The Best Cardcaptor Sakura Quotes, Every Line Checked

Cardcaptor Sakura is a series about a fourth grader collecting runaway magic cards, and its best lines are almost never about magic. They are about who knows what about whom: a brother who has seen through his sister's cover story, a friend who hears whose name cuts through a whisper, a rival who calls a girl by her first name and gives himself away. Eight checked lines follow, all from the 70-episode TV series, all as Wikiquote transcribes them. Wikiquote does not say which English translation its transcriptions come from, and the page mixes more than one, so these are English transcriptions rather than the text of any particular dub or subtitle release. Episode numbers were checked against the official Japanese episode guide.

“What!? I won't let things go your way! Sakura is the only Cardcaptor I've accepted!” — Kero

Episode 20, shouted at Meiling, who has just announced that the card they are chasing belongs to Syaoran. In the first two episodes Kero had to talk Sakura into the title; here he defends it for her, a moment before Meiling calls him a bath sponge.

“I guess the name of someone you like can be heard in any condition.” — Tomoyo Daidouji

Episode 23. Sakura whispers that Yukito is sleeping over, and Syaoran, who was not part of the conversation, wants to know who. Tomoyo's remark is aimed at him, four episodes before he and Sakura compare notes about Yukito.

“Women are such a hassle when they're in love.” — Kero

Episode 28, about Meiling, and included here as the line this site rates lowest. Three episodes earlier Kero admitted he just doesn't understand girls in love, which was the same joke done better.

“Sheesh! I have a vague idea of what she's doing. Can you not tell her that I know what she's up to? It seems she's trying to hide it, although it's not working well.” — Touya Kinomoto

Episode 39. A feverish Sakura leaves the Mirror card in her place so her brother will not notice she has gone; he notices immediately and asks the card to keep his secret. The brother who calls her a monster turns out to be protecting her cover story.

“If you really like Sakura so much, you should stop making fun of her.” — Yukito Tsukishiro

Episode 6, to Touya, whose answer is that he is the only one allowed to play with her. Yukito asks whether he has heard of a sister complex and is told to shut up.

“I'm still a child, and I can't use really powerful magic like Clow could... but... I'll try my best! I want you to be friends with me... nothing like masters or stuff like that.” — Sakura Kinomoto

Episode 46, the Final Judgment, the close of a longer speech to Yue. Yue answers by naming her the new Master anyway, which is exactly the word she asked him not to use, and the series spends its next arc working out what that title should mean.

“When I fell out of the elevator I heard you call me by my first name, Sakura. It makes me feel as though we've become even closer friends. Can I call you Syaoran-kun?” — Sakura Kinomoto

Sakura Card arc episode 11, the 57th overall, on the phone after being trapped in a dark elevator. Wikiquote carries a second, different translation of this call that places the name inside the elevator rather than during the fall, which is a small demonstration of why a transcription is not a release.

“I promised you that if I'd ever find someone I really liked, I'll tell you right away.” — Syaoran Li

Sakura Card arc episode 14, the 60th overall, to Meiling, who came to Japan early because he asked to talk. She guesses the girl is Sakura from the fact that he calls her by name, and ends their engagement herself.

Sources

The wording of every line is from Wikiquote's Cardcaptor Sakura page. Episode numbers and scene details come from the official site's episode guides for the Clow Card arc and the Sakura Card arc. Each speaker's page carries the full commentary. The order the TV series, films and Clear Card should be watched in is in our Cardcaptor Sakura watch order, and the manga editions are compared in the manga buying guide.