Sound7/10: Great music to suit the mood or the moment it's trying to create. Most of it is dramatic or soothing music you would hear right before or during a sad scene.
Story7/10: It doesn't really matter kind of story a show wants to start with, but how it presents it, and differs itself from the others in its genre. So ignoring the fact that you know you're going to get a slice of life that wants to make you cry; Clannad has a few arcs(two) of which are meant to bring the male, and female lead together. The first arc is strange, to its credit it's imaginative, and it works a bit to the shows advantage. Nothing bad it handled itself ok. Second arc is delves a bit deeper into the main character. Not much to say without spoiling it, but it's not bad
Characters:
Most of them are just cut outs from previous cliches. The only characters that have some semblance of indifference would be the main character, and Tomoyo. You really don't believe these characters are having fun or enjoying themselves. Most of it is just a fight for who wants to be with the male lead.
Tomoya:
Not as bad as it could have been. His childhood involves his dad hurting Tomoya. Tomoya, who loved basketball can no longer play it the way he used to. This puts guilt on his father who is now devoted to just smiling, and letting his son do what he feels is right. He feels any kind of strictness is no longer allowed after hes harmed his own, and that does happen. He now spends his days as a "Delinquent," but he can simply be compared to someone who doesn't like school. A very strong, take charge character that knows how to have fun when it's not offensive. What separates him from the pool of boring cliche'd leads is that he's able to have fun, be likable, and he has actually done something that's rare for an anime. Can't say what he did it would spoil it.
Sunohara:
I really hate comic relief characters. You don't need a character who's entire purpose to be the loser, you can have the other characters share a bit of that quality. And that is who he is, he's the pathetic "Funny," loser who no girl wants to be with, and gets picked on, bullied, in trouble, short. He has some "Redeeming" qualities, but that really amounts to nothing or does anything for him in the show. And that is what makes this character fail, because it's one of the ultimate anime cliche's ever. I've realized that in anime you really can't have other characters like the clown for being funny, no, he has to be looked down upon while he does dumb antics, and everyone else is being serious minding their own business. It's painful to watch him, but I guess there's worse characters than him. One of the major redeeming quality about him though is when he's persistent of something it seems in characters, and not contrived.
Fuuko:
Bit of a new take on a character. She acts the way an angry little child would with good reason. She has good motives, a bit of patience, and impatience, more unpredictable than the other characters. Compared to the other characters she isn't bad.
The twins:
Long haired purple one is very loud, and cold to hide her feelings, and the other is quiet, and shy to hide her feelings. They don't really do much, but then I don't think they're one of the big focuses so eh.
Kotomi:
Pretty good back story, uninteresting as a character herself. Very quiet into herself, but what else would you get? Smart book worm that at least has a reason for her shyness. Next
Nagisa:
The shy (see a pattern?) quiet girl in the corner. Unlike Tomoya's family, her family is fulfilling, colorful, energetic, and not really that tragic. She's the opposite of her parents, but that's not too bad this stuff happens it's just she's very shy, and boring. After watching the movie and the series, I have to say the the Nagisa in the movie is very likable. She teases, she can be humorous, she has drive for her goal, and likes to keep things positive. The Nagisa here is just boring, sad, quiet, and relies on the male lead for anything. Not as bad, the man has to lead the young lady, but where is Tomoya's motivation for it? He has plenty of shy girls chasing him, so why her? Is it because she was the only one who wasn't as forward with her feelings? That's pretty weak. Her development makes her less shy, but that's still not interesting. And not every character has to be amazingly interesting, but when you make someone SUPER shy you have a lot less to work with, she's the female lead what makes her so special that our protagonist sees? To me, she's just the damsel that Tomoya's fighting for, just more bland.
Tomoyo:
Strong, forward, versatile, talented, and still boring. No just kidding. A pretty good character. She's not just some gifted shy girl, she's a gifted girl who knows how to use her talents. She cares about how people view her, she's not as cold, she can have fun, but is still clueless when it comes to certain people. human, and unhuman qualities. Being around Tomoya, she gradually builds an attraction with him. No questions asked, she goes for him. She likes him, she wants, she could do it the easy way or the hard way. Some small details with her, but they're not worth mentioning cause they can be used to her advantage too.
There are other characters too, and I hate to say I like them more than main characters.4/10
Enjoyment:
I knew what I was getting, and I got it. That's the problem.5/10
