Forum - View topic

REVIEW: Clannad After Story Sub.DVD 2

It is only the fault of the anime that it could not portray it to non gamers as well. It is a shame because Illusionary World is pretty amazing and complex. It is IMO one of the best parts of Clannad.

It is only the fault of the anime that it could not portray it to non gamers as well. It is a shame because Illusionary World is pretty amazing and complex. It is IMO one of the best parts of Clannad.

No matter what anyone says it is not a cop out of any kind. From the game it is based on and how you play the game it is pretty damn obvious. Start from the opening scene. (Which would have been the best choice to start with in the anime) It is very well built around it.

It is only the fault of the anime that it could not portray it to non gamers as well. It is a shame because Illusionary World is pretty amazing and complex. It is IMO one of the best parts of Clannad.

spoilers for explaining more of after story in detail...long post explaining it all spoiler[I find that a lot with Maeda's writing there is a lot more to think about and put together after, just like AIR.

If you remember the story Yukine told about the orbs. Each person in the town that was helped had a an orb of their happiness. A certain amount was needed to have a wish in the game it is around 13 I believe, they even cut 2 stories out.

Tomoya repeats over and over to get these orbs (well more evident in the game and seen with Tomoyo's arc) We see one repeat generally. So in reality he has to face this fate over and over. As seen in episode one where he starts off in the world of snow.

When Nagisa was sick and near death. her life was exchanged for the town. This was when Akio asks for someone to save her. So as the town begins to decrease her life begins to lessen. And her link is specific to the place where the hospital is being built.

Ushio inherits this . As the exchange is passed to her. Her body is too small to carry this burden. So Ushio dies. When she dies she is is re-born in the Illisionary world (the first time she died). This Ushio is different than the one we come to know. She creates a body/vessel for Tomoya, whom can sense this place. She does not know of her other self until the end.

It is because of this link to the world that Tomoya can collect the orbs. So the plot is not a reset or coming from no where people just never paid attention/ wasn't shown as well as in game. No one seemed to listen to Yukine, took no notice to the illusionary world and so forth. Us game fans were happy with the conversion. But perhaps the ending is more satisfying in the end for all your hard work to collect all the orbs and spend 100 hours on the game. Many say if it ended with 18 that would have been good but it would have made the entire show pointless as no one would need a story or it would have been a failed attempt at the orbs. But Tomoyo after is more so related to what people want >.> . ]

[The "cop-out" ending feels that way because the anime did a poor job of adapting the visual novel to a linear narrative.

I can see why people might think the ending is a cop out but honestly how can one expect anything else?

The fact that you had to go into this much depth in explaining the story to make it NOT seem like a cop-out shows just how flawed the anime version is.

Remember, we are not discussing/reviewing the game here - but the anime version. The anime should be able to stand on its own ....

jenthehen wrote:

The fact that you had to go into this much depth in explaining the story to make it NOT seem like a cop-out shows just how flawed the anime version is. Remember, we are not discussing/reviewing the game here - but the anime version. The anime should be able to stand on its own ....

Quoted for truth. I've never played the game, probably never will, but regardless, the adaptation should never be reliant on its source material.

Also, just because "this was supposed to happen" doesn't mean that it is not a cop-out. After Story's ending left too many questions that could only be answered by being a cop-out. spoiler[Okay, so if the world's time line was shifted back into the past, then therefore everything that happened from Nagisa's death till ep 22 never happens. Therefore, if it never happened, then how could Tomoya remember it?] This is a very bothersome paradox that can only be justified with: "its magic." In other words; a cop-out. Also, spoiler[what are we to think about what Akio, Sanae, Ushio, Tomoya's father, etc. all went through? Do they still remember it? Do Akio and Sanae remember their trial with Nagisa's death? Does Ushio grow up with the memories of what didn't happen already ingrained in her head from her second birth? Does Nagisa remember being dead?] It pretty much rendered the characters' journeys useless; like what people were saying about save-spots, they just went back to a save point and restarted from there when they didn't like what they got. And so, what could have been a good, emotional, heartfelt story was reduced to mere wish-fulfillment.

The fact that you had to go into this much depth in explaining the story to make it NOT seem like a cop-out shows just how flawed the anime version is.

Remember, we are not discussing/reviewing the game here - but the anime version. The anime should be able to stand on its own ... I almost feel like in this case it tried to be TOO faithful to the game without really following through on explanation. Or maybe this type of gameplay set-up just doesn't work for the television animated medium.

jenthehen wrote:

The fact that you had to go into this much depth in explaining the story to make it NOT seem like a cop-out shows just how flawed the anime version is. Remember, we are not discussing/reviewing the game here - but the anime version. The anime should be able to stand on its own ... I almost feel like in this case it tried to be TOO faithful to the game without really following through on explanation. Or maybe this type of gameplay set-up just doesn't work for the television animated medium.

But at least it makes sense and at least knowing that puts things into perspective. Doesn't change the anime's choice to do things. It isn't just a re-set if you read what i put.

In the recap it shows that I believe Tomoya remembers what had happened. In what a said you can watch Tomoyo After....

I don't think you're reading or understanding what we are saying here ... the fact that you say "It isn't just a re-set IF you read what I put." means that if we DON'T read this additional explanation, then it IS a res-set. So in the anime version, it just feels like a cop-out re-set ... even though it may have come off completely different in the game, that is irrelevant. We are talking about the anime on its OWN.

jenthehen wrote:

I don't think you're reading or understanding what we are saying here ... the fact that you say "It isn't just a re-set IF you read what I put." means that if we DON'T read this additional explanation, then it IS a res-set. So in the anime version, it just feels like a cop-out re-set ... even though it may have come off completely different in the game, that is irrelevant. We are talking about the anime on its OWN.

I do. But the parts in the anime they showed made sense it just wasn't clear or people failed to realize Yukine mentioning the orbs. The ending should not have come as a surprise because it was seen a mile away.

Plus because people didn't understand doesn't mean it should be labeled as a cop out. It is not irrelevant the anime is based on the game. Of course it is going to come up.

As well my explanation clears up what the anime missed, in case anyone wanted the real story and piece together what the anime showed. It is there after all but not shoved in your face.

Plus because people didn't understand doesn't mean it should be labeled as a cop out.

Just because people disagree with you doesn't mean that they don't understand.

Clannad is really not that complicated - we understood, we just didn't like the ending.

I think you are the one who is not understanding things.

Even with all the explanation you give, those questions and paradoxes I mentioned are still there. It is still a reset ending no matter how you try and justify it.