Mar 13 2008
Clannad - 21
I can’t believe how awful Clannad has become. I never expected this to happen to KyoAni. Gonzo yes, KyoAni no. 
…stop…
..with…
…the fanboy…
…fodder!!!!!!
Ugh what the hell is the point of wasting time on this crap??? You have like 2 episodes left (not including whatever DVD specials you add on) and you waste it on this shit?? I don’t care if Tomoyo wears glasses and hates contacts. Why the hell are they doing gym stretching in the freaking drama club room?? All of you go away! This is Nagisa x Tomoya time ugh!! 
Finally a moment where they coulda used their great fillerness to add something cute between Tomoya & Nagisa and what do they do? They follow the game and have her instantly reject him. While that as funny, at this point in the story it’s not funny. Come on throw me a fucking bone here. Not a single kiss scene?? How the hell are they supposed to have babies when they haven’t even kissed yet??!
Omg Nice Boat anyone? 
I’m sorry but this scene didn’t move me in any way shape or form. It felt like some weird parody and a gag rather than anything serious. I know KyoAni can do serious dramatic scenes but this isn’t one of them. Ugh! I can’t believe this!
I can’t believe what they’ve done! One more episode left and it looks like it’ll just end on Nagisa’s performance. I don’t even know what the hell they plan to conclude this on. I guess the DVD extras will be on the after story. But the after story is SO LONG how could they waste so much time on so much dumb shit. Ugh that scene at the beginning with the stupid vocal practice. Why the fuck’s everyone else practicing when Nagisa is the only one performing????
HOW DARE YOU LOWER CLANNAD TO THE LEVEL OF GONZO YOU BASTARDS!
Tags: boobs, disappointment, fangirl rage, nice boat, rant, wtf
64 Responses to “Clannad - 21”
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shirokiryuu on 
anne on 
kayzel10 on
If you were a fanboy you would understand….
Kissing and having babies @_@
NOO!!! SHE REJECTED HIM!?T_T
After seeing this post, I’m kinda cheering for SA to get ruined now
What??
Let me get this strait: We went through 11 episodes of combined Fuko and Kotomi-focused episodes, plus an improportionate number of harem fillers, for this?
The only way I can possibly explain this is that the staff members are huge fans of Fuko/Kotomi/generic harems, because otherwise this absolutely makes no sense. Why would you abandon an incredibly touching plot line for this nonsense?
Btw, if you’re planning to raid KyoAni, may I join you?
I’m still trying to figure that one out myself
I’ve read in various Japanese blogs that stretching and vocal exercises are basic for all drama clubs in Japan, and that even the back crew have to do it too. A sign of unity, I guess.
As a Nagisa fan, I loved the episode. It was cute that Tomoyo, two years younger than Nagisa, was the one petting Nagisa on the head affectionately. And Tomoya guiding Nagisa away from the pillar was cute and funny at the same time. I actually like how other characters are still involved, even more than the game version.
The Higurashi-Nagisa moment could have been done better, although Akio’s performance straight afterwards more than made up for it.
I think it’s obvious by now that after story will either be a second season or not at all (I’m rooting for the baseball arc to be the DVD special).
And remember, it’s not “no,” but “please do it later”
This post was hillarious. I enjoy watching people freak out and slam things because they usually have more to say when they’re irritated about something. Longer posts about why Gonzo SA sucks will be a lot more fun for me to read than short posts about how SA is good
I highly doubt the extra episodes will be on the after story, seeing as we already have the title for one of them, and it certainly doesn’t look like it’ll go that far into the AS. If anything, the series looks like it’s setting up for another season or something.
So go ahead and rail against the heavens for now if you want, but it seems such cries might be shown to be unfounded eventually.
If there’s a 2nd season I’ll shut up but I haven’t heard of a 2nd season to be honest. I mean the after story is long but it doesn’t seem like it would justify them to have a 2nd season - well at least not a 24 episode one.
Nagisa: “Tomoya, can I come inside your room…….so we can make out???”
w/e, this show OWNS!
It doesn’t rock my soul like H2O does though
LOL! Yay, someone’s ?dissing? CLANNAD.
