# Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie
**Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie** (劇場版 カードキャプターさくら, *Gekijōban Kādokyaputā Sakura*) is a 1999 Japanese animated fantasy film, the first theatrical adaptation of the [Cardcaptor Sakura](https://www.edgepedia.org/cardcaptor-sakura) anime series based on the manga by the creative group CLAMP. It was directed by Morio Asaka, written by Nanase Okawa, animated by Madhouse, and released in Japan by Shochiku on August 21, 1999, with a listed running time of 82 minutes (some listings give 80 to 83 minutes).[1](https://www.shochiku.co.jp/cinema/database/04532/) • [2](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0021535) • [3](https://eiga.com/movie/35475/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Japanese release | August 21, 1999, distributed by Shochiku[1](https://www.shochiku.co.jp/cinema/database/04532/) |
| Running time | 82 minutes (other listings give 80–83)[1](https://www.shochiku.co.jp/cinema/database/04532/) • [3](https://eiga.com/movie/35475/) |
| Director / script | Morio Asaka (director), Nanase Okawa of CLAMP (screenplay)[2](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0021535) |
| Studio | Madhouse; music by Takayuki Negishi[1](https://www.shochiku.co.jp/cinema/database/04532/) |
| Setting | Sakura and her friends win a trip to Hong Kong and confront a sorceress from Clow Reed's past[2](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0021535) |
| Co-feature | CLAMP's short *CLOVER* screened alongside it[3](https://eiga.com/movie/35475/) |
| Revival screenings | January 21, 2017; August 9, 2024 (25th anniversary, again with *CLOVER*); May 30, 2025[3](https://eiga.com/movie/35475/) |
## Spoilers
### Story
The film is set during winter vacation. Sakura Kinomoto, an elementary school girl who captures the magical Clow Cards, wins the top prize in a shopping district lottery: a trip to Hong Kong. Because her father Fujitaka must go on a business trip, her older brother Touya accompanies her as guardian, along with her best friend Tomoyo Daidouji and Yukito Tsukishiro, the friend of Touya whom Sakura secretly admires.[4](https://eiga-pop.com/movie/47588)
Sakura delights in the unfamiliar Hong Kong scenery, but she notices that a strange little bird is always near her, and she begins dreaming of a mysterious sorceress standing in a water-filled space with white cloth drifting quietly around her.[2](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0021535) In Hong Kong she reunites with Syaoran Li and Meiling Li, whose home city it is, and the group meets Syaoran's mother Yelan and his sisters. The sorceress of Sakura's dreams, the Madoushi, turns out to be a woman who was once an enemy of Clow Reed, the creator of the Clow Cards; she had mistaken Sakura, who collects Clow Reed's relics, for Clow himself and lured the group to Hong Kong to attack him.[4](https://eiga-pop.com/movie/47588) • [5](https://www.kinenote.com/main/public/cinema/detail.aspx?cinema_id=31718)
## Production and cast
The film reuses the television series' core staff: direction by Morio Asaka, screenplay by CLAMP's Nanase Okawa, character designs by Kumiko Takahashi, guest character design drafts and costume design by CLAMP, art direction by Katsufumi Hariu, cinematography by Hisao Shirai, music by Takayuki Negishi, and sound direction by Masafumi Mima, with animation production by Madhouse.[2](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0021535) • [1](https://www.shochiku.co.jp/cinema/database/04532/)
The Japanese cast carries over from the television series: Sakura Tange as Sakura Kinomoto, Junko Iwao as Tomoyo, Aya Hisakawa as Keroberos (Kero), Motoko Kumai as Syaoran, Tomokazu Seki as Touya, Megumi Ogata as Yukito, Yukana as Meiling, and [Hideyuki Tanaka](https://www.edgepedia.org/hideyuki-tanaka) as Fujitaka. New to the film, [Megumi Hayashibara](https://www.edgepedia.org/megumi-hayashibara) voices the Madoushi, Kikuko Inoue voices Yelan Li, and Kazuo Hayashi voices Clow Reed.[2](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0021535) • [6](https://eiga-pop.com/movie/47588) The theme song is "Tooi Kono Machi de" by Naomi Kaitani.[7](https://www.mau2.com/anime/cardcaptorsakura-movie)
