Clannad: After Story - Mou Hitotsu no Sekai, Kyou-hen

*Heartwarming end to an exceptional adaptation.*

“We can only hurt each other … because we ended up liking the same person.” – Fujibayashi Ryou

In this alternate dimension in the world of Clannad, Fujibayashi supporters will be glad to hear that their goddesses are now the main spotlight of the story. The other female characters, such as Nagisa, Tomoyo, et cetera, still exist in the story, however their lives no longer cross with Tomoya’s the way they did from the TV series (say good bye to Ushio).

Fans wishing for a new OP or at least a change in scenes/characters for the OP will be disappointed. Not ... only does it reuse the same OP from After Story, but all soundtracks and BGM throughout the OVA are nothing new. Everything just recycled from both the first and second season of Clannad. But is that necessary a bad thing? Probably not. For instance, the insert song from the first season, Ana, is a much more fitting ED than the original After Story ED (TORCH), which many find to be too upbeat for a show like Clannad.

Assuming you have been following Clannad and After Story, the animation should not be anything new to you. There is still the shadow from trees and clouds cast down onto our characters. There is still the smooth dynamic animation transition between scenes. And there is still the unique camera angles giving viewers a different perspective every now and then. In addition, I was totally impressed by the personification used in this short episode. The clouds that were used to express the inner thoughts of Kyou (her logic and desire) were exceptionally well made.

Perhaps the one thing that fans can enjoy now is the more elaborate character developments for the Fujibayashi twins. Although their feelings for Tomoya were evident ever since the beginning of the first TV series, but for various reasons they were held back and ultimately became sidelined characters. I have always regarded this triangular relationship the hardest and most interesting of all Clannad routes. No matter which girl Tomoya chooses, the pair still has to face the other for the rest of their lives. Both sisters wanting to love and be loved but they are bound to hurt each other in the process. Viewers see the characters grow and mature, making decisions that will affect themselves, their family, and their future.

Ever since the end of the original CLANNAD, fans of Kyou have wished to have her story arc properly animated, only to have Tomoyo's arc animated first instead. But now at the end of the highly successful sequel CLANNAD ~After Story~,the latest DVD release of After Story included an extra episode called CLANNAD ~Another World~ Kyou Chapter. This is the long awaited adaptation that the Kyou fans (me included) have wished for for a long time. Was the long wait for this worth it? read on to find out.

Story:
+ Finally we get a decent adaptation of Kyou's story arc from the original Visual Novel.
+ A ... lot of the elements of what made the original story so great are shown, somewhat modified but they are still there.

- There was just not enough time to animate ALL the key parts in a single 23 minute episode.
- The story progresses at lightning speed and it affects any type of emotional effect they are trying to pull.
- A lot of the reasons behind the character's actions are not explained, lessening any type of impact that they might have. Again this is due to the lack of time allowed in the episode.

Art:
+ The same art CLANNAD has always used, which is of course nothing short of beautiful.
+ Wow for the first time we actually get some kissing shown (as obscure at they may look)

Sound:
+ The old loveable soundtrack used on the original series
+ The songs helped greatly at intensifying some scenes.
+ The seiyuus IMO did a fantastic job on their roles...making some scenes sound even better than in the original versions (The VN had the same voices as the anime).

Character:
+ As always the characters are all extremely enjoyable to watch
+ Kyou (and you could say Ryou) finally get the development they deserved.
+ Sunohara is once again the bringer of lulz (as few as there were in this episode)

- Unfortunately due to the time limit, some of the development felt rushed and not very believable.
- A lot of Tomoya's inner thoughts and struggles are not explored, making him look like some kind of random confused kid in a love triangle.
- Kyou's depression meter is cranked up way high, it just feels weird at first.

Enjoyment: I can't lie...after waiting so long for this I kinda had my expectations a little high and I was a little let down by this. However this does not mean that the OVA was bad....this was a really good and solid episode. However, it was way too overkill to try and fit so much content into such little time. In the end I was still satisfied by this OVA, and it was great seeing Kyou finally getting her chance in the spotlight.

Overall, there is absolutely no excuse for any fan of this series to not watch this. If you loved the original anime and if you are a fan of Kyou, then I am not recommending you to watch it...I AM COMMANDING YOU to watch this (and also check out Tomoyo's chapter as well). Even though this could have been way better if it had lasted longer, this is still a great episode and a must watch for all Clannad fans. Go do it...go now!

Much like last year's Tomoyo Chapter, KyoAni has gone back once more to animate the main arc of another popular girl from the visual novel Clannad, this time focusing on Kyou Fujibayashi. The Kyou Chapter is a good piece of storywork, with a solid and steady narrative flow, exceptional artwork, great BGM and performances, and decent, though generic, characterization. For now, I'd like to focus on the facts before getting to my opinion, so as to differentiate, I didn't think this was a bad little story per se, but raging Kyou fans might just be better ignoring the existence of my review when I get ... to my enjoyment, as there's no chance I'll be sugarcoating matters.

Kyou Chapter, first off, accomplishes an astounding feat by compressing several hours worth of material into a half-hour short story, which can be no easy task whatsoever. Masterful composition of key scenes never feel out of place nor does it feel as if the story is taking any large leaps from event to event, skipping other priorities. Though it could easily have been expanded on, the basic plot is well-contained and the delivery is pitch-perfect. Nothing phenomenal, no massive twists or unexpected incidents given what we know of Kyou and Ryou from the series that could put it over, but a job well done.