And by that I mean I’ve never like this anime from the start. I forced myself through 5 episodes because everyone was saying it was good, and so I wanted to feel that it was good too. But this type of genre never grasps me I guess. And I don’t like fanboy shit either, but hey, the animators were probably targeting those parts for the fanboys out there. I don’t mind fangirl stuff though :3
Plus, I don’t like H2O either, haha.
True, I’m still ambivalent as to the possibility of a second season, to be honest (I love being cynical). If there isn’t one, then I’d agree that this adaptation would have ended on a disappointing note. I have no clue how that’ll work out, but I’d rather just wait and see for now. I can see how the argument could cut both ways concerning a second season, but then again I’m surrounded by optimists, lol.
But seriously now, Fuuko’s arc was probably my favorite part of the Clannad anime thus far, so…
This is while I like the movie more even if people say it sucks.
Such a great story ruined. The main problem is their inability to get rid of the annoying ho’s instead of focusing just on the Tomoya x Nagisa.
Ahaha, after watching the Clannad movie, not only has my opinions towards Nagisa changed, I’m having doubts about KyoAni making this as satisfying as the movie wwwww
Haha, I love how ironic it is that your very act of complaining about the over-the-top fan services has just done exactly the very same thing.
lalalalalala
I win! (as expected.) That is why I care fuckshit about what company does what.
Years ago, a company called Gonzo did some shows which the fanbois said “Gonzo is teh win!”. Now look at it. The fanbois are now stabbing it in various infernal places. Now replace the word Gonzo with Kyoto Crapimation. The fanbois are blinded whether the stuff is good or not. That is particularly why I don’t follow the rabid masses when they say something stupid like “KA Studio is teh win because of blah^241″.
I like a show because I like the show, not the fucking stupid studio. Nor the VAs. If the two happen to be in the show I like, fine. I lived through 6 hours of ninomiya-kun when it was a utterly pointless show… just for reika. I can name shows that I will not recommend watching that I will watch. The Jun and Hamaji shows come to mind after the Reika show. There’s Soul Link, H-maids-tai, Someday’s Dreamers. I do not care if it’s JCStaff/Gonzo/Sunrise/whoever makes it. Toei Kanon was decently done. Except I cannot stand the stupid noise the annoying girl makes. She wouldn’t be annoying if she didn’t make the stupid noise. Do you know how irritating is it to listen to it repeatedly while trying to correct dialogue? Oh yes, I forgot one show - Sister Princest.
The studios care only about one thing: MONEYYYYYYYYYY. They don’t care if it comes in yen, dollars, shekels, ringgit, gold, silver, etc2. If you think Kyoto Animation is so good, put your words to good use and BUY their DVD releases. Everyone of them. Don’t just say “KA is teh win!” etc2
Honestly, every season I say this season is worst than the last but eventually I end up following at least 4 shows a week. Even last season I managed to add ninomiyakun to shana, kojika, prism ark (oh yes, another non-recommended to watch show). This season shana is the only thing I wait for. A grand total of one. Which isn’t even counted as this season’s by technicality. H2O I let hinano tell me how much hamajiness there is and the I make a decision. I will probably join the “boku club” once it finishes so that I can decide if it is worth time to watch.
I can understand why hinano dropped shana. I cannot stand the hecate fumina. Hecate is much better when she starts kicking ass and taking names. hinano has different priorities to as where she will use her time. Yes shana 21 was horribly animated when they kicked sabrac’s ass. Even I don’t disagree. The clothes flapping in the wind was HORRIBLY REPEATITIVE. That doesn’t even cover the other problems.
To semiquote some fellow: “I have a dream - it involves impaling fanbois on spoons because they cannot see the whole picture”
– end frustration rant venting –
Now, time to make smartass comments on H2O 11
- awaiting the moderator to wake up -
BTW hinano, the “Login” under “Meta” means you register on wordpress right?
@Di Gi Kazune
It’s for admins to sign in to their dashboard
One thing we can be thankful about this episode, Puuko didn’t show up
Ugh it’s bad when a rabid Clannad fanboy like me thinks this episode lacked impact. I heard Nagisa’s route was suposed to be the shit, but in the game did it end like this with Nagisa going sad and at the play?! Surely not…. I liked the fanservice but there should have been more Nagisa x Tomoya (Like the last 2 eps) and more moveing along of the plot . Well since I’m a fanboy I don’t think it out right sucks like the way you say it but it’s not the best of Kyoani’s works right now.
