Sakura Kinomoto awakens from a dream of standing near the Tokyo Tower. She introduces herself, her family, and her friends. After coming home from a normal day at school, Sakura hears a sound coming from the basement. She finds a glowing book and opens it to find a deck of 52 cards. When she accidentally activates the Windy card, the other cards blow out of her house. Cerberus appears from the book and formally appoints Sakura as the "Cardcaptor" and gives her the Sealing Wand. Sakura captures the Fly Card, but she adamantly insists she does not want the job. All the same, she shows quick thinking, considerable magical power, and sheer joy on her first ride on the tamed Fly

Tomoyo meets Cerberus after she discovers Sakura's secret and gets a full explanation of the lost Clow Cards and Sakura's designation as Cardcaptor. Cerberus gets given the nickname "Kero-chan" that will stick for the rest of the series. The next day, the students find the school's desks and equipment in large piles. Kero believes it was the work of the card and forces Sakura to go to school at night where she confronts The Shadow. Using the Windy card's binding ability, Sakura is able to capture the Shadow card. Sakura finally accepts her role as a Cardcaptor because of Tomoyo's support.

Sakura's class is on a field trip to the aquarium. During the penguin show, something catches the trainer's leg and a penguin and pulls them into the water, but they are saved by Sakura's brother, Toya, who is working part-time there. At school, Tomoyo gives Sakura and Cerberus mobile phones and on the way home, Sakura bumps into Yukito who invites her on a casual "date" which is at a cafe where Yukito knew Toya was working. While they are eating, The Watery breaks the glass of the aquarium causing a flood. For the first time Sakura has to formulate a plan to capture a card, rather than jumping into battle and attacking with Windy. Using her wits and an unintentional clue from Yukito, she lures Watery into a freezer to immobilizes and capture it.

While cleaning the house, Sakura finds two dormant Clow Cards, The Wood and The Rain. But while running an errand for her father, the two cards activate creating a jungle inside the house. Sakura uses The Watery to capture The Rain card and The Wood yields on her own. Sakura gets the hard-earned lesson that a card is not fully subdued until she signs her name on it.

On the way to school, Sakura meets Maki Matsumoto who is opening a stuffed doll shop called Twin Bells. Sakura and her friends visit the shop after school to find most of the merchandise unpacked, so they offer to help. Chiharu Mihara, who has a fondness for stuffed animals, buys a stuffed panda, but it disappears shortly after taking it home. Sakura discovers the panda back in Twin Bells and Maki explain the reason for opening the shop and her business has been plagued by mysterious happenings that almost forced her to close down. While Tomoyo distracts Maki in the back, Sakura and Kero search the shop to find The Jump, which escapes with all the stuffed dolls in the shop. At Penguin Park, The Jump grows into a giant by absorbing the stuffed dolls, but it knocks itself out after it trips and falls allowing Sakura to capture it.

Naoko tells everyone a scary story about a bright light she chased into the woods. After school, Sakura and her friends visit the woods to see the light Naoko saw. When they do see it, everyone runs in fear, claiming they saw something appearing from the light, but everyone saw something different. Sakura returns at night in case it was a card despite her fear of ghosts. After following it near a cliff, the light takes the form of Sakura's deceased mother, Nadeshiko. Sakura, who is delighted to see her mother, walks towards it and off the cliff, but she is saved by an unknown entity and safely lowered into Yukito arms who is passing by. Sakura returns to the cliff a few days later and once again walks off the cliff. She realizes that it couldn't be her mother and discovers it to be really The Illusion.

At an art museum trip, Sakura witnesses a boy attempting to change a painting. During the commotion, she couldn't hear anything and Kero is sure that it was caused by a Clow Card, The Silent. Sakura sneaks out of the house at night and into the museum where they meet the boy from earlier also sneaking in. The boy, Yūki Tachibana, explains the painting is by his deceased father and his mission to restore the painting which a Clow Card has covered up. Every time Sakura attempts to capture the card, it transports the group outside. Using The Shadow, Sakura is able to silently capture Silent from a distance restoring the painting and discovering Yūki is actually a girl. A stranger, dressed in an odd costume, appears at the end of the episode and quietly mutters that he senses a Clow Card.

