CLANNAD / First Impressions

Summary:

Tomoya arrives at the Furukawa family bakery one morning to find that Sanae has created an entire display of starfish-shaped bread. She’s devastated when Tomoya calls it horrible, though it seems that Akio had the same reaction and left the bakery when he saw the bread. Dejected, Sanae goes to look for her husband, though Fuuko comes out right after she leaves and tells Tomoya about a phone call she just got of someone saying that he loved her and asking her to stop making the starfish bread. Fuuko then goes into her happy mode because of all the starfish bread, and Tomoya starts calling it the barrier that seals her in. He imagines a scenario where they don’t do anything about this, and the seal isn’t broken for hundreds of years until a swordsman comes and destroys the Furukawa bakery, freeing the legendary starfish user. In order to get her back to normal, Tomoya uses another milk box and sticks the straw up Fuuko’s nose. This succeeds in knocking her out of it, and it also quenches her thirst.

At school, Fuuko continues trying to hand out starfish carvings, and Nagisa tells Tomoya that she wants to have Fuuko meet her sister since Fuuko is working this hard. Nagisa then heads off to get some more wood, and while she’s gone, Fuuko comes running to Tomoya because there are some people similar to him who are chasing after her. As it turns out, these are three guys who seriously want to form a fan club for her and to help her with her sister’s wedding. Fuuko claims that she doesn’t need them, but the guys don’t give up and vow to do their best anyway. As for Fuuko’s actual starfish distribution, Tomoya devises a plan to hand them out during the upcoming Founders Festival so that they can get more people to come to the wedding. Sunohara shows up to help after Tomoya is done talking about this, but Fuuko again says that she doesn’t need him. This causes Sunohara to challenge her to a carving match, with the stakes being Sunohara joining Fuuko’s group of friends. However, he stipulates that the theme is to make a nue. Fuuko finishes quickly, but she creates a cartoon frog carving instead, and apparently that’s the best she could do. Sunohara thinks that this means he’s won, but he himself never gets to finish because he cuts his hand, so Tomoya declares Fuuko the winner.

Afterwards, Nagisa talks to Tomoya privately about inviting Fuuko’s sister Kouko to the festival so that the two can meet. They send Fuuko home by herself, and when Tomoya worries if she’ll be okay, Nagisa points out that they’re acting like Fuuko’s mother and father, but she quickly realizes the implication and takes it back. On the way to Kouko’s house, they run into Yuusuke, and Tomoya finally makes the connection that this Yuusuke is Kouko’s fiancé. They tell Yuusuke about their plan to invite Kouko to the festival, and he ends up giving them his approval. Kouko herself is a little hesitant when they actually reach her house and talk to her, but their insistence convinces her to go. She admits that she had made a promise to Fuuko about going to the Founders festival together when Fuuko enrolled in the school, but with Fuuko now in the hospital, Kouko wants to go so that she can tell the hospitalized Fuuko what it was like. Hearing this causes Nagisa to start crying, so Tomoya covers for her by saying that she just needs to go to the bathroom. Nagisa is still crying a little while later when they’re alone, and Tomoya thinks about how they’ll be able to see what relationship Fuuko has with her sister if the two meet at the festival.

The day of the Founders festival soon arrives, but Fuuko spent the previous night working on carvings, so she’s still asleep by the time they have to go to school. Tomoya carries her part of the way until she wakes up, and she tells them about a strange dream she had of playing with starfish and Tomoya at the beach. Along with Nagisa, the three first go to the auditorium, and Tomoya thinks that it’d be good if Nagisa could stand on that stage during the school festival. Seeing Nagisa looking a little down, Fuuko gives her a starfish carving. To their surprise, they then find out that Fuuko’s fan club has set up a stand to sell stuff and to tell people about the wedding. Fuuko goes into her happy mode because of this, and when she finally snaps out of it, she finds herself in a maid outfit in a classroom with Ryou and Kyou. The twins have combined their classes for a coffee shop, and Ryou suggests that people will accept a present if Fuuko gives them one. With Nagisa helping out too, Fuuko hands out several more carvings, and she continues to do so in the hallway afterwards. Fuuko working so diligently even inspires Nagisa to say that she’ll look hard for people to join the drama club so that they can participate in the school festival.