KimiKiss at least delivers kissess… never expected KyoAni to fail so much…
BTW, Hinano, can you draw some Fuuko’s for “shoot the zombie shoujo” game?
@shin
TQ
As Mr. Burns would put it: Excellent Smithers, excellent!
I have just watch this episode and after seening this I am like
What did they do?!
Not all gonzo show were really that bad NHK, Seto no hanayome..but lol! yes I agree at least that this episode was bad!
I would say that shaft’s ef a tale of memories was far better than this anime at leat they nether had any fillers.
Hopefully the last episode will prove me wrong.
Okay, so far I’ve heard a ton of complaints about Gonzo, Satelight, and KyoAni. So if let’s say Gakuen Alice or Vampire Knight is created by one of those companies.. Should I cry?
Haha I knew the flames would come…BUT I CAN FACE THEM! WOHOHOHO!
Blissmo> don’t get me wrong I love Clannad…just not the TV anime version. i’m down with the movie + game
Mirrinus> That’s because it seems they actually did the Fuuko/Kotomi arcs the traditional way (like Kanon) while everyone else’s they totally screwed over.
anne> I loved the movie too
Shin> lol you gotta stop with the wwww’s xD
bakaneko> ?_?
Digi> I think when I get home tonight I’ll set up some kind of public registration system…cause yea I guess it is kind of annoying for people to constantly get their comments thrown into the mod queue ^_^
In regards to studios - I also agree that I like a show for the show andI don’t care who makes it. So liek while I hate Gonzo I actually like NHK ni Youkoso but Rosario + Pantsu and Boobnaut are absolute garbage. Again you already know I wanted to watch Clannad because I loved the game and I was hoping to have an adaptation as equally good as air or Kanon…but unfortunately that did not happen.
ewok> What shoujo game? XD
Inuyashagirl> I try to stay pretty neutral until the show actually airs at this point. Gonzo can be awful most of the time but they have good stuff once in a while. Satelight same thing. I mean Shugo Chara has awful fillers but its nothing compared to the horrible animation of Kamichama Karin XD
Im shocked someone said something negative about clannad.Truly shocked!
di gi > and it looks like they will mess up shana’s ending with yuji becoming…
From what I hear there are plenty of displeased people, but there are some satisfied ones. We have people trying to compare the impact they felt from the past stories (Air, Kanon). I believed that this year KyoAni was a bit fanservicy and kinda trails of from the main story. Reminds me of Zero no Tsukaima. Overall, I think Clannad did pretty good. I loved all the girls and the theme to all of key’s stories always has the guy liking the “weak and innocent” girls at least so far :P.
After watching this episode, I’m not entirely disappointed..
This means that the possibility of a 2nd season will be higher..(I think so)
And if a 2nd season does exist, I’ll be overjoyed..
BUT, if KyoAni doesn’t make a 2nd season..
Well, let’s just say that KyoAni screwed up big time..
I knew from the start that 24/22 episodes wasn’t enough for Clannad..
Not to mention that KyoAni wasted a lot of time on Fuuko & Kotomi..
Let’s just hope that KyoAni knows what they’re doing..
Well…all of the flaming aside I had a bit more positive take on the episode than you, but overall it was still kind of meh. I think they are really trying too hard to integrate the other girls at this point, I think the show would be better if it was just Nagisa/Tomoya and they were dating at this point. I think the story loses some of its umph without them dating. That being said one would hope they are saving the dating for the last episode.
Looking at the series as a whole, I certainly feel I enjoyed it more the first ~14 episodes, I feel the integration they had during those episodes was superb. Plus I’m a sucker for Kotomi-chan.
Anyways, I don’t doubt that the show will make a recovery in the After Story, I believe in KyoAni’s ability to deliver that story. The problem is I’m afraid they are going to do the first run through which means massive waterworks -_-
This is the first KyoAni series that I’ve seen so I can’t really say much about that.
