Clannad 04 – Ryou is bi!
October 26th, 2007 by Shirukii
Ahahaha, she said yes
Awesome episode, it managed to maintain the comedic overtone that Clannad has had so far, yet at the same time revealing key drama elements. While my favourite KeyAni work has and probably always will be AIR, if Clannad keeps going the way it is, it might end up higher than Kanon in my ranks.
Episode Rating: 9.5/10
So, here’s where you would usually see a detailed episode summary, but when I had juts finished writing it, one of my downloads finished, VistAIDS kicked in and crashed Firefox as it saved the file onto my desktop. This episode having jumped all over the place, the summary was longer than usual and I’m just not up to retyping it. So my sincerest apologies, but there will be no summary this week ;_;
Thoughts
Oh man, I’d be totally cool with it if Clannad decided to screw the drama and just go for 24 episodes of school comedy, hell it would probably end up better than Lucky Star.
The scene where Sunohara trick Ryou into thinking that Nagisa was confessing to her while she was really just asking for her help with the drama club was hilarious. Ryou love ++ as she got so flustered seeing Nagisa so serious. And to top it all off, she says yes to her, -BEFORE- realizing that she wasn’t really asking her out! Tsk tsk Ryou, who’s bi now XD
And of course there was Kyou’s reaction to the whole ordeal, face planting along with the door and then threatening Tomoya and Sunohara for toying around with her sister. Kyou’s facial expressions are win.
However, I was quite intrigued by the turn of events at the end of the episode, the revelation that Fuko may be the rumored ghost of the girl who was in a car accident years ago. The whole thing seems a little too reminiscent of Ayu and her physical spirit projection for the duration of Kanon, but we don’t have enough information to jump to that conclusion just yet. It may be a technique Key has used before, but as long as they handle it well, I’m hopeful that it’ll prove to be a unique story rather than just a rehash of Ayu’s path.
And from the looks of it, Fuko’s story is just the tip of Clannad’s drama element. We still have issues like Nagisa and her mysterious play, Tomoya and his history with his father and the whole alternate world to deal with. It sounds like a ton of stuff to work through, but if anyone can manage squeezing that much story into one series, it’s KyoAni, as they aptly demonstrated with Kanon, albeit a little fragmented.
Speaking of fragmentation, while Clannad’s story seems to be meshing together well enough, the character development remains a little choppy. Fuko and Nagisa have been getting a lot of attention, but characters like Kotomi still haven’t gotten any significant development. Beyond her name and the knowledge that she’s a genius, we don’t know much about her. KyoAni aren’t the type to introduce a character and relegate her to complete background scenery, but building a character with one minute scenes each episode isn’t much better. In the same way that I thought Nayuki’s screentime was too broken up in Kanon, characters like Kotomi and Ryou are suffering the same fate in Clannad.
But at the very least, I think Kotomi is ridiculously cute. Ignoring the fact that she acts a little infantile and has zero social skills, she’s intelligent, the attribute I value over all else in a girl.
As for the other main lead, Tomoyo, I have mixed feelings. While I find her pretty funny and can see potential for her story to evolve into a nice one involving her struggle to fit in as a normal girl despite her unique strength and cool personality, so far she’s coming off as a gag character. I mean, her combos were funny the first couple of times, but it’s four episodes in and we haven’t seen her do much else, and quite honestly, it’s getting old. God knows how high that combo counter is going to reach by the end of the series (in before “OVER 9000!”)
But meh, it’s a 50/50 split. I like how they’re handling Kyou, Fuko and Nagisa. I can’t wait to see what happens next episode now that Tomoya has found out that Fuko is the ghost that everyone has been talking about.
FABULOUS!
As for the guys, anyone here beginning to feel like Tomoya is shaping up to be another Kyon copypasta and that Sunohara is acting a lot like Kanon’s Kitagawa? Not that I really mind, but the Kyon-esque male leads are beginning to become a little too prevalent. We already have “zomg teh Rei”, we don’t need more blatant character clones in the anime universe. (I am fully aware of the irony/hypocrisy in this statement and my current poll question, shh)
Well, it’s far from perfection, but Clannad is building up some great momentum in plot and is doing slightly better with character development than Kanon. Now all we need is to get the melodramatics started and the tears of many a KeyAni fan will flow freely.
Moe-est ghost ever
~ Shirukii ~
23 Responses to “Clannad 04 – Ryou is bi!”
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lol I think you’re the first person to actually use the Ryou is bi/Kyou is bi parallel joke.
