CLANNAD / Final Impressions / First Impressions

Summary:

On the day of the festival, Nagisa leaves home quietly with Tomoya without saying anything to her parents. She is still distraught over how her father used to be an actor and had made a name for himself while acting in high school, even to the point of winning some competitions. Nagisa thinks that Akio and Sanae in the pictures were happy because they were realizing their dreams, and that would have continued for a long time if she weren’t around. Tomoya tries to tell her that she’s wrong and that her parents are happy even now, but he has no answer for her when she points out that her parents nevertheless gave up on their dreams. Nagisa feels that she’s an ungrateful child because she’s trying to realize her dreams at the expense of the dreams of both her parents, and she extends this to include how she’s made all of her friends spend so much time helping her realize her dream. In response, Tomoya claims that they’re doing it because they want to, and if she wavers now, then everything they’ve done will go to waste.

At school, the two join the other members of the drama club as they wait for the afternoon performance. Sunohara notices that Nagisa is acting strange and tries to cheer her up with a charm, but he screws it up, and Nagisa goes back to looking depressed. Since they have some free time, Tomoya takes Nagisa around the festival, and she tries to enjoy things because she realizes that she shouldn’t ruin the stage created by everyone. However, the two get separated at one point, and Nagisa finds herself in front of the school’s reference room. After running into Yukine there, Nagisa decides to search for the high school play records that she had heard were there, and she finds one featuring her father in a competition. Tomoya meanwhile runs into Nagisa’s mother before learning from Yukine where Nagisa is. When he arrives at the reference room, Tomoya finds Nagisa staring lifelessly at a television that’s playing the acting competition video of her father, and Nagisa explains how she feels her father is incomparably better than she is. It is especially painful for her to see how her father had exclaimed after winning that he loved plays and how he had planned to continue acting. After a while, Tomoya just turns off the TV and tells Nagisa that she’s her own person and that she has to do what she can.

The afternoon soon rolls around, and the drama club’s turn comes right after the choir club’s. However, when Nagisa gets up on stage and sees the people in the audience, all she can think about is what her father said in the video . She eventually starts crying, and Tomoya comes extremely close to lowering the curtain on her, but before he can do so, Nagisa’s father runs into the gym and yells for Nagisa to realize her dreams. Calling her an idiot, Akio tries to make his daughter understand that the dream of a child is also the dream of the parents. As parents, he and Sanae have been dreaming of the time when Nagisa can realize her own dreams, and Akio asserts that they didn’t give up on their dreams – her dream just became theirs. That’s what it means to be parents and to be family, and Akio explains that ever since that day, they’ve been baking and looking forward to this. Thus, if Nagisa wavers here, then they’ll be depressed, and he calls it a big responsibility for her. Akio also gets Sanae to join in on this, and after seeing both parents cheering on their daughter, Tomoya runs out of the control room and onto the stage. He tells Nagisa that she can do what he can Sunohara could not and that she’s carrying their frustrated feelings now.

Having seen all of the friends and family who are supporting her, Nagisa wipes away her tears, takes a couple of deep breaths, and finally starts performing. The play goes off without a hitch, and the end of the story involves the girl burying the second doll that could not move. The original doll suggests they try building something else, and though he doesn’t know what, he knows that the girl can put together junk and create something new. This is something special that he cannot do. He thinks that they should make something exciting, and he vows to stay by the girl’s side until one day they can leave this world for the warm and busy world where he had once been. Once Nagisa finishes performing, the audience applauds her, and afterwards, she tells Tomoya that she remembered the rest of the story. According to her, the girl and the doll were able to leave that world and had embarked on a long journey that ended with a song. Nagisa uses this to justify her singing at the end of the performance, but Tomoya just teases her about her choice of the dango song. Still, he thought the play was wonderful, and Nagisa is really happy to hear this.

Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Tomoya’s father. It turns out that Nagisa had invited him to the festival, and he compliments Nagisa on her play and claims that it reminded him of some stuff from the past. Seeing that Tomoya is still unwilling to speak with him, Tomoya’s father excuses himself, but to his surprise, Tomoya then quietly tells him not to drink too much. After his father leaves, Tomoya pats Nagisa on the head and suggests that they go have fun somewhere tomorrow since it’s a holiday. He wants it to be just the two of them and says that he has something he wants to say to her, but before he can reveal any more, they are interrupted again, this time by Kyou looking for them to join the after-party. The rest of the day is spent having fun with friends, and Nagisa and Tomoya spend the following day together as well, just the two of them. They go to the arcade and go shopping, and at the end of the day, Tomoya brings Nagisa back to the drama clubroom at school where he admits that he recently stopped hating this school. Nagisa then notices that her name is written on the chalk board as being on day duty, and Tomoya admits to having written that there back when she had been absent. After thinking about it for a moment, Nagisa writes Tomoya’s name beside hers as payback, and this causes Tomoya to blush in embarrassment. As for what he wanted to talk to her about, he finally works up the courage to ask her out and confesses that he loves her. Tomoya says that he wants her to always be with him from now on, and hearing this makes Nagisa happy to the point of tears.

