Summary:

The doctor informs Tomoya, Sanae, and Akio that Ushio’s illness is the same as Nagisa’s, and he still doesn’t know the cause. Seeing Tomoya depressed, Akio reminds him that he’s Ushio’s father, so he has to stay level-headed. On the day of the kindergarten’s field day, Ushio remains bedridden, but she still tries to tell her father to go beat Akio. Tomoya stays by her side though, promising to protect her. Over a month passes like this with Ushio being forced to stay at home, and in order to be with her, Tomoya decides to quit his job. Yuusuke, however, wants Tomoya to come back when Ushio gets better, and he trades personal screwdrivers with Tomoya on the deal that they’ll eventually return them when they work together again. As time goes on, Tomoya finds that Ushio is unable to change clothes or go to the bathroom on her own, and she can only eat soft foods. When he asks her one day if there’s anything she wants, she tells him that she wants to go on a trip with him again. Tomoya promises that they’ll do it once she gets better, but internally, he is torn over how he can’t grant his daughter’s only wish. He himself wishes that Nagisa were around in such a time, and he’s starting to feel that he and his family are being toyed with by this town. Despite this, he vows to save Ushio.

At one point, Akio offers Tomoya some money, but Tomoya refuses to take it and claims that he still has some savings in the bank. The two go shopping together, and afterward they stop near the hospital. When Tomoya reflects on how nature got sacrificed to build this hospital, Akio reports that a shopping mall is being built nearby as well. This leads to Tomoya wondering if Akio bringing Nagisa here when she was about to die connected her to the town, if Ushio inherited that, and if all the change is painful for the town. Akio, however, thinks that it has nothing to do with pain. Tomoya then questions if they have to accept that dying is one part of the changing, and Akio’s answer is that the hospital was built because people don’t want that. Sometime later, as Christmas draws near, Tomoya is watching over Ushio again and finds himself feeling disoriented. Looking out the window, he sees a vision of a snowy landscape for a moment before things return to normal. The refrigerator is empty, but Tomoya is at least able to give Ushio some water. Ushio still wants to go on a trip to the field of flowers, and although he resists at first, Tomoya eventually gives in to her wishes.

The two set out after bundling up, and Tomoya brings along his picture of Nagisa. Ushio insists on walking on her own strength, but after a little while, it’s clear that she’s struggling to continue on. It soon starts snowing, and since she likes snow, Ushio asks her father if he likes it as well. Despite remembering how Nagisa died on a snowy day, Tomoya claims that he does. Ushio’s legs give out after struggling forward a bit longer, and when Tomoya catches her, she asks him where they are. Since she thinks that they’re already on the train, Tomoya tells her that they are, and he also claims that it’s night because all she can see is darkness. Ushio then tells him that she loves him, and Tomoya says the same to her. Moments later, Ushio closes her eyes and her arm falls limp. Grief-striken, Tomoya cries out for his daughter and wishes that Nagisa or someone would save her. He himself then collapses in the snow.

Over in the illusionary world, the girl and the robot are on their journey through the snowy landscape, but the girl has collapsed, and the robot has to wake her. The robot wonders how many more steps it will take to reach where they’re going and if they have to continue walking endlessly. Although she gets back up, the girl soon collapses again. Tomoya meanwhile remembers again how he and Nagisa first met, and he thinks about if it would have been better if he hadn’t talked to her and they hadn’t met.

Preview

It feels a bit weird to say this, but I didn’t think that Ushio’s death had as much impact as Nagisa’s. It was certainly sad and got me teary-eyed, but we didn’t get to know Ushio as well as we did her mother, and at points I felt like they were trying to rehash/repeat all that made Nagisa’s death emotional. The main difference I saw was that Tomoya was powerless when Nagisa died because the snow forced her to give birth at home, and but his deciding to take Ushio out probably contributed to her dying. That’s not to say that I blame him entirely for Ushio’s death since it was clear that things weren’t getting any better, and they probably couldn’t continue on like they had been, but it didn’t seem unavoidable like Nagisa’s death did and hence it was less tragic/sad. Having said all that, Ushio’s death still succeeded in getting me more worked up than any other show I watched this past week except maybe Gundam 00 (and that’s a different kind of worked up), so I can’t really complain.