Despite the brevity of Kyou Chapter, KyoAni also does some wonderful short pivotal points with each character, expressing different things about them through the animation whether than words, the imagery of which is profoundly captivating. A particular scene involving a farewell kiss was so expertly crafted I could not contain my appreciation for it. It spoke leagues about the girl in the scene even though she said nothing. Though this short story often relies on the viewer to have prior knowledge of the characters, it does a good job of filling viewers in through rather subdued methods.

In the technical realm, KyoAni shines just as brightly as they did with the series itself. Gorgeous fluid animation, exquisite backgrounds, great facial expression from the characters, it's tops across the board for the animation powerhouse.

Sound carries the wonderful OST back with no piece of it used in an inappropriate or unnecessary way, always adding an extra something to the mix. Performances are also dead-on. Though I already expressed about the visual aspect of the characterization, the audio aspect is certainly nothing to knock. Everyone is voiced sincerely as the characters they have been playing, just in new situations, and seeing the twins' seiyuu finally shine is definitely a reason to check this out as well.

So end the accolades...

Despite the well-earned love I've given this review such far, I greatly disliked it. Though well-plotted, I thought it was generic. Though there was great characterization, I freakin' loathe the girl I'm supposed to be rooting for. Though the art and sound are great... okay I agree with that. The fact of the matter is I personally cannot stand the character that misses his or her chance, only to whine about it when someone else takes the chance themselves. Moreso, I hate it when said whiner wins because I'm supposed to feel sorry for her not being able to express her feelings.

Hell, this OVA actually had the opposite reaction on me. It made me dislike Kyou more and make me like Ryou more. How could I not when she displays her courage despite her timid demeanor and does her best to make Tomoya happy WHILE KYOU JUST CRIES. Even though this OVA was meant to pander, I didn't for one moment expect it to insult me to this degree. While others may, and probably will, enjoy this, no dice from me.

Overall, I give Clannad: Another World, Kyou Chapter a 7 out of 10.

As one concludes Clannad: After Story, they are presented with another "alternate world" OVA (such as the one that ended the first season of the original Clannad anime) in the form of a chapter focused around Kyou Fujibayashi (as well as in turn: Ryou, her younger twin sister).

The episode takes place time-wise around the end of the first season of the show (though not given an "exact" episode parallel like the last one with Tomoyo). However, it strangely works better to watch it at the end of the second season and I don't think it would have the same impact if watched in tandem ... with the first season's end.

Any fan of the show who has watched up until this final OVA episode knows that both Fujibayashi twins struggled with affections towards the main protagonist Tomoya Okazaki since episode 1, and as we find out later, even before that (due to the prequel episode given to us late in After Story). However, as sadly expected, Tomoya is destined for his rightful love for Nagisa. This OVA gives us a lovely taste of "what could have been" and further enhances the entire Clannad experience and story.

The special, if anything, gives us some GREAT exposition on Kyou's character, as well as Ryou, that can also echo and enrichen the normal show in retrospect:

We see that Kyou, despite her rough exterior, is actually a very sensitive girl who is afraid to get emotionally hurt and has a very sacrificial outlook towards those she loves and cares for deeply. You heavily sympathize with her character's loss more in the normal story due to this chapter.

On the flipside, Ryou is shown to be that, though she is the shyest girl out of the main cast, once she begins to date Tomoya, she becomes clingy, desperate, and willing to change herself to keep him "hers". She faintly shows a fiercer side of having a more bold and "aggressive" nature buried deep down below her frail appearance.

Again, this causes a power struggle of emotions for the watcher, as they are torn between two quality girls and their love for Okazaki. I personally was "tossed in the storm" (just as I was in the first season of the main show when Tomoya shows who his heart truly lies with and the emotional aftermath is spilled out on the others). Argh, it's really annoying, as my loyalties lie with almost all of them (the girls). If anyone was longing for and missing a love triangle in Clannad, here you are (as we already also were given a brief and faint "harem" in the main plot of season 1).

By the end of this OVA, we see that Tomoya and Kyou would have made a great couple easily in another lifetime (more so, than Tomoyo in the first "alternate world" OVA, in my personal opinion).

Fun note: This final special is also the first time true kissing is featured in Clannad! The creators were masterful in weaving together a show without kissing (for what reason? I cannot tell), and give those fans who have been craving it the whole time with a "heck, why not?"-kind of gift.

In the end, though Nagisa Furukawa is destined to intertwine with Tomoya, this OVA gives us an even richer insight into the personalities of some very important "other" main characters and is not to be overlooked.

Again, the art of this episode is more of the same regarding Clannad/Clannad: After Story and echos well in "tipping its hat" to a masterpiece of a show that is concluding before our very eyes. We are treated to hearing the nostalgic opening of After Story once more as it leaves us with a warmth of long-lasting memory. Unless you absolutely hate Kyou or Ryou for some specific reason, there is no reason to NOT love this "special" of an episode.

As it is a special, it is placed as the final "Episode 25" in most orders of After Story's episode listing. However, I would recommend saving and watching the prequel episode last (if you haven't watched it already, Episode 23), as that gives the viewer a better retrospective echo of "memory" upon departure regarding the main plot and, ultimately, the entire story that is...Clannad.

I actually watched this about 9 years ago so I don't remember how much it differs from the VN, but it should basically be Kyou's route so I'll talk about this.

