A Few Thoughts on CLANNAD

First of all, let's dispel a few myths about Clannad. The overwhelming impression people get before watching is that the series is a huge sob fest; as my friend put it, "You're going to cry man-tears." From what I understand, most adaptations from Key (Angel Beats) are similarly loaded with emotional drama. What audiences don't reveal is that those sorrowful moments are few and far between; furthermore, those rare occasions derive their strength from the heartwarming relationships that Clannad's cast fosters through many comedic high-school antics. I literally laughed out loud at least once every episode, confounded by the thought that there are people quirky enough to develop such a brilliant comedy. The visual novel origins are present, and the tale is obviously some variant of harem stories, but unlike most adaptations, the Clannad anime paces its story very well, avoiding the usual pitfalls of fillers and useless subplots. Those who haven't seen Clannad are missing out on an exceptionally good show; my penchant for science fiction anime does not change the fact that I enjoyed every minute of Clannad.

Clannad. Copyright Visual Art's/Key, Kyoto Animation.

Clannad's story is quite simple, as most comedies are: Nagisa wants to found a Drama Club, and needs four members, in addition to a club adviser, in order to do so. Out of that premise arises innumerable scenarios, which almost seem to deviate from the Drama Club business entirely. These frequent distractions are most forgivable; they entertain through clever verbal exchanges, and the emotional conflicts Clannad is famous for.

Characters are at the fore here, and each of the three arcs in the series gravitate around Tomoya Okazaki, the male lead, helping his female friends with their deeply disturbing issues. Unlike 99 percent of harem male leads, Okazaki actually has a backbone to speak of, not cowering like an impotent boy whenever approached by a girl. Okazaki makes sarcastic comments and fools around with his best friend Sunohara. He is an excellent foil to Tomoya, fretting over his lack of a girlfriend and strutting around as if he were the coolest guy in school; his attitude often gets him beat up by Tomoyo Sakagami, a girl he assumes is a man. I often drew parallels between my own real life behaviors and those of Sunohara, which may indicate that I go around screaming down the halls of my school too frequently. I really should stop doing that.

Clannad. Copyright Visual Art's/Key, Kyoto Animation.

The cast is large, and each member has histories and personalities that are looked into, at least to a reasonable degree. To say that every one of the females is likable is not far from the truth. One of the most  curious characters is Fuuko, a small girl with enormous brown eyes, who goes around school offering wooden starfish sculptures. The random timing of her appearances, coupled with the downright nonsensical nature of her actions, makes her contributions to the series unforgettable. In fact, the first arc is about her aiming to invite the students to her sister's wedding, using the starfishes as invitations. Never allowing for a dull moment, Clannad takes that adorable story and screws around with it until audiences are watching the action with sorrowful faces, trying to keep their tears from pouring out. I didn't cry - I swear I didn't cry! - but I completely understand why others would.

Clannad. Copyright Visual Art's/Key, Kyoto Animation.

Visually, this anime is rather distinct. Anime adapted from Visual Art's/Key novels have a flair for embellishing 'cuteness factor' though enlarging the eyes. I honestly didn't like the characters in Clannad at first because they were, in all honestly, ugly. But falling in love with the story eventually creates a segue for appreciating the anime's art as well. Yes, the bug eyes of the many girl characters is unconventional even in the realm of anime; in time, this too becomes part of Clannad's charm.

As always, I encourage anime viewers to take a chance and ambitiously watch shows they've never considered. Clannad: After Story, the sequel series, is ranked by Anime News Network as the best rated anime EVER, even above the sacred Fullmetal Alchemist series. I look forward to watching After Story once I manage to find some free time.

- Elijah