Preview:

Well this was about what I expected. That is to say, there weren’t any big plot twists or anything: Tomoya and Akio helped Nagisa get over her mental hurdle, the performance was problem-free (other than the beginning), and Tomoya finally confessed his feelings to Nagisa. Actually, that confession felt almost like an afterthought to me because it occurs so far after the climax and because we don’t really get to see the results of it. Speaking of the climax, the most emotional moment (and probably my favorite of the episode) goes to Akio when he bursts into the gymnasium to make his speech to Nagisa about her dream being their dream. That was probably the closest I came to feeling my heartstrings getting pulled, and even then it wasn’t as significant as some of the earlier parts of this series or when compared to some parts of Kanon.

This doesn’t mean that I thought this was a bad episode – it was still pretty good. I just don’t think that the overall story with Nagisa has lived up to the emotional standards that Kyoto Animation has set for these kinds of arcs. The reason, of course, is because they haven’t told the entire CLANNAD story yet, and it’s still up in the air if there’s going to be a second series of some sort or not. Next week is the extra summer-themed episode that looks to be comedy driven, but what I’ll be most interested in seeing is if there’s some sort of announcement at the end of it like there was for CLANNAD at the end of Kanon last year.

94 Comments

  2. Well, in the game Tomoya’s confession was also rather anti-climatic since it also didn’t end with a kiss. It only came much, much later, once they started dating.

    I read that next week will actually be the Sunohara Siblings route, with a second season announcement. Is this true?

    Fat Cat Lim
    Reply

  3. I think they’re not going to make a new series, but rather they did this so it fit right in the middle movie of which Toei didn’t cover in the movie. The movie explains the prelude and the aftermath of the series.

    Kit-Tsukasa
    Reply

  4. At first glance it does appear pretty conclusive. Like you said, pretty much expected. The success of the performance, along with using just about everyone for support and congratulations, or attendance was used. Finally Kyoani exerts a clear confession, which if they didn’t input it in this episode, it would seem very screwy with the given evidences left and right, it really would.

    Amoirsp
    Reply

  7. So true the part when Akio burst into the gymnasium was very emotional and i’ll say it’s the best part in the episode other (but on par with the confession too). Eventhough it may not seem that way but in the game if it wasn’t because of Tomoya and his words, Nagisa will not be able to act even after her parents try to convince her.

    https://randomc.net/image/CLANNAD/CLANNAD%20-%2022%20-%20Large%20Preview%2002.jpg
    This has to be somebody’s imagination casue thier conversation is too creepy.

    setsuke
    Reply

  19. UGGH! Where’s the big Tomoya x Nagisa moment I wanted? Why couldn’t they have a big kiss moment like Kanon did. XP It’s somewhat disappointing.
    It shoulda been longer. *has fingers crossed for a good ova and a new series announcement*

    Jenn-Jen
    Reply

  20. So wait, you’re saying the movie doesn’t include anything in the series and I should watch the movie? You know the Air Movie wasn’t that great so I figured the Clannad movie would be like that so I skipped it.

    sealouse
    Reply

  21. Ah well, after all the series didn’t live up to my expectations.
    Sure, there were a few shining moments here and there, but all in all just another “emo” story ala Kanon.
    I watched this series and just didn’t enjoy it – to the next KyoAni production then.
    Maybe Little Busters? *caugh caugh*

    mutio
    Reply

  22. I think this is a good note to end on, I’m probably in the minority of Clannad-watchers in hoping we *don’t* get a second season–if Kyoani wants to do a couple OVAs to bring more melodrama for the game fans, that’s fine, but I’d rather see Kyoani do something else next, be it more Haruhi or a new project. My hunch is if the After story gets animated it’ll be as a couple of OVAs and not a full new season, but time will tell…

    suguru
    Reply

  23. wtf?

