Clannad - Episode 14 Discussion / Poll

[tabun]

A nice conclusion to a less pronounced, yet not less aloof arc than the Fuuko one. Less drawn out, as it appears to me, which is a good thing; but also not as much as moving (to me, at least). I am now looking forward to the fleshing out of Tomoya's background, as is hinted on in next week's preview.

Overall, however, I feel like I'm getting more and more detached from the show as a whole - maybe because it has lost some of it's pace. Beats me, I'll watch on nonetheless!

[Reckoner]

Originally Posted by Owaranai Destiny

Try not to force reality most of the time into a show like Clannad, else you would probably have dropped it when it came to the point where everyone was speculating about Fuuko being an astral projection.

Frankly, I don't see anything wrong with Tomoya's crying. You should have noticed he isn't exactly the type to withhold his emotions all the time, and sometimes there will be times where tears can flow uncontrollably from a person, especially if he/she felt emotions (i.e. happiness, being deeply moved) so powerful that caused the tear glands to react.

The Fuko astral projection is meant to be unreal, its magical. I'm still going to use common logic with this to evaluate what's plausible in the Clannad realm. She gets weaker in real life, more people forget about her. So if she disappeared, everyone forgot about her. I know this is supposed to be a miracle of the sorts, but the idea is laughable is all. I'm just trying to find the logic in a suitcase going to so many countries and somehow ending up in Japan. In the dialog during the traveling suitcase scene I heard many languages such as French, English, and Spanish.

All I can say to Tomoya's crying is that the tears seemed unnatural. Whether you agree with me or not is just an opinion like mine. Yes people cry uncontrollably at times, but this definitely did not seem to me like one of these moments to me.

EDIT: I detest that the argument that we should not think of realism during an anime show. The different worlds in shows and movies are still based on our reality one way or another. Clannad still has physics, and chemistry, and people, and schools, and cars, and bikes, etc. When they introduce something like the Fuko projection, ok, that is something different in this world. I am not going to complain about something like that. I am going to complain when they introduce the idea of so many good willed people taking a suitcase through many random countries and somehow getting the suitcase to Japan. I do not feel as if I am conveying my thoughts to you properly, but like I said before I am justing using logic in my reasoning with Clannad.

[Owaranai Destiny]

Originally Posted by Reckoner

I'm just trying to find the logic in a suitcase going to so many countries and somehow ending up in Japan. In the dialog during the traveling suitcase scene I heard many languages such as French, English, and Spanish.

EDIT: I am going to complain when they introduce the idea of so many good willed people taking a suitcase through many random countries and somehow getting the suitcase to Japan. I do not feel as if I am conveying my thoughts to you properly, but like I said before I am justing using logic in my reasoning with Clannad.

Tough, isn't it, to imagine that there would actually be someone with so much goodwill in him to pass the suitcase around? Just in case, my opinion regarding this is probably a little less skeptical than yours, but while it might sound illogical by the today's standards, it definitely isn't impossible. The scenario is most certainly riding it's luck as it is natural for people like you and I to disbelieve that there will actually be so many people so kind-hearted to return it, but having details on that would have been meaningless as the focus was on the suitcase returning and Kotomi's resolution with her own demons about her parents.

Perhaps I've been too hasty in judging your opinion, because a healthy dose of realism is good for any anime. Still, let us remember that the process by which the suitcase came to Kotomi was a method of telling us a little more just how precious the suitcase was. Sounds a little theatrical, but then again, I probably can't convey this the right way since I don't have the 'technical' terms at hand to use.

[kingsky123]

wasnt the suitcase thing in 'a series of unfortunate events'?

[PonSquared]

I found the Kotomi arc to be the low point of the series. I am really glad it is finally over. I'm looking forward to more relationship development between the main characters in the next episode.

[Proto]

Just barging in a little

EDIT: I detest that the argument that we should not think of realism during an anime show. The different worlds in shows and movies are still based on our reality one way or another. Clannad still has physics, and chemistry, and people, and schools, and cars, and bikes, etc. When they introduce something like the Fuko projection, ok, that is something different in this world. I am not going to complain about something like that. I am going to complain when they introduce the idea of so many good willed people taking a suitcase through many random countries and somehow getting the suitcase to Japan. I do not feel as if I am conveying my thoughts to you properly, but like I said before I am justing using logic in my reasoning with Clannad.

