Clannad (visual novel): Difference between revisions

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The original [[Visual Novel]] ''CLANNAD'' was made by [[Key Visual Arts]] and released in 2004. The [[Manga]] adaptation, illustrated by Juri Misaki, was published by Jive between November 2005 and March 2009; Drama CDs were released in 2007. In September 2007, [[Toei Animation]] released [[The Movie]], directed by Osamu Dezaki. The television series, by [[Kyoto Animation]], aired between October 2007 and March 2008. The [[Visual Novel]] and the [[Anime]] television series are each divided into two parts, the high school portion, which takes place during the first few weeks of Tomoya's senior year, and the ''After Story'', which takes place later. Two special OVA episodes were made for this series by [[Kyoto Animation]]. The first is the [[Omake|bonus episode]] 24 in the first season, [[Alternate Universe|''Another World: Tomoyo Arc'']], and the second the [[Omake|bonus episode]] on the final Clannad DVD, [[Alternate Universe|''Another World: Kyou Arc'']].

 

 

Both seasons and the movie are licensed by Sentai Filmworks, the employees of the once-prosperous [[ADV Films]]. The first two episodes are available online for free.

** May be the way how the miracle at the end happens. {{spoiler|The miracle did not turn back time and save Nagisa, it simply created an [[Alternate Universe]] where Nagisa survives, meaning that Nagisa, Tomoya, and Ushio are still dead in the universe where they died. Interestingly, the miracle requires you to replay or reload to the point where Nagisa dies, the same way you do when you're going for another route and another continuity.}}

* [[Anachronic Order]]: Not so much in the [[Visual Novel]] or the [[Anime]] series, but definitely in the 2006 [[Toei Animation]] movie. Generally, the action therein skips back and forth between two timelines: Tomoya's senior year in high school, when he's falling in love with Nagisa, and {{spoiler|the weeks, months, and then years after Nagisa's death, when Tomoya is going through (and eventually recovers from) his [[Heroic BSOD]].}} So instead of season one followed by ''~After Story~'' -- as in the [[Kyoto Animation]] series -- in the movie we get the former and the latter half of the latter interspliced.

** Many of Nagisa's quotes are good examples, especially "Would you like me to take you... to a place in this city where wishes come true?" as well as her very first lines, quoted at the top.

** Nagisa is pretty much the queen of this trope as far as Clannad is concerned. Ironically, she is probably the one who would be most surprised to find out how much meaning her own quotes have.

** Tomoya had one in the later part of After. Like father-in-law, like son-in-law?

* [[Bromantic Foil]]: Sunohara.

* [[Brother Chuck]]: Kappei, from the [[Visual Novel]], doesn't make an appearance in any of the [[Anime]] adaptations.

* [[Brother-Sister Incest]]: Tomoya [[Imagine Spot|imagines]] this when Mei talks to him about setting up a relationship.

** {{spoiler|[[Subverted Trope|Subverted]] later in the [[Anime]] series, when Nagisa survives through the forced time-reset that Tomoya instigates.}}

* [[Death By Despair]]: {{spoiler|Tomoya collapses in the snow shortly after Ushio's death, pleading for Nagisa -- for anyone -- to save her.}}

** In addition, the [[Anime]] series occasionally employs briefer [[Deliberately Monochrome]] sequences in order to imply a sense of unreality -- for example, when Youhei is in a fog after first waking up.

** Late in the series, a heart-breaking use of [[Deliberately Monochrome]] - episode 16 of ''~After Story~'' concludes with something of an [[Ironic Echo]] of the series' opening scene. Whereas the original scene gradually bursts from monochrome to full color as Tomoya and Nagisa first notice each other, here the color palette fades from almost surreal intensity (even the tree trunks are purple!) to nearly black and white, {{spoiler|to signify that Nagisa has died.}}

* [[Dropped a Bridget On Him]] - In the [[Visual Novel]]: Hiiragi Kappei. So effeminate-looking that Tomoya is unsure of whether he is a guy or a girl even after he states his gender. Even after having the truth dropped on him, Sunohara, in a state of denial, chooses to pursue what Tomoya calls "unrequited love." The [[Ho Yay|implications]] are not lost on us.

* [[Dude, She's Like, in A Coma|Dude, He's Like in a Coma]] - Kyou considers this while catching Tomoya taking a nap in the One Year Before episode. Sunohara catches her at it, and calls her out on it. [[Hilarity Ensues]]

* [[Earn Your Happy Ending]] - Quite literally. In the game, you have to go through every character route in order to get the "true" ending of After Story. To put it in perspective this involves around 100 hours of reading, not to mention crying your eyes out on at least half a dozen occasions.

** Also applies in-universe. Tomoya had to go through all those hardships for him to {{spoiler|be reborn as the Garbage Doll in the Illusionary World. He gets his happy ending when Ushio sends him back in time, this time prepared to prevent Nagisa's death}}.

* [[Everyone Can See It]]: The viewer can tell Tomoya and Nagisa are the [[Official Couple]] by the opening credits of the first episode. Most other characters come to this conclusion quickly, too... except that Kyou and Ryou discover this the hard way. But even after a naval battle's worth of [[Ship Sinking]], Tomoya and Nagisa just can't see themselves as a couple. {{spoiler|Until the [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming]] final scene of the final (non-[[Omake]]) episode of season one.}}

* [[Evolving Credits]] - When Tomoya's grandmother is introduced in episode 18 of ''After Story'', she shows up in the ending credits as well. At the end of the next episode, Tomoya's father is added to the parade as well. In the final episode, Fūko and Ushio lead the line.

*** Similarly, in the anime, the scene where they state the episode number and title changed over time, adding orbs of light after major events that roughly correspond to when they are obtained in the game. In the first season, orbs are added at the beginning of episodes {{spoiler|7, 10, 13, 15, 19 and 22.}} In After Story, orbs are added in episodes {{spoiler|1, 5, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 21.}} After episode 22 in ''After Story'', the Girl from the Illusionary World is now seen lying in the grass under the tree.

* [[Expy]] - Sagara Misae is similar to Chidori Kaname from [[Full Metal Panic]]. They are both voiced by the same voice actress, have similar hair color (blackish blue), similar personality, and Misae's last name is the same as Kaname's love interest. They both also seem to be fond of the suplex. Given that both anime were also made by Kyoto Animation, which may have something to do with both characters having the same voice actress.

* [[Glowing Eyes of Doom]]: Kyou.

* [[Go Into the Light]] - Parodied on more than one occasion by Nagisa's very theatrical parents.

* [[Grand Finale]] - Doubles as a [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming|Crowning Episode of Heartwarming]].

* [[Gratuitous English]] - Sunohara tries to use some, but his English is so bad "revenge" comes out as more like "rezombie". The anime version of Kotomi's arc ends with a misspelled note in English SuitsCase]]? also spoken in a variety of languages, with varying levels of success. The English note was free of errors in the original game.

* [[Head Desk]]: In ''Clannad ~After Story~'', during Nagisa's 20th birthday, is also her first time drinking sake (the legal age for drinking in Japan is 20). She gets extremely drunk off just one bowl/cup and turns into a [[Clingy Jealous Girl]]. [[Hilarity Ensues]] and when Sanae and Akio start messing with him too, Tomoya does a fast headdesk.

* [[Her Heart Will Go On]] - The [[Gaiden Game]] eroge sequel to Tomoyo's route ''Tomoyo After: It's a Wonderful Life'' and the manga based on that (''Tomoyo After: Dear Shining Memories'').

** Nagisa suffers one after accidentally learning more about her parent's past. It nearly ruins her play as a result, until her dad snaps her out of it.

* [[Hesitation Equals Dishonesty]]: Tomoya says he likes snow in ''After Story'' episode 21 with a long hesitation after being asked if he likes snow. He does not like snow. [[Snow Means Death|Which is completely justifiable in this anime.]]

* [[Homoerotic Subtext]] - The "misunderstanding" between Ryou and Nagisa on the rooftop. In one scene Kyou also appears to like Kotomi a lot, leading to the famous [[The Glomp|Glomp]].

** Tomoya also becomes rather uncomfortable with Kappei because of this, though it eventually dies down when he stops thinking of Kappei as being so girly.

* [[Hot Shoujo Dad]]: Nagisa's father, Akio.

** {{spoiler|Who, after Ushio's birth, is now a Hot Shoujo GRANDPA!}}

** Tomoya's mom most likely counted as well, considering that his parents got married when his father was still in school and he was born shortly after. Also, since this is a fictional bishoujo story where true love prevails, all the other heroines would have counted in their respective alternate universes.