This is by far the worst route in Clannad. Scratch that, this is by far the worst route in all of Key's works. And Kyou is by far the worst character to ever come out of this great company. Everybody makes mistakes I guess. (you can find a detailed tier list on my profile in which I put Kyou on the "Please Die" Tier.)
She is a manipulative psycho with murderous tendencies, and she doesn't think ... twice before throwing heavy objects on people from multiple floors up or trying to run them over with her scooter. Then she laughs it off. Psycho. The fact that nobody has ever tried to get her to a psychiatrist (or better yet, report her to police) is actually baffling to me.

Alright, onto the story ! (spoilers ahead)
So Kyou learns that her little sister is in love with one of her classmates, so she does the most twisted thing she could probably come up with in that rotten mind of hers: She first pushes her sister to make a move, then when the two are dating, and Ryou is falling more and more in love and invested in the relationship, she goes to great lengths to try and ruin it all, even cutting her hair to look like her sister and stealing her BF from her. WTF.
This is so messed up. I was actually feeling more and more sick the more I was reading Kyou's route. Like actually physically sick to my stomach. This girl is an actual demon. I was so happy when it was finally over and I could read an actual heartwarming story next and try to forget all about this one. If you find yourself playing Clannad, just make the right choice and stay with Ryou, then act like Kyou's route doesn't exist (Actually you'll have to play it to get to after story, but just hold ctrl or something).
Key themselves must have realized how saddening and disgusting this route was because they at least had the decency of giving Ryou an happy ending in the epilogue where she ends up with the guy her sister had previously ran over then left unconscious on the side of the road while running away from the scene (Yes, this is a crime.) He could have been dead for all she knew. Thankfully he survived but family reunions on his GF side must probably trigger his PTSD, Poor guy. He's a great guy too, unlike Tomoya who is a real PoS in Kyou's route. Ryou is such a sweet girl too, she really didn't deserve satan reincarnated as her sister.

Music is great I guess. 1/10

Rant over

After watching CLANNAD: Another World, Kyou Chapter, I felt inclined to write a review about this great episode. This episode follows the visual novel's storyline based around the Fujibayashi twins, but most importantly, Kyou.

Story - 9
As with just about any CLANNAD episode, the story is nothing short of magnificent. However, there was an easily noted problem, especially for those who have played through the visual novel. While the story was excellent, the timing was rushed, as the episode is only about 24 minutes long. There were many things that could have been added from the visual novel to make the story truly perfect, but they ... were left out. One of these was Ryou's tarot card reading. It would have made an excellent addition, but the time simply did not allow it.

Art - 10
Not to my surprise, CLANNAD's art remains brilliant. While watching through this episode, I couldn't help but notice how pretty Kyou was drawn, especially her hair and how it laid. Since it had been quite awhile since I'd watched CLANNAD, after watching this, I remember why I'd fallen for the art style. It looks very clean, and really sets the feel for the episode.

Sound - 9
No new sound here, but I for one am definitely not complaining, since the music and sound in CLANNAD truly grips you. I've never been one to understand how else to rate the sound of an anime, but I find CLANNAD's soundtrack to be outstanding.

Character- 10
This is where CLANNAD shines brightest. The characters are very fleshed out and, for the most part, realistic. For those who haven't played the visual novel, you'll finally get to see into Kyou and Ryou's hearts. While rushed, this episode still had great moments for every character, and once again if you have not played the visual novel, you will probably earn respect for Sunohara. Yes. It's probable.

Enjoyment - 9
The enjoyment of this episode is high, but not quite perfect. I've mentioned it before; it's merely because of the timing. Timing aside, it's still a great watch, especially if you're a fan of Kyou, Ryou, Tomoya, Sunohara, or all of the above. At the end of the episode, I wanted more. I felt it should have been longer, so I didn't enjoy it to it's maximum potential.

Summary:
Overall, if you've watched CLANNAD and enjoyed the series, I highly recommend you watch this, as you're sure to enjoy it. It's very close to perfection, but the timing was the key, and it simply went way too fast.

STORY: In this alternate universe the Fujibayashi sister both have a chance to convey their feelings toward Tomoya Okazaki. Now this alternate ending has nothing to do with After Story even though it is included in the set. Now the episode starts off fairly quick with Ryou Fujibayashi confessing her love toward Tomoya. To add to this complication, it also happens that Kyou, Ryou's twin sister, is also in love with Tomoya. Torn between these two sister Tomoya has a hard time deciding for he knows if he chooses one over the other it will cause pain.

ART: Well the artwork features the same things basically ... just like many episodes of Clannad. Now this episode in particular has many scenery scenes from the meadows, to sunset, to pouring rain. Each scene fits perfectly to help convey the feelings/mood that is happening between the characters.

SOUND: The soundtrack or music that this episode uses are still the same heart warming soundtrack from the Clannad series. It is again remarkably done to help convey the mood that is happening.

CHARACTER: In this special episode, we can see more characterization between the Fujibayashi sisters. Now throughout the Clannad series it is easily seen that Kyou is the tough and outgoing twin while Ryou is the shy and quiet. In this alternate universe we see more of these traits but how they both deeply care for each other happiness. With each willing to get hurt so that their sister can achieve happiness. Tomoya here is still the same sweet guy, which just makes it harder for both of these sisters to resist from falling in love with them.

ENJOYMENT: Personally, I again think that this special episode is a 10. You may not agree but you should still try to give it a chance. There are many heart warming yet some sad moments put into this one small episode. Though I truly felt that this episode was really good, but it went by kind of quick. Though it did have a happy ending with everybody being happy. The way the plot is made and the way it played out was quite great. To be honest I have always wondered about this scenario happening when I first began watching Clannad and I was kind of impressed on how well it played out. So give this episode a try and hopefully you enjoyed it as much as I did.