I’m also fully expecting some sort of miracle at this point because it looked like the light orbs flashed right after Tomoya collapsed in the snow. Plus, there’s still an episode to go, and that’s probably just enough time for a miracle to produce some sort of happy ending (bittersweet or not). Speaking of which, I hadn’t been paying attention to episode titles/spoilers or episode counts, so I didn’t find out until earlier this week that AFTER STORY is only going to be 22 episodes long, plus an extra episode like we had for the first series. That means that next week is already going to be the finale, and the week after that (March 19th) is a Nagisa-back-during-high-school episode.

97 Comments

  1. woot! first post?! O__O

    Anyway, I thought it was the other way around? Having Nagisa’s high school episode after the final episode (22) and then an extra episode… Anyway, as usual, it made me teary-eyed as well. Well done~

    miara
  2. Nooo!!! Ushio! One after another have died, what’s next??? If Tomoya still can live his life after the death of Nagisa and Ushio, he is really a person with a tough heart and lotsa patience. Rest In Peace, Ushio…. T-T

  3. Well, I don’t agree that her death was avoidable. She wanted to go on the trip because she knew she was going to die soon. But I also didn’t find it as sad as Nagisa’s death or the death in Air TV (which this is a lot alike) mainly because I’m pretty sure Ushio will at least come back, probably Nagisa as well at this point. But you didn’t know Nagisa was coming back so it was sadder.

    It was a great episode though. Can’t wait for next week. The cliff hanger at the end is will Tomoya finally call out to Nagisa. I’m guessing yes.

    jill
  4. God freaking damnit.
    There… thats all I have to say. Emotional roller coaster indeed.
    I am not sure what I can say but based upon the news that next weeks episode is the finale…. God damn.

    I am tempted to write my thoughts about nagisa tomoyas comment “Is she connected to this city somehow?” and what It could mean after this series is over and done with. But I wonder if Key was purposefully vague about those bits of information.

    I have mixed feelings about this episode only because of that happy assed ending theme ONCE AGAIN strapped onto the end of this episode.

    Things will get epic next episode and I will finally see it to the end.
    Who knows, maybe theyre gonna do little busters or something next. That would be a sight to see.

    I have no clue what anime I’ll be following after this…

    Dan
  5. @Omni: I have to disagree, in the sense that I find Ushio’s death to be much more dramatic than Nagisa’s exactly because Nagisa’s death was unavoidable. In Ushio’s case instead, Tomoya actively tries to save his daughter by escaping winter, which is strongly hinted to be the cause of the illness of Nagisa-Ushio-the girl in the illusionary world. It’s the fact that their escape is doomed to tragedy and both Ushio and Tomoya die before reaching the train station that makes this sooo incredibly sad to me.

    steelman
  6. Next week final already? Oha, that cought me by surprise. Well seeing the episode this episode it seems fine – I hope they’ll get a good ending (which I think they will) – other than in reality (the dead are dead). But well, this supernatural events are something we find in all KEY visual novels 🙂

  7. FuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuck
    why did it have to be this way????
    i’m really shocked
    i can’t seem to write my sadness (wrote this right after i saw the chapter so i’m speechless)

    Greegga
  8. “at points I felt like they were trying to rehash/repeat all that made Nagisa’s death emotional.”
    That’s because of the similarity of their deaths! Same sickness, same helpless feelings, same weather outside. Let’s hope they explain everything well in the next one and bring it all together.

