I recently finished watching the two anime series Clannad and its sequel, Clannad: After Story. According to MyAnimeList and IMDb they are considered separate series, but I'm going to review the both of them in one post. This review does contain a few spoilers. I will give a warning with SPOILER! and END SPOILER!, in addition to having a strike through line across the spoiled moment(s).
As of today Clannad: After Story is ranked sixth on the list of top anime, and thirtieth on the most popular anime on MyAnimeList (1). (For anime series, I will be using MyAnimeList for stats. While these titles are included on IMDb, that site includes all movies/shows from all over the world, so it won't be a fair comparison for the genre I'm discussing. Whereas MyAnimeList only contains anime and manga, so I can have a far better comparison.) In addition, many people have included one or both of these series in their favorite anime lists. After Story has also been considered one of the saddest anime series of all time, but I'll get to that a little later.
Due to its good reviews, I decided to give it a watch. Back in February of 2014 I began with the first series. Over the course of the week I watched the first six episodes, and I wasn't too impressed. I found many of the characters annoying and/or unlikable. The only character that had any redeeming value was Nagisa, who I found to be an admirable character throughout both series for keeping cheerful despite all the poor luck she has. I continued to watch past episode one because I was interested in what happened to her. I ended up dropping the show a week later as I started watching Marble Hornets instead, and eventually forgot about it. Literally a year later, someone mentioned the show on an anime list video I was viewing on Youtube, and I decided to give it another go.
On a second viewing, beginning with episode four, I found the series, and the characters, much more enjoyable.
Let me begin with the two leads. At first I found Tomoya to be kind of a jerk. It's fine though, there are many anime series in which I dislike the protagonist, or are indifferent to him/her, and still like the show overall (Black Butler for instance). Tomoya was constantly playing tricks on Youhei, the person who was supposed to be his best friend, at times mean ones in which the consequences caused him physical harm and/or humiliation. He was also a bit of a jerk to Fuko with the pranks he would pull on her. However, as the show continued it portrayed Tomoya's character growth through the many ways he would help the various characters. The episode where he worked himself to near exhaustion to clean up Kotomi's yard while she was going through a difficult time, was the moment when he truly earned my respect.
The other main character, and my personal favorite, is Nagisa. Here is a good example of a truly selfless and kind character. Life has not been all that nice to Nagisa, as far as her health is concerned. SPOILER:
Each of the characters have a unique personality and I like how with all that variety they can all work well together for a common goal. Youhei is hilarious, and even though he is egotistical, he still shows time and again he's a good friend. Kotomi, actually my second favorite character, while awkward at first, is easy to like (maybe because I relate to her the most out of all the characters). Ryou is sweet and kind, and her sister Kyou, while at times can be abrasive, it's clear that she has good intentions.
The only two characters I found annoying are Fuko and Tomoyo. At first I didn't care too much for Kyou either, but as she develops as a character, I found her to be pretty likable.
I understand that Fuko has a huge fan base, but I'm not one. In my opinion, I just found her too rude, clingy, and annoying. These feelings were amplified during episode twenty of After Story when she acted like a rude, fussy brat throughout the visit at Tomoya's home, as well as her interactions with her sister in episode twenty-two.
Tomoyo herself is not an annoying character. The fact that she is trying to leave her violent days behind her to accomplish a goal for her brother's sake is commendable. I just find that in this story that depicts reality (if you ignore the unrealistic ending to After Story), it is highly unlikely that someone her age would be THAT good of a fighter. In the fourth episode of After Story it is made clear that both Youhei and Tomoya are decent fighters, but Tomoyo makes them look like amateurs. I'm not saying that it's impossible for her to be better, just that it is too extreme, almost at a Dragonball Z level in this slice of life anime. That detail kind of ruins the realism of this piece.
This is an emotional anime. I recommend having a box of tissues nearby, especially for the last half of After Story. By emotional, I mean both sad and touching moments.