I'm writing this review as someone who played through the visual novel version of Clannad completely, and am aiming it directly at others who also have. If you have not read the novel, I suggest that you stop reading this review to avoid spoilers, and go pick up a copy. You will not be disappointed.

Novel players will be familiar with the Fujibayashi arc already. This OVA tries to encapsulate that five hour story into twenty-some-odd minutes. Naturally, a lot is left out, but the main points are animated. For game players, the story will be easy to follow, and you should be able to fill ... in the gaps and read between the lines

In the novel, a large portion of the story centers around the relationship between Ryou and Tomoya. We see the dead end romance as it develops, or rather, as it fails to develop. In the anime, most of this is portrayed as an animated montage with a voiceover of the two talking. Ultimately, this was a masterful way to adapt the section given time constraints. The montage format gives the impression of time passing, and also of the distance between the characters.

A few key scenes are animated here. The scene out in the rain, Ryou's explanation, and the closing scenes are all included. However, what most of these scenes lack is context. The buildup is missing, and so the expository scenes feel out of place. As a result the thing that I found most engrossing about the visual novel, the "show and don't tell" mentality, gets turned upside down. We are mostly told that there's chemistry between Kyou and Tomoya. We're mostly told that Ryou is acting out of character. We're mostly told that Tomoya is torn on what to do. In the Visual Novel there is sufficient time to show us these things, but in the adaptation, this can't be done.

Notably, there are still major points that are left out. The Tarot card reading by Ryou for Tomoya can be considered a turning point in the story, but is not featured in any way. In fact, the entire relationship between Ryou and Tomoya after he realizes his feelings for Kyou is omitted.

Ultimately, this is like a highlight reel to visual novel players. You won't feel the same as the first time you played the game. However, you will be reminded of some of the great scenes from the story, and possibly be inspired to play through again. As a massive Ryou fan, and someone who considered this arc to be the most enjoyable, I am still happy to see this animated. Despite its shortcomings, this was worth watching and better than the alternative of having the Fujibayashi arc completely omitted.

Note: When I say Clannad, I’m referring to the whole series, including season 1 and season 2 ‘After Story’ and the extras and OVAs as well. (This is why I've attached this review to each Clannad anime, as this is a review on the whole series. So don't be confused if you see this same review multiple times).


Clannad Review – By Riley D (RIED14):

A dramatically life changing and perception shifting 'slice of life' philosophical masterpiece of love, family, connection, gratitude and simplicity (WITHOUT the ingenuine and uncalled for 'cheesiness').

Clannad was not just a 'good show'. It was an unforgettable experience that drastically rekindled the ... light in my eyes and opened up my mind a lot more. Haven't cried like that since I was 5 years old. This has changed me forever.

(Note: If you don't understand it after finishing it, read up on or play the original Visual Novel game which the anime was the adaptation of. That should clear things up for you).

If you think 'what's the point of living if we die?', Clannad shows you that the anime’s point is ‘what’ you put in-between life and death.
It shows you the anime's ideal thing to put in that ‘in-between slot’, and the character's (and your) journey of realization towards it. Quite an epiphanic anime indeed.

The art and music were astonishing as both were incredibly capturing and moving at the perfect places in the most natural way possible.
There is nothing in Clannad that is unnaturally rubbed in the viewer's face. Everything just happens by itself, nothing is desperately forced upon the viewer. Some may beg to differ, but that all comes down to how you view people in real life, weather it depends on the people you’re raised around, the area/country you live in or simply your own way of looking at it etc etc. (Speaking of desperate, there is absolutely NO fan service whatsoever, not even in the extras and OVAs, which is brilliant). Even the humour (to keep the viewer sane) is genuine and reflects off situations that would ACTUALLY HAPPEN in every-day life (my opinion). This is by far the most realistic, touching and insightful anime I've ever experienced.

WARNING: Could be left with a bit of bittersweet ‘post Clannad depression’ for a few days after finishing the anime, but that shouldn't last long because then you’ll feel the happiest you’ve felt in a long while (well I did anyway).

Recommended to: Anyone.
My Score: 10 out of 10.

(Believe me this is for anyone. I'm a big fan of 'Higurashi no Naku Koro ni' (which has a lot of gore and horror which Clannad most definitely does not) and I LOVED Clannad, which in the way it's set out, is actually quite similar to Higurashi...[the review ends here, but if you want - read the last few bracketed, unimportant, vague words of the sentence; it's a big Clannad spoiler, so don't if you haven't finished the series]...



------------!CLANNAD SPOILER!---------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------



(Both having the arcs and the alternate realities etc)



----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
-------CLANNAD SPOILER OVER--------

Taking the alternate path, Tomoya chooses Kyou to be his partner. However, compared to the Tomoyo arc, this extra episode lacked the delicate and exciting romance that should happen between two of Clannad's best characters.

The art was very good and I expected nothing less. Most scenes captured the intimacy experienced between Kyou and Tomoya. However, I felt that it lacked that one extra notch compared to the scenes in Clannad - After Story.

The sound was solid as well. The timing of the music was spot on and it definitely enriched the experience. The voice acting was also well done but I couldn't get ... used to the voice of Kyou in the first half of the episode. Perhaps this is a good indication that the voice actor did a good job in portraying Kyou's vulnerable side.

