[Categories: Anime Reviews]
Clannad: the Ryou, Kyou and Tomoyo arc
Sometimes I wonder at the scheduling decisions that lead to oddly numbered series runs - take Moyashimon’s bizarre episode count of eleven for instance. The reason why I’m interested is, like in the case of Moyashimon, Clannad could have done with another episode or two that would eventually give it a 24, 25 or even 26 episode count - given the entertainment value of the ‘in-between’ section that lies between Kotomi’s arc and (presumably) Nagisa’s I could easily have watched another episode or two and have no cause for complaint.
QFT. That is to say that the lateness of this post can only be explained by a similar level of procrastination on my part
Perhaps because it has the seriousness of Kotomi’s arc before it and the promise of what will surely be a heartstring-tugger of an ending afterwards, the section of the series that adresses both the Fujibasyashi sisters and Tomoyo was pretty darned funny at points. If you take the ‘experiencing a visual novel in TV series form’ analogy, the metaphorical player whizzes through the penultimate level(s) in order to get to the final one as quickly as possible; which is a shame because I enjoyed this part of the series as much as Fuuko’s finale because it gave some genuine laughs as well as offering a lot of insight into three significant characters.
The basketball match and the campaign for Tomoyo was a good example of how the group can work together - never mind the underlying ‘family’ theme, this was a heartwarming demonstration of what the friends can achieve for one another when they work together. Sunohara was on fine form as the comic relief character, providing plenty of lulz while inadvertantly tapping into the more serious issue regarding Tomoyo and his injury without dragging things too far into dramatic territory (Re: this marvellous scene). In a way it was an opportunity for Tomoya to see past his limitations and make a difference; he’s certainly more complex and entertaining than the bland male lead I was expecting initially, so these scenes will be among those that I’ll cite as being a refreshing change when looking back on the show as an example of its genre(s).
Tomoyo was, in my opinion, a great supporting character but decidedly under-used because she had much potential to play a more significant role. Her back-story was really moving, without suffering the suspension of disbelief that hampered my enjoyment of Kotomi’s; equally, there could have been much more time devoted to her story. It didn’t rely on astral projection, red herrings regarding hard science or any similar plot device that Clannad has made use of so far - it was a down-to-earth tale of family issues and her own resolve to make amends for past regrets.
I’d always been curious (’fascinated’ is too strong a word given my occasionally lukewarm reactions to this series) about Tomoyo’s situation and motives so these episodes were the explanation I’d been holding out for. I wasn’t expecting disappointment that Tomoyo didn’t end up having some sort of romantic relationship with Tomoya though - her role is after all a supporting one so the fact that it sits alongside the central Tomoya/Nagisa thread, not interfering with that but still being in harmony with Clannad’s overall themes worked well.
Just a supporting role…but what a supporting role. Ignore the sausage, it’s not important
The choice of dealing with Ryou and Kyou simultaneously makes sense really, since their respective places in the Clannad story are in my mind inexorably tied together. Ryou would not have been memorable at all had her bold and brash sister not insisted on pushing her to the forefront; at the same time many of Kyou’s most memorable moments were born from her acting for Ryou’s sake. Not all of them, I grant you but nevertheless part of the reason why Kyou was so interesting was that she had feelings for Tomoya but concealed them and altruistically tried to set Ryou up with him instead.
Ryou was a pleasant and inoffensive character but had these situations not occured she would have always been in her sister’s shadow on-screen: Kyou’s tsundere behaviour, which combines the tough gal exterior and the occasional moments of vulnerability (Re: that gym room scene) go a long way to explaining why she’s such a favourite among fans; but it’s that selfless streak to her that gives her personality so much more depth from my point of view.
If I were to give my own impression of Clannad as a concept, I’d say it was a family-centric romance show. Obvious I know, but combining the two disparate themes in the same narrative seems like quite a complex task to me - situations regarding schoolroom crushes sit in between those addressing relations with parents and siblings, and vice-versa. The Fujiyabashi twins and their circumstances deals with this well I think: it’s a decent portrayal of how the bond between siblings affects their respective reactions to romance, and the screenplay shifts smoothly between the two.
You have to have seen this scene to appreciate the significance of this dialogue exchange. There’s something about the tsundere breakdown that I always find compelling
My viewing of Clannad has been an experiment of sorts in that I wanted to see how my own views compared with those who most likely approached the series from the ‘visual novel’ angle; my expectations were inevitably different because I’m not aware of how the story plays out in any way other than an episodic TV format. The idea of Kyou, Ryou and Tomoyo being rivals or eventual romantic interests in parallel narratives doesn’t mean a lot to me so I’m still viewing it as Tomoya’s and Nagisa’s story; that is not to say that the other three weren’t entertaining in their own right but the “It’s a shame Tomoyo and Kyou didn’t get together” reaction didn’t enter my head. Just so you know.
