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| Before you ask, no, this does not happen. Left to Right: Tomoya (Main Male), Nagisa (Main Female), Tomoyo, Sunohara, Kyou |
Due to overwhelming love for Clannad, there will be possible spoilers. In this review, I’ll write as much as I can without spoiling. Actually, I can’t. So I’ll try to spoil as little as possible. Along with my futile efforts, I’ll also be repeating the same thing a lot, solely because that one thing is true. Clannad being amazing, outstanding, awesome, whatever other word you can think of.
[Important Note] Background information on Clannad:
Clannad is a Visual Novel Key™, which inspired a Movie and an Anime (two seasons) by Kyoto Animation. The movie was older, and it resembled the Visual Novel's illustrations, while for the Anime (what you mainly see), it looks outstanding compared to anything during it's time, and before (in my opinion). Also, Clannad has no* "fan-service." Go die if you were expecting to see lots of it.
*Some scenes may be considered such, but either way, it doesn't have enough to fall under that category.
However, if you don’t feel like reading, here’s a TL;DR:Clannad is basically known for touching everyone’s hearts. Thus, you will most likely cry if you actually watch it seriously (meaning you want to watch it).
A longer TL;DR with more detail:
Clannad is an Anime that exceeded everyone’s expectations. Just think, how many good Romances do you see now a days? Let it be a Live-Action Movie, or a Soap Opera. Not only that, but Clannad delivered this years ago, and is still delivering now! The strongest reasoning you could use is that it touches your heart in a way you’ll almost never be again. Imagine having sex with the person of your dreams. That’s like watching Clannad, but without the sex. (Love =/= Sex, of course) Tears will flow down, unless you really want to resist the waterfall.
Yes, I'm aware that TL;DR should only come once, and be shorter than both of those above. So? Sue me.
“Why do you love Clannad so much?” Here’s one major reason that many people would probably not admit: Never have I cried so much in my life (exaggeration? Maybe). The only way you could cry so much to an Anime Romantic Drama(Comedy-ish) Anime, or anything with acting is if the voices, the acting, all of it was flawless. You know what? It was. I wasn’t expecting to like Clannad. It was just another Anime to watch at the time. Upon seeing the first couple episodes, I fell in love with it. Topped as my favorite above Lucky Star, and the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Kyoto Animation (Thanks for the head's up, Tsuyoshi) soon topped as my favorite Studio as well. Key is still also a favorite.
Don’t watch if you’re not a romance fan, nor if you have no soul. Also, if you’re reading this review solely to see if Clannad is worth watching, don’t bother continuing unless you’re reading for fun/interest in my blog too. You already knew from the Review’s title whether I say yes or no. Beyond this point [may] contains spoilers.
The story consists of two seasons; 23 and 24 episodes, and about 2 extra episodes. The extra episodes are different “Arcs.”* You may be familiar with arcs from Amagami SS, Yosuga no Sora, or from Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (sort of). Arcs exist to show what would happen other than the main storyline, usually if the anime was based off a Visual Novel or Eroge. Usually. The two extra episodes are Arcs with two other girls (obviously). Yeah, they get about 20-min show time, while the main female gets over 960 minutes (don’t worry; the story doesn’t revolve around the two main characters only for all 960 minutes).
*An Arc isn't always different parts of a story. In the case of a Drama, it is different points of view. It doesn't mean the whole series will consist of equal numbered episodic arcs, every Anime differs.
On to the story synopsis: (Warning: Any Synopsis Spoils)
- Guy named Tomoya Okazaki is going to school. Meets Nagisa Furukawa, who is a complete oddball, along a hill to school. He says something, they go to school. You meet the twins, he gets his fortune from one (foreshadowing his future) while the other throws a book at him. He gradually becomes friends with Nagisa.
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| Best of friends would kick you, instead of catching you! |
- Meet a bunch of other people from trying to recruit people to the dead drama club, since Nagisa’s dream is to act. Work, work, work.
I’d add more, but Clannad is simply too amazing to defile with spoilers. I already spoiled quite a lot from this short synopsis as it is.
“Finally, the Review!”
- Season Count: 2
- Episode Count: 22 each. 2 and 3 OVA. 49 total.
- Presentation/Appearance – 5/5
- The way they opened the story was a bit on the dark or gloomy side. It gave you an idea of the type of things that may go down, plus it let you understand the type of person the main character, Tomoya, is. (Refer to the Genre section of the review for more in-depth)
- Characters – 5/5
- The way the characters were drawn were outstanding. Clannad isn’t even a 2010/11 Anime, and it was almost flawless. No, in my opinion, it was flawless. Also, the voice actors played their parts so well, I’m sure any of you all could actually feel the way the characters felt when they did. I feel as though due to the voice actors doing so well, that is the #1 reason anyone would tear, because we could feel the characters. It was memorable.
