What do we really know about Syaoran Li? It’s hard to say, since his character was altered so much for the Western version of the show. Some things were altered, but some things remained the same. Overall, he is one of the most engaging characters in the anime and manga universe.
With a lonely past and a strong ambition that rivals the titular character, Syaoran doesn’t take being a side character lying down. Within one season, he has moved to the forefront. So, what’s so special about him? Here are 15 things you might not have known about this powerful anime lead.
Updated On June 3, 2020 By Amanda Bruce: Cardcaptor Sakura has seen a resurgence in popularity after two decades thanks to the sequel series The Clear Card Arc. Both the manga and the anime version of the newer story have given Syaoran Li an even more protective role than ever before, and there's still much more for fans to learn about the character.
15 Syaoran Speaks At Least Three Languages
The Li family was from Hong Kong in the series, and as a result, they all speak Cantonese. When Syaoran made the move to Japan during the Cardcaptor series, he demonstrated his ability to speak Japanese since all of the characters spoke the language to one another. The Clear Card Arc now shows that he speaks at least one more language: English. In one scene, he directs a pair of English speaking tourists in perfect English at the aquarium (of course, in the English dub, he directs them in French). Sakura even wonders if he can teach her some English.
14 His Birthday Is July 13
The first term of the school year in Japan actually runs from April to July, putting Syaoran's birthday right near the end of the first term. That would also make him one of the oldest in his class. It also makes him nearly a full year older than Sakura, whose birthday is in April of the following year. For those interested in astrology, that would make him a Cancer according to the western zodiac. Like the character, Cancer's tend to be extremely protective.
13 His Name Means Little Wolf
Syaoran's name translation is an interesting one considering wolves were often considered the bad guys in fairy tales. Of course, in Japanese mythology, farmers used to pray to wolves and leave them offerings, believing the wolves would protect their fields from ruin.
In China, ancient wolves are the ancestors of the domesticated dogs in the New World, but there isn't quite as much mythology associated with them, so it's much more likely his name was chosen for the Japanese connotation.
12 Syaoran's Blood Type Is O
Historically, the idea of personality traits being related to blood goes back to the days of the ancient Greeks. Whether it's accurate or not is a whole other story. In Japanese culture, however, the idea of a person's blood type influencing their personality is a little more recent. It has become a popular part of culture over the last 100 years. That's why so many fictional characters and pop culture figures have their blood types listed in magazines.
Syaoran's blood type is O. He shares that blood type with other fictional characters like Sailor Moon and Naruto's Sakura. Those with Type O blood are considered intuitive and strong willed. They're often leaders in fiction, but they can also be very arrogant.
11 His New Voice Actor Has A Connection To Him
Each English dub of the Cardcaptor franchise has brought a new voice actor to the project for Syaoran Li. The English dub of the Clear Card Arc does the same in Jason Liebrecht. Liebrecht has done a whole lot of voice over work in English dubs, but most recently, he's become the new voice of Qrow in Rooster Teeth's RWBY. He also, however, has a past connection to Syaoran Li.
In 2006, Liebrect voiced the alternate universe version of the character in another CLAMP property's English dub: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle. CLAMP actually has three different versions of Sakura and Syaoran in the Cardcaptor, Tsubasa, and xxxHolic.
10 He Was An Antagonist
Before becoming one of Sakura’s most loyal friends and allies, Syaoran Li was a bitter antagonist. He believed that he was the rightful inheritor of the Clow Cards because of his connection to the clan of sorcerers that Clow Reed’s mother was also a part of.
That’s a pretty big stretch, but he was very adamant about it, to the point of openly thwarting Sakura’s attempts to become the new mistress of the Cards. Openly critical of Sakura and cold towards everyone he met, Syaoran made an annoying and nasty foe, but also a very entertaining one.
9 He’s A Loner
Syaoran was taught from a young age to be independent and rely on no-one. This made it difficult for him to operate in normal social situations, let alone with a team.
Loners are often perfectionists and task-masters, and Syaroan fell into both categories easily. While causing him to be critical of himself, it also made him hypercritical of his teammates, especially Cerberus. This created many conflicts that, at the very least, were funny to watch. Thankfully, as the series progressed, he became more open to forming relationships with others. He became a beloved friend to Sakura and others.
