I’m often asked, “What’s your favorite anime ever?” Usually I just answer “I dunno, I like a lot of series, like …” and then I’d go and name 10 fairly recent shows, conspicuously avoiding Cowboy Bebop because that’s such a stupid cop-out kind of answer. I was asked this question again just recently, and as usual I had to think a moment. But this time, for the first time, I came up with a definite answer: Card Captor Sakura is my favorite anime ever.

I can feel the incredulous glares. What could lead me to this conclusion, and how does that translate into “best anime ever” status? I’d prepare a PowerPoint presentation detailing why, but showing it to an audience might get you arrested. But setting aside Sakura’s status as one of the most revered characters of doujinshi artists the world over, what makes this series so wonderful?

Well you could start with Sakura herself, clothes on. Sakura manages to appeal to a broad audience. She’s athletic, attractive, intelligent without seeming so, fluffy without being dumb. She’s kind to her friends and even her enemies can’t seem to keep hating her for very long. These relationships are at the core of this series. Who Sakura likes, who likes Sakura, the relationships her friends and family have, these are the focus of the story, not the Clow cards.

Perhaps in this way CLAMP managed to find the perfect mix for a magical girl series. The viewer is interested enough in the cards to want to know more about them, but the characters take center stage. What are Sakura’s feelings for Li, what are Tomoyo’s feelings for Sakura, what’s the story behind Sakura’s family, the viewer is more anxious to answer these questions than find out what collection of cards Sakura will use this week. It helps, of course, that the supporting cast is excellent.

Tomoyo is exceptionally cute, a rich girl without flaunting it and flamboyant in her pre-pubescent homosexuality. She excels in areas where Sakura is left lacking. She’s an excellent cook, a steady hand with a needle and thread (with a mind full of clothing ideas, or excuses to strip Sakura down, depending on your point of view), and perhaps most striking is that where Sakura is active and outgoing, Tomoyo is quiet and reserved. Tomoyo supports Sakura and shares her secret, she’s a true friend.

Then there’s Sakura’s family. Touya, her older brother, may seem antagonistic at first. But his playful chiding of Sakura belies how much he actually cares for her. Sakura’s father, Fujitaka, rarely takes much of the spotlight, but he does share many emotional moments in the series. The untimely death of Sakura’s mother, Nadeshiko, obviously still haunts him, but he doesn’t let it drag him down.

Li Shoaran is the closest this series comes to a less than perfect character. Early on he is a pure antagonist. Later he seems like an undeserving recipient of Sakura’s affection. Were this any other anime, he’d be a well-developed character, but in this series he sometimes comes across as too simple-minded. Still, he fills a needed spot in the cast line-up.

One can’t forget Kero-chan either. He is rarely conflicted, but he fills the role of a magical girl’s familiar better than anything before or since. Often he is just comic relief, or a source of information, but his love of sweets and videogames manages to make him a more believable character than characters like Sailor Moon’s Luna, or Pretty Sammy’s Ryo-Ohki.

CLAMP has a consistent tendency to foul up a perfectly good series with unneeded complexity half-way through the story. Often their stories take sinister tones where previously it had been light-hearted. This once again manifests itself in CCS, but for once it adds to the story rather than ruining it. Sakura can’t keep catching cards forever, so a plot device to keep the series going was welcome as long as you get a chance to visit with the characters for a few more episodes. It helps that the sinister (not so sinister) twist was hinted at from the earliest parts of the story.

Another thing that helps this series is the production values. The animation, produced at a time before digital anime, is top-notch throughout the series. Impressive scenes seem to pop up in every episode and the characters are never off model. The soundtrack too is highly memorable, with appropriate tracks played at just the right times and an excellent selection of openings and endings.

Ok so none of this really proves that it’s the best anime ever, but the votes are in on it being the favorite of more fan than any other. The massive body of doujinshi and fan art produced depicting the characters doing what they only wish they could do to each other proves that fans really do love this show and its characters. The library of these works is unmatched; no other series even comes close to matching CCS for the volume of hentai produced in its honor.

It’s easy to see why. Sakura has a sexual presence on screen that’s impossible to ignore. Rarely is she deliberately enticing, but her outfits and mannerisms make the message clear. You simply can’t appear on screen in a tight rubber suit without meaning to arouse the audience. The impact of this can’t be overstated. Sakura proved to scores of fans that yes, children can be sexy too. The effects of this are clearly seen still today. Breast sizes in anime are on a downward trend, as is height and age.

If nothing else, CCS revitalized the magical girl genre. It showed everyone how it’s done. Those series that have ignored the lessons CCS has to teach have ended up being derivative and boring (Tokyo Mew Mew). Those that have learned some of the lessons are highly regarded (Figure 17), but no series has yet managed to dethrone CCS. I doubt that in 20 years I’ll have a better answer to “What’s your favorite anime?” The joy this series brings is timeless.