    CynicalGamer
  9. Wow I didn’t notice that Clannad was gonna end soon, how sad but it was a great anime… I don’t know how many times I’ve cried when watching After Story, it was better than the first season. I still hope that Ushio lives on… I didn’t think that she would die when I saw a light orb, didn’t even think that she would die until I read what Omni wrote

    ConfusedGirl29
  10. Unless theres some sort of miracles happening next episode, or else Tomoya really need to commit sucide, no way anyone can live thru a dramatic events like that, watching your wife and child died in front of you while you stand there helplessly, I put a bullet in my head the moment my child life pass in front of my eyes.

    Mike
  11. To be honest Ushio would have died either way. The reason being Ushio seemed aware of it her self she wouldn’t make it. Thus the reason she said “It has to be now” about going on a trip. I’m not so convinced she died completely either, maybe just lost consciousness. She always went to that hospital (where Akio brought Nagisa) so I’m guessing that has something to do with the ending. I’m guessing it’ll be something where there’ll be some flash backs, the whole robot and girl in the other world bit, some weird dream world where Tomoya talks to Nagisa and how she says everything is going to be better or something (or maybe like change is good), then he wakes up in a hospital dazed a bit then asks where Ushio is, finds out shes fine and when she walks in she walks in with one of the other girls (Tomoyo maybe? Did anyone want to be a nurse?) or walks in with someone that looks a lot like Nagisa but to Tomoya she’ll probably look like Nagisa for a bit then after Nagisa smiles and a bunch of light orbs release showing its someone else, probably end with Tomoya and the other girl talking/walking with her and Ushio (Ushio in the middle) holding hands and as they walk Ushio will see a light orb in between them or something.

    That’s my guess.

    ROFLWAFFLELAWL
  12. omg….i just cant go on……BOTH OF THEM???@??!?!?!!??!?! WHY!?!!??!?!?!?!?!!!!!??!?!?!

    i just really hope, since there are 24 eps, onne is nagisa at school still, and one is another alternate world/OVA, where it goes back to the birth of ushio and nagisa lives…that would be great….but right not im so depressed….

    waffles
  13. @rofl:
    Read this: Show Spoiler ▼

    Show Spoiler ▼

    I wonder if the additional extra episode (There is a confirmed 24th episode) will be a continuation of the tomoyo after story. I’d like to see tomoyo after animated.

    Dan
  14. I noticed that Ushio seems to have the same headband on as Ayu did in Kanon. Ayu came back from the dead (more-or-less). Gives me some hope for Ushio (I know it’s a stretch).

    Dagmar
  15. I’m gonna puke when the Deus kicks in, when it happened in the game (after killing those two off like 5 times to no avail), I was like: WTF I spent all these fuking days to see some BS-pulled-out-of-ass-ending like that. lalalalala… 1st you HAVE to go through all that heart-jerking bull just to have it all set right in 2 seconds. I was mad as hell. But it was the second time around achieving the true ending that I actually paid attention to what was going on – but the Deus still made me sick 😛

    Megas
  16. I tend to agree with those who have said that they hope that there isn’t a miracle. I’ve had plenty of the “Everyone has amnesia about a past arc” thing with Fuuko, and besides, if the season is ending, it’s not necessary to bring back Tomoya, Nagisa, and Ushio. The last couple of episodes can serve as an epilogue.

    Takayuki
  17. The hell with Japanese doctors that can’t cure sick people and don’t even know whats wrong. Should have taken Ushio (and Nagisa too) to a good hospital like Brigham & Womens in Boston.

    Splash
  18. this story is just ade to make us all sad.. i dont see any point in figuring out the story because i just watched it so i cud cry a bit.. and after ushio dies.. I just wanna kick the crap outta whoever made that episode..i loved ushio, i thought she would make it!!! now only Tomo left.. i bet he gonna die too after all the struggles he’d been through..1 more ep..finally ive been waiting for this moment

    Risabel
  19. kind of bothering me, but i noticed that this illness only comes when its winter where the environment temperature goes down dramatically, I have heard of such similar illnesses, and these ppl just move to warmer places. So, i was thinking….u know…..think u guys should know wat I am saying… lol

    TsuchimiRin
  20. Damn. I cried again.