Nagisa: “Is it bad with another girl?”
Ryou:”No, you seem cute…but I….”
ROFL xD
//As for the guys, anyone here beginning to feel like Tomoya is shaping up to be another Kyon copypasta and that Sunohara is acting a lot like Kanon’s Kitagawa?//
Tomoya and Sunohara are delinquents, Kyon and Kitagawa are not. The only thing really similar between them are Kyon and Tomoya have a rather decent time with the ladies, while Kitagawa and Sunohara do not.
Kotomi = SO MOE I’M DEAD.
No doubt that many people will compare this series to Kanon. The first five episodes from Kanon were pure of characters introduction until it reached to ep. 6-10 for Makoto’s arc. If we looked back at the first five episodes of Kanon, we didn’t learn much about each character either. For example, we knew that there was something wrong with Shiori, but we didn’t what was it or we didn’t know what reason that caused Mai to be cold and quite. So with the next episode, I think we will go into each of heroine’s arc (seem like Fuuko is up first) just like what Kanon did. Kotomi, Tomoyo will get more screen time for sure, so be patient people.
Well, 1,000+ combo from Tomoyo was definitely awesome, but I think Kyou’s kick (along with her pantsu) from last episode is still better. Kyou FTW. My favorite scene was definitely Nagisa x Ryou confession. Haha, Ryou is the bi now. =)
Nagisa x Ryou confession= 100% win! :)
As for comparisons to Kanon….keep in mind that this is another Key novel……from the works I’ve seen so far the male lead always has a good sense of humour…….
While Tomoya looks like a Kyon/Yuiichi copy, he just can’t pull of the jokes like Tomokazu Sugita…..that guy is a MASTER of sarcasm…..
I really hope Fuko isn’t just an Ayu knock-off…….but I’m not worried…….
Nagisa and the play seem to be the focal points of the story…….with some weird-ass robot and alternate dimension shit going on in the background….I’m so confused :P……
But the confusion is a good thing :)……it means I can keep guessing as to what the story-line will end up being and not be stuck expecting the obvious :)…..
@ Kenshin514:
the pantsu shot was funnier :)…..Sonohura actually bounces on the ground a few times! That’s one powerful kick
@ Shirukii:
I swear I must be the only person in the anime universe who doesn’t find AIR fantastic :(……
ep. 7-11=awesome but the stuff before that–not to mention the unintelligible ending– was just too random for me
Oh man, I’d be totally cool with it if Clannad decided to screw the drama and just go for 24 episodes of school comedy, hell it would probably end up better than Lucky Star.
Hell, any show that offers something more than a bunch of teen-aged girls talking all day would be better.
“Why does gender matter? I think what matters is the passion.”
LOL!!! the biggest mistake that he should never mention it.
“Is it strange to be asked by a girl?”
O_o how should i answer back if i was Ryou?
“Not at all. You’re very cute.”
O_O You’re very cute? ROFL! ROFL! ROFL! It must the first thing that any other Yuri animes should follow it.
“Now all we need is to get the melodramatics started and the tears of many a KeyAni fan will flow freely.”
And how many times r we going to cry this time?
“It may be a technique Key has used before, but as long as they handle it well, I’m hopeful that it’ll prove to be a unique story rather than just a rehash of Ayu’s path.”
It seems like u see what i saw from the preview. After i saw the preview i still havent had 100% sure that Fuko we r seeing is a gosh/spirit form or not.
As we all might know that the other 4 girls, Ryou, Kyou, Fuko and Tomoyo, they are just the kind of characters who have side story with Tomoya which is going to spent 2 or 3 episodes with for each of them. And now they started with Fuko first and Kotomi is next?
When i was looking for Claymore Data-book and i ended up to join a forum that it had a title of a thread “Clannad – Speculation & Theories (for first time viewers)” after a while there is some1 join up with a reply that say the OP is a big spoiler. But i dont think it was a spoiler rather it was a lead for us.
And what we got from the OP:
Kyou = plays basketball?
Kotomi = plays violin?
Tomoyo = some1 sits on the wheel-chair?
@kenshin514: I think the one hit chain from Tomoya is the most painfulness i ever feel for Sunohara. LOL, it is remind me one of my friend told me that if he saw me in trouble and if he is able to help me then he will help me beat the others, BUT if he is unable to help me then he will help the others beat me because this is what best friend should do.
@ Totali: It was such an obvious connection too!