- (As opposed to English Dubbed, as always, which sounded weird. Plus, they pronounced the names incorrectly.)
- Plot/Story – 4.5/5 (Biased 5/5)
- While it had a great story, I would sort of prefer it if they kept it 100% realistic, instead of 90% realistic. However, Clannad would not be Clannad without the little bits of fiction in it.
- Music/Sound – 5/5
- Every track fit perfectly. Not only in my opinion. All of it, so well that I honestly could of cried listening to the individual BGM tracks. Contributing to the excellent voice actors, the outstanding BGM played a huge role, as well. Good job, Key. Good job, Jun Maeda.
- Genre (Romantic Drama) – 5/5
- Staying right on cue, Clannad delivers Romance, Drama and a little bit of comedy here and there. I feel as though they added the first couple episodes of comedy for a reason. That reason being to show us how their lives drastically changed. I’m having a tough time putting this into words. Anyone who’s watched it, may understand. I watched it in like a day or two, so the drastic change from me laughing to crying was enthralling. Kyoto Animation seems to be the only Studio who could do that to me. Let alone have me tearing so much.
- Final Verdict – 5/5
- It’s not like I’m saying several of these things haven’t been done before. That’s not the point, the point is that it wasn’t done as well. For me, Character design plays a huge role. Clannad definitely took that cake. As for how an Anime takes the cake as my favorite? The one that touches me as well as this.
I'm sure you all expected a longer review, eh? But here's the thing: I don't want to spoil it. If you skipped the TL;DR’s, go back and read it. Other than that, there really is no more for me to say.
“F.A.Q.” on this Review
"Stop making excuses" If you want to put it that way, go for it, I'm doing this for your sakes!
"You pretty much repeated 'it's awesome. It’s amazing' throughout the whole review." Because it is!
“You used the word ‘cry’ a lot, plus you tried to use ‘tear’ to replace it. You ain’t no man!” Yes, yes I did. If I didn’t cry, I’d be a heartless man, just for the record.
"Your images spoiled it for me." You were going to google Clannad anyways. When you do, it'll have just as spoiling information. So suck it up.
"I finished the Anime, and I'm wondering about "the girl from another world." Who is she?" E-mail me, or if you all would like, I can share the theory on her and the robot.
Now that I finished, enjoy this image of Fuko and Nagisa. Fuko Ibuki is my favorite character from Clannad.
“F.A.Q.” on this Review
"Stop making excuses" If you want to put it that way, go for it, I'm doing this for your sakes!
"You pretty much repeated 'it's awesome. It’s amazing' throughout the whole review." Because it is!
“You used the word ‘cry’ a lot, plus you tried to use ‘tear’ to replace it. You ain’t no man!” Yes, yes I did. If I didn’t cry, I’d be a heartless man, just for the record.
"Your images spoiled it for me." You were going to google Clannad anyways. When you do, it'll have just as spoiling information. So suck it up.
"I finished the Anime, and I'm wondering about "the girl from another world." Who is she?" E-mail me, or if you all would like, I can share the theory on her and the robot.
Now that I finished, enjoy this image of Fuko and Nagisa. Fuko Ibuki is my favorite character from Clannad.
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| Oh yeah, Fuko loves Starfishes. |
Ah, Clannad. A heart-warming, tear jerker anime. I watched the whole series and even read its visual novel. All I have to say is that, even I cried throughout the story. And I also agree that its music, genre, and story are good. It's so good that you can even watch this with your whole family.
ReplyDeleteWonderful review, I agree with the vast majority of the points within aswell (Especially the part about Ibuki Fuko being your favorite character.) One minor nitpick though, Key isn't in the animation line of work. Even in Angel Beats! they weren't part of the actual animation team (Animation was done by P.A. Works in this case), Key, specifically Jun Maeda, worked on the music and script. The animation studio who did Air, Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu, Kanon (2006), Lucky Star, Clannad and Clannad After Story, et cetera, was actually Kyoto Animation. While, besides P.A. Works for Angel Beats! and Toei Animation for Kanon (2002) and the Air/Clannad films, they are the only animation company that has worked on Key works; they're completely separate companies nonetheless. By the way, incase you don't know, Jun Maeda is the man who wrote the majority of the scenarios aswell as composed the majority of the music for Angel Beats! and the original Visual Novels of Kanon, Air, Clannad, and Little Busters! Sorry for ranting on for so long, but once I started writing my love and knowledge of Key/Kyoto Animation wouldn't let me stop. Once again, wonderful review and I look forward to reading more in the future.
ReplyDeleteOh, I appreciate the head's up. I've edited the review to match. I guess I was led on by the misconception.
ReplyDeleteYou're not the only one, I referred to it as that aswell until I started getting more interested in the team behind the animation and not just the animation itself.
ReplyDelete