However, I was not completely satisfied with the romance. I feel that Kyou fans are left dissatisfied with the romantic ending to their favourite character. The build up to the ultimate confession was okay but it left me unconvinced. There were not many scenes where I gained the sense that Kyou and Tomoya grew closer together. Their love is similar to saying, "I like you," and that's about it. While the writers had to compress the story into a small 23 minutes, they failed to incorporate some sort of story line where Kyou and Tomoya gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for each other. I deeply wished that the animators chose some other scenes that would make me root for this couple. Unfortunately, they fell short.

Do note that this episode follows what is anime's greatest feels trip: Clannad After Story. So, it is best if you watched this episode after clearing out your tissue stockpile because you may be severely disappointed regardless if you are a Kyou fan or not.

Overall, I am satisfied to see an episode where Kyou and Tomoya end up with each other but compared to the main arc (Nagisa) and Tomoyo's arc, I would say Kyou's chapter falls behind both of them.

I assume anyone planning to watch this has seen Clannad so I won't bother describing the characters, art, sound, things you wouldn't already know about.

The plot of this is essentially a love triangle between Ryou, Kyou, and Tomoya. Not much more I can say without spoiling since its just one episode.

If you watched Clannad and are looking for more Clannad then go ahead and watch it, I thought it was well done.

I'll start out by saying-this is my first review here. I'm not sure how good I'll be at writing it. But I did want to give it a go.
Also-I'll say my favorite couple is still Nagisa and Tomoya. I'm wondering if their planning an episode that, like with Tomoyo and Kyou is focused on his relationship with another girl, and perhaps make it about Kotomi-I do really like her and I am wondering how that would go. We'll have to see.

Story Rating: 7+=Good
Story:
I'll admit-my opinion of the story is colored by my love of Nagisa and my dislike of Ryou a bit.... that being said, ... the story was good, for a one episode romance. I do really like Kyou. She's a very strong Character.
The story was quiet-like most of Clannad.

Good points-
# 1. It was about Kyou. I liked Kyou in Clannad and After Story. So it was good to see her again. I had been hoping to hear more about her and I got it in this... even if it was only one episode.
# 2. It was rainy- I know that seems like an odd thing to give it points for, but I love the rain. It also added to the story's mood and was JUST right for the story and characters.
# 3. The story held a similar feel to Clannad... it was quiet and emotional.
# 4. We finally get to see a kiss in this series, I don't remember seeing a kiss for Tomoya until now. Such as it was. I had been hoping to see that in Clannad. But I suppose it might have seemed strange there.

Bad Points-
# 1. The feel of it.... while it was similar to Clannad, it seemed off somehow, it also seemed off for me in the Tomoyo Chapter.
That may just be because their trying to fit a budding romance into 23 minutes. At times it seemed paced right-at other times, it felt to rushed. So much so that I was left wondering what happened and feeling dizzy.
# 2. The scenes didn't blend the way they should-as I would have liked anyway.
# 3. The mood of the episode was also a bit too gloomy-even when it wasn't raining.... while I suppose that had it's purpose, even when there were happy moments, it seemed a bit to depressing.
# 4. Since it was only 23 minutes, it wasn't as emotional in some places as it should be. And overly emotional in others.
# 5. They didn't really have time to go into why the characters felt the way they did about each other here. Why did Kyou feel the way she did about Tomoya? Why did Ryou? Why did he feel for them what he felt? None of that was really explained.

Art Rating: 10+=Outstanding
Art Review:
I have always watched the artwork in Animes and other animated things. I watch the lines, while at the same time watching the characters and what their doing, saying and following the story.
I watch the colors, and I watch the movement.

Movement Art: gets a 10+
The movement of the characters was flawless, I realize movement is a strange thing to rate-but it's how I do things. Just like in Clannad, After story and Tomoyo Chapter Kyoto animation is flawless.
The names Kyoto Animation and Key always grab my attention. Especially when their listed together for an Anime.
I love their Animes, they are simply beautiful.

Character Art: gets a 10+
The characters were drawn the same way as they were in Clannad. Simply beautiful. And all unique in their own way.
However, there was one exception with Kyou's artwork, for her artwork it gets a #7-
My one problem with the character art is that Kyou looked strange at times. I don't know if that was done for the mood or what, but at times, she had the look of a forgotten and abused child-her eyes were empty of their usual personality at those times and looked basically dead.

Background Art: gets a 10+
The backgrounds were-as always, beautiful.
I especially loved the scenes with the Rain and Wisteria-mostly because of the artwork.
The colors were bright and beautiful, but at times, they seemed dull... not quite as bright as they should be, but at other times, they seem perfect.

Opening & Ending Animation Art: gets a 7+
The opening is the same from After Story & Tomoyo Chapter. I think they should have changed the images a bit though, removed all of the characters not in this episode, since it is basically a stand alone-sort of.
If someone saw the episode without knowing Clannad, it would have been better if the opening images were different, at least removing Nagisa from being the main character in the opening-it makes it feel a bit lazy in my opinion, because they just recycled the images from the other opening.

For Tomoyo Chapter as well, they should have placed Tomoyo as the main character in the opening images, that way, even though they showed the other characters, it would seem to fit the episode much better.
For Kyou Chapter-Kyou should have been in Nagisa’s place in the opening.
As for the Ending-I don't mind the anime playing threw the ending, But I hate it when the streamer just goes blank after their done talking and the ending song has finished. It makes it feel unfinished really.
It would have been nice if they'd kept the song and credits going for a moment or too after the scene went blank. That would have felt more finished off-more polished. For me anyway.