@ mikemil828: You really see no semblance in Kyon/Yuuichi/Tomoya’s sarcastic rhetoric and rather blunt actions around girls? Nor Jun and Sunohara’s tendencies to act like complete morons?
Hmm, maybe I’m just force fitting it a little?
@ random passerby: Tomoya… … …-kun :3
@ kenshin514: True enough, I guess I was just hoping that this time the arcs would be a little more integrated rather than all happening at separate times. While it seems to be a bit better than how Kanon did it, I suppose there’s no escaping some feeling of separation in the arcs.
And Kyou still owns Tomoyo in my books, any day.
@ Kanon_fan82: What was wrong with AIR’s ending? Show ▼
@ ItAintEazy: lol, it’s so easy to bash LS
@ Siva: >> And how many times r we going to cry this time?
I’ve heard that Clannad’s story is far more dramatic and tear inducing than Kanon. Then again, I didn’t cry during Kanon, I think.
As for Fuko being a ghost, it’s pretty laid out that she is the rumored one. If not, I’d love to see how they explain her out of the situation she’s in, especially the whole not going home thing.
By the way, did anyone miss the summary this week? How important are summaries to you guys/girls anyways?
@Shirukii: Well, summary is nice, but it’s that important in my opinion because you usually blog Clannad episode after when it already sub, so most people probably already watched it. Your thought about each episode is what I play attention to. I will definitely be reading your post even without the summary. Beside you are Kyou’s fan just like me. Kyou FTW.
@ Shirukii:
Don’t get me wrong, I cried like a baby at certain parts of AIR….Show ▼
Where my beef with the ending lies Show ▼
@ kenshin514: Ah, ok, was just curious. I still plan on writing summaries every week, just the odd glitch here and there, like this week. Kyou ftw indeed.
@ Kanon_fan82: I think the implication was that those two kids on the beach were the next reincarnation of Yukito/Misuzu ;_;
@ Shirukii:
Granted I’m not from a Hindu or Buddhist background but I’m pretty sure it’s impossible for your soul to be in two places at once even in “Eastern” traditions…..let alone being able to observe yourself……
the logic just didn’t compute……..it still doesn’t………the show would have been much better off ending with the crow flying up in the air…..but that’s just my opinion.
LOL. The part where Tomoya sticked the straw into Fuko’s nose was hilarious! Luckily she didn’t breath in at that time. If not she will be squirting milk through her nose! That would really make a scene! >.
lol, it’s so easy to bash LS
Heh, true enough, even though it’s a decent enough show. But at times, just as with Hikaru no Go, I have to pause, sit back, reflect and ask myself “what the hell am I watching?”
Okay, I don’t know why no one noticed this, especially considering how you guys were hunkering about the charater insignificancies the previous episode. Anyway, Ibiki mentioned that her sister was engaged to Yuusuke….which, if I’m not mistaken, is the name of the random electrician that appeared last episode….right?
@Shiruki: Well, the one defining characteristic of Key male leads is that they are not spineless and very scarcastic. It’s become something of a trademark for them, and considering the number of comedic scenes they can milk from it, I doubt they will be in a hurry to remove that aspect anytime soon.
@Kanon_fan…whatever the number is: I think it’s pretty much established that in the Air universe, your reincarnation can exist in 2 saperate bodies at the same time. After all, Sora, who is heavyly implied to be Yukito’s reincarnation, existed even before his supposed death by the curse. It isn’t that much of a stretch when you work it out.
O_o! Air’s Spoilers! 5:43am right now, I think it is the best for me to start watching Air.
@Alias: you are right about Yuusuke and Fuko’s sister must be that short hair girl.
@Shirukii: I dont mean to be rude to u but in one day i read about 40-50 pages and and watch new game trailers AND ANIMEs ^_^ so i usually read only the important part but for some animes like Clannad, Claymore, Myself; Yourself, Sola, School days, and Da Capo LOL I usually read everything you write down.
@Kanon_fan82: how is Air important to u?
@Shirukii: I happen to read the thread from animesuki.com and they have a hot debate whether Kyou is tsundere or not. In my opinion, Kyou already shows her tsuntsun part for the past four episodes, but her deredere part havn’t reveals it that much. However, I think she will show her deredere part eventually, so I consider her as tsundere. Since you are tusndere expert, what do you think?
@Siva: Sorry that I didn’t reply your message when you mentioned about your best friend. That’s a nice friend you got there. Your relationship with your best friend is definitely similar to Sunohara and Tomoya. I wish I have a friend like that.
