[Ascaloth] CLANNAD (TV), Episode 22 at Riuva : Research Institute for Unicultural Visual Arts

[Ascaloth] CLANNAD (TV), Episode 22

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Popularity: 7% [?] Published by Ascaloth March 22nd, 2008 in Ascaloth, Anime

Haunted by her realization that her parents had sacrificed their cherished dreams for her, Nagisa goes into a slump at the worst possible moment, on the very day that she was about to realize her dream of performing on a stage for the first time. With the moment of reckoning coming up, the Drama Club face a crisis as their lead actress mopes about the trouble she had caused everyone. In the final episode of CLANNAD (TV) this season, how is this final crisis point going to be overcome?

We have come a long way since the first episode, when I began my episode summary career on RIUVA with the first post on Episode 1 (and promptly got flamed for pic-whoring and lack of actual content, but that’s another story). Bullshitting aside, it has indeed been a while since we first saw Tomoya leading Nagisa up the path full of sakura blossoms towards the school, and more than half a year since CLANNAD (TV) started broadcasting, we are come to the supposed final episode of the series. How will it all end? What kind of resolution are we going to get for Nagisa’s arc? Are we ever going to get a second season? Who knows, but to heck with that for the moment; there’s still the last episode of the season to talk about!

CLANNAD (TV), episode 22. The end of Nagisa’s arc, the Final Episode.

The first thing that immediately struck me from the beginning of the episode, was how the entire CLANNAD world practically became overcast along with Nagisa’s mood. Coming from the typical KyoAni world with its bright, vibrant colours, the contrast was all the greater; it really made her melancholy hit home real hard, and just like the world, the subdued attitude is in great contrast with her usual happy self.

If I want to sound smart, I would say that the overcast pall that the atmosphere has taken serves to reflect Nagisa’s inner state of mind, where she no longer can see the colour in her life for the fog that had crept into it. If I want to sound stupid, I would say that Nagisa’s heart in turmoil had created closed space.

On the very last episode of the season, we get the sixth light ball. So, whose is it, again?

Mei-chan!!!!!

We get to see Kouko-sensei and Yuusuke for the first time since the conclusion of Fuuko’s arc. Nice to see them back, although I’m actually surprised that there was no Fuuko Summon this episode, particularly since it would have been her last chance to do so. Well, I guess people have had enough of her, and I can’t disagree with that.

(Is it just me, or is Kouko looking a little more….rounded?)

It’s kind of a pity that we probably won’t be seeing Yukine’s story, since I have heard that it’s one of the better ones in the game. Nevertheless, she’s one of the more interesting ones, although like someone said, she’s just kind of there, so that when anyone is at a loss, "let’s go see Miyazawa".

Poor Nagisa was like just practically lifeless for a good half of the episode. It was actually pretty worrying see her go into such a funk. I mean, is this the Nagisa we knew, who’s always smiling so sweetly whenever she’s with Tomoya?

All the lights in the sky are stars!!!!!!

I honestly loved how this sequence was done. Nagisa standing in a spot facing the moment she’s always wanted, yet hesitating to reach out and grab it as the memory of how it had taken Akio’s broken dreams to bring hers to fruition overwhelms her. It’s almost as if, even if it’s just for a moment, we were in her head, seeing everything that went through her mind as it flashed by.

And yet, just in the nick of time before Nagisa’s breakdown could have scuppered all that everybody had been working towards for so long, Akio comes in at the last moment to save the day. And what an awesome entrance it was; it was just a father reaching the place in time to yell at his silly little daughter for being a fool, but I daresay it’s one of the most GAR moments I’ve ever seen (granted, I haven’t actually seen that much GAR-nime, but still).

And in true GAR-kio fashion, he knocks into his sweet, but rather silly little daughter’s head that her dreams were not the end of his and Sanae’s, but the continuation, the renewal of them. It was what being parents were all about, what being a family is all about. Dreams that do not end, but are inherited in another form by the next generation packaged in parental love for the child.

