CLANNAD / First Impressions

Summary:

When Tomoya finds Nagisa practicing performing one night outside her house, he warns her to be careful because it’s so late. Nagisa thinks that it’s okay since she can call her father out if anything happens, and when Tomoya then asks her about the play she wants to do, she reveals that it’s a story she heard when she was little. Though she doesn’t know the title, she remembers that it was a very sad fantasy story that takes place on a winter day about a girl who was left alone in a world. Meanwhile, in that world, the girl has finished building another doll made of junk, but when it doesn’t move, she tearfully apologizes to the original one. Back in the real world, Tomoya thinks about this story and gets the feeling that he’s seen something similar, but he doesn’t know when or where. He tries to ask Akio about it, but Akio doesn’t remember ever reading Nagisa such a fairy tale, and he instead sends Tomoya to talk to his wife. Before Tomoya leaves though, Akio instructs Tomoya to tell him anything he finds out first without telling Nagisa. Tomoya then speaks with Sanae, but she doesn’t remember anything about a sad story either. When she asks him if it’s something important, Tomoya realizes that it is. Sanae ends up suggesting that he search their house for a book they could have forgotten about.

At school the next day, Tomoya asks Yukine about such a book, however she doesn’t think that the school has it. He also asks about girls preferring that boys do the confessing, and though Yukine admits that hearing it from someone they like makes them happy, she feels that the timing is important too. Yukine then spots Nagisa looking around in the distance and suggests that Tomoya take part in the same love charm that Sunohara had just failed at. The charm supposedly indicates that the first girl he talks to has feelings for him, but when the first person that Tomoya runs into is Fuuko, he keeps her quiet by having her pretend to be a zombie. Because of this, the first person who actually talks with him is Nagisa, and Tomoya gets embarrassed thinking about her liking him. The two then head to the drama club where Nagisa tells everyone about the story that she wants to perform. What she remembers is that the girl was lonely and had tried to create a friend by using junk to build a doll. Responding to the girl’s desires, the doll started to move, and so the girl wasn’t lonely anymore. Hearing this reminds Tomoya that he does indeed remember the story from somewhere.

Upon arriving home, Tomoya and Nagisa try digging through the storage shed in her back yard for the book, but Akio insists that there’s nothing there and kicks them out of the shed. Akio ends up deciding to tell something to Tomoya that he wants to remain a secret from Nagisa. He also doesn’t want his wife knowing that he told this to Tomoya, and after repeated attempts that each get interrupted in one way or another, he’s finally able to talk to Tomoya privately on the roof of their house. Akio explains that he doesn’t care about what Tomoya is looking for, but it’d be troublesome if Tomoya unexpectedly found something else. What’s really inside the shed is his and Sanae’s past, including old pictures and diaries, and Akio describes it as stuff from when they were chasing their dreams. He then reveals that Nagisa almost died when she was little. This was back over 10 years ago when Sanae was still a middle school teacher and Akio had been able to do what he wanted to do, though he declines to tell Tomoya exactly what that was. Regardless, both he and Sanae were busy with their own lives and couldn’t take time to be with Nagisa.

On one cold and snowing day, Nagisa had come down with a fever. The nursery school was closed and no one could help take care of her, and because of their jobs, Akio and Sanae decided to leave their daughter by herself until Akio could return home. When he rushed back two hours later though, he found Nagisa collapsed outside in the snow, waiting for them. At the time, Akio had thought that God was punishing them for only chasing their own dreams and always leaving their daughter alone. Thus, when Nagisa opened her eyes again, they vowed to always stay by her side and had opened a bakery. The reason Akio thinks that all this would be troublesome if Nagisa found out is because he knows that she’d feel it’s her own fault that her parents had to give up their dreams. When Tomoya suggests that it would still be better to tell her, Akio admits that he’s looking for the right chance, and he comments on how things that are true are always harsh. A little later, Akio is in a much more cheerful mood and brings up the idea of having a picnic the following day. As he watches the Furukawa family plan out what to bring to eat, Tomoya thinks about if normal parents and children are supposed to be like that. He feels that he should pass on this picnic and wonders what his own father is doing.

Early the next morning, Tomoya pays a visit to Sunohara and tells him about the picnic. Tomoya thinks that going would ruin the family togetherness and had left a note behind saying that he had something else to do. Sunohara, however, argues that Nagisa lacks self-confidence and will think that Tomoya is uncomfortable in her house. He suggests that Nagisa is only becoming more self-confident now because Tomoya is with her, and he questions what would happen to this confidence if Tomoya turns away from her. Sunohara then points out that Nagisa doesn’t understand very well how Tomoya feels about her, meaning that his unclear attitude is hurting her, and he has now run away from both his own home and from her home. Hearing all this makes Tomoya decide to go back, and he finds everyone waiting for him. Nagisa never saw the note that he left because Akio claims to have eaten it, and Akio says that they can’t go far for their picnic because it’s so late now. Since it was Tomoya’s fault, Akio makes him join them in a game of baseball with some kids at the local park where they decide to have the picnic. Akio has a habit of asking if the Sanae fell in love with him again when he gets a big hit, and when Tomoya also gets a big hit, and Akio asks his daughter the same thing. She inadvertently admits that she did fall in love with Tomoya again, and both of them end up blushing profusely. Nagisa is up to bat next, and when she manages to get a hit too, she happily runs the bases.