Hmm… I don’t mind much that the after story isn’t included but I was kinda expecting more of a Nagisa x Tomoya arc for the few remaining episodes. It seems they can’t cram in everything now… Too much time on the other girls’ arcs done earlier, before they realized they ran out of time for Nagisa x Tomoya.
Here’s to hoping they manage to end it properly.
It’s funny how the only story arc I cared for in Clannad is the one receiving the most neglience. I just see no way to finish it to any degree of satisfaction with just one more episode and I can’t say I’m thrilled for the prospect of another season of moe blobbing. According to AniDB a one episode OVA will be released in July though. Still I hate when series can’t finish what they started in the original set of episodes and have to resort to OVA’s or a second season. Especially so if you have to wait a year for them to air. (Mind you if a show announces it will be more than one season from the start I don’t have a problem with it.)
shooting zombie Fuukos!
Spice and wolf is almost doing better off than this…. lets hope kyoani by some odd miracle fix this and soon…
Boy, after watching all these posts above, I’ve never seen this much since School Days’ pre- and post-final episodes, except that this time, there’s a lot of negative comments about this episode from you guys.
So Hinano, any specific plans how to raid inside KyoAni? If any, can I join with you? XDDD
ewok> …and don’t forget shooting zombie Kotomis, too!
I agree that the anime series have missed some important points from the game, but if you view within context of the anime only, I think they have kept its internal consistency. This episode didn’t feel out of place and I felt it flowed nicely from the last episode. The biggest problem is that there is no way they can do all the remaining stories, and I think they are going to announce the plan for 2nd season in the special episode which will air about two weeks from now.
If they do a 2nd season it should only be like 13 eps. But if they were going to do a 2nd season, why screw up Tomoyo and Kyou so badly??
Guys I really think we’ve been screwed. I think KyoAni probably though “hey guys if you want afterstory check out our buddy TOEI’s work here”
Maybe it’s just me, but isn’t Clannad supposed to be 24 episodes?
I don’t know whether this episode is too rushed or too slow.
Obviously they want to show the team working together, but we can see that in many other places than they doing stretches and tung twisters. Maybe it’s appropriate for drama club, but I am sure they didn’t have to do 3 min of it, 1 min is fine. They can spend the rest of the time on Nagisa explaining her script and trying to write it with everyone else giving imputs.
At the same time, we somehow feel a lack of motivation at Tomoya trying to find out what the “familiar-sounding” story is.
Not to mention we completely forgot the girl of the other world. If Kyoani want to do 10 min of it for explaination next episode, then I can only say Kyoani is completely stupid, for they need 20 min and what better way to keep reminding the audience by showing that the girl is slowly loosing her ability to move.
If they decide not to do it at all, then Hinano tell me when you’re going to raid Kyoani’s office so I can get time to buy a box of grenades.
There’s a lot of miss proportions. Too much concentration on group and too little on family and almost none on script when it should be 1) family 2) script 3) group. It’s called CLANNAD for god’s sake.
Oh and it’s funny that Kyoani messed up the BGM. How I am not sure how they managed to mess up as they could have just copied the game
. But they put entirely “nagisa” when Nagisa came to talk to Tomoya, instead of 1/2 “nagisa” and 1/2 “uminari2″. And exactly how much time would it take for Nagisa to say “I know Tomoya you are looking for something with my dad.”
I am sorry I was REALLY moved in the game when Nagisa found out, but due to those two mistakes (how Kyoani managed to make them being forever a mystery) I did not feel a thing even when Nagisa is crying, and she didn’t cry in the game (not until later anyway)
And somehow when Tomoyo came in in the game it felt a lot more natural and friendly and Tomoyo a lot more mature. In the game it felt she genuinely came to cheer Nagisa on. In here it felt like she’s here to say a final good bye to Tomoya and congratulate Nagisa on her victory (thanks in a large part to alternating images of Tomoya’s anime-harem and Tomoyo’s idiotic lines).
This episode is just completely filled with bad choices such as mentioned that one overlapped another and I can’t list them all or I’ll be writing an essay.
Kyoani is completely not worth supporting.