Sunohara meanwhile start hitting on a girl from another school who looks like she’s alone, but he bumps into someone in a bear costume and gets pissed off when this person blocks his access to the fleeing girl. He tries to punch the bear, but the person inside gets behind him and kicks him out the window. Tomoya recognizes the kick to be Tomoyo’s, and it turns out that she on patrol for people causing trouble. She’s wearing the costume because she knows she’s somewhat famous, and there are people who’d pick a fight if they saw her face. Fuuko then gives her a starfish carving, and Tomoyo decides to accept it since it looks homemade. Shortly after Tomoyo walks off, Fuuko runs into Mitsui again and attempts to give her a starfish carving. This time, Mitsui accepts the carving and inquires when the wedding is. When Fuuko explains that they haven’t decided yet, Mitsui reveals that she might be able to go if it’s not before exams. She also urges Fuuko to do her best, and this makes Fuuko quite happy. Fuuko gives out many more carvings throughout the day, but she’s speechless when her sister shows up. Kouko is happy to be here and comments on all the students she doesn’t know, so she was relieved to see Tomoya and Nagisa. Both of them catch onto how she only acknowledges the two of them, and they both remember how Fuuko had said that she was doing all this because she can’t meet her sister.

Preview:

There were plenty more laughs this week, and the story made some progress by the end of the episode. It wasn’t as much progress as I had hoped for, but looking back at Kanon’s progression, they didn’t really get serious for another episode or two. Although the two series aren’t exactly the same, I’m giving KyoAni the benefit of the doubt here for of pacing, especially since the humor that we’re getting in the place of more serious stuff is so good. The entire Final Hitode Tsukai Fuko (Final Starfish User Fuko) scene was hilarious, as was the dream scene.

As for the story progression, I wasn’t too surprised to find out that Kouko can’t see Fuuko since Fuuko’s supposed to be a ghost and all. I’m more curious to find out why everyone except for Kouko can see Fuuko, and I keep wondering if Fuuko is going to turn out like Ayu in terms of eventually disappearing and her real self waking up in the hospital. It probably won’t turn out that way, but I’d bet on at least Tomoya helping her accomplish her goal and a wedding scene before this is all said and done. We’re still a ways off from that though, at least according to the preview which has Fuuko continuing to hand out starfish, including one to Botan. If I had to guess, I’d say there’s at least three more episodes left in this arc, depending on how much humor and how much of the rest of the cast they show in the next few weeks.

57 Comments

  12. Yup, that’s Kanako alright. She even had a one-liner. Though she’s credited as “Female Student”.

    Also of interest is the leader of Fuuko’s Fanclub is voiced by the infamous Shiraishi “Wa-wa-wa-wasuremono” Minoru.

    Speaking of Keropi, if you look at previous episodes, you’ll notice Akio’s apron has a Keropi face on it, too.

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

  16. Yeah.. I heard the familiar voice from one of the fan club members. Then I found Shiraishi Minoru’s name in the credit at the end. I guess he has a good relationship with Kyoto anime.

    Pochama
    Reply

  30. This episode brought to you by the words Hoshi, Etoile, Stern and STELAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

    @Brooklyn Otaku: Excellent question and one that I agree on. I haven’t felt any significant romances blossoming in this show as of this point. There will be one later, but it hasn’t happened yet. What I find funny, or rather sad (from a statistics standpoint), is that it’s winning the poll without even trying to qualify. It’s the L-Block all over again. Oops! *Puts hand in front of mouth* I voted for none of the romance shows this season are very good by the way. It’s the only option I think makes any real sense to me.

    Also can somebody seriously put Youhei out of his misery for good. This character is honestly just the most brutal thing to happen in the anime to date. I’m sorry, but I can’t do anything but grind my teeth anytime he starts doing anything, and this guy is supposed to be the comic relief (Can anyone say Jar Jar Binks). For all the pummelling Tomoyo did to him up till now, she sure sucks at finishing the job.

