CLANNAD / Final Impressions / First Impressions

Summary:

Buried in snow in the illusionary world, the robot tries to get the girl to move, but she doesn’t. The robot thinks that it would have been better not to bring her if things were going to become like this, and it feels that it’s causing her pain. It wonders if this is the end of their journey, but it doesn’t want to acknowledge that and continues to try to wake the girl. She eventually opens her eyes and notices that the robot is still with her, so the robot asserts that it’s always with her. The girl responds by thanking it and noting how she can finally hear its voice. She knows that this is because she won’t be a person soon. The girl reveals that she had seen a dream, and from it, she discovered that she and the robot were from the same world. The robot takes this to mean that they shouldn’t be in this world and wants to go back together, but the girl knows that she has to remain here. If she leaves, then this world would be gone as well, and that would cause a lot of lights to become unhappy. Those lights are the feelings of the residents in the other world, and the girl claims that the robot was one of them. When the robot questions if there’s another one of him in the other world, the girl explains that he exists in the two worlds and crossed the distance so that they could meet.

The girl knows that the robot will close its consciousness in this world and awaken in the other world. There, he’ll meet a lot of people, including her. Many people’s feelings become lights in this world, and the girl’s feelings will similarly become lights in the other world. The individual lights will be small, but if a lot are gathered, they should become a strange power. The girl then starts humming the Dango Daikazoku song, and when the robot recognizes it, she reveals that it’s the song that the robot always sang to her. Moments later, light pours through the clouds and vaporizes everything, and before she disappears into light orbs, the girl bids farewell to the robot who she now calls her father. Back in the real world, on that hill during their high school days, Tomoya lets Nagisa pass him by but then realizes what he’s doing and calls out her name. He runs to her and hugs her, letting her know that he’s there, and she’s glad that he was able to call out to her. She had been worried that he might have felt that it would have been better if they hadn’t met, and she’s personally glad to have been able to meet him. That’s why she doesn’t want him to regret meeting her no matter what awaits them. Knowing that she’s right, Tomoya thanks her and hugs her again.

Tomoya then experiences a fast-forwarding through life where he hears Nagisa offer to take him to the place where wishes get fulfilled in this town. Both Tomoya and the robot realize that the long journey has finally ended. The next thing Tomoya knows, he’s at Nagisa side when Ushio is being born, however she lives this time and tells him that they’re always together. Tomoya is thus able to give Ushio her first bath while Nagisa watches. When Nagisa hopes that Ushio will be healthy even when she grows up, Tomoya asserts that Ushio will be a strong girl. Nagisa then notices that there are lights outside, and Tomoya watches as they float up towards the sky. In the aftermath, the two new parents sing the Dango Daikazoku song together to their child, and Nagisa wonders if the town had a will and heart, and it wanted to make the people who lived there happy, then this miracle might be the town’s doing. Nagisa, however, feels that this wouldn’t be a miracle because the people who love the town live there, and the town that likes the people will love them. She thinks that this should be normal in any place, and when Tomoya wonders if the town is a big family, she calls it a dango daikazoku (big dango family). This causes Tomoya to feel that he finally understands.

Nagisa and Tomoya raise Ushio without any big problems, and when she’s five years old again, they take her to the countryside with that field of flowers to see her great-grandmother. Across the world, everyone goes on with their lives: Kyou is still a kindergarten teacher, Ryou is a nurse, Kotomi is in America, Sunohara is learning to drive, Mei is all grown up with her friends, Tomoyo is all alone, Yuusuke is singing again, Sanae and Akio have the same relationship as always, Yukine is still watching over her delinquent friends, Misae is still with her cat, and Koumura is enjoying retirement. That leaves Kouko and Fuuko who are on their way to the hospital, and Fuuko is frustrated over how she’s not seen as an adult. When they get near the hospital, Fuuko suddenly smells something that she characterizes as cute, and she can sense someone out there who came to see her. She can also sense that this person is asleep and is waiting for someone to wake him or her, so Fuuko heads into the nearby woods to investigate. From a distance, she catches sight of a long-haired girl in a white dress, but when she gets closer, she finds young Ushio. Fuuko wants to be friends and feels that the fun starts here.

Preview

Well that was a pretty good. I would call the miracle deus ex machina, but given that this is a Key title and that all this has been hinted at, that shouldn’t and didn’t come as a surprise. There’s a certain degree of suspension of disbelief required, particularly in the more surreal parts of the episode. Now the episode overall didn’t evoke many emotions from me, save for the really touching part when Tomoya and Nagisa were reunited, but I still enjoyed it because it finally wrapped things up, particularly with regard to the illusionary world and the themes of family. I was glad to see Tomoya and Nagisa back together and to see that there was a happy ending with a good amount of closure. In that regard, I liked how they included a montage of what all the other characters are up to, though the one thing I found odd about it was that it showed Tomoyo staring so wistfully into the distance. Tomoyo After anyone? In any case, the Fuuko epilogue was amusing and was a nice way to ease the viewers out of the show – technically next week’s extra episode will do that as well. I think my only real complaint about all this would be that the Fuuko part went a bit long, and I would have preferred more time spent on Tomoya, Nagisa, and Ushio together. That’s not a big deal though when, taken in the context of the rest of the show, this was a pretty good ending.

Note: I’m saving my final thoughts on the series for next week’s extra episode.

164 Comments

  3. the miracle thing didn’t really come clear. it was kinda too simple that everything figured in that way. and not emotional enough either. i think kanon did a much better job in that regard…

    tails
    Reply

  4. So it became to happy end after all. Wonder which name the girl child got? I feel almost cheated if Ushio didn`t existed at all. I became to like Ushio very much. I`ve seen this ep twice now, but there`s still mysteries left i don`t understand.

    Savofenno
    Reply

  7. I hate Deus ex machina endings, but as you said it, it was hinted all the way through the series so no real complaints there.

    About the Tomoyo bit. If you think about it, aside from Tomoya, she was the only one who didn’t have a dream about after high school, in the main series. Her dream was being a Student Council President. And was fullfiled, so I think the writers didn’t know what to do whit her character in that montage.

