Clannad Episode 24
The Tomoyo story
I’m probably the last person on the internet who spent his time blogging Clannad to write about the DVD-only episode, but whatever. I also cared less about Clannad than all those other people. As you probably know, the Kyoto Animation series is the third in their series of adaptations of Key/Visual Art’s visual novels. And in a visual novel, you can achieve multiple endings, with multiple females, if you replay the game. I don’t know much about that; to date the only visual novel I’ve played is Hinano’s RenAi Blogger, which was quite fun but weird because you may end up pursuing cartoonized versions of women in your Twitter contact list. It also took under an hour to play all paths, including the elusive Hinano Path, so I can’t call myself experienced.
Anyway, for Clannad’s DVD release, we get an alternative ending featuring Tomoyo. Of course Tomoya and Tomoyo is just too weird of a combo name to get my head around, but it seems to work in practice. In the story, our hero the deliquent Okazaki is dating student council president Tomoyo, and he is forced to break up with her because he’s holding her back. That’s about it, at the risk of saying more and “spoiling,” though I’m not sure how spoilable it is.
If you’re familiar with Clannad, or the other Key adaptations, you know what to expect, and you’ll get it: smooth and detailed animation, laid-back pacing, cinematic directing by Kyoto vet Tatsuya Ishihara (Air, Kanon, Clannad, Haruhi), and of a little bit of teary-eyed melodrama.
Clannad was rather short on the amped-up melodrama and super-tragic pathos that made Kanon or the final episodes of Air stick in peoples’ minds, but this faux episode 24 pretty much makes up for that. Tears? Yep. Kids breaking up in spite of still being in love? Here ya go. Sad girl in the snow? Fuck yes, you got it, son!
Was it good? I liked it just fine, although I’m not one of those shipping types or visual novel players who thought that Tomoya should have ended up with Tomoyo, or Kyou, or whoever. I thought Kyoto made a good story out of Nagisa, and that’s that. I’m in it for the anime. I can understand making the fans happy; after all, these guys made Haruhi. But is there any need to do multiple arcs? It feels sort of like going back on a commitment that you’ve made to telling a good story. Besides, aren’t we still waiting for the tragic-ass after-story OVA?
Ultimately, it was nice to see widescreen Clannad, and Kyoto Animation’s a fanboy fave for a reason — the execution really is a cut above. I mean, it’s really good, especially here on DVD. The lump in my throat was good too, but temporary and not really satisfying. It’s hard to build up a real emotional connection based on 23 minutes, especially if you spend 23 episodes building up a different one. Clannad fans, especially Tomoyo fans, should of course watch it, but don’t expect more than the little bonus treat it was intended to be.
I must say that I really enjoyed this, but I never considered myself a Tomoyo fan until I had finished this bonus episode / alternative path. I was always a fan of Fuko and actually cried for I think the second time ever in an anime (first was during the funeral of Hughes in FMA – I still tear up at that scene). But I will say confidently that, in my eyes, this one episode beat out the entire series. I thought that their condensed story for Okazaki and Tomoyo (I refuse to say Tomoya and Tomoyo) was much more touching and dramatic than Nagisa could ever wish to be. Not that I dislike Nagisa, I actually loved her and the entire show, but after seeing just how magical a relationship with Tomoya can be… well, in short, I want to play the game and never choose any other character for my ending.
I liked this episode but it had several flaws:
no Kyou-sama
no random Fuko appearance
no Kyou-sama
As for Nagisa…well, there was no Kyou-sama.
Having played through Tomoyo’s route which was one of the better ones, I was somewhat disappointed with how this was fleshed out; the couple was waaaay more lovey dovey in the game.
Eew Clannad. Eew lovey-dovey. I should just renounce my membership to anime right now for saying that -_-”
I actually enjoyed this episode and Tomoya x Tomoyo is too confusing since I keep forgetting who’s the man and who’s the woman.
JLeeson - I think when we get the full after-story you may take back the Nagisa comment, since it should be sufficiently tragic.
lelangir - see that’s what I’m talking about. Someone will always be unsatisfied. I actually forgot to mention in the post just how happy I was that there was no Fuko appearance
Shin - I wondered when I watched it. But the series had such a celibate feel that they probably thought it would seem way off. It was already weird to see people actually uh, touching, and kissing and whatnot.
issa-sa - If being a Clannad fan is what gets you your card these days, consider my (Evangelion-based) worldview shattered.
blissmo -Tip: The one in the bear suit is a girl.