Clannad series - Overall Series Impressions & Total Series Rating

[coderlan]

Well, it really does explain genre having 'fantasy' in it.

[Akka]

AFAIK, the illusionary world is parallel to the real one, and is mainly an "energetic" counterpart (there is some of insight about it in the Kotomi arc in the first season, it's the world her parents studied about).
Roughly, let's say that "happiness" in our world translate into little wisp-lights (you can see them faintly in the real-world anime, and they are pointed out in the A.S. and, IIRC, thought as lighted snowflakes), which are energy in the illusionary world.

What happens in the story truly happens. And one thing is, Tomoya actually helped a lot of people finding happiness, hence created a lot of energy. And this means that, in the end, he accumulated enough energy that Ushio in the illusionary world (the girl) was able to rewind time and "refund" the life that Nagisa had borrowed to the city (when Akio bring baby-Nagisa into the hill and begged for her life, there was a "contract" between her and the city, kind of a life gift, which allowed her to live, but made her very frail of health, as we can see several times in the story).

So the energy allowed to get back in time, and to "give back" her "real life" to Nagisa rather than the "city-borrowed" one, hence her getting back a good health, which means that she now survives the birth of her daughter.
Tomoya has some faint memories of what happened in the erased timeline, as he has experienced it, showing it WAS really true.

In short, the power of happiness allowed him a second chance because of his good actions and a happy ending for all
All this comes, IIRC, from the gameplay concept of the game : you could have the "good ending" only by completing all the good endings from all the characters - each good ending gave you an "energy light", and when you had all of them they would unlock the final good ending. Kinda the same, they adapted a gameplay concept into a storyline.

Hope it did help, and that I didn't made too many errors (I haven't played the game, I'm basically summing up from memory what I read in several places, so I may be wrong in some places).

[coderlan]

^Wow, OMG, this answers all my confusing questions! Arigatou Gosaimasu...
but didn't read the whole though, probably tomorrow, it's midnight here.

[Khu]

goZAimasu.

Just had to point that out.

[calorie]

So it has finally come to this. As I'd watched this anime I felt compelled to review it, heck I've done it in my head many times over. Every time I had a new thought, realization that made it greater in my mind. The reason for doing this is most likely that Clannad succeeded in amplifying every single story arc, making it feel grand, perfect and complete. It was around halfway into After Story that I'd realized I am in way over my head. This does not deserve to be dissected and reviewed like some faulty piece of garbage. No sir.

Clannad has grown on me more than I ever thought possible when I played that first episode. Sakura trees, overdramatic (though fabulous) music, deep thoughts, cynical male protagonist right at the start of the anime? I knew it was really popular and loved, but back then I thought I knew just why and my presumptions weren't bright at all.
"I realize why some people might like this stuff but me? Nah...this is too corny for me...oh well, now that I've started, I'll give it a shot with a few more episodes."
But how the hell could I have known?

It's a 10, the biggest freakin' 10 I've ever given to anything in my entire life. This is what animes are basically all about. Granted, there are animes that are different, unusual and branch out pretty far from their origin. But essentially what makes them anime, not cartoons or tv shows, a medium that has attracted so many people lately is more or less the same. And Clannad is a conventional anime in that regard. Except it took all that emotion, tranquil slice-of-lifeness, seemingly naive but in fact deep story and made it feel REAL. Every character, every moment, everything that might have put me off at first - though it seemed bland at times - has converted into a great memory, a profound feeling of love. Clannad has stripped off the defense mechanisms I have implanted into my brain as I grew up, thinking I have toughened up, grown smarter, more experienced, when in reality all I did was block off those simple, yet beautiful things and emotions that make life. Because it was easier that way, it left me less vulnerable, rid of any great expectations, making it harder for me to get hurt.

Friendship, falling-in-love, the simple quirks and talents that make us special, the dreams of our childhood and adolescence, all that seems to be labeled as a stupid ideal or taboo today. Should we trivialize those things, take them for granted and treat those moments as such? (This is exactly what Ryou was talking about in Kyou's arc, Alernate World episode) No, instead we should hold them as precious memories, even though they might not be "Clannad" for everyone. I was a bit like Nagisa in those years and I regret what I have missed. When I think about it, those years will always hold a special place in my heart even though my childhood and adolescence was short of practically any happy moments. If I had a chance to redo things, I definitely would have acted more like Tomoya, I would've stayed true to some things even when I was ridiculed and insulted by others.

Clannad is all too simple. If I tried to describe it, I certainly wouldn't do it any justice. Every aspect of it is combined in a perfect way to create a masterpiece, making it all seem believable. I cried plenty of times, I smiled like I haven't since childhood (I mean those truly happy, altruistic, empathic smiles) because the characters felt completely real. No real way to describe it other than watch it; this is what makes animes great - to an outsider all this would seem pathetic but rather than using complex dialogues or situations to build up characters and explain their morality like in the real movies or TV shows, in animes it's done in a way that's almost magical. Not only that, this anime makes you rethink your life priorities and thus changes it. Yes, this anime is life-changing.

