[eggplant]

I was fortunate enough to have attended yesterday's CLANNAD ep.24 screening at the KFC Hall (no relation to everyone's favorite colonel). 400 selected CLANNAD fans flocked to the event, and interestingly enough, approximately a quarter of the audience was female.

Spoiler for ep.24 details:

The event started off with Tomoyo reciting the mandatory nota bene, and at the part in the case rules weren't observed, the screen showed off her combo moves, sending the audience into a frenzy. This was followed with a brief video message from Tomoyo's VA, Kuwashima Houko, who couldn't be at the event.

Spoiler for ep.24 Story:

Episode 24 is an alternate world of CLANNAD, where Tomoya and Tomoyo are going out with each other. The setting is the voting day for the student council election, where president candidate Tomoyo is set out on protecting the school greenery. As with each morning, Tomoya is woken up by Tomoyo, where the usual opening sequence starts.

At school, the results of the vote is announced over the PA system, where Tomoyo has been officially named president elect. With her responsibilities ahead of her, Tomoyo can no longer find time to spend her lunch break with Tomoya and Sunohara in their classroom, although she continues to make their obentou.

However, Tomoyo inadvertently abuses her new-found authority over the PA system, telling Tomoya not to wait for her, setting off a controversy. One of Tomoyo's immediate duties is to prepare for the School Festival, as she is bombarded with work over the course of several days, where she is unable to make time to meet Tomoya. She attempts a secret rendevous by masquerading in her bear outfit, but she is found by a second year student council officer (with no name, voiced by Fukuyama Jun), who later gets into a skirmish withTomoya, demanding him to break up with Tomoyo, for the sake of keeping her credibility as a president.

One day, one of the school alumnus who agreed to cooperative on presving the cherry trees, witnessed Tomoyo coming out of Tomoya's house on the morning of a school day, and notifies the student council. The faculty express dismay over such actions, and compounded with the two's history for misbehavior, pressure Tomoya into distancing himself from Tomoyo.

Tomoya decides to break up with Tomoyo, but she doesn't buy his story, saying she's fine with the situation. Tomoyo finally gives in to Tomoya's persuasion, where they break up and head their own ways. Tomoyo not only goes about executing her duties as president, she excels in her academics, placing fourth in the school, prompting talks of overseas study as an exchange student. She's even depicted showcasing her skills at an English speech contest (my condolences to the people who have to make out what she says).

The ending credits appear (no Dango Daikazoku) as both Tomoya and Tomoyo receive their diplomas during graduation convocation. Tomoya finds employment at a local company while Tomoyo seeks higher education at the big city. Time flies, where it is already winter. With Lia's "Ana" in the background, Tomoya and Tomoyo meet each other on a snowy day. Tomoya confesses that he's a nobody who's stuck in town for the rest of his life, and doesn't deserve someone like Tomoyo, who can be successful anywhere in the world. Tomoyo digresses, saying only that if Tomoya wants her to stay, she'll be more than happy to oblige. Tomoyo cries in Tomoya's arms, where the story comes to and end.

Although this episode is #24 from a categorical perspective, I have problems calling it so, as it more or less falls into the same area as Nagisa's special episode. Then again, a spin-off isn't an accurate way of putting it, since it is a parallel ending, with an alternate closure to Nagisa route. This episode will be included in DVD Vol. 8 out in July, and is a great way to close out the first season of CLANNAD, since the "After Story" will primarily focus on Tomoya and Nagisa right where it left off, so Tomoyo fans will feel some sense of redemption. Then again, the Tomoyo special edition might only increase demand for an adaptation of "Tomoyo After". None of the other female protagonists make an appearance, which is understandable since they had to wrap up the Tomoyo special in 24 minutes, but considering the fact that this is a special edition, which is usually reserved for insignificant side stories, it was definitely well worth the trip (and well worth buying the DVD).

Immediately after the screening, a surprise talk event too place, with guests Nakamura Yuuichi (Tomoya) and Sakaguchi Daisuke (Sunohara). Comments from Kuwashima Houko (Tomoyo), Nakahara Mai (Nagisa), and Director Ishihara Tatsuya were either shown or read, expressing their expectations for the second season, although nothing was mentioned reagarding the broadcast date. The voice actors had a fun time out of teasing Fukuyama Jun, who uncharacteristically played second fiddle by voicing a character with no name. A poster of the Visual Arts version of the After Story praphics was unveiled and handed out to everyone in the audience. (see photo)

Spoiler for After Story Poster:

All in all, the event was a testament to how much Kyoto Animation, Pony Canyon, TBS, and everyone from the CLANNAD production commitee cares about the franchise, which successfully piqued my interest for the upcoming sequel.
Just like last year, I will be attending the TBS Anime Festival, with hopes that the After Story will be shown in advance. If so, look forward to my report then.