    QUOTE FROM: Fat Cat Lim,
    “Well, in the game Tomoya’s confession was also rather anti-climatic since it also didn’t end with a kiss. It only came much, much later, once they started dating.

    I read that next week will actually be the Sunohara Siblings route, with a second season announcement. Is this true?”

    I praise Sunohara for the great performance as a supporting character, but anything than that, I can’t really see it happening. They might be able to pull it off, but I doubt fans (excluding incest groupies) will enjoy much of it not thinking about the previous series. It’s a good thought on their part but I wouldn’t count on it. Having another alternative ending is far better than the sibling route. As always, they did a terrific job on bringing the game to the big screen, and yet I felt at times the outperformed the anime unlike other titles.

    andynai
    Reply

  25. It’s great that Tomoya confessed his feelings, but, really, there should be some form of kissing involved.

    And where the hell is Fu-chan’s return?! She said she’d be back! I was looking for a cute, touching scene where Fu-chan shows up at Nagisa’s play and everyone remembers her and is glad to have her back! >:(

    I mean, seriously! Fu-chan belongs in this image: https://randomc.net/image/CLANNAD/CLANNAD%20-%2022%20-%20Large%2030.jpg
    It’s not a full-cast celebration scene if the best member of the cast is missing!

    Ah, well. At least Mei is back.

    Story
    Reply

  34. Well, after watching this episode, I have to say that the conclusion was pretty anti-climatic. Granted, I wasn’t expected any twists or surprises, but this episode still left something to be desired. It didn’t quite have that “finish” (tear jerker perhaps) that the other arcs did.

    Also, watching the movie a couple of weeks ago made me expect something more from the play. For those that haven’t seen the movie yet, the play was pretty significant in that version.

    divine|s
    Reply

  36. END?!?

    I don’t think After Story should come out on OVA, coz it’s a warm and touching story for everyone and if they release it on OVA, less people will get to watch it.

    And seriously, they didn’t even finish Nagisa’s main story. Or did it?
    Show Spoiler ▼

    Yukiruchan
    Reply

  38. If they don’t make a second season based upon nagisas after story…
    Well…
    I’d hate to see the fanboy zerg rush…

    Frankly, I’m starting to wonder if the toei movie version didnt do a better job with the story than kyoani (they crammed the plot and the after story into 2 hours. this one has all the build up to suggest best ending then if this is it….Oh I will be an unhappy camper)

    Dan
    Reply

  45. I don’t see the ending as being weak but as right for the characters of Tomoya and Nagisa.

    The confession is different from the story ark confession (since that happenned weeks before in the game) but that was to be expected in attempting to merge as many story arks as possible togetheer.

    If a second series is made this ending works well as a lead in to it, while standing up well as an ending in its own right if no second series is made. I’ve just read the translation of the insert song lyrics which also work perfectly for the final scenes.

    Since the whole rationale behind Clannad is about the need for good family type relationships the dramatisation of Nagisa’s crisis in understanding her parents love for her is vital to her story ark. It may ‘seem’ less dramatic than the conclusion of the arcs for Fuuko and Kotomi but that depends on how much you empathise with these characters.

    Having played the game and watched the Anime KyoAni have done a brilliant job in bringing these stories to a wider audience (in my opinion anyway).

    strichone
    Reply

  50. so its over?!Hmm while I never really liked the series alot it was a good show to pass the time and I still think its a good show just to pass time.I think I would have enjoyed the whole thing better if it wasn’t for the fact that my brain has been saturated with hentai game crossover series over these past few months.Also,its just male instint to dislike guys who have tons of girls hanging around them.SO,I’ll judge this series as so-so considering only a number of episodes actually had me interested enough to pay attention.

    God~knows
    Reply

  52. [quote]
    Weak end? Maybe, if you consider it as an end. Then again, School Arc is only used as build up for the After Story.
    [/quote]

    So true. If they end it here, I will be a HUGE disappointment. The whole meaning of Clannad is in the After Story.

    I mean… they didn’t explain what the illusionary world is, they didn’t explain what the light orbs are, they didn’t explain who the little girl in the OP is… they really can’t stop it here… else I will hate Kyoani for the rest of my life…

    steelman
    Reply

  53. I’m quite glad the series is ending happily. I watched the movie, and hated it.

    The Clannad series was quite calm (the Kotomi and Nagisa stuffs weren’t too frustrating, and ended well… and the Fuuko stuff was a bit lighter and really fun), and I really love it.

