Clannad - Episode 16 Discussion / Poll

[Klashikari]

Welcome to the discussion thread for Clannad, Episode 16.

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Episode 16 will be broadcasted this 1st february at 1:55 AM (Japan Time Zone),
which means this 31th january at 4:55PM (GMT 00).

[Jigsy]

So, this the start of Kyou's arc?

[mandarb916]

hard to say, though I suspect Kyo/Tomoyo will be intertwined...

[Klashikari]

Considering the preview, and where the episode 15 ended, chances are they are still on the basket ball arc, and might develop Mei/Youhei's arc.

By the way, please use the speculation thread for that, and of course, do not point out anything from the game, even vagues hints for the upcoming arcs.

[Kristen]

So, basketball. To be quite honest, I have close to no idea what to expect in this episode. It seems like it's another one like last week, developing Tomoyo a bit.

Until we get back into arcs, I really have no idea what to expect. This is going to be good if Kyoto animations does it like last week. ^_^

[Rookie103]

I heard this was the start of Sunohara's arc?

[Bankai29]

Please let there be some Yukine in this episode....:p

[Nite]

Just seen some screencaps of the ep:
- There is no Sunohara/Mei route. Mei's role is mainly limited to her part in Nagisa's route.

- Scenes from Tomoyo's route: Tomoya seeing Tomoyo look at the sakura trees and Tomoyo coming to Tomoya's class for the first time

- Small Kyou vs Tomoyo encounter

- 3on3 also included Kotomi, Mei, Ryou, Yukine, Tomoyo, and a bunch of Kyou fangirls as spectators

- Ep 17 preview shows Tomoya sitting in the drama club all alone

[Mirrinus]

Once again, just hoping for an epic (or at least well-animated) basketball match.

[Shiroth]

Just seen some screencaps of the ep:
- Ep 17 preview shows Tomoya sitting in the drama club all alone
Just finished the episode, and what i mainly have on my mind is how upsetting the preview for next weeks episode played out.

[Rookie103]

Once again, just hoping for an epic (or at least well-animated) basketball match.

Same here.

And that post implies there isn't.

[Proto]

I think he is just implying what he is hoping for though :p

On my side... my university connection doesn't plays well along with torrents and streaming sites so I'll have to wait till I get home. Shame on me.

[harukamae]

I really enjoyed the episode and the basketball match. I have to say, I started out with Tomoyo as my favorite of the heroines, but after this episode, I think I like Kyou better.

Poor Sunohara - please let something work out for this poor guy, he always gets the short end of the stick...

[Kaioshin Sama]

Probably a character bonding episode. Most of the time sports themed series or episodes aren't about the actual sport, but about the characters working as a team and forming a closer relationship.

[Decagon]

The beginning of the ep was full of lol’s. Little sister moe FTW. It was surprising to see how tall Mei is, though it may be Nagisa who is short.
I think there is growing evidence that Kyou is stalking Tomoya. I guess the stalking order looks something like Tomoya<-Fuuko<-----||-Kyou in terms of distance. Maybe she has her own telephone pole reserved for her. Tomoyo is cute with how honest and straightforward she is. It feels like there are so many tsundere out there that this is very refreshing. The basketball part was pretty cool (short though), but I have no basketball anime to compare it to. Preview seems a bit paced down.

[ThoHell]

Good episode, very good episode.

Love possibilities/relationship building up left and right. Tomoyo had a lot more screen time than usual, a BIG ++++++++++++!!!! The fight for Okazaki is on!!

LOL....poor Sunohara. Mistreated by all, friends and family. his sister is NOTHING like him.

Next episode seems like it's going to cause emotional/mental turmoil of Okazaki.....

[Rookie103]

New episode seems like it's going to cause emotional/mental turmoil of Okazaki.....

That's going to be interesting to watch.

[tripperazn]

Next episode seems like it's going to cause emotional/mental turmoil of Okazaki.....

True, that already started with this episode, right before the end of the match. His future was a question I always wanted answered anyhow.

Hmm...sadly, it doesn't seem like KyoAni is planning on making a second season of Clannad with this kind of pacing.

Yup, next ep is gonna be very, very interesting (Ryou's job aspirations :love:). From the title it implies we're going to get a closer look at the "other world" as well.

[Itadakimasu!]

Looking at the previews I've turned into Tomoyo Fanboy mode!!!! Haha ... Tomoyo daisuki!

I wonder if they're going to include the cat fight!!!

It's actually highly probable since i think Kyo ani is going to go back to back with Tomoya + girl troubles (read: tomoyo and Kyou arcs) ... whats going to happen to Nagisa? Her presents would only make the arcs tepid... :(

[Matt Soulblade]

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/8934/1201802741567do0.jpg
HEAVEN OR HELL!

[Proto]

A shame really.... I wanted to see the Sunohara sibblings route. It was possibly for me the 2nd most emotional route in the game for me :cry: Other than that the basketball part was well done, even the little change they did at the end was coherent and meaninful. Kudos on this part.

[Leo_Otaku]

That was great! The match was really well done. Had one of my favorite of the remix tracks ^-^

More reason for a second season when Mei comes back >.>

The douga statue was amusing ^-^

[Mirrinus]

Judging by what people are saying about the next episode preview, I'd venture to guess...

...that Nagisa will suffer from her illness next episode and be removed from the story for a time, allowing the Kyou and Tomoyo arcs to take place in her absence.

[velocity7]

Hmm...sadly, it doesn't seem like KyoAni is planning on making a second season of Clannad with this kind of pacing.

Trust me when I say that this pacing is actually too slow if the series is going to be only 24 episodes.

[minhtam1638]

You know what? Game over. I might as well just automatically add Kyou to the International Saimoe roster because this expression just says it all.

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/8050/01sa1.jpg

[Bankai29]

Cant wait for the subs....
Cant wait for future eps...
Cant wait for some catfight!...:p

[Kristen]

Cant wait for the subs....
Cant wait for future eps...
Cant wait for some catfight!...:p

Only 10 more hours to go... (At least, if all the groups release when they normally do. :p)

Time to set my alarm to 7:30 so I can watch this before my first class at 9...

[siber222000]

another awesome episode... very nice... especially a buzzer beater from tomoya

gotta love korean subs >_<

[Jimmy C]

Love chinese subs too. Earliest was out about 1am GMT.
That Kotomi stuck around after her arc ended, and even spoke, in two episodes in a row is a step up from previous Key-adaptions. It'd be even better if they could figure out a proper post-arc role for her. Still, she did something in both 15 and 16, which is better than virtually every other girl in Kanon and Air post-arc.

[panzerfan]

Am I the only one that thought when Sunohara slurred Kyou, he ended up mumbling Kyon?

Kyou and Tomoyo really win in this episode.

[Decagon]

I think we're seeing an increasing amount of evidence since the Kotomi arc that Kyou is, in fact, bi. Early in this ep, Kyou sees Tomoya and Tomoyo running to school...
http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/4514/clannad16aek1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Later at the game, who do we see watching from afar?
http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/752/clannad16bjc3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Is Kyou really the loving sister trying to pair her less outgoing twin with our hapless hero, or is she really leeching the protagonist's innate harem-forming powers?


Disclaimer: Screencaps may or may not be taken out of context and/or edited in any way.

[Shinova]

That music during the match is a techno/trance remix of one of the songs from the Clannad soundtrack, and quite well done as well. I would love to get my hands on it once the anime OST comes out.

[Kinny Riddle]

Even more amazing episode than the last, they managed to score all the important character flags and still weave them into one coherent storyline.

- Mei overhearing Nagisa saying Sunohara "loves" Tomoya, and totally falling for it lol
- Sunohara and his now famous "Love Nest" remark
- Sunohara finally receives his Doguu from Mei
- Akio volunteering to check the non-existent scar on Nagisa's arse lmao
- Tomoyo makes her first assertive action by first grabbing Tomoya's hand, to the frustration of Kyou (not another rival!?)
- As revealed in the OP, Kyou makes up the third member of the 3-on-3 team
- Tomoyo further her advances on Tomoya, this time Kyou decides to intervene and some intriguing tension evolves. (WTF is Sunohara having a sausage dangling on his nose!?)
- Kyou got busted by Tomoyo of all people for fancying Tomoya. Gotta love that blush. :love: :love: :love:
- Kyou drags Tomoya away from Tomoyo's "clutches" and furthers her agenda by having him have lunch with her and Ryou
- Back to the main story. The 3-on-3 match brings back all my memories of watching Slam Dunk long ago with all the tension and excitement. The techno remix track also helps. (Yukine makes a cameo as well)
- Kyou's got quite a fan-club with the girls from the lower classes. Perhaps her popularity has spread even more ever since her "bi" rumour? :heh:
- Finally, the climax, with Nagisa willing Tomoya on to shoot (which he supposedly couldn't thanks to his right arm) and score the vital shot
- A pity Mei-chan had to go after today. But her brief appearance was memorable enough. Miss her I will.

Looks like next episode will still be focused on Nagisa, but don't be deceived by the preview and rule out the writers' ability to lump all the other storylines inside after their excellent efforts in last week and this.

[VRMN]

Clannad again impresses me with its continued ability to interweave the differing storylines, a clear advantage the adaptation has over its other Key counterparts, and indeed, the adaptations of this type of story as a whole. I'm quite interested in seeing where they take the remaining eight episodes, but they haven't disappointed me yet with this series and I see no reason to think they're going to blow it now.

