled to tease Sakura, older brother Touya really enjoys mocking his little sister, lovingly nicknaming her "dinosaur."
There's never any malice in their bickering, and this quote shows Touya's deep affection for his often-unruly sister. Very attentive, he quickly discovers her Cardcaptor secret, and is always first in line to stand up for her or help when she's in trouble. Sakura might be a little monster at times – something Touya is happy to call her out on – but he wouldn't change her for anything.
6 "If he can fly, I can fly! I can do anything he can!" - Meiling
CLAMP's stories may have an adorable exterior, cute artwork and loveable characters, but beneath the sugarcoating are empowering messages for young girls, earning the art studio the title "Queens of Shojo."
In Cardcaptor Sakura, none of the girls question their abilities and believe they should be able to do anything the boys can do. It's a consistent theme throughout the series, but perhaps best shown through Meiling's character. A martial arts enthusiast and determined fighter, she firmly believes she can keep up with everything her cousin, Syaoran, can do, despite not having any magic powers, proving you don't need to be magic to be a hero.
5 "It hurts, doesn't it? It hurts to lose someone you love." - Sakura
Sakura may be young, but she often displays a maturity far beyond her years. Her sensitive nature makes her such a strong and likeable hero. Having lost her mother when she was just three years old, she understands how difficult loss can be, which seems to drive her desire to create positive relationships with others.
Her mother's memory lives on, with Sakura greeting a photograph of her mother on the kitchen table each morning. Sakura understands the pain that comes with loss but appreciates how wonderful it is to keep memories of our loved ones alive. It's this understanding that finally allows Sakura to earn Yue's trust and become Master of the Clow Cards.
4 "The greatest happiness for me is to let the person I most like have the most happiness." - Tomoyo
Sakura's friendship with Tomoyo is one of the series' most significant relationships. The pair look out for each other, ensuring the other is well looked after, with Tomoyo creating Sakura's cute but practical Cardcaptor outfits, and Sakura often stopping to check Tomoyo is safe during her battles.
Their relationship is a bit complicated, with it being implied that Tomoyo is romantically attracted to Sakura, who in turn is completely ignorant of Tomoyo's true feelings. But their friendship remains strong regardless, with Tomoyo's aim to help Sakura pursue her own happiness which she believes will, in turn, make her happy.
3 "You will have all the strength you will need inside. And you have a future only you can create." - Clow Reed
Clow Reed is a mysterious person, with very little known about his past. When Sakura uses the Clow Cards to go back in time to speak with him about the future of the cards, he gives cryptic answers but asserts himself as a caring ally.
His magic allowed him to see far enough into the future to ensure Sakura would become his successor, but he was careful not to meddle too much so the young girl's destiny would be entirely her own. As the Clow Cards begin to transform into Sakura Cards, he admits he's happy that his creations have found a caring master that they can live under happily, encouraging her to forge her own path instead of comparing herself to him.
2 "I don't want to be your master. I want to be your friend." - Sakura
Although Yue appears to respect Sakura and her journey, he is a cold character with a deep connection to Clow Reed and a fierce resistance to the idea of serving under a new master. Part of this stems from his power being tied to his master's power, but also from his close personal relationship with Reed.
Sakura's desire to befriend everyone she meets was the touch of kindness Yue needed. Afraid of losing anyone else that he loves, he threatens to remove Sakura's memories of all those she cares for. Nevertheless, the young girl extends her kindness towards the grieving guardian, proving friendship is a truly powerful thing.
1 "In the world there are a lot of fascinating things no living soul has ever seen!" - Fujitaka
Sakura's father might be a busy archaeology professor, but he ensures his family comes first, encouraging his children to dream big. The full quote reads: "The world you can see isn't all out there. In the world there are a lot of fascinating things that no living soul has ever seen! And just knowing that is one cause of happiness. I'm sure you can find happiness meant for you! It might be something you might not quite understand yet. But you'll find it, that much is certain!"
Most of Sakura's adventures are confined to her elementary school and small town, but this shows our heroine still has a lot to learn about the wider world – and she'll have her family's support as she goes on to explore it.