Go buy the KEY games. Jun Maeda and the staff of KEY genuinely want to tell a story.
And they always do it so well 
too bad all the good Clannad staff left Key and I heard Little Busters was a big flop
Parallel Pain, the “family” of Clannad is not restricted to the nuclear family. The true meaning behind “Clannad” is that the whole town/community is one big family, and the staff behind KyoAni understand this, which is why they’ve put a lot more focus on the group. It’s one of the reasons why I’m loving the anime so much.
Hinano, LB was a good game - the problem was that all the other writers were too conscious of Jun Maeda’s Refrain (something similar to After Story), so the individual routes suffered by being TOO subtle and lacking explanation. Replaying through the routes a second time after Refrain gives it a totally different feel to the first time. Also, with different routes written by different writers, the “hit and miss” factor also came in. Many people would like the very poetic and allegoric Mio route but not like the gritty Haruka route, and vice versa.
Incidentally, I read that LB has been voted the top game of 2007 on Getchu apparently, taking the top award in 5 of 7 departments.
Interesting I didn’t know that.
I just read a review somewhere that said it wasn’t that good.
Oh well I’m busy with some otome games now anyway
I strongly disagree. Key’s best is without a doubt Jun Maeda, and he was still around to write Little Busters! (though not anymore after this
).
Little Busters is without a doubt Key’s funniest. And having just entered Kurugaya’s ending I found a pleasant surprise in store.
I’ll leave more comments on Little Busters! after I finish it. My friend certainly likes it A LOT.
It is possible Little Busters! is Key’s worst (I wouldn’t know because I have yet to play Air/Kanon/Planetarian, however judging by the ranking I see in various places it is almost as good as Kanon if not better). However Key’s worst is still better than over 95% of other games.
If you want to cry Hinano cry after the game after Little Busters! EX comes out. If it screws up I’ll cry with you.
And FF while it is true the last about 10 lines of the Clannad game says family also include community, the game does not offer such a feel.
And as I said, even if they focus on group it is badly done. We should have less stretching and more actively helping Nagisa (along with Nagisa herself bringing up problems with her script writing). I am fine with Kotomi being around but she should be much more sidelined, and Fuuko shouldn’t show up 1/2 as often as she did.
If it was “group” then I would have Tomoyo tell everyone about Nagisa’s problem and they ALL help her out. Looks like they’re saving that for next episode. Of course if they mess up on it then Hinano you MUST call me.
And Hinano, is there anyway you can put an “edit” button?
If I figure out how I will do so xD;; If you have links to any scripts that do this please let me know!
I can see where the family-community thing comes in in the game. But that only appears in the afterstory. In fact the only route emphasizing family-community in Afterstory is the good-end (and only 10 lines or so) and a few other selected scenes. The emphasis is STILL on family relations (Tomoya-Nagisa, Tomoya-Naoyuki, Tomoya-Ushio, the Furukawa family-Tomoya, I could even put Yoshino Yuusuke in here.)
We’re not in the afterstory yet, so the emphasis should be family relations.
And if the emphasis is on group, there shouldn’t be a harem. Only friends helping the one in need (and terrible need at that, thanks to Kyoani we don’t feel Nagisa’s terrible need). That’s what family is. Family is not harem. Neither is family fanservice. I can think of so many ways this anime can be better done even if it is “group=family.”
In fact I say Gundam SEED did a better job presenting a supportive group than Clannad anime did, which is very sad.
And Hinano again, is there an “edit” button somewhere?
Off topic: See why we need an edit button? I spend 9 min typing my message and so I didn’t know Hinano already replied.
Parallel Pain: the family-community theme permeates through the whole game, though never emphasised by a route - things like Tomoya-Sunohara, Fuuko’s starfishes (人手), Nagisa-Fuuko, Kotomi-Kyou etc, Yukine-delinquets in the School Life arcs; Tomoya-Yuusuke, Sanae-pupils, Akio-kids, even small details like Nagisa-restaurant manager and negative stuff like Tomoya-other parents in After Story. Family plays a huge part, but I don’t think these protrayals are accidental, nor Maeda’s choice to end Clannad’s story with Nagisa’s lines in the good end. The important idea is the interaction between people (人と人), and between people and the town (人と町).