There, my impression of Clannad. It's the best thing I've watched in my life. Rewatching an anime seemed like a ridiculous thing to do when there are so many good ones around, but I am positive I will rewatch Clannad one day and rejoice as I have on my first watching.

[DeX-kun]

Originally Posted by bsla

Spoiler for Clannad Review:

So it has finally come to this. As I'd watched this anime I felt compelled to review it, heck I've done it in my head many times over. Every time I had a new thought, realization that made it greater in my mind. The reason for doing this is most likely that Clannad succeeded in amplifying every single story arc, making it feel grand, perfect and complete. It was around halfway into After Story that I'd realized I am in way over my head. This does not deserve to be dissected and reviewed like some faulty piece of garbage. No sir.

Clannad has grown on me more than I ever thought possible when I played that first episode. Sakura trees, overdramatic (though fabulous) music, deep thoughts, cynical male protagonist right at the start of the anime? I knew it was really popular and loved, but back then I thought I knew just why and my presumptions weren't bright at all.
"I realize why some people might like this stuff but me? Nah...this is too corny for me...oh well, now that I've started, I'll give it a shot with a few more episodes."
But how the hell could I have known?

It's a 10, the biggest freakin' 10 I've ever given to anything in my entire life. This is what animes are basically all about. Granted, there are animes that are different, unusual and branch out pretty far from their origin. But essentially what makes them anime, not cartoons or tv shows, a medium that has attracted so many people lately is more or less the same. And Clannad is a conventional anime in that regard. Except it took all that emotion, tranquil slice-of-lifeness, seemingly naive but in fact deep story and made it feel REAL. Every character, every moment, everything that might have put me off at first - though it seemed bland at times - has converted into a great memory, a profound feeling of love. Clannad has stripped off the defense mechanisms I have implanted into my brain as I grew up, thinking I have toughened up, grown smarter, more experienced, when in reality all I did was block off those simple, yet beautiful things and emotions that make life. Because it was easier that way, it left me less vulnerable, rid of any great expectations, making it harder for me to get hurt.

Friendship, falling-in-love, the simple quirks and talents that make us special, the dreams of our childhood and adolescence, all that seems to be labeled as a stupid ideal or taboo today. Should we trivialize those things, take them for granted and treat those moments as such? (This is exactly what Ryou was talking about in Kyou's arc, Alernate World episode) No, instead we should hold them as precious memories, even though they might not be "Clannad" for everyone. I was a bit like Nagisa in those years and I regret what I have missed. When I think about it, those years will always hold a special place in my heart even though my childhood and adolescence was short of practically any happy moments. If I had a chance to redo things, I definitely would have acted more like Tomoya, I would've stay true to some things even when I was ridiculed and insulted by others.

Clannad is all too simple. If I tried to describe it, I certainly wouldn't do it any justice. Every aspect of it is combined in a perfect way to create a masterpiece, making it all seem believable. I cried plenty of times, I smiled like I haven't since childhood (I mean those truly happy, altruistic, emphatic smiles) because the characters felt completely real. No real way to describe it other than watch it; this is what makes animes great - to an outsider all this would seem pathetic but rather than using complex dialogues or situations to build up characters and explain their morality like in the real movies or TV shows, in animes it's done in a way that's almost magical. Not only that, this anime makes you rethink your life priorities and thus changes it. Yes, this anime is life-changing.

There, my impression of Clannad. It's the best thing I've watched in my life. Rewatching an anime seemed like a ridiculous thing to do when there are so many good ones around, but I am positive I will rewatch Clannad one day and rejoice as I have on my first watching.

This was a wonderful review. Most people like to go with statistics and numbers and also compare similar aspects of this anime with overused notions that have been seen before but I believe one should treat each anime as it is (i.e. - Unless it's obvious an anime is trying to receive attention by using cliche themes.) Clannad on it's own shouldn't be reviewed on numbers alone, but by what it does to you, the emotional reactions and all the thoughts that are provoked by this anime. Just as you, I began watching this anime but was very skeptical about it because it was labeled as a harem where I was watching it (and wrongfully so.)

In my opinion, Clannad is simply an anime that must be experienced.

[calorie]

Originally Posted by DeX-kun

This was a wonderful review. Most people like to go with statistics and numbers and also compare similar aspects of this anime with overused notions that have been seen before but I believe one should treat each anime as it is (i.e. - Unless it's obvious an anime is trying to receive attention by using cliche themes.) Clannad on it's own shouldn't be reviewed on numbers alone, but by what it does to you, the emotional reactions and all the thoughts that are provoked by this anime. Just as you, I began watching this anime but was very skeptical about it because it was labeled as a harem where I was watching it (and wrongfully so.)

