Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
Hytioz
When I watched Clannad, I could understand why it has such a strong reputation in the romance and drama genres, but I personally felt that it didn't completely live up to the hype. Although I enjoyed some of the emotional moments, I kept noticing small issues that stopped me from seeing it as a masterpiece.
The biggest thing that stood out to me was the pacing. I found it very slow, and there were several points where I started to lose interest. Since the anime is adapted from a visual novel, it felt like most of the first season was spent introducing each female character one at a time. To me, this made the beginning feel repetitive, and I was waiting for the main story to really begin.
I also struggled with the way some of the characters were written. I expected the high school student…
Read at the sourcezHalalGoku
I checked the box that said “I’ve only watched Clannad Season 1,” but I’ve actually watched the entire series.
Are you kidding me? Are you calling this anime a work of art? The storytelling is terrible. The characters are terrible. Their behavior, personalities, and types are terrible. In Season 2 (Clannad: After Story), it crosses moral boundaries quite a bit. Despite all this, I can’t understand how it’s so popular. Nagisa’s mom is dating Sunohara—seriously, does that even happen? Are you kidding me? Nagisa’s mom isn’t bothered at all; in fact, she’s happy about it. Plus, she acts differently around Sunohara—what kind of message does that send to the audience? You fill in the rest. Another controversial situation: Okazaki and Sunohara’s sister are hanging out together. But this isn’t jus…
Read at the sourceYungSav
Season 1 of Clannad for me was a bit of a mixed experience. The first half of the season was honestly pretty hard to get into. A lot of the early episodes felt slow and episodic, focusing on different characters’ problems without much overall momentum. Additionally, the characters at the start are extremely unlikeable especially fuko. I felt the whole initial first 12 epi arc focusing on Fuko was dull and boring and all most made me drop the show completely (which in hindsight would of been a mistake with how good after story is). For a while it feels like the show is just going through typical high school anime storylines.
However, the second half of the season is where the show really starts to improve. The series starts delivering the heartfelt moments it’s known for. Fuko is finally pu…
Read at the sourceAyFew
If I were being objective, I would say that Clannad is the best romance anime ever made. It has peak character development. Handling the stories of seven or eight characters this well is extremely difficult.
All romance anime should take inspiration from Clannad. It is rare for a romance series to begin as a school story and follow the characters all the way into adulthood. Clannad handles both teenage romance and adult romance exceptionally well, and it does an excellent job of handling the characters’ emotional development. Most romance series skip over that phase, but Clannad develops it thoroughly.
Clannad builds up its storylines and fully resolves them in After Story, which is the sequel. For these reasons, not a single romance anime has come even halfway close to Clannad’s level o…
Read at the sourceRaiusu
Edit - watch this if you’re going to watch clannad after story I don’t really like season 1 but look at it as an introduction to the world and the characters and you’ll love after story (season 2)
The show is really weird to me like I enjoyed it, but I didn’t understand what’s going on because there isn’t really a story it’s just the main character helping all of his friends with their own issues but it doesn’t really explain them
for example the first mini story I didn’t understand until two episodes before that story ended so I didn’t really understand it and then the second part I kind of understood a bit better because it was more generic to other shows like this
It was a pretty good watch, but not crazy and I think that’s because I couldn’t figure out the premise of the show the…
Read at the sourceJoe_Devaney
Note: This will be a review of both the first season and "After Story".
Overview:
Key, a studio under the company Visual Arts, are very well-known for creating some of the most emotional, tearjerking visual novels you could find anywhere, and Kyoko Animation have done a fine job of translating these heartfelt stories into animated form (which, for a visual novel, is a lot more difficult than you would probably think). "Clannad", an anime whose name is taken from the Irish word for "family", is considered by many to be the magnum opus of both studios, and for good reason, as it is, bar none, the best slice-of-anime that I have yet to see.
Story (8.5/10):
Set in the fictional Japanese town Hikarizaka, "Clannad" primarily follows the life of Tomoya Okazaki, a third-year high school student…
Read at the sourceRavenSparrow
This show is an absolute disaster. The main character, Okazai, is incredibly bland, though still somewhat tolerable, as is Sunohara. Then there is Fuko, whose presence is nothing short of infuriating. Her voice, demeanor, and entire existence are exasperating beyond belief. However, the most detestable character of all is Nagisa. No words can fully capture the sheer hatred this character inspires. Feeble-minded, weak, and unbearably fragile, she is an insufferable presence. How anyone could possibly relate to or enjoy this character is incomprehensible. Her voice is grating, akin to nails on a chalkboard.
