"Cardcaptor Sakura" was originally run in 1996. The Japanese anime, more oriented for children than for adults, narrates the story of a Japanese girl whose magical quest is to recover a series of powerful creatures, herself freed by accident, and turn them into cards, Clown Cards.
The show itself has very harmless material, and it combines a little of comedy with children's innocence. Sakura Kinomoto and her adventures of card-capture became the favorite show for many children in the 90s' all over the world. Yet, what many did not realize is that the show featured an elementary-school boy who is physically attracted to another male. In fact, he becomes Sakura's love rival since they are both romantically interested in the same man.
Syaoran Li, the boy interested in another male character, could be described as the antagonist of the 140-episodes show. Li is a Chinese transfer student who comes to Japan in order to beat Sakura at collecting the Clown Cards. But what is unusual about this character is that he has an obvious crush for another male character--note: nothing wrong with it, just pointing out that this could be consider an unusual plot for a 90s' kids show.
Li shows an interest for Yukito Tsukishiro (aka Yuki), a friend of Sakura's brother, and it is later reveal that Li is in fact in love with Yuki. Episode 9 of season 1, initially hints this idea when Sakura is told by her best friend that "Li really likes Yuki." Then she adds that "There is always competition when it comes to love."
Li blushes and sweats every time Yuki approaches him, a similar reaction to the one Sakura gets around him. He attemps to grab Yuki's attention by giving him gifts and compliments. He gets jealousy rages whenever Yuki shows more affection for Sakura.
Sakura, being in love with Yuki as well, later confronts Li and it is confirmed that he is what we know today as a gay character. But nothing else really happens after that, in fact; (SPOILER ALERT) Sakura and Li end up falling in love with each other and they stay together.
The show, originally written by CLAMP, was aired in the US by Toonami and Kids WB, and Nickelodeon in the UK -- other countries aired the show in local television. The company later released video games, toys, more manga editions and two movies.
The anime aims to portray Li's crush in Yuki as an innocent sensation he cannot control, which in reality something many children feel as they grow up. But the fact that the anime has a very liberal way of looking at things is interesting. In addition, it is later told in the story that Sakura's father married his high-school student, Sakura's mom, when she was only 16, which might be considered as pedophilia in the US.
With all the controversy over Disney's new gay characters in their movies, one must take a first look at the shows millennials grew up watching.