    I just thought of something. Tomoya can read the mind of an animal, and Ushio can see invisible orbs of light. Does this mean they have psychic blood?

    Ushio also seems naturally stronger (psychologically and emotionally) than Nagisa initially was. And Tomoya even noted she is like a boy. Does this mkean she’ll grow up into a mix of Nagisa and a tomboy (blame Kyou)?

    magnumslinger
  21. @TsuchimiRin
    You’re wrong or else Ushio would have gotten sick the other 5 years of her existance. We know that it’s her first big illness when the doctor says it’s the same that Nagisa had.

    Greegga
  22. Still clinging onto the hope that the very last episode will be Tomoyo After. It would show that worse things could have happened for Tomoya than both Nagisa & Ushio dying.

    I’m thinking that the new hospital we’ve been seeing the past few episodes may be where Tomoya kicks the bucket in that manga.

    Julian
  23. T_T NOOOO!!!she was to cute to die! there better be a 360 on the finally or if things continue it will be tomoya’s suicide we see next. It took him 5years to get back (somewhat) after nagi. with ushi’s death i dont think he can recover. then again as long as the finally isnt a pie throwing contest( school rumble) ill survive

    Danzi
  24. Ushio’s death just means more room for a miracle. I didn’t find it pointless because it added to one of the little themes in Clannad: inevitability. The way I see it, Ushio would have suffered like Nagisa did, and to me that’s not a happy ending. There’s still one more episode, and I have enough faith in the show to still expect those light orbs to give us that happy ending we all want.

    Bulletcatcher
  25. Oh my…

    I want a True Ending Y_____Y

    But I don’t know… this episode made me feel like nagisa is gone for good…

    So maybe we will get a bittersweet ending? I mean ushio lives but nagisa stays death… wouldn’t that be happy instead of bittersweet?

    Damn Now I have to wait another week for the next episode…

    I think, like someone said before, that tomoya won’t call out nagisa… or maybe he will get trapped in a loop until he chooses to call out nagisa then waking up and he is in the hospital and (like someone said before too) he will freak out and start looking for Ushio… or… who am I kidding? X_X those bastards…

    Antics
  26. Hmm… All I can say is KyoAni better have an awesome announcement come the end of the Nagisa in school/Extra episode.

    I wasn’t as emotional over Ushio’s death because we didn’t know her through 40 some episodes, unlike Nagisa who was made to be someone we really cared for, Ushio just didn’t have the time to make that impression.

    camarilla
  27. Alright, I have been contemplating what they have been getting at with nagisas illness and ushios illness.
    I am going to toss some ideas around and see how it plays out as I type:

    Fist off there is nagisas illness which seems to be tied into the way the city changes.
    Throughout her story, Nagisas health and illness has run parrelel not to her happiness but to the development of the town itself. During the end of the first season and part of the second season, you saw development of the town little by little. Places which acted as balancing points of the natural enviroment were destroyed or altered. In doing so, Nagisa fell ill during their development. But aspects of the town had flourished to the point where they seemed to counteract the loss from the land development.

    After this happened, Nagisa got well again untill they began developing the hospital. In doing so, she fell ill.

    Something I have been considering is the land on which the hospital is built.
    The main similarity between the land and Nagisa lies in Akio taking her there when she nearly died originally. It was as if his emotional outcry and nagisas sheer will to survive created a sort of hinge.
    Taking into account Kotomis arc about the pocket world. I wonder if they were hinting at the fact that the soul of the city existed and was most prevalent in that wooded region where the hospital was built.

    I believe, therefore, that when akio took Nagisa to the woods and pleaded for her life, he inadvertantly tied Nagisa and the city together completly. This bond made Nagisa well for a time but felt the towns pain as a result.
    I believe the evidence lies in Ushios natural gravity towards that area.
    Now the soul of the city lies within that world that has ended. Even the term “world which has ended” to me, suggests the end of the natural world, with each development, that world ends further. suggested by the changing of the seasons from bright and sunny constantly to a slow fade to snow. Show Spoiler ▼

    this suggests that in the end, the world needed to survive and the only way it could was if someone was able to take its place.