Even her father’s sacrifice, abandoning his dreams of becoming an actor for her, elicits nothing but pity. It would have been better if she had never survived childhood. This character…
Read at the sourcemasteromlet
This synopsis and analysis has minor spoilers but nothing that will flat out ruin the major moments in the show. I just finished watching both Clannad and "After Story" for the second or third time. And here is why I think it is a good or even a masterpiece story.
The opening episode is great. It contrasts the funny and lighthearted nature of Tomoya and how he interacts with his friends and Nagisa’s parents, with the hardship of growing up with an alcoholic dad. This first episode is a microcosm for the entire show. Clannad also does a fantastic job in the “slice of life” category, because many of the major plot points are relatable and not blown up or unnecessary because the writers can’t tie plot points together well. Clannad is like life in many ways, capturing the mundane, the goofy,…
Read at the sourceSorumsuz
Clannad definitely delivers when it comes to presenting a coherent and engaging plot. Each arc within the show may not entirely pertain to the overall story but it definitely offers a feeling of build up and anticipation to the final arc. It feels as though everything prior to it was leading up to it and it's very rewarding to see the culmination of everything that had happened.
The characters, though tropey at times, are interesting and their stories are entertaining to watch. Most of the arcs pertaining to the characters in the show tend to be dramatic and emotional. Focusing heavily on interpersonal relationships and inner struggle. It does a good job at conveying the proper tone so that these character arcs seem fulfilling to watch, and they are. Each arc ends with adding something t…
Read at the sourceMrSlamboni
The only reason I would recommend to watch Clannad is for the purpose of understanding the sequel: Clannad After Story. Clannad, on its own, is not really that impressive. Sure, it is better than a lot of rom-com anime out there. However, there isn't anything to make your interest stick. It just has good moments scattered here and there while most of the story is pretty average and uninteresting. That's why I will say it now, I only recommend Clannad as an introduction to the sequel. Without the sequel, Clannad isn't worth it.
To give Clannad some credit though, it does have its good parts. The struggles of the protagonist, Tomoya, and how they are portrayed are interesting. The show doesn't try to drive through these sad moments with the typical crying and yelling scene. However, it port…
Read at the sourcenirererin
Clannad is an anime that knits together the elements of slice of life, drama, and romance with the great depth of emotional impact. It is a majestic experience that also connects with the world and people and teaches us humans that we can’t live alone or on our own. Clannad builds around Tomoya Okazaki, who is a disenchanted high school student, and his journey of evolving and self-discovery, which is mostly possible for the kind-hearted Nagisa Furukawa.
Clannad is a heartwarming, slow-paced anime, and sometimes it also shows the heartbreaking theme, which is a more attractive thing about Clannad. Slice of life, Clannad is the perfect example of it. Characters lead their everyday lives, meet with different people, interact with them, and the story or character progresses with that. Differ…
Read at the sourcemeowha
Clannad’s from my childhood, but I haven’t rewatched the original series until now; I usually tend to go for a few episodes of After Story here and there instead. However the original sets up the characters and tone of the show extremely well and is a pleasant, casual watch with touching moments. Sometimes these moments can feel a little clumsy and overdone; the humor can also hit or miss. But overall it’s a classic; Sometimes you’ll be overemotional or make jokes that don’t land. The negative aspects I just explained make the anime feel truer to life and connect to its themes perfectly. KyoAni did an excellent job capturing the intended emotions and feel in this production.
+ Beautiful and cozy atmosphere, setting, and animation.
+ Character designs and the summer uniforms are very char…
Read at the sourceDompa112
Review from one who is a big Key fan and played the game on Nintendo Switch. Clannad is split into two parts. This and the After story. Ive given this a 9 and the after story a 10.
This first part is good but doesnt hit the emotional heights the after story does why its rated slightly liwer. It does have its moments. Especially the ends of Nagisa and Fuuko routes but the first part is definetly more character building and humor.
As always with Key the music is outstanding and can move one to tears with just that. Remembering back to me playing the game hearing Nagisas theme and the opening of the meeting for the first time i knew right away that this was gonna be good. And it never dissapointed.
Read at the sourceBlueSquaddy
Ignore my rating that's not the important part.