* [[Hot Teacher]]: Sanae used to be a teacher, but still remained hot. {{spoiler|Kyou}} becomes one in After Story. Kouko also used to be a teacher.

** Also applies to practically the entire ''After Story'' in regard to Tomoya.

* [[Identity Amnesia]]: After their deaths, {{spoiler|Tomoya and Ushio forget who they are (or were) when they are reborn into the Illusionary World as the Garbage Doll and the Girl}}.

* [[Oddly Visible Eyebrows]]

* [[Official Couple]] - Nagisa and Tomoya. After all, Nagisa is the "[[First Girl Wins|First Girl]]," Tomoya spends the majority of the show with her, and her theme song (also the season one ending theme) refers to a "mischievous" blue dango and a "kind" pink dango as a couple. The opening scene, where Tomoya describes their long path up to school, could be considered a description of their developing relationship.

* [[One Head Taller]]: Tomoya is almost exactly one head taller than Nagisa. (For that matter, most of Tomoya's potential [[Love Interest|Love Interests]] are within a few inches of Nagisa in height. But with Nagisa, it's most striking -- and also most relevant, since they're the central arc's [[Official Couple]].)

* [[One Steve Limit]]: [[Averted Trope|Averted]] both with Ryou and Kyou (who are twins) and with Tomoya and Tomoyo.

* [[Really Dead Montage]] - In the anime, you could almost hope {{spoiler|Nagisa, and later Ushio,}} just fell asleep or something, were it not for all the flashbacks.

* [[Recap Episode]] - In one extra episode of the anime, Tomoya talks about what happened in the events of the first season and ''After Story''.

* [[Relationship Upgrade]]: Many, between Tomoya and Nagisa. That each one is hard-earned -- Tomoya is hesitant to open up; Nagisa is a [[Shrinking Violet]] -- just makes them that much more heartwarming.

* [[Relationship Voice Actor]] - Quite a few:

** Dango family

* [[Right Behind Me]] - A [[Running Gag]] has Akio talking about Sanae's bread before learning she was behind him and heard the whole thing.

* [[Room Full of Crazy]] - A room covered with certain newspaper articles.

* [[Running Gag]] - Any events where someone says Sanae's bread tastes like trash, especially if it's Akio who says it

** What makes this ironic is that in the visual novel there are several variation of this scene and, if anything, Nagisa's and Tomoyo's are far more suggestive. The real kicker is that they are all part of ''Yukine's'' route!

*** Even better in that it's entirely possible to get locked in the storage room with {{spoiler|Akio!}}

** The summer uniforms from ''[[Alternate Continuity|Tomoyo After]]''.

** Episode 20 also has a brief shout-out to the famous music video for ''Thriller''.

*** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4huZHu84PI Which has since been dubbed over the scene...]

** Specific examples of the [[Kyo Ani]] crossreferencing: [[Kanon|Mai's sword and Sayuri's magical staff, along with their ribbons]] make an appearance in the Drama Club's prop box, and in episode 1, the desaturated opening is similar to the first chronological episode of ''[[Suzumiya Haruhi]]''. In episode 17 of ''After Story'' a giant stuffed anteater much like the one from Kanon is visible in the Furukawa house

** During Kotomi's path in the Visual Novel, Kyou attempts to get a doll from a game at the arcade that is described surprisingly similar in appearance to [[Peanuts|Snoopy]].

** ''~After Story~'', episode 8 has a shout out to Akiko from [[Kanon]] and her [[Lethal Chef|special home made jam]] (in a deadly combination with Sanae's bread).

* [[Utsuge]]: [[Key Visual Arts]] is known for heart-wrenching plots.

* [[Watching the Sunset]]: After Nagisa and Tomoya get married, there's a scene of them meeting on a hilltop path, the sun setting behind them. Because of the angle at which we see them, and the way Nagisa's holding her bag, it looks for a moment as if Nagisa's pregnant. Borders on [[Against the Setting Sun]], except no words are actually spoken.

* [[What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?]] - Drawing out a baseball bat is usually done in a dramatic way.

** The Dango song gets incredibly epic at the end; very unusual for something that is supposed to be a jingle for rice-balls.

[[Category:Manga]]

[[Category:Clannad]]