[Ascaloth] CLANNAD ~After Story~, Episode 4 at Riuva : Research Institute for Unicultural Visual Arts

[Ascaloth] CLANNAD ~After Story~, Episode 4

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Popularity: 6% [?] Published by Ascaloth October 25th, 2008 in Ascaloth, Anime

The train wrecks here, and what a spectacular wreck it was. We could practically foresee it coming once yet another prank set in motion by Tomoya was taken and ran away with by Sunohara and Mei, and yet like all trainwrecks, there was no tearing our eyes away from this one. But for those of us who are not game vets, and are experiencing this particular arc for the first time, we could not have predicted just how explosive the crash ‘n burn would be. Though all’s well that ends well, the fiery conclusion of the Sunohara Siblings’ Arc certainly does cement its place as, just like how many of the game vets said it would be, one of the best side arcs within the CLANNAD canon.

CLANNAD ~After Story~, Episode 4. The end of the Sunohara Siblings’ Arc.

ヒナノさまいじめっ子！

We’re running out of room for light balls here, bud. How many more to go?

It’s an interesting coincidence that this week’s episodes of both ef ~melodies~ and CLANNAD ~AS~ deal with the same issue this week; that of bullying. It is noteworthy that studies have shown that the word ijime, which is often uttered by Kotomi as most of you should know, and is often translated as "bullying", actually has a distinct definition from Western concepts of the phenomenon. While Western ideas of bullying is usually based on the definition "imbalance of strength" (Olweus, 1993)*, which is an unclear definition that incorporates many different possible behaviours, ijime "is mean behaviour or a negative attitude that has clear intention to embarrass or humiliate others who occupy weaker positions in a same group. It is assumed to be a dynamic used to keep or recover one’s dignity by aggrieving others. Consequently, its main purpose is to inflict mental suffering on others, regardless of the form such as physical, verbal, psychological and social" (Taki, 2003)**

* Olweus, D. (1993) "Bullying at school: what we know and what we can do". Oxford: Blackwell Publishers

Serious ijime is specified by three necessary conditions. Firstly, it occurs in a relatively small social group, where the "relationship between "weaker" and "stronger" is relative and neither persistent nor stable", and consequently, "the first necessary condition of ‘Ijime bullying’ is group membership involving those who perceive themselves to be almost equal". Secondly, as the members of small social groups in Japan "orient to equality", ijime is based on the "use of power imbalance in a group" where the "roles of bully and victim are easily exchangeable according to the situation". Finally, ijime "becomes more harmful and serious in a cumulative way, if victim(s) cannot flee easily from victimization in a group setting and are exposed to mean behaviour or a negative attitude repeatedly in a long period", and is "not only repeated behaviour against same victim(s) by bully(s), but also collective attitude
against specific victim(s) by many others". (Taki, 2003)**.

** Taki, M. (2003) "‘Ijime bullying’: characteristic, causality and intervention". Oxford-Kobe Seminars: Measures to reduce "Bullying in Schools", on 21-25 May 2003 at Kobe Institute, Kobe, Japan

I wonder if the ani she’s talking about is that random guy who sprouted out from under the table to shake Sunohara into pieces back in Episode 2. For someone who was portrayed as little more than everybody else’s fallback plan in the first season, Yukine has been getting rather more focus and development in the previous episodes, even if she’s still doing the same thing. I’ve heard that hers was actually supposed to be a main arc until it was eventually relegated to a side arc for certain reasons, but it’s also still considered one of the better side arcs in the canon. There should be much to eagerly await for when it’s finally her turn to get the spotlight.

You know things are getting tense when the Foolish Duo are having a stare-off, and especially when Kyou doesn’t use her dictionary gag for once. It’s amazing how the tension feels so real-life, almost as if I were back in my school days watching, or even being one of the parties in a stare-off like this.

It’s also quite entertaining how Tomoya and Nagisa don’t argue much with each other, but when they do, it’s almost indistinguishable from that of a married couple’s. XD

Of course, we all know that the question of who usually wins these arguments is a foregone conclusion. Or at the very least, a certain real-life couple should know. :p

But honestly, can you see the Nagisa of the previous season’s Episode 1 doing something like this, speaking up and insisting on her course of action? Speaks a lot of how far the girl has come since then. You go, sugar.

