Holy shit, wtf was Clannad!?!?

Just finished binging Clannad and Clannad: After Story and it’s far and away the best anime, and high up there for media, I’ve ever seen.

In terms of romance anime, there’s heaps and heaps of slop and then some better ones (Rascal Does Not Dream, Kaguya-Sama), but Clannad makes them all look like loads of shit in comparison.

I had tried to watch it once before but forgot about it cause the beginning was slow, but after pushing through with some free time over the holidays I powered through and reached the end and it literally shook me.

I cried like 3 times in the 2nd half of After Story, and I never cried before watching anime (and I’ve seen my fair share). Legitimately I’m not an emotional person except for this show apparently.

If you haven’t seen this show drop whatever you’re watching right now till you finish Clannad and After Story. I know you fuckers sit through hundred of episodes of one piece so you have the time.

Now excuse me as I go sit with the emptiness this show left me with.

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Commentaires

Nareto642025-12-29 23:13

Clannad was so good, and touched me so much I was genuinely depressed for months.

donniedarko55552025-12-30 00:55

Summer Pockets is my recommendation to people who want to know if they should checkout Clannad.

Both are Key studio productions but SumPoc is shorter and more modern. I personally think Clannad is better but they are structurally similar. If SumPoc was amazing and you wish there was more like it with more depth and characterization, watch Clannad and especially After Story.

I will say on the Clannad specific stuff, Rascal doesn't Dream of Bunny Girl is similar enough. But almost nothing will resemble after story at all.

Furqan_wear2025-12-29 23:13

it’s emotional warfare. key studios basically lures you in with dumb comedy just to spend the entire second season dropkicking your soul. you don’t "watch" after story, you survive it. honestly, comparing it to other romance anime isn't even fair. it's in its own league of pain.

Codee332025-12-29 23:27

I still maintain that the first season is underrated. The comedy and cute moments were high quality and numerous, even then is still had plenty of moments that dropkicked my soul.

MiIdSoss2025-12-29 23:27

"You don't watch after story, you survive it."

Damn, that hits hard because it's so true. lol

MadCybertist2025-12-30 01:27

Now I’m scared. Should I start this? Haha. Never seen it.

Nytloc2025-12-30 01:47

I absolutely recommend it. Don’t misunderstand it to be something mean-spirited that only wants to hurt you. While the anime is *incredibly* sad, it’s not the goal of the work to just make you suffer and nothing else. It has equally powerful moments that build you up to real emotional catharsis.

That said, it is the only piece of fiction to make me *bawl* in my adult life. Like, four hours of ugly crying. Hit me harder than funerals I’ve been to, and if that makes me a bad person, then I am one, because it’s true.

PowerSamurai2025-12-30 02:10

Rather than calling second season "sad" I think it's more appropriate to call it "emotional" as like you say there is much more to it than sadness itself.

messem102025-12-30 01:53

Yes. The series is held in high esteem for a reason.

zenoob2025-12-30 02:41

Totally. It's a life changing experience for some, and a terribly overrated anime for some.

It has its flaws obviously but if you get into it and let it work its magic, you might come out of it changed. I know I started paying a lot more attention to more laid back anime (mostly slice of life) after Clannad, just because I loved so much how actually focusing on the characters and their struggles without all the fighting and screaming made for a far more compelling experience to me.

MadCybertist2025-12-30 02:49

Okay. About to undertake this bad boy. Guess it’s sad - and I’m currently dying (terminal illness) - so we gonna see how bad I can tug the heart strings.

zenoob2025-12-30 03:09

Im sorry to hear this. Sure it won't help you get better but I think Clannad is, at the end of the day, a very bright and hopeful story. It's about making sure you're doing the right thing for you so you don't leave with any regrets, no matter how hard life has been. And im sure it's been hard for you.

Maybe it'll resonate with you. And if it doesn't... Well hopefully it'll bé a fun ride nonetheless.

MadCybertist2025-12-30 03:24

Awesome. Thanks! Looking forward to it.

BasitDini2025-12-30 03:09

Damn hope you come out strong twin
A miracle might happen for you keep fighting man 🙏

cHinzoo2025-12-30 03:38

If u ending up liking Clannad, I can also recommend watching Angel Beats which is from the same makers. Both have incredible themes about the struggles in life, overcoming hardships and resolving regrets.