With that, Akio has cemented his place as the uncontested most GAR dad in recent anime history. While his deeds may seem insignificant compared to the deeds of such as those who pierces heavens with drills, he has pretty much been as GAR as any man possibly could in real life. It may not have been for the sake of all humanity, it may not have been for the sake of the world, heck it may not have been for the sake of his country, but sure as hell, it was for the sake of his family, for his child. As far as manliness goes, it’s about as good as anything else any man can do.

So fight on, Nagisa. For the sake of those who’s given up their chance in life for yours. For those who lost their chances in life, and put their hopes in yours. Now take us away, sugar.

All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.

They have their exits and entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.

At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms,
Then the whining school boy with his satchel,
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school.

And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow.

Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth.

And then the justice,
in fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part.

The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice
Turning again towards childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound.

Last scene of all
That ends this strange and eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

*sob*…..bravo…..

Although Nagisa had performed her play by now, and the story could have ended there, it felt as if there’s still more to come. Who is the girl? Who is the soul inside the doll made of junk? Where is this Illusionary World? We don’t have the answers to that yet, and while we could probably let it go if we were actually viewing it as a play, I still get this feeling that there’s going to be more to come, somehow.

With her guilt dispelled, and her dreams achieved, Nagisa is back to her usual happy self, and I don’t know about anyone else, but I much prefer her this way.

In a sign of hope, Tomoya barely whispers his concern to his estranged father, but whisper he did, and that’s a start. This loose thread between Tomoya and his father is yet another sign that the story is not over yet, though. Again, it feels like something that would find resolution in the future somehow, instead of being just left to hang here…

And finally, the scene which Hinano-sama had been screaming bloody murder for, along with just about everybody else in varying levels of bloody murder screaming; that dunce Tomoya finally makes his confession to Nagisa! No kiss though, which I think means that some people are still not gonna be satisfied with it….

And then….that’s it. CLANNAD (TV) ends with Tomoya’s confession to Nagisa, and despite it coming in the last few minutes of the episode (and consequently feeling a tad rushed as a result), it was as good a confession as any. Yet, it felt more like a beginning rather than an end; the third, and probably most obvious, sign that perhaps the final episode is not an end, but a beginning instead.

Is it really the end, or is it a sign that the story is just beginning? Are we going to get the After Story from Kyoto Animation after all?

Bonus Episode Preview

Unfortunately, the folks at KyoAni think it perfectly fine to make us wait another week (and maybe even as late as July 16 when the DVD comes out) for a confirmation. For once, I’m going to mimic Hinano-sama’s most frequently used line in recent weeks; I hate you, KyoAni. >_>

In any case, while there is one last episode next week before the series’ run ends this season, this week is the proper conclusion to the entire School Arc of CLANNAD. So what do you guys think of it? For me, I honestly loved Nagisa’s arc, even if it was way different from what I was used to from the Key/KyoAni works. Nobody died, there was no overarching tragedy, it was a relatively happier ending from AIR (TV) or even Kanon (2006)….yet, I almost cried manly tears at Akio’s monologue. In its own way, it was beautiful as heck, how it really showed their love for their daughter without any need for epic tragedy.

And then there’s Tomoya and Nagisa. From the beginning, it was apparent; I don’t remember who said it, but whoever it is, he said that they are both just so meant for each other that it hurts. The diehard Kyou/Tomoyo ’shippers aside, I believe there was no question that they were the best pair; such was their chemistry together that none of the other girls even came anywhere near close to it. And along the way, we saw how each of them learned to grow from the other; how Nagisa found the confidence to chase her dream with Tomoya’s support, and in turn, how he learned all over again the meaning of being a family from her. All in all, theirs is a rare chemstry that I’ve seen nowhere else in anime, so subtle and yet so strong. They fully deserve to be the main couple of CLANNAD, ’nuff said.

Well then, we still have one more episode of this series to go, even if it’s probably little more than an omake. Hopefully by then, we will be getting that long-awaited announcement as to the fate of After Story in KyoAni’s hands; heck, I won’t even mind if it has to come after Haruhi Second Season, as long as I know I’ll be getting it eventually. But until then, the School Arc of CLANNAD, and consequently this season of CLANNAD (TV), is at an end. I will be joining you guys as usual for next week’s omake episode, but otherwise, the half-year-long coverage that I’ve maintained on this series is more or less at an end, at least for now. It’s been fun, guys.