## Release and revivals
The film opened on August 21, 1999, with CLAMP's short anime *CLOVER*, based on the group's one-shot manga, screened as its co-feature.[3](https://eiga.com/movie/35475/) It was followed in 2000 by a second film, *[Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card](https://www.edgepedia.org/cardcaptor-sakura-movie-2-the-sealed-card)*, which concludes the television story.[8](https://ccsakura-official.com/anime/index4.html)
The first film has returned to Japanese theaters several times. As part of a project marking 20 years since the manga began serialization, it received a revival release on January 21, 2017. For the film's own 25th anniversary it was re-released on August 9, 2024, again paired with *CLOVER*. In 2025, timed to a 25th-anniversary revival of *The Sealed Card*, the first film was screened again beginning May 30, 2025.[3](https://eiga.com/movie/35475/)
## English versions and availability
Two English-language versions exist. Nelvana produced a cut, English-dubbed version released as *Cardcaptors: The Movie* on DVD in 2001 (86 minutes, from Pioneer Entertainment), while the uncut *Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie* release from the same company included both Japanese and English audio; a contemporary review recommended the uncut version for libraries collecting anime.[9](https://videolibrarian.com/reviews/film/cardcaptors-the-movie/)
The film currently streams on [Crunchyroll](https://www.edgepedia.org/crunchyroll), which carries it in the United States and, according to one availability tracker, in 25 countries; it is also sold on DVD and Blu-ray.[10](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/cardcaptor-sakura) • [11](https://www.flickfinder.net/movie/cardcaptor-sakura-the-movie-1999-26945) On IMDb it holds a user rating of 7.2 from about 2,000 votes.[10](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/cardcaptor-sakura)
## Reception
Audience ratings have been moderate to favorable: Rotten Tomatoes records an audience score above 10,000 ratings with one counted critic review (84 percent),[12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gekijo_ban_kadokaputa_sakura) and the Japanese aggregator Eiga Popcorn lists an average of 3.9 out of 5.[4](https://eiga-pop.com/movie/47588) Reviewers have generally treated it as side content to the television series: one AniList review called it a fun film respectful of the source material but skippable for viewers who have not seen the show, rating it 7 out of 10.[13](https://anilist.co/review/22674) A Starburst review described it as "a typical but decent shoujo anime" likely to please younger viewers.[12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gekijo_ban_kadokaputa_sakura)
## References
1. [劇場版 カードキャプターさくら, 作品データベース, Shochiku](https://www.shochiku.co.jp/cinema/database/04532/)
2. [劇場版 カードキャプターさくら (1999), シネマトゥデイ](https://www.cinematoday.jp/movie/T0021535)
3. [劇場版カードキャプターさくら, 映画.com](https://eiga.com/movie/35475/)
4. [劇場版カードキャプターさくら, 映画ポップコーン](https://eiga-pop.com/movie/47588)
5. [劇場版 カードキャプターさくら, KINENOTE](https://www.kinenote.com/main/public/cinema/detail.aspx?cinema_id=31718)
6. [劇場版 カードキャプターさくら キャスト, まうまう☆](https://www.mau2.com/anime/cardcaptorsakura-movie)
7. [劇場版 カードキャプターさくら 主題歌・キャスト, まうまう☆](https://www.mau2.com/anime/cardcaptorsakura-movie)
8. [劇場版(2000年公開), カードキャプターさくら公式サイト](https://ccsakura-official.com/anime/index4.html)
9. [Cardcaptors: The Movie, Video Librarian](https://videolibrarian.com/reviews/film/cardcaptors-the-movie/)
10. [Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie streaming online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/cardcaptor-sakura)
11. [Where to watch Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie, FlickFinder](https://www.flickfinder.net/movie/cardcaptor-sakura-the-movie-1999-26945)
12. [Gekijô-ban Kâdokaputâ Sakura (Cardcaptor Sakura), Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gekijo_ban_kadokaputa_sakura)
13. [TheRealKyuubey's review of Cardcaptor Sakura Movie, AniList](https://anilist.co/review/22674)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Films by genre, form, and subject › Animated and short films › Japanese anime features › Released 1999 to 2013*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license