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The Pokemon animated series has remained a popular and beloved show for decades, with fans currently transitioning from Ash Ketchum to Liko in the new Horizons storyline. However, while many hardcore trainers might be looking at crossovers between Pokemon and OMOCAT, one artist has painted a nostalgic portrait of a missed opportunity for an epic collab.
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The Pokemon anime debuted in the late ’90s alongside another series that would gain popularity both in Japan and with Western audiences. Cardcaptor Sakurawritten by CLAMP, tells the story of a young girl who gets caught up in a magical adventure. Like Ash, she is tasked with capturing special creatures, and she has the same spunky attitude that made Kanto’s hero such a favorite with viewers.
The Cardcaptor Sakura x Pokemon Fanart Is the Collab We Need
In The Social Media Post shared by Artist Lukas Thadeu, Pokemon has meshed with Cardcaptor Sakura in a fantastic combination of art style, content, and character expression. The image features Sakura Kinimoto with a Litleo instead of her companion Keroberos. Sakura’s best friend Tomoyo Daidouji is seen in the background, using a Rotom phone to get a snapshot of Sakura as she poses.
The fan art has swapped CLAMP’s traditional style for a more modern version from the Pokemon anime. It is very reminiscent of Pokemon Journeyswith clean linework, bright colors, and gorgeous eyelashes. Fans familiar with Goh from Journeys will spot the similarities. Sakura also has facial elements and a hair color very similar to XYZ‘s female protagonist Serena.
Fans in the comments have been blown away, calling the work a “peak childhood crossover”. One viewer stated, “Never knew how bad I needed to see this,” while another added, “Quite a charming Sakura crossover. I would love to see the second season of Clear Card arc.”
Many have suggested the creator should reach out to try and animate for the Pokemon series, as the artwork is so similar and adorable.
Sakura Would Be An Amazing Pokemon Trainer
While it might seem like an odd combination, Pokemon and Cardcaptor Sakura would have made a fantastic collaboration. With original release dates only a year apart, the early animated shows shared similar art styles and appealed to the same audiences of young children looking for adventure.
Both stories have utilized bright, colorful worlds and characters to tell stories rooted in difficult challenges, with friendship and kindness backing character decisions. It’s surprising there weren’t any merchandise crossovers in the early 2000s, as they would have likely done very well with fans.
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A crossover with Sakura and her own starter team, or Ash rocking one of Tomoyo’s handmade outfits, would have been a delightful thing to see. The artwork would have been perfect for one of the artbook collections that CLAMP was known for during the height of their releases for the Cardcaptor and Tsubasa universes.
It would also have been interesting to see a mini-animation where Ash and his team battled Sakura and her Clow Cards in an epic showdown. The two would be a solid match for each other, especially as Sakura’s Clow Card manifests into creatures similar to Pokemon, including typing and specialized attacks.
Unfortunately, it isn’t likely that a crossover between the two franchises would happen in 2025. Despite CLAMP releasing Clear Card a few years back, Pokemon has dominated, overshadowing Cardcaptor with consistent releases and the ever-growing empire that has become the Pokemon IP. Because of this, fans will have to enjoy Lukas Thadeu’s amazing artwork and the glimpse of what could have been a memorable collaboration instead.