One can only imagine how much it took for Tomoya to be able to bow his head down. Especially for one of his status, it would have been a particularly large blow to his pride, so for him to be able to do that for the sake of another must speak a lot of how he too has changed since the beginning.

You know, one learns a great deal of things about the world in tertiary education that one couldn’t possibly have known about in their younger years. For example, one learns that such cases of bullying is a common occurrence for reasons that should have been obvious in hindsight, and it also gives a bigger picture from which to view to one’s own experiences, and come to a new understanding about them. But when all is said and done, whenever a scene like this comes up, all the education in the world does not, and rightly so, keep one from having a visceral reaction to it in the likes of "These f***in’ a**holes".

The moment which provoked a storm of murderous intent in the hearts of ~~lolicon~~ otaku around the world.

And as the world-spanning intent of murder…

….came to a head….

….Sunohara, the lifelong fool, finally gets a well-deserved Crowning Moment of Awesome.

FUCK YEAH!!!

(Image courtesy of Klashikari from Anime History)

"There’s nothing that ~~Suzaku~~ Sunohara and I can’t do together!"

母さん！

And the trainwreck culminates into an awesome beatdown between the two buddies. It was, quite simply, one of the best moments of CLANNAD thus far, being the first time we really get to see the true depth of the friendship between Tomoya and Sunohara, even as they are beating the crap out of each other. Sometimes, it really is one of the ways that guys affirm their friendship bonds.

And the trainwreck may have run its course, but the aftermath is a happy one, with Sunohara affirming his family ties with Mei after neglecting them for so long in his long, dark despair. And so, the theme of CLANNAD resurfaces, the ties that make up the concept ‘family’ is one that endures despite long neglect.

And the Warrior Duke and his Duchess looks on.

Bruised and battered, but the bond between lifelong buddies is stronger than ever.

Indeed, how lucky it is that Tomoya and Sunohara, when all is said and done, have each other’s back. It’s always reassuring to know one can have a buddy he can trust in….

….actually, maybe I should take that back. :p

Nevertheless, the Sunohara Siblings’ Arc lives up to its reputation; it really is one of the strongest side arcs in terms of the overall "family" theme of the CLANNAD canon, and an awesome story in its own right. The bonds between family, the bonds between friends, even though they may be strained and neglected at times, they persist. It was a truly powerful story that really wrings emotions in the way that classic Key stories do, and yet at the same time, it was a more mature and meaningful effort than the earlier efforts. Once again, good job, Key. Good job, KyoAni. Your partnership remains the benchmark by which all other VN adaptations are measured against.

Ascaloth, out.

Popularity: 6% [?]

13 Responses to “[Ascaloth] CLANNAD ~After Story~, Episode 4”

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1 Myssa Rei 12 comments Oct 25th, 2008 at 8:29 pm

Well-said, gentlesir. You pretty much hit the focus of the Sunohara Siblings route spot-on, for a non-game player. For all moe-watchers might want to believe, the myriad expressions of ‘family’ will always play a central role in the adaptation. No question, it was a little hard to suppress some sniffles this time.

And to pique your curiosity about Yukine’s mysterious guest, he’s just one of many MANY more; the quiet librarian has quite a following, BECAUSE of the reasons you’ve mentioned.
2 Ragna 6 comments Oct 25th, 2008 at 10:37 pm

Actually, as for the theme of family, I would almost go as far as to say that the theme of this arc can be taken as far as Tomoya and Sunohara being part of a “family” on their own - Mei, despite being blood family with Youhei, in some ways served as the vehicle to bring about the climatic conflict between the two rather than be a part of it.

Or maybe I only think this way because I spend every christmas and thanksgiving at my best friend’s house xD.
3 chuuuer 1 comment Oct 26th, 2008 at 1:35 pm

That fight was just so epic. There’s no other way to put it. This arc concluded pretty early in the series but its one of the most amazing things I’ve seen in a while.
4 Tyrenol 2 comments Oct 26th, 2008 at 11:31 pm

Let me get this out of the way:

1) “Bullying” is still “bullying.” And it’s STILL wrong.