It's not like this is a new resource or anything. Suspension of disbelief has been around almost since fantastic literature was born. Moreover, the main point of the episode was not really how the suitcase arrived to Kotomi in the end, although it is part of the overall dramatic structure. The main point of this was to show Kotomi's parents love for their child even in a most extreme moment, and their effort to convey that feeling. The main point was kotomi's receiving that message, coming in terms with her past and looking towards the future. As such, when suspension of disbelief is only asked for a secondary part of the story I don't think it can be considered as an overuse of the literary resource.

[Reckoner]

I do disagree about the suitcase scene as that was put in there to give the letter substance. The many people handing off suitcases to each other were trying to get it back to the dear daughter that is spoke of in the letter. Obviously these people were moved enough by this emotion to even go through with this. This scene was used to show how strong the love of their parents was that it made so many people travel around with this suitcase.

Now I digress to the topic of suspension of belief. Suspension of belief exists in tons of literature, I understand that. However, even when something is intended to be like this there can still be a limit, in my opinion, to ridiculousness. I would've preferred it be said that some man found the suitcase and saw an address somewhere and sent it back. That still has the essence of suspension of belief with out being utterly ridiculous. I found it to be enough that the suitcase survives a plane crash and floats away in the ocean.

[Proto]

I do disagree about the suitcase scene as that was put in there to give the letter substance. The many people handing off suitcases to each other were trying to get it back to the dear daughter that is spoke of in the letter. Obviously these people were moved enough by this emotion to even go through with this. This scene was used to show how strong the love of their parents was that it made so many people travel around with this suitcase.

Hence why I said it was part of the overall dramatic structure without really being the main point. Although, it's good that we agree up to here, even if its through paraphrasing

And now, I agree with you that this part of the episode requires a great deal of suspension, and that to a point it was overstretched. I am not contesting that. *My* argument is that despite it being overstretched it does not sufficiently affect the main point of the whole event, which i mentioned in my previous post, since it only refers to a secondary dramatic plot device. If our suspension of disbelief referred to the contents of the letters itself (like Kotomi's parents actually being tyrannical dictators who in the last moment had a change of hearth) or Kotomi's had an out of character reaction (like her having an 'I want my mommy' tantrum after reading the letter) then yes, the suspension of disbelief would be too extreme AND referring to the core of the event, which would make the whole scene devoid of any meaning. Fortunately, that is not the case here.

[Reckoner]

Originally Posted by ProtoMan

And now, I agree with you that this part of the episode requires a great deal of suspension, and that to a point it was overstretched. I am not contesting that. *My* argument is that despite it being overstretched it does not sufficiently affect the main point of the whole event, which i mentioned in my previous post, since it only refers to a secondary dramatic plot device.

All right, I can see your reasoning and I agree. In my original post though I was only complaining about this plot point and not the whole scene .

[avion48]

The next episode looks like it's going to be the start of Nagisa arc. If it is Nagisa's arc then I doubt we will see Tomoyo or Kyou's arc. We will probably see nagisa's arc and then the after story. This sure does suck. I don't like Nagisa and I much rather have Tomoyo or Kyou. I think Nagisa is very uninteresting. There is 10 episodes left and there is no way all the arcs that are left will be shown unless there are more episodes. I also think the Fuko arc was WAY too long.

[Klashikari]

Originally Posted by avion48

The next episode looks like it's going to be the start of Nagisa arc. If it is Nagisa's arc then I doubt we will see Tomoyo or Kyou's arc. We will probably see nagisa's arc and then the after story. This sure does suck. I don't like Nagisa and I much rather have Tomoyo or Kyou.There is 10 episodes left and there is no way all the arcs that are left will be shown unless there are more episodes. I also think the Fuko arc was WAY too long.

It has been confirmed several times that Tomoyo and Kyou will have their own arcs as well.
And there isn't any confirmation yet that Clannad will be done with only 24 episodes, as information on a second season isn't confirmed or whatnot.

That said, considering the themes and the objective of the story, it would be highly unlikely they would skip main characters.

[~Destiny~]

I'm sorry to ask here, but can anyone tell me the name as well as the composer of the BGM that starts at around 15:01(SS subs)? I remember it from before, but I was never really interested in it until now.

PS: I have tried searching for it, but after looking throught the first few episode discussion boards I kinda just gave up.