Clannad's sequel offers a meaningful thematic backbone of the interconnectedness of community, mono no aware, and legacy. Through multiple character arcs and the overarching narrative these themes are explored well. Its soundtracks complement these themes well, and are among the most emotional anime soundtracks out there.
When people say this series changed their life, they are likely referring to its exploration of:
- the ways in which we underestimate the positive influence we can have on each other and our local communities
- the ways in which we cope with loss and change
- the ways in which our hopes and dreams evolve over time in unexpected ways
In a world where:
- social isolation is recognized as a serious concern by the CDC
- soc…
Read at the sourceOhsnapitsDavid
Clannad. Is it a comedy, a romance, a slice of life, a supernatural show? The answer: it's a starfish.
Clannad by all fair means is another classic show that deserves its fanbase because most of the tropes within the show fall into a very lovable mix with a lively school life, fun comedic moments, beautiful art and smooth animation.
Clannad is a show that was made with love, and every episode reflects that in some way or another. But, the greatest question is, does Clannad live up to the 10/10 masterpiece it so socially receives? No. It might just be that way because a lot of people grew up watching Clannad, or because Clannad was one of the early shows that recieve a spear head popularity for its portrayal of fun school friends.
The point is uncertain. What is certain within Clannad is…
Read at the sourceJastereich
Clannad is based on a visual novel produced by Kyoto Animation. The female cast of the series is quite big, something usual for this genre. Nonetheless, is not a harem anime. It has romantic storylines , drama and humor that lift it beyond the genre parameters.
In many aspects, Clannad follows a structure akin to Kanon (2006). Fuko's arc, in particular, shares numerous parallels with Makoto's, even down to the episode count. However, Clannad distinguishes itself by infusing more humor at the expense of some drama. While both arcs are enjoyable, reducing Clannad to a mere rehashing of the same plot with different characters would be unfair. As Fuko's arc concludes, the series embarks on a different trajectory, prioritizing the evolving romance between Okazaki and Nagisa over exploring vari…
Read at the sourceTheAniReviewer
Now I know the review I gave the show sounds like I hated it. I didn’t and I actually mostly liked it and I would watch most of it again. BUT you see that I said most because this show is very long and to me arcs aren’t exactly interesting. I liked all of the characters and I am watching Clannad after story and it’s improved a lot but Clannad It self took very long to get stuff done. Now although I was very critical I don’t hate or dislike the show I was just indifferent and think the show didn’t need to be as long as it was
Read at the sourcesweetie_ashe
I cannot stress how much I love this anime. The way they have the unexpected happen and it just smacks you in the face. The character development was astonishing. The personalities of each person was portrayed so greatly in each character. This show left me laughing & crying all over the place. It drew me in and captivated my attention with the great love story and story overall. There was always so much to learn and continue contemplating what's going to happen next. There's tons of plot twists which I loved. Just an amazing anime overall and I highly recommend you take this show for a ride, you won't regret it.
Read at the sourcelastnameEver
Clannad is a visual novel created by Jun Maeda and adapted by the only anime studio in Japan to respect the human right to a salary. Clannad is astonishingly trite. It would take an unbelievable amount of naivety to take on its clearly manipulative storytelling tactics in good faith and glean any sense of enjoyment out of it. It’s considered a classic by people who have no idea what they’re on about. Clannad is not a classic. A classic implies it has stood the test of time. Clannad can’t stand any test. It is chronically paraplegic. The story is paced so slowly that it feels as if centuries pass before an episode finishes. You can marry, have kids, buy a dog, buy a rabbit, watch the dog eat the rabbit, watch Friends, twice, shoot the dog, get a cat, who has kittens, sell its kittens, onlin…
Read at the sourceFAKECROSS97
Part 1 English
Part 2 Bahasa Indonesia
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Well, well, well, if it isn't the anime Clannad. Let me tell you, folks, this show is a real hoot! With a score of 8.2/10, it's definitely worth your time.
Let's start with the story. I mean, what can I say? It's got all the classic anime tropes: romance, drama, comedy, and even a bit of supernatural elements thrown in. But hey, it all comes together nicely and keeps you hooked.
Now, the art style. It's pretty darn good, I gotta say. in thats year, The character designs are distinct and easy on the eyes, and the backgrounds are just gorgeous. It's like a painting come to life!
Ah, the three main characters. They're all great in their own way. You've got your classic anime protagonist, your cute girl with a t…
Read at the source