Sound Rating: 8=Very Good
Sound Review:
The sound got the rating of 8 because the music was the same from Clannad After Story and Tomoyo Chapter. And because the Voice Actors did wonderfully. However, it would have been nice if they'd added a new song or something, to make it stand out a bit better.
Also, I'm not sure if it was the way it was streaming or if it was the way it was made, at times when they were talking, we were seeing them elsewhere, moving their mouths and the sound that I was hearing did not fit the scene or way the mouth was moving.
I don't know if that was their way of showing everything they wanted in this episode or what.
But it made me dizzy and it confused me at times as to what was saying what and what I was seeing. I'm sure that sounds strange.
But it’s the only way I have of explaining that really.
At times it was fine, the talking fit the mouth movements perfectly and everything, but at other times it seems disjointed and just not right to me at all.

Characters Rating: 8- =Great-However the minus is there.. So there's a "But"
Character Review:
The minus is because Kyou and Tomoya and Sunohara all seemed a bit... like their sparks were missing. Again, that's probably because they were trying to fit it all into one episode.
It might have seemed more like them, if there were 4 episodes or so, instead of one that was 23 minutes.
I assume they were all suppose to be in their last year of High School, as they were in Tomoyo Chapter(I think, and Clannad. However, overall, they all seem to be more in the mind set of Jr. High students, rather than last year High School students.
Even Tomoya-if It’s possible, Sunohara was the only one who had the “Feel “ of a last year high school student. He seemed more mature to me than Tomoya or Kyou.

Kyou- 7-
That being said, at times, Kyou showed her spark, in those instances, she seemed like the Kyou I admired in Clannad... a bit.
But then at other times, she would have dead eyes and seemed to be weak enough for a strong wind to blow her over or like she might burst into tears at any moment..
She seemed that way far to often, for me anyway.
She also did not seem to act the same way towards Sunohara as she has in everything Clannad so far. At times, she seemed to Innocent, and like Ryou and Tomoya, she seemed more like she was 13 or 14 rather than 17 or 18.


Tomoya- 7-
He also seemed to be "Sparkless" and not really himself.
He was not as pushy as he always was, seemed a bit to innocent to be himself, and like Kyou-he more like he was 13 or 14 rather than 17 or 18.
I found it hard most of the time here to see the old Tomoya from Clannad & After Story. While I did see it, it wasn't often enough to help the characters feel like themselves to me.
Tomoya wasn't his usual lovable(for me anyway) Self.
His interactions with the other characters seemed strange to me, even with Sunohara. That was probably because they were fitting so much into 23 minutes.

Sunohara- 8-
He was his usual amusing self... but not as amusing as he could have been. His personality seemed washed out and when the story could have used the humor, he was without it.
Other than that, I had no problem with him.

Ryou- 8-
Ryou was Ryou. I still did not like her character. There's nothing terribly wrong with her, she's just quick to cry, she's weak(Emotionally) and a bit oblivious(Or selfish) to her sister's feelings and she also did not get a backbone when I felt she needed it.
The only time I've liked her was when she gave up on Tomoya in Clannad and when she asked Tomoya out here in Kyou Chapter.
Other than that she seemed like an emotionally weak character, a weak minded character and all around she was annoying for me. Her sister still shines in comparison as far as I’m concerned.

Botan- 6-
All I have to say about Botan was there wasn't enough of him/her(I think it's male. But I can't be sure, sorry) in the episode for my liking, it’s cute and it added to Kyou’s appeal as a character.

Enjoyment Rating 5=Decent | Overall Rating 7+=Good
Enjoyment & Overall Review:

I’d have to say, I’m rather hard on new series, Movies, OVA’s ect.... that have characters I love from another show. That being said, I really do not want flames, not if their violent or nasty flames anyway-you will be blocked by me if I receive an overly nasty flame.
I enjoyed Kyou Chapter about as much as the Tomoyo Chapter, maybe a little better, because I liked Kyou a little better than Tomoyo.
However, I was seeing to many problems, Making mental notes of those problems as I went along and so on and so forth. So that cut my Enjoyment rating almost in half.

I really expected to have the same feel as Clannad- I also had hoped we’d get to know more of Kyou here than we had before. I was hoping it would go into her history(And Ryou’s)a bit more. That maybe I’d get to like Ryou a bit if I saw more about them. I did not. I was greatly disappointed in that regard.
I also had trouble following the story and enjoying it a bit because of the pace of it and the way it was laid out-the way it went from scene to scene and such.

I found myself becoming depressed, nothing made me laugh or smile really, It was for some reason, unbelievable at times, the way it worked out. The way things happened and such.
I guess, I let my expectations get to high, I had been hoping it would be like Clannad-in it’s feel and character interactions. I knew it wouldn’t BE Clannad. But it could have at least FELT a little like it. That being said, I’m sure others might like it, it’s not bad. Not by a long shot. It’s just a disappointment to me.
I’ll say it again. With so much content to fit into one episode. It should have been given at least four 23 minute episodes. Tomoyo’s chapter should have been given 4 as well really.