    That leaves us with a Moeblob that is easy on the eyes (Fuuko), yet another sarcastic male lead in a Key/Kyoani show (Kyon….I mean Yuuichi, DANGIT! Tomoya), a reasonably likeable female lead in Nagisa (who can also be a bit annoying, but forgiveable so and she’s likeable overall), a wildcat female, who so far believe it or not is the one character I don’t really dislike at all (Tomoyo), a femdom mistress (Kyou) and her rather unremarkable sister and um….that’s it for the big players. That’s about 2.5 for 5 of the major characters I actually care for so far, which incidentely is the same ratio I gave the episode over on animesuki. I’m also aware that this is a true to the game interpretation of the characters….but that doesn’t make me like them anymore, nor will it help me feel pity or loss for them when the story inevitably switches to tragedy. I’ve never cared for this lopsided style in the Kyoani/Key series of pretty much all slapstick comedy first and later on mostly tragedy. It simply does not work for me, and feels like a forced transition more than a natural one. And they’ve done it three dang times now. For that reason I’m starting to get more and more of a feeling of Clannad being an update of Kanon 2006 for 2007, much in the same way NHL 2007 is just an update of 2006 for the 2007 roster.

    So with all those things, how am I supposed to give this series anything higher than a 6 maximum in this case. I wouldn’t mind it since I do like the artwork, but I can’t justify it. Give me a reason and I’m more than happy to do so Keyani. That said, I can now finally see the draw these shows have after such a long time. It’s exactly what the fans want, with little skimping on the adaptation process. That’s a very good approach, one that I’m sure works wonders for many people. However, what if you come to find you don’t like the formula and characters to begin with? Anyway those are some things for me and maybe others to chew on.

    In closing, pictures 9 and 21-23 make me feel funny, and picture 32 is Satan taking on other forms.

    Kaioshin Sama
    Reply

  31. I Figured it out!
    It’s not that Fuko is a ghost or is in a coma it’s Kouko who has a mental problem (I am guessing she’s the one who suffered the actual accident) where she does no longer remember what Fuko looks like or that she even exists. It all makes sense now, Fuko’s sister had the accedent and now has a memory missing the memory of Fuko. In her head Fuko is in a coma at the hospital while in reality Fuko has been right by her and she doesn’t even notice her. So that’s why Fuko left home for school, there is no point in staying in a home where you are a ghost, better be somewhere where you can do something about it!

    Jubei Himura
    Reply

  32. Fair enough comment on whether Clannad should even be considered “Romance”. It’s more of a “coming of age” story for Tomoya.

    Kaioshin, we seem to have different “Levels of Tolerability” when it comes to Kyo-Ani series. As a open admirer of Kyo-Ani’s works, I’ll admit my “Level of Tolerability” is set quite high, though not as high as some of the more rabid Haruhi-ist fanboys out there, but you sir, have set yours to a very unreasonably low level, in my humble opinion.

    I will simply quote my retort over there to your rather unreasonable assessment for giving this episode a condescending 5/10, preferring to nitpick over “fanservice”, which amounts to nothing but two frames of harmless swimsuit shots and one short maid costume scene, and leave it at that.

    http://forums.animesuki.com/showpost.php?p=1244974&postcount=10

    Concerning Fuuko’s projection powers, she pales in comparison to Ayu. Ayu is able to get everyone to see her, but Fuuko’s “projection range” is more limited – she can’t even get her own sister to see her. There’s another aspect of her “powers” that’s different, but next episode would hopefully explain that.

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

  34. @Kinny Riddle: Read my replies to those over yonder. My only major issue with the show is the cast of characters not drawing me in and to some extent feeling like rehashes of past Key characters. This, unfortunately happens to be a core element to the show, thus dragging it down substantially in my view. I have nothing wrong with the Fuko beach scenes at all, on the contrary I rather enjoyed them.