8 He Had A Crush On Yukito Tsukishiro
This was a hilarious development in the series. Although the Western version changed this part of Syaoran’s narrative, for reasons unknown, it remains a funny and heart-warming addition to the story. Because of some magical shenanigans going on with the moon energies from Yue, another guardian like Cerberus, Syaoran found himself pitted against Sakura for Yukito’s romantic attention.
Yukito, being Yue's roommate, was covered in the essence of the moon and therefore irresistible to Syaoran, who drew his magical powers from the moon. It was ultimately a hoax, but an entertaining one. Eventually, the attraction to “moon energy” wore off.
7 He Falls For Sakura Slowly
Despite his antagonistic relationship with Sakura, Syaoran falls for her after continuously working together. It’s a long, arduous road, though. At first, he only sees her as a rival, then reluctantly he recognizes her as an ally, then eventually accepts her as a friend worth protecting and even coming back to visit.
Still, he’s slow on the uptake. It isn’t until Season 3, halfway through the story, that he begins to develop and recognize his romantic attachment to Sakura. It took him even longer to confess those feelings, and in true anime hero fashion, he pines while doing his best to keep her safe.
6 His Magical Sensitivity Is Greater Than Sakura’s
Unlike Sakura, Syaoran had the benefit of lifelong tutelage in the magical arts. Because of this, he has amazing magical sensitivity, far more developed than the unpracticed Sakura. This is one of the biggest reasons he believes he is the true Captor of the Cards at the beginning.
He can detect the Cards in any area, no matter how big, despite attempts to mask and cloak them. He can also extend his ability to detect magical activity. His abilities were impressive, and Sakura learned much from him as the series progressed. This ultimately brought them closer together.
5 He Is A Master Swordsman
While being a gifted swordsman with years of training is impressive in its own right, the really cool thing about Syaoran’s sword is that it’s a focus for his magical powers. So ,not only can he challenge anyone to a duel of clashing steel, but he can also use his magic through the sword to earn a decisive victory.
He also uses the sword to help control and use the elements through his magic. In the anime and in the manga, he wields a Chinese Jian sword, which, when sealed, hangs from his person like an unassuming pendant.
4 He Can Control The Elements
As mentioned before, Syaoran is a highly trained user of magical arts. One of those magical arts is the use of jufu talismans — or slips of enchanted paper. These pieces of paper (also used in Sailor Moon by Sailor Mars) come with their own incantations and the ability to summon and control elements of nature: lightning, thunder, fire, water, wind, and ice.
This power makes Syaoran a powerful enemy and dependable ally. He utilizes his sword and the jufu to focus magical energy and get the most out of the incantations. He is a force to be reckoned with!
3 He Can’t Capture Cards But He Can Claim Them
Syaoran does not have the ability to capture Cards. That privilege and responsibility falls exclusively to the mistress of Cards, Sakura, who uses her sealing wand to capture them. However, Syaoran has frequently played a key role in Sakura’s Card captures, earning him the right of ‘claiming’ Cards.
The act of claiming a Card involves the helper writing their name on the Card next to the official Card Captor, to show the large part they played in its capture. A fair arrangement for all.
2 He Took Possession Of The Cards Once To Protect Sakura
During the Clear Card Arc, Sakura became endangered by her own powers as they grew exponentially, threatening to overpower her, while she created the Clear Cards. In response, Syaoran’s mother enchanted two teddy bears, one for Syaoran and one for Sakura, in order for him to be able to temporarily take possession of the Cards and give Sakura relief.
The Cards, which are in some way sentient and beholden to Sakura, cooperate with Syaoran so that he can use their power. However, it did take a toll on him, physically and mentally exhausting him with the effort to control them.
1 He Actually Isn’t Supposed To Be A Male Lead
Despite the way he’s presented in the Western version of the anime, Syaoran is not an anime hero. He was actually created to be a supporting character and love interest to Sakura in the original storyline. The Western edition took out the romance and amped up his part in most of the story, which, strictly speaking, isn’t exactly true to the original content.
He is portrayed in the English dub as more arrogant and aggressive, as is typical of male anime leads. Unlike his Japanese counterpart, Syaoran remains petty and resentful towards Sakura throughout the entire show.