In the end, I was still very happy(Wouldn’t know it by all of my complaints would you -_-?)with this OVA. Disappointed about some parts, but, overall, happy.
It was good seeing something about Kyou. Even if it wasn’t what I had hoped. She didn’t get all she deserved as a character.
There is no reason a fan of Clannad wouldn’t really want to see Kyou Chapter. No reason they should avoid it really unless they hate Kyou. Just don’t have very high expectations. That’s my only advice.
If your not a fan of Kyou-if your a fan of Ryou... I don’t recommend this really then.
Even though it could have been so much better than it was if it was given more time and more in depth stuff, I am still Recommending this if you like Kyou.
I say you should go ahead and watch it.
Just don’t get your expectations to high, and please remember, my review is only my opinion, you should form your own opinions about it yourself. I understand some people might not agree with me.

If you want to discuss this episode with me, that’s fine, as I said, only violently nasty flammers will get blocked, I don’t block more friendly comments about your objections to what I may or may not have said.
So, if you love Clannad- go ahead and give this a try. If you haven’t seen Clannad, and are reading this, please leave, and go watch Clannad BEFORE you watch this. Kyou is much better in Clannad, in my opinion. But have fun and enjoy them to the best of your ability.
Even though I was disappointed, overall I am happy with Clannad: Another World-Kyou chapter.

**Spoilers sorry**

I was not happy with this OVA. I really liked Kyou's character throughout Clannad and Clannad After Story, but this really ruined it (I watched this after watching Clannad, the Tomoyo OVA, and Clannad AS because I messed up the viewing order)

Kyou came off as immature, even slutty in this OVA. I always saw her as a figure of stability, a strong version of Ryou. But after she tried to force herself onto Sunohara, I basically lost all respect for her.

I was also unhappy with Tomoya when he decided to go out with a girl he clearly did not like (Ryou). If you ... don't like a girl, there's never a reason to say "hey let's give it a try", no matter how much she wants it. To be fair, he's a greenhorn at dating, but still illogical and unlike Tomoya's character.

This one episode chapter is beautiful. Everything is perfectly well done in this 20 minutes chapter.

The story is pretty cool. 1/3 of 1 hour, it delivers the story really well. It's informative enough to get me focus, and feel with the emotion of the character. Also, the way the problem develops is amazing. It gets intense with very minute of it, and actually give me a hard time to guess what's going to happen next. It's short but meaningful.

The art is gorgeous as usual. Really eye-catching.

The sounds are, without a doubt, interesting. They make the scene seem more intense, more emotional, and more complex. ... Great, aren't they?

The characters are great. They are who they usually are, and they have their unique personality and face unique obstacle with unique solution. They are the attention grabbers of this chapter.

I really enjoy watching Kyou Chapter. Though it's only 20 mintues, it's enough to tell an emotional story which filled of components that make it very balancing and full of flavors. Clannad : Another World, Kyou Chapter is one great anime to watch.

“We can only hurt each other … because we ended up liking the same person.”


We´re here to celebrate Fujibayashi Kyou. And i suppose Fujibayashi Ryou too. (May contain spoilers.)


After the expectacular 2nd season of Clannad(Clannad:After Story), the train of feels had to make sure it would end its travel with a memorable OVA and...let me tell you, this one won my heart.


One scene. Rain. A colourless day. A girl in love to someone who is loved already. These 3-4 minutes were enough to convince me that Clannad isn´t just laughs and jokes. Behind all of that, lies a cruel world where everyone suffers and ... cries in pain. That is probably the biggest quirk this anime has to offer; it may sound weird but if you put into perspective, that´s why you watch a drama, to show to people that there´s feelings deep inside you and that you want to express them. This OVA right here is the example of that: With its striking art, beautiful animations, it really enhances this story of lovers.




If you finished Clannad: After Story and think the 2 seasons+ an OVA weren´t enough, you should really watch this one; it wouldn´t be fair to let the Clannad series be unfinished. The twins finally got their development. Its a rainy happy day.

Truly amazing. For all those who supported Kyou throughout most of Clannad and couldn't bear to see Kyou have such a small part in Clannad After Story, this episode was very satisfying. Just a note, from the first episode I felt a connection to Kyou, and therefore this review may be a little biased.

Story: 10
The development of the story was amazing. Even though the story itself could have fit into MUCH more episodes, the writers did exceptionally well in fitting the story into just one OVA.

Art: 10
The artwork is simply amazing just like the rest of Clannad and Clannad After Story and ... all of Key's works.

Sound: 9
The sound was amazing as usual. However, since it was just one episode OVA, I felt like it just couldn't match with the other 10s for other animes.

Character: 10
The character of Kyou and Ryou are heavily developed upon in this OVA, which made me give it a perfect 10.

Enjoyment: 10
What can I say? It's a Key produced anime, it involves many of my favorite characters, and the story is VERY well developed. What's not to like about it?

This review might contain some spoiler but i'll make it less as much as possible and rephrase it.

Story: What will you do if one of your friend suddenly confessed to you? would you accept it? and what if that friend of yours had a twin sister who also likes you and was also your friend? who would you choose? this is the main plot of this OVA, its a realistic story nowadays where in both sibling fall in love with the same person but the question still remains who should you choose? Upon watching this OVA i realized that once you choose between them ... you'll end up hurting the other one, no matter how good at you of rejecting that person it will still hurt them and the only way you can do is be happy with the person you choose to show them that you will take care of here twin sister and bear the pain together with the person you choose cause that's how love works sometimes you'll end up hurting other person by choosing who you really love. (sigh love is really complicated).

Art: Nothing changed, it's still beautiful

Sound: Beautiful as always. Perfectly fits to the anime

Character: the character development lacks, this is because it only has one episode so nothing can do about it.