    I’m SO in for a Tomoyo After OVA or Special, or anything like this. I mean, the manga of Tomoyo After was incredible.

    Fhal
    Reply

  15. I personally didn’t like this ending. Don’t get me wrong. I like this happy ending type of thing. But the Fuuko part dragged on way too long and I was hoping for an ending that would make me cry/tear like the Ushio and Tomoya vacation scene, father scene, and many others. Hoping next weeks episode does that but I highly doubt it. The preview makes it seem like it’s just about the very first episode and little “behind the scenes” type things. Extra scenes that weren’t in the first episode.

    Also this ending makes it open for a 3rd season. Though I highly HIGHLY doubt it. It still IS possible if they decide to milk this series for what it’s worth (which I will gladly accept with open arms).

    ROFLWAFFLELAWL
    Reply

  18. Fuuko finding Ushio in the forest, the orbs of light, and Ushio running through the field of sunflowers are all shown in the first opening and I completely missed them until Luiz pointed them out.

    It’s been a good ride guys, hopefully the last installment of the four seasons of key will be as epic as the last three.

    stormflux
    Reply

  21. Taking in mind that there was a special DVD-only episode in the first series, it won’t be strange to see a glimpse of Tomoyo After, specially since Takafumi is shown in the ending.

    For the episode per-se, better ending for a Key/Visual Arts story, impossible. The life of the old friends was a nice touch alongside (adult Mei FTW!!), but kinda expected a little final scene with Tomoya, Nagisa and Ushio.

    SeedStriker
    Reply

  22. can’t believe it’s already over =(
    wish they showed more of tomoya x nagisa x ushio…
    too much fuuko at the end…-_-” although it was pretty amusing XD
    does anyone know what is going to take clannad’s time slot after the special episode next week?

    kfu
    Reply

  30. Only me who didn’t like the ending? It made the episodes and emotions evoked in the episodes before quite pointless, halfway through the episode I couldn’t get the thought of Tomoyo or Kyou endings out of my head despite the fact I like Nagisa and was completely okay with the pairing until halfway through this episode.

    Hopefully the ep next week which will show Nagisa’s point of view when meeting Tomoya will convice me that they were right for each other and this was the right end to go with.

    Also heard 2 weeks ago and alot past few days that a 3rd season HAS been annouced with a DVD that was released on Feb. 22nd – anyone have any solid information about this?

    Willy
    Reply

  35. It is rather painful for me to see that this beautiful and somewhat emotional anime is over or going to be over; however, beside the content, maybe it were the beginning and ending that make this particular anime beautiful. Just how life is, isn’t it?

    Anpan
    Reply

  36. Mei grew up and looks totally hot… And Tomoya *drools*, anyway, this was a fun ride. An extremely emotional roller coaster with plenty of ups and downs. I really love this series.

    Andy
    Reply

  41. “Also this ending makes it open for a 3rd season.”

    No.

    This ending is the True ending of the game its based on, in case you are thinking that Kyoto Animation was doing anything besides adapting existing material.

    And yes, its a reset ending with “MAGIC” … typical of Key and yes, nobody have to like this (I certainly dont) so next time you see something that is a adaptation of a Key game expect this type of things,

    Drakron
    Reply

  43. “Also heard 2 weeks ago and alot past few days that a 3rd season HAS been annouced with a DVD that was released on Feb. 22nd – anyone have any solid information about this?”

    Well, no, because no Clannad-related DVD was released on February 22nd (all the Clannad DVDs are released in the first week of each month), and, as others have said, they’re done adapting the game at this point. There are other Key-related things they could do, of course, and some Clannad-related, but there’s nothing left for a “season 3”.

    relentlessflame
    Reply

  44. “Tomoyo After anyone?”

    Or “Little Busters”; that game hasn’t been animated in any way yet. But anyway, I’ve been waiting for this summary since yesterday, but I’m still very happy with this outcome (although this is a little expected).

    Nanami Kamimura
    Reply

  46. Looks very promising. The ending looks exactly like the Visual Novel (good end). Looking forward for it to be subbed (by SS-Eclipse). Meh, since I know the ending now, I still want to watch it since KyoAni just ROCKS in making anime. But I still think **Air >>> Clannad >>> Kanon**. Anyone who loves Clannad should watch Air. I love the scene, especially when **SPOILER** Show Spoiler ▼

    By the way,

    @Link_Soul
    Yes, Nagisa is alive. You should start watching again =P

    @Nanami
    I doubt Tomoyo After will be made since it’s too short to summarise into one episode.

    Ryuuya
    Reply

  47. Looks like an ending I would like.

    The only thing I don’t really understand was how the miracle happened. I know it could possibly be the lights that Tomoya (then Ushio) saw, though.

    Owaranai
    Reply

  48. Hmm… I didn’t find that episode to be as emotionally charged as some other endings I’ve seen… but it was satisfying, in its own way.

    I wonder what next week’s episode will be about.

    cbhl
    Reply

  49. I am glad we got a happy ending, I am not a mushy mushy that always want a happy ending in anime but for Clannad, it will really scew my mind if we leave the ending the way it was at episode 21. But TBH I think we all gotta admit some of the best moment and most memorable part of this series is those with major events happening rather it be tear jerking or not like Nagisa pass way, Ushio and Tomoya accepting each other, Tomoya accept his father and so forth. Event thou those episode were hard to watch, is still some of the best part of this series.
    I just love Fuuko-chan, she always been my favorite character out of them all, she just too cute and funny in her out of this world sort of way. Moeeeeeee
    They should do a whole series about fuuko-chan and her everytime advantures.

    Clannad is definitely a good series to watch, not like is special or anything but very enjoyable.

    mike
    Reply

  50. I’m not gonna leave a big comment. I’m saving that for next week as I post my thoughts on the series as well.

    I’ll leave it with this though: This is one of the first times the anime exceeded the visual novel in certain aspects.

    Thats all. The fuko ending did run a bit longish though… I admit.