    I hope episode 24 (DVD-only, apparently), will solve the few last issues (Fuuko waking up, Tomoya somehow making up a bit with his father, and Tomoyo and Nagisa getting some more time together, because the end of episode 22 sure is quite rushed -and episode 23 seems to be quite random, which might be to slowdown things a bit, before a good episode 24…).

    How about a beach episode with everyone (that is, including Fuuko, and Tomoya’s father -invited by Nagisa), for episode 24? 🙂 (there just can’t be no beach/onsen/bath/pool episode… and I guess the last DVD will be out during summer…).

    Anyway, I’m quite sure there will not be any second season, nor even any OAV. They would mostly contain sad stuffs, which would surely not appeal to many people (AFAIC, I sure hate stories like this one, or even worst, like Kimi ga Nozomu Eien…).

    If they tell about the sad events (and there is already the movie, although surely rushed, so I really do not see this coming), it will be a complete retelling, in a few 45min OAVs, or a 13-episode series (so it sure would still be quite rushed and it would not sell well). Well, anyway, I won’t watch it, if they ever do something like this.

    The series is really too happy for anything too sad to happen as a sequel. It just wouldn’t work.

    Rena
    Reply

  55. I’m okay with Tomoya’s confession coming later… It would have been overly dramatic for my tastes, if it came as part of the climax. Overall, I really loved this series, since it kept me hooked. (I wasn’t able to go through more than 3 episodes of Kanon, but I loved Air.) But a second series of Clannad would be great, and I’m glad the main character didn’t have this big trauma hanging over her. I’m sick of melodrama girls. As a sidenote, gooo Akio-san!!!

    Loremistress
    Reply

  57. I am well satisfied with the Clannad anime. Not without its flaws, but scores a comfortable 9/10 both as a stand-alone work and as an adaptation. It will require the animation of After Story to push it into “best anime” territory.

    Rena, there might be some sad things in After Story (which the movie touched on very briefly and inadequately), but like the School Life arcs there is a lot of comedy, warmth and triumph as well. And there’s still some hope that some of the best arcs of School Life (Misae, Yukine) might still be done in a second season considering they haven’t graduated yet.

    It’s relatively easy to guess that the comedy:warmth:triumph:sadness ratio of a second season will be like the first season, perhaps with comedy knocked down a notch and sadness up a notch. Somewhere around 3:3:2:2.

    And you know, now that you mention it, IF, and only if, ep 23 goes down the baseball route, then there’s a real possibility that a certain bath episode from a certain series of drama CDs might be done as the DVD-only special XD

    FF
    Reply

  58. woah i just found out that there is a clannad movie while searching on veoh.com… it came out last year and it has the same openning song and all. i think the voices are the same too.

    luigicapeto
    Reply

  59. Woah, I just watch the Clannad movie, and it was just so sad during the last 3rd of the movie. I had a constant tear in my eye, and every time I managed to get rid of it, another sad scene would pop up to make it return with friends.

    I must say, I rather enjoyed this series and the movie as well. I wouldn’t mind another season, as they could add a bit more detail, not to mention but make a grand return to Fuko awakening from her coma.

    ncyphe
    Reply

  61. Is this really the end? When several people initially pointed out that Clannad is even sadder than AIR during the premiere of this series, I was expecting a storyline consisted of tear wrenching tragedies. However, of the three Key/KyoAni adaptations, Clannad is arguably the least emotional of all. I am disappointed. Fuko’s arc was way too long. Tomoyo and Kyou arcs were too short. Nagisa’s arc is unemotionally impassive.

    But nonetheless, this is a great series overall.

    DukeTheGold
    Reply

  62. I was pretty satisfied with it. It’s not too OMG SAD like AIR or all OMG MIRECALES like Kanon but that’s by no means a bad thing. A nice ending with strong family themes shinging through.

    FlameStrike
    Reply

  63. @DukeTheGold
    They are refering to After Story’s horribley sad “normal” end. AS is considered the best part of Clannad. Tomoyo’s and Kyou’s arcs were waaaaay to conflicting with the main storyline to be added, but Kyou’s sucked so that’s not a loss. (Too bad for Tomoyo though..)

    FlameStrike
    Reply

  64. well if you guys really hate the ending on this then you should look up the movie. its more on the alternate story telling of clannad. but it also gives you satisfaction on the ending you might like.(more on the sad side anyway in my opinion) it kinda pull the story together.

    noone
    Reply

  65. “Is this really the end?”