[holyman282]

Originally Posted by avion48

The next episode looks like it's going to be the start of Nagisa arc. If it is Nagisa's arc then I doubt we will see Tomoyo or Kyou's arc. We will probably see nagisa's arc and then the after story. This sure does suck. I don't like Nagisa and I much rather have Tomoyo or Kyou. I think Nagisa is very uninteresting. There is 10 episodes left and there is no way all the arcs that are left will be shown unless there are more episodes. I also think the Fuko arc was WAY too long.

Next ep looks to be more about Tomoya and his basketball incident then the start of Nagisa's arc anyway.

[Fruitfly]

Originally Posted by Reckoner

EDIT: I detest that the argument that we should not think of realism during an anime show. The different worlds in shows and movies are still based on our reality one way or another. Clannad still has physics, and chemistry, and people, and schools, and cars, and bikes, etc. When they introduce something like the Fuko projection, ok, that is something different in this world. I am not going to complain about something like that. I am going to complain when they introduce the idea of so many good willed people taking a suitcase through many random countries and somehow getting the suitcase to Japan. I do not feel as if I am conveying my thoughts to you properly, but like I said before I am justing using logic in my reasoning with Clannad.

I liked the episode, but there was a lot of weird questions that came to my mind in this arc.
- Catalogs come in brown paper envelopes in Japan?
- Parents go overseas and leave their young daughter home alone? I'm going to assume they went overseas because the suitcase was in western Europe.
- They leave food for a party, but they take the gift with them? Okay, so they bought the gift on the way to the airport, but why so last minute?
- Man wears a trench coat over a suit when its hot enough that other people are wearing shorts?

[Willcrusher]

Originally Posted by Fruitfly

I liked the episode, but there was a lot of weird questions that came to my mind in this arc.
- Parents go overseas and leave their young daughter home alone? I'm going to assume they went overseas because the suitcase was in western Europe.
- They leave food for a party, but they take the gift with them? Okay, so they bought the gift on the way to the airport, but why so last minute?
- Man wears a trench coat over a suit when its hot enough that other people are wearing shorts?

- It was stated in the episode the parents were en route to a conference in the United States, so yes, they went overseas.

- They were looking for the biggest and the best.

- It's to make the character look suspicious. If he wore similar clothing, would he seem like a bad guy? Lol.

[C.A.]

The arc ended well, but I think I'm more prone to touching, bitter sweet, sad endings than such touching, happy endings.

I find myself struck harder by Fuko's ending, the arc's intensity per episode was exponential. Kotomi's arc was a wild ride, I was amused by the hilarious episodes but couldn't really feel the intensity build up when the emotional parts kicked in.

It was a good arc still, can't wait to see more.

[mandarb916]

Originally Posted by Fruitfly

- Parents go overseas and leave their young daughter home alone?

I'm going off bad short-term memory, but I believe they had a caretaker/nanny (who coincidentally was sick or something on the day of Kotomi's birthday).

Kotomi's arc, imho, wasn't horrible...and while I understand what the story was trying to convey with the suitcase, I think it was pretty cheesy...not necessarily the concept, but the presentation of it and ruined the mood for myself. It's hard to say where things'll go from here considering there's...10 eps left I think?

If I recall, even though the Nagisa arc overlaps with the Fuuko arc, it's still rather long, right? 3on3 was the split in the road for the Nagisa arc in the game so I suppose we won't get a chance to see the Kyo/Ryo arc...unless there's S2? :/

[Rookie103]

Originally Posted by mandarb916

I'm going off bad short-term memory, but I believe they had a caretaker/nanny (who coincidentally was sick or something on the day of Kotomi's birthday).

Kotomi's arc, imho, wasn't horrible...and while I understand what the story was trying to convey with the suitcase, I think it was pretty cheesy...not necessarily the concept, but the presentation of it and ruined the mood for myself. It's hard to say where things'll go from here considering there's...10 eps left I think?

If I recall, even though the Nagisa arc overlaps with the Fuuko arc, it's still rather long, right? 3on3 was the split in the road for the Nagisa arc in the game so I suppose we won't get a chance to see the Kyo/Ryo arc...unless there's S2? :/

NO! No Kyou or Ryou arc

[Proto]

NO! No Kyou or Ryou arc

Relax people, KyoAni is just being a little original with the episode distribution and having Nagisa's arc develop slowly through the series. The future episodes will focus on a character you could not possibliy expect without spoilers

[mandarb916]

Originally Posted by ProtoMan

The future episodes will focus on a character you could not possibliy expect without spoilers

Kappei or Misae (the dorm manager?) lol