For those who love and miss Kero every day, or those who wish they had a small, intelligent, winged guardian following them around all the time
I'm not usually a fan of anime, but Sakura Card Captor definitely occupied a place in my heart as a child. It catered to my most basic childhood wishes: that my cat could talk and that I was a beautiful superhero saving the world.
I fell in love with Kero from the moment I first saw him, and now, revisiting the show to write about him, I realize I still am, and that I was always attracted to the same type of personalities in characters.
Last week I wrote about Salem; a few days ago I wrote about Jake the Dog, and today I'm writing about Kero. It seems I love cute little creatures who happen to have infinite wisdom, sarcastic humour, and a tendency toward self-centeredness. It might be because I see myself reflected in them? Who knows.
Kero's full name is Keroberos. He is supposed to be a guardian beast, but clearly, his figure doesn't suggest that. He was entrusted to help Sakura protect the Clow Cards, yet he spends most of his time gaming, worried about food or cranky about something.
I think Kero's archetype is something like the wise fool. He proves that being smart doesn't have to be solemn. His authority doesn't prevent him from being funny or childish at times. He can be both, and one doesn't erase the other. I think this is a beautiful way to look at intelligence, and in my opinion, it's how it naturally presents itself. We have this idea that very intelligent people should be serious, put together, or very mature at all times, and in reality, that couldn't be further from the truth.
What I also love about characters like Kero is that their affection is not portrayed through sentimentality; he shows his love through actions. He is not endlessly gentle or openly sentimental.
He teases Sakura, disagrees with her, and complains about her, but he still loves her in his heart. He does this because they're intimate, and they know and love each other very much, just like we do with our loved ones.
He, just like Salem and Jake, uses his humor to shield himself from vulnerability, and also to communicate with Sakura. Jokes create a shared language, and sarcasm can be a way to show affection without exposing one's vulnerability too much. I find this completely endearing.
I also love the contradiction between him being a magical being while also being a gamer and a junk-food lover. He is not a character to admire, and he is not a role model; he is a character to have fun with, and to remind us that life is about those simple pleasures too.
Not everything has to be about protecting the Clow cards or saving the world; some things can be about cakes and gaming till midnight.
Give it up for Kero!