Ascaloth of RIUVA, signing out of the CLANNAD (TV) coverage. At least, for now.

Popularity: 7% [?]

14 Responses to “[Ascaloth] CLANNAD (TV), Episode 22”

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1 Kaioshin_Sama 101 comments Mar 22nd, 2008 at 3:21 am

Thanks for the heads up on giving people the link to my DS9 dominated musing and general rant thread eh. Well initially it was sort of a rant thread, but then in my change of heart that you still haven’t seemed to notice I just decided to turn it into a general musings thread. Of special note, why don’t people read the November 7th, 2007 entry to see that change of heart in action.

Anyway, seems a fitting enough ending for the series. I like how they appear to minimalize the whole drama of the confession and instead focus on what’s more important and that is closure for Nagisa and Tomoya. Whether it actually succeeds in staving of raging Kyou and Tomoyo fanboys or not (which I think was at least part of the reason behind the decision to take it on at the end) by minimalizing Tomoya’s commitment to Nagisa or not remains to be seen. It’s not about who gets what girl, but about how their relationships end up, that’s what strikes me as important in the grand scheme of things. I prefer this type of story much more to what we see in series like Kanon and School Days where the drama can sometimes be to overbearing. The comedy I wasn’t into so much as were a lot of people I know, but the character drama worked as good as in any Gundam series I could go on about at length. Once I view this episode I think the series is looking at something like a good 7.5 rating overall likely rounded up to an 8.

And welcome to my world in having to wait upwards of 6 months for more Gundam 00. It’s not fun. It was kind of expected with Clannad though given it’s length. One thing I have pondered is whether “Episode 24″ will actually turn out to be a feature length OVA that covers the events of the After Story. Has anyone else entertained that thought?
2 Amoirsp 3 comments Mar 22nd, 2008 at 7:08 am

Fun with Yukine! Note that in episode 3 she had a line that specifically stated there are old video tapes and records in the reference room. That randomly explains why Nagisa looked in that room for sources. Now of course naturally a reference room could have that with ease, but Kyoani seemed to enjoy foreshadowing that a normal line could have effect later.

In a full series let’s see things she did!
0) Conveniently enter the reference room one of the very few times Nagisa and Tomoya went there at the same time.
1) Explain the take down of the flier, and why, and what is required to put them up without a take down. Conveniently crossing paths too (note that she doesn’t often conveniently cross paths with any characters. Either that or they’re well timed.)
1.5) Be the first to receive the star out of friends (I think), and undergo an entire explanation (implied) of the marriage situation. Other friend characters had less of an explanation, and mostly got the star while some other random feature is added. The main thing is Tomoya’s realization of seeing that Miyazawa takes everything in stride. No argument, no obscurity, no real questioning, agreeful to help out with no qualms whatsoever (though everyone else was more or less like that).
2) Conveniently explain that basketball will indirectly win the usage of an advisor, who has nothing to do with the sport. Did she even know Sunohara’s method?
3) Conveniently trap people in a storage room, though that’s not really story relevant. But it was another realization trigger though.
4) Explain the change in student council could allow the existence of the drama club, though not specifically.
5) Use the thoughts of person type spell, conveniently spotting Nagisa, to trigger realization in Tomoya inadvertently. Also conveniently lead to Fuuko spotting. Wonder if Miyazawa knew this too.
6) Immediately identify that Nagisa was going to reference old tapes, then also immediately realised the problem.
7) Conveniently leave Nagisa to herself, go to a bench that happens to cross Tomoya’s path. (Sort of like an immediate solution to the immediately realized problem.) Explain specifically where Nagisa is, timely such that Tomoya can spot her while watching the video, before she finished and possibly break down.

Lol, without these triggers, the drama club wouldn’t have worked, and Nagisa and Tomoya might not have been together (or Tomoya would be a dunce longer.) Of course, I made it sound far more biased than it really was, but the events themselves were there anyways. Too many convenient coincidental triggers. Reasonable, due to reference room frequency, and ironically there wasn’t an explanation as to why Tomoya used the reference room in the first place or knows about it (old school building, used to sleep there).