2) I had more than my fair amount of bullying and mocking from middle school and high school. Until I gave someone the front of my shoe up the jaw. (And it’s proven that the public school system is a horrible place to get an education if the bullying and mocking is all you remember.)

3) KyotoAnimu didn’t disprove their “darkness in their heart” by having Youhei defeat the OVERPOWERED Tomoyo. And Tomoya is SCUM for being Youhei’s problem.

4) KyotoAnimu and Key (along with ADV) should be firebombed for said darkness in their heart. “Give them no quarters?” I’d snatch the quarters from them.
5 Ascaloth 202 comments Oct 27th, 2008 at 12:58 am

@Myssa,

Can’t wait to see what Yukine has in store. ^_^

@Ragna,

Unique interpretations from everyone, right? ^_^

@Tyrenol,

I’m sorry, you must have mistaken this average anime blog as some sort of free online counselling service. Frankly, I have no interest in your school-days sob story; it’s not my problem you’re made up of too much fail and lose to let go of your past. Please do yourself a favour and pay for some professional counselling.
6 Tyrenol 2 comments Oct 27th, 2008 at 6:25 am

@ Ascaloth

When there’s no justice in the world, you fight for it the best way you can.

I’m “hammering at this glass wall.” And if you’re starting to hurt, it means you’re on the wrong side of it.
7 Ascaloth 202 comments Oct 27th, 2008 at 10:48 am

@Tyrenol,

And your idea of fighting for justice is to wail like a sissy to everyone about how much fail and lose you’re made of?

Yawn, not even remotely entertaining.
8 Myssa Rei 12 comments Oct 27th, 2008 at 10:51 am

Well, it does seem that the minor game arcs are going to be given some closure, since the characters featured in them (barring Youhei, and Mei in the ‘true’ ending) will more or less disappear once the After Story proper rolls in. So, enjoy seeing Misae and Yukine…

I’m still wondering how Kotomi will fit into After Story though, as she’s one of the characters whose story stops with the School Life part of the game, and yet here in the adaptation it seems that she’s being set up as having a supporting role much like Kyou and Youhei. She’s already stood in for Fuuko in the baseball game, and well all know that, unlike the VN, the characters don’t exist in a relationship vacuum (we’ve seen how Kyou, Ryou, and Kotomi are very close in the anime).
9 FlameStrike 52 comments Oct 28th, 2008 at 6:59 am

Yeah this was indeed an awesome episode. The conclusion showed us more about Tomoya and Sunohara’s friendship. When I first read the visual novel it really hit me when Sunohara’s reason that he was “ignoreing” Mei was because he totally trusted Tomoya. He thought Tomoya would know to stop Mei from doing anything overboard and take care of her, so he stepped down. The funny thing was, Tomoya trusted Sunohara to stop his sister and misinterpretted Sunohara’s lack of action.

@ Tyrenol

Wait I don’t understand what point you’re trying to make or how it relates to this episode. No where did anyone or this anime state that bullying was good so wtf? Also what’s this stuff about “darkness in their heart”? Sunohara has no reason at all to defeat Tomoyo. He was the one picking fights with her despite the diffrence in combat experiance. Heck he called her out and implied that she offered sexual favors or something to get those thugs to lose on purpose x.x; Sunohara pretty much deserved the beatings, at least those times.

Then Tomoya’s scum for being Sunohara’s problem? How is Tomoya Sunohara’s problem anyway…?
10 SnooSnoo 175 comments Oct 28th, 2008 at 8:48 am

>Tyrenol, so after getting booted from Sakaku Complex you’ve come to RIUVA to troll? Nice (Y)
11 The Sojourner 112 comments Oct 30th, 2008 at 4:48 am

[ID SOJOURNER]

lol what did Tyrenol do in Sakaku?
12 SnooSnoo 175 comments Oct 30th, 2008 at 9:23 am

>The Sojouner, whine like what he’s doing here. And making senseless trollish comments D:

1 [Ascaloth] ef ~a tale of melodies~, Episode 4 at Riuva : Research Institute for Unicultural Visual Arts Pingback on Oct 31st, 2008 at 3:12 pm

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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