    Dan
    Reply

  53. After playing the visual novel I could tell that the flashes of Fuko finding Ushio were in the first OP. The anime didn’t make it clear that Tomoya could re-do it because he had collected enough light orbs. I didn’t mind the large amount of Fuko at the end of the episode because the overall series lacked quite a bit of Fuko.

    A huge complaint that I have is that Mei is tall and has boobs. I miss my loli. Give her BACK.

    I suppose the illusionary world exploded, and now the Trash Doll (Tomoya) and the girl (Ushio) along with the lights (Upwards shiny snow) are now in the real world. Hooray.

    What was never explained in the visual novel or the anime was this: How did Ushio create the illusionary world? And Tomoya was apparently a ball of light originally. But Ushio used her junk fusing powers to turn him into a living doll. Oh well, then?

    The next episode may be that Fight Your Courage thing or whatever it was called…? The story where Nagisa was barely getting along with girls, they invited her to the mall, they tricked her into running out of the shop wearing a dress she’d been trying on… Meanwhile Sunohara And Tomoya make a prank that ends up injuring Nagisa, but that injury leads her to getting along with everyone and having a good school year… 😀

    I do very much hope that the OVA, though, will contain Kappei. I kind of want my Kappei arc. For Sunohara bisexual hilarity. <3

    In the end, this show is my #1 favorite. After Story was even better than the first series which I thought would be impossible to do. xD Toei sucks for leaving all this stuff out of the movie though. But CLANNAD is far too long of a story to only tell in a movie’s time limit.

    ANY WAY, can’t wait for my ADV films DVD to get here…. I’m very glad they decided to not dub it. But I heard that they did an AWFUL job subbing it. Leaving parts out and translator notes taking up a large portion of the screen sometimes. Parts of the DVD menu are broken and there aren’t any EXTRAS. D<

    WELL I’M GETTING OFF TOPIC NOW SO BYE BYE!

    Chiorin
    Reply

  54. My overall take on this ride of Clannad Afterstory, it was an awesome ride, and I’ll probably never forget this series. It was just great in it’s own way. And I’ve liked all the episodes of it, hands down.

    All the characters are memorable and developed. Especially when it comes to the main characters, a lot of things get resolved and the ending couldn’t just get any better. TRUE ENDING, they say. It’s a damn GOOD TRUE ENDING. Love every bit, from starting to end, I think I repeated myself. To Okazaki and Nagisa. 😀

    5/5 and another favorites addition to a great animation crew! KyoAni! 😀

    Damn.Awesome.
    Reply

  56. so if everything is all good then why is alone sleeping under the tree whats dealio something i missed?
    is she a ghost or what? she was like the girl then the ushio? the happy ending was just a good dream or something? but ushio just a ghost now fuko was a ghost so naturally ex-ghost wants to be true ghost’s friend??

    what??
    Reply

  61. @Owaranai and Lump:

    If you have played the game, you would know that along the way, you are required to collect the orbs of light that were shown during the series. The two most notable orbs shown were at the end of the Yukine arc in the cemetery, where they discussed it and after the Naoyuki reunion, where Ushio noticed the orb settling onto Tomoya’s chest.

    I hadn’t noticed it until someone pointed it out to me, but when you see the chapter name screen, you see a tree with the name of the chapter. After the arcs start to complete, you see the orbs start to accumulate in the chapter name screen. That is how you know if the orbs were collected.

    Now… I personally wouldn’t mind seeing a Tomoyo After, but it wouldn’t be a single episode, I’m sure KyoAni could make some way of making a whole series of it. I don’t know how that would fly by the rest of you, though.

    TehJawknee
    Reply

  64. So they left the Illusionary World explanation out in the open – which is fine I guess. I kinda thought they might explain things a bit more for the sake of the Anime, but I guess it’s better than screwing things up.
    KyoAni ending met my expectations, but was hoping they would exceed it…

    Anyways, Yes! Grown-up Mei-chan is cute 🙂 She was like 15 when the series started, so she’s like 20 in this ep?
    And Kotomi in the convertible – maybe she found out what the Illusionary World is… ? Has that kind of expression 🙂

    Mikapon
    Reply

  65. I’ll post my comments when I have more time as I’m in a hurry. Sorry to go off topic Omni, but where’s the weekly Toradora blog? Surely you can’t have dropped that series just when it’s getting better and better every week?

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

  66. MOST AWESOME ENDING EVER!!!

    This is the ONLY anime that has made me shed tears of sadness and happiness.

    So Tomoya is now officially a slider. Ushio is a goddess and Fuuko is (unofficially) a psychic. So what is Nagisa?

    Kotomi looks so cool and hot while still being cute.

    magnumslinger
    Reply

  76. @Drakron

    I didn’t say they WOULD make one. But that ed is the typical type of ending for any anime (and some games) that could possibly have a continuation. Not saying they would, but it’s not totally impossible.

    ROFLWAFFLELAWL
    Reply

  77. I still think the part that still made me tear up was the part that showed Tomoya walking with his dad in the the sunflower bed, for some reason that was the most emotional part for me.

    Aure
    Reply

  82. Well a decent and sad story at first, but wtf the last episode? So basicly anything from episode 16 till now… Didn’t actually happen. Personally I hate that kind of story telling.
    Seriously… you don’t end the Titanic: “But the scratch on the boat was just a dream, and they had nice trip”

    just a poster
    Reply

  84. i don’t get why some don’t like happy endings, if u like sad/bad endings get ur knife and stab ur mother, serious.

    about ushio, i think there is one in each world, i don’t know what happened to the more grown one but the ushio, that was born anew is alive with tomoya and nagisa, it just happened, that ushio slept under the tree to meet fuuko.

    tomtom
    Reply

  85. btw. if there are still people, who like to suffer and torture themselves (masos any ???) go read the “tomoyo after ~ it’s a wonderful life~” or play the game one the pc not the ps2 version.

    tomtom
    Reply

  88. sanae is a gilf :P… so kyou and them lot are doing good (no depression there)… but why is tomoyo the only one that look depress… thought she wud have the brightest future out of all of them.. Q_Q

    brianleung8912
    Reply

  89. @brian:
    maybe ’cause her brother didn’t make it? or something like that…

    anyways, a good ending, but as ROFLWAFFLE ( page 1 ) said, i would also have liked a more emotional ending way better. the beginning of the eps was really good, mostly because of the other world ( in here i had a different thought, because of the motion picture movie of clannad 😐 ) and so the big miracle mad me kinda go “d’oh! >.<“.