Preview:

So what was with them showing the title screen at the very beginning of the episode? Usually that happens when they’re going to skip the OP so that they can fit more content in, thus signifying the importance of the episode, but in this case, that title screen was immediately followed by the OP sequence (which also had a title screen). That struck me as really odd. On the plus side though, the animation quality was more or less back to normal this week.

In any case, it’s finally starting to make sense that the girl and junk doll in the other world tie together to main story because they’re what Nagisa wants to do her play about. This is one of the things I’ve spent most of this series so far wondering about, so I’ve been waiting for an explanation of some sort. There is, however, still the question of why it sounds so familiar to Tomoya, and I imagine there’s some supernatural element still to be revealed because that seems like the norm for these kinds of stories. I’ve been told that there’s more to it than this, but that this anime adaptation probably won’t be able to cover it all in the time left – two more regular episodes and an extra summer episode (plus whatever is on the final DVD).

79 Comments

  10. @ aXeL: Sort of, but I don’t know if they’ll reveal it on the last episode. Technically the connection between Nagisa’s play and Tomoya’s dream world was explained in a another story after the main story. Considering the number of episodes left, they may either simply summarize it, or adapt it to fit the episode.

    Or they could give a second season. *cross fingers*

    Fat Cat Lim
    Reply

  16. Oh man, already over soon… But damn, this looks nice. I wanna read Another Story Clannad. But oh well, probably we’ll at last get The Disappearence of Haruhi Suzumiya when this is done, but… I don’t want this done… Hope they make an anime adaption of Another Story Clannad.

    Mizu
    Reply

  17. Funny how you say something about the animation quality while this is 10 times better than any other show airing right now (animation wise).
    Looks like a good episode. Too bad it won’t be rapping up the whole story.

    Haohmaru
    Reply

  22. I gotta say, lord Xenu here approves of where this is going.
    Played the game. Looking foreward to how it is adapted.
    The after story is epic btw I am hoping on a second season. too much to compress into one season or even 1 episode.

    Lord Xenu
    Reply

  23. Haohmaru is right. While Clannad probably isn’t the greatest animation quality ever it’s still very solid and also has some highlights here and there. Compared to what’s out atm for me Clannad is the best series animation wise.

    mutio
    Reply

  30. I’m sure Jason’s whining about Clannad 20 will be surpassed only by his whining about Gundam 00 Episode 22. Probably more of the usual stuff concering the important subjects of “Emo Facial Distortions” and “FOOOOOOOTBAAAAAL!” :eyeroll:

    Kaioshin Sama
    Reply

  31. I enjoyed the ep, but it did seem slow. At least it gave me my first instant of actually liking Sunohara. But all I want is more Nagisa. Nakahara Mai at her best.

    And Haohmaru, you think this show has 10x better animation than any other show now running? Have you watched true tears at all? On balance, this might be better. But not by much, if at all.

    hashihime
    Reply

  34. Haha..hearing Nagisa say “Saigo no ga wakaranai desu” sounds so funny, I’m not sure why. Well aside from that, they did the past scene really well in this episode, I enjoyed it. It was sort of slow moving because of storyline, but this really had to be done. It was sorta weird having so much Nagisa in one episode, the other main girls got almost no lines, or heck even screen time. Though I have to say.. out of all of Fuko’s appearances, I liked this one the most, even though she didn’t say anything.

    Also, I’m not sure if some of you don’t want to see this so I’ll spoiler it.. Show Spoiler ▼

    Convael
    Reply

  36. Fuko… again…

    Why KyoAni always finds a way to fuck it´s shows?

    It´s like Gonzo, thee first episode is like “OMGWTFHAX GPHX!!!” but then it goes downhill the rest of the show. KyoAni it´s the same, first few chapters are ok, but then they always find a way to fuck the show, ALWAYS

    Shigure
    Reply

  37. Okay now that they have told us Nagisa’s past story, all thats left is just how does it have to do with Tomoya and have the Drama Club do her story. Oh and maybe Tomoya and Nagisa’s love relationship? Right? Cause there is something like that towards the ending.

    setsuke
    Reply

  40. @Kaoshin-Sama: I’d thought you’d have gotten used to Jason’s extreme opinions by now? 🙂 I don’t agree with everything the guy says, but watching the creative dross that comes out of him can be amusing at times. And I definitely don’t get his dislike of Nagisa in CLANNAD, but I guess she doesn’t push the right moe buttons for him. *shrugs*

    Hrmm, it looks like KyoAni is going to be pressed to squeeze Nagisa’s story into the remaining 3 episodes. Let’s see how things turn out, is my take on the matter.

    Myssa Rei
    Reply

  43. It never ceases to amaze me that when people talk about animation this season it’s either Clannad or True Tears, but nobody ever stops to acknowledge Gundam. It might not be a romance series and the character designs may not be very moe, but most of the sequences and the level of detail on objects are easily on par with Clannad and True Tears. At least I think so. One person I talked to even thought it was better, but I wouldn’t go that far personally. All three have that shading on the scenes that make the characters and objects look far more realistic and detailed then you will find in lower profile anime.

