The episode 1, Sakura and the Clear Cards  starts with a comical recap from Kero-chan from the previous series. It’s not throughout, but sufficient to explain what happened. Sakura and her friends are preparing to attend their first day a Junior High School. She’s happy to be able to sit next to her friend Tomoyo in class, their other friend Chiharu-chan is also in the class. Sakura attends her class as she excels in gym, but struggles in English and middle school math.

On her way home from school she run into, Syaoran. Armed with a teddy bear, he tells her that he will be in Tomoeda permanently. She is joyful as she hugs him, as Tomoyo comically records them from behind a tree. Sakura falls asleep and has a nightmare where a strange figure in a hood is surrounded by clear cards and shatters them. She awakes to find that all her clow cards have become clear. She immediately finds Yue the following day, he tells her that her cards have “lost their magical powers,” but her powers remain.

Sakura tells Tomoyo and Syaoran what happened, Tomoyo becomes starry eyed and excited at the prospect of the “triumphant return of Cardcaptor Sakura,” anticipating that Sakura will finally get back to wearing costumes. Sakura has another dream, however, this time she receives another key. On her way to school the next day she is attacked by a mysterious wind, the key activates, protecting her from harm and she releases it. Arm with a staff, Sakura uses a new incantation and captures the card, Gale. I loved this episode it was fun and funny. I liked the relationships between the characters and I’m curious about what happened to clow cards. While the capture of gale was quick, I think future captures will be more interesting.