As far as this particular episode, it really epitomizes the interweaving success KyoAni has achieved here that they did not attain with Kanon and did not attempt with Air. Kyou, Nagisa, and Tomoyo all played an important role and will likely continue to until the very end, much as they all, save Tomoyo, played an important role in Kotomi's story and how Nagisa played an important role in Fuko's tale.

As for Mei's appearance, she didn't really add anything, but it didn't subtract anything either, and while it may not satisfy her fans, it is better than her not appearing at all. The focus, though, returned to the romance dynamic, which, of course, deepens here, though there remains little doubt as to whom Tomoya's affections are going to be targeted when all is said and done.

The self-doubt that starts to creep in at the tail end of this episode, only to be momentarily removed by Nagisa's presence, only served to drive that home. It also suggests once more that the catalyst for his self-doubt to come to full fruition, will be something happening to her perhaps as early as next week, much earlier than I would normally expect (thanks again to the interweaving KyoAni is pulling off with remarkable success). The rather off-putting preview for episode 17 suggests this as well, though it seems there will be other factors, but I think the impetus is still overwhelmingly Nagisa's.

Looking forward to the next episode, as always.

[amoirsp]

Quite the mergey episode. That merely means a lot happened. Surprised how the interweaving made it quite interesting (or rather probably *that* contrast). Surely there was 3 on 3 basketball, but whoo it was made interesting along with the things surrounding it. Feels more like events in a series of a few days.

Huzzah, Miyazawa had a cameo. The episode ran well, worth the watch. Eventful, enjoyable.

Not spoiler but rather I found it interesting Fuuko wasn't in this episode, considering how quite the number of characters were either seen or used in this episode. Now this is probably due to the fact that Fuuko likely will not appear in consecutive episodes, and since she did in 15, she doesn't appear here.

[hai_san]

Superb episode, just gotta love clannad :) this is what a "highschool" drama should be. Also love the BGM music at the end when they all running away from the basketball coach.

only perhaps little weird thing was the ball from Tomoya going in the basket, from my experience hardly ever saw a ball with this kind of trajectory going in, but well who cares i am also not a basketball experts anyway...:p

[toxic_trance]

This is simply mere awesomeness. Although I hope that Mei's screen time wasn't only this much, since it seemed really small, and a bit out of purpose.

The first KEY installment where the every girl has given a hint of having a crush on the male lead... and KyoAni still makes it unique and beautiful.

Loved the basketball sequence.
Still clueless about which arc is going on though

[Bankai29]

ALL of the arcs.....errr.....thats my wish....:p

The ep was soooo good!...;)

Yay i wanted to see the Tomoyo and Kyou arcs.....I hope more of their arcs show.
I really dont get it why the summer uniform really fits Tomoyo.
Kyou was so moe this ep... :D:D:D
The basketball scene was very nice w/ the trio owning the 1st year members.

Please let there be stuff from the Yukine arc to happen...:p

[Klashikari]

usual stuff: Episode 16: bullet summary and screencaps (http://animehistory.wordpress.com/2008/02/01/clannad-episode-16/)

Very nice episode in the entwining process just like last week.
I'm just disappointed that Mei's screentime was very short and considering what happened, even if she comes back, there won't be any route for the sunohara siblings. OTOH, they sure toyed a lot with kyou and Tomoyo which was probably a god sent for many people.

I was really satisfied that they put back Tomoya's brooding mindset during the basket ball match, though his relationship with Nagisa changes the opportunity (while in the game, the fact he is pumped up for the whole match is normal).

[Rookie103]

Cant wait for the subs....

Shouldn't be long now.

[Deathkillz]

I say this was a better ep that last week for me based on enjoyment. Its nice to see everyone pitching in and contribute to the story - and wow, the humor has never been so good :heh:
I am also quite disappointed that mei has to go home already...dam I want her as my little sister ;__;
Kyou raising up the flag for herself yet again, getting annoyed with tomoyo was a sight to behold. CAT FIGHT! I say :p

Highlights:

Nagisa has a scarr!? :heh:

Sunohara gets nose plugged XD

Sunohara killing himself with the statue.

Kyou having ace aiming because "..." ;)

[bevan]

voted wrongly :frustrated:

This episode did cover the sunohara siblings arc right? i remember seeing 4 light orbs in the title. Kouko, Fuuko, Kotomi and Sunohara now?

[Klashikari]

It didn't cover what the route originally is, but considering how the episode ended, it is probable that it is the light orb for the sunohara siblings.

[bevan]

It didn't cover what the route originally is, but considering how the episode ended, it is probable that it is the light orb for the sunohara siblings.

Like mei seeing how sunohara is and feeling happy for him right? been ages since I played the game.. so i'm kinda blur :p

[SuperKnuckles]

The episode showed how awesome and enlightening sports anime can be :heh:

Also, the new ED version 2.0 was nicely sung. Didn't sound as sad as the last version.

[Kristen]

I need to rewatch this. Watching anime with the flu always makes you overjudge them.

To me, it seemed like this episode was just a good and happy filler. It didn't seem to really have much plot at all, and could be a self contained episode. Of course, if I didn't have the flu, I'd understand that there are so many more meanings to this episode than just that.

Also, for some reason the OP this week seemed to be slower... Was I the only one who thought that?

And, yes, there are now 4 lights, thus continuing my theory that the lights are based on the DVDs, since these episodes are part of DVD 6, while the last 3 were DVD 5.

I'm only giving this an 8 based off of first impressions, but it'll probably be a 9 after I rewatch it in a few days.

[brocko]

Shouldn't be long now.
Subs are already out by both Sprocket and SS-Eclipse ;)

Anywayz I'm gonna cross post my thoughts on the b'ball game this episode with one I made from another forum.

"I saw eps 16 and i must say I'm mighty impressed with how they portrayed the basketball game. Generally speaking non-sports anime fail terribly when it comes to animating sport scenes and even some sports anime suck at it too, but in this case however with eps 16 of Clannad it wasn't bad at all. You can clearly see that the animation/directing crew had a somewhat decent understanding of the game of basketball, which in turned allowed them to more accurately depict the finer points of the game such as clearing and checking the ball when you're playing half court ball. And props to them too, because if it were a full court 3on3 game instead, i would've banged my head against the wall. Literally! ><

However the one thing that I do have to nitpick on is despite how accurate the animation was in portraying the characters shooting and doing their stuff, most of the time it was just exactly that, a close up of them up in the air shooting with a flashy background with another close-up of the ball falling through the basket afterwards. It probably would've better if there had been more build-up to as how these shots came about. But then again Clannad's not exactly a basketball anime either, and it did have one of the better anime portrayals of the game so I guess i can overlook this one minor complaint this time. Plus it was good to see a variety of shots being used too. They had your normal jumpers, a lay-up or two by Sunohara and Kyou, hell they even managed to throw in both a reverse and hook shot too, but by far the best shot(although to some i imagine it'll probably be considered a peg instead lol :heh:) was probably Okazaki's fade away buzzer beater and clutch shot. A very nice touch by KyoAni here i reckon, his whole monologue on a monotone background additioned with flashbacks. Just bravo KyoAni. Bravo "

[Rookie103]

I give it an 8.

I liked the basketball match and the way it's all unfolding now. Only problem I had was, the episode went a bit too fast for me.

[SuperKnuckles]

To me, it seemed like this episode was just a good and happy filler. It didn't seem to really have much plot at all, and could be a self contained episode. Of course, if I didn't have the flu, I'd understand that there are so many more meanings to this episode than just that.

Well, the Okazaki + Nagisa pairing is blooming thanks to this episode and there's a lead-in towards Okazaki's storyline of hurting his shoulder and all. The next episode seems to delve deeper so this ep felt like a lead-in.

Also, for some reason the OP this week seemed to be slower... Was I the only one who thought that?

Both OP and ED appears to be re-sung.

As for the B-ball, they didn't animate a whole bunch of it by cutting to other characters' reactions. At least what we did see was done pretty well.

[Solafighter]

Great episode! :)

[hai_san]

funniest part was the "Basketball team spirit part" ... poor Sunohara getting abused by Tomoya&Kyou... even after re-watching it 10x i can still laugh about it

[grey_moon]

Sunohara was class this episode. The poll needs an 11 please!


Such a great episode, with Tomoyo entering Tomoya's class and then Kyou getting all flustered :)
The basketball match was great, I was so pumped by the end of it. If I wasn't so darn lasy (and cold I would have got up and cheered). I really liked the way they had Tomoya's depression come down hard on him and Nagisa snapping him out of it with one shout :)

Poor Sunohara, he just has it so bad, especially when he wasn't invited to dinner :p

[Takuto19]

9/10

Would of given it a 10 but there wasn't that much of a advancement in Kyous or Tomoyos arc (whatever one there planning on doing next) so a 9 seems to work well.

Definently one of my favoruit episodes so far, the basketball match was great.

I actually thought after they started to take the lead pretty confortably they would end up losing the match and Tomoya was going to miss the shot at the end so when they won i was really glad, would of sucked otherwise.

Also a shame Mei's arc is finished too, but i suppose theres gotta be room for Tomoyos arc which looks like it might be next judging by the previews, not sure though.

[Shiroth]

and happy filler.
I don't know how someone could call this filler. Is that what happens when we don't enter one of the girls arc?

I'm rather interested in Tomoyo finding Tomoya 'interesting' --- mainly because of how all this came about last episode. I guess that'll lead straight into her arc, though i can't ignore the lunch time conversation. Both sisters having a thing for him, hmm.

& yeah the basketball match was quite awesome. I especially like how they handled Tomoya's monologue before he took the final shot.

[brocko]

As for the B-ball, they didn't animate a whole bunch of it by cutting to other characters' reactions. At least what we did see was done pretty well.

Yea that was the thing that kinda bugged me too, I would've liked to have seen a lot more of the game instead of those random crowd or 'jump and ball falls in hoop' scenes :heh: But like you said what we did see was pretty well done and imo was probably more than expected too seeing as though Clannad isn't exactly a sports anime let alone a basketball one :)

[Ruhisu]

Oh yeah! :D
It was the one of the best scenes in this episode.
I really enjoyed the music at the match :)

[bladeofdarkness]

just finished the ep
17 out of 10
kyoani could end the show in this ep and it wouldn't feel wrong
it just had an end of season feel to it what with
all 3 girls now on the warpath to tomoya's heart
thank god there are still 8 eps left

[DragoonKain3]

I'm really surprised they haven't shipped Kotomi overseas yet, considering that would be the easy way of removing her from the picture. I'm glad though, as KotomiXTomoya is the one true coupling I'd like to see, despite me knowing the three remaining heroines have much better chances than her. ^^;

And this episode just reinforces Kyou being my favorite female character, and Sunohara being the best of them all in this series for me. Kyou because of her acting like her usual self, trying to act like cupid to the guy she (unconsciously?) likes. Sunohara on the other hand is just too damn funny, and it's nice to see he actually does care about his sister despite what he says otherwise. ^_^

Kind of odd though. Kyou's thigh highs is pretty high up her thigh, yet it seems around 14:12 it disappeared. Oh well, I'll forgive that one, as ponytail + zettai ryouiki even in summer + embarrassed look scores a lot of points in my moe meter. As the founder of ISML has said, definitely a shoo in to the regular rounds of that tourney. ^^;

And I just realized, I really like Clannad's female uniforms. Nice contrast between summer and winter.

[DragoonKain3]

^
Game spoilers much. Foreshadowing is there for it to happen, granted (thus people should be able to guess it's one of the outcomes), but saying it outright is another story. Please spoiler tag or remove completely else I report... :mad:


On second viewing, doesn't Mei giving the weird statue kind of remind people of Fuuko with her starfish? If anything, Fuuko lives on in spirit.

[mandarb916]

On second viewing, doesn't Mei giving the weird statue kind of remind people of Fuuko with her starfish? If anything, Fuuko lives on in spirit.

considering tomoya asked mei to bring him a doguu (the clay doll) jokingly, no...not really.

[rarukyu]

gotta love sunohara's comment about kyou where she's good at shooting because of all the times she's been throwing dictionaries at him and tomoya lol.

[PhantomX]

After watching this episode I don't think it's right to do the Tomoyo/Fujibayashi routes, especially after so much set up has been given to Nagisa x Tomoya. I mean, after this basketball match ends (where he scores the last basket thanks to Nagisa calling out to him for motivation), he's talking about having some place he wants to reach... and then looks at Nagisa, while everyone else celebrates.

Having him as a romantic interest for either of the twins or Tomoyo would just be detrimental at this point in my opinion (and I hate when good romantic set ups are botched), and, as much as I would love to see their routes, I don't think it would be just, flow smoothly, or work right when up till now Tomoya's been very much a "one woman man".

[Owaranai Destiny]

This one's high on entertainment value, that's for sure.

-While Mei's entrance and stay in the anime was short, I thought it proved to be instrumental mostly in fleshing out Youhei's character more than ever. He isn't always the goofball who gets the short end of the stick from Tomoyo's kicks or Kyou's dictionaries and gets those fabulous reactions. Just a simple yet serious gesture of him asking Nagisa to take care of his sister showed that Youhei, after all, does care about certain things that mean a lot to him.
Mei was awesome in bringing out more Sunohara-ism. First there was the spin, then there was the Doguu-banging ritual. :heh: Aside from that, it was nice to actually see a character who seemed to be a lot more attuned to doing household chores than all the characters as we've seen so far. ;)

-Kyou's interactions and reactions with Tomo X2 were obviously one of the highlights. The girl has a talent for hiding and recovering from embarassment, so it should be interesting to see what happens when her arc goes into full throttle. I can't decide whether she was getting all jealous or just thinking for her twin sister with the way she's acting.

Are we going to see her play any other sports sometime soon? It looked like she had talent, albeit a little unpolished and raw so I simply had the passing thought that it would be interesting if she took part in Sunohara's core sport as well. As for the fanclub...I don't see any males in them! :heh:

-Finally got to see a lot more Tomoyo in one episode alone. It seems like her development is starting to show a little more as compared to before. She scored more points here just by being herself-direct and straight to the point. No half-assed denials, no 'hiding behind the person you know the best in an unfamiliar place'. She got away with dragging Tomoya to school to make sure that he would be on time and ever so casually (accidentally) poked the sausage into Youhei's nostril. :heh: Of course, her last line in the episode probably got me more interested than ever before about her story with Tomoya since it didn't sound like a casual remark, but more of a thoughtful one.

I just realised that Tomoyo might herself be an unwitting contributor to the humor that's so prevalent in most of the episodes so far, especially with Sunohara and Tomoya in toll, of course. ;)

-Ahh...Youhei. He was fabulous. I wonder if he has an ambition to be a slapstick comedian (a simple thought derived from the preview, of course). Even if he doesn't, he most certainly has a vast amount of talent for it. :heh: It's almost as though every time he meets of of our beloved protagonists or does something related to them, hilarity ensues. Still, the basketball match display showed that actions shouldn't be used to judge a person completely. He might not be as fit as the basketballers, but the sweat on his face most certainly told me that he seriously wanted to win for the sake of the drama club and 'Nagisa-chan'. :)

-Tomoya certainly had his life turned around by Nagisa. He was but a delinquent, and (tell me if I'm wrong) I'm pretty sure not many people enjoyed the notion of hanging around delinquents, maybe except for Kyou. Considering that he could actually hang out with several cute girls (and garner relationship misunderstandings as shown here :heh: ), help them out even though it seemed to him as though he was simply passing his time and most of all, have tons of fun.

The monologue in his head was good. While it might seem like the typical monologue for protagonists in sports anime who have to make that last shot/goal for a make-or-break decider, I thought it was an excellent reminder that although it seemed as though Tomoya looked so casual and had been helping out people, he was still having confidence and certain personal issues that caused him to sink back into depression because of one event. Nagisa's cheer solidified his resolve and knocked him back to his senses, thus also deepening a certain bond between them. Very nicely done. :)

Next episode sounds and looks depressing for Tomoya, so I'm hoping that it gets down to dealing with his personal issues. As for the 'Whose Arc Is It Anyway?' game....A continuation to Tomoyo's soon, maybe? Or perhaps even a set up episode?

In any case, this gets a 9/10 from me. Excuse me for the moment while I wait for some nice thoughts and comments from certain blogs. ;)

[Ascaloth]

Watched the TWH-Sprocket sub of Episode 16.

When it ended, the first thing I thought was, "wait, what, it's over already?!"

Good stuff. Doesn't seem to move the story much, so there's no way it can earn a 10, but it's easily a 9 episode. Blog article coming within the next 1 1/2 hrs if I have the stamina for it, tomorrow morning if I don't.

[HayashiTakara]

Tomoyo is more stoic than I would expect, especially when she was considering the fact that she may have feelings for him, almost like she has no emotions.

[Owaranai Destiny]

Tomoyo is more stoic than I would expect, especially when she was considering the fact that she may have feelings for him, almost like she has no emotions.

Hmm...Interest doesn't necessarily mean 'romantic interest' yet, it seems. So far the contact she had with Tomoya up till episode 15 pales in comparison to, say, Kyou or even Kotomi. However, I tend to think of her point made here as being a thoughtful one. Perhaps she never really entertained such thoughts, so that's why she didn't know that she might actually have an interest of romantic inclinations towards Tomoya.

[Mirrinus]

Gee, for everyone saying how short the basketball section was, I was going into it with low expectations, yet it was quite satisfying in the end. And Kyou was just totally on fire in this episode. Easily my favorite character at this point. And yeah, the music playing during the basketball match was great.

Mei's role in this episode does seem kind of limited, but it seems to be a good continuation of developing Sunohara's character, showing that he is a caring yet lonely brother, beyond just being the buttmonkey to everyone's jokes.

Regarding the Tomoyo and Kyou arcs...

I'm guessing they're going to do something similar to how Nayuki's arc was done in Kanon (whether their arcs are actually shafted or not is still up in the air). In other words, the main girl (Ayu/Nagisa) will be removed from the picture for a time, so that in the vacuum of Yuuichi/Tomoya being left alone, someone else (Nayuki/Kyou/Tomoyo) will try to fill in the void left behind. I'd guess Kyou and her sister are more likely to fill this role, since they're the closest to Tomoya after Nagisa, anyway.

[HayashiTakara]

From this episode I got the impression that Tomoya is interested in Nagisa because she was the first person to ever "need" him. As it seems that the feeling of being needed seems to be an important aspect to him.

[sikvod00]

Heh. I thought Tomoyo was only good at kicking, but she jabbed that sausage up Sunohara's nose with the quickness.

Kyou + gym clothes + stockings = pure win.

As much as I like all the other girls--especially Tomoyo and Ryou--I'll be really disappointed if they don't follow the default TomoyaXNagisa pairing. There's been too much awesome build up for it to suddenly crash and burn.

[Deathkillz]

Heh. I thought Tomoyo was only good at kicking, but she jabbed that sausage up Sunohara's nose with the quickness.

Kyou + gym clothes + stockings = pure win.

As much as I like all the other girls--especially Tomoyo and Ryou--I'll be really disappointed if they don't follow the default TomoyaXNagisa pairing. There's been too much awesome build up for it to suddenly crash and burn.
I think it's safe to say that you don't need to worry about the pairing. Same with kanon as we saw the final "pair" come from a mile away :cool:

And aye those stockings...have no idea why she was still wearing them during the match but that didn't stop me from experiencing major blood loss :eyespin:

[blitz1/2]

It would have been better if they copied the lines from the visual novel.



Before basketball game...and after Kyou's pissed off scene

Kyou: "Tomoya, is it against the rules if I throw the ball in their face?" (still pissed)

Tomoya: "If no one catches you, then it is a technique."

Sunohara: I think I picked the wrong person.

Nagisa: It's okay. When the game comes, Kyou will play fair.

Kyou: If it becomes a free-for-all, can I use my elbow? (evil smirk)

Tomoya: The area under the ribs is the best place to hit to reduce their stamina.

Kyou: I see... (still smirking)

Nagisa:...
Sunohara:...
(both sigh)

[Proto]

If that was the case, you have to consider they would have had to reduce 5 -10 seconds from another scene. Which scene do you think could have had 10 seconds subtracted?

bottom line: It is not easy to be the scriptwriter :p

[Kristen]

Heh. I thought Tomoyo was only good at kicking, but she jabbed that sausage up Sunohara's nose with the quickness.

Kyou + gym clothes + stockings = pure win.

As much as I like all the other girls--especially Tomoyo and Ryou--I'll be really disappointed if they don't follow the default TomoyaXNagisa pairing. There's been too much awesome build up for it to suddenly crash and burn.

So THAT'S where that sausage came from.

I kind of feel like Kyou's gym outfit could have worked better with shorts. Maybe it's Japanese culture or the way the game was laid out initially, but I feel like having a collared shirt for a gym outfit and the "speedo" kind of a bottom just doesn't work.
On the other hand, I just loved the male gym outfit! ^_^

Also, sorry for the Higurashi reference, but when Mei was leaving at the end with her "Hai", didn't you expect to hear a "Nano Desu"? It was like, exactly the same voice...

[Ascaloth]

Blog article rushed out in the dead of night:

[RIUVA] CLANNAD (TV), Episode 16 (http://www.riuva.com/?p=966)

Alright. I'm going to sleep.

[FlareKnight]

Really not a bad episode.

Gotta love Kyou's view on team work :). "we need a slave....I mean...a player who follows the master-slave relationship." Poor Sunohara, at least he got out of the in love with Tomoya joke. Though when his sister went to pick up Tomoya and he was left alone and started beating himself with the clay doll...was curious if he'd miss the game with a concussion.

Kyou really is great in this one though. Her reactions and the blushing was top notch.

[PhantomX]

I think it's safe to say that you don't need to worry about the pairing. Same with kanon as we saw the final "pair" come from a mile away :cool:

And aye those stockings...have no idea why she was still wearing them during the match but that didn't stop me from experiencing major blood loss :eyespin:

The only difference is that this actually has a lot of good romantical set up... whereas with Ayu, despite the fact that they had the whole "past relationship" it sort of felt like "Hey, well, everyone else is done with, so I love you."

[grey_moon]

I kind of feel like Kyou's gym outfit could have worked better with shorts. Maybe it's Japanese culture or the way the game was laid out initially, but I feel like having a collared shirt for a gym outfit and the "speedo" kind of a bottom just doesn't work.
On the other hand, I just loved the male gym outfit! ^_^


Its called a bloomer! You need to watch more fan service stuff, I mean school slice of life :p

[mikesince83]

-Kyou's interactions and reactions with Tomo X2 were obviously one of the highlights. I can't decide whether she was getting all jealous or just thinking for her twin sister with the way she's acting.

This was a highlight for me as well. It was remarkable how Tomoyo managed to stay so civil with Kyou in her face; then again she looks like the type of girl that wouldn't be phased easily. There have been some heavy indications that Kyou has some interest in Tomoya although often it's under the guise of 'helping her sister'.


-Finally got to see a lot more Tomoyo in one episode alone. It seems like her development is starting to show a little more as compared to before. Of course, her last line in the episode probably got me more interested than ever before about her story with Tomoya since it didn't sound like a casual remark, but more of a thoughtful one.

Her character is most intriguing. I find it interesting that she chose to go talk to Tomoya...it seems like a pretty aggressive move to go to an upperclassman's room, let alone lecture one on daily habits. Perhaps when Tomoya saved her from the judo club captains there was more of an effect than she realizes yet (or realized with her last line).

Also, I thought the OST playing during the game was great!

[Kaoru Chujo]

I loved this episode. Comedy, romance, and sports. I got the feeling as I watched it that it was being beautifully directed, with everything in its place and producing (in me) the appropriate emotional responses. Then I discovered that it was directed and storyboarded by Takemoto Yasuhiro, the director of the FMP series and of Lucky Star (ep5 on). Good job.

My character highlight was Tomoya silently clicking that Nagisa was indeed his girlfirend -- that coming after the heart-swelling wonderfulness of her (Nakahara Mai's) shout triggering in him the will to win. Go, Nagisa!

And little sister Mai was great, in part because of the script and character design, but in part because of Tamura Yukari. Yukarin may have been around a while, but her voice has such a fresh quality to it, like a cool breeze or flowing water -- strong, fluid and expressive.

[Kristen]

Its called a bloomer! You need to watch more fan service stuff, I mean school slice of life :p

Ah, that's the name. Also, I've seen plenty. :p I just don't think it really worked with this outfit.

[PhantomX]

I'm a guy, and I agree with Chrissie, just for the record. I don't think wedgies are condoning to good basketball playing :P

[mikesince83]

Its called a bloomer! You need to watch more fan service stuff, I mean school slice of life :p

A little American ignorance here but modern Japanese schools don't actually use those outfits right?

[sikvod00]

Does anyone know if Tomoya's reaction to Ryou quickly glancing away means he finally realizes she has a crush on him?

[Kristen]

A little American ignorance here but modern Japanese schools don't actually use those outfits right?

I read that they traditionally have (Normally without collared shirts), but they have been phasing it out recently.


One thing I've noticed throughout the day: Isn't the artwork in the cafeteria scene absolutely phenomenal? Those are great shadings.

[mikesince83]

Does anyone know if Tomoya's reaction to Ryou quickly glancing away means he finally realizes she has a crush on him?

I think one could walk away making that assumption...as dense as Tomoya is, there's been enough hinting through Kyou's handywork that it'd be hard for him not to notice.



One thing I've noticed throughout the day: Isn't the artwork in the cafeteria scene absolutely phenomenal? Those are great shadings.

It's a very unique style for this genre and it is implemented superbly so it does speak well for the art. Almost more impressive was how Ryou had little animated motions/head movements throughout the entire conversation even though she had almost no lines. Too often the trend seems to be if a character isn't speaking, they aren't moving.

[KaneDragon]

9/10, this episode had so many highlights... Sunohara's "love nest?!", Tomoyo, Tomoyo vs Kyou, Kyou's dere to the max, Kyou-sama's fangirls...

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/8409/1008tomoyodoeskyouliketps1.th.jpg (http://img81.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1008tomoyodoeskyouliketps1.jpg)
Dere to the max! Way too delicious. ;_;

[yongshun]

Must kinda suck for Youhei, Tomoya seems to get all the girls including his sister without trying.

[Bonta Kun]

Must kinda suck for Youhei, Tomoya seems to get all the girls including his sister without trying.

lol yea that was awesome, he got so exicted about his lil sister visting him and was all for a totally different reason:heh:

loved this ep. got nose sausages and butt scars:D

[PhantomX]

One thing I've noticed throughout the day: Isn't the artwork in the cafeteria scene absolutely phenomenal? Those are great shadings.

It's KyoAni, they're always very detailed :D

[Klashikari]

One thing I've noticed throughout the day: Isn't the artwork in the cafeteria scene absolutely phenomenal? Those are great shadings.
This is the diffusal light and colors they used on many scenes in the series such like Kotomi next to the window, the group in the bus etc.

The actual effect isn't exactly that exceptional, but timing, intensity and spectrum are not easy task at all, which is why the effect looks extremely polished here. (though I think the best one was most likely the bus scene)

[FlareKnight]

Must kinda suck for Youhei, Tomoya seems to get all the girls including his sister without trying.Yeah it's a rough place to be the friend of the lead. If scenes around him weren't full of laughs may have a lot more people feeling for him.

[Shiroth]

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/8409/1008tomoyodoeskyouliketps1.th.jpg (http://img81.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1008tomoyodoeskyouliketps1.jpg)
Dere to the max! Way too delicious. ;_;
Mmm, just the side i've been waiting to see from Kyou.

[Bankai29]

9/10, this episode had so many highlights... Sunohara's "love nest?!", Tomoyo, Tomoyo vs Kyou, Kyou's dere to the max, Kyou-sama's fangirls...

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/8409/1008tomoyodoeskyouliketps1.th.jpg (http://img81.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1008tomoyodoeskyouliketps1.jpg)
Dere to the max! Way too delicious. ;_;

Yes that really is WAY too delicious....;)

But somehow it seems sad that Nagisa has a mile lead against Tomoyo and Kyou.:(

[sikvod00]

Even though Tomoya and gang won the match, I hope that doesn't mean the choir club will give them their adviser. I feel bad for that "violin-girl" (name?) and she really wasn't at fault, anyway.

[PhantomX]

The violin girl has one more year to be around and have her club... Nagisa graduates after this year.

[sikvod00]

Oh, yeah. I forgot about that.:p

[yongshun]

The basket ball game started off as a way for the Youhei to show just because they are injured or was upset, should not be a reason to give up, ended up being a game of pride for Kyou.

[Kaisos Erranon]

I loved this episode. Comedy, romance, and sports. I got the feeling as I watched it that it was being beautifully directed, with everything in its place and producing (in me) the appropriate emotional responses. Then I discovered that it was directed and storyboarded by Takemoto Yasuhiro, the director of the FMP series and of Lucky Star (ep5 on). Good job.

Really? If he can pull off stuff like this with Clannad, then it looks like Haruhi S2 is in good hands...

[monir]

Agree with Kaoru's thought's on this episode. It was a feel-good one. The episode preview makes me very interested on the upcoming one because, as it seems, the main subject will be Tomoya himself.

[Shana]

Rolf. I just lol'd a lot with Mei around :heh:

Akio-san was Tha Greatness with that butt-scar lie and Nagisa "No, that's not it! Wait..., do I have a scar like that?" I had to stop it or I would miss the entire episode laughting :heh:

[grey_moon]

A little American ignorance here but modern Japanese schools don't actually use those outfits right?

Sorry I have no idea, but I remember watching one anime where the sensei went nuts and started going on about bloomers being phased out and how he wanted them brought back in. I think he ended up wearing them himself. Can't really remember what show that was.

One thing I really like about Tomoya and Youhei is how their straightman and gagman act works even if they are separated. Tomoya sets up the joke and Youhei keeps them running even if he isn't on the screen :heh:

OMG how can Clannad be superseded by Clannad (irish pop group) on google search:twitch:

I miss the bear, must have more bear beating up Youhei

[Proto]

Sorry I have no idea, but I remember watching one anime where the sensei went nuts and started going on about bloomers being phased out and how he wanted them brought back in. I think he ended up wearing them himself. Can't really remember what show that was.

Kamisama Kazoku, first episode.

OMG how can Clannad be superseded by Clannad (irish pop group) on google search

Well... considering how Maeda sensei was actually partially inspired by the irish group for the naming of his series, I guess having it a little above there servers as a small additional homage :)

[Zaris]

When this episode finished, I caught myself thinking, "is that it?" 15 and 16 really didn't spend a whole lot of time on many things, including Sunohara's sister, Mei. I thought her introduction late into the game was going to have some purpose. But having finished watching the recent airing, I think these two half-hour segments would have done better without her, aside from breaking records of course (notice that episode 16 has CLANNAD's shortest teaser ever, at just under 16 seconds. Coincidence? Yeah, right).

The past two episodes have been nothing but fillers to me. It divides your attention in so many ways, it's hard to see where it's all going. And it's not the plot that I'm raising my eye at, it's the characters. KyoAni's has put at least five different people on the spotlight - Nagisa of course, Sugisaka and her choir club, Tomoyo, Sunohara Mei, and the one basketball player who seems to know Tomoya pretty well. Still, too much choice. Too many people to view and not enough time to study them. I'll be patient to see just how the basketball game had an effect on the choir club, if any. But Mei just seemed to just show up and disappear. And the basketball peer that interacted with Tomoya several times - I'm curious to know how much more he knows about our blue-haired hero. Sadly, we may never see him again, so it might've just been better to keep him silent the whole time instead of giving us one more individual to think about.

It came as a shock to me that Nagisa decided to stop her endeavor to reopen the theater club. But at the same time, her speech in episode 15 made sense. It was the event that got her back into to groove of school again so even if the club doesn't make it, I'm not sad. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she just moved on and pursued other personal interests. It would be nice if the club made it, but it wouldn't be a big deal if it didn't either. I just hope the next episode brings more results and the choir club's final appearance because the conflict with them is taking lots of time away from the main cast, and I'm sure Tomoyo enthusiasts couldn't agree more. Multiple elements of suspense are half as suspenseful as one.

Final thoughts: episode 15 and 16 would have done better if it was a one-hour feature length. Mei's guest starring wouldn't have felt so contrived that way (and I would've actually drawn a line between the previous episode and that clay doll she brought for her brother). Interesting twist to see how, despite all the "long-haired bishojos of the world, unite and pummel Sunohara's ass" magazine propaganda, Kyou and Tomoyo's first meeting is more adversarial than when Batman meets Superman. And, funny as the series is, I hope the cast can be a little more, well... "straight-forward." CLANNAD doesn't seem to want to get stories rolling unless it's in the form of a laugh. But being direct isn't necessarily boring if you do it right and do it well. And KyoAni has that potential. They do.

[Proto]

@Zaris:
Hmm... at one point during episode 16 I was thinking a bit like you Zaris, that KyoAni was going a little overboard with the charactere interweaving. However, as I think it is important to stop at this kind of time and start thinking from the director's POV: What is the message that he is trying to convey by using this method? My very personal conclusion is that he wants to further reinforce the main theme of the series. CLANNAD isn't a series about individual people and their isolated problems. Nor about cardboard backstage characters that just uter lines according to their characters description when the need arises to further develop the spotlight character. In its very core, CLANNAD pretends to be a series of people and their mutual interaction. Even if it sounds like we are beating a dead horse, this is a series about family. From that POV this type of development seems quite right in its own. Having seen different people, how their actions repercutes on their surroundings, and having those surroundings actively interact with the characters, and furthermore developing those surroundings for increased emotional involvement seems like the right thing to do. (and well, doing multitasking maximizes the multiple people effect) Obviously, like you I think that this would have benefited from one episode more, but we also have to consider that they are working under a limited number of remaining episodes, so they can only do so much :p

[mikesince83]

CLANNAD doesn't seem to want to get stories rolling unless it's in the form of a laugh.

I saw the last couple episodes as more of a reprieve from the dramatic ending of Kotomi's arc. The emphasis is comedy with some light character development to set up future arcs. If the writers/animators can set the tone that all is well, it makes the next dip into conflict that much more powerful.

[todkapuz]

sugoi sugoi... I dunno.. Kyou is growing on me... after her lines today around 8 minutes in. :)
And the statement of non-intrest by Tomoyo to the classroom --- priceless... and how Sunohara just is croched down aftre the appearance of Kyou...

YEah... it would have been nice to hear a "nanodesu" after that cute "hai"

[Zaris]

Valid points, I agree. mikesince83, I will concede that episode 15 and 16 was a refreshing step back towards lighthearted interaction and fun. And I admit, Protoman, that spreading the focus to the entire ensemble cast helps sets itself apart from KyoAni's previous Key adaptation.

But I disagree about one thing. CLANNAD is not a story about family. CLANNAD is about overcoming, moving forward, and at the most extreme case, a love story (I speak only by interpretation; I have never played the game nor do I know how the story ends). The story can interweave all it wants. Fine. But at the same time, you increase the number of characters, you increase your obligation to spend time on each and every one of them. We know the bare minimum. There is at least eight that KyoAni must adhere to - Tomoya, Youhei, Nagisa, Kyou, Ryou, Kotomi, Tomoyo, and Fuko. That's already a large cast for a half-hour show, and now they seek to expand on the sub-characters. I say this weakens the narrative. Essentially, all the characters become cameo roles and none of them can be developed in any depth, which reduces the overall tension of the main theme.

My point is, episodes 15 and 16 has demonstrated a certain thinness of subject, a lack of density in the characters. To say that the theme of CLANNAD is people talking to each other is, in my opinion, a poor excuse to cover up for weak storytelling. Because film, television, and anime is already a medium for people-to-people interaction. How you conduct that interaction is what elicits our emotions, yes - sympathy, hate, or satisfaction. But that is already a matter of fact.

CLANNAD has a wonderful story, and I'll accept that. My only wish is for more substance in the lead characters (and I mean lead characters) for the remaining episodes. Forget about the choir club and Youhei's sister. If it was up to me, these elements would have had an extremely limited appearance, if any. Because what you don't show, what you leave behind only serves to enhance what remains. And a little bit of creative license from the producer's standpoint wouldn't hurt.

[Klashikari]

But I disagree about one thing. CLANNAD is not a story about family. CLANNAD is about overcoming, moving forward, and at the most extreme case, a love story (I speak only by interpretation; I have never played the game nor do I know how the story ends). The story can interweave all it wants. Fine. But at the same time, you increase the number of characters, you increase your obligation to spend time on each and every one of them. We know the bare minimum. There is at least eight that KyoAni must adhere to - Tomoya, Youhei, Nagisa, Kyou, Ryou, Kotomi, Tomoyo, and Fuko. That's already a large cast for a half-hour show, and now they seek to expand on the sub-characters. I say this weakens the narrative. Essentially, all the characters become cameo roles and none of them can be developed in any depth, which reduces the overall tension of the main theme.
That's actually the utter opposite. I agree that CLANNAD is about overcoming and moving forward, but the main vector for this is exactly what CLANNAD means: family. From the start, characters change their interactions etc with experience with their comrades, especially Tomoya with Nagisa and vice versa.
Sub characters are there to offer a proper cohesion with the world there are in, and their background/personality.
For instance, Nagisa taking care of Mei is a simple and logical aftermath of her personality which was demonstrated in Fuuko's arc.

All minor/sub characters are giving in fact substance to give some concrete impression of a school atmsophere and situation. Sticking only on Tomoya + the 5 main girls would result to a mere and usual ren'ai adaption, in which we got the usual "each girl backstory, entwined/modularly following each other".
In CLANNAD case, the characters even secondary are required for Tomoya and the current girl, as it is not sidetracking the plot, but rather complementary.

Mei's role, in such regard, is to actually give a different light to Youhei, who is by far the most important sub character in clannad, to the point he should be considered as a lead character with the 6 others. Mentioning her as a cameo in a previous episode doesn't make much sense, and if you add the adaptation "duty", you have the deal.

Seriously, if you are about to cut all sub characters "development", It wouldn't have the same style nor development in the storytelling. It is about the family/friendship for the whole cast.

[hai_san]

Clannad BGMs are simply amazing, really in the top trier of my favorites music this year with Guren Lagann and Ef Tale of Memories.

[Faust87]

Wonderful episode!!!! *____*
Mei is so kawaii... and I have to say that now I like Kyou a lot. Maybe she surpassed kotomi-chan :P

[Kristen]

But I disagree about one thing. CLANNAD is not a story about family. CLANNAD is about overcoming, moving forward, and at the most extreme case, a love story (I speak only by interpretation; I have never played the game nor do I know how the story ends). The story can interweave all it wants. Fine. But at the same time, you increase the number of characters, you increase your obligation to spend time on each and every one of them. We know the bare minimum. There is at least eight that KyoAni must adhere to - Tomoya, Youhei, Nagisa, Kyou, Ryou, Kotomi, Tomoyo, and Fuko. That's already a large cast for a half-hour show, and now they seek to expand on the sub-characters. I say this weakens the narrative. Essentially, all the characters become cameo roles and none of them can be developed in any depth, which reduces the overall tension of the main theme.

The title, according the the author, comes from the Irish word for "family". However, it actually came from the band "Clannad" of Ireland, which is a shortening of "Clann as Dore" (The family of Dore). Clannad the game is really "Clann as Dango".
That's also why every single arc so far has been somehow relevant to family ties. Fuuko's arc was all about her sister, and Kotomi's was all about her parents. The relationship between Tomoya and that character plays a secondary role to these problem.


One reason why I liked these past two episodes is because it fixes one of Kyoani's worst nightmares-transitions. It makes the transition to the next arc very smooth, rather than a Makoto to Mai kind of a transition.

[MUAHAHAHAHAHA]

It seems to me Tomoya begin to have doubts about himself towards the end of this episode,and next episode seems to be the continuation of it.

[C.A.]

Mei = 5 points, she reminded me that I always wanted a little sister.

I skipped the rest of the maths because it probably interests nobody else. But this episode scores a total of around 56/10.

A bit of everyone will add up to alot of greatness. The scenes before the match were hilarious, the match itself was inspiring. Great episode.

[hachihachi]

basketball match is fun to watch. sunohara having the sausage dangling from his nostril is hahahaha. so tomoya is aware that ryou got something for him :eyebrow:

i'm just kind of glad that nagisa was not present to hear tomoya's answer to kyou's question.

[nani]

But at the same time, you increase the number of characters, you increase your obligation to spend time on each and every one of them. We know the bare minimum. There is at least eight that KyoAni must adhere to - Tomoya, Youhei, Nagisa, Kyou, Ryou, Kotomi, Tomoyo, and Fuko. That's already a large cast for a half-hour show, and now they seek to expand on the sub-characters. I say this weakens the narrative. Essentially, all the characters become cameo roles and none of them can be developed in any depth, which reduces the overall tension of the main theme.

That really depends on how many episodes CLANNAD will have at the end.

If there will only be a single season of 24 episodes, I agree with you completely. As already mentioned by numerous game players, CLANNAD's story is so long that a lot of sacrifices have to be made in order to fit into 24 episodes. In this case, it is better to concentrate on a limited cast in order not to "dilute" the main story line.

On the other hand, if a second season is indeed planned, KyoAni can afford to spend some time to slowly build up the various characters via the routine daily life. I myself did not find Kyou's character interesting (not too impressed with her story in the game) until the recent episodes. :heh:. In this case, not every episode needed to advance the storyline or to reveal a major plot twist.

[Zaris]

The title, according the the author, comes from the Irish word for "family". However, it actually came from the band "Clannad" of Ireland, which is a shortening of "Clann as Dore" (The family of Dore). Clannad the game is really "Clann as Dango".
That's also why every single arc so far has been somehow relevant to family ties. Fuuko's arc was all about her sister, and Kotomi's was all about her parents. The relationship between Tomoya and that character plays a secondary role to these problem.

Actually, this is a note of information that has bypassed me up to here. And upon reflection, I understand now why we're viewing siblings and parents from each of the main cast. Based on this, there's no doubt that CLANNAD deals with family in some form or fashion, a point I will concede with good grace.

I agree, then, Klashikari, that you are right. The terrain of this series is most definately about family. But the territory it carves through goes at such lightning speed, it's hard to notice the significance. Mei, for example, doesn't chat with her brother all that much, so when she says she's worried about Youhei winning the basketball match, that feeling doesn't rub off on me. I don't get that impression that she's concerned.

My argument is that with so many people required to have a focus, because this is a story about family, each individual character doesn't carry a lot of strength when they're on screen. Mei's appearance as a whole lacked impact, and the scientist in Kotomi's arc was not that involved in Kotomi's affairs short of being an outside observer, swooping in like a bird-of-prey when the timing best fitted itself. Nagisa's parents are just there. We don't really "know" Tomoya's father. If anything, Ibuki-sensei was probably the most developed secondary character we've seen, and I liked her a lot. More characters can create a lively pacing and thus a livelier show, and that's fine if you like that sort of stuff. But you sacrifice the tension and dramatics in the process, so instead you get a slice-of-life series than an actual tear-jerker. Family is important in CLANNAD here, yes, but that theme sits in the mix like a tiny anchovie on a giant pizza. You don't notice it.

This series would benefit if it had a time frame like Hayate the Combat Butler - 52 episodes, year-round, plenty of time to get into the cracks of each person's life. It can be said that having a character not present him/herself in a remake is an unfaithful take on the original. But at the same time, presenting that person and not fully going into depth of that person doesn't do it much justice either.

[Proto]

But you sacrifice the tension and dramatics in the process, so instead you get a slice-of-life series than an actual tear-jerker.

Well, that's because CLANNAD's intention is not to be a tear-jerker really. Jun Maeda wanted to draw a line between this work of his and his previous works like ONE, AIR or KANON. In fact, I think you grasped it quite right. While it is not really slice of life, it is much nearer that genre that anything drama inducing. (well... Maeda wasn't completely able to grow apart from his previous works in CLANNAD, but you can see his intention. This is even more visible in Little Busters from what I have heard.).

Unfortunately, the sunohara siblings story proper wasn't portrayed, just a subset of it when it intersects when the Nagisa arc (and a diminished one at that). I hope that Mei's promise to return will mean that we will deal with their arc in the future, since it was the 2nd most meaningful arc for me, but that's up in the air.

[Tran225]

this is probably my favorite episode so far in clannad

[nikorai]

Watched the episode late at night. As an amature who didnt play the game I enjoyed this episode to the extreme. On the whole clannad is supposed to be a depressing show but this time the authors put a very positive feel into it. Also there's lots of Kyou who I like most of all. It appears she's actually very athletic.
The match looked like the famous one between the soviet union and the us when it was 49:50 3 seconds before the end of the match. Though I suppose there was a foul after which the game should've been stopped and Okazaki awarded appropriate penalty shots instead of the 2 points that he managed to score while falling.

[Willcrusher]

Watched the episode late at night. As an amature who didnt play the game I enjoyed this episode to the extreme. On the whole clannad is supposed to be a depressing show but this time the authors put a very positive feel into it. Also there's lots of Kyou who I like most of all. It appears she's actually very athletic.
The match looked like the famous one between the soviet union and the us when it was 49:50 3 seconds before the end of the match. Though I suppose there was a foul after which the game should've been stopped and Okazaki awarded appropriate penalty shots instead of the 2 points that he managed to score while falling.

If a foul was called, I highly doubt Okazaki would have made the game winning play, unless he shot and made both free throws with his left hand, or used the underhanded shooting tech, like Nagisa does. ^_^

Hmm...now that I think about it, that could have been another way to have ended the game. Okazaki fouled, and uses the underhand shot twice (with flashbacks of Nagisa and Okazaki in ep 2)....but it probably would have been less dramatic I guess.

