Art direction is handled by Katsufumi Hariu and character design is done by Kumiko Takahashi. The chief writer for the series is Nanase Ohkawa of Clamp. The music is composed by Takayuki Negishi, with sound direction by Masafumi Mima. The series contains 70 episodes spread over three seasons. The first season, consisting of 35 episodes, aired between April 7 and December 29, 1998 on Japanese satellite television channel NHK BS2. The second season, with 11 episodes, aired between April 6 and June 22, 1999. The third season, containing 24 episodes, aired between September 7, 1999 and March 21, 2000. The episodes were later released by Bandai Visual to 18 VHS, LD and DVD compilation volumes, each containing four episodes, though the first and twelfth volumes contain three episodes. The VHS/LD volumes were released between September 25, 1998 and May 25, 2000. The DVD volumes were released between September 25, 1999 and May 25, 2000. Six volumes of an abridged selection of the series titled "Cardcaptor Sakura TV Series Selection" were released on VHS between April 25 and June 25, 2001, containing 12 episodes. Three DVD box set volumes were released between April 1 and August 10, 2005 by Geneon Universal Entertainment. Two Blu-ray Disc box set volumes were released by Geneon, one on March 27, 2009 containing the first two seasons, and the second on June 26, 2009 containing the third season. Three short, bonus original video animation (OVA) episodes were released with the first-print, limited edition versions of the VHS, LD and DVD releases. The first episode was released with volume one of the VHS and LD releases on September 25, 1998. The second episode came with volume ten of the VHS, LD and DVD releases on September 25, 1999. The third episode, also released on September 25, 1999, was with volume one of the DVD release. "Cardcaptor Sakura" was initially licensed for the English-language market by Nelvana, which dubbed the series into English and released it under the name "Cardcaptors". For the US broadcast, the heavily edited episodes were also reordered, with many left out completely. Although all 70 episodes (as well as the first film) were dubbed, in the US the series only ran for 39 episodes, changing the original episode order but finishing with the show's actual final episode. Potentially controversial material was removed, and the series was refocused to be more action oriented to try to appeal to male viewers, as they were seen as the largest audience of animation at the time.