    Not by a long shot. Only halfway done since the After Story, the second half of Nagisa’s story is continued.

    “When several people initially pointed out that Clannad is even sadder than AIR during the premiere of this series, I was expecting a storyline consisted of tear wrenching tragedies.”

    Oh it is, in the AS of course, not in the School Arc storyline.

    “Nagisa’s arc is unemotionally impassive.”

    Since it only serves as a build up for the AS. You cant trully say that until you see all of it.

    anonymous
    Reply

  66. Weak end is weak.

    P.S. After Story garbage doesn’t actually mean anything until it’s made and out here. Otherwise you can look at pretty much any visual novel and use it to justify a weak end.

    :o
    Reply

  68. Sigh,I expected the ending to be like that.But where’s Fu-chan?And most of all,Ushio!The op she came out and I thought they were going to end with Ushio coming out in the end.>

    Nothing
    Reply

  69. CLANNAD FOR 52 EPISODES! i swear if they don’t extend this, it’s gonna be one hell of a dissapointment (sort of like the movie totally ruining it for people)
    so about 2-3 seasons. (not sure how they would split episodes/seasons)

    clannad’s story is more than both kanon and air combined, another reason clannad was called key’s best so far. so going back for another run is obvious.

    http://www.japanator.com/elephant/post.phtml?pk=7043 fuko > the other 3 chicks. starfish = dango = potato = keropi > sora

    nephi999
    Reply

  74. so i am sad for tomoyo, in cap 3 of that manga tomoya have an accident and have amnesia for 3 years (tomoyo tried for 3 years helping him to recover him memories), and needs a surgery to left him tumor and tries to recover him memories, after the surgery (the doctor said was success), him recover his memories and tomoyo give him 1st kiss, but he dies after that.

    T_T

    KEnSin
    Reply

  75. Undoubtedly, Akio had the best part in this ep. In regards to the confession ending, I found it quite plain and average (befitting of Nagisa, to a certain extent).

    @linkthe2nd
    Kyou’s route is quite interesting in terms of drama, but in terms of character development and actual focus on Kyou herself, it paled in comparison to all the other routes for the other main characters. I personally love Kyou (she’s my favorite character, after all), and I am angry that Key shafted her, even in her route and in her section in Another Story, especially when everyone else got much more development (Tomoyo in her route, Nagisa in After Story, etc.).

    lollerskates
    Reply

  76. The fact that it is ending here disappoints me. There is alot left in the story, but what I find interesting is that the extra episode sounds similar to the bad end with Sunohara.

    Livin
    Reply

  78. @linkthe2nd That’s subjective. To me Kyou’s route had all the characters going backwards in development (regressing) then ending up where they were before and with a boring generic plot. I wanted some more awesome Kyou and what I got was 50% of Ryou takeing 5 hours to say a friggen word and a love triangle that shouldn’t have happend. (Generic indesicive harem lead Tomoya FTL!)

    FlameStrike
    Reply

  82. @linkthe2nd Well I have to admit I rather liked the Kyou ending since happy ends are good with me. Kappei gets with Ryou and Kyou with Tomoya, but that’s it. I have no problems with this ending even if it’s not the best thing since sliced bread or if it isn’t 100% conclusive.

    FlameStrike
    Reply

  87. everyone is complaining… well it may be not best way to end it (and i’m sure it has not ended yet. come on, it is impossible for them to not animate after story) Regardless, it still a great series nonetheless. Btw, until I see any after story Kotomi’s arc will be my favorite

    ramiel_salbazier
    Reply

  89. I don’t understand why Clannad sell so well in Japan. I give up in the first episode because I can’t stand the abnormal characters.

    Gundam and Code Geass sells well and I can understand why, because the story is epic. But Clannad?

    Air, kanon and clannad are three mysteries that I cannot understand. Three works that I think are total crap yet have outstanding sales figures.

    clannad_sales_mystery
    Reply

  91. @sales_mystery
    Heh well you’re a minority among otakus and people who are all over moe and awesome emotional story lines or deep character development. Well you said you haven’t even watched ep1 of Clannad so you can’t really know how good it is. Many of us really enjoy watching the characters you deem “abnormal” well hell some teenager with mind-hax eye powers doesn’t strike me as normal either… Clannad, Kanon, and Air have a different appeal then things liked Code Geass and Gundam. Rather then action and mecha they are focused on emotions and characters. If you’d rather see explosions then that’s you’re interest.

    FlameStrike
    Reply

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