    Nightflame
    Reply

  90. Great ending. But personally, I’m still reluctant to suspend my disbelief, hence, interpret the ending a little differently:

    ******************

    Tomoya finally loses his mind. Nagisa is still dead. And when Ushio died, he probably collapsed mentally. I see the dream world as a representation of both Ushio and Tomoya’s state-of-mind/soul. Ushio’s soul is a vibrant, healthy child; while Tomoyo is a rusty old robot, merely held together by whatever scraps that is left.

    All those light orbs? I interpret those as little portions of his soul/sanity that’s taken/robbed from him as things around him gets worse. (Well, don’t they only appear when things seem to be turning bad?) In the dream, Ushio was his last remaining hope, and when she died (and turned into light orbs), Tomoya finally loses his remaining sanity.

    Everything else that happens probably happens in Tomoya’s mind. The perfect world that he had wanted: A second chance, Nagisa and Ushio still alive and with him, his friends, etc.

    At this point, it doesn’t matter to Tomoya (and us) whether the ending is real or not. What matters is, some things happen, and in Tomoya’s reality, he’s with Nagisa and Ushio again, and is finally happy.

    *******

    Ahem, ok, so there are a bunch of inconsistencies with my interpretation. But at least it gives my mind an alternative to the deus ex machina ending.

    What do you think?

    In any case, a great end to a great series!

    Nalface
    Reply

  93. Episode 16-21 did happened. It’s not a dream. After Tomoya and Ushio die together in episode 21 they move to the other world and find the light orbs together to bring a miracle. Remember when Nagisa die, Tomoya refuse to call out to her, now they he has another chance, he calls out to Nagisa and save her from death.

    It’s a full journey, not a reset button.

    ka
    Reply

  94. First time I cried in a while… the part that did me in was the part with Ushio running through the field. I can’t believe KyoAni snuck all these scenes from the very last episode into the very first opening… They’re amazing.

    Poki
    Reply

  96. Good ending! Great closure! Really love this series.

    Anyway, are you guys dropping Toradora??? I really want to know your thought on it as next week seems that Taiga will confess to Ryuuji.

    Joe
    Reply

  98. I liked the series but this ending… Must say that I’m a bit disappointed. It was just a stereotypical sugary simple “and they all lived happily ever after” ending. It somehow annuls all the emotions the series has accumulated. I was expecting Ushio to survive but the whole Nagisa revival was over the line for me.

    I hope I didn’t anger anyone by my comment.

    Aleegeri
    Reply

  101. Go Deus Go, Go Deus Go 😛 There goes that feeling again…that “why in the hell I just wasted 12 hours playing/watching this AAAAAWWWWWH” I really do love resets, but somewhere in the back of my mind I can’t help but thinking the whole experience was for naught. Good job Tomoya, you once again escaped an insanity death 😛

    Megas
    Reply

  102. Good ending I guess, but the thing that confuses me the most is that Ushio says good by to her father in the other world. That was a sad moment, but then right after they are reunited and all is well. I was atleast expecting a somewhat reset where Tomoya and Nagisa meet again, fall in love again, but don’t have Ushio (since she said good by). As if Ushio granted Tomoya another chance at the cost of here existence in that world.

    burnttoast
    Reply

  103. I don’t understand why there are some ppl saying that the ending was bad and unexpected..
    KyoAni followed the visual novel closely until the end.. They did a wonderful job..
    This series is a masterpiece

    ZeD
    Reply

  106. I sure hope that Tomoyo After will be the next anime that they are making. Tomoyo After is after all, a good story to make too! But I have a strong feeling that they aren’t making it since the story is pretty short (at least, that’s what I think).

    By the way I’m gonna miss Clannad. It’s now my most favourite anime out of all anime that I’ve watched. 2nd place, of course, will go to Air. =P

    I STRONGLY recommend this series. Or I should say, I love KyoAni for making such fantastic anime!!!

    Ryuuya
    Reply

  107. The story is good, but still reading the visual novel would lead to a better understanding. For one, the readers, need to finish the original route (where Ushio died) before getting the REAL ending. This is because in the novel, it was revealed that it was really Ushio who wished she can change the fate of her parents, which is why the illusionary world was created in the first place. So the world is actually:

    Reader goes through the story first time –> Ushio dies –> she creates a new world –> readers does another round –> she helps collecting the orb –> Real end

    It works in the visual novel as you have to go through everything all over again, and by then, you already have knowledge of Ushio’s existence AND her wish. The anime meanwhile only had Ushio for the last few episode, thus her link with the girl in the imaginary world is not as prominent, not to mention that it was shown as Tomoya who wished for a better life, not her.

    the theme is good, family, and not just any family. It shows that the whole place can be your family if you learn to love it. And for me that by itself balances out the last episode nicely. Tomoya’s interaction with Nagisa for me was by large the strongest of any other characters in the series, as Nagisa who finally opened his eyes to the importance of a family, and thus which is why her death and Tomoya’s acceptance of Ushio was so tear jerking.

    linkinstreet
    Reply

  108. Pretty good ending to a classic show. Wish the episode was like one hour long instead of half a hour. Then they could of explained things more and gave us more emotional scenes with Tomoya, Nagisa and Ushio. It might just be me but I think there was something to be implied with the last scene when Fuko found Ushio sleeping under the tree. I just cant think of a theory yet. Also, I like the character design of Nagisa with her haird pulled back then the original.

    infinite757
    Reply

  109. But I have a question in mind… Why is Tomoyo so lonely? I don’t understand… She has talents, so probably she should be busy (after her graduation). But then, why is she standing on the beach, feeling so lonely? Can anyone clarify this?