I love the relationships in this story. Most notable would be the blooming romance between the two leads. Since this is supposed to be a slice of life anime, I like how their romance takes time. It takes nearly a year (the entire first series) for Tomoya to realize he loves Nagisa. SPOILER!:
That brings me to my next point, Akio and Sanae have to be one of my all-time favorite couples. They are so much in love an just perfect for each other. I love how far Akio will go to ease his wife's pain after hurting her feelings by insulting her bread. Yes, it sounds silly, and it is, but it does make their relationship stronger. It's easy to understand why Nagisa is a loving person when she was raised by such wonderful parents. Their love for Nagisa is shown throughout the series, especially when it's revealed what they sacrificed to be closer to her.
The family relationships are worth watching. I love seeing Nagisa and Tomoya interact with Nagisa's parents. It's interesting to see Akio and Sanae take on parental roles for Tomoya, seeing as how he's not on good terms with his own father. I like to believe it's the love of the three Furukawas that help change Tomoya from a delinquent into a good, loving man.
Episodes eighteen and nineteen of After Story, where the audience gets to know more about Tomoya's father are touching, and it's good to see that final interaction between them.
Of course the moments spent between Tomoya and his daugher, Ushio, have to be some of the sweetest. I broke into tears in episode eighteen where Ushio finally cried in his arms.
The ending of the first series is definitely one of those moments in which tissues will be needed. However, this is because of how moving it is, rather than sorrow. I like all the angst due to Nagisa's misplaced guilt that leads up to that scene. How Akio encourages Nagisa to pursue her dream is endearing.
Most everyone includes Clannad, or more specifically Clannad: After Story on their list of saddest anime, and I would have to agree. In Clannad, Kotomi's tragic story warrants a few tears, as does the scene where Nagisa finds out the secret her parents had been keeping from her. Still, it is the last seven episodes of After Story that brings on the tears. There are two tragic deaths (one was foreshadowed from the beginning, and the other unexpected) that are sure to break hearts. The audience gets to see firsthand the effects that the first tragedy has on Tomoya and the relationship with his family. I would like to say that's the extent of the sorrow, but I will say that it gets sadder in episodes twenty and twenty-one, especially the latter. All I have to say to those who have seen it are, "Are we on the train?"
Although the actual ending is on a lighter note, the clips that play during the song, "Palm of a Tiny Hand" will touch the heart. While it may be an odd ending, it is heartwarming, and I like it.
I absolutely adore the closing song and scene to Clannad. "Dango Dai Kazoku" or "The Big Dango Family" is such a cute song. It is the song attributed to Nagisa, as she's often singing the chorus of it throughout both series. One of my favorite moments in After Story is when Nagisa starts singing it to her unborn baby and her parents and Tomoya join in. It's a sweet, tender moment that shows the love of the family.
I think both Clannad and Clannad: After Story should have ended with episode twenty-two. I do believe that in both cases episode twenty-three are considered bonus episodes. Clannad episode twenty-two is just perfect. I love the sweet moment between Nagisa and her parents following the badly timed reveal of a deep secret, as well as one of the sweetest, most romantic moments between the main couple. I didn't understand how there could be an extra episode, but there was one. The entirety of episode twenty-three just felt out of place. At the end it is made clear why Nagisa was acting out of character, but the entire time I watched it I felt uncomfortable. I didn't find it funny, or even cute, just confusing and unnecessary. The bonus episode of Clannad: After Story was just boring, so I stopped it halfway since I was satisfied with the official ending of episode twenty-two.
In all I find this to be a touching anime. I love most of the characters, the relationships between said characters, the emotional roller coaster of a plot, and the family themes throughout. While there are a few unrealistic traits, I think it is relevant to real life. I do think it deserves all the praise it gets. I am glad I watched it.
Clannad: 8/10
Clannad: After Story: 8/10
Music: Clannad soundtrack
Beverage: Power-C Vitamin Water
(1) "Clannad: After Story" MyAnimeList (March 28, 2015). http://myanimelist.net/anime/4181/Clannad:_After_Story
