Card Captor Sakura

Unfortunately, the American version is more of a butchering than an adaptation. The American version started out around episode eight and almost immediately brings in a male character, apparently assuming that watchers would not like having a young, eight-grade girl as the main character. Thus, the U.S. version is called Card Captors.

The American version also has a terribly annoying opening and closing, and fills time with bits from other episodes.

The Japanese version is quite different, establishing from the beginning that Sakura is the Card Captor. Keros has a much more reasonable sounding voice then in the U.S. version. It's also apparent that one of the female characters has a strong crush on Sakura, something else that would not go over well on American TV

The story concerns a young girl and a deck of magical cards that escapes from its container. Her job, then, is to get the magical cards back. Like other magical girl series, Sakura has a transformation seen but her costumes are provided by her close friend rather than appearing out of thin air.

This is a really good series in its Japanese form. It's funny, it's cute, and the stories are well done.