    I believe, therefore, Nagisa is in a manner, a personification of the city and nature. Her conditions acting as a reflection for how the state of the town is.
    Upon her death, Show Spoiler ▼

    something also in regards to the absolute end Show Spoiler ▼

    Those are my thoughts and I am sure there are inaccuracies in there. This is a work in progress afterall.

    Dan
  28. @ kato Air to you better than Clannad and Kanon 2006? This is madness. Air is one the most disappointing anime that I’ve seen. Characters stupid with ugly designs. Plot even more stupider. Only positive thing about Air is soundtracks and animation/artwork. All other sucks had. I can imagine how to cry from such a shit. It wasn’t dramatic at all.

    Anyway, time After Story to become DBZ. xD

    TadloS
  29. How, why did Ushio… :(. Nagisa is gone, now Ushio, goodness. This isn’t good at all. I have no idea how Tomoya is going to cope with this.

    And also there is one more episode left. I thought it would be an ending would be Ushio as the memory of Nagisa, I mean, Nagisa dying was a tear-jerker.

    Now Ushio? What the hell. 🙁

    Damn.
  30. Don’t blame okazaki…
    I understand why he didnt take her back, its because he was afraid that something will happen to her and he couldnt grant her only wish…
    I’m really going to miss CLANNAD

    Vivime
  31. Gosh… the creator or writer of this manga must be really insane… how can he write such a story for tomoya for he has lost his wife at first and now even his own daugther? YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING! -.-|||||| whats the use of making such a bad ending? They wanna make nagisa and Ushio together in heavens or wat? it doesn’t make any sense at all to me >.>

    jeffng9
  32. All this speculation of the deus-ex keeps me thinking of the last scene of the first episode. Where Nagisa asks “Would you like me to take you to the place where wishes come true?” It stood out to me back then and is really calling out to me now that we’re near the end.

    I watched this with my sis and cousin while drunk. All I can say is they saw me bawlin like a little kid. This episode + alcohol = hardcore tears.

    TehJawknee
  33. good episode, though not as much emotion as nagisa’s death in my opinion, the last episode something probably will happen to reset time or something.. i mean they have to explain the significance of the light orbs.
    been a good series so far

    Precise Moment
  34. Oh my goodness! I cried and wondered if Ushio died and now I know that she did.
    What steel man said really had me going!
    He said that Tomoya died too! I know it’s just an anime but this is too sad!

    CFan
  35. “I don’t recall Tomoya collecting any “light” through the story, to make that supposed time-skip possible”

    time to rewatch ep19 my friend… Ushio saw it and it even entered Tomoya’s body 😀

    alpha
  36. i really wouldn’t be surprised if Tomoya offed himself next episode that is if the hole dues-ex machine don’t happen,a seriously sadistic anime,have some mercy for the poor guy.

    taki
  37. im still in disbelife that ushio is dead. i mean how can this anime taake everything away from tomayo. i mean everything was goin well and it just does make any sense. i’m so mad with the writiers of the show and really don’t want to even think about it anymore, but for some reason i’m still goin to watch the fianl episode.

    Donte
  38. I’m so going to miss this anime when it ends. But overall, this anime is a masterpiece… I just freaking love it! Good job KyoAni! Can’t wait till next episode! I have a really strong feeling that the extra episodes will be on Kyou & Tomoya, or Tomoyo After Story. Has anyone noticed that Tomoyo hasn’t appeared at all after Nagisa’s graduation ceremony? I hope she’ll show up in the remaining extra episodes <_<

    Ryuuya
  39. I honestly wouldn’t be that surprised if Tomoya just killed himself after all of this shit happened to him. Lets just pray that Ushio somehow makes it.
    :/ Either that or they’re just going to die there in the snow.