That’s the beauty of an adaptation, I guess. Instead of just reproducing the game faithfully, it seems like they looked at the whole of the game and thought “What is the centrepiece of Clannad? What is it trying to show the audience?” And they decided that “change” and “family-community” were the core messages of Clannad, and interpreted the game around this view. If anything, family has been more of a sub-theme in School Life. Probably to the detriment of dramatic intensity.
As for the harem and fanservice bits - well, coming so late in the show, I guess that it could be a thank you to the audience for coming with them so far, but I guess the reality is that sex sells
They can’t really help Nagisa with her script though, since the illusionary world MUST come all from her head, otherwise we lose its mysticism.
Still, family is certain to play the biggest part in ep 22 (otherwise I’ll get that flamethrower myself). The group will play its part, but Akio will be the star attraction for sure.
I swear, they want to fuck up the TV series so people would go buy the game and play it
Dear KyoAni:
You alreeady have the idiot fanboy crowd with Haa Roo Hee. Please don’t mess up Clannad ;-;
Love, Drm.
PS: If the DVD episodes are about Tomoya X Sunohara I will be a KyoAni rabid fandog. Yes I am easily amused. Also because a homosexual Sunohara is made of win and lol.
I’d prefer Tomoyo X Sunohara… after so much physical contact they MUST realize they are connected!
Wow you know I realized, while people don’t agree with my opinion, there will always be more comments on these kinds of posts. My Clannad posts where I talk about how I was moved emotionally have like 2-3 comments…as opposed to 54.
Because dorama is better!
Throw in a castration scene to the hawt yuri episode and we have a possibility I can be converted.
I don’t know what to say about this ep but I guess I liked it but I didn’t get emotional like in the game :S
The fanservice was lame though. bleh
Having watched the movie I can also say that I don’t like it that much either. It’s still TV >>>>> Movie for me. Nagisa was just not Nagisa in the Movie so that killed it for me. (I also started to skim through the movie eh) The animation in the movie didn’t satisfy me either. The romance between Tomoya and Nagisa also felt rushed but in the TV series it’s a bit to slow compared to the game but that’s because nagisa’s arc just started not to long ago. The chances are high for a 2nd season so I hope for more nagisa x Tomoya stuff because with both adaption I’m not really satisfied with it.
Just the game is fine by me for now….
If only kyoani focused on Nagisa’s arc only….if only…
FF, change hasn’t been a theme in the anime, at least not the same as it was in the game.
And I agree with what you are saying with it always being at the background of the game. However the game 1) Never had a harem (ok it did in Kotomi route, but very subtile) 2) Never had any fanservice 3) Everyone always tried to help everyone else
And the anime? 1) Harem 2) fanservice gallore 3) bitch-fights.
If the anime really want to do group-community then harem CAN NOT be in it. And again there are so much more that can be done IN EVERY SINGLE ROUTE that would show group-community that they didn’t do. If they decided to de-emphasize the theme central to every game route, “family”, and add more emphasis to group-community, then they need to change the story to suit it, but they didn’t. All they did was have everyone appear at all relatively unimportant scenes and Tomoya doing all the important ones when a group-community theme needs everyone appearing at everything.
And why can’t a harem be a group-community? Easy. In a group-community story everyone is there for the sole purpose of helping the member of the group in need. In harem they’re there to be with the guy, and the helping is just a side thing or showing the guy how good they are.
So to do a group-community properly, Kyoani need to change the whole anime.
For example
1) Everyone (while they retain their memory) help hand out Fuuko’s starfish AND help carve it
2) Everyone go welcome Kotomi (see in the game Kotomi’s waiting for Tomoya, and Tomoya’s there to confess. If in the anime Kotomi is waiting for everyone, then EVERYONE should be there with Tomoya doing most of the talking)
3) No bitch-fights. We made too much bentou, let’s eat it together and have a party.
4) Everyone help Tomoyo get on the student counsel
5) Everyone try to look for people to play basketball and help in practice
6) House party at Furukawa’s place to celebrate the drama club, and make sure everyone’s celebrating and no one does any of that “I lost” thing because they never wanted to win in the first place they only wanted to help Nagisa.