Sakura has the same recurring dream she had in episode one, specifically focusing on the boy wielding a sword in Chinese clothing. She hears from both Cerberus and Yukito that it might be a "foretelling dream". A new transfer student arrives from Hong Kong named Syaoran Li and is seated behind Sakura. He terrifies Sakura with his glares all day and during recess, he demands Sakura to give him the Clow Cards. On the way home, there is a lighting storm, but no rain. Cerberus explains Syaoran is from the Li clan, a famous family of Chinese sorcerers from which Clow's mother came. The same lighting storm for earlier appears and Sakura deploys to battle the Thunder card. Syaoran demonstrates his command over elemental magic and calls on thunder god to return the Thunder card to its original form. He instruct Sakura to use the Shadow card to encage the Thunder card so it could be captured. Thanks to Syaoran's constant derogatory remarks, Sakura is left feeling upset after a card capture for the first time.

Sakura, usually cheerful, is forlorn by Syaoran's confidence and obviously superior skill. Rika and Tomoyo take Sakura to a shop to try to cheer her up. The three each buy brooches and return to Sakura's house for tea and pudding. When Rika puts on her brooch, The Sword takes control of her and attacks Sakura with a sword. Syaoran saves Sakura who refuses to attack Rika and stops him from attacking her as well. Using Illision to distract Rika, Sakura is given the chance to capture Sword. The next day, Syaoran is dismayed when he sees Sakura offer a gift of chocolate to Yukito, and quickly gives sweets of his own. Tomoyo has to explain to Sakura that Syaoran is "interested" in Yukito just like Sakura is.

It's Sports Day at Sakura's school so family members has come to cheer the students on. Sakura meets Tomoyo's mother, Sonomi Daidōji for the first time. When Sonomi and Sakura's father, Fujitaka, meet, both are shocked. From their conversation, it is revealed that Sonomi is a cousin to Sakura's mother and she blames Fujitaka for her death, though not in any direct way. While Sonomi and Fujitaka race in the parent's race, there is a shower of flower petals. Sakura suspects a Clow Card and finds The Flower on the roof of the school.

Sakura is invited to Tomoyo's home for the first time. She is shocked to find Tomoyo's house to be an elaborate mansion with maids. Sonomi rushes over when she hears of Sakura's visit and shares the memories of Nadeshiko with Sakura over tea. While Sonomi is taking care of business over the phone, Tomoyo presents a special box and explains the key to the box bounces out whenever she tries to open it and Kero senses it's the work of a Clow Card. Sakura uses the Sword card to slice away the protective barrier of the Shield card and captures it. Inside the box is a dried bouquet of cherry blossoms from Sakura's mother's wedding and the first present Sakura ever gave Tomoyo, an eraser shaped like a bunny.

Sakura and Kero encounter some problems with time as Sakura, Kero and Syaroan find that they are the only ones who realize that Time is starting the same day over and over and over again. It's time for Sakura to take action and capture this time-meddling Clow Card!

Sakura's class is visiting the zoo for a field trip and her group is assigned to observe the elephants. Near noon, something begins to break open the cages causing chaos among the visitors and Kero is positive it's a Clow Card. The Power card, although invisible, begins to torment the elephants and Sakura steps in to save them by challenging it to a game of tug-of-war. Sakura is no match for the Power card even with the help of the elephants. Just as Sakura is about to lose, Syaoran uses the Time card to stop time to help her win the battle, thus tricking Power into surrendering.

Sakura is invited to the high school culture festival. She meets Tomoyo and Syaoran there and catches a play by Yukito and Toya's class. During the play, a mist forms outside the auditorium and enters through the vents where it destroys the stage and puts Toyo and a girl named Yoko in danger. Sakura and Syaoran head towards the lighting room where Sakura summons the Shadow card to capture the Mist card and Syaoran summons the wind to save the falling Toya and Yoko.