    Ethiria
  40. So Ushio’s dead? Final episode will be Tomoya standing in front of the hospital loading a gun and strapping C4 to his belt. As he takes one step, the scene changes to an image of a NICE GOAT.

    anonymii
  41. @Dan

    Im not totally convinced her illness has to do with the city changing considering that Nagisa and Ushio weren’t sick ALL THE TIME. Nagisa was sick before, was better, sick again, better, then sick and died. Ushio was alright, then sick, then died. I don’t think it’s 100% to do with the city. I’m guessing the light orbs have something to do with it.

    Either:

    A: The light orbs are a part of Nagisa (as well as Ushio) and when one is “released” (Happiness has been created somewhere) they get weaker. Somewhat explains it since Nagisa being born was the happiness in Akios life and such, and Ushio getting sick practically right after the orb shows with Tomoyas father.

    or B:Complete opposite. When there isn’t Happiness they get sick. Though both of these may also be tied to the town changing and such (people being either happy or not so when it changes)

    ROFLWAFFLELAWL
  42. DAMN YOU KYOANI. ;______;

    When Ushio’s arm first went limp, my first reaction was: “THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN.”
    Of course, my eyes went teary and I cried for a good few minutes.

    And I kept on repeating as I did when Nagisa took her leave, “I’LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU KYOANI.” Only this time around, I had hoped Kyoani wouldn’t have had taken the ‘Ushio’s Death’ path in the original VN, so I added, “YOU’RE SO STUPID KYOANI. ;_____;” In grief.

    KYOANI. YOU MAKE ME CRY. ;_____;

    Tachi
  43. Tomoya has tried so damn hard to turn his life around. Trying do do the right thing and what happens, His whole world just implodes around him. I’m sad….I’m conflicted….I feel angry. I have to admit, the show did it’s job in getting us emotionally attached but for right now….at this moment, THIS SUCKS!!!!! THIS JUST FREAKING SUCKS!!! (;_;)
    I hope we get somewhat of a happy ending next week. Cause I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle it if it’s not.

    Netstryke
  44. omg
    this is sooo sad…

    i wish that it was all a dream
    like nagisa dying and ushio dying was all a dream..

    it would be really good if in the last episode… tomoya wakes up and finds out that he was dreaming everything out (nagisa dying and ushio dying..)

    babula
  45. well, to everyone who want tomoya X any-another-girl-on-this-anime … shame on you, i meant … SHAME ON YOU, after everythin what happend to him, after nagisa’s death, after ushio’s death (u know its true, i know … im sad as well), and u guys keep on sayin than tomoya has to be with someone else, come on! do u guys have fellings ?
    i understand why u keep talkin about tomoyaXtomoyo, well, bc the alter-world, the tomoyo-after story, but … realy, he is just such a mess after all this and u keep saying than u want another pairing … pls ! think about it … GOD! shame on youu

    ohh, and for those guys full of hatred bc this episode, bc ushio’s death and probably tomoya’s, and bc nagiaás death some episodes ago .. stop blamin the writters/director/kyoanime/everybody-else …. just watch the last episode, i hope they take the rite path and give us one of the best ends for anime history:
    just like DAN says before, read this and be happy

    Show Spoiler ▼

    Show Spoiler ▼

    Show Spoiler ▼

    well, time to collect the dragon balls and make a wish … rite? tomoyaaaa!!!

    ookami said.

    KAITO-SAN
  46. According to one of the websites, there are 24 episodes. And Tomoya lives with Nagisa and Ushio after he collected the colored lights that were (if I’m not wrong)supposed to mean happiness.

    That light that Ushio saw entering Tomoya was one of the lights. Anyway, Ushio died just so that the focus can be on the imaginary world.

    (Visit wikipedia for more info, I think I got the number of episodes and storyline from there)

    BushyTail
  47. GODDAMMIT SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I’m gonna move somewhere where it never snows in the future ; _ ; Why is snow linked with such negative things.

    Tomoya would be amazing to live though everything that has happened, never have a cried for an anime before and never have I felt for an anime character before as I have for Tomoya.

    Azza

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