CLANNAD
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese visual novel
created by the software company Key
, who also produced the successful titles Kanon
and Air. Key released a limited version for the PC
on April 28, 2004, and the regular version less than four months later on August 8, 2004. The visual novel was later ported
to the PlayStation 2
, PlayStation Portable
, Xbox 360
, and PlayStation 3
. The gameplay
in Clannad follows a linear plot line, which offers pre-determined scenarios and courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the five female main characters.
While both of Key's first two previous works, Kanon and Air, had been released first as adult games
and then censored for the younger market, Key's third work Clannad was released for all ages and does not contain risqué situations or even any fan service
. On November 25, 2005, Key released an adult spin-off
entitled Tomoyo After: It's a Wonderful Life which expands the scenario of Tomoyo Sakagami, one of the five heroines from Clannad.
Clannad has made several transitions to other media. There have been four manga
series: the first serialized in the Japanese magazine Comic Rush
, the second serialized in Comi Digi +
, the third serialized in Dengeki G's Magazine
and Dengeki G's Festival! Comic, and the fourth in Dragon Age Pure
. An animated film by the animation studio
Toei Animation
was released on September 15, 2007, followed by two anime
series including two original video animation
(OVA) episodes by Kyoto Animation
, which also animated the previous Key titles Air and Kanon. Lastly, there are two sets of drama CDs
, totaling nine in all. Both anime series and their accompanying OVAs are licensed by Sentai Filmworks and are localized and distributed in English by Section23 Films
. The first Clannad anime series was released in North America in two half-series box sets in March and May 2009. The Clannad After Story anime series was released in North America in two half-series box sets in October and December 2009.
The visual novel and the animated adaptations including the two TV series and film have received high sales figures in Japan. Across the national ranking of bishōjo game
s in amount sold in Japan, the Clannad limited edition PC release premiered at number one twice since its release, and the third ranking brought the PC release down to forty-six out of fifty. Out of eight DVDs released for the first Clannad anime TV series, six were ranked first during their first week of sales for anime DVDs in Japan. Out of eight DVDs released for Clannad After Story, seven were ranked first during their first week of sales. The special edition film DVD first ranked at number three during its first week of sales.
is divided into two segments, or story arc
s—School Life and After Story—which serve as different phases in the overall story. At the beginning of the game, only the School Life arc is available to play, but once the player has completed the scenarios available in School Life, After Story is made accessible. This is through the collection of eight lights, or orbs, which can be obtained after a character's scenario is completed; one of the lights will disappear while still in School Life, but will reappear in After Story.
School Life contains the final year of high school of the main protagonist, Tomoya Okazaki, in which he meets all of the characters in the game, though the focus is kept on the five heroines in the story, including the main heroine Nagisa Furukawa. After Story is mainly a continuation of Nagisa's story, and is set immediately after School Life when Nagisa and Tomoya are now living their lives as a couple, and extends into the next ten years. Characters from School Life do appear, but play minor roles compared to their roles in that arc. In order to view the true ending of Clannad, all thirteen lights must be obtained. Originally, the lights were meant to be items that players could use in the game, but since this increased the game's difficulty, and detracted from the storyline, the function of the lights was changed to be simpler and less intrusive.
Clannads gameplay
requires little interaction from the player as most of the duration of the game is spent simply reading the text that appears on the game screen which represents either dialogue
between the various characters or the inner thoughts of the protagonist. An important aspect of Clannad (as in nearly every visual novel
) are the "decision points" which appear every so often which give the player the chance to choose from a limited number of options. The time between these decision points is variable and can occur anywhere from a minute to much longer. The game pauses at such moments and depending on which choice the player makes, the plot will progress in a specific direction. There are five main plot lines that the player will have the chance to experience, one for each of the heroines in the story, and there are thirteen possible endings. Each plot line can be achieved through multiple replays.
Clannad is Key's second longest work, as reported by Yūto Tonokawa
where he stated that Clannad is about 4000 words fewer than Key's 2008 game Little Busters! Ecstasy
. While both of Key's first two previous works, Kanon
and Air, had been released first as adult games
and then censored for the younger market, Key's third work Clannad was released for all ages and does not contain risqué situations or barely any fan service
other than one small scene.
There are recurring themes that appear throughout the story. The main theme is the value of having a family, as the title of the series implies since the main scenario writer Jun Maeda
misunderstood Clannad to mean "family" or "clan" in Irish
. Of the six main characters, Tomoya, Nagisa, and Kotomi have no siblings, though their parents factor in majorly in their stories. Nagisa's story was written to incorporate what Maeda described as a "perfect family" with a focus on mental consciousness. In Nagisa's story, there is a recurring appearance of (a fictional group mascot
for children) that Nagisa is fond of. Tomoya's and Nagisa's characters were written in a style to exemplify a "growth to adulthood" by the end of the story. Fuko's and Kyou's stories have their sisters playing an integral part, and Tomoyo's story is influenced by her entire family. A minor motif of Irish words continues with the opening theme of the game, "Mag Mell
", which means roughly "plain of joy" and is connected with Irish mythology. The arrange
album, a short music CD that contained remixed versions of songs in the game, that was bundled with the original game release was entitled Mabinogi
, which was a collection of prose
stories from medieval Welsh
manuscripts; Welsh is a Celtic
language, as is Irish.
, or a young person who defies authority due to his non-committal attitude towards school and general apathy
towards living life; at the beginning of the story, he even hates the city he has lived in all his life where Clannad is set. He is very straightforward in his comments to others and will not hesitate to speak his mind, even if he comes off as rude during such times. Despite this, Tomoya is very loyal to his friends, and has been known to dedicate himself for those around him in need of help or support. He generally has a selfless personality and does not ask much from others in return for what he does for them.
Tomoya meets Nagisa Furukawa, the main heroine of Clannad, at the onset of the story. Nagisa is a soft-spoken girl who has very low self-esteem
and self-confidence
which causes her to rely on those around her for support; she developed the strange habit of muttering the names of favorite foods that she plans to eat as a way to motivate herself, such as anpan
. Kyou Fujibayashi, another of Clannads heroines, is a bad-mouthed and aggressive girl well known as a good cook among her friends and family. When angry she does not hesitate to throw a dictionary at people that she often carries around for such purposes. Despite this attitude, she also has a more subdued side, especially towards her younger fraternal twin sister Ryou Fujibayashi.
Tomoya meets a genius
girl named Kotomi Ichinose, also a heroine, one day at school. She is ranked in the top ten throughout the whole country in standardized exam results of every subject—she always goes to library to read extra materials, especially books in foreign languages. Kotomi is a very quiet girl with poor social skills and it is quite difficult to communicate with her; Kotomi can even completely ignore someone when reading, even if they make loud disturbances around her. Clannads fourth heroine is a second-year student named Tomoyo Sakagami who transfers into Tomoya's school. Tomoyo, like Kyou, can be extremely aggressive, and Tomoyo is a very strong fighter, preferring to use kicking over punching, and is very athletic. Although Tomoya is older than her, Tomoyo does not show him his due respect as a senior student. Tomoyo appears in Key's fifth game, Tomoyo After: It's a Wonderful Life, as the main heroine.
The last main heroine in Clannad is a first-year student named Fuko Ibuki who has a distant attitude towards others and, before she met Tomoya, was generally seen alone by herself making wood carvings of starfish with a small knife to give to others as presents. Fuko is extremely enthralled by starfish, or things that are star-shaped, and will often go into short euphoric
bouts where her awareness of her surroundings is completely overtaken.
and gambling, and held frequent fights with his son. One day, Naoyuki, again arguing with his son, slammed Tomoya against the window, dislocating Tomoya's shoulder. Ever since then, his father has treated Tomoya nicely, but distantly, as if Tomoya and he were strangers rather than a family. This hurts Tomoya more than his previous relationship with his father, and the awkwardness of returning home leads Tomoya constantly to stay out all night. Additionally, the injury disables Tomoya from participating in his basketball club, and pushes him to distance himself from his school and other activities. Thus his delinquent life begins. Tomoya's good friend Youhei Sunohara, who got thrown out of the soccer club for a dispute, is also a delinquent and often hangs out in his dorm room with Tomoya doing nothing much.
The story opens on Monday April 14, 2003 at the beginning of the school year, when Tomoya meets by chance Nagisa Furukawa, a soft-spoken girl one year older than he is who is repeating her last year in high school due to being sick much of the previous year. Her goal is to join the drama club which she was unable to do due to her sickness, but they find that the drama club was disbanded after the few remaining members graduated. Since Tomoya has a lot of time to kill, he starts to help Nagisa in reforming the drama club. During this period, Tomoya meets and hangs out with several other girls who he gets to know well and help with their individual problems.
to their daughter Ushio, Nagisa dies, leaving Tomoya to fall into a state of depression. This causes Nagisa's parents, Akio and Sanae to look after Ushio. Five years later, Tomoya meets Shino Okazaki, his grandmother on his father's side. Shino explains to Tomoya about his father's past and tragedy, similar to Tomoya's current situation after Nagisa's death. After hearing that, Tomoya decides to raise Ushio and acknowledge Naoyuki as his father. Shortly after Tomoya regains his purpose for living, Ushio is struck with the same disease as Nagisa. Tomoya, Sanae and Akio struggle to save Ushio, with Tomoya retiring from his job, but all efforts are futile. In the coming winter, wanting to do anything for Ushio, Tomoya decides to take Ushio on a trip, but Ushio falls unconscious and dies shortly after.
Tomoya's psychology developed in his dreams of a bleak world where small orbs of light float around called the . In the first few dreams, he sees a world devoid of all life except for one girl (and grass). Each time he dreams, he finds out more about the world. Tomoya discovers the girl has a special ability to fuse junk together to create new things, with which she creates a body for him. Thus he is reborn in this world, and fills time following the girl around. Tomoya conceives that only the two of them are "alive". To pass time, Tomoya and the girl try to build another doll with more junk they find, but as it has no soul, it fails to come to life. Remembering a distant world where he came from, Tomoya convinces the girl to build a ship so that the two can escape the approaching winter and continue a happy life. Eventually, winter sets in, and the girl becomes cold to the point where she cannot move any more. Upon meeting this tragedy, the girl tells Tomoya that he has another chance to go back and make things right. To do so, he must collect certain "lights" (symbols of happiness) similar to those floating around in the Illusionary World. If all the "lights" are collected throughout both story parts, a chance to save Nagisa from dying in childbirth will become available, and the true ending where Nagisa survives and lives with Tomoya and their daughter Ushio will also become available.
, the publishing company which controls Key. Jun Maeda
, who was one of three main scenario writers with Kai, and Yūichi Suzumoto
, led the planning for Clannad and wrote the majority of the scenarios. Scenario assistance was provided by Tōya Okano. Itaru Hinoue
headed the art direction, and also worked on the character design. Miracle Mikipon, Mochisuke, Na-Ga
, and Shinory supplemented the computer graphics
. Torino provided the background art. The game music was composed
by Maeda, Shinji Orito
, and Magome Togoshi
.
For Key's second visual novel Air, Maeda admitted he felt he was able to write what he wanted to for the game's scenario, however later discovered that Air was difficult for players to receive and experience. Due to this, Maeda felt that for Key's next work Clannad, he had a sense of duty to make the game easier to receive for as many users as possible. In any case, he wanted to make it an entertaining game, and started planning on Clannad almost immediately after Airs completion. From the start of Clannads planning, Maeda did not want to write a story like in Air, but instead wanted to focus on writing a deep connection between the 'people and the town', and 'humanity'. Maeda noted that he exceeded his writing ability when writing most of the scenarios in Clannad, and equates Clannads writing process as a "wall that I will never be able to get over again." While at the beginning Maeda felt he was prepared, the entire game's story started to increase to a level Maeda never predicted, and Suzumoto noted that it approximately doubled in size from the original projected length. Suzumoto attributed the increase due to the lengthening structure of the game's base scenario which caused the 'branch' scenarios to increase as well.
There were more concerns about Clannad being similar to Air. When Nagisa's scenario was being written, there were some disputes concerning the length of her scenario, and thus putting too much focus on the main heroine. Some were concerned that having a single prominent character with a unique storyline would be too much like how Air was structured with the overall focus on Misuzu Kamio. The company president of Visual Art's
is even noted as suggesting to minimize the differences between the other characters' scenarios, but this was ultimately ignored since Maeda thought the game's evaluation by players would not decrease on account of the scenarios being vastly different, and thought the end result was a good one. Maeda was concerned that the After Story arc
, mainly a continuation of Nagisa's scenario, would eclipse the entire game's scenario, much like what happened with Air according to Maeda. In order to prevent the same thing happening in Clannad, Maeda focused on making the first half of the story, the School Life arc, just as enjoyable by making it long and heart-breaking.
in DVD-ROM format. The regular edition went on sale less than two months later on August 6, 2004 and retailed for the same price as the limited edition; the limited and regular editions contained no voice acting for the characters. A consumer console port of the game developed by Interchannel
for the PlayStation 2
was released on February 23, 2006. Full voice acting (minus Tomoya Okazaki) was included for the PlayStation 2 version. After the PS2 version sold enough units, it was decided that a cheaper version also known as the "Best Version" would be released on July 30, 2009. The PS2 Best Version was also bundled in a separate "Key 3-Part Work Premium Box" package together with the PS2 Best Versions of Kanon
and Air released on July 30, 2009. A portable version, playable on SoftBank 3G and FOMA
mobile phone
s produced by Prototype
through Visual Art's Motto
, was released on January 16, 2008.
A version for the PC with full voice acting called Clannad Full Voice was released on February 29, 2008. This version contains new computer graphics
, and the voice cast from the PlayStation 2 version remained unchanged; Tomoya is still not voiced. Prototype also produced a PlayStation Portable
version of the game released on May 29, 2008 which included the additions from the PC full voice version. Another console port developed by Prototype for the Xbox 360
was released on August 28, 2008, and includes full voice acting (again minus Tomoya). The Xbox 360 version utilizes Xbox Live
to distribute the voice files of the Official Another Story Clannad: On the Hillside Path that Light Watches Over drama CDs which were also released by Prototype. The limited edition release of the PSP and Xbox 360 versions came bundled with a "digest" edition of the drama CD series released by Prototype containing five separate stories each; the CD bundled with the PSP release is different from the CD bundled with the Xbox 360 version. Clannad Full Voice was re-released by Key under the name Clannad on July 31, 2009 in a box set containing five other Key visual novels called Key 10th Memorial Box, and was re-released on May 28, 2010 with updated compatibility for Windows 7 PCs under the title Clannad Memorial Edition. Prototype released a version of Clannad ported to the PlayStation 3
on April 21, 2011.
on April 15, 2004. The book contained images from the visual novel, and short explanations of the characters, along with production sketches and concept drawings. A 160-page visual fan book was published by Enterbrain
on October 12, 2004 which contained detailed story explanations, computer graphics
, sheet music
for the opening and ending themes, and interviews from the creators. Near the end of the book contains original illustrations of Clannad characters from various artists, three additional chapters of the Official Another Story, and production sketches.
A set of fourteen illustrated short stories which added to Clannads story were serialized between the September 2004 and October 2005 issues of ASCII Media Works
' Dengeki G's Magazine
. Titled , there were thirteen regular chapters and one extra bonus chapter. The installments were written by Key's scenario staff and each story was accompanied by illustrations by Japanese artist GotoP
. Two more stories were included when they were collected into a 103-page bound volume released on November 25, 2005. The short story collection was later re-released via SoftBank 3G and FOMA
mobile phone
s produced by Prototype
through Visual Art's Motto
starting in January 2008. One chapter was released weekly with the SoftBank 3G releases three weeks behind the version for FOMA phones, and a version for au
phones was released in summer 2008. Prototype again re-released the short story collection, this time on the PlayStation Portable handheld game console
in two volumes, each containing eight chapters including the original art by GotoP. The first volume was released on June 3, 2010 and the second followed on June 24, 2010; the re-release is described by the developers as a "visual sound novel".
Two Clannad anthology character novels were written by several authors and published by Jive
in September and December 2004. The first volume of a short story anthology compilation series written by Hiro Akizuki and Mutsuki Misaki entitled was released in November 2008 published by Harvest; the third volume was released in October 2009. Three volumes of a short story compilation series by several authors entitled Clannad SSS were published by Harvest between June and August 2009. The first volume of a novel series titled Clannad Mystery File was first published by Harvest in August 2010. Harvest published a novel titled Clannad: Magic Hour in December 2010.
illustrated by Juri Misaki
entitled Clannad Official Comic was serialized in the Japanese manga magazine Comic Rush
between the May 2005 and April 2009 issues. Eight bound volumes
were published by Jive
between November 7, 2005 and March 7, 2009. The second manga with the title Official Another Story Clannad: On the Hillside Path that Light Watches Over was serialized between June 21, 2007 and August 21, 2008 in the Japanese magazine Comi Digi +
, published by Flex Comix
, and contained eleven chapters. The story for the second manga was adapted from the short story collection the manga was named after, and is illustrated by Rino Fujii
. The first bound volume for the second manga series was released by Broccoli
on February 21, 2008 in a limited and regular edition, each with their own cover. The limited edition comes bundled with a small black notebook with the school emblem of Tomoya's school on the cover. In order to commemorate the sale, an autograph
session with the manga's illustrator signing copies was held on March 2, 2008 at Gamers in Nagoya, Japan. The second and final volume, again in limited and regular editions, was released on December 20, 2008.
A third Clannad manga illustrated by Shaa began serialization in the August 2007 issue of the Japanese magazine Dengeki G's Magazine
, published by ASCII Media Works
. The manga ended serialization in Dengeki G's Magazine in the July 2009 issue, and began serialization in the eighth volume of Dengeki G's Festival! Comic, Dengeki G's Magazines sister magazine, on October 26, 2009. The first bound volume for the third manga series was released by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Comics
imprint
on February 27, 2008; the third volume was released on December 18, 2010. A fourth manga under the title Clannad: Tomoyo Dearest was serialized between February 20 and August 20, 2008 in the shōnen
manga magazine Dragon Age Pure
, published by Fujimi Shobo
. The story centers on Tomoyo's arc from the Clannad visual novel, and is illustrated by Yukiko Sumiyoshi
. A single volume for Clannad: Tomoyo Dearest was released on October 9, 2008.
There have also been four sets of manga anthologies
produced by different companies and drawn by a multitude of different artists. The first volume of the earliest anthology series, released by Ohzora under the title Clannad, was released in June 2004 under their Twin Heart Comics imprint. Volumes for this series continued to be released until April 2005 with the fifth volume. The second anthology was released in a single volume by Jive
on January 25, 2005 entitled Clannad Comic Anthology: Another Symphony. The third anthology series was released in two volumes by Ichijinsha
on June 25, 2004 and July 24, 2004 under their DNA Media Comics; a third special volume was released much later on December 25, 2007. The first volume of the last anthology series, a collection of four-panel
comic strip
s released by Enterbrain
under the title Magi-Cu
4-koma Clannad, was released on February 25, 2008 under their MC Comics imprint; the tenth volume in the series was released on August 26, 2009. Each of the anthology series are written and drawn by an average of twenty people per volume.
, contains five CDs each focusing on a different heroine in Clannads story ranging from Nagisa, to Kotomi, Fuko, Kyou, and Tomoyo. The first volume was released in Japan on April 25, 2007 as a limited edition with an extra track added. The second through fifth volumes followed in one month increments between May 25, 2007 and August 24, 2007. The second set, produced by Prototype
, contains four CDs; the first was released on July 25, 2007. Volumes two through four were released in one month intervals after that, with the last being released on October 24, 2007. Each CD is based on the stories from the Official Another Story Clannad: On the Hillside Path that Light Watches Over collection. The artist GotoP
, who provided the illustrations for the short stories, also illustrates the drama CD covers.
(the same team who worked on the original Kanon
anime and Air film
) announced at the Tokyo Anime Fair on March 23, 2006 that an animated film would be produced. The Clannad film was released on September 15, 2007, directed by the same director of the Air film, Osamu Dezaki
, and the screenplay was written by Makoto Nakamura
. The film is a reinterpretation of the Clannad storyline which centers on the story arc
of the female lead Nagisa Furukawa. The film was released on DVD in three editions: the Collector's Edition, the Special Edition, and the Regular Edition on March 7, 2008. Sentai Filmworks will be releasing an English-subbed and dubbed version of the film in March 2011.
announced a Clannad anime series via a short thirty-second teaser trailer that was featured at the end of the final episode of the second Kanon
anime series. Clannad is produced by Kyoto Animation
and directed by Tatsuya Ishihara
, who also worked on other adaptations of Key's
visual novels Air, and Kanon
. The anime aired between October 4, 2007 and March 27, 2008, containing twenty-three aired episodes out of a planned twenty-four; the broadcast time was first announced on August 11, 2007 at the TBS
festival Anime Festa, which is also when the first episode was showcased. The anime series was released in a set of eight DVD
compilations released between December 19, 2007 and July 16, 2008 by Pony Canyon
, with each compilation containing three episodes. Of the 24 episodes, 23 were aired on television with the first 22 being regular episodes, followed by an additional extra episode. The last episode was released as an original video animation
(OVA) on the eighth DVD on July 16, 2008 and is set in an alternate universe
from the anime series where Tomoya and Tomoyo are dating, which is based on Tomoyo's scenario in the game. The OVA episode was previewed on May 31, 2008 for an audience of four-hundred people picked via a mail-in postcard
campaign. A Blu-ray Disc
(BD) box set of Clannad was released on April 30, 2010.
After the ending of the twenty-third episode of the first Clannad anime series, a fifteen-second teaser trailer aired promoting a second season entitled Clannad After Story. The anime is again animated by Kyoto Animation, and animates the After Story arc
from the visual novel, which is a continuation of Nagisa's story, into twenty-four episodes. The same staff and cast from the first anime were used and the series broadcast in Japan between October 3, 2008 and March 26, 2009. Of the twenty-four episodes, twenty-two are regular episodes, the twenty-third is an extra episode, and the last episode is a summary episode showcasing highlights from the series. The episodes were released on eight DVD compilation volumes between December 3, 2008 and July 1, 2009. The eighth DVD volume came with an additional OVA episode set in an alternate universe from the anime series where Tomoya and Kyou are dating. The OVA episode was previewed on May 24, 2009 to a limited number of people. A BD box set of Clannad After Story will be released on April 20, 2011 in Japan with English subtitles.
The license holding company Sentai Filmworks licensed the Clannad anime series, and ADV Films localized and distributed the television series and the OVA starting with the first half season box set consisting of twelve episodes with English subtitles, Japanese audio, and no English language track, which was released on March 3, 2009. The second half season box set containing the remaining episodes was released on May 5, 2009. Sentai Filmworks licensed the Clannad After Story anime series; Section23 Films
localized and distributed both the television series and OVA starting with the first half season box set with English subtitles released on October 20, 2009. The second half box set was released on December 8, 2009. Sentai Filmworks re-released Clannad in a complete collection set on June 15, 2010, which featured an English dub, produced at Seraphim Digital. The English dub premiered on March 25, 2010 on the Anime Network
. Sentai Filmworks re-released Clannad After Story with an English dub on April 19, 2011. Sentai Filmworks will re-release Clannad on BD in November 2011.
The opening theme for the first season is "'Mag Mell' ~cuckool mix 2007~" by Eufonius
, a remix
of the song "'Mag Mell' -cockool mix-", featured on the third disc of the game's original soundtrack, which is itself a remix of the game's opening theme . The first season's ending theme is by Chata
. It carries the same tune as , the ending theme from the After Story arc of the game. The second season's opening theme is which uses the same tune as the background music
track from the game's soundtrack. The ending theme is "Torch", and both the opening and ending themes are sung by Lia
. The rest of the soundtrack for both anime series is sampled from several albums released for the Clannad visual novel including the Clannad Original Soundtrack, Mabinogi, -Memento-, Sorarado, and Sorarado Append. The cover art
for Sorarado Append is also visible as the last shot in the ending video animation of the first season.
show to promote the Clannad anime series called was broadcast between October 5, 2007 and October 3, 2008, containing fifty-two episodes. The show, produced by Onsen and Animate TV
, was hosted by Mai Nakahara
, who played Nagisa Furukawa in the anime, and Kikuko Inoue
, who played Sanae Furukawa, and was streamed online every Friday. Several voice actors
from the anime adaptation appeared on the show as guests who included Ryō Hirohashi
(as Kyou), Atsuko Enomoto
(as Yukine), Akemi Kanda
(as Ryou), Yuichi Nakamura (as Tomoya), and Daisuke Sakaguchi
(as Youhei). A two-disc CD compilation containing the show's first thirteen broadcasts was produced on June 18, 2008. The second two-disc CD compilation containing the fourteenth through twenty-sixth broadcasts was released on October 15, 2008, and a third CD volume followed on November 19, 2008. A fourth and final volume was released on February 18, 2009 containing the rest of the broadcasts.
A second Internet radio show to promote the Clannad After Story anime series called was broadcast between October 10, 2008 and April 10, 2009, containing twenty-six episodes. The show was also produced by Onsen and Animate TV, and was streamed online every Friday. The show had three hosts including the previous two plus Ryōtarō Okiayu
who plays Akio Furukawa in the anime series. Two two-disc CD compilations were released containing the second radio shows broadcasts, the first released on February 18, 2009, followed by the second on May 29, 2009.
. The opening and ending themes were sung by Riya
of Eufonius
, and the insert song was sung by Lia
of I've Sound
. Six of the characters have background music
theme songs—the five heroines, and Yukine Miyazawa. Nagisa's theme is the self-titled ; Kyou's theme is ; Kotomi's theme is "Étude Pour les Petites Supercordes"; Tomoyo's theme is ; Fuko's theme is ; lastly, Yukine's theme is .
The first music album was an image
vocal album called Sorarado released in December 2003 featuring songs sung by Riya. The next album, Mabinogi, came bundled with the original release of Clannad in April 2004. The game's original soundtrack was released in August 2004 containing three discs with thirty-six different tracks along with remix versions of many of the background music
tracks plus short, instrumental, and remix versions of the theme songs. A follow up to the first image vocal album was released in December 2004 called Sorarado Append; the songs were again sung by Riya. A remix album
entitled -Memento- was also released in December 2004 and contained two discs. A piano arrangement
album was released in December 2005 called Piano no Mori which contained five tracks from Clannad and five from Tomoyo After: It's a Wonderful Life. Each of the albums released for the visual novel version were released on Key's record label
Key Sounds Label
.
A maxi single
by Eufonius was released in July 2007 for the Clannad film
called "Mag Mell (frequency⇒e Ver.)". The single contained a remix version of the game's opening theme, and instrumental track of that remix, and an original track. An image album entitled Yakusoku was released in August 2007 featuring a song sung by Lia, an instrumental version of that song, and two background music tracks used in the film. The film's original soundtrack was released in November 2007. The albums released for the film were produced by Frontier Works
. A single was released in October 2007 for the first anime series called "Mag Mell / Dango Daikazoku" which contained the anime's opening and ending themes in original, short, and instrumental versions plus a remix version of , a track featured in Sorarado sung by Riya. A single for the second season anime series was released in November 2008 called "Toki o Kizamu Uta / Torch", and contains the anime's opening and ending themes sung by Lia. A remix album containing piano arrangement versions of the second anime series' opening and ending themes was released in December 2008 called "Toki o Kizamu Uta / Torch" Piano Arrange Disc. The anime series' two singles and one album are released on Key Sounds Label.
, poll results for the fifty best bishōjo game
s were released. Out of 249 titles, Clannad ranked first at 114 votes; in comparison, the second place title, Fate/stay night
, got 78 votes. The PlayStation 2 release in 2006 was reviewed by the Japanese video game magazine Famitsu
, which gave it an overall score of 26/40 (out of the four individual review scores of 7, 7, 6, and 6).
The anime television adaptation has been critically acclaimed. While the first season of Clannad received reviews ranging from positive to mixed, the second season Clannad After Story has received wide critical acclaim. The THEM Anime Reviews website gave the entire series a score of 4 out of 5 stars, with reviewer Tim Jones describing the first season as "the most fleshed-out and real Key animated adaption to date," and reviewer Stig Høgset stating that the second season After Story "will play up the tragedies and the drama considerably, quite possibly tearing out your heart in the process. This is where time truly starts to fly by, lending the show some real weight in the emotional departments." Theron Martin of Anime News Network
gave the first season a 'B+' rating, criticizing its extensive use of moe elements, but considered it appealing entertainment for a "fan base who revels in this kind of thing." His review for the second season After Story was much more positive, giving it an 'A-' rating. He praised the second half of the season as "the best-written quarter of Clannad," stating that it "effectively builds up and delivers its emotional appeal, reinforces the series' central theme (i.e. the importance of family), and peaks visually," and concluding that "only the most cynical of souls will avoid shedding at least a few tears at certain points." On the DVD Talk
website, the reviewer Todd Douglass Jr. gave Clannad After Story a "Highly Recommended" rating, stating that "the range of emotions Clannad takes you through is quite daunting. It's charming, cute, hilarious, mysterious, and tragic all at the same time. Few shows are as memorable, and few are this good for this long." He concludes that the storytelling is "heartfelt" and "memorable in so many ways," and that "few shows rise to the levels this one does."
s in amount sold in Japan, the Clannad limited edition PC release premiered at number one twice since its release, and the third ranking brought the PC release down to 46 out of 50. The first two weeks of June 2004 held the final ranking for the original release at 40 out of 50. The Clannad regular edition PC release premiered at number 26 in the rankings. The next two rankings for the regular edition were at 37 and 41. Clannad Full Voice ranked three consecutive times in terms of highest selling PC games nationally in Japan, achieving sales rankings of 7, 20, and 40 between February and April 2008.
The two anime series and film DVDs have shown consistent high sales figures. The first anime limited edition DVD ranked third for the week of December 19 and December 25, 2007. The second through fifth limited edition DVDs all ranked first during their first week of sales, while the sixth limited edition DVD volume was ranked fourth for the week of May 21 and May 27, 2008. The seventh and eighth limited edition DVD volumes both ranked first during their first week of sales. The third limited edition DVD ranked sixth for the most anime DVDs sold between December 2007 and November 2008. A Blu-ray Disc
box set of Clannad ranked third for the week of April 26 and May 2, 2010, and ranked again at 13 the following week. The special edition film DVD first ranked at number three during its first week of sales, and dropped down to number ten the following week.
The first limited edition DVD for Clannad After Story ranked second during its first week of sales selling 17,521 units. The second through fourth limited edition DVDs for Clannad After Story ranked first during their first week of sales each selling over 16,000 units each. The fifth through seventh limited edition DVDs for Clannad After Story ranked first during their first week of sales selling over 14,000 units each. The eighth limited edition DVD for Clannad After Story ranked second during its first week of sales selling over 19,800 units. The sixth limited edition DVD volume ranked again the week of May 11 and May 17, 2009 at number three for anime DVDs. The seventh limited edition DVD volume ranked again the week of June 8 and June 14, 2009 at number six for anime DVDs. The eighth limited edition DVD volume ranked again the week of July 6 and July 12, 2009 at number five for anime DVDs.
s (MMOGs) Hiten Online and Holy Beast Online
. Between March 26 and June 26, 2008, the two games offered costumes characters could wear which looked like the winter school uniforms from Clannad, along with offering Kyou's pet boar Button for players to adopt. Also, any players of either game who had a character over level twenty could enter a lottery where five-hundred people were chosen to win Clannad-related goods which included virtual
and real-world items such as file folder
s, "netcash" cards, sports towels, tapestries
, and various items used during gameplay.
ASCII Media Works
and Vridge produced the PlayStation 2 visual novel based on the light novel
series Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu
. Released in September 2008, the game features the series' characters cosplay
ing in various costumes either depicting characters from five popular light novel series published by ASCII Media Works, or three Clannad heroines. Haruka Nogizaka can cosplay as Kotomi Ichinose, Mika Nogizaka can cosplay as Nagisa Furukawa (albeit with long hair), and Shiina Amamiya can cosplay as Tomoyo Sakagami. The player can also view exclusive CGs
in the game if one of the girls is taken out to various places while cosplaying as one of the aforementioned five light novel series characters, or as the Clannad heroines. For example, if Mika is cosplaying as Nagisa, a CG of her eating dango
can become viewable. When cosplaying as one of these tie-in characters, the voice of the girl cosplaying changes to the voice actress
of the character they are cosplaying; for example, if Shiina cosplays as Tomoyo, she is voiced by Tomoyo's voice actress Hōko Kuwashima.
A 3D
virtual world
called Ai Sp@ce
was developed by the video game developer Headlock where users can interact with bishōjo game
heroines from Clannad, Shuffle!
, and Da Capo II. Released in October 2008, the world recreates each game franchise on its own virtual island which are linked with a central Akihabara
Island where users can interact, bridging the gap between the separate franchises. Users are able to create a customizable avatar
to represent themselves in the game, along with choosing one game heroine to live with, which is referred to as a character doll, or chara-doll for short. The user and chara-doll reside together on one of the three in-game "islands" depending on which franchise the heroine is from, which includes a house with furniture and clothes that can be purchased. The chara-dolls can also be customizable in that they can develop a unique personality for each user.
Visual novel
A is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art, or occasionally live-action stills or video footage...
created by the software company Key
Key (company)
Key is a Japanese visual novel studio which formed on July 21, 1998 as a brand under the publisher Visual Art's and is located in Kita, Osaka, Japan. Key released their debut visual novel Kanon in June 1999, which combined an elaborate storyline, an up-to-date anime-style drawing style, and a...
, who also produced the successful titles Kanon
Kanon
is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key and originally released as an adult game on June 4, 1999, playable on a Microsoft Windows PC. An all ages version for the PC was released in January 2000, and was later ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable...
and Air. Key released a limited version for the PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
on April 28, 2004, and the regular version less than four months later on August 8, 2004. The visual novel was later ported
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
to the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, and PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. The gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
in Clannad follows a linear plot line, which offers pre-determined scenarios and courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the five female main characters.
While both of Key's first two previous works, Kanon and Air, had been released first as adult games
Eroge
An or Ero-ga is a Japanese video or computer game that features erotic content, usually in the form of anime-style artwork. Eroge originated from galge, but unlike galge, they feature erotic/pornographic content.-History:...
and then censored for the younger market, Key's third work Clannad was released for all ages and does not contain risqué situations or even any fan service
Fan service
, fanservice, or , is a term originating from anime and manga fandom for material in a series which is intentionally added to please the audience. It is about "servicing" the fan - giving the fans "exactly what they want"...
. On November 25, 2005, Key released an adult spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
entitled Tomoyo After: It's a Wonderful Life which expands the scenario of Tomoyo Sakagami, one of the five heroines from Clannad.
Clannad has made several transitions to other media. There have been four manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series: the first serialized in the Japanese magazine Comic Rush
Comic Rush
is a Japanese shōnen manga magazine, published by Jive. The first issue was published on January 26, 2004; the magazine is sold monthly on the twenty-sixth.-List of serialized titles:*Busin 0: Wizardry Alternative NEO*Casshern Sins*Clannad...
, the second serialized in Comi Digi +
Comi Digi +
is a Japanese seinen manga magazine editied by Broccoli, published by Flex Comix, and sold through Soft Bank Creative. The magazine is sold bimonthly on even-numbered months on the twenty-first. The magazine was originally published in April 2003 under the title , after the series Di Gi Charat...
, the third serialized in Dengeki G's Magazine
Dengeki G's Magazine
is a Japanese magazine published by ASCII Media Works and sold monthly on the thirtieth that primarily contains information on bishōjo games, but also includes an entire section on anime based on bishōjo games, and serializes manga and light novels based on such games. The "G's" in the title...
and Dengeki G's Festival! Comic, and the fourth in Dragon Age Pure
Dragon Age Pure
was a Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by Fujimi Shobo. It was first released on January 30, 2006 and was initially sold quarterly. Starting with the sale of the fourth volume on April 20, 2007, the magazine was sold bimonthly until its final issue, the fifteenth volume released on February...
. An animated film by the animation studio
Animation studio
An animation studio is a company producing animated media. The broadest such companies conceive of products to produce, own the physical equipment for production, employ operators for that equipment, and hold a major stake in the sales or rentals of the media produced...
Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
was released on September 15, 2007, followed by two anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series including two original video animation
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
(OVA) episodes by Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation
, abbreviated , is a Japanese animation studio located in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It was established in 1981, became a limited company in 1985 and then became a corporation in 1999. Presided by Hideaki Hatta, the company is affiliated with noted studio Sunrise and is also parent to the studio...
, which also animated the previous Key titles Air and Kanon. Lastly, there are two sets of drama CDs
Radio drama in Japan
Radio drama in Japan has a history as long as that of radio broadcasting in that country, which began in 1925. Some consider the first Japanese radio drama to have been "" which was a radio broadcast of a stage play. Others consider the Japanese translation of Richard Hughes's "Danger" or to be...
, totaling nine in all. Both anime series and their accompanying OVAs are licensed by Sentai Filmworks and are localized and distributed in English by Section23 Films
Section23 Films
Section23 Films is an American home video distribution company specializing in anime and Japanese films. The company is one of five successors to ADV Films, as well as the distributor of titles from Sentai Filmworks and Switchblade Films. ADV had announced that it had sold its assets to a group of...
. The first Clannad anime series was released in North America in two half-series box sets in March and May 2009. The Clannad After Story anime series was released in North America in two half-series box sets in October and December 2009.
The visual novel and the animated adaptations including the two TV series and film have received high sales figures in Japan. Across the national ranking of bishōjo game
Bishojo game
A , or , is "a type of Japanese video game centered on interactions with attractive anime-style girls". These games are a sub-genre of dating sims targeted towards a male audience....
s in amount sold in Japan, the Clannad limited edition PC release premiered at number one twice since its release, and the third ranking brought the PC release down to forty-six out of fifty. Out of eight DVDs released for the first Clannad anime TV series, six were ranked first during their first week of sales for anime DVDs in Japan. Out of eight DVDs released for Clannad After Story, seven were ranked first during their first week of sales. The special edition film DVD first ranked at number three during its first week of sales.
Gameplay
The Clannad visual novelVisual novel
A is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art, or occasionally live-action stills or video footage...
is divided into two segments, or story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
s—School Life and After Story—which serve as different phases in the overall story. At the beginning of the game, only the School Life arc is available to play, but once the player has completed the scenarios available in School Life, After Story is made accessible. This is through the collection of eight lights, or orbs, which can be obtained after a character's scenario is completed; one of the lights will disappear while still in School Life, but will reappear in After Story.
School Life contains the final year of high school of the main protagonist, Tomoya Okazaki, in which he meets all of the characters in the game, though the focus is kept on the five heroines in the story, including the main heroine Nagisa Furukawa. After Story is mainly a continuation of Nagisa's story, and is set immediately after School Life when Nagisa and Tomoya are now living their lives as a couple, and extends into the next ten years. Characters from School Life do appear, but play minor roles compared to their roles in that arc. In order to view the true ending of Clannad, all thirteen lights must be obtained. Originally, the lights were meant to be items that players could use in the game, but since this increased the game's difficulty, and detracted from the storyline, the function of the lights was changed to be simpler and less intrusive.
Clannads gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
requires little interaction from the player as most of the duration of the game is spent simply reading the text that appears on the game screen which represents either dialogue
Dialogue
Dialogue is a literary and theatrical form consisting of a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people....
between the various characters or the inner thoughts of the protagonist. An important aspect of Clannad (as in nearly every visual novel
Visual novel
A is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art, or occasionally live-action stills or video footage...
) are the "decision points" which appear every so often which give the player the chance to choose from a limited number of options. The time between these decision points is variable and can occur anywhere from a minute to much longer. The game pauses at such moments and depending on which choice the player makes, the plot will progress in a specific direction. There are five main plot lines that the player will have the chance to experience, one for each of the heroines in the story, and there are thirteen possible endings. Each plot line can be achieved through multiple replays.
Clannad is Key's second longest work, as reported by Yūto Tonokawa
Yuto Tonokawa
is a Japanese scenario writer originally from Saitama, Japan working for the visual novel developing company Key under Visual Art's. He began working with Key on their sixth game Little Busters! and wrote the scenarios for two of the main heroines: Komari Kamikita, and Yuiko Kurugaya. Tonokawa also...
where he stated that Clannad is about 4000 words fewer than Key's 2008 game Little Busters! Ecstasy
Little Busters!
is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key which was originally released, rated for everyone as a limited edition version, on July 27, 2007 playable on a Windows PC; a regular edition, also rated for everyone, followed on September 28, 2007. Little Busters! is Key's sixth game, along with other...
. While both of Key's first two previous works, Kanon
Kanon
is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key and originally released as an adult game on June 4, 1999, playable on a Microsoft Windows PC. An all ages version for the PC was released in January 2000, and was later ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable...
and Air, had been released first as adult games
Eroge
An or Ero-ga is a Japanese video or computer game that features erotic content, usually in the form of anime-style artwork. Eroge originated from galge, but unlike galge, they feature erotic/pornographic content.-History:...
and then censored for the younger market, Key's third work Clannad was released for all ages and does not contain risqué situations or barely any fan service
Fan service
, fanservice, or , is a term originating from anime and manga fandom for material in a series which is intentionally added to please the audience. It is about "servicing" the fan - giving the fans "exactly what they want"...
other than one small scene.
Setting and themes
The first half of the story takes place primarily at a high school in Japan, which is the best school in the city. Outside of the school, frequented locations include the bakery run by Nagisa's parents, and the dormitory where Youhei Sunohara lives. Throughout the story, glimpses into an Illusionary World are shown. This world is devoid of all life except for a young girl, though she later makes a body out of junk pieces through which the player can interact with her. The remaining half of the story takes place in the same city, after the conclusion of the first half.There are recurring themes that appear throughout the story. The main theme is the value of having a family, as the title of the series implies since the main scenario writer Jun Maeda
Jun Maeda
is a Japanese writer working for the software company Key; he has majorly contributed as a scenario writer, lyricist, and musical composer for the visual novels the company produces. His birth name in kanji was written as , though there is no change in pronunciation...
misunderstood Clannad to mean "family" or "clan" in Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
. Of the six main characters, Tomoya, Nagisa, and Kotomi have no siblings, though their parents factor in majorly in their stories. Nagisa's story was written to incorporate what Maeda described as a "perfect family" with a focus on mental consciousness. In Nagisa's story, there is a recurring appearance of (a fictional group mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
for children) that Nagisa is fond of. Tomoya's and Nagisa's characters were written in a style to exemplify a "growth to adulthood" by the end of the story. Fuko's and Kyou's stories have their sisters playing an integral part, and Tomoyo's story is influenced by her entire family. A minor motif of Irish words continues with the opening theme of the game, "Mag Mell
Mag Mell
In Irish mythology, Mag Mell was a mythical realm achievable through death and/or glory...
", which means roughly "plain of joy" and is connected with Irish mythology. The arrange
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
album, a short music CD that contained remixed versions of songs in the game, that was bundled with the original game release was entitled Mabinogi
Mabinogion
The Mabinogion is the title given to a collection of eleven prose stories collated from medieval Welsh manuscripts. The tales draw on pre-Christian Celtic mythology, international folktale motifs, and early medieval historical traditions...
, which was a collection of prose
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
stories from medieval Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
manuscripts; Welsh is a Celtic
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
language, as is Irish.
Main characters
The player assumes the role of Tomoya Okazaki, the protagonist of Clannad. Tomoya has been labeled a delinquentJuvenile delinquency
Juvenile delinquency is participation in illegal behavior by minors who fall under a statutory age limit. Most legal systems prescribe specific procedures for dealing with juveniles, such as juvenile detention centers. There are a multitude of different theories on the causes of crime, most if not...
, or a young person who defies authority due to his non-committal attitude towards school and general apathy
Apathy
Apathy is a state of indifference, or the suppression of emotions such as concern, excitement, motivation and passion. An apathetic individual has an absence of interest in or concern about emotional, social, spiritual, philosophical or physical life.They may lack a sense of purpose or meaning in...
towards living life; at the beginning of the story, he even hates the city he has lived in all his life where Clannad is set. He is very straightforward in his comments to others and will not hesitate to speak his mind, even if he comes off as rude during such times. Despite this, Tomoya is very loyal to his friends, and has been known to dedicate himself for those around him in need of help or support. He generally has a selfless personality and does not ask much from others in return for what he does for them.
Tomoya meets Nagisa Furukawa, the main heroine of Clannad, at the onset of the story. Nagisa is a soft-spoken girl who has very low self-esteem
Self-esteem
Self-esteem is a term in psychology to reflect a person's overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame: some would distinguish how 'the self-concept is what we think about the self; self-esteem, the...
and self-confidence
Self-confidence
The socio-psychological concept of self-confidence relates to self-assuredness in one's personal judgment, ability, power, etc., sometimes manifested excessively.Being confident in yourself is infectious if you present yourself well, others will want to follow in your foot steps towards...
which causes her to rely on those around her for support; she developed the strange habit of muttering the names of favorite foods that she plans to eat as a way to motivate herself, such as anpan
Anpan
is a Japanese sweet bun most commonly filled with red bean paste. Anpan can also be prepared with other fillings, including white beans , sesame and chestnut .- History :...
. Kyou Fujibayashi, another of Clannads heroines, is a bad-mouthed and aggressive girl well known as a good cook among her friends and family. When angry she does not hesitate to throw a dictionary at people that she often carries around for such purposes. Despite this attitude, she also has a more subdued side, especially towards her younger fraternal twin sister Ryou Fujibayashi.
Tomoya meets a genius
Genius
Genius is something or someone embodying exceptional intellectual ability, creativity, or originality, typically to a degree that is associated with the achievement of unprecedented insight....
girl named Kotomi Ichinose, also a heroine, one day at school. She is ranked in the top ten throughout the whole country in standardized exam results of every subject—she always goes to library to read extra materials, especially books in foreign languages. Kotomi is a very quiet girl with poor social skills and it is quite difficult to communicate with her; Kotomi can even completely ignore someone when reading, even if they make loud disturbances around her. Clannads fourth heroine is a second-year student named Tomoyo Sakagami who transfers into Tomoya's school. Tomoyo, like Kyou, can be extremely aggressive, and Tomoyo is a very strong fighter, preferring to use kicking over punching, and is very athletic. Although Tomoya is older than her, Tomoyo does not show him his due respect as a senior student. Tomoyo appears in Key's fifth game, Tomoyo After: It's a Wonderful Life, as the main heroine.
The last main heroine in Clannad is a first-year student named Fuko Ibuki who has a distant attitude towards others and, before she met Tomoya, was generally seen alone by herself making wood carvings of starfish with a small knife to give to others as presents. Fuko is extremely enthralled by starfish, or things that are star-shaped, and will often go into short euphoric
Euphoria (emotion)
Euphoria is medically recognized as a mental and emotional condition in which a person experiences intense feelings of well-being, elation, happiness, ecstasy, excitement and joy...
bouts where her awareness of her surroundings is completely overtaken.
Story
Clannads story revolves around Tomoya Okazaki, a third year high school student who dislikes his life. Tomoya's mother (Atsuko) died when Tomoya was young, leaving his father (Naoyuki) to raise him. After the accident, Tomoya's father turned to alcoholAlcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
and gambling, and held frequent fights with his son. One day, Naoyuki, again arguing with his son, slammed Tomoya against the window, dislocating Tomoya's shoulder. Ever since then, his father has treated Tomoya nicely, but distantly, as if Tomoya and he were strangers rather than a family. This hurts Tomoya more than his previous relationship with his father, and the awkwardness of returning home leads Tomoya constantly to stay out all night. Additionally, the injury disables Tomoya from participating in his basketball club, and pushes him to distance himself from his school and other activities. Thus his delinquent life begins. Tomoya's good friend Youhei Sunohara, who got thrown out of the soccer club for a dispute, is also a delinquent and often hangs out in his dorm room with Tomoya doing nothing much.
The story opens on Monday April 14, 2003 at the beginning of the school year, when Tomoya meets by chance Nagisa Furukawa, a soft-spoken girl one year older than he is who is repeating her last year in high school due to being sick much of the previous year. Her goal is to join the drama club which she was unable to do due to her sickness, but they find that the drama club was disbanded after the few remaining members graduated. Since Tomoya has a lot of time to kill, he starts to help Nagisa in reforming the drama club. During this period, Tomoya meets and hangs out with several other girls who he gets to know well and help with their individual problems.
After Story
In the second part of the story, which starts immediately after the end of the first part but extends into the next ten years, Tomoya and Nagisa start living together and get married. Tomoya has to endure several hardships that the family has been suffering from, mainly involving Nagisa's illness. Just after Nagisa gives birthMaternal mortality in fiction
Maternal death in fiction is a common theme encountered in literature, movies, and other media.The death of a mother during pregnancy, childbirth or puerperium is a tragic event. The chances of a surviving child to survive are compromised...
to their daughter Ushio, Nagisa dies, leaving Tomoya to fall into a state of depression. This causes Nagisa's parents, Akio and Sanae to look after Ushio. Five years later, Tomoya meets Shino Okazaki, his grandmother on his father's side. Shino explains to Tomoya about his father's past and tragedy, similar to Tomoya's current situation after Nagisa's death. After hearing that, Tomoya decides to raise Ushio and acknowledge Naoyuki as his father. Shortly after Tomoya regains his purpose for living, Ushio is struck with the same disease as Nagisa. Tomoya, Sanae and Akio struggle to save Ushio, with Tomoya retiring from his job, but all efforts are futile. In the coming winter, wanting to do anything for Ushio, Tomoya decides to take Ushio on a trip, but Ushio falls unconscious and dies shortly after.
Tomoya's psychology developed in his dreams of a bleak world where small orbs of light float around called the . In the first few dreams, he sees a world devoid of all life except for one girl (and grass). Each time he dreams, he finds out more about the world. Tomoya discovers the girl has a special ability to fuse junk together to create new things, with which she creates a body for him. Thus he is reborn in this world, and fills time following the girl around. Tomoya conceives that only the two of them are "alive". To pass time, Tomoya and the girl try to build another doll with more junk they find, but as it has no soul, it fails to come to life. Remembering a distant world where he came from, Tomoya convinces the girl to build a ship so that the two can escape the approaching winter and continue a happy life. Eventually, winter sets in, and the girl becomes cold to the point where she cannot move any more. Upon meeting this tragedy, the girl tells Tomoya that he has another chance to go back and make things right. To do so, he must collect certain "lights" (symbols of happiness) similar to those floating around in the Illusionary World. If all the "lights" are collected throughout both story parts, a chance to save Nagisa from dying in childbirth will become available, and the true ending where Nagisa survives and lives with Tomoya and their daughter Ushio will also become available.
Development
The executive producer for Clannad was Takahiro Baba from Visual Art'sVisual Art's
, formally , is a Japanese publishing company specializing in the publishing and distribution of visual novels for a large list of game developers. Visual Art's has developed the game engines their brands currently use, including the current engine, called Siglus, and older engines RealLive and...
, the publishing company which controls Key. Jun Maeda
Jun Maeda
is a Japanese writer working for the software company Key; he has majorly contributed as a scenario writer, lyricist, and musical composer for the visual novels the company produces. His birth name in kanji was written as , though there is no change in pronunciation...
, who was one of three main scenario writers with Kai, and Yūichi Suzumoto
Yuichi Suzumoto
is a male Japanese novelist originally from Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka, Japan, though he now lives in Osaka, Japan. As of 2006, he works for Aquaplus, known for being the publishing company of Leaf. Before going to Leaf, Suzumoto worked at the publishing company Visual Art's as a scenario writer for...
, led the planning for Clannad and wrote the majority of the scenarios. Scenario assistance was provided by Tōya Okano. Itaru Hinoue
Itaru Hinoue
is a female Japanese artist from Osaka, Japan, and is one of the founding members of the software company Key. Hinoue's choice of her pseudonym stems from the manga C by Shō Kitagawa; the protagonist in the manga was named...
headed the art direction, and also worked on the character design. Miracle Mikipon, Mochisuke, Na-Ga
Na-Ga
Na-Ga is a male Japanese artist who is employed as a graphic designer and illustrator for the company Key known for such famous visual novels as Kanon, Air, and Clannad among others...
, and Shinory supplemented the computer graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
. Torino provided the background art. The game music was composed
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
by Maeda, Shinji Orito
Shinji Orito
is a Japanese musical composer originally from Hyōgo, Japan working for the software company Key. Before forming Key, Orito worked for another software company named Leaf where he contributed to four games...
, and Magome Togoshi
Magome Togoshi
is a Japanese video game composer for visual novel studios. He began work as a composer in 2000 where he started working for the software company Key under Visual Art's to produce music for Air. Between then and 2006, Togoshi helped compose music for four more titles by Key, along with other games...
.
For Key's second visual novel Air, Maeda admitted he felt he was able to write what he wanted to for the game's scenario, however later discovered that Air was difficult for players to receive and experience. Due to this, Maeda felt that for Key's next work Clannad, he had a sense of duty to make the game easier to receive for as many users as possible. In any case, he wanted to make it an entertaining game, and started planning on Clannad almost immediately after Airs completion. From the start of Clannads planning, Maeda did not want to write a story like in Air, but instead wanted to focus on writing a deep connection between the 'people and the town', and 'humanity'. Maeda noted that he exceeded his writing ability when writing most of the scenarios in Clannad, and equates Clannads writing process as a "wall that I will never be able to get over again." While at the beginning Maeda felt he was prepared, the entire game's story started to increase to a level Maeda never predicted, and Suzumoto noted that it approximately doubled in size from the original projected length. Suzumoto attributed the increase due to the lengthening structure of the game's base scenario which caused the 'branch' scenarios to increase as well.
There were more concerns about Clannad being similar to Air. When Nagisa's scenario was being written, there were some disputes concerning the length of her scenario, and thus putting too much focus on the main heroine. Some were concerned that having a single prominent character with a unique storyline would be too much like how Air was structured with the overall focus on Misuzu Kamio. The company president of Visual Art's
Visual Art's
, formally , is a Japanese publishing company specializing in the publishing and distribution of visual novels for a large list of game developers. Visual Art's has developed the game engines their brands currently use, including the current engine, called Siglus, and older engines RealLive and...
is even noted as suggesting to minimize the differences between the other characters' scenarios, but this was ultimately ignored since Maeda thought the game's evaluation by players would not decrease on account of the scenarios being vastly different, and thought the end result was a good one. Maeda was concerned that the After Story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
, mainly a continuation of Nagisa's scenario, would eclipse the entire game's scenario, much like what happened with Air according to Maeda. In order to prevent the same thing happening in Clannad, Maeda focused on making the first half of the story, the School Life arc, just as enjoyable by making it long and heart-breaking.
Release history
Key announced in 2001 a release date of 2002 for Clannad and, after several postponements, Clannad was first released on April 28, 2004 as a limited edition version, playable only for the PCPersonal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
in DVD-ROM format. The regular edition went on sale less than two months later on August 6, 2004 and retailed for the same price as the limited edition; the limited and regular editions contained no voice acting for the characters. A consumer console port of the game developed by Interchannel
Interchannel
Interchannel is a Japanese game developer and publisher. Previously known as NEC Interchannel and before that NEC Avenue, it was originally a subsidiary of NEC before 70 percent of the company was sold to Index Corporation for approximately 3 billion yen in 2004...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
was released on February 23, 2006. Full voice acting (minus Tomoya Okazaki) was included for the PlayStation 2 version. After the PS2 version sold enough units, it was decided that a cheaper version also known as the "Best Version" would be released on July 30, 2009. The PS2 Best Version was also bundled in a separate "Key 3-Part Work Premium Box" package together with the PS2 Best Versions of Kanon
Kanon
is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key and originally released as an adult game on June 4, 1999, playable on a Microsoft Windows PC. An all ages version for the PC was released in January 2000, and was later ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable...
and Air released on July 30, 2009. A portable version, playable on SoftBank 3G and FOMA
Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access
Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access is the brand name of the W-CDMA-based 3G telecommunications services being offered by the Japanese telecommunications service provider NTT DoCoMo...
mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s produced by Prototype
Prototype (company)
is a Japanese software company established on March 27, 2006 by Toshio Tabeta, a former producer of Interchannel. While still with Interchannel, Tabeta's team was responsible for mainly developing and publishing versions of visual novels originally published by Visual Art's for consumer platforms...
through Visual Art's Motto
Visual Art's
, formally , is a Japanese publishing company specializing in the publishing and distribution of visual novels for a large list of game developers. Visual Art's has developed the game engines their brands currently use, including the current engine, called Siglus, and older engines RealLive and...
, was released on January 16, 2008.
A version for the PC with full voice acting called Clannad Full Voice was released on February 29, 2008. This version contains new computer graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
, and the voice cast from the PlayStation 2 version remained unchanged; Tomoya is still not voiced. Prototype also produced a PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
version of the game released on May 29, 2008 which included the additions from the PC full voice version. Another console port developed by Prototype for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
was released on August 28, 2008, and includes full voice acting (again minus Tomoya). The Xbox 360 version utilizes Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
to distribute the voice files of the Official Another Story Clannad: On the Hillside Path that Light Watches Over drama CDs which were also released by Prototype. The limited edition release of the PSP and Xbox 360 versions came bundled with a "digest" edition of the drama CD series released by Prototype containing five separate stories each; the CD bundled with the PSP release is different from the CD bundled with the Xbox 360 version. Clannad Full Voice was re-released by Key under the name Clannad on July 31, 2009 in a box set containing five other Key visual novels called Key 10th Memorial Box, and was re-released on May 28, 2010 with updated compatibility for Windows 7 PCs under the title Clannad Memorial Edition. Prototype released a version of Clannad ported to the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
on April 21, 2011.
Books and publications
A magazine-sized thirty-nine-page book called pre-Clannad was published by SoftBank CreativeSoftBank Creative
is a Japanese publishing company and a subsidiary of the SoftBank telecommunications company. It was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.-External links:* *...
on April 15, 2004. The book contained images from the visual novel, and short explanations of the characters, along with production sketches and concept drawings. A 160-page visual fan book was published by Enterbrain
Enterbrain
is a Japanese magazine publisher established on April 1, 2000. Enterbrain magazines are generally focused on video games and computer entertainment as well as video game and strategy guides. In addition, the company publishes a small selection of anime artbooks. Enterbrain is based in Tokyo, Japan...
on October 12, 2004 which contained detailed story explanations, computer graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
, sheet music
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
for the opening and ending themes, and interviews from the creators. Near the end of the book contains original illustrations of Clannad characters from various artists, three additional chapters of the Official Another Story, and production sketches.
A set of fourteen illustrated short stories which added to Clannads story were serialized between the September 2004 and October 2005 issues of ASCII Media Works
ASCII Media Works
is a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group which formed on April 1, 2008 as a result of a merger between ASCII and MediaWorks where MediaWorks legally absorbed ASCII. Despite this, the former president of ASCII, Kiyoshi Takano, became the president of ASCII Media Works. The company...
' Dengeki G's Magazine
Dengeki G's Magazine
is a Japanese magazine published by ASCII Media Works and sold monthly on the thirtieth that primarily contains information on bishōjo games, but also includes an entire section on anime based on bishōjo games, and serializes manga and light novels based on such games. The "G's" in the title...
. Titled , there were thirteen regular chapters and one extra bonus chapter. The installments were written by Key's scenario staff and each story was accompanied by illustrations by Japanese artist GotoP
GotoP
is a male Japanese artist from Gifu Prefecture, Gifu, Japan. He did the original character design for Wandaba Style and Close to: Inori no Oka, two visual novels...
. Two more stories were included when they were collected into a 103-page bound volume released on November 25, 2005. The short story collection was later re-released via SoftBank 3G and FOMA
Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access
Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access is the brand name of the W-CDMA-based 3G telecommunications services being offered by the Japanese telecommunications service provider NTT DoCoMo...
mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s produced by Prototype
Prototype (company)
is a Japanese software company established on March 27, 2006 by Toshio Tabeta, a former producer of Interchannel. While still with Interchannel, Tabeta's team was responsible for mainly developing and publishing versions of visual novels originally published by Visual Art's for consumer platforms...
through Visual Art's Motto
Visual Art's
, formally , is a Japanese publishing company specializing in the publishing and distribution of visual novels for a large list of game developers. Visual Art's has developed the game engines their brands currently use, including the current engine, called Siglus, and older engines RealLive and...
starting in January 2008. One chapter was released weekly with the SoftBank 3G releases three weeks behind the version for FOMA phones, and a version for au
Au (mobile phone operator)
, or au by KDDI, is a mobile phone brand in Japan marketed by KDDI Corporation in the main islands of Japan and Okinawa Cellular in Okinawa.-Naming:...
phones was released in summer 2008. Prototype again re-released the short story collection, this time on the PlayStation Portable handheld game console
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
in two volumes, each containing eight chapters including the original art by GotoP. The first volume was released on June 3, 2010 and the second followed on June 24, 2010; the re-release is described by the developers as a "visual sound novel".
Two Clannad anthology character novels were written by several authors and published by Jive
Jive (publisher)
is a Japanese publishing company in Shinjuku, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan and was established on May 12, 2003. In 2004, the company sold its stock to Poplar Publishing and now Jive is an affiliate of that company....
in September and December 2004. The first volume of a short story anthology compilation series written by Hiro Akizuki and Mutsuki Misaki entitled was released in November 2008 published by Harvest; the third volume was released in October 2009. Three volumes of a short story compilation series by several authors entitled Clannad SSS were published by Harvest between June and August 2009. The first volume of a novel series titled Clannad Mystery File was first published by Harvest in August 2010. Harvest published a novel titled Clannad: Magic Hour in December 2010.
Manga
The first mangaManga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
illustrated by Juri Misaki
Juri Misaki
is a female Japanese manga artist notable for drawing the Clannad manga. She is also known by the pet name .-External links:*...
entitled Clannad Official Comic was serialized in the Japanese manga magazine Comic Rush
Comic Rush
is a Japanese shōnen manga magazine, published by Jive. The first issue was published on January 26, 2004; the magazine is sold monthly on the twenty-sixth.-List of serialized titles:*Busin 0: Wizardry Alternative NEO*Casshern Sins*Clannad...
between the May 2005 and April 2009 issues. Eight bound volumes
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
were published by Jive
Jive (publisher)
is a Japanese publishing company in Shinjuku, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan and was established on May 12, 2003. In 2004, the company sold its stock to Poplar Publishing and now Jive is an affiliate of that company....
between November 7, 2005 and March 7, 2009. The second manga with the title Official Another Story Clannad: On the Hillside Path that Light Watches Over was serialized between June 21, 2007 and August 21, 2008 in the Japanese magazine Comi Digi +
Comi Digi +
is a Japanese seinen manga magazine editied by Broccoli, published by Flex Comix, and sold through Soft Bank Creative. The magazine is sold bimonthly on even-numbered months on the twenty-first. The magazine was originally published in April 2003 under the title , after the series Di Gi Charat...
, published by Flex Comix
Flex Comix
is a Japanese company specializing in the sale of manga magazines, and goods related to the anime and manga industry in Japan. Flex Comix is affiliated with Asian Groove and Soft Bank BB, forming the Movida Holdings joint-investment company. The company publishes two magazines: Comi Digi +, and...
, and contained eleven chapters. The story for the second manga was adapted from the short story collection the manga was named after, and is illustrated by Rino Fujii
Rino Fujii
is a Japanese manga illustrator from Aichi Prefecture. He has mainly participated in manga anthologies based from bishōjo games. As of June 2007, he has been illustrating the third Clannad manga adaptation.-Works:*Happiness!*Lamune...
. The first bound volume for the second manga series was released by Broccoli
Broccoli (company)
is a Japanese media company that publishes manga, anime, and video games through its various subsidiaries.- About :Broccoli is the parent company of Broccoli Music Publishing, Broccoli International USA, and Anime Gamers USA Inc...
on February 21, 2008 in a limited and regular edition, each with their own cover. The limited edition comes bundled with a small black notebook with the school emblem of Tomoya's school on the cover. In order to commemorate the sale, an autograph
Autograph
An autograph is a document transcribed entirely in the handwriting of its author, as opposed to a typeset document or one written by an amanuensis or a copyist; the meaning overlaps with that of the word holograph.Autograph also refers to a person's artistic signature...
session with the manga's illustrator signing copies was held on March 2, 2008 at Gamers in Nagoya, Japan. The second and final volume, again in limited and regular editions, was released on December 20, 2008.
A third Clannad manga illustrated by Shaa began serialization in the August 2007 issue of the Japanese magazine Dengeki G's Magazine
Dengeki G's Magazine
is a Japanese magazine published by ASCII Media Works and sold monthly on the thirtieth that primarily contains information on bishōjo games, but also includes an entire section on anime based on bishōjo games, and serializes manga and light novels based on such games. The "G's" in the title...
, published by ASCII Media Works
ASCII Media Works
is a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group which formed on April 1, 2008 as a result of a merger between ASCII and MediaWorks where MediaWorks legally absorbed ASCII. Despite this, the former president of ASCII, Kiyoshi Takano, became the president of ASCII Media Works. The company...
. The manga ended serialization in Dengeki G's Magazine in the July 2009 issue, and began serialization in the eighth volume of Dengeki G's Festival! Comic, Dengeki G's Magazines sister magazine, on October 26, 2009. The first bound volume for the third manga series was released by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Comics
Dengeki Comics
is a manga publishing label affiliated with the Japanese publishing company ASCII Media Works and is aimed at a male audience. Aside from the main Dengeki Comics label, there is the related Dengeki Comics EX label which publishes a lesser number of manga volumes...
imprint
Imprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
on February 27, 2008; the third volume was released on December 18, 2010. A fourth manga under the title Clannad: Tomoyo Dearest was serialized between February 20 and August 20, 2008 in the shōnen
Shonen
The term refers to manga marketed to a male audience aged roughly 10 and up. The Kanji characters literally mean "few" and "year", respectively, where the characters generally mean "comic"...
manga magazine Dragon Age Pure
Dragon Age Pure
was a Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by Fujimi Shobo. It was first released on January 30, 2006 and was initially sold quarterly. Starting with the sale of the fourth volume on April 20, 2007, the magazine was sold bimonthly until its final issue, the fifteenth volume released on February...
, published by Fujimi Shobo
Fujimi Shobo
is a Japanese publishing company that specializes in the publication of light novels, manga, role-playing games and collectible card games. The company started in 1991 as a subsidiary of Kadokawa Shoten.-Magazines published:Light novel magazines...
. The story centers on Tomoyo's arc from the Clannad visual novel, and is illustrated by Yukiko Sumiyoshi
Yukiko Sumiyoshi
is a female Japanese manga author. She has been creating manga since her debut title Ten no Otoshimono first released in 2004. She is also notable as the artist for the manga version of Key's visual novel Tomoyo After: It's a Wonderful Life, and she also illustrated the fourth Clannad...
. A single volume for Clannad: Tomoyo Dearest was released on October 9, 2008.
There have also been four sets of manga anthologies
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
produced by different companies and drawn by a multitude of different artists. The first volume of the earliest anthology series, released by Ohzora under the title Clannad, was released in June 2004 under their Twin Heart Comics imprint. Volumes for this series continued to be released until April 2005 with the fifth volume. The second anthology was released in a single volume by Jive
Jive (publisher)
is a Japanese publishing company in Shinjuku, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan and was established on May 12, 2003. In 2004, the company sold its stock to Poplar Publishing and now Jive is an affiliate of that company....
on January 25, 2005 entitled Clannad Comic Anthology: Another Symphony. The third anthology series was released in two volumes by Ichijinsha
Ichijinsha
is a Japanese publishing company focused on manga-related publication, including magazines and books. The company was first established in August 1992 as a limited company under the name Studio DNA which main purpose was to edit shōnen manga. In January 1998, Studio DNA became a public company and...
on June 25, 2004 and July 24, 2004 under their DNA Media Comics; a third special volume was released much later on December 25, 2007. The first volume of the last anthology series, a collection of four-panel
Yonkoma
thumb|right|150px|Traditional Yonkoma layout, a comic-strip format, generally consists of gag comic strips within four panels of equal size ordered from top to bottom...
comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
s released by Enterbrain
Enterbrain
is a Japanese magazine publisher established on April 1, 2000. Enterbrain magazines are generally focused on video games and computer entertainment as well as video game and strategy guides. In addition, the company publishes a small selection of anime artbooks. Enterbrain is based in Tokyo, Japan...
under the title Magi-Cu
Magi-Cu
was a Japanese manga magazine published by Enterbrain and was sold monthly on the twenty-fifth. The name comes from the phrase Magical Cute. The magazine was first published on April 27, 2001 under the title Magi-Cu Premium. It kept that title for three years until 2004, when it was changed to...
4-koma Clannad, was released on February 25, 2008 under their MC Comics imprint; the tenth volume in the series was released on August 26, 2009. Each of the anthology series are written and drawn by an average of twenty people per volume.
Drama CDs
There are two separate sets of drama CDs based on the Clannad series. The first set, produced by Frontier WorksFrontier Works
is a Japanese company specializing in the creation and distribution of media related to anime, such as producing OVAs, radio dramas, drama CDs, anime soundtracks, or other related products...
, contains five CDs each focusing on a different heroine in Clannads story ranging from Nagisa, to Kotomi, Fuko, Kyou, and Tomoyo. The first volume was released in Japan on April 25, 2007 as a limited edition with an extra track added. The second through fifth volumes followed in one month increments between May 25, 2007 and August 24, 2007. The second set, produced by Prototype
Prototype (company)
is a Japanese software company established on March 27, 2006 by Toshio Tabeta, a former producer of Interchannel. While still with Interchannel, Tabeta's team was responsible for mainly developing and publishing versions of visual novels originally published by Visual Art's for consumer platforms...
, contains four CDs; the first was released on July 25, 2007. Volumes two through four were released in one month intervals after that, with the last being released on October 24, 2007. Each CD is based on the stories from the Official Another Story Clannad: On the Hillside Path that Light Watches Over collection. The artist GotoP
GotoP
is a male Japanese artist from Gifu Prefecture, Gifu, Japan. He did the original character design for Wandaba Style and Close to: Inori no Oka, two visual novels...
, who provided the illustrations for the short stories, also illustrates the drama CD covers.
Film
Toei AnimationToei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
(the same team who worked on the original Kanon
Kanon
is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key and originally released as an adult game on June 4, 1999, playable on a Microsoft Windows PC. An all ages version for the PC was released in January 2000, and was later ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable...
anime and Air film
Air (film)
Air is a 2005 Japanese animated drama film directed by Osamu Dezaki and written by Makoto Nakamura based on the visual novel Air by Key. Originally, the film was set for a release date in autumn 2004, but was delayed; the film finally premiered in Japanese theaters on February 5, 2005...
) announced at the Tokyo Anime Fair on March 23, 2006 that an animated film would be produced. The Clannad film was released on September 15, 2007, directed by the same director of the Air film, Osamu Dezaki
Osamu Dezaki
, also known as , , or , was a Japanese director of anime born on November 18, 1943, in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. His older brother, Satoshi Dezaki, is also an anime director....
, and the screenplay was written by Makoto Nakamura
Makoto Nakamura
is a Japanese screenwriter of anime from Saitama, Japan.-Anime staff in:* Unico , Art* Tenchi Muyo Movie 3: Tenchi Forever , Opticals* Kanon , Storyboard , Series Story Editor...
. The film is a reinterpretation of the Clannad storyline which centers on the story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
of the female lead Nagisa Furukawa. The film was released on DVD in three editions: the Collector's Edition, the Special Edition, and the Regular Edition on March 7, 2008. Sentai Filmworks will be releasing an English-subbed and dubbed version of the film in March 2011.
Anime series
On March 15, 2007, the Japanese television station BS-iTokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
announced a Clannad anime series via a short thirty-second teaser trailer that was featured at the end of the final episode of the second Kanon
Kanon
is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key and originally released as an adult game on June 4, 1999, playable on a Microsoft Windows PC. An all ages version for the PC was released in January 2000, and was later ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable...
anime series. Clannad is produced by Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation
, abbreviated , is a Japanese animation studio located in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It was established in 1981, became a limited company in 1985 and then became a corporation in 1999. Presided by Hideaki Hatta, the company is affiliated with noted studio Sunrise and is also parent to the studio...
and directed by Tatsuya Ishihara
Tatsuya Ishihara
is a Japanese anime director from Maizuru, Kyoto working for the Japanese animation studio Kyoto Animation.-Series directed:*Air Series Director*Aka-chan to Boku*Clannad *Fushigi Yuugi...
, who also worked on other adaptations of Key's
Key (company)
Key is a Japanese visual novel studio which formed on July 21, 1998 as a brand under the publisher Visual Art's and is located in Kita, Osaka, Japan. Key released their debut visual novel Kanon in June 1999, which combined an elaborate storyline, an up-to-date anime-style drawing style, and a...
visual novels Air, and Kanon
Kanon
is a Japanese visual novel developed by Key and originally released as an adult game on June 4, 1999, playable on a Microsoft Windows PC. An all ages version for the PC was released in January 2000, and was later ported to the Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable...
. The anime aired between October 4, 2007 and March 27, 2008, containing twenty-three aired episodes out of a planned twenty-four; the broadcast time was first announced on August 11, 2007 at the TBS
Tokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
festival Anime Festa, which is also when the first episode was showcased. The anime series was released in a set of eight DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
compilations released between December 19, 2007 and July 16, 2008 by Pony Canyon
Pony Canyon
is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966 , which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies and video games. It is a subsidiary of Japanese Media Group, Fujisankei Communications Group.-History:...
, with each compilation containing three episodes. Of the 24 episodes, 23 were aired on television with the first 22 being regular episodes, followed by an additional extra episode. The last episode was released as an original video animation
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
(OVA) on the eighth DVD on July 16, 2008 and is set in an alternate universe
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
from the anime series where Tomoya and Tomoyo are dating, which is based on Tomoyo's scenario in the game. The OVA episode was previewed on May 31, 2008 for an audience of four-hundred people picked via a mail-in postcard
Postcard
A postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope....
campaign. A Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
(BD) box set of Clannad was released on April 30, 2010.
After the ending of the twenty-third episode of the first Clannad anime series, a fifteen-second teaser trailer aired promoting a second season entitled Clannad After Story. The anime is again animated by Kyoto Animation, and animates the After Story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
from the visual novel, which is a continuation of Nagisa's story, into twenty-four episodes. The same staff and cast from the first anime were used and the series broadcast in Japan between October 3, 2008 and March 26, 2009. Of the twenty-four episodes, twenty-two are regular episodes, the twenty-third is an extra episode, and the last episode is a summary episode showcasing highlights from the series. The episodes were released on eight DVD compilation volumes between December 3, 2008 and July 1, 2009. The eighth DVD volume came with an additional OVA episode set in an alternate universe from the anime series where Tomoya and Kyou are dating. The OVA episode was previewed on May 24, 2009 to a limited number of people. A BD box set of Clannad After Story will be released on April 20, 2011 in Japan with English subtitles.
The license holding company Sentai Filmworks licensed the Clannad anime series, and ADV Films localized and distributed the television series and the OVA starting with the first half season box set consisting of twelve episodes with English subtitles, Japanese audio, and no English language track, which was released on March 3, 2009. The second half season box set containing the remaining episodes was released on May 5, 2009. Sentai Filmworks licensed the Clannad After Story anime series; Section23 Films
Section23 Films
Section23 Films is an American home video distribution company specializing in anime and Japanese films. The company is one of five successors to ADV Films, as well as the distributor of titles from Sentai Filmworks and Switchblade Films. ADV had announced that it had sold its assets to a group of...
localized and distributed both the television series and OVA starting with the first half season box set with English subtitles released on October 20, 2009. The second half box set was released on December 8, 2009. Sentai Filmworks re-released Clannad in a complete collection set on June 15, 2010, which featured an English dub, produced at Seraphim Digital. The English dub premiered on March 25, 2010 on the Anime Network
Anime Network
The Anime Network , a former subsidiary of A.D. Vision, Inc. , is a cable and satellite digital broadcast service in North America dedicated to anime.-History:...
. Sentai Filmworks re-released Clannad After Story with an English dub on April 19, 2011. Sentai Filmworks will re-release Clannad on BD in November 2011.
The opening theme for the first season is "'Mag Mell' ~cuckool mix 2007~" by Eufonius
Eufonius
Eufonius is a Japanese progressive rock music group which debuted on October 11, 2003 with the release of their first album Eufonius which was also an independent release. The band has produced songs for various anime and video games, such as Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl, Himawari!, Noein, True...
, a remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of the song "'Mag Mell' -cockool mix-", featured on the third disc of the game's original soundtrack, which is itself a remix of the game's opening theme . The first season's ending theme is by Chata
Chata
is a Japanese singer who has performed theme songs for games and anime.She has also participated in various dōjin music circles. Her own private circle is called Usagi Kinoko.-History:...
. It carries the same tune as , the ending theme from the After Story arc of the game. The second season's opening theme is which uses the same tune as the background music
Background music
Although background music was by the end of the 20th century generally identified with Muzak or elevator music, there are several stages in the development of this concept.-Antecedents:...
track from the game's soundtrack. The ending theme is "Torch", and both the opening and ending themes are sung by Lia
Lia (singer)
Lia is a female Japanese singer-songwriter who is a former member of I've Sound. Lia has also participated in happy hardcore singing, producing four such albums with this style of singing; these albums have her name in all capital letters. She is notable as the singer for the opening and ending...
. The rest of the soundtrack for both anime series is sampled from several albums released for the Clannad visual novel including the Clannad Original Soundtrack, Mabinogi, -Memento-, Sorarado, and Sorarado Append. The cover art
Cover art
Cover art is the illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book , magazine, comic book, video game , DVD, CD, videotape, or music album. The art has a primarily commercial function, i.e...
for Sorarado Append is also visible as the last shot in the ending video animation of the first season.
Internet radio shows
An Internet radioInternet radio
Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...
show to promote the Clannad anime series called was broadcast between October 5, 2007 and October 3, 2008, containing fifty-two episodes. The show, produced by Onsen and Animate TV
Animate
is the retailing arm of MOVIC and is the largest retailer of anime, games, and manga in Japan. The first and headquarters store of Animate opened in 1983 and is located in Ikebukuro, a district in Tokyo, Japan. Currently, there are 38 Animate stores in Japan, and two in Taipei, Taiwan...
, was hosted by Mai Nakahara
Mai Nakahara
is a voice actress. She is employed by I'm Enterprise. Some of her hobbies include cooking and watching movies, and she is skilled at kendo. She worked with voice actor Ai Shimizu in eight anime where most of the characters they voiced in together had close connections: DearS, Kage Kara Mamoru!,...
, who played Nagisa Furukawa in the anime, and Kikuko Inoue
Kikuko Inoue
is a popular Japanese voice actress and singer. She has been part of the singing groups DoCo and Goddess Family Club, among others, and is the manager of her voice-acting company, Office Anemone. Inoue tends to play the "perfect girlfriend" or "motherly" role in many series, but she has also played...
, who played Sanae Furukawa, and was streamed online every Friday. Several voice actors
Seiyu
Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
from the anime adaptation appeared on the show as guests who included Ryō Hirohashi
Ryo Hirohashi
is a Japanese voice actress represented by a talent agency Aoni Production. She originates from Nagaoka, Niigata and is a graduate of Ryukoku University...
(as Kyou), Atsuko Enomoto
Atsuko Enomoto
is a Japanese singer and voice actress who works for 81 Produce . Her debut role was Yukino Miyazawa from Kare Kano.-Television animation:*.hack//Roots *.hack//SIGN...
(as Yukine), Akemi Kanda
Akemi Kanda
is a Japanese voice actress who is affiliated with Aoni Production. She was formerly a member of the voice actor unit DROPS, which included fellow voice actors Ai Nonaka, Tomoko Kaneda, Mariko Kōda, and Ryōko Shiraishi, and of the voice actor unit Aice5 along with Yui Horie, Chiaki Takahashi,...
(as Ryou), Yuichi Nakamura (as Tomoya), and Daisuke Sakaguchi
Daisuke Sakaguchi
is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production.-Television animation:*Atashin'chi *Baccano! *Bamboo Blade *Black Jack *Bleach *Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo...
(as Youhei). A two-disc CD compilation containing the show's first thirteen broadcasts was produced on June 18, 2008. The second two-disc CD compilation containing the fourteenth through twenty-sixth broadcasts was released on October 15, 2008, and a third CD volume followed on November 19, 2008. A fourth and final volume was released on February 18, 2009 containing the rest of the broadcasts.
A second Internet radio show to promote the Clannad After Story anime series called was broadcast between October 10, 2008 and April 10, 2009, containing twenty-six episodes. The show was also produced by Onsen and Animate TV, and was streamed online every Friday. The show had three hosts including the previous two plus Ryōtarō Okiayu
Ryotaro Okiayu
is a Japanese voice actor, who was born in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, and raised in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture. He has been active since 1989, and is currently affiliated with Aoni Production....
who plays Akio Furukawa in the anime series. Two two-disc CD compilations were released containing the second radio shows broadcasts, the first released on February 18, 2009, followed by the second on May 29, 2009.
Music
The visual novel version has four main theme songs, the opening theme , the main ending theme , the insert song "Ana", and the ending theme featured in the After Story arcStory arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
. The opening and ending themes were sung by Riya
Riya
Riya, born February 18, is a female Japanese singer from Fukuoka, Japan. In her early career, she admired Akino Arai. Riya eventually became the lead singer and lyricist to the J-pop band Eufonius, which debuted in 2004.- Albums :...
of Eufonius
Eufonius
Eufonius is a Japanese progressive rock music group which debuted on October 11, 2003 with the release of their first album Eufonius which was also an independent release. The band has produced songs for various anime and video games, such as Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl, Himawari!, Noein, True...
, and the insert song was sung by Lia
Lia (singer)
Lia is a female Japanese singer-songwriter who is a former member of I've Sound. Lia has also participated in happy hardcore singing, producing four such albums with this style of singing; these albums have her name in all capital letters. She is notable as the singer for the opening and ending...
of I've Sound
I've Sound
I've Sound, or simply called , is a Japanese techno/trance music production group based in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. Led by Kazuya Takase, it features the talents of seasoned "sound creators" and many different female vocalists, known as to their fans....
. Six of the characters have background music
Background music
Although background music was by the end of the 20th century generally identified with Muzak or elevator music, there are several stages in the development of this concept.-Antecedents:...
theme songs—the five heroines, and Yukine Miyazawa. Nagisa's theme is the self-titled ; Kyou's theme is ; Kotomi's theme is "Étude Pour les Petites Supercordes"; Tomoyo's theme is ; Fuko's theme is ; lastly, Yukine's theme is .
The first music album was an image
Image song
An image song or character song is a song on a tie-in single or album for an anime, game or dorama that is usually sung by the seiyū or actor of a character, in character...
vocal album called Sorarado released in December 2003 featuring songs sung by Riya. The next album, Mabinogi, came bundled with the original release of Clannad in April 2004. The game's original soundtrack was released in August 2004 containing three discs with thirty-six different tracks along with remix versions of many of the background music
Background music
Although background music was by the end of the 20th century generally identified with Muzak or elevator music, there are several stages in the development of this concept.-Antecedents:...
tracks plus short, instrumental, and remix versions of the theme songs. A follow up to the first image vocal album was released in December 2004 called Sorarado Append; the songs were again sung by Riya. A remix album
Remix album
A remix album is an album consisting mostly of remixes or re-recorded versions of a music artists' earlier released material.One of the earliest remix albums was 1971's Aerial Pandemonium Ballet by Harry Nilsson, which was released by Nilsson after the successes of Everybody's Talkin and The Point!...
entitled -Memento- was also released in December 2004 and contained two discs. A piano arrangement
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
album was released in December 2005 called Piano no Mori which contained five tracks from Clannad and five from Tomoyo After: It's a Wonderful Life. Each of the albums released for the visual novel version were released on Key's record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Key Sounds Label
Key Sounds Label
Key Sounds Label is a Japanese independent record label formed in 2001 as a brand of the publishing company Visual Art's. Key Sounds Label was formed to catalog and release music related to visual novels produced by the brand Key, also under Visual Art's, known for developing such titles as Kanon...