    All I can say is I can’t wait until next season for Macross Frontier. I’m going to need to watch that at my friends house with his High-Def monitor and surround sound.

    Kaioshin Sama
    Reply

  45. @kaoshin: Maybe because we have too much of mecha and emo pilots, not to mention characters that is indistinguishable between the male and the female? It may look good, but meh, it does not have the same attractiveness that False Tears or Kuranado have

    linkinstreet
    Reply

  46. @Linkinstreet: Hence the not Moe designs as I said. Also the characters in that show are no more “emo” than the ones in Vrai Larmes or Clannad depending on what you mean by that. Emo is the kind of word that gets tossed around way too much and seems to apply to almost every situation these days.

    Kaioshin Sama
    Reply

  47. Kaioshin Sama: I’m as much a lover of mecha as the next watcher (self-professed SRW fan and player, general mecha enthusiast, aside from my other major love in Slice of Life), but mecha as a genre generally does not provoke that great a reaction from watchers. I’d think that the last major ‘pure’ mecha series that actually garnered attention was Gurren Lagann, while some folks liked/hated Code Geass. It’s considered great entertainment, but not exactly the type of drama some people go for, and very few mecha shows actually show depth of plot, not for lack of trying of course.

    Myssa Rei
    Reply

  49. A nice episode and I loved Akiko’s shock at her daughter’s answer at the episode’s end. Also, whilst I have hated Fuuko’s random appearances, this one worked quite well as there was no annoying introduction, and it fitted in well with the setting, plus the way Tomoya managed to get her to disappear.

    Although she still isn’t my favourite Clannad girl, this episode actually made me love Nagisa even more, especially when she blushes or cocks her head to one side.

    FX102
    Reply

  56. Omni, to answer your question without spoiling anything:

    The fading in to the white Clannad title screen in the beginning symbolises the true beginning of the Clannad story. The essence of Clannad truly begins here, and mark my words, a second series ought to be expected or Kyo-Ani wouldn’t have bothered doing such a thing as it would have no meaning otherwise.

    Kaioshin, instead of simply pummeling Clannad (or anything Kyo-Ani) as you have in the past, at least this time your focus is on hard selling Gundam, I consider it an improvement. 😀

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

  58. Then you don’t have to say anything. I don’t know about true tears to be able say anything about their admirers’ “hard selling”, but shouldn’t you not stoop down to their level even if you find it unbearable? Only that way can you claim a better moral high ground. Anyway, this “debate” is getting quite silly now to me, so I’ll shut me trap now. Enjoy your Gundams.

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

  62. @Deathclock- yes that happens and then things go down hill and become a lot more tragic, but thats not the true ending of the game because once you complete all the arks you unlock Nagisa’s true ark which involves a 2nd chance of sorts and the light orbs (they have appeared in various scenes in the anime)come into play causing what could only be thought of as a miracle, then happily ever after. However there is no way in hell the anime can get through all that so who knows what they will do with the ending.

    strider87
    Reply

  64. Ahaha, they’re starting to get better with the Fuko appearances. It was actually pretty funny.
    This episode was much better compared to the last one. Less humor, but was just better.

    linkthe2nd
    Reply

  65. Enough Fuuko! You’ve cheapened her story KyoAni!
    I can’t believe I’ve watched CLANNAD this long and I still love it. Generally it’s not my type of show.
    Ghost Hound too which freaks me out but I still love :P. Strange season for me.

    Senefen
    Reply

  68. Okay that Fuko bit, I know how crazy annoying she is to a point but how Tomoya pulled of an epic joke out of the hat was priceless. I mean it felt like old times how he used to tease her by using Ryou and saying whilst she was in her daydream mood that she was really Tomoya LAWL. Fuko made me laugh so hard after looking like a bear HAHA she gets my vote again. Loved the ending bit haha Akio got OWNED rofl.

    Jason Isenberg
    Reply

  69. There’s a big arc in the original Clannad visual novel. I would not like to spoiler this, but it’s impossible to cover it without at least two or three new episodes (beside the programmed ones). There’s a future arc, a new character (well, the little girl in the lonely world) and the whole Clannad story moves around it. With a OVA promised to July 16, perhaps the child arc will be cover by OVAs… Kyoan will destroy the novel if the child arc be discard…I think that in the next episode, we will have the the play and the happy time at school will end.

    Joe Sargent
    Reply

  70. how did you miss sunohara didn’t fail the love charm
    after running five laps the first girl who talked to him was the library girl offering him some tea. She quickly realises it herself and makes a little accepting smile

    outcast
    Reply

  74. Nagisa ownage in this episode. I just love her moe and moe! Nagisa FTW!
    This is the first time the Fuuko revival didn’t make me sick.
    Sunohara is a good guy after all, despice his perverted attitude.
    YukineXSunohara?? THIS IS A NO-NO!
    ROFL at Old man pwned by himself at the end of the episode…

    Silent Minstrel
    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *