Clannad - Q & A

[nani]

Originally Posted by iamandragon

All right, I'll release the translation with Kai as 'Kai'...

I think his full name is 雲龍寺魁

It's really a pity that most of Key's experienced staff had left over the past few years.....

[iamandragon]

Originally Posted by nani

I think his full name is 雲龍寺魁

It's really a pity that most of Key's experienced staff had left over the past few years.....

Thanks. Can you please put his name in romanji out?

And here is part two: more about Nagisa

Spoiler for warning: contains major spoilers on the story!:

==========The long long slope in the beginning is the metaphor for the tale of their growth==========


--Even though there’s such a large cast, but Nagisa took a pretty large portion of the story.
Maeda: About this point, we had a long discussion in the company.
U1: Because we were worried that if we focus on only one person, would it turn out to be another AIR?
Maeda: Even the president told me ‘Try as much as possible to lower the difference between the length of the scripts’ But in the end we still have a huge gap (laughes)
Maeda: But, we didn’t this to lower the rating of our work. But in the end it worked out fine, but we are still suspected to be ignoring the president.
(The fact is that the structure is well presented. The appearance of After Story not only took good care of everything, but it also took care of the main character. But hey Naoki, it seems like you’re having a hard time taking care of your kohais…Careful with your daughter, don’t let Maeda take her, there’s no mistaking Maeda is a lolicon ORZ)

--Including After Story, in Nagisa’s story there are a lot of key works like ‘marriage’ ‘give birth’-do you feel any difficulties when writing this?
Maeda: No. Because we always base our works on a heavy title. But we were worried that it might change the theme of a ‘school romance game’ into something else.
(Is that changing the theme? Maeda don’t you know how many dark school games call themselves ‘school love romance’? If it wasn’t because of this we won’t be liking CLANNAD right? Also I think Maeda you don’t have difficulties writing is because you dream of marrying Nagisa every night OTL)

--We heard that you are worried about After Story might cover up the impression of viewers of the main story.
Maeda: Yes. Actually AIR is this kind of work. In order to prevent this, we put careful thinking into how it is plausible for the players to have happiness in the school life chapter. Luckily the school life chapter was completed perfectly in both length and story, so I think we have reached our target.
(Even though I agreed that after completing the game I only thought of After Story, but like Maeda said, I never did forget about the main chapter. Maybe…that’s target reached…yup. But Maeda can’t you foresee the effect of your works? You should be aware of the effect of the After Story before the game went on the market.

--In Nagisa’s story, her growth is noticeable
Maeda: Even though in the beginning gof the story, she is really a weak girl. So I always ask myself is she fit to be the heroin. But in the end she became a character with quite some charm.

--Especially in the scene where Ushio was born, Nagisa and the main character have their stands completely reversed.
Maeda: It was quite hard to write that script. She was weak and refused to go to the hospital and wishes to give birth at home. This is very easy for the players to misinterpret her ‘strong will’ as ‘stubborn’. In order to deliver her feelings to the layers, I have tried fixing the script over and over again, and now I feel at rest.
(We can say that since Nagisa became pregnant, the memories of Okazaki’s family began. To give birth at home is the last blessing Nagisa gave to her daughter.)

--The main theme of Nagisa’s story, it is ‘growth’ isn’t it?
Maeda: Yes. But it was not only Nagisa who’s only growing. Actually it also includes the growth of Tomoya. Just like when they walked up the long, long slope. The beginning of the story on the slope is the portrayal of their life.
(Those who loved CLANNAD should have memorized that line in the game. As the most common but also the most romantic meet in the history GALGAME, take a look back at the back of the two of them, people should feel their own growth)

--When going out with Nagisa, everyone have quite some impression with the Furukawa family.
Maeda: About this, we were thinking of it in the beginning. To make it simple, we were trying to create a ‘perfect’ family.
Kai: Until now in all of the past KEY works, every family have someone missing
Maeda: So this time, we have a family that is happy everytime prepared.
(About the family curse in KEY, this isn’t their trandmark. Actually, it is the trademark of most AVT. From the age of One, the main character was hit by a horrible curse, and his sister became boss even before showing up. And in Kanon, it spread to the female’s family. Even the happy Nayuki family was a single parent family without explaination. And in AIR, every single family have something. Little Buster have everyone killed right in the beginning. But this time CLANNAD had quite a lot of happy family: the the Furukawa family, the Okazaki family, the Yoshino family, the Sunohara family. Even though there are some single parent family, there was a few great fathers born. CLANNAD—family—quite fit the title!)

--About the Nagisa route, the appearance of the OP was quite an element.
Maeda: Even though it was something we thought up a long time ago, but honestly the feedback wasn’t that good. Big failure(weak smile)
U1: “We want to see the OP!” was a overwhelming request.
Kai: And the customer service had many complaints about “I can’t see the OP!”
Maeda: I wanted to give the players a shock of an ‘ever changing place’, and even now I feel like putting the OP in ‘this is a story that happened in a winter’
U1: But I think those who understand what it means will understand, naturally, us.
Maeda: But about this, it was something we have to reflect upon after finishing CLANNAD. We went a bit too far.
(Actually the appearance of the OP in the PC version has its meaning. After the story of a winter story, the screen slowly turns out and flashes the OP out. This makes the player feels to be taken into the phantasm world. And in the miracle in the end a fast forward effect was used to compare it with the real world. Also the OP gave the players a hint about ‘this story is a story over a long time’. Of courses, this is something that we know after knowing the OP only appears there. When the guide wasn’t released, complaints about ‘Can’t see OP!’ is common. The PS2 changed it, but I feel the original OP has more feeling to it.

That's it for today. I have my school work to do.

[nani]

Originally Posted by iamandragon

Thanks. Can you please put his name in romanji out?

Un Ryuu Ji Kai (うんりゅうじかい)...... on second though, I think it will be simpler just to call him Kai......

Good luck with the translation, you still have the remaining 90% to go.

[iamandragon]

Originally Posted by nani

Un Ryuu Ji Kai (うんりゅうじかい)...... on second though, I think it will be simpler just to call him Kai......

Good luck with the translation, you still have the remaining 90% to go.

Dammit, someone help me.

[iamandragon]

Part 3: More about the Fujibayashi twins

Spoiler for warning: contains major spoilers to the story!:

====================The basic principle of Kyou and Ryou’s story is Anti-KEY?===================

（Kai, are you really not a secret agent from AGE or an assassin from STACK?）

--Next let’s talk about someone other than Nagisa. First is Kyou and Ryou. Their stories are one that splits mid-way.
Kai: Actually in the beginning, there wasn’t a Ryou route to begin with. But instead, in Kyou’s route, there will be a choice where you must choose weather to treat Kyou gently or not.
Maeda: if you only go after Kyou, you will definitely get a BAD ENDING. All the test players in Kyou’s route fell in this trap.
Kai: And after that, someone mentioned that ‘the balance of the game is not right!’ And as a countermeasure, we prepared a route for Ryou. Actually Ryou’s route has been a trouble all the time until completion.
(And the result is Kai getting addicted and bringing out Kappei, who even gives out a light. This branch is quite unexpected. But as there is twins, it’s not uncommon for a two routes in one—there are many similar cases. But hey, is there such a thing as in ‘balance’ in AVG?)

--The two of them always appear in the other character’s route. Are they actually so easy to make use of?
U1: Yeah. Especially Kyou, as a ‘girl who can always approach as a friend’, this setting is extremely convenient.
Maeda: Sometimes she says things that’s hard for Tomoya, and sometimes she helps other girls in Tomoya’s place. She is a very important person in many scenes.

--Please introduce us the concept of Kyou and Ryou’s script.
Kai: Now that you ask of us, I can’t seem to have any ideas…
Maeda: It's ‘Anti-KEY’ isn’t it?(smiles)
Kai: Ahh, even I wasn’t really thinking of Anti-KEY, I have determined to not to add any sci-fi elements in it. No one dies, and no one gets hurt. It seems like everyone is bound to get hurt in KEY’s past works(laughs)
(A sci-fi background has always been a tradition of KEY. But what differs them is that KEY is not a company famous for their sci-fi. The setting is solely for the purpose to actualize emotions that real-life stories can’t. Of course there are companies famous for using very down-to-earth settings. But saying Kyou and Ryou is Anti-KEY is appropriate. Not only they don’t carry the sorrow-ness of KEY, even their story is a bit plain. But I believe there won’t be many who are unhappy with this route. And why, it might just be because of in the mood of CLANNAD, even a plain story will sooth others. And I probably won’t find a friend as great as Kyou.)

--Also I have a question that I definitely want to ask. Why is Kyou’s pet a boar?
Kai: Even though it was decided in the beginning, the form of Kyou’s pet was determined in the very end. And in the After Story, isn’t it meaningful for those who see a boar that grows as time pass?
U1: But, is it okay to keep a boar as pet?
Kai: Normally I don’t think it is possible.
(-v-b But why a boar? But lucky it wasn’t a Maeda who decides, or it will have to be a cat! Maeda is a neko-con!)

[iamandragon]

Part 4: More about Tomoyo

Spoiler for contains major spoilers to the story!:

====================Tomoyo After, in good condition====================

--Tomoyo is a strong person in terms of both physically and mentally. In some ways, she and Nagis are girls on two opposite poles.
Maeda: Tomoyo, is a character created completely to my own liking. She is very independent, and a person who can complete perfectly everything on her own. But I have long wanted to create a character who gets blinded by love.
U1: She really has the side that ignores her surrounding once in love.

--Think about it, Tomoyo is a rare route where there are a lot of sharp acts included in it.
Maede: Actually even after finishing writing Tomoyo route I myself thought even those over-the-edge acts are very beautiful. But when the game goes on the shelf, there are many different kinds of critics. (:cries: )
Kai: To break up without much effort, and to re-unite without much effort, this kind of main character does make everybody uneasy.
Maeda: But if the main character works very hard, then it will become a very normal story. I think it is the main character’s slackness in school life that makes such a beautiful life.
U1: Though who doesn’t substitute themselves into the story when reading, can you feel the fun in this story? And in reverse, those who substitute themselves into the story when reading, don’t you get bothered by the main character’s slackness?
Maeda: Hey, If I substitute myself in I will feel good.(everyone laughs)
Maeda: Yeah. I think many those who felt resonance in Tomoyo’s route do often find within themselves part that looks similar to Tomoya. Some really one sided part isn’t it? (smiles)

--Talk about the characteristic of Tomoyo’s route, there are a lot of fun moments such as ‘Sunohara combo’ and ‘Fuko, appearance!’
Maeda: About the ‘Sunohara’, it was intended to be made into an action mini-game where the players have to time their clicks that allows the players to experience a feeling of their hands sweating from it. But in the end it wasn’t feasible due to programming reasons. But something like kicking Sunohara was something that wasn’t allowed in the past works of KEY do to the mood.

--‘As long as it is interesting then everything is okay, this concept is first projected in in Tomoyo’s route.
Maeda: Yes.

--About Tomoyo After?
Maeda: Yes. Like mentioned just now. Even though the main character got Tomoyo without much effort received much critics, but this ending also implies that ‘Tomoya will work hard from now on’. So to go in detail the life after that is also one of my desire. But purely liking Tomoyo is also a great reason for me to write about her alone.(smiles)

[Kinny Riddle]

Originally Posted by bullrogg

i think this may have been answered before..but why is it called clannad?

Scenario writer Maeda Jun once explained that the name is inspired by the Irish band of the same name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clannad (for the band)

The original Clannad band stands for "Clann-As-Dobhar" (Family from Dore).

So the name of the game also uses the same abbreviation, only this time it's "Clann-As-Dango" (Family of Dango, AKA Dango Daikazoku).

[iamandragon]

More about Kotomi:

Spoiler for contains major spoilers to the story!:

====================A deep meaning is within the phrase “The world is beautiful”===================
--Let’s talk about Kotomi’s route. How was her route born?
U1: Actually her story existed long ago. It’s more like choosing a character to fit into the story.

--In her route, Nagisa, Kyou and Ryou joined in, it feels very lively.
U1: I wanted to do this since the beginning. In the draw backs of AIR, the one I am most concerned about is “the story became a tale of the two and all the side characters are left aside”. And for this drawback, my own method of solving it is to have everyone join in. I wanted to make the side-characters important even in the end. And finally, it’s a story of these side-characters saving the main character.

--In the process of creating Kotomi’s route, is there anything that you have to pay attention to?
U1: I always think, the ‘world’ is something that is made up of ‘everybody. I did put a lot of mind into creating a world that combines many living organisms, including humans and many others.

--This thought is actually quite closely related with that ‘briefcase’. Similarly, Kotomi’s partent’s last work left us with quite a deep impression.
U1: Thank you. It is no exaggeration that Kotomi route is there to explain the phrase ‘the world is beautifl’. Everything I wanted to express in her script is all summarized in this phrase.

Sorry, not feeling well today.

[Shana]

I have a question, it's a bit weird and senseless, but I'm curious: Why Ryou isn't shown at the OP? I can see Nagisa, Fuko, Kotomi, Kyou and Tomoyo, but not Ryou; It's becouse she has no route/history back, or beacouse KyoAni forgot?

[boggart]

Originally Posted by Shana

I have a question, it's a bit weird and senseless, but I'm curious: Why Ryou isn't shown at the OP? I can see Nagisa, Fuko, Kotomi, Kyou and Tomoyo, but not Ryou; It's becouse she has no route/history back, or beacouse KyoAni forgot?

She was included in the VN's opening, but I think it's because KyoAni will probably leave her as a secondary character in their adaptation of the story, whereas the others will play a bigger role.

[Klashikari]

Well, considering the cover of the game, but also the game opening (she is shown AFTER Yukine), it is clear Ryou is considered as a "secondary" character.

[Shana]

Hmm, I see. Poor Ryou...

Well, thanks for answering.

[iamandragon]

Ryou's quite luckily actually. In the very beginning, she was never intended to have a story.

[iamandragon]

More about Fuko

Spoiler for warning: story spoiler:

===============This is a character opposite from the original concept?===============

--Let’s talk about Fuko. How was this lively character born?
Maeda: Actually my original idea was to give Fuko an image of a very reliable big sister.

--That’s opposite of what we have now?
Maeda: Yes. When I got the graphic design of Fuko, it turned out to look very cute. And in the end in order to co-operate with the graphic design, I tried giving Fuko a setting—a quiet image. But when I tried to write something I can’t find any feeling and it turned out to be a boring story. After that, basing on the objective of ‘making a fun game’, I decided to throw away this setting and start over from scratch.

--Fuko’s sister, the centre of her script, was her created after the new setting?
Maeda: No. Fuko working hard in order to give her sister blessing was a setting that was decided from the very beginning. But before the change of the settings, the story was quite boring.

--Was the craving of wooden stars decided during the stage of character setting?
Maeda: Even before that. But “why craving star?” was something even I don’t know.
U1: I think it should be “why wooding star?”
Maeda: I think it was to show the clumsy and stubborn side of Fuko.
Kai: Now that you mentioned it, in the original character design, her hand was covered in bandages
Maeda: Yeah yeah. Even though it is a way to show her clumsiness, but it looked too painful, so when we put her art on the official website we decided to take away the bandages.

--Like different characters, the game game Fuko two different endings. Why is this?
Maeda: On the view point of the game maer, I think “friend” is a suitable ending for them, so I wrote the story according to this concept. But then this is a “school romance gamee”, so I considered shall I make a romance ending? And in the end I added an alternative ending.

--Please talk about the concept of Fuko’s script
Maeda: I think half of it is “leftover thoughts”. In the end even though Fuko disappeared in everyone’s memory, and Fuko herself disappeared, but her thoughts remained. And that’s why in the end Fuko can appear again and to give her sister the blessings. And for the other half, perhaps this story is really lively. (smiles)

--In Fuko’s route there are a lot of pranks?
Maeda: Ahh. This is something I like a lot. It even gave a feeling that her story is there for the pranks.

--The game alters the actions of the pranks according to the date. Sometimes we feel like it is quite an unnecessary measure.
Kai: That’s why you will have to check all the pranks. And those game testers did have a hard time on it.
Maeda: I think there should still be parts where players haven’t seen. Please every keep trying.

[eMpTy265]

iamandragon, I hope you don't mind my budding into your translation efforts....

***

Disclaimer: I am only performing a chinese > english translation of the interviews, the original japanese > chinese translation was performed by KeyFC. All credits for the original translation go to them.

Since I only translated from Chinese -> English, expect a loss of quality...

Anyways...