    Kaioshin Sama
    Reply

  35. On the issue of romance and Clannad…if I may digress for a minute, my personal favorite romance novel is Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. What I found so intriguing about the romance presented in that novel was simply that it didn’t feel like the focus at all. Sure, there was a couple that finally got together at the end, but the main focus wasn’t really any sort of tension or attraction between the two. Instead, the vast majority of the story concerned their relationships with other people and their working together professionally. Even though they didn’t really become a couple at all until the very end of the story, such a conclusion was surely but slowly being built up precisely through the comraderie and fellowship that the two enjoyed, not as lovers, but as fellow workers that first got to know and overcome the rough sides of each other’s character. On paper, the conclusion looks like it may have just come out of nowhere, but looking back at the subtle nuiances that each character displayed not only towards each other, but alongside one another toward others, the ending looks quite natural and inevitable.

    In Clannad, I see something similar to this going on. Sure, Tomoya and Nagisa aren’t kissing or hugging or doing any other overtly romantic actions, but they are accomplishing something even more important in a relationship: the sense of comraderie, just like that portrayed in Far from the Madding Crowd. This is a type of romance that I much rather prefer over all the other types of “romance” being thrown around in other shows (some of which I wouldn’t even call by such a title). It’s not about each character obviously stating their romantic affections; it’s about building up to that satisfying conclusion through the little day-to-day interactions not just with each other, but other characters as well. I’m personally loving how the Fuuko arc is being used to display just how how well Nagisa and Tomoya work together, interweaving determination and smarts, compassion and commitment. I’m strongly hoping that Nagisa won’t take the back seat in the later arcs either, so that this partnership (that’s the word I wanted!) could continue to develop.

    Mirrinus
    Reply

  38. Hehe, in my opinion, once a Kyoani hater, always a Kyoani hater.

    Let those who enjoy the show continue to enjoy it, and let those who constantly nitpick at it move on to other shows. Satisfies both parties … hopefully 😉

    – T

    Tolitz
    Reply

  39. @mirrinus

    https://randomc.net/image/CLANNAD/CLANNAD%20-%2006%20-%20Large%2015.jpg

    ya i think the scene after this pic proves your point…

    Tomoya being a boy in denial (saying similar things like Nomiya in H&C like “when you cry, you can just come to me” to Nagisa, but when Sunohara asks him he averts the possibility of making him (Sunohara) thinking that he has an unexplained attraction with Nagisa)

    and Nagisa being a girl slowly comprehending his companion, and eventually fall in love, not in the style of cliche that is the horrid harem anime, but in a romantic way, in its true sense.

    and it’s great to have good ol’ love tri/rectangle right, when we move unto kyou/ryou arc. Should this be a spoiler or a preview,? 🙂 but anyway people can see this coming.

    since
    Reply

  40. @since

    Given that Kyou/Ryou arc is possibly the worst arc in the game storywise (not that it’s that bad) compared to all the family-themed arcs, I’d much prefer if they are left as support characters – they shine much more at that role. Same goes for Tomoyo as well.

    solgae
    Reply

  42. yet another sarcastic male lead in a Key/Kyoani show

    Yeah, I agree we’re getting too many of those.

    Still, I find them likable, and certainly with a lot more personality and 10 times better than the typical male avatar clueless retard but still fawned over because he’s nice at heart, eh? We have way too many of those, especially in visual novel conversions…even the dreadful Makoto was a breath of fresh air from the norml.

    Just my 2 cents.

    Ale
    Reply

  43. @Ale I’ll take my stock sarcastic Male lead over the whimmpy loser boy we see in 90% of other harem shows any day. It’s not like they are exactly the same either. Okazaki is defiantly a diffrent character then Yuuichi and the likes even if they do share some similarities. As for Makoto, I could do with out him heh, it might be just my opinion but “Fresh” air full of poisen isn’t better than the old air that won’t hurt you. Still, he died brutally so that makes up for it.

    FlameStrike
    Reply

  55. Lol I feel like Lucky Star was a practice run for CLANNAD.
    They practice drawing stars in Lucky Star and now all the starfish in CLANNAD.
    Also Kagami and Tsukasa reappear in this anime….in more details.
    Who from Lucky Star is coming in next? XD

    Ruezu
    Reply

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