In my opinion, Clannad is simply an anime that must be experienced.

Thank you DeX-kun, for the kind words. Indeed, rating the animation, music, story, characters etc. to form a final verdict and then trying to write a generic review just wouldn't be right.

Now that I think about it my experience of watching Clannad and the way I gradually started realizing how gorgeous that simplicity is reflects Okazaki Tomoya's slowly changing mindset. And is there a better way to point this out than by comparing his stance towards Dangos in the beginning and the end of the anime? I'll never forget his expression when Nagisa started talking about them and singing that song for the first time - I could feel his utter despair . This is probably how most people, including myself, felt when they started watching the anime.

[DeX-kun]

Originally Posted by bsla

Thank you DeX-kun, for the kind words. Indeed, rating the animation, music, story, characters etc. to form a final verdict and then trying to write a generic review just wouldn't be right.

Now that I think about it my experience of watching Clannad and the way I gradually started realizing how gorgeous that simplicity is reflects Okazaki Tomoya's slowly changing mindset. And is there a better way to point this out than by comparing his stance towards Dangos in the beginning and the end of the anime? I'll never forget his expression when Nagisa started talking about them and singing that song for the first time - I could feel his utter despair . This is probably how most people, including myself, felt when they started watching the anime.

You're welcome.

To be honest though, I thought Nagisa singing that song was cute But it was hilarious looking at Tomoya's reaction to her singing that song. Tomoya's slow and well paced development was the highlight of this series. Just like you said, initially Tomoya had this weird reaction to the "Dango" song but as the series progressed and his feelings changed, he grew to love that song deeply.

In the beginning of the series, Tomoya was disgusted by the "Dango" song. In the middle of the series, Tomoya kind of gets a happy feeling from hearing Nagisa sing the "Dango" song while making him some tea Then finally, Tomoya cries himself to sleep as he sings "Dango" as a lullaby to Ushio. Honestly, I would have never predicted that Tomoya could end up as the person he was at the end of the series, seeing how conflicted he was in the beginning.

Tomoya and Nagisa are my favorite couple (obviously ) but at the same time, they are my favorite individual characters for the male lead and female lead and with good reason, as shown in the anime.

[calorie]

Originally Posted by DeX-kun

Honestly, I would have never predicted that Tomoya could end up as the person he was at the end of the series, seeing how conflicted he was in the beginning.

And all that didn't look awkward, we all saw him change in the most natural way. I can't put my finger on what is that which makes these characters so convincing...

Tomoya and Nagisa are my favorite couple (obviously ) but at the same time, they are my favorite individual characters for the male lead and female lead and with good reason, as shown in the anime.

They are my favorite couple (and characters) as well, by the end of the show I was totally getting them. Nagisa, a shy, insecure and a bit boring (as heartless as it may have been of me to think that) at first glance - turned out to be the most gentle, good-natured and exceptional person on Earth. Tomoya, the seemingly apathetic screw-up is actually one with a very keen sense of morality and by the end matures into just as good of a person as Nagisa not afraid to dig into those, sometimes painful feelings when need arises. Together they're perfect.

[Archon_Wing]

bsla: Nice review, I agree with a lot with what you said. Sometimes it's not fun to review a series with a pen and notepad while watching it.

As I said in my initial post in this thread, the show feels like more a modern fairy tale. The untold optimism in the story sorta clashes with the somewhat cynical attitude many forms of media have gotten. Darker and edgier, more gritty and realistic. Those things can be fun and involving too. But it's not always better, because they have gotten cliche too. Hell, calling something cliche is cliche.

But Clannad goes back towards the optimistic side but with more depth and honesty. It doesn't pretend to be anything it's not or claim to teach any lessons. It's just what it is.

I rewatched the last part of the first season (episode 22) and found this dialogue to be hilarious:

Basically, at the end Tomoya inquires Nagisa about the end of the story and then Nagisa says they sing the Dango song. Then Tomoya in disbelief, was like "Everyone was clapping but there was a strange air in the Auditorium in the end. ... It like ruined all the emotional things that built up".

After watching this scene and all the controversy over the ending, I laughed pretty hard. I'm quite sure Tomoya thinks much differently about the ending by the end of After Story.

[calorie]

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

bsla: Nice review, I agree with a lot with what you said. Sometimes it's not fun to review a series with a pen and notepad while watching it.

As I said in my initial post in this thread, the show feels like more a modern fairy tale. The untold optimism in the story sorta clashes with the somewhat cynical attitude many forms of media have gotten. Darker and edgier, more gritty and realistic. Those things can be fun and involving too. But it's not always better, because they have gotten cliche too. Hell, calling something cliche is cliche.