    Ryuuya
    Reply

  111. I though few episodes back have mentioned that those trees are cut down? and unlike Omni said, she is clearly not alone. with the blurry and the shaking image, I would say she is someone with a camera or a stalker.

    Anpan
    Reply

  113. Eh.
    I didn’t really like the ending all that much. It was good, but not great.

    I think 22 felt like a drag at the end with Fuuko and her sister talking back and forth.

    Instead of a Fuuko-based, VN-ish ending, I think the episode should’ve ended right after the flashback scene with Naoyuki and young Tomoya holding hands. And besides, Naoyuki only appears that one scene, which was a shame. I think it’d have been better if the family trip to Tomoya’s grandmother included a shot of Tomoya and Naoyuki talking normally. In place of the time taken up by Fuuko’s scene, the family trip should have been extended. In fact, a slower slideshow of scenes in this new life could’ve made this into a better episode, and a concluding scene with Tomoya and Nagisa’s old classmates, along with everybody else, would have been just magnificent.

    Fangzhao
    Reply

  114. Dude, the season ova is alternate story that focus on the idea of Tomoyo after, it is not even on the same line as the original story, how can you use that to back up the question of sakura trees are really saved or not.

    Anpan
    Reply

  115. I’m so, so glad that this ended happily.

    Seriously, for a while my heart was just ready to break for Tomoya. The tragedy he had to go through was too much, I was going to die if it didn’t turn out well. To see him reunited with Nagisa was the most emotional part of this whole episode. Though the song during the montage near the end was beautiful. I loved that it was a redone song to the Dango tune. It really pulled it together for me because that song is such a pivotal part of the series.

    The only complaint I had was the ending with Fuuko. Seriously, I felt that it was awkwardly placed. The montage was such a beautiful way to end things, and it sort of ruined the mood that left you with. The Fuuko part was a bit long (and a bit odd), I just felt it kind of mixed things up. *shrug*

    Either way I’m overall pretty pleased with the ending, though the tearjerker episodes are part of the reason I loved this show so much. I’m sad it’s over, but what a fantastic ride it’s been. And to think I never thought much of the first season. It’s this season that really made it shine. This show gets a 10/10 from me and is one of my favourites.

    Tori
    Reply

  116. my only complaint? I didn’t get to hear USHIO’s VOICE for the last time! Before reading the comments in this blog, I had to watch the last episode another time before I guessed that it was Ushio(after she died) and her light orbs that did everything.. that wound back time and changed the world. because I focused more on the realistic part of clannad rather than the supernatural element, the transition between Ushio’s death and wounding back time to get a happy ending didn’t go down very well. BUT after watching it again I decided ‘who cares?’ MUCH better than Tomoya losing a wife then a daughter. the family theme was very prominent in 2nd series.It teaches you how to value those around you, family and friends.

    facades
    Reply

  117. add: after watching the Ushio episodes again.. I conclude that my favourite character is OKAZAKI USHIO.She’s the most mature 5-year-old and although I didn’t play the VN, I imagine that she must have amazing love for her parents that made her wish so strongly to change the fate of her parents that she could form another world.I could see how much she loved Tomoya and knew that he was hurting inside ( when he cried, she cried) and how Tomoya’s life was going to be hell after she ( his last hope) died. so the day ( and the world) was saved by a 5-year-old’s wish. USHIO is the best!

    facades
    Reply

  118. the animation here is sharper compared to episode 21… and the ending was nice (i still can’t get over the fact that the series is over… and what happened to the beach?!?)

    overall this work was one of finest i’ve ever watched… good job kyoani… good job…

    …although i have no idea what happened to tomoyo (she could have become an actress or a model based on the camera effects but there may be an after…)

    Kakashi_Crusade
    Reply

  120. add 2: (sorry just have so much to say about clannad) didn’t notice that first series OP had Fuuko finding Ushio and Ushio running in the flower field. that is so cool that clannad ended where it started. thinking back, I always thought that that little girl was Nagisa when she was young. I think if you watch clannad first series start to second series end now, everything would make sense and fall into place.

    add 3: forgot to add. I really LOVE how the ED was edited for this last episode. usually the chain of people would end at Tomoya and Nagisa. But now it ended at Fuuko and Ushio. and they both looked (and walked) super cute! Kyoani never fails to surprise/ pull heartstrings in such subtle ways.

    facades
    Reply

  121. It just hit me after i saw the episode (which was a good ending, however unexpected), the Scene in the beginning in the snow covered land when they held hand, is the exact same as the first few seconds of the opening music from the first season of Canon.
    so in a sence, they’ve been hinting at this from the very beginning, well played Kyo-anim, well played.

    Kendrake
    Reply

  125. ok…. i don’t quiet understand whats going here… >.<
    if u tell me that this is the dream world i can understand but its clearly that its heading to a bad end where ushio died in the previous episode… and now ushio is alive? give me a more explanation pls anyone will do i’m confuse…

    jeffng9
    Reply

  127. If you didn’t like the end, your a f***** emo… DOU YOU WANT TO SEE SUICIDE? DOU YOU WANT TO SEE THEIR TOMBS? HELL NO!
    a bittersweet ending (in which only Ushio and Tomoya survives) would be even shittier… Tomoya suddenly married with one of the other girls would be like WTF! WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED HERE!… or ending up alone, what a life. com’on, the man deserves to be happy.
    the true end is the best end.
    Prove me wrong.

    coconut
    Reply

  128. … tomoyo! why is she the only one shafted?
    they could have showed her together with takafumi at least – wasn’t he the reason why she wanted to save the trees after all…

    silvr
    Reply

  129. @Someone
    That might be an imported car from Japan? =D

    @Anpan
    Maybe, just maybe (what I think)… is that… Tomoya didn’t date with Tomoyo, which in fact, no one is getting in her way of saving the sakura trees. So I would assume that she succeeded in preserving the trees.