Though Kyoani forgot to include her in the applause of the drama club being successful. I can understand the lack of Miyazawa in the celebration of the success since she never went into the drama club room for the most part nor has anything to do with the dorm of Sunohara.

Notice how she talking to Nagisa was really weird, not really much of communication, due to the noticing that Nagisa seemed severely imbalanced without Tomoya around (also Nagisa found the tapes really early by herself, and didn’t really require Miyazawa, despite indirectly asking if she could see the recordings. She also hesitantly said the tape recordings are in the reference room.). She still helps, but it’s not as smiley as when talking to Tomoya lol. Remember that she most likely was invited to Kouko’s marriage by Tomoya or at least the star trigger was caused by him, aka triggers for Miyazawa help are linked by Tomoya.

The anime pretty much only has Tomoya go find Miyazawa. He referenced her to help others such as Fuuko or Sunohara (and Nagisa’s case was very indirect, but I can’t remember if they referenced her a second time.) It made it unusual for Nagisa to find her (or rather Miyazawa happened to be there, doubt she was finding her specifically.), but even the searching excuse linked to Tomoya, who probably got the information from Miyazawa

Note that Miyazawa specifically in episode 3 stated that the reference room had old tapes and recordings, meaning Nagisa was there to retrieve the information, so Miyazawa figured out the problem immediately, and noticed it was a self search, not a Tomoya referencing, noticing that Nagisa wasn’t with Tomoya, therefore Nagisa wouldn’t be by herself in looking for the tapes, and that Tomoya probably doesn’t know, and therefore conveniently goes outside (rather than stay indoors where sighting is less coincidental) to position herself to be spotted by Tomoya, where he would inquire where she is.

Miyazawa sure doesn’t save the day, but totally subtlely guides and assists in solving problems!
3 Ascaloth 202 comments Mar 22nd, 2008 at 1:21 pm

@Kaioshin,

Wasn’t even thinking about your supposed change of heart when I wrote that. What I had in mind were your Gundam 00 “interventions”. >_>
4 welsper84 32 comments Mar 22nd, 2008 at 5:01 pm

I love the part where they synchro the song ” Two Shadows” with the confession scene and slightly after.

I seriously hope as well they animate the After Story parts.
5 Hiyuu 46 comments Mar 23rd, 2008 at 7:35 am

my thoughts after watching this episode: I hate you KyoAni. I know you’re smirking behind those drawing boards and animation-desks, cuz you know you’re turning your fans into zombies - fanboy and fangirl zombies - who prowl on the search for enlightenment of your “luring” tactics.

Where is Fuuko! Why do they sing at the end of the play! Are the twins going to murder Nagisa in cold-romance?!
6 tj_han 1442 comments Mar 23rd, 2008 at 8:33 pm

How could there be a second season? It’s nicely wrapped up.
7 Ascaloth 202 comments Mar 23rd, 2008 at 11:41 pm

@TJ Han,

It Is nicely wrapped up….for the School Arc. Game veterans suggest there’s an After Story coming right up.

You might not want to follow it though. It’s apparently all Tomoya-Nagisa (no Kyou as far as I know, sorry).
8 kokanaden 336 comments Mar 24th, 2008 at 2:20 am

@tjhan Unlike the EPL. I’d like to see a 07/08 season Part II.

Sorry carry on with the fanboying, with all the usual suspects.
9 wolfx 65 comments Mar 24th, 2008 at 1:18 pm

There should be the “nice death” scene. Lack of death disappointed me, and Kyoani probably isn’t going to do it. Oh well.

*continues downloading Clannad movie*
10 Niker 17 comments Mar 25th, 2008 at 8:50 pm

this is the end….. my only friend… the end….. (its a song… no idea where i ehard it) Well…. I must say im totally blown away by the story…. even though i watched it in the game it was made a LOT ( and i do mean a lot) more dramatic than in the game…. well… we still havent seen any kisses and i bet its tiem to scream BLOODY MURDER!!!!