7) Everyone help Nagisa write her script
Need I keep going?
They want to use a different theme, they need a different story.
As I said, doing the group-community, Gundam SEED did a better job presenting a group of friends solely dedicated to helping each other and overcome problem. That is very sad.
And Hinano the edit function’s great Thanks.
no problem parallel glad it works for you.
also in regards to your comment I completely agree.
having tomoyo & kyou suddenly become arch rivals for tomoya’s affection was a real downer for me
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I’m not totally happy with ep 17+18 either. Too much bitchfighting, as you said. What it did show, however, is that people who came together for a (somewhat sinister) purpose were prepared to stay and support Nagisa because it was Nagisa, as vocalised by Tomoyo. Kyou wouldn’t have stayed had Tomoyo been in Nagisa’s place. It shows there is a relationship between the group of Kyou+Ryou+Tomoyo and Nagisa. They’re not there JUST for Tomoya, even if they started out that way. Could it have been done better? Probably. Was it unsatisfactory? No.
As for change, I think it’s been there, just underlying and relatively subtle with “family” taking everybody’s attention:
Fuuko: Loner (out of society, child) -> Having lots of friends (inside society, adult), as stated by Tomoya in ep 9
Kotomi: Living in the past -> living in the present, as stated by Tomoya in ep 14
Tomoyo: Delinquet -> Student council president (most of the change happened before the anime started as explained by Tomoyo)
Nagisa: Hesistant -> Determined, stated by Tomoya ep 21
Tomoya: Aimless in life -> Having someone to help/protect, as yet unstated
The binding factor through these changes is the need to change oneself in order to bring “dream” into “reality.” Letting your sister achieve happiness, making friends, protecting the sakura trees, forming the drama club, positive change was needed for all these things to happen. Tomoya says in ep 21 that the Nagisa of now was vastly different to the Nagisa of ep 01. If she had just stood still on the bottom of the slop, if she hadn’t changed, then the current gathering of people wouldn’t have happened. Same for all the other dreams/wishes.
Of course, After Story (if it is done) will explore the “negative” side of change, with Tomoya’s unwillingness for change away from a happy environment.
Regarding the group-community, there is still some of the protaganist factor in the anime, but if you consider, in Fuuko’s arc a whole bunch of unrelated people turned up to the wedding because of Fuuko, Nagisa stayed active far longer; Kyou, Ryou and Nagisa helped with the garden, and joined Kotomi and Tomoya for the garden party, the briefcase needed the entire world’s goodwill to reach Japan and Kotomi; Yukine, Sunohara and Kyou, even the basketball team captain were involved in 3 on 3; Tomoyo needed Sunohara’s help for baseball. Some bits are from the game, some are original, but in the anime none of the “solutions” to the problems posed in each arc were due to Tomoya alone.
Nagisa’s drama club in the anime is the CULMINATION of all the above. Everyone is there now - from Kyou to Tomoyo to Kotomi to Nishina to Sanae. More and more people got involved as the series went on. The group-community GREW from ground up through interaction with people, rather than everyone being there at the beginning. Which is fitting as we know that Nagisa has a special idea about family, and speaks for how the symbol of the human hand (= starfish = reaching out to other people) lies at the centre of what Clannad is about.
Yikes, that was long. I think I’m too fond of the anime, but I want to convey the idea that for all the things it does wrong, it does far much more right and is doing far much better than Air, which almost totally neglected the other main theme of the game story, “memories.”
Clannad is one of the first anime that my girlfriend is watching - the first series in full anyway. And she’s enjoying it enough that she is asking when the next episode comes out. So perhaps some of us are simply too familiar with the source material, and expecting X or Y, and that is preventing us from enjoying what the anime is offering - which may or may not be the same as the game or our expectations thereof.
[...] the last 2 were goofy specials unrelated to the story that were released on DVD only. (Something another studio is planning to do as well.) I dug around a bit and found them uploaded to various video sites [...]
As usual the kyotards are blinding panning the toei movie etc2 across the interwebs etc2. As I have put it before, if kyowhatever animates shit (literally) the fanbois horde will still say it is teh win.