    Also… I have to agree with silvr.. Tomoyo is kinda the only one shafted. Maybe she doesn’t really have any goals after her graduation and her goal (preserving the trees) is fulfilled? But it doesn’t really make sense… She has talents… So she should be surrounded with lots of job opportunities, or someone who really looks up to her. Or probably got herself a boyfriend. Or anything! But as silvr said, where the heck is Takafumi? <_<

    The ending is what I like, but I don’t like how they showed Tomoyo being so lonely. But oh well… can’t change that now, can we?

    Ryuuya
    Reply

  130. jeffng9: I think the visual novel explains everything but I havnt played it before, just read the comments on this blog. seems to be that when players play the first round of the game up til where Ushio died, Ushio wished to change the fate of her parents and thus formed the illusionary world and then in that world, she made the robot where Tomoya’s consciousness went to the other world as well. She then started gathering light orbs in the illusionary world ( in the last episode she said ” though these light orbs are small, when gathered together they may have some miraculous power” ) in the visual novel, the players, after ushio’s death, would play another round and gather enough light orbs so that when they reach Nagisa’s death scene, they would have enough light orbs to miraculously save Nagisa from dying. So I guess they tried to transfer this idea over to the anime where the robot, Tomoya, awakens in the real world where he does not regret meeting Nagisa and by the power of the light orbs, rewinds time back to Nagisa giving birth, and by the power of the light orbs, Nagisa does not die and Tomoya, Nagisa and Ushio live happily ever after. Ushio as the girl in the illusionary world said ” my feelings will manifest in the read world as bright lights” then when Ushio was born in the real world and Nagisa didnt die, Tomoya looked out of the window and saw many bright lights. I guess that shows the happiness that Ushio had to be born into a complete family. This is all just my guess because I’m quite confused myself as I didnt play the VN.

    facades
    Reply

  131. So wait a second, Nagisa was actually alive this whole time!? The whole thing about her dying and Ushio (Possibly) dying was absolute rubbish?

    Personally, I would have to disagree with everyone here completely. As much as I didnt want Nagisa dying, I would have to admit, the scene in which they show Nagisa dying took me by complete surprise. I was feeling so many things at once that I stood perfectly still for a moment. The fact that Nagisa died was actually something that made me glued on to this show, it actually became a gazillion times more interesting relatively speaking, and for a very simple reason: It wasnt your regular Ha-ha-he-he Disney happy ending. No one lives happily ever after. For the first time, it was actually being realistic and no one saw that coming. It was an approach not a lot of anime’s take. Similarly, Honey & Clover was one of the best drama animes ever for the very same reason, it was realistic. No one had a happy ending.

    The ending completely disappointed me. I was never a big fan of Clannad (First season) and was only watching Clannad After Story to complete what I had started. But, the episodes took me by complete surprise and I was hooked. In the end, Bad, BAD ending. Another Disney cartoon.

    Hatebreed
    Reply

  132. thanks for the head up facades but… this ending is like i’m eating a bowl of soggy maggi mee but i rewind the time and i’m eating right timing maggi mee >.< . I can accept the fact miracles do happen but not something like this where she can rewind the whole story. =.=

    Its lame to see how we first have to feel so bad for tomoya for losing nagisa and then ushio but suddenly rewind back the time and both of them is alive and etc. i like good endings but this ending is just too fake for me to accept. I prefer they make it ushio suddenly healed up and living happily ever after with tomoya kind of ending but they make it a SUPER FAKE MIRACLE where ushio rewind the whole time and start a new where everyone is happy and etc… to me its like what the heck have i been feeling so bad for tomoya who lost both his wife and dauther and suddenly rewind everyone happy ending… =.= LAME! u are wasting my tears for nothing ! =.=

    jeffng9
    Reply

  133. omg! yay
    everyone lived…
    so basically.. was he dreaming the death of nagisa and ushio
    or smthing like that?
    well at least its a happy ending!!! love it!~

    wait is there more episodes after this one?!
    please tell me!!!!

    babula
    Reply

  134. such a beautiful ending, I was wondering there how they were going to wrap things up. Next week I’m hoping for an alternative story. And judging by the preview it could be just that. (please Kyou!!)

    Levy
    Reply

  135. I really wish people would just take a moment to read what is being said about the true ending of the story, but I guess they’re too busy hating on what they believe is a cookie-cutter happy ending to realize the origin of this series.

    If you look up wikipedia: Clannad Visual Novel, it clearly states that it is a GAME. The main purpose of any game is to WIN. When Tomoya finds out Ushio is the girl in the Illusionary World, she wishes for her parents to have a second chance at happiness. This in turn motivates Tomoya to help everyone around him in order to have his own karmic chance at happiness and not make the mistake his father made. It’s about karma, not about selling out to the happy ending.

    The only way to pass a game is to win, so why are people complaining that Mario killed Bowser and saved the Princess? Makes very little sense to me.

    TehJawknee
    Reply

  136. Yes, it is a game. Which is EXACTLY why the whole transition from game to anime was kinda screwed up. They take up 5 episodes showing how devastated Tomoya really is and 15 minutes stating “Oh wait, Nagisa can actually come back” and oh wait, she does.

    Regarding the Mario analogy, they stated 5 levels/rounds ago that the princess is dead. Game over. Suddenly, in one final bonus level, you jump ONCE on Bowser and he dies and the princess miraculously springs back to life. That does’nt make sense. Make it much more real or something. At least spread out the whole “bringing nagisa back time reversal” thing to 2-3 episodes. They just reversed everything that occured in 5 episodes in 15 minutes. Its the final boss man, make it seem worthwhile.

    Hatebree
    Reply

  138. Personally I believe that it doesn’t matter whether the story was adopted from a game or not. What matters most is how did the producers adopted the story itself from the game.

    I think that they Kyoto Animation did a great job, /salutes.

