I like to see the season as a build up for season two. It feels like you are one of them, experiencing everything with them, growing up with them in the first season.
This anime has no particular apparent end goal or one fine thread that it follows. This is one of the beautiful sides of the show. You never know what to expect but you want to experience the next school day with them, just like Okazaki wants go to school more and more through out the series. This show is like watching back at snippets of high school -- small episodes of Okazaki's memory. Therefore, we will follow this show as such and not one big episode.
In season 1 the story is less important than its successor, however season one is excellent in character development and character bonds. It is insanely how much you get attached to some of the characters and it all depends on the watcher's personality on who you get to attached to. It's different for everybody. All characters are charming in their own way but they differ from each other so much at the same time.
The second beautiful thing about this show is that it has an element of abstractness to it. You will see a story about a small living robot and a girl that are alone in the world throughout the series. You are not going to have any idea what their story is about. But please pay attention to their story as well.
I must admit I was not used to some of the girls' animation design compared to other modern animes. However after a couple of episodes I started to get used to it and I wanted it no other way. You are going to get comfortable and used to it so much that I bet you won't notice the slight character design changes that occurs throughout the timeline of the series. Just like you won't notice your childhood friend change and grow because you spend everyday with him/her.
This is hands down one of my favorite animes. I have never experienced such heartfelt with another show like this. These words, in my opinion describes the series the most:
"Could have, would have or should have been."
PS: Reasons why this is a 9 (which is still great) and not a 10 is because I dedicate that one extra digit to the second season: Clannad: After Story.
Ja matta ne, MK