Syaoran captures his second Clow Card after defeating the Storm card. Tension develops between Kero and Sakura over the Syaoran issue which builds into a fight the next day after Kero makes a mess after building a room inside Sakura's desk drawer. While Sakura is at school, Kero eats liquor-filled chocolate and wanders out the window drunk. The next day, he finds himself with a young girl named Akane who lives alone with her mother. Unable to escape, Kero secretly contacts the worried Sakura by fax. Akane wishes she could fly to see her father in heaven and the Float card makes her dreams come true. Sakura comes to her rescue and brings Kero back home. As a way of making amends, Sakura redesigns her bottom desk drawer to become Cerberus's bedroom from now on.

Sakura's family and Yukito takes a vacation to the country side. Sakura meets the old owner of a country mansion near their rented cottage. He invites her over for tea, tennis, and they become good friends. He shows her the room of his granddaughter, now deceased, and gives Sakura clothes that once belonged to her. The next day, Fujitaka gives Sakura cookies to give to the old man. When she brings them out to eat, the old man asks her about her father. On the last day of her vacation, Sakura asks the old man to stand in the balcony of his granddaughter's room. From a distance, Sakura uses the Rain card to give the old man a rainbow as a goodbye gift. Sonomi comes out of hiding to speak with the old man to reveal the old man is the grandfather of both Sonomi and Nadeshiko, and Sakura's great grandfather.

Sakura and her class is on a trip to the beach for a few days. On the first night, Naoko tells one of her scary story causing Sakura to flee to the teacher's lodging, but she is found by Syaoran who senses something in a cave nearby. Together at the beach, the two have their first civil conversation where Syaoran tells Sakura about Wei, a person he lives with. A test of courage is held the next night where the students must enter the cave and place a candle next to the shrine inside. But once inside, Sakura's friends begin to disappear. Syaoran, the only one left, forbids Sakura from panicking and walks her through the process of capturing the Erase card even while he's starting to fade away. Syaoran refuses the card after Sakura offers to give it to him.

Sakura visits a festival with Tomoyo, Yukito, and Toya. After meeting Chiharu and Takashi, Sakura and Yukito wander away from the group where they find glowing lights falling from a tree like snow at the back of the shine — just like a dream Sakura envisioned the night before. Just as Sakura is about tell Yukito something, she is interrupted by their friends. When everyone leaves for snow cones, Sakura captures The Glow.

The summer holidays are coming to an end and Sakura still has a lot of summer vacation homework to do. Making a deal with her brother and Kero to help her, Sakura is left with only a book report and meets with Tomoyo at the library. There, they meet Syaoran who refuses to share a library cubicle with them because his fortune predicted bad luck with women. The book Sakura needs for her book report is missing so Sakura and Tomoyo search the library, but notice the book disappearing and reappearing in different places. The book eventually appears outside the library where they meet Syaoran who is also after the book. Kero reveals it’s the work of the Move card and for the first time, thanks to Move's unpredictable actions, Sakura is forced to rely solely upon her magical senses to catch a card. Sakura is rewarded with the book and a new card, but accidentally plunges into the river, taking Syaoran with her. Syaoran invites the girls over to his place so Sakura can change into dry clothes, but to everybody’s surprise, a Chinese girl enters the apartment and leaps on Syaoran with a hug.

When Syaoran enters the room, he's markedly pale and haggard compared to his usual tough-and-healthy look. When Meiling enters the room, it's clear that her presence has exhausted him and he is desperate to escape it. Mr. Terada explains that she is from Hong Kong and cousin to Syaoran. Meiling is quick to add that she is actually his fiancee, and obviously believes Sakura wants to take Syaoran away from her. Syaoran asks Meiling why she came, and she answers that she was lonely for him. He explains that he's not going back until he gets the Clow Cards, but she doesn't particularly care about that. She reminds him that a fortune-teller in Hong Kong predicted someone else would get them, a reminder that clearly grates on his nerves. It's only after he makes it clear he won't return home without the Cards that Meiling decides she will get involved and 'help', so that he can collect them faster.