[sikvod00]

I get the feeling that whetever Tomoyo was staring at (birds in a tree?) will play some sort of role in her arc.

[arkxkra]

This episode was great. The misundestand from last episode still continue:heh:, and Sunohara sister was so cute.

Tomoyo come find Tomoya and have a chat, then Kyou come and kidnap Tomoya(Tomoya was so popular). I was surprise Tomoyo find Tomoya have a chat during breaktime, Tomoyo was cute ^^, Tomoyo was so straight forward(ask Kyou is she like Tomoya). I thought both of them will start a small fight...

Sunohara alway so lonely, sister come find Tomoya go Nagisa house eat dinner, while left Sunohara alone... :heh: feel bad for him...

I never thought Kyou so PRO in basketball. In the match, the last score by Tomoya was so cool

[KholdStare]

This is the first time in a while I've given a 10/10 to Clannad. Here's why:

1) Consistent humor.
2) Mei didn't do anything. I was afraid they'll pull a Myself; Yourself and waste time developing random characters.
3) Enjoyable, suspenseful.
4) I like Youhei again now. He scared me last episode. I don't care what people said about him finally having a role, but he's a secondary character, and should remain that way. He was out of character in my opinion.
5) We're finally seeing something from Ryou/Tomoyo. Even though she's the type of person who would do that, I didn't expect Tomoyo to be that straightforward. That was good.

EDIT: Also, I rarely notice BGM. That doesn't mean I don't care about it, but for Clannad I just expected that the BGM will be good and there when it's supposed to be there. In this episode, the BGM was used beautifully. It's exceptional compared to the other episodes, and the ending was really emotional (on a different level as usual).

[nikorai]

Willcrusher
about the basketball match.
Right, they way they showed it was the best option. Indeed free throws for okazaki would have been a challenge. Say scoring one point out of 2 would have meant overtime play and a sure loss for the engeki-bu.
Speaking of lack of realism I could also point out that nobody minded a girl in the team and the fact that okazaki's team had to play 20 minutes in a row with no players in reserve (they didnt have anyone else after all) but then who cares.

[Zenemis]

You post about the realism (or lack of) in the match, without mentioning Okazaki's shot, falling backwards? :P

[KaneDragon]

Tomoya won the unwinnable with manly spirit! Don't believe in yourself--believe in Nagisa, who believes in you! :D

[nikorai]

Zenemis
I did mention it a bit earlier (see above).

[Reckoner]

Another well done episode by KyoAni, which makes me happy... I like how they are developing Tomoyo and Kyou gradually. I'd give this episode an 8/10.


I do have one big issue that is just grueling to oversee as the series goes on. Does KyoAni have to be so obvious on which of the girls is going to win out from the very beginning? I so wish they'd do something different and it could make sense.

Fruit's Basket SpoilerYuki considered Tohru to be like a mother figure to him, someone whom helped him a lot in life.

All I know is if I was Tomoya, I'd set my eyes on Tomoyo or Kyou, not poor old Nagisa who just seems annoying.

[KholdStare]

I do have one big issue that is just grueling to oversee as the series goes on. Does KyoAni have to be so obvious on which of the girls is going to win out from the very beginning? I so wish they'd do something different and it could make sense.

It's not so obvious to me. No, I'm not stupid. I just don't jump to conclusions.

[Proto]

I do have one big issue that is just grueling to oversee as the series goes on. Does KyoAni have to be so obvious on which of the girls is going to win out from the very beginning? I so wish they'd do something different and it could make sense.

Well... probably because form KEY's POV their storytelling has always been pretty obvious in who will be the final pairing, (not really KyoAni's fault :p) basically because such pairing is the most meaningful in terms of the story's theme. For example, in AIR

the theme was mother-daughter relationship. While it was obvious that all 3 girls carried that theme in their story, it was through Misuzu's arc when we saw this driving force reach it's maximum expression in terms of the author's intention. As such, it was no surprise that Misuzu's was the official girl from the start off

Likewise,

(arguably) Nagisa's story is the most meaningful in terms of the theme of the story. (family). Like in AIR, every girl's route carries this driving force, but it would seem that it is through Nagisa that we get to see the author's final intention.

Remember that this was never intended to be a hook-up kind of game or series, and as such the pairings and romance theme take a backseat in the story, at least when the story enters serious mode :)

[Sorrow-K]

Just when my opinion of Clannad was beginning to slightly waver, they give us an exceptionally strong episode like this. Not a single flaw in this ep: all the jokes were hilarious, and the plot, although somewhat episodic, flowed well. My favourite moment in this was the scene where Tomoya was taking the shot. It really brought all of Tomoya's character development to date into focus. I mean, it's obvious that Tomoya has been changing since the beginning of the series and that Nagisa has played a large part in that (Fuko as well to a lesser extent), but it's all sort of happened in the background during other characters' arcs. This put a much needed emphasis on it. Which is great. Tomoya's always been one of my favourite characters in this show.

Outstanding. I think the mixed approach their taking to the arcs could work really well, to boot. They're going to struggle with time constraints, but the mixed approach could be what eventually saves them, since it could allow them to be more efficient with the storytelling.

[Reckoner]

It's not so obvious to me. No, I'm not stupid. I just don't jump to conclusions.

Ok.

Likewise,

(arguably) Nagisa's story is the most meaningful in terms of the theme of the story. (family). Like in AIR, every girl's route carries this driving force, but it would seem that it is through Nagisa that we get to see the author's final intention.

The theme of family in this series is certainly present in almost all the characters except Tomoyo thus far. Nagisa probably does have the most meaningful story out of the bunch, but that is why it is excruciatingly painful to me. I get a feeling that they are trying to make thoughts diverge in romantic interests by introducing these other girls, but since Nagisa is there it all seems pointless and I feel cheated out emotionally when it comes to these characters. The spotlight is never truly going to be shared in a series like this with the arc interweaving. At least in Kanon I could focus on the girls while not thinking of Ayu the whole time. Don't misunderstand, the arc interweaving is a way better approach.

Remember that this was never intended to be a hook-up kind of game or series, and as such the pairings and romance theme take a backseat in the story, at least when the story enters serious mode :)

I understand that, but this part of the story still exists and therefore it will not get exemption from me critiquing it.

[Itadakimasu!]

Great Episode... Tomoyo staring at the sakuras means her arc is soon. Won't be surprised if it plays out more or less alongside Kyou's, with her arc finishing first.

I like how they were able to show how straightforward and tactless Tomoyo was, the lack of artifice making her seem totally charming. Me not really being a fan of Nagisa, I could have done without the final shot scene (in the game i think its a penalty).

Next ep looks like focus will be Tomoya, hopefully it'll catch the pervasive despondence he has about his future and his life that shows through strongly in almost all the arcs in the game

[Yukinokesshou]

Next ep looks like focus will be Tomoya, hopefully it'll catch the pervasive despondence he has about his future and his life that shows through strongly in almost all the arcs in the game

Just taking a guess... maybe he's despondent about Nagisa's absence too? IMHO, Nagisa's absence figures quite heavily in the preview. Tomoya sits alone in the club room looking depressed; Nagisa is missing from the usual "line of four girls walking behind Tomoya"; and you see Tomoya looking up at the bakery melancholically. Maybe Nagisa has another bout of illness? :(

Oh, I just love Tomoyo's matter-of-fact attitude! Plot-wise, I don't find Tomoyo too interesting, but her personality is my favourite. "Maybe this emotion can be called interested?" I agree, totally charming >_<

[Ikonomi]

I had to take a break from watching this episode to say that the animation this week is GREAT, as well as the voice acting! It's amazing. Tomoyo and Kyou are spellbinding.

Like, seriously, really good.

[KholdStare]

It's not so obvious to me. No, I'm not stupid. I just don't jump to conclusions.

Sorry, I was obviously pissed off at something else when I posted this. I'm usually the person not to flame anyone.

[Sinestra]

Great episode as usual im not worried about Clannad letting me down it hasn't so far. Sunohara's sister was so adorable and took a liking to everyone right away. The basketball game was more exciting than i thought it was going to be, Kyou really has some skills she play on my team anytime. Now what i especially liked was how Kyou managed to turn the favor of playing in the game to her and her sisters advantage by having lunch together. The blush by Ryou was so adorable but at this point i think Tomoya figured whats up as the talk about him being single went on and he sees her looking at me the shot of his eyes told me he has caught on a bit. The there was the classroom with Tomoyo that whole scene was funny as hell. Being as blunt as ever Tomyo calls out Kyou and she blushes like hell (so damn cute). The whole scene was just hilarious as Tomoyo honestly didnt understand why Kyou was upset, but has Tomoyo started to realize her feelings for our local hero as well? she stated she had been having a strange feeling lately but couldnt figure out what it was. In the end everything comes back to Nagisa who has been by his side always and when he had started to give up again one shout from Nagisa gives him the strength to get the ball up (another cute as hell blush by Nagisa). In the end i know who i would like to see him end up with but honestly if your names not Nagisa i dont think its happening.

Tomoya is one funny SOB

Sunohara's Sister: They get along so well.
Tomoya: Yes, this houses specialty is idiocy.

