Refine by Characters
/ Fujibayashi Kyo / Furukawa Nagisa / Sakagami Tomoyo / Ibuki Fuuko / Fujibayashi Ryou /
I sometimes cry when I watch anime accidentally. But usually it is only the first time I watch… After second time, I know the story so I don’t cry so much. However, this anime “CLANNAD” is special. I always cry when I watch specific scene even though I know how the story goes.
It is originally a computer game create by game developer “Key.” This game became a big hit following previous two games “Kanon” and “AIR”. Creators who are excellent to create “Naki-gee” (games make people cry because of stories) gather, so I prepared myself for some tears. Actually, its scenario has lots of contents, so to complete this game you need to spend so much time. However, I felt like I relive the experience of a protagonist and laughed and cried together with him.
Because of its high popularity, CLANNAD has made several transitions to other media such as PS2, comic books, movies, TV anime, and so on. Especially TV anime series which Kyoto Animation created contains 44 main episodes in total (2 season ×2). So it is well worth seeing.
It is said that the word “CLANNAD” means “family” in Gaelic, but there are various theories. One of that theories is that an abbreviation for “Clann as D” in Celtic languages. The meaning of “Clann as D” is “Family of D”. As “D”, there are hypotheses. One is “dohbar” meaning of town, and the other is “dango” of English notation. Both of them match the theme. This is the story about things happen to a family live in a town.
A protagonist Tomoya Okazaki is a high school student and he is known as a delinquent, because he skips and is late for school, and doesn’t have much contact with others. One day, he meets a girl, who is one of main heroines Nagisa Furukawa on a sloping road leads to their school. She is poor in health, so her long absence from school makes her repeat the same grade. And Nagisa is very shy with people, so she is isolated in her class. Tomoya hangs about with Nagisa to make a drama club together, and solves some troubles of other heroines and kind of bad friends. While he solves troubles, Tomoya and Nagisa deepen their relationship... This is the story line of TV anime 1st season. There are many serious scenes, but also lots of funny scenes are contained. Tomoya and Sunohara’s conversations and behaviors are just like teenagers. So watch them with warm heart. Oh, and don’t forget about toilet seat cover…
In the 1st season, Kotomi Ichinose is so cute for me. She is always ranked at the top of the whole country in standardized exam. However, she refuses to get along with others. Kotomi is a mysterious girl and likes playing the violin, but its sound is terrible…but Kotomi herself is satisfied with it. She is kind of living in out of the world, and has distinct style. She is a cute and fuzzy girl, but she has a trauma. In her past, she lost her parents by accident. Kotomi regretted her words to her parents and couldn’t apologize for it before they died. So she tried to understand discourses which her parents wrote, and then she was called child genius. That sadly trauma was reminded one day and she locks herself in a big house…I want you to watch how Tomoya saves Kotomi.
Then, 2nd season is about Tomoya after graduation… You know, episode 18, episode 18 is the best! Many must-see scenes are line upped and I cannot help crying even I watched the same scenes many times!! After story is about Tomoya and Nagisa, so Kotomi or other characters don’t come out. I shouldn’t tell the story a lot now, but Tomoya and Nagisa get married and have a baby girl named Ushio. Tomoya and Ushio travel together in episode 18 but… Nagisa lost her life after she gave a birth. Because of that, Tomoya keeps away Ushio. Travel of these two awkward people…
At first, they don’t know what to talk about and do. However, they meet someone later and that meeting changes Tomoya. He shames himself, so tries to face Ushio and apologizes to her. Plus, a voice actress Satomi Koorogi as Ushio plays and expresses perfectly. It also made me cry…
And then, the scene shifts to the train and Tomoya tells about Nagisa to Ushio for the first time. When he talks about Nagisa, he considers Nagisa as past tense naturally, and when he realizes it, he cannot stop crying. This is the saddest scene and tears well up in my eyes every time I watch. I think that if viewers watch all the episodes, they cry definitely! So, I want you to watch this episode and other following episodes!!
Just to be sure, everyone will be happy at last. Don’t worry about it. So until then, please twinge your heart, feel sad, laugh, and cry together. I recommend CLANNAD to people who don’t watch anime usually and people have kids.
As an aside, the theatrical version has a different ending. Especially, I want people who like Ushio to check it out.