Although i did like the ending of the game where nagisa and tomoya are playing in the arcade hehe…. makes me remember of me playing with a friend on it xD

Well….. i only got one criticism on ur little blog…. its that u said that nagisa has the best chemistry with tomoya…. that is true , in the anime. If u play the game… you will notice that kyou, ryou, kotomi, tomoyo and even mei can have better chemistry than the one shown in the anime…. still i have a hope that the last ova will be an alternate story of kyou or tomoyo….. and imma go dig the internet for the clannad movie damn…
11 leefe 120 comments Mar 26th, 2008 at 1:02 am

The finest moment of Akio’s GAR-ship. *RAWR RAWR FIGHT THE POWAR*
Yay and Mei-chan appeared again. Totally brightened up the festival scene(further). And I’m aching for the After Story, if the rumours are true. =/
12 FlameStrike 52 comments Mar 26th, 2008 at 10:58 pm

@Niker
On your point I beg to differ, with the execption of Tomoyo a lot of the other girls didn’t come close to Nagisa.
With Ryou I was wondering why the hell Tomoya the usualy awesome guy was being an indesicive harem male lead and not dumping her already, then in her own “route” it was like LOL OK WE R A COUPLE NOW HAPPY END!

For Kyou it was like 0 developmen between the two in between Tomoya being annoyed at Kyou dragging him around to suddenly going emo thinking about her 24/7 while making it with her sister. It almost came out of no where (form my point of view).

For Kotomi he suddenly magically fell in love with her or something and changed his character for delinquent to nice guy. Well this isn’t too unbelivable since Kotomi has the effect on people so it’s cool.

Haha Mei and Tomoya had a fun date and some pretty good chemisty, but it was never to be with that age diffrence x.x; it’s more of an onii-chan and imouto relationship.

Ugh I don’t want to talk about Fuko. When Tomoya thought to himself in the anime how he wouldn’t want a romantic relationship with her I was cheering. Might just be my biase against Fuko x Tomoya though.

Yukine and Tomoya had a surprisingly good relationship with nice chemistry.

Tomoyo’s route was awesome!! I’m biased on this part though. Still all the characters on their own route had more chemistry with Tomoya ON THEIR OWN ROUTE. This is a huge DUH (Common sense!) but overall I thought Nagisa and Tomoya where the best couple.
13 Niker 17 comments Mar 27th, 2008 at 11:10 am

@FlameStrike

Well, i just want to make a point on how not only nagisa can have chemistry with him. Well i kinda agree on how Kyou just kinda flipped out of nowhere and stuff but it still proved that kyou wasnt a complete asshole to her sister and tomoya.

Just finished the yukine route and i must say that the miyazawa in the anime is total crap compared to the one in the game…. Damn i mean, in the anime there isnt any yukine at all!! it just pisses me off… she has one of the best endings… together with tomoyo, nagisa and kyou…. ( Best in the way of MOVING scenes and stuff )

And u just gotta love tomoyo’s route…. its the best… and if u dont think so… theres a reason why there was a game by key named TOMOYO AFTER(LIFE)… kinda like nagisa’s end in the game….

Well thats all….

Itekimasu
14 Amoirsp 3 comments Mar 28th, 2008 at 5:46 pm

Speaking of the Yukine route, when Tomoya first met her, since she was so unusual (or whatever the term is), he asked her to dance with him and she’s like “sure!” (of course then Tomoya was like what the heck.) Come to think of it, a few features are missing. o_O

Though obviously Kyoani didn’t animate that (to insert the entrance by having help Nagisa circumstances added instead), and although it is indirectly spoiler, it’s not primary route content at all, but merely a “feature”.

It’s kind of weird though. In a way, due to Nagisa, many of the characters get indirectly shafted, either by allocation or air time. On the other hand, Nagisa herself had certain shafts as well.

I mean sure there’s always that argument for route fleshing and somewhat maximizing what could be done that can somewhat coexist. Well, it only seems this way to me since the Kanon equation was nearly equal to similar allocation.

Do not use any < and > for your own sake. It will end the comment there and then. Also, there is an automatic IQ filter which weeds out comments made by those who accidentally got transported from the stone age.

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