    Kabayongtao
    Reply

  140. Actually I have a total different idea about the going-back-in-time and miracles…
    well I didn’t play the game and have been reading comments from websites…
    So I think it is not a simple-go-back-in-time game. It is life, and it will certainly have both happiness and sadness. It is just a fact that things will keep changing and sadness will occur. So even when unfortunate things happen, don’t just say,” oh I wish that never happen/ oh I should not have done this and that”
    Some big lessons here.
    Talking about the lyrics… well I just loved the first serie’s OP and the chorus was stating, “In between of heavy hands, little future can be seen..” Yea it is spoiler. So it is because Tomoya chose to be with Nagisa and that’s how the “little future” can be seen. Yes there is no doubt for me that Ushio created the miracle and, well, since they both died in ep21 so I bet that is why Ushio cannot wipe her father’s memory completely?
    Anyway Ushio can only turn-him-back-in-time but she cannot twist his memory about Nagisa deaths…Still call out for Nagisa even knowing that she will probably die? Within few years? A tough one.
    So the Ushio that we know from the last few eps actually transformed into the world of illusionary and started to collect orbs. She sent her father back and when the “critical time” occurs, she (her mind) and other people’s orbs (mind) along with the illusionary world explode to bring the miracle to happen. Kind of skipped how other orbs were obtained but one of them was collected when Tomoya forgave and understood his father better. When you think of it, this event probably will not happen if Nagisa was alive all the time. So Nagisa died for the first run so Tomoya can forgive his father and collect the orb..
    And yes the final ep’s Ushio.. I really dun think she is the one we know. Coz at that time the Ushio that we know has already transformed into one of the orbs to prevent Nagisa’s death. Sounds sad but at the end I am quite sure that two Ushio’s spirit united when Fuuko found her at the hospital.
    So afterall the miracle did not just merely happened… Ushio (the one we know) could have stayed in the illusionary world with the Robot (Tomoya) and do nothing. Coz I think she just wanted to be with her father and wanted nothing else. ( That is how the illusionary world has always been– a girl and a robot and nothing else) But instead she yielded her father a chance of going back to get things changed..I hate to say but this is what I would call LOVE. She sent her father back to the original world and worked on collecting the orbs to prevent Nagisa’s death. She sacrificed her dream(be always with her father) to fulfill Tomoya’s dream (Just like how Aki-chan and Sanae gave up their dreamed-jobs and stayed home to take care Nagisa!). And stayed in the illusionary world ALONE, collecting orbs then became one of the orbs to prevent Nagisa’s death in the second run.

    So when I think about it..Clannad first season mentioned how parents give up dreams to satisfy child’s wish. Second season.. is just the other way around. And CLANNAD main theme is Family. Everything rounded up very nicely! Good job Key& Kyoto Animation!

    Meowalltheway
    Reply

  141. @Tori: the song they used at the end was Chiisana te no hira, which was the title for this episode. It was from the visual novel, and not from the Dango Daikazoku song, altho both was based on Nagisa’s theme. The song is the theme for Nagisa and Ushio in the True End of the novel, and thus why the lyrics and melody is Nagisa’ish

    linkinstreet
    Reply

  143. What an apt ending. Tomoya who never knew the importance of family, (having grown up in a dysfunctional home) through his experiences learns that there is nothing more important than it. And when he’s given a second chance he’s able to fully appreciate what he has in Nagisa and Ushio; cherishing and loving them so much more than he would have ever been able to otherwise.

    Sentinel
    Reply

  144. It’s not like we ppl dont like happpy endings. It’s just tt we don’t understand how the happy ending came about. The ending just doesn’t make sense. I had to read the forums to find out what actually happen but am still confused. Those ppl who loved the ending, do you guys really understand what happen??? Overall I give it a 9.2/10.

    jeremy
    Reply

  145. People who don’t understand the ending still love it because of the meaning of it. Sometimes it doesn’t matter whether we understand why or how something happens; the event in itself is so meaningful (In a human, emotional sense) that nothing else matters. That’s how some people are.

    This ending made an extremely good play on the emotional side of things, while the same cannot be said about the logical side which it completely confounds. More emotional folks will likely disregard the defiance of logic, in favor of the abundance of emotions. If you’re more of the logical type, however, it’s going to inevitably leave you feeling at least slightly confused.

    Sentinel
    Reply

  146. this ending disappointed me and I’m upset on how they would just do a reset ending.. all those previous episodes were for nothing after watching the end. I should of known better than Key using the “easy way out” or “alternative universe” end. Happy ending are great, but it doesn’t fit with what they were going for. If they had done the happy end they should of not done those emotional scenes in the first place. Then again if they didn’t do that the girl and robot story wouldn’t have tied into it. No I’m not emo nor do I want to see any suicide. I would like my stories not to be confusing, I also think that this ending is just sugar coating the realities that we saw in the previous episodes.

    AAchan
    Reply

  147. I realised that the line that Nagisa said before Tomoya’s time was fast-forwarded, where she offers to “take him(Tomoya) to the place where wishes get fulfilled in this town.” was actually said in the 1st episode of Clannad!!! It was in the last scene of episode 1 where Tomoya caught Nagisa practising her lines in the park . Looks like the 1st season of Clannad actually contained more clues than I thought to the 2nd season. Gonna try to rewatch again.

    jeremy
    Reply

  149. this episode has many scenes related to the opening song of clannad 1;

    just like when Fuko saw the girl/Ushio sleeping under the tree,
    and Ushio is running through the field of flowers while Tomoya and Nagisa are having a good time

    vinson
    Reply

  150. no offense to the others but i personally dont like the ending. i dont like deus ex kinda ending and i was sort of expcting some dramatic ending or a more realistic ending rather than a miracle type. it felt like, after all the drama, the deaths, and everything dramatic, we come back again to when nagisa is gvng birth to ushio. im not really sadistic or anything, i just want a differnt closure, like ending with tomoya pairing up wid…uhh..who’s his kindergrtn teacher/4mer classm8 again? cant remmber it at d moment…or he cud end up wid some other girl.. and den later on, he wud be healed from all d pain and sadness.. but anyway, well, i cant do anything about it. its already finished. but all in all, a great and beautifully made show.

    kaz
    Reply

  153. supreme thats all I have to say.
    I dont give a damn about the miracle, Nagisa and Ushio are alive and along with Tomoya they are a big Dango family.
    Thank you for this awesome series, thank you for this ending.
    BTW doesnt remind you The Devils Advocate movie a bit?

    hellishdude
    Reply

  154. Something about thisending just confused me, and I have no clue what it is. I think it’s just that I don’t fully understand what happened, like why Fu-chan found Ushio under the tree, why she said “The fun starts here”, why Okazaki didn’t remember Fuko, when Tomoya regretted regretting meeting Nagisa (Hill scene), stuff like that. I kinda felt the ending was too sudden, not enough time to explain, but that can’t be helped. Don’t misunderstand, I loved the ending, and I’m glad I got to see the hardships Tomoya went through whe Nagisa died, but, something was just off.