During a school race, Meiling is determined to win with Syaoran, in their usual "One-Two Finish" they were known for in their previous school. During the race, both Syaoran and Sakura take off at top speed after seeing that Yukito is watching. As the run, the Loop card causes traps Sakura and Syaoran, causing them to run in circles. After they realize what has happened, Sakura is able to use the Sword card to cut the loop. Syaoran carries Meiling, who hurt her ankle, the rest of the way to the finish line, joined by Sakura.

Sakura's father has an important presentation to complete so Sakura and her brother decide to help by taking on all the chores around the house. Sakura decides to do more and brings a snack for her father at the university. While she is there, the Sleep card shows up and starts to make all the students and professors fall asleep. Sakura manages to capture the card with the help of Windy, however her father's laptop is ruined in the process. Although her father forgives her, Sakura still feels guilty so her father deicides to make her his personal assistant and they eventually get the presentation finished.

When a rumor starts that a voice is heard in the elementary school music classroom, everyone assumes that it is a ghost singing (much to Sakura's dismay). That evening, Toya comes home with Yukito for a sleepover, much to Sakura's liking. When they arrive home Sakura asks Yukito for tea, and Toya asks, too. When they sit down and talk about the ghost, much to Sakura's dismay yet again, Toya starts on about some of the students hearing the voice some time at ten o'clock in the night. Sakura gets frightened, but then Yukito adds that he heard that the voice was really wonderful, so Sakura decides that she will check it out in case of a Clow Card and to record it. When they get there Sakura is obviously frightened. Then she gets a surprise from Syaoran and Meilin. Suddenly, they hear a voice coming from the music room. They decide to check it out. When they arrive at the music room. Meilin suddenly leaps up and opens the door to the room making the Clow Card disappear. Although Sakura recognizes the song and remembers that it is the song Tomoyo sang to her and will be doing the song for the chorus. They hear it yet again and follow it to the stairs. During the chase, Syaoran and Kero tell the rest that the Clow Card is the Song card.

When Tomoyo comes over to measure Sakura for a new outfit, Sakura comes in contact with the Little card, which shrinks her and her magic. While Tomoyo and Kero search for her, Sakura winds up in the backyard, being chased by a cat and a praying mantis. When Toya and Yukito come home, Tomoyo hides Kero while Sakura confronts the Little card, but it runs away from her. Eventually, Sakura chases the card into the kitchen, where it almost shrinks Toya, but it bounces away. The card bounces up the stairs, and Sakura gives up because it was not possible to continue. Luckily, she was then found by Kero, who explained the Little card to her. Meanwhile, Tomoyo is in Sakura's room when she hears the Little card. She is about to touch it when Sakura comes riding on Kero and runs into the Little card, thus returning to her normal size. She then seals the Little card. Later, Sakura, Tomoyo, Toya, and Yukito are enjoying Tomoyo's strawberry tart that she brought, when Sakura remembers that she promised Kero a piece. In the end, Sakura manages to get him a tiny slice. He whines and then uses the Little card to make himself tiny and eat the now huge slice of cake.

On her way home Sakura bumps into a woman in the street. After arriving at school the next day, Sakura discovers that her math teacher will be on extended vacation and the replacement is the woman she bumped into the day before, Ms Mizuki. During the lunch break Syaoran reveils to Sakura and Tomoyo that the substitute has a strong magical presence and that they should be careful around her. When school finishes Sakura and Tomoyo go to a shrine to pick up a romance charm. Upon arriving Sakura feels a presence. While at the Shrine they also see Meilin and Syaoran. After a brief conversation they are all transported into a labyrinth, it is soon discovered that this is the work of the Maze card. A number of escape attempts using the Fly and Sword cards are foiled. The Maze then starts to change shape and Meilin is separated from the others. While searching for Meilin, they find her with Ms Mizuki and they soon escape the labyrinth with Ms Mizuki's help. The Clow Card is then captured, however it goes to Ms Mizuki who promptly goes on to give it to Sakura.