Kaho Mizuki

Kaho Mizuki (観月歌帆 Mizuki Kaho) is a fictional character in Clamp's anime and manga series, Cardcaptor Sakura. She is known as Layla McKenzie in the English adaptation, Cardcaptors. She is a shrine maiden and the daughter of the priest at theTsukimine Shrine where she lives.

She first appears as the protagonist Sakura Kinomoto’s substitute math teacher. For a time she takes over as the regular teacher of Sakura’s class, temporarily replacing Yoshiyuki Terada. She later becomes a significant character in the second season of the animeand latter chapters of the first half of the manga.

Initially she was introduced as mysterious and enigmatic who appeared to know more than what she was letting on and with an uncertain agenda. It later turns out that she plays an important role in the "Final Judgment" concerning Sakura. Kaho is in possession of the Moon Bell: a mystical artifact, until it serves its purpose in the Final Judgement. The bell gives Sakura a second chance to beat the guardian Yue during the Judgement.

She is voiced by Emi Shinohara in the Japanese Version, Linda Rae Jurgens in Cardcaptors, Candice Moore in Animax dub, Philece Sampler in second film and Morgan Garrett in Clear Card Arc in the English Verizon.

Appearance

Kaho has long red hair, parted down the center, with the left side having a slight lift. She has milky white skin, and cinnamon colored eyes. Many characters often comment admiringly on her beauty.

She is usually seen in the garb of a shrine maiden, wearing a white haori (kimono), red hakama (long, divided trousers), white socks and a pair of wooden sandals. She sweeps her back in to a pony tail using a white ribbon that runs down her back.

She is more commonly seen in a formal pink dress.

Personality

Kind, warm, serene and mature, Kaho is patient, polite, calm and level headed and effortlessly elegant. In her earlier appearances she came across as mysterious and enigmatic – although genuinely cheerful and kind, and seemingly harbouring some unknown motivation – fuelling Syaoran Li’s initial skepticism and mistrust of her.

She is keenly perceptive and extraordinarily wise - seeing through the group’s antics and providing necessary, although usually subtle, help with a particular situation. Normally she is content to act as an observer and leave Sakura and Syaoran to own their means. However, when they come up against a particular tricky Clow Card they are unable to overcome she will – subtly – intervene. Whether it’s the Maze or Lock cards her interventions have been extraordinarily helpful.

Her kindness and generosity are demonstrated when she hands over a bag of chestnuts to Sakura andYukito Tsukishiro as a token of her apperception when they volunteered to help her to clean up the shrine grounds. After Meiling and Sakura unfairly lost their chance to get some charms they’d had their hearts set on, she retrieved some and personally gave them one each, much to the two girls delight.

She strongly believes in fate and destiny, remarking that there is no such thing as chance in the world, but only inevitability.

Kaho is excellent at archery, once entering a competition against Yukito. She narrowly lost to him only after losing her concentration due to sensing Kero’s presence nearby.

Kaho’s hobby is antique collecting and her favourite thing to do is going for walks. Her favourite food is anything alcoholic and her least favourite is marshmallow. She has difficulty remembering street names.

Relationships

Sakura

Upon meeting Kaho for the first time, Sakura was struck by how “beautiful” she is and later reverently remarks how kind she is. Sakura comments how happy she is just watching her. She views her as utterly positive and once remarked that she wanted to grow up to be just like her. Unlike Syaoran’s apprehension, Sakura does not feel anything suspicious about her, and always feels ‘happy’ and ‘dazed’ whenever she sees Kaho.

During the latter trials capturing the Clow Cards, Kaho aids Sakura, albeit indirectly, giving her cryptic messages and advice on how to deal with a particular card. Kaho has total faith in Sakura and her abilities and believes she can succeed when the time comes for her to take her part in the Final Judgment.

She also shows deep concern for Sakura’s wellbeing and worries about her after she falls ill in episode 39.

During the third season after Kaho leaves Tomoeda there is a constant exchange of letters between Kaho and Sakura.

Syaoran

Initially Syaoran was suspicious and mistrustful of the new teacher. He senses her strong powers and warns Sakura to be careful of her. He appears openly tense and cautious around Kaho’s presence, usually narrowing his eyes and keeping silent.

In return Kaho is bemused by his behaviour, favouring him with bright smiles and appeared to goad him on and try and make small talk with him.

Toya

Toya and Kaho were a couple back when Touya was in Junior High. She was his teacher. She first met him at the Tsukimine Shrine, under a Cheery blossom Tree. Toya eventually confessed his love to her, and she returned it.

Kaho genuinely loved Toya. She comments it was fun to spend time together. Eventually however, Kaho had to break it off to go overseas to study.

When Toya insists why, she merely smiles and replies cryptically the next time they’d meet he would have someone else to love - and so would she. She confidently predicted they would be good friends.

After returning, she treats him affectionately, but more as a younger brother than a boyfriend.

Eriol

In the manga, Kaho remarks how kind Eriol Hiiragizawa is, but he explains he's grown to care more about one person than anyone else. Kaho then asks if he already knew she loved him and he did and replies "if your feelings are the same as mine, we'll have a happy ending." She is last seen holding hands with Eriol discussing their future together.

Kero/Cerberus

Kaho and Kero initially met in episode 32 albeit under unusual circumstances. Due to a prior mishap sealing the Change card Kero was temporarily in Syaoran’s body. Because Kero was not in his original body at the time he did not sense anything unusual about her. They meet again properly in episode 44 when Kero in his original small body confronts her alone.

Kero was at first skeptical of her and weary of her powerful moon based magic, beling her to be Yue. Kaho however was polite throughout, greeting him affably and speaking to the little guardian courteously. She did however, when pressed, not reveal what her role would be in the Final Judgment, but reassured him that she believed in Sakura.

Yukito

In the few times they’ve met Kaho and Yukito have got along well and spoken amiably to one another. She gives him a bag of chestnuts when he and Sakura volunteered to help her to clean up the shrine grounds as a token of her apperception.

During their archery contest in episode 44 she wished him good luck – which he courteously returned. After she narrowly lost due to a fluke, she graciously congratulated him and commendably shook his hand.

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Trivia

During Sakura's Final Judgement, she said that the fact that Yukito, being Yue, had moved to Tomoeda, was not a coincidence because "There is no coincidence in this world - there is only inevitability". This phrase is Yuuko Ichihara's signature.
She does not appear in Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, but her magical Moon Bell does, under the ownership of Tomoyo Daidouji.
Her Japanese Voice Actress is best known for voicing as Emi Shinohara also voices Sailor Jupiter from Sailor Moon and Kushina Uzumaki from Naruto Shippuden.
Her English Voice Actress, Philece Sampler is best known for voicing as Mimi Tachikawa, Cody Hida, Catherine Deneuve, Alice McCoy, Nanami from Digimon, Yuzuriha Nekoi from X/1999.
Her Fourth Voice Actress, Morgan Garrett is best known for voicing as Akane Owari from Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy, Oryō from Kakuriyo -Bed & Breakfast for Spirits- and Rico Brzenska from Attack on Titan.