But Clannad goes back towards the optimistic side but with more depth and honesty. It doesn't pretend to be anything it's not or claim to teach any lessons. It's just what it is.

My point exactly, it's like we come with an in-built "defense mechanism" against pure, honest and optimistic things, they have become cliche. But just as the Hollywood made them cliche it made the alternative to it that you've mentioned cliche as well. Honestly I have enjoyed this anime so much after years of watching TV shows on Fox and crappy blockbuster movies, it was like an elixir of youth for my soul.

[Jimmy C]

Originally Posted by Archon Wing

Basically, at the end Tomoya inquires Nagisa about the end of the story and then Nagisa says they sing the Dango song. Then Tomoya in disbelief, was like "Everyone was clapping but there was a strange air in the Auditorium in the end. ... It like ruined all the emotional things that built up".

It was only a few weeks ago on a rewatch of season 1, that I realized that they actually told the viewers how the Imaginary World segment was going to end with that scene. And they did it in such a way that you wouldn't believe it unless you already knew how the story was going to end!

[DeX-kun]

Originally Posted by Jimmy C

It was only a few weeks ago on a rewatch of season 1, that I realized that they actually told the viewers how the Imaginary World segment was going to end with that scene. And they did it in such a way that you wouldn't believe it unless you already knew how the story was going to end!

This my friend, is what you call subtle foreshadowing

[Aqua Knight]

Watched the AS and don't regret it at all. I can even say that I admire Nagisa and clearly understand why Okazaki had chosen her. Though he could have had very good chances with Kyou and Tomoyo.
Perfect 10/10
I even shed some tears especially when Okazaki was biding farewell with his dad, that scene struck me a lot.
Complete satisfactory from the series and now I'm going to play Tomoyo's and Yukine's routes( I completed Kotomi's and Fujibayshi routes already).

Thanks Dex-kun!

[Khu]

Nagisa was always gonna be, the 'one', I guess. Most probably because you're intro'ed to her first, but also she was also the first that he started caring about. Or maybe she was just too damn cute. :P

[Chami-sensei]

Clannad is one of my favourite animes. Clannad was a good watch, I enjoyed each episode and always egerly awaited the next one. To me though AS was Clannads claim to fame and is what made it stick in my mind as a perfect series. I would give the first season a 8/10 since it was good but some arc ends were a bit weak. AS is easily worth 10/10 but some of the early eps dragged it down a bit.

Still I would recommend Clannad to anyone.

[coderlan]

This anime is so annoying as in 'I CANNOT STOP WATCHING IT'. I'm rewatching it, and of course I would recommend this to everyone who has good understanding about the genre.

[DeX-kun]

Originally Posted by 17th_warrior

Thanks Dex-kun!

You're welcome

Originally Posted by Chami-sensei

Clannad is one of my favourite animes. Clannad was a good watch, I enjoyed each episode and always egerly awaited the next one. To me though AS was Clannads claim to fame and is what made it stick in my mind as a perfect series. I would give the first season a 8/10 since it was good but some arc ends were a bit weak. AS is easily worth 10/10 but some of the early eps dragged it down a bit.

Still I would recommend Clannad to anyone.

We share similar opinions. The first season was good and it made me laugh plenty of times along with a couple of dramatic moments but after watching After Story, you can feel the difference between both seasons. Even so, you can't have After Story without the first season since it set up everything that had to do with the illusionary world and explains quite a bit about the existence of it.

[Aqua Knight]

Don't know about season 1. I gave it 9/10 just because Fuko's arc was too dragged on, excluding it's pure 10/10.
1 season - more comedy etc
2 season - drama, well you know
And there's practically no other characters like Tomoyo(especially her) and Kotomi in 2 season which I adore.

[Archon_Wing]

Originally Posted by 17th_warrior

And there's practically no other characters like Tomoyo(especially her) and Kotomi in 2 season which I adore.

That's one thing I didn't like about After Story, in that they didn't give any kind of meaningful resolution to the other characters. We know Kyou is a teacher, but couldn't they have had a couple of more sentences about what happened? Do the rest get with anyone? Would it kill them to come up with more male characters their age? Understandably, the source material probably didn't bother either, but it's still annoying. But it'd just be nice to wrap everything up.

Despite that, it's still my 2nd favorite anime. Not that my favorite, Higurashi, is anywhere near perfect either. In any case, I will still maintain Clannad as 10 (perhaps 9 for the first season), since I don't believe in perfection but it cuts damned near close. It's all relative to me, anyways. And I've only given out 10s about twice if you don't consider separate seasons to be separate series, so it definitely has a high place for me. I just have an annoying tendency to tear into everything, including shows I like.

Edit: Why was there no overall rating thread for season 1?