Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card Episode 17 Review: Sakura and the Crazy Sweets

This Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card review contains spoilers.

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card Episode 17

So uh… this episode had Sakura fight against a goddamn cake sand worm.

Welp, review over that was great see you next week!

All right, there’s actually more to talk about but boy… that was one hell of an image. I’m kind of let down it was just the “Appear” card and not the Cake Sand Worm card because I want Sakura to unleash that unholy monstrosity on all of her enemies.

The main focus I have hear is one I’ve always dreaded tackling with Cardcaptor Sakura because it’s one that I often try to avoid. The creepy age difference crushes. Now in the original series Sakura or Syaoran’s crushes on Yukito were totally fine because yeah, kids can get crushes on older teens. It happens. Yukito clearly showed no interest back and it was fine. 

Rika and their old teacher was… there’s no two ways about it, it was messed up. They were basically engaged. THAT GIRL WAS TEN YEARS OLD. You can talk about cultural differences and CLAMP exploring different sorts of relationships blah blah nope, it’s not okay. Same with Toya and his teacher, although as I recall that wasn’t as direct.

I’m reminded of this because of the scenes with Kaito and Akiho. Akiho’s crush, like Sakura’s in the original series, is totally understandable. The problem is that Kaito appears to be VERY aware of it and seemingly exploiting it for his own gain. I think that scene where he laughs with her was supposed to be cute but it just ended up feeling kinda creepy. Same with his line of,

“Merely having you do this for me makes me truly happy.”

Um… what? Yeah, it’s looking more and more like Akiho isn’t a real person or is deeply entrenched in some kind of magic but it’s still unsettling to watch. We don’t know how much older Kaito is supposed to be but even using the imagery of an older character with a younger one in this way just sends all kinds of warning alarms off in my head. Especially when Kaito appears to be controlling her.

Since this is the closest thing we have to Clear Card’s “main” plot I’m apprehensive of the episodes to come. This plot truly creeps me out, much like Rika’s did back in the original series, and I hope they just reveal what the hell is going on so we can move past it.

Cardcaptor Sakura is a fantastic franchise but I don’t want its biggest weak point to become a hindrance.

Shamus Kelley is a pop culture/television writer and official Power Rangers expert. Someone give Spinel a shot in the OP, please. Follow him on Twitter!