The classic anime and manga franchise has never had us feeling more hungry.
With a new manga and line of beautifully illustrated sketchbooks on the way, the characters of the Cardcaptor Sakura franchise are set to appear on the shelves of comic lovers and budding artists alike. They’re also getting set to greet diners, as the very first Cardcaptor Sakura cafe is about to open in Tokyo and Fukuoka.
The beloved anime and manga from creative team Clamp is teaming up with Animate Cafe, the themed restaurant managed by anime mega-retailer Animate that cycles through hit series to draw inspiration from. The menu features an array of food and drink based on the magical girl franchise, so let’s take a peek at what’s on offer, starting with the edibles (many of which are named with the sort of unabashed gushing emotion that made Cardcaptor Sakura so popular).
▼ Sakura’s Birthday Roll Cake, Napoiltan Pasta that Sakura Loves Too, Thunder Emperor, Come Forth! Syaoran’s Cold Noodles, The Kinomoto Family’s Sports Meet Bento Made with Love, The Scottish Terrier’s Baguette Sandwich that Yukito Bought, and Release the Seal! Keema Curry Overflowing with Magic
▼ Kero-chan and Suppi Eggs Benedict Plate, Sakura’s Homemade “Won’t You Have Some Hotcakes?” Hotcakes, Tomoyo’s Elegant Afternoon Tea Set, and “It’s Going to Be Alright!” Clow Card Parfait
And now, on to the drinks, which match the food stride-for-stride in terms of dramatic naming.
▼ Sakura’s Flittering Cherry Blossom Drink, Tomoyo’s Reverberating Singing Voice White Water, Syaoran’s Thoughts of Sakura Melon Soda, and Yukito’s Moon Soda
▼ Toya’s Warm Honey Milk, Eriol’s Your Power Iced Tea, Kero-chan’s Hot Orange Cocoa, and Spinel’s Acai drink
The whole lineup looks tasty, although we’re finding ourselves particularly drawn to the parfait topped with the possibly edible Clow Card and the adorable-looking, delicious-sounding Kero-chan orange cocoa. Should you find yourself unable to narrow down your selection to just one or two items, there’s actually an upside to your indecisiveness. As has become the norm at anime-themed cafes, each item comes with a randomly selected coaster featuring character artwork. A total of 20 different coasters will be available, with the first ten given out in April and the second in May.
▼ If you’re out to collect them all, you might want to trade with other customers who’re dining when you are, like we did when we visited the Final Fantasy restaurant.
As mentioned above, the Animate Cafe operates on a revolving schedule of themes, so the Cardcaptor Sakura cafe will be a limited-time affair making its way to a handful of branches around Japan. The first two locations will open simultaneously on April 1 in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro and Fukuoka’s Tenjin districts, and will be in operation until May 29. The next Animate Cafes to be graced by Sakura’s presence will be in Sendai and Okayama, starting June 1 and ending July 29. Osaka’s Tenoji hosts the Cardcaptor from August 1 to September 28, as does Animate Cafe Shop Tokyo from September 1 to 28. Finally, the last stops on the Cardcaptor Sakura tour will be in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro and Shinjuku concurrently from October 1 to 30.
Given the lasting passion fans have shown for the series, large crowds are expected, which is why admission is by an advance reservation system. Reservations can be made online through ticket provider E Plus here. The per-person table charge is a hefty 2,000 yen (US$18), but does include some unspecified yet exclusive Cardcaptor Sakura merchandise, and no doubt the Cardcaptor’s most ardent supporters won’t mind parting with a few thousand-yen bills for this unique dining experience.
Source: Animate Cafe
Images: Animate Cafe (edited by RocketNews24)