All right everyone, great play we put on their for the Theater Club, now let’s wrap this up with a final reflection on how it all went. Nagisa, you’re the lead character, you start … uh … where’s Nagisa?

Tomoya and her went to go take the trash out by the gym storage locker a long time ago … I wonder if they’re OK?

WHY THOSE~ Uh, Ryou, where did I put my chainsaw?

W-w-weren’t you stripped of your license to use one after the incident with the last thousand fanboys?

Mmm, stripped…

Ah, fine, I’ve got better weapons anyway. I’ll be back in a minute.

(THIS NOT OUT-OF-PLACE INTERJECTION AT ALL INDICATES KYOU IS WHERE NAGISA AND TOMOYA SHOULD BE)

Hmm…the door’s locked. That’s it, then! *clears throat*

S-s-stupid door, it’s not like I wanted to open you or anything!

(Door breaks cleanly in two. Kyou gets duct tape and patches it up cleanly before continuing.)
Ah, Kyou!

ALRIGHT YOU LITTLE HUSSY PUT YOUR PANTS BACK wait what? What’s this?

Look, look! We found this dango farm in the gym storage room and we’ve been entranced with it ever since! Isn’t it just adorable? Dango, dango, dango, dango…

Alright you guys, can we get serious here? We have to do a peer review and we have to get going now. We’re months behind.

Tomoyo? What are you doing here too? (Alright, I get a speaking line!)

Well … I figured … if Tomoya was going to be here so long with Kyou and Nagisa … that I …

FUUKO’S HERE!

No, Fuuko! Go away! You’re killing my deredere Tomoyo fantasies!

(Actual review-like content after the jump … sadly. Also, watch out for spoilers.)

Alright, let’s get this review started. Does anyone here not know what Clannad is?

FUUKO DOESN’T!

Ugh … Fuuko … wait … who’s Fuuko? Anyway, Kotomi, tell everyone - Kotomi, stop trying to cut the definition out of the Wikipedia page! That’s plagiarism!

Ah. Clannad is another Key visual novel adapted by acclaimed studio Kyoto Animation, featuring cute - some might say pandering - character designs, sad stories, and a lot more comedy than any of the previous adaptations, like Kanon or AIR. Overall, it’s a mix of comedy and drama that most shows should struggle to match.

B-but, I don’t know if Clannad is good enough for the viewers … I mean, they wanted a real crying story so much, and to dissapoint them like this, it just doesn’t feel right … it’s j-just so sad, isn’t it?

HOLD IT!

Why are you throwing a dictionary at ME?!

I think you’re giving the viewers too much credit here. If they wanted something that was exactly the same as what they’ve seen before, they could go watch True Tears - not that it’s a bad anime, just a familiar one - or Kanon again for all I care. Key and KyoAni did the right thing by spinning a bit of a different formula into the equation, instead of just doing Kanon v.2.0.

FUUKO DID! My story was pretty much exactly what you would expect from a typical visual novel story. Here, have a recap! I’m a girl, in a coma, who projects herself into the real world to make someone she loves happy. Except, shock! A twist! That girl’s not the lead guy, but her older sister instead! It’s tearful and made Fuuko cry!

M-me too… it really was an example of these kinds of stories done right. Even if it did drag on a bit long, and was a bit typical, it was still really sweet, don’t you think?

Hello. Nice to meet you. My name is Kotomi Ichinose, a senior in Class A. My hobby is burning important papers. I would be happy if you could become my friend.

What the heck!?

Tomoya, you can’t say that. That’s my line. My arc is again a lot like what’s been done in other stories. I’m secretly a childhood friend of Tomoya’s and - what the heck!? I’m a childhood friend? Why didn’t I win?! WHY!?

Oh no! Kotomi’s using her ’super high-pitched Mamiko Noto scream’ attack! Quick, Kotomi, go to your happy place!

*Begins playing the violin. Glass shatters, birds begin to fall from the sky, Kyou stops acting tsuntsun, likewise horrors.*

SANAE I LOVE YOU! Wait … wrong target. Kotomi! Your violin is too good! It’s so good that it’s beginning to make us all jealous of your skills! So please stop! Before … we … get too jealous! Please! Stop!

Ah, I feel much better now. That’s right! I was talking about my arc. I’m a childhood friend type, that suddenly gets massively traumatized by my parents dying in a plane crash. It’s up to Tomoya to be a bad enough dude to save my former self. At least, that’s what these books say. These are strange books.