I laughed my ass off :heh:


Kyou line at the game was funny too

Okazaki is it considered a foul if i hit them in face with the ball?
LMAO

[TomoyoSakagami]

Kyou line at the game was funny too

Okazaki is it considered a foul if i hit them in face with the ball?
LMAO

Have to agree with you there, hilarious. I also agree with everyone else, the way Tomoyo was so blunt and straight to the point.

Overall Great Episode, can't wait for the next one ^^

[velvet]

In the end everything comes back to Nagisa who has been by his side always and when he had started to give up again one shout from Nagisa gives him the strength to get the ball up


It's development. I do remember complaints about another Keyoani's work last year that jumped into love confession without development. ;)

On topic, that moment when Tomoya take the fade-away shot (I think that's the name?) is just heartwarming.
The whole building shouted and he hears only Nagisa. And suddenly, all his negative thoughts and regrets just flew away. Tomoya-kun, she is your future wife, treasure her. (I shouted at him too, but I was sure he did not hear me :heh:)

Oh and a full 10 from me. :D

[KaneDragon]

And this is a bit late, but Mei's reactions to hearing that Sunohara was in love with Tomoya were just adorable. "Gao~ Shocku." Put that on loop, haha. What an amusing reaction... :)

[Sinestra]

The whole building shouted and he hears only Nagisa. And suddenly, all his negative thoughts and regrets just flew away. Tomoya-kun, she is your future wife, treasure her. (I shouted at him too, but I was sure he did not hear me :heh:)



Yes i am satisfied with how Clannad has handled the development for pretty much everyone. Its rare that i look forward to an episode as much as i do Clannad. Every character is likable with their unique personality and past. As for Tomoya yes it seems the only voice he heard was Nagisa's that was a sure fire sign and he even thanked her. Its not hard to see why people thought they were couple. As for being his future wife they would actually work really well. Although its not out there a lot Nagisa supports Tomoya is verity of ways for him to forget all the negatives in his head that have been built over years in a second from just hearing her voice was heartmoving. Also, I think even Nagisa's family would support that marriage well...at least her mom.

[KaneDragon]

...at least her mom.
Indeed. Tomoya would have to win Akio over with manly spirit! :heh:
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4278/akioflamingbaseballbatgl4.th.jpg (http://img262.imageshack.us/my.php?image=akioflamingbaseballbatgl4.jpg) :D

[Sinestra]

Indeed. Tomoya would have to win Akio over with manly spirit! :heh:
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4278/akioflamingbaseballbatgl4.th.jpg (http://img262.imageshack.us/my.php?image=akioflamingbaseballbatgl4.jpg) :D

LOL. Tomoya needs to stick with what he is good at i say method of attack for Akio should pure, sadistic unrelenting sarcasm. If you can win with manly spirit confuse the hell out of your opponent and make lose the will to fight:heh:

[holyman282]

Great ep, we got some massive character development in terms of the girl's feelings towards Tomoya, unfortunately it seems Nagisa is still in the lead with a voice that sweeps away all regrets..

We got to see more of Tomoyo, which all the previous ep were severely lacking and it appears that she might be showing interest in him. Kyou blushing was just so win and we got to see Ryou blushing too (two birds with one stone)..

The basketball sequence were really nicely done and the animation was very smooth. The humour off course were top notch as always and the ep had me chuckling on several occassions. (Tomoya asking Sunohora to get a cup of coffee anyone? lol).

Really enjoying Clannad, it's a show that is consistently top notch and one that makes me eager for the next ep!

[orion]

Indeed. Tomoya would have to win Akio over with manly spirit! :heh:
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4278/akioflamingbaseballbatgl4.th.jpg (http://img262.imageshack.us/my.php?image=akioflamingbaseballbatgl4.jpg) :D

LOL. Tomoya needs to stick with what he is good at i say method of attack for Akio should pure, sadistic unrelenting sarcasm. If you can win with manly spirit confuse the hell out of your opponent and make lose the will to fight:heh:


Nah! Akio would just ground pound him with the baseball bat. :heh: Appealing to the goodness and sympathy of Sanae is the best route imo. ;)

Nagisa should get Tomoya. Up to now, she's the only one doing the work. Her family is feeding and supporting him. She's supporting him to the point of getting sick. No one else is patting him on the back so far saying go for it. Just like in Kanon and Air, the one who does the work should get the guy imo.

[Mirrinus]

True, Nagisa has put forth such a strong effort in her relationship with Tomoya that it's really quite difficult for them to try to squeeze in the Kyou and Tomoyo arcs now. Removing Nagisa from the story temporarily (which sort of matches her game arc anyway) is probably the best way to try to get those arcs in, as Nagisa's presence would make things too complicated IMHO. Also can possibly set up Tomoya to be emotionally vulnerable, as I'd imagine it'd impact him a fair bit (maybe that's the source of the despondency we see in the next episode preview?). Sort of like the Nayuki arc of Kanon, except hopefully without as much shafting, although I confess that the number of episodes remaining seems awfully low to complete 3 more character routes. Were the Tomoyo and Kyou arcs of the game relatively short compared to Fuuko or Kotomi?

[Klashikari]

As far as I can remember, Kyou's and Tomoyo's arcs are somewhat as long as Kotomi's (the longest being Nagisa, then Fuuko).
That said, considering the setup and the probably aftermath of such routes in the anime, it will be somewhat reduce.

There are room for these, but they need to use a proper flow and entwining.

[holyman282]

True, Nagisa has put forth such a strong effort in her relationship with Tomoya that it's really quite difficult for them to try to squeeze in the Kyou and Tomoyo arcs now. Removing Nagisa from the story temporarily (which sort of matches her game arc anyway) is probably the best way to try to get those arcs in, as Nagisa's presence would make things too complicated IMHO. Also can possibly set up Tomoya to be emotionally vulnerable, as I'd imagine it'd impact him a fair bit (maybe that's the source of the despondency we see in the next episode preview?). Sort of like the Nayuki arc of Kanon, except hopefully without as much shafting, although I confess that the number of episodes remaining seems awfully low to complete 3 more character routes. Were the Tomoyo and Kyou arcs of the game relatively short compared to Fuuko or Kotomi?

I'd say it's still possible even with the presense of Nagisa. I mean it doesn't seem like the other girls realise just how close Tomoya and Nagisa's relationship is, they do see that they're close, but with the recent denial of Tomoya saying that he isn't going out with anyone (which consequently both Tomoyo and Kyou heard, not to mention Ryou also heard through word of mouth).

In this ep, we already saw Kyou saying that it's interesting that Tomoya isn't seeing anyone, which makes me think she and her sister are going to make their move reguardless of who Tomoya is close to right now.

Tomoyo is also displaying interest and remember what she said in class that no girls would be annoyed if she was with Tomoya cause he isn't seeing anyone..

I think Tomoya saying he doesn't have a girlfriend is a keystone to how Kyoani is going to squeeze the other girl's arc in.

[KholdStare]

I'll say that if there were more packed episodes like episode 15, then Clannad will have no problem covering the remaining arcs with some intertwining.

[Malzar]

Tomoya is becoming a girl magnet xD well I liked it 10 :D

[Bonta Kun]

Indeed. Tomoya would have to win Akio over with manly spirit! :heh:
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4278/akioflamingbaseballbatgl4.th.jpg (http://img262.imageshack.us/my.php?image=akioflamingbaseballbatgl4.jpg) :D

well that or he could just go by his given Furukawa name:p I'm sure that would win points instantly

[CrazyPerson]

I'm not too familiar with Japanese culture, but is the clay doll thing that Mei brought for Youhei actually a design of something that exists? I'm asking this question because the clay doll looks remarkably like one of the robots in one of the older Doraemon mangas that I have. Could it possibly be a really old reference?

[darksider]

I'm not too familiar with Japanese culture, but is the clay doll thing that Mei brought for Youhei actually a design of something that exists? I'm asking this question because the clay doll looks remarkably like one of the robots in one of the older Doraemon mangas that I have. Could it possibly be a really old reference?

It's an imitation of doguu, a prehistoric figurine uncovered from remains of Joumon era.
You can also find infomation at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogu
http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/jomon-dogu.html

[GyroidFanatic]

It's an imitation of doguu, a prehistoric figurine uncovered from remains of Joumon era.
You can also find infomation at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogu
http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/jomon-dogu.html
Wasn't there a Digimon based on that? My friends and I always called it a giant tea pot (it looked ceramic...)...

[darksider]

Wasn't there a Digimon based on that? My friends and I always called it a giant tea pot (it looked ceramic...)...

Though I cannot directly answer to that question since I haven't seen Digimon, but it is likely because dogu is so popular in many comedy/sci-fi manga/anime, such as Keroro Gunso and Ghost Sweeper Mikami manga, thanks to its unique shape and its mysterious nature, or sometimes its own utter uselessness :)

[aorta]

Wasn't there a Digimon based on that? My friends and I always called it a giant tea pot (it looked ceramic...)...

Shakkoumon?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Shakkoumon.jpg

[CrazyPerson]

It's an imitation of doguu, a prehistoric figurine uncovered from remains of Joumon era.
You can also find infomation at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogu
http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/jomon-dogu.html

Thank you for your help. Cookied too.

[konstargirl]

The basketball game was very interesting and Sunohara's little sis was cute as ever. <3

Thats why I gaved it a 10. XD