Enjoyment: I enjoyed it a lot cause i really want to see a relationship between tomoya and the fujibayashi sisters.

Overall: I highly recommend this OVA considered it as a bonus upon finishing the after story.

Well...It was a refreshing OVA after I finished After Story...but it didn't had any big impact on me...maybe because I was thinking that Kyou & Ryou are not a good match...or maybe because I was allready happy for the happy ending in After story...dunno why but all I can say that.....it was difinetley a nice OVA...but it was not good enough to make me cry...nor even make me sad...I just watched patiently until the end and no reaction...it was like [Ohhhh well...I gues this could happen if Tomoya doesen'e meet Nagisa and all his other friends except Ryou and Kyou.

It was refreshing but nothing else...I ... still like better the OVA with Tomoyo arc...And as a matter of fact I AM a fan of Tomoyo x Tomoya couple...no affence to Nagisa,Kotomi & Kyou lovers...Is just that Tomoya's perfect match is Tomoyo....and that's all I have to say...

Overall...a good OVA...but not as splendit as Tomoyo arc or the 2 seasons....I gave it a 8 [don't go shooting me now -]

(TLDR Review at the bottom, as usual, thanks for reading)

If there is one thing that Clannad is most known for it is for drama.

It may sound obvious at first, surely a drama will indeed contain drama, but Clannad seems to hold a title for creating drama in ways never seen before, so much so it has claimed the hearts of many. However, Clannad too has pushed the hearts of many away. In an attempt to bring the viewer to tears, Clannad doesn't always succeed at doing so, consequently, it is also gained the title of every slur used for dramas as such: cry bait, sob ... story, fake emotion, manipulating, the rest of it.

Having gone and rewatched a part of Clannad - this title, despite this chapter, Clannad Kyou, not being canon in respects to the anime series, I can still say that, indeed, Clannad still manages to play its supposed facade… or, is it a little more pitiful?

The story is explained in the synopsis, and I have no real intention of spoiling even this short OVA. I suppose the only thing I can rattle on about here is the essence of love that is trying to be conveyed to the viewer. Even if it hurts sometimes. But what I really want to go around is some of the characters here, which in turn will allow me to talk about some aspects of Clannad in its entirety through this one OVA.

As is Clannad Tomoyo Chapter, Clannad Kyou seems to find itself in a position where it is immensely easy to bring forward a sorrowful situation, almost like making a ham sandwich kinda easy, but it attempts to take this ham sandwich and call it a world-class dish, or some other alternative term. What you end up with is seeing characters who feel like they have pushed too far in some ingenuine attempt to make you cry at trivial efforts. I will take into account that this is just a short OVA, it doesn't have a lot to it, though, I cannot ignore the sheer silliness of characters at times in this chapter, even for such fundamentals to be applied to constrain any kind of proper conventional development. I find myself really thinking, why would they do this? Why would they do that? Based on the original Clannad series, it just didn't make a ton of sense. It was really a push at something. Something, fake… but, it is this fake thing that isn't entirely as bad as it seems. It is more of just a failed try really, a failed try at enticing emotion.

I don't exactly know what to say about anime that manipulate emotion, are they bad for being false? Should they be considered generic because an easy story is an easy story? Are they even manipulating? Aren't you the cause for your own emotional reaction? When I was watching this chapter, all these questions came to me as to whether or not I should be praising this anime or not. I really have no means to justify what is needed to happen in order for it to be praised when it comes to drama handling emotion because you can praise everything in some sense. This is why, despite all of Clannad Kyou's attempts, I have to praise it that at least it does a good job in bringing out emotion, even if it feels a little far fetched, because that is what dramas are supposed to do, whilst some efforts may be more half-hearted the other, I give praise that at least Clannad has the decency to build upon what it has, even if it may be could come across as fake.

Though again, this is just the OVA, and it should be taken into account that no matter what I say, this is extrapolation, which doesn't reflect true results, especially comparing an OVA to a TV series. Regardless, however, I only wished to show both sides of the coin as to people who believe one thing and people who believe the other, even if the formats are different. At the end of the day, everything ultimately comes down to enjoyment, and whether or not you will enjoy something. I have to say, despite what was told, I enjoyed it a lot, it has some really good presentations.

The production values for Clannad have always been insane so instead of writing stuff that makes me look smart, we will just leave it at 8/10 visual quality and 10/10 OST. I see no complaints here.

----------

TLDR Review:
It's good at what it does, being a good drama. Might feel ingenuine, but that is dependent on what you believe is real and fake. Amazing audiovisuals too.
----------

But yeah, that is all with the analytical stuff. If you liked the original Clannad series and was a fan of Kyou, I really suggest you give this OVA a go, maybe play the visual novel right after, you never know where you might stumble into. This isn't a very recommendable title if you aren't a fan of Clannad, but otherwise, you can take this one as a side story which is probably better for fans of the main girl, Kyou, rather than if you are just an average fan. Nevertheless, it is still good stuff.


Overall - 8.4 (8)

It was pretty good for its length so was this review even tho I could have written more oof.

Finally...!!

The Original Couple is Release...Since Kyou have her feelings to Tomoya
(Try to watch Clannad ~After Story~ episode 23 to see that I am right)

yipeeeee......!!

I am very glad now...My emotions is mixed when I watch this episode...Sadness,Feel that I am crying and Happiness when Tomoya and Kyou confesses their love to each other and became a couple...!!

Again...I am so very happy...!!