@ Kanon_fan82: As Alias pointed out, I think the AIR universe wasn’t following conventional views of reincarnation. The crow was all but explicitly stated to be Yukito’s reincarnation, yet it existed at the same time as Yukito. So it isn’t much of an extension to say the same could apply to the kids.
@ Brian Woon: He was actually TRYING to squirt it up her nose, not just hoping she’d breathe it in, haha. I bet he manages to do it before the end of the series.
@ ItAintEazy: >> I have to pause, sit back, reflect and ask myself “what the hell am I watching?”
You have no idea how much I think that when I watch anime. This season alone, I’ve had that experience with Shugo Chara, Minami-ke, Ninomiya-kun and Ghost Hound.
@ Alias: Huh, I didn’t notice that at all. Coincidence? Probably not, but only time will tell.
True enough about Key’s leads (I’d go as far as to say KyoAni’s as well). I find it easy to relate to, being a pretty sarcastic person myself, not nearly as blunt, but just as sarcastic and arguably cynical.
@ Siva: We did use spoiler tags =P I was thinking of just typing them out in plain view since AIR is old and most people have seen it, but I figured spoiler tagging it was a good precaution anyways.
You really should watch AIR.
@ kenshin514: The more I see Kyou in action, the more I’m beginning to think she’s not really tsundere. Tsunderes are classified by their hostile behavior towards their love interest because either they can’t come to terms with their feelings, or their usual personality conflicts with their feelings.
While I can see Kyou falling into the latter category, I’m more inclined to think that she’s just like this all the time. She doesn’t show the usual blush -> violence that you see in other tsunderes, rather she always has an aura of blunt honesty around her.
I won’t know for sure until we see if she has feelings for Tomoya though, which so far she hasn’t shown any signs of.
@Shirukii: Yeah, I think the same way as you do too. My hunch tells me that her feeling for Tomoya will come eventually, so we’ll see. However, some people argue that she already shows little bit of feeling toward Tomoya when Sonohara said that he saw her blue pantsu then Kyou blushed and glanced to Tomoya in episode 3. BTW, if you have time, you should read the thread because it was funny too see bunch of people debated this issue for 6 days and they still couldn’t come to agree whether Kyou is tsundere or not. lol
@ Shirukii:
It still doesn’t make the ending any more comprehensible ;)
P.S. I think you should give Bamboo Blade a mention on your blog……just to make people aware of its existence :)……..Three eps. in and its becoming one of my fave shows of the season :)
@kenshin514: LOL you better have one, then you will understand what its mean when he said that to you.
@Kanon_fan82 & Shirukii: LOL, im joking with the spoiler, i dont really get what are you 2 talking about beside i knew it was a spoiler from Air. Ok, im done with Air.
First, I hate Air’s ending BUT it doesn’t mean i think i was a bad ending because everything seems to be resolved as Kanon_fan82 has stated and those 2 kids seem to have a happy ending so there is nothing bad about the ending BUT it just that i dont like that type of ending.
Second, Air has made it way to the end and break out 2 new records for me.
1. The arch of Misuzu & Haruko was really the best. Haruko completely fools me 2 times the first one when she said she is going to tour the hot springs and the second one when she left Misuzu alone on the wheelchair walkaway with an angry face. The scene Misuzu runs to Haruko on the beach and calls Haruko “Momma”, Is there anything else that can compete with this one?
2. Excuse me, Monks, Do you know who are you and what are you doing? A hundred of monks try to put a cure on an innocent girl who know nothing but only known as a Wing race? How can those monks suppose have that kind of cruel cure? Can they have any better than that or Are those monks a Wizard or Warlock being? A cure thats not only make you die but even after you reincarnate again the cure still effects you again, a cure that kill anyone who get close to you and you will have a lonely life forever. Wow, a monk’s cure that is even stronger than wizard’s. This will be the first time i heard that monk can learn that kind of cure. Can it be a new record?
Now i can see that Air has a title as “sad girls in summer” is not just for show, cool or interesting name but it deserves its title.
D00d, that was during the 1500s….at any rate, it was way before the 18th century. At that time, we have christians hacking and slashing their way through every other religion during their bloody crusades. That and the fact that religion during that time was amongst one of the more important things a person could have, and the fact that most people from various religions at that time period view other religions as a threat to their own, it’s not hard to understand.
Eu amo essi aniimee *——-*♥
I tipoww