Kotomi’s arc wasn’t too bad either. I really think Kotomi is a good person after all, and she’s very cute and mature as well. Her story was a bit hard to believe at times, but there have been stranger things in this world, right, Tomoya?

Yeah, like that one girl … who was it?

FUUKO’S BEEN FORGOTTEN!

HEY! How come you talk about all these other girls but ignore Ryou, Tomoya! Have some sensitivity!

Well, it’s kind of like the anime itself. She, you, and Tomoyo didn’t get much plottime after all, being relegated to characters who were cute but didn’t get a lot of attention.

S-s-stupid Kyoto Animation, it’s not like I asked you to give me an arc or anything…

B-but … wasn’t it for the better? T-that other characters got the chance to express themselves? T-the fans adored us anything, perhaps m-more so because we weren’t one-hundred-percent fleshed out.

It is true. The Fujiyabashi sisters and myself are probably among the most popular characters of Clannad. However, I could describe this emotion regarding the lack of an arc as ‘longing.’ Perhaps it would have been better after all to cut short Fuuko’s story.

At least there’s After Story, right? Another season of Clannad, where everyone can get together and have more fun with everybody, and all…

B-but it’s not like we’ll have another chance to get Tomoya, or anything? I m-mean not get Tomoya l-like get him a C-Christmas gift or some g-giri chocoloate or whatever but g-get l-like, y’know, Nagisa, you’re not the only one with eyes on T-Tomoya, Ryou, Tomoyo, and I-I-I… AHHH MOUUUUUU I CAN’T STAND IT ANYMORE BAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

BAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

BAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

H-hey, d-don’t cry or else I’ll … BAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Guys, cut it out! I understand how you feel, it’s not like I wasn’t that way either, but I think it’s important to focus on more important…

BAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Alright … well … you made me.

*INSERT 512 HIT COMBO*

That was INCREDIBLY hot.

S-s-stupid Tomoyo, it’s not like I wanted to get screwed over by Kyoto Animation or anything! … uh … I mean … sorry about that.

Don’t worry about it. I only meant to get you to move along with the discussion here. I understand that it’s very sad that the Fujiyabashis and myself got little attention relative to Fuuko, Kotomi, and Nagisa, but I think it wasn’t a total loss after all. Our characters functioned well without having to have a massively sad story - or only a very slight one - behind them, which I thought was respectable.

That’s right Onee-chan. The two of us were really normal - if not perhaps a little exaggerated in personality - and yet managed to be really cute and enjoyable for the audience. Of course it would have been better if we had achieved a bit more in the spotlight, but there’s no polygamy here, so … there’s always the visual novel, right?

Well, I guess … hold on, let me compose myself.

WHY AM I GETTING A DICTIONARY THROWN AT ME AGAIN?

Just getting back to normal, Tomoya! Anyway, Nagisa, you better take good care of Tomoya, since we’re letting you have him!

EH!? I didn’t - I - ah - oh yeah. I guess we did get together at the end of the series after all.

Come to think of it, what took you so long anyway? It took almost until the end of the show for the two of you to begin going out. It’s obvious you two would make a good couple. I would have liked to see more of you two as a couple.

HEY! Do you want to shorten our arcs more or something?

Excuse me … I was just reading the instruction manual, and it looks like Kyou has a switch here …

Whoa, I want to try!

S-stupid Tomoya! It’s not like my tsundere demeanor is that easy to flip on and off or anything! *flip* But, I can understand why you would have a curiosity with such a thing … if it’s Tomoya, I guess it’s OK… *flip* HEY! What do you think you’re doing!? Don’t take a girl’s feelings so lightly … *flip* B-but, if you want to try it, I’ll let you do it … *flip* There’s nobody inside…

THERE WAS A YANDERE SETTING!?

Guys! Guys! Back to the script, can we? Thanks. We were … talking about Nagisa and Tomoya, were we not?

Y-y-you don’t have to do that! It’s really embarrassing! I mean … I’m happy and all, but …

I’m happy for you two also … it’s very rare that we get to see a pair of characters like this in anime, where both characters teach each other something. Nagisa seems like a weak character but is emotionally strong in the end, while Tomoya is a bit of the reverse. It’s not as easy as that, of course, but you really get a sense that this relationship was well built and well deserved. We couldn’t have had it any other way.