    No more seasons though, it said The End…
    Yay Kyoto Animation! I’ll work for you one day!

    Mikaela
    Reply

  155. man, i guess i was really into this anime because even though its over, i can’t stop thinking about it…

    but i must agree, the ending could have been done better. Dont get me wrong, I love happy endings, but if it were my decision (thank goodness it’s not) I would have done it differently. When Nagisa dies, I was crushed, I almost didn’t except it, but Tomoya grew so much from it. After his epiphanies and atonement for Ushio’s first 5 years of life, Tomoya has almost discovered the importance of family and more so, his father’s feelings. When Ushio dies, THERE they should have placed the scene where Tomoya decides whether or not he should talk to Nagisa in the beginning, deciding whether it is better to love and lose, or to never love at all (to me, one of the major themes). Upon making the correct choice to pursue Nagisa, (thus showing that he has fully realized the importance of his family and memories) the miracle should have occured. That is, I think the girl in the dream should have been Nagisa and the robot Tomoya. The girl (Nagisa) couldn’t go back with the robot (tomoya) because she is bound (dead) to the other world, but open sending him (tomoya) back to the real world, I think the above mentioned miracle of only Ushio being brought back to life should have happened. that way Tomoya would understand life with out his love but a spirit of endurance and never ending love from his father, the miracle of a daughter brought back to life to understand “Akki”, and he would would rather love and lost then to have never loved at all with Nagisa.

    Wow, did I vent or did i vent.
    But regardless, I was very happy that they all got to be together in the end, even though it was somewhat unrealistic.

    nishiogawakun
    Reply

  157. well, yeah its kinda unrealistic ending there. miracle and stuff, but in my opinion, the emotions in this series were so strong, no? well, even though that kind of couple are impossible to find in the real world. lol

    ban2noobie
    Reply

  158. LOVED The series I cried like a baby when Nagisa died or… Thought she died or…….. OK So I’m still a little confused on that! I’m SO Happy that Nagisa and Ushio didn’t die really. As for me I’m a Kotomi Fan XP But Ushio really did grow on me. IMO they should come up with a after after story. I don’t know something like how she grew up and how Tomoya’s and Nagisa’s friends had a hand in her raising and the friends she made. I think they could pull atleast 12 episodes out of that ^_^. That and i wanna see what kind of creativity they can put into this “Alternate world” Kotomi’s parents were researching. They could name the series. Clannad Fond memories. or something Like that. (Isn’t good with names) I think it would be great. Then again I can’t STAND to see a AMAZING Anime come to a End.

    Anyways I’ve blabed to much.

    Clannad Rules!

    Renji Aono, Always moving on.

    Renji Aono
    Reply

  161. Yes, Tomoya. You don’t have to regret anything anymore. And that makes me glad, because his regret was what sent him into his depression after Nagisa died. Y_____Y

    The fact they include so many pieces of footage in the FIRST opening shows that KyoAni knew the story from the get-go… and which ending they would really use from the game. It sort of reminds me of MINDGAME- the endings to both anime don’t make it clear about which path of the future is the “real” one, and requires some philosophical analysis to explain the answer. Interpret it what you will. But I was so happy from watching this!! OMG, the shot of Ushio running in the flowers was heartwarming!

    I do agree that Fuko’s ending was too long. I found myself drifting to sleep listening to them talk. I don’t understand why you see the Illusionary Girl lying in the grass during the title card for the next episodes, though.

    starss
    Reply

  162. I would have enjoyed the ending if it didn’t mak episodes 17-21 COMPLETELY AND ENTIRELY POINTLESS! I MEAN, COME ON! The way it is now, they made it so none of the events in those episodes even HAPPENED! I mean, I like Nagisa, she’s a great character, BUT IF YOU’RE GOING TO KILL SOMEONE OFF, KILL SOMEONE OFF! I really enjoyed 17-21, so I’m very annoyed that they have now become completely pointless. And before you click the comment box and try to prove me wrong, first realize that you can’t.

    Tyler
    Reply

  163. Hi,

    Just saw this last night and have to vent a bit: I did not like the ending at all!

    One of the things I enjoy most about the key/visual arts titles is that they aren’t afraid to explore what happens to people when ‘very sad things’ happen – it’s what these shows are all about!

    This time however it really feels like they chickened out, almost as if there was no way poor old Tomoya could be expected to handle such a terrible event as his daughter’s death, so instead they go off into alternate reality la la land where we get a great big happy ending! Whee!

    This IMO made the whole Ushio arc feel really cynical – I mean, I *know* I’m being emotionally manipulated when I watch these things, but by pulling back from showing us the after effects of his daughters death on Tomoya, it feels more like you’re being emotionally ‘tortured’ – there’s no point to it, it’s just nasty.

    marksibly
    Reply

  164. the overall ending to me isn’t a reset, sorry just decided to watch it thru today, cause I could not bear to watch after Nagisa’s death beacuse of the movie. Anyway, my view is that its not a reset ending yet a re-route of everything, If Nagisa had not died the 1st time, then Tomoya would not have reunited with his father. However when Episode 22 was shown, Tomoya is still reunited with his father as they went to visit Tomoya’s grandmother, if it was a reset ending, then they would not have shown tat part.

    However what I don’t really understand it Why are there 2 Ushio in the real world. 1. With Nagisa and Tomoya, and another where Fuko found…does that just means that the 1st Ushio broke free from her Illusionary world and somehow entered the Real World? like a Doppler ganger?

    Requirum
    Reply

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