.
A maxi single
Maxi single
A maxi single or maxi-single is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an a-side song and a b-side song.-The first maxi singles:...
by Eufonius was released in July 2007 for the Clannad film
Clannad (film)
is a Japanese anime film directed by Osamu Dezaki and based on the visual novel of the same name by Key. Toei Animation announced at the Tokyo Anime Fair on March 23, 2006 that an animated film would be produced, and was released in Japanese theaters on September 15, 2007...
called "Mag Mell (frequency⇒e Ver.)". The single contained a remix version of the game's opening theme, and instrumental track of that remix, and an original track. An image album entitled Yakusoku was released in August 2007 featuring a song sung by Lia, an instrumental version of that song, and two background music tracks used in the film. The film's original soundtrack was released in November 2007. The albums released for the film were produced by Frontier Works
Frontier Works
is a Japanese company specializing in the creation and distribution of media related to anime, such as producing OVAs, radio dramas, drama CDs, anime soundtracks, or other related products...
. A single was released in October 2007 for the first anime series called "Mag Mell / Dango Daikazoku" which contained the anime's opening and ending themes in original, short, and instrumental versions plus a remix version of , a track featured in Sorarado sung by Riya. A single for the second season anime series was released in November 2008 called "Toki o Kizamu Uta / Torch", and contains the anime's opening and ending themes sung by Lia. A remix album containing piano arrangement versions of the second anime series' opening and ending themes was released in December 2008 called "Toki o Kizamu Uta / Torch" Piano Arrange Disc. The anime series' two singles and one album are released on Key Sounds Label.
Critical reception
In the October 2007 issue of Dengeki G's MagazineDengeki G's Magazine
is a Japanese magazine published by ASCII Media Works and sold monthly on the thirtieth that primarily contains information on bishōjo games, but also includes an entire section on anime based on bishōjo games, and serializes manga and light novels based on such games. The "G's" in the title...
, poll results for the fifty best bishōjo game
Bishojo game
A , or , is "a type of Japanese video game centered on interactions with attractive anime-style girls". These games are a sub-genre of dating sims targeted towards a male audience....
s were released. Out of 249 titles, Clannad ranked first at 114 votes; in comparison, the second place title, Fate/stay night
Fate/stay night
is a Japanese visual novel developed by Type-Moon, which was originally released as an adult game for the PC. An all-ages version of Fate/stay night, titled Fate/stay night Réalta Nua, was released for the PlayStation 2 on April 19, 2007, and features the Japanese voice actors from the anime series...
, got 78 votes. The PlayStation 2 release in 2006 was reviewed by the Japanese video game magazine Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
, which gave it an overall score of 26/40 (out of the four individual review scores of 7, 7, 6, and 6).
The anime television adaptation has been critically acclaimed. While the first season of Clannad received reviews ranging from positive to mixed, the second season Clannad After Story has received wide critical acclaim. The THEM Anime Reviews website gave the entire series a score of 4 out of 5 stars, with reviewer Tim Jones describing the first season as "the most fleshed-out and real Key animated adaption to date," and reviewer Stig Høgset stating that the second season After Story "will play up the tragedies and the drama considerably, quite possibly tearing out your heart in the process. This is where time truly starts to fly by, lending the show some real weight in the emotional departments." Theron Martin of Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
gave the first season a 'B+' rating, criticizing its extensive use of moe elements, but considered it appealing entertainment for a "fan base who revels in this kind of thing." His review for the second season After Story was much more positive, giving it an 'A-' rating. He praised the second half of the season as "the best-written quarter of Clannad," stating that it "effectively builds up and delivers its emotional appeal, reinforces the series' central theme (i.e. the importance of family), and peaks visually," and concluding that "only the most cynical of souls will avoid shedding at least a few tears at certain points." On the DVD Talk
DVD Talk
DVD Talk is a website for DVD enthusiasts founded in January 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman when DVDs and DVD players were first beginning to hit the market.The site started as an online forum, an email newsletter, and a page of DVD news and reviews...
website, the reviewer Todd Douglass Jr. gave Clannad After Story a "Highly Recommended" rating, stating that "the range of emotions Clannad takes you through is quite daunting. It's charming, cute, hilarious, mysterious, and tragic all at the same time. Few shows are as memorable, and few are this good for this long." He concludes that the storytelling is "heartfelt" and "memorable in so many ways," and that "few shows rise to the levels this one does."
Sales
Across the national ranking of bishōjo gameBishojo game
A , or , is "a type of Japanese video game centered on interactions with attractive anime-style girls". These games are a sub-genre of dating sims targeted towards a male audience....
s in amount sold in Japan, the Clannad limited edition PC release premiered at number one twice since its release, and the third ranking brought the PC release down to 46 out of 50. The first two weeks of June 2004 held the final ranking for the original release at 40 out of 50. The Clannad regular edition PC release premiered at number 26 in the rankings. The next two rankings for the regular edition were at 37 and 41. Clannad Full Voice ranked three consecutive times in terms of highest selling PC games nationally in Japan, achieving sales rankings of 7, 20, and 40 between February and April 2008.
The two anime series and film DVDs have shown consistent high sales figures. The first anime limited edition DVD ranked third for the week of December 19 and December 25, 2007. The second through fifth limited edition DVDs all ranked first during their first week of sales, while the sixth limited edition DVD volume was ranked fourth for the week of May 21 and May 27, 2008. The seventh and eighth limited edition DVD volumes both ranked first during their first week of sales. The third limited edition DVD ranked sixth for the most anime DVDs sold between December 2007 and November 2008. A Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
box set of Clannad ranked third for the week of April 26 and May 2, 2010, and ranked again at 13 the following week. The special edition film DVD first ranked at number three during its first week of sales, and dropped down to number ten the following week.
The first limited edition DVD for Clannad After Story ranked second during its first week of sales selling 17,521 units. The second through fourth limited edition DVDs for Clannad After Story ranked first during their first week of sales each selling over 16,000 units each. The fifth through seventh limited edition DVDs for Clannad After Story ranked first during their first week of sales selling over 14,000 units each. The eighth limited edition DVD for Clannad After Story ranked second during its first week of sales selling over 19,800 units. The sixth limited edition DVD volume ranked again the week of May 11 and May 17, 2009 at number three for anime DVDs. The seventh limited edition DVD volume ranked again the week of June 8 and June 14, 2009 at number six for anime DVDs. The eighth limited edition DVD volume ranked again the week of July 6 and July 12, 2009 at number five for anime DVDs.
Legacy
Gamania Entertainment hosted a collaboration event with Clannad and their two massively multiplayer online gameMassively multiplayer online game
A massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
s (MMOGs) Hiten Online and Holy Beast Online
Holy Beast Online
Holy Beast Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game , developed by Easyfun Entertainment of Taiwan. It began beta phase on the 21st of May in the USA.-Feature:...
. Between March 26 and June 26, 2008, the two games offered costumes characters could wear which looked like the winter school uniforms from Clannad, along with offering Kyou's pet boar Button for players to adopt. Also, any players of either game who had a character over level twenty could enter a lottery where five-hundred people were chosen to win Clannad-related goods which included virtual
Virtual
The term virtual is a concept applied in many fields with somewhat differing connotations, and also, differing denotations.The term has been defined in philosophy as "that which is not real" but may display the salient qualities of the real....
and real-world items such as file folder
File folder
A file folder is a kind of folder that holds loose papers together for organization and protection. File folders usually consist of a sheet of heavy paper stock or other thin, but stiff, material which is folded in half, and are used to keep paper documents...
s, "netcash" cards, sports towels, tapestries
Tapestry
Tapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven on a vertical loom, however it can also be woven on a floor loom as well. It is composed of two sets of interlaced threads, those running parallel to the length and those parallel to the width ; the warp threads are set up under tension on a...
, and various items used during gameplay.
ASCII Media Works
ASCII Media Works
is a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group which formed on April 1, 2008 as a result of a merger between ASCII and MediaWorks where MediaWorks legally absorbed ASCII. Despite this, the former president of ASCII, Kiyoshi Takano, became the president of ASCII Media Works. The company...
and Vridge produced the PlayStation 2 visual novel based on the light novel
Light novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
series Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu
Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu
is a Japanese light novel series by Yūsaku Igarashi, with illustrations by Shaa. The series originally started serialization in volume thirty of MediaWorks' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp on June 18, 2004. One more chapter was published until the first bound novel of the series was...
. Released in September 2008, the game features the series' characters cosplay
Cosplay
, short for "costume play", is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan, but recent trends have included American cartoons and science fiction...
ing in various costumes either depicting characters from five popular light novel series published by ASCII Media Works, or three Clannad heroines. Haruka Nogizaka can cosplay as Kotomi Ichinose, Mika Nogizaka can cosplay as Nagisa Furukawa (albeit with long hair), and Shiina Amamiya can cosplay as Tomoyo Sakagami. The player can also view exclusive CGs
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
in the game if one of the girls is taken out to various places while cosplaying as one of the aforementioned five light novel series characters, or as the Clannad heroines. For example, if Mika is cosplaying as Nagisa, a CG of her eating dango
Dango
is a Japanese dumpling made from mochiko , related to mochi. It is often served with green tea.Dango are eaten year-round, but the different varieties are traditionally eaten in given seasons...
can become viewable. When cosplaying as one of these tie-in characters, the voice of the girl cosplaying changes to the voice actress
Seiyu
Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
of the character they are cosplaying; for example, if Shiina cosplays as Tomoyo, she is voiced by Tomoyo's voice actress Hōko Kuwashima.
A 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
virtual world
Virtual world
A virtual world is an online community that takes the form of a computer-based simulated environment through which users can interact with one another and use and create objects. The term has become largely synonymous with interactive 3D virtual environments, where the users take the form of...
called Ai Sp@ce
Ai Sp@ce
Ai Sp@ce is a Japanese virtual 3D massively multiplayer online social game developed by several companies that form the Ai Sp@ce Production Committee which was launched on October 15, 2008, despite an earlier announcement of a summer 2008 release. Beta testing commenced between mid-September and...
was developed by the video game developer Headlock where users can interact with bishōjo game
Bishojo game
A , or , is "a type of Japanese video game centered on interactions with attractive anime-style girls". These games are a sub-genre of dating sims targeted towards a male audience....
heroines from Clannad, Shuffle!
Shuffle!
is a Japanese visual novel developed by Navel. It was originally released as an adult game for Microsoft Windows on January 30, 2004. It was subsequently followed by an all-ages release for the PlayStation 2 and an expanded adult release for Windows...
, and Da Capo II. Released in October 2008, the world recreates each game franchise on its own virtual island which are linked with a central Akihabara
Akihabara
, also known as , is an area of Tokyo, Japan. It is located less than five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station. Its name is frequently shortened to in Japan...
Island where users can interact, bridging the gap between the separate franchises. Users are able to create a customizable avatar
Avatar (computing)
In computing, an avatar is the graphical representation of the user or the user's alter ego or character. It may take either a three-dimensional form, as in games or virtual worlds, or a two-dimensional form as an icon in Internet forums and other online communities. It can also refer to a text...
to represent themselves in the game, along with choosing one game heroine to live with, which is referred to as a character doll, or chara-doll for short. The user and chara-doll reside together on one of the three in-game "islands" depending on which franchise the heroine is from, which includes a house with furniture and clothes that can be purchased. The chara-dolls can also be customizable in that they can develop a unique personality for each user.