***

Part 7 - Misae Sagara

Spoiler for Misae Sagara - Story Spoilers:

=== Misae Sagara - On the brink of being buried, a miraculous last minute revival ===

-- Now, after talking about the main characters, let's move onto our secondary characters. To start off, let's talk about Sagara Misae
U1: In the initial stages, the thought "If Sunohara was the only one in the dorm he'd be pretty lonely, how about we add a pretty female dorm manager?" popped up.

Maeda: Though we were considering the removal of her scenario throughout the development process.

-- eh? how come?
Maeda: Misae's scenario was originally U1's, but since Kotomi's scenario was giving him a hard time I took Misae from him. Unfortunately I couldn't come up with much of a story either.

Kai: He (Maeda) even told the production crew that "even though I introduced her in the HP, I can't think of a story for her"

Maeda: At that time, I watched a particular anime, and realized that I could make a character that likes to take care of others. Using that as a starting point, I was finally able to complete a complete story.

-- Halfway through Misae's route, we're brought back to Misae's past. This really left an impression.
Maeda: To be honest, the decision was made because I felt that there wasn't any development available between Misae and Tomoya, so I used a flashback to escape from the issue.
However, upon entering the flashback, I was able to connect Tomoyo to Misae through the usage of 'former student council president'. Furthermore, I was also able to develop the relationship between Yuusuke and Ibuko-sensei. As a result, this flashback broadened the horizons of the CLANNAD world.

-- In Misae's route, the story ended without solidifying Tomoya's relationship with Misae. Is there a meaning to this?
Maeda: It is true that there was no closure on Tomoya's relationship with Misae in her route. However, instead we have Tomoya seeing Misae's past through the eyes of Shima the cat (spirit). That is to say, Shima has accepted Tomoya and is willing to leave Misae in Tomoya's care. In a way, Misae's conclusion is similar to Tomoyo's, where the true relationship of the couple has yet to begin.

I opted to use Tomoya as the main character's name (for many reasons)

If there are translation errors, please PM me and I'll fix them ASAP

[iamandragon]

Yes...many thanks if you can help...period is killing me, so I'm taking a break for these few days. If you can do Yukine and Sunohara for me for the next two days as well, and I can continue the rest.
By the way, 志麻 in Romanji is Shima.

P.S. I also got my copy off kfc

[eMpTy265]

Spoiler for Miyazawa Yukine - Story Spoilers:

=== Miyazawa Yukine - Voted by the scriptwriters as the No.1 unfortunate character ===

-- Let's talk about the creation of Miyazawa Yukine's creation process
Maede: She's probably the most unfortunate character within CLANNAD, since her script was being constantly shafted from one scriptwriter to another...

Kai: When we were at the initial character setting, we decided to make a character that everyone loves.

Maede: We really wanted to make her one of the female leads, but unfortunately we didn't meet our expectations.

-- So what was the original character setting for Yukine?
U1: Have it this way, it was a completely different setting from what it became. However Jun stole it from me before I was able to get started...

Maede: Yukine's "Holy Mary of delinquents" setting was established long ago, but the story wasn't even started. At that time, I was obsessed with the idea of "making a touching story". So, I started writing a dark story where Tomoya and Sunohara gets involved with Yukine's life, revealing a tragic tale of Yukine's past. Unfortunately I lost my drive halfway, and couldn't find a way to end the scenario. Finally I got Kai to finish of where I left off... it was a lot of trouble indeed.

Kai: However, Yukine's 'magical ritual / (curse)' scenario was really interesting wasn't it?

Maede: I found it very interesting as well. During my role as a game tester, I couldn't help but get the "Who is it this time" feeling. (LOL) Originally I wanted to increase the material in this part, but the head of game testing would complain about the lack of testing time so we gave up.

[iamandragon]

It seems like kfc has been shutdown by the goverment...stupid Chinese goverments officials...well that being said, the interview translation will probably be halted on part 8 until we find another copy of the Chinese translation...

[Tangowr]

Originally Posted by iamandragon

It seems like kfc has been shutdown by the goverment...stupid Chinese goverments officials...well that being said, the interview translation will probably be halted on part 8 until we find another copy of the Chinese translation...

Hmm...the forum is still up though

[iamandragon]

Originally Posted by Tangowr

Hmm...the forum is still up though

It's been re-built, but the old posts are all gone.