Rika Sasaki | |
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'Cardcaptor Sakura' character | |
Rika Sasaki | |
Created by | Clamp |
In-universe information | |
Alias | Rita (Eng Carcaptors) |
Gender | Female |
Occupation | Studant |
Nationality | Japanese |
Rika Sasaki (佐々木 利佳, Sasaki Rika) is a fictional character in Clamp's anime and manga series Cardcaptor Sakura.
Character and role[]
Rika is one of Sakura Kinomoto's classmates in school. She, along with Chiharu Mihara and Naoko Yanagisawa, often appear alongside Sakura at school and during school events.
Rika is very elegant and mature for her age, although she can be very shy, especially when it comes to speaking to her teacher, Yoshiyuki Terada. Rika is also a skilled cook, able to bake cakes and cookies with ease. She cannot swim very well at all, as evidenced in the Episode of 63 when she almost drowned, one of the throughout one of Eriol Hiiragizawa's magical trials.
Rika is involved in the main plot in Episode 9 when she buys a brooch that is actually a Clow Card in hiding. The Card is revealed to be The Sword, as it materializes in Rika's hands when she puts on the broach and becomes possessed. The possessed Rika attacks Sakura, but Sakura soon distracts Rika using The Illusion and captures The Sword, returning Rika to normal.
Near the end of the manga, Rika gives Sakura important advice about love, comparing her situation with Terada to how Sakura feels about Syaoran (though names are never stated).
Relationships[]
Yoshiyuki Terada[]

Yoshiyuki Terada and Rika Sasaki
Rika is most known for her relationship with teacher Yoshiyuki Terada. The student-teacher relationship is not uncommon in Japanese fiction, as it can be interpreted as very romantic for a young girl to follow an older man as a student and mentee, only to fall in love with him in the end. Rika and Terada's relationship reflects this innocence and happiness, untainted by criticism and controversy despite their age difference.
Their relationship is established early in the manga when Rika and Terada exchange blushing looks (whose true meaning is oblivious to Sakura). At the end of one chapter, Terada presents Rika with a ring, explaining that he hopes one day it will become a wedding ring. Since then, they have continued to exchange moments whenever possible; their relationship remains unannounced in Canon, though Tomoyo Daidōji is able to observe the secret bond they share.
In the anime, their relationship is not as deep; rather it seems that they are not engaged, but Rika still is infatuated with Terada. She enjoys his presence and always shares with him the cakes that she bakes. Terada also appears to return the affection (though in a very subtle way) when Rika gives Terada the teddy bear that she made, and he decides to name it after her, whom he considers his hardest working student.
In Episode 9 when Sakura uses The Illusion to distract a possessed Rika, Sakura commands Illusion to show Rika the person for whom she has the most feelings. The Card shows a colorful silhouette in front of Rika in the shape of Terada. Rika also whispers, "Sensei…" (which can mean teacher in Japanese) before Sakura seals The Sword and releases Rika from her spell.
In Episode 46, "Sakura and the Last Judgement", Sakura is transported into a world where everyone forgets their feelings towards the person he or she loves most. Sakura sees Terada giving a paper to Rika, but she, instead of responding with a usual blush or knowing glance, takes the paper and simply walks away. Whether Sakura fully realizes this change in Rika's feelings is questionable, but it is evident to the viewer that Rika holds affection for Terada.
Sakura Kinomoto[]
Chiharu Mihara[]
Naoko Yanagisawa[]
Rika in Cardcaptors[]
Rika's name is changed to the similar-sounding Rita in Cardcaptors. Her mannerisms are mostly the same. However, her shyness and reactions toward Mr. Terada are presented in a way that would imply that she was afraid of him in a more academic sense, instead of Rika being attracted to him: in Rita's case, she has particular problems with spelling and perhaps schoolwork in general, so it may be more about embarrassment about frequently having to stay with the teacher. In Episode 9, instead of Sakura using the Illusion card to show Rika "the one she has the most feelings for," it is changed to "the one she fears the most", in which case would imply that she somewhat dislikes Mr. Terada and is intimidated by him.
Trivia[]
- Rika makes a cameo appearance near of the end in the third OVA of Magic Knight Rayearth.
- In Clear Card Arc, Rika goes to different school, her school uniform is similar to Fuu Hououji's.
Gallery[]
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Cardcaptor Sakura by Clamp | ||
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Media | Manga | Chapters (Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card) |
Anime | Cardcaptor Sakura episodes • Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card episodes • Cardcaptors | |
Films | Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie • Cardcaptor Sakura Movie 2: The Sealed Card | |
Music | "Tobira o Akete" • "Platinum" • "Clear" | |
Video games | Itsumo Sakura-chan to Issho! • Animetic Story Game 1: Cardcaptor Sakura • Sakura to Fushigi na Clow Cards • Tomoyo no Video Daisakusen • Clow Card Magic • Tetris with Cardcaptor Sakura: Eternal Heart • Tomoe Shōgakkō Daiundōkai • Sakura Card de Mini-Game • Sakura Card-hen Sakura Card to Tomodachi • Sakura-chan to Asobo! • Magical Battle Arena | |
Characters | Sakura Kinomoto • Syaoran Li • Tomoyo Daidouji • Meiling Li • Cerberus/Kero • Yue/Yukito Tsukishiro • Toya Kinomoto • Clow Reed • Eriol Hiiragizawa • Fujitaka Kinomoto • Nadeshiko Kinomoto • Kaho Mizuki • Spinel Sun • Ruby Moon • Takashi Yamazaki • Chiharu Mihara • Naoko Yanagisawa • Rika Sasaki • Yoshiyuki Terada • Makiko Midori • Yukie Kimura • Sonomi Daidouji • Masaki Amamiya • Akiho Shinomoto • Yuna D. Kaito • Momo • Ms. Morita • Mori • Syaoran's sisters • Akiho's Mother • Yelan Li • Maki Matsumoto • Wang Wei • Madoushi • Yuuki Tachibana • Takai Tachibana • Akane • Yoko Nakagawa • Rei Tachibana | |
Universe | Tomoeda • Clow Cards/Sakura Cards • Clow Book | |
Related articles | Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle • xxxHolic |