Y-yeah, I suppose, I’m happy … but… aren’t there more important things in the story than Tomoya and I?

What are you talking about, Nagisa!? The sweet dance of a couple in love is the most rewarding thing in the world! Love conquers all! Believe in the me that believes in you! Kick reason to the curb! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM! I LOVE YOU SANAE andyourbreaddoesn’tsuck!!

Akio is definitely right that Nagisa and Tomoya’s relationship is one of the most intriguing and one of the best aspects of Clannad, but unlike other Key shows there was another side to Clannad that made it special. And that’s the humor! Simply put, this time around Clannad induces almost as much laughs as it does tears.

B-but at the expense of main characters though … j-just look how Onee-chan and I h-have been reduced to joke characters in this post!

S-stupid blogger, it’s -

FUUKO’S BLOCKING AN OBVIOUS GAG!

But, to make myself sound coherent for once, Clannad has a wide range of humor that everyone should find something to enjoy in. There’s some romantic comedy, some physical comedy, some running gags, a few nerdy or fourth-wall-breaking parodies, even some raw moe moments which will leave even hard hearts smiling. It’s a better mix than other visual novel shows which tend to layer their drama and comedy like water and oil.

Personally, I was left a bit dissapointed with the show that it didn’t live up to the standards of Kanon and AIR from the past, in terms of raw emotional appeal. I prefer a show that can really leave a mark on the viewer, shake their soul and make them truly emotional, and in the best cases make them question life. Kanon did it. H2O did it (partially), ef did it. Byousoku 5cm did it.

Clannad felt like, to borrow a term, a paradigm shift, something that aimed at a completely different target. It seemed more lighthearted in nature overall, a story whose characters will be remembered as archetypes instead of people. Clannad leaves a sweet taste in your mouth, as at least it’s not just cotton candy like some shows; rather, the taste will linger for a short time after the show, but it won’t stick like the true greats in the visual novel / emotional genre have managed to make happen.

It’s more likely Clannad will be remembered for scenes like Kyou’s gym storage moe-packed mind-melter than the touching scenes between Nagisa and Tomoya. I think that’s a shame that Clannad isn’t as emotionally worthwhile as the rest of the things upon which Key has built their reputation; but from any other studio or developer, Clannad would be legendary. So there’s a case of high standards for you.

To summarize it, because you - yes, you - just skipped to the bottom and read this:
1) Fuuko = one of the most emotional arcs, and one of the most dragged-out characters.
2) Kotomi = really cute and her arc induced a little emotion, but it’s oh so typical.
3) Tsundere Kyou is tsundere.
4) Ryou was a personal favorite, but together with Kyou, neither got a lot of coverage.
4b) By the ’side character rule’ I demand more attention for the two, but I won’t complain about the focus we got on Nagisa.
5) Nagisa is an excellent character, covering emotional strength in a moe outer shell. Her family is much the same, but switching out the moe for a comedic gold flavor.
6) Tomoya, who I didn’t talk about at all, didn’t get as much exposition about his father as I thought. His character’s not too bad but I’ve always preferred the sarcastic type.
7) The allegory about the dream world was either played out too little or too much. Perhaps it’s more sublime in nature. It says how much I know about it by how much I talked about it (not at all)
OVERALL) Clannad is a great comedy show and a very good drama / sweet show, but it doesn’t match up to the same pretentious standard as Kanon and AIR. It’s a different kind of show that is extremely enjoyable to watch but won’t leave an intense lasting impact.

Uh, excuse me.

Yes?

Who are you?

A representation of the author through one of the random cute glasses girls (full-time, unlike you) of the show, so that I can say some important stuff in this post.

Kyou? Get your dictionaries. Kotomi? Grab your violin. Nagisa? Get some skewers from your dango-ka-bobs or something. Follow me.

*COMIC SOUND EFFECTS ENSUE*

Hehehe, the author must be a secret masochist!

And Mei, you can grab your brother by the ankles and get over here too…

Hehehe, time for some revenge for almost not getting my picture used!

*OH DEAR GOD THE HUGE MANATEES*

Ah, uh … everyone, thank you for coming. This concludes Clannad: The Series Review. We hope to see you again.

-CCY

(Funnily enough, this was one of the quicker posts I’ve written.)

This post is tagged Clannad, Series Review, Team Zetsubou Reviews