Posted on April 14th, 2008 @ 2:55 am
As much as I like the Ryou/Kyou and Tomoyo arc, they don’t work when the “true” arc the anime is following is Nagisa’s.
These three arcs really can’t work together at all. Obviously Fuko and Kotomi’s arcs had enough room to work it in to the anime in more fullness.
Posted on April 14th, 2008 @ 5:08 am
This arc was my favorite, not least for the terrific bento-overload scene. And as zqube hints, it was way too short. I mean, how many eps did Fuka’s take?
And I kept thinking “He winds up with NAGISA???” Okay, her parents are cool and they take him in, but still …
Posted on April 14th, 2008 @ 9:58 pm
@zqube: I’ve just finished watching the Nagisa arc just this evening, and it’s really focused on her and Tomoya’s relationship - everyone else takes on a very secondary supporting role. This arc did feel rushed, although the after-story is sorely needed to wrap things up as fully as I’d like; I’d still like to have seen, say, Kyou get as much screen-time as Fuuko though.
@Peter S: I couldn’t see anything other than a Nagisa ending actually, although there was a bit of uncertainty in the first few eps where I wasn’t sure if Tomoya would bother to date any of them. Nagisa’s parents were two of my favourite characters too btw - they were fantastic right up to the final couple of episodes!
Posted on April 15th, 2008 @ 9:15 pm
It’s really a shame that I ended up reading the Wikipedia article on the game; I believe spoilers like these end up ruining the experience and I end up either somewhat disappointed, or I have, as you mentioned, “lukewarm reactions”.
Still this route was pretty much the biggest surprise to me in the entire season of CLANNAD. I’d never expected KyoAni to drop the bomb on the trio in that single, powerful scene.
Posted on April 16th, 2008 @ 6:37 pm
@Zeroblade: yeah, I made same mistake so there are going to be certain plot points later on that won’t surprise me. Still, it didn’t detract from how sorry I felt for Ryou and Kyou though. I might post my thoughts on Nagisa’s arc in the next day or two actually…
Posted on April 17th, 2008 @ 2:07 am
Kyou was my favourite ever since the basketball episode (16). When she dropped her Tsundere stance and started being girly in her arc, she became more rounded and lovable. The scene when she was teasing Sunohara with a hand on her chin and glint in her eye (8 mins) was full of Moé.
The other two characters were pretty shallow. Ryou was Kyou’s supporting charactor - I think she’s like Kyou’s bad end in the game. And Tomoyo is the most unlikely rebel-turned-president, who never drops her defences or shows many emotions at all!
Posted on April 17th, 2008 @ 6:20 pm
@Teeif: now you come to mention it, as far as I can remember Kyou and Ryou were the only two main characters who weren’t provided with a background story of their own; this made Ryou a bit dull and forgettable, but Kyou was so likable and lively that didn’t really matter.
Posted on April 18th, 2008 @ 9:16 am
This is stunningly clear in retrospect.
I’ve got to admit that Kyou as a character was attractive to me for reasons both primal and altruistic; on one hand, you have what I like to call Key’s Finely Distilled Moe™ like she was a vintage harvest, and on the other, that selfless streak you mentioned.
It wasn’t just how enticing her characteristics were, in my opinion — the aftermath of the tennis match had the impact required due to us knowing well beforehand that Kyou was holding a torch for Tomoya even as she was trying her very best to push them together, and that made all the difference for me. Maybe I have a weakness for characters displaying unconditional, self-sacrificing love, or something.
Posted on April 18th, 2008 @ 6:45 pm
@Owen: I think there’s a lot to be said for female anime characters who are proactive and do things to help other people - most of the time they go as far as making lunch and expect their romantic interest to do the chasing or whatever. Kyou is I guess ‘finely distilled moe’ (that sounds like a particularly interesting type of whiskey!) but she’s far from being the meek and submissive moeblob. As a character overall I think that’s why I find her so interesting.
I’d also like to add that having not one but two pairs of characters in the same show whose names differ by one letter makes proofreading my posts and utter nightmare! Hopefully it should be clear when I’m talking about Tomoyo or Tomoya, Ryou or Kyou, even when I spell their names wrong. You would’ve thought I’d got used to that this far into the series, wouldn’t you? ^_^’
Posted on April 19th, 2008 @ 7:01 pm
Yeah, I remember making that Ryou/Kyou mistake recently on IRC. In my defence, I was tired and a bit in need of sleep, but eh. Tomoya/Tomoyo is one that I’ve had to carefully tread around time and again, and I can definitely sympathise with that one.
I forgot to elaborate on what I meant by “altruistic” earlier — Kyou as a character was that realistic to me, to the extent that I felt sorry for her for not being the destined girl that Tomoya would pick, and wanted to root for her as a result. That was part of her appeal, I guess; if she was the final girl I doubt she’d be all that attractive to me, strange as that sounds.