MadCybertist2025-12-30 03:47

I gotta a lot of time in bed to watch anime so adding it to the list haha

meneldal22025-12-30 06:52

I think if you watch it too young it just can't resonate with you the same way it would when you are older.

LegendaryZXT2025-12-30 01:31

It sucks that you have to sit through something like 3 cours of fairly mediocre stuff before getting to some of the best stuff in anime

Zeallfnonex2025-12-29 23:30

To be fair, they show their hand about dropkicking your soul after the very first (Fuuko's) arc...

Ok_Banana32412025-12-29 23:34

Whenever someone says they want a season 2 of a anime that has the trope, guy and girl gets together and then the show stops. I tell them to watch clannad since it goes in depth into the epilogue.

almisami2025-12-29 23:39

I mean did they have to put my heart through the wringer like that?

youGoyou2025-12-29 23:59

honestly yeah, the tonal whiplash hits different. goes from slice of life to full emotional devastation and never looks back. that graduation scene alone should come with a warning label.

ROCKETZOMBIE772025-12-30 01:12

This is an interesting comment for me bc I’ve not seen it yet but it’s on my watchlist…

DreamyMountainFlower2025-12-30 09:18

Ngl this is why I personal didn’t like it. I think that stories that are just too sad to be sad feel a bit shallow.

I personally enjoyed Angel Beats more because it felt sad at the right times while being a genuinely funny anime.

acgm_11182025-12-29 23:13

I'll be starting this today. Enough posts have spoken highly about it. 🤘

Ennis_12025-12-29 23:19

I'll join you, 1 or 2 episodes, if I don't edit this, it means I didn't do it.

Edit: So I didn't watch yesterday, so I did it this morning, 2 episodes. One thing I can say for certain, I know I'm gonna get enotionally attached to the ending song, long after all this is done.

acgm_11182025-12-29 23:24

Hell yeah. We out here boys and girls! Tag teamin!

kincaed2132025-12-30 00:12

It’s season 2 that makes it so famously good, don’t judge it too much by the first 1 or 2 episodes

ytsejamajesty2025-12-30 03:37

The first season is pretty good on it's own. The only "problem" with it is that the second season is what sets the series apart as a masterpiece, and which is not immediately apparent in the first season.

sittingducks2025-12-30 00:32

Agreed with the other guy. Season one wasn't bad, but season 2 is just special. I don't think any other show, anime or otherwise, has made me feel the kinds of emotions that season 2 did.

Sky_Adventure2025-12-29 23:15

It’s a masterpiece! My favorite anime of all time and I argue the greatest of all time

EroSannin012025-12-29 23:15

I left Clannad behind 20yrs ago... never to be revisited again... as all I remember the animé leaving me asking the question "why?" 😐

SemperVigilansSB2025-12-29 23:15

This made me laugh out loud. I have few more episodes of Ranking of kings and then I’ll watch Clannad.

AdministrativeAd17092025-12-29 23:17

Seems like you watched it like me. Like you, I stopped to, the 1st episode. Then I chatted online with a fan of it, and gave it another go. It's one of my top 10.

Lodju2025-12-29 23:19

No other anime has managed to make me feel that empty inside as what Clannad did..

You can try to fill hole with Kanon (2006) or Summer Pockets if you want something more recent, neither of those really measure when compared to Clannad though but still might ease the emptiness.

Zeallfnonex2025-12-29 23:32

Closest I've had in general feeling has been March Comes in like a Lion - while Clannad focuses specifically on family, March Comes in like a Lion focuses on any sort of human relationships. It's a tossup for me which I like better, depends on the day.

almisami2025-12-29 23:42

Honorable mention for Air

kamehameherp2025-12-30 00:00

Also, little busters.

EXP_Buff2025-12-30 00:20

both of these are huuuuuuge steps down from Clannad.

Kazuma_Megu2025-12-30 00:01

Violet Evergarden (same studio as Clannad) or Angel Beats were probably the closest ones to make me as much of an emotional shipwreck as Clannad. Vivy I also felt really deeply, but it didn't make me ugly-cry.There have been others that seriously tugged at my heart strings, but Clannad: After Story stands above them all.

Jazs19942025-12-30 00:20

Violet evergarden doesn't a pretty sick gut punch at a time you do not see coming until the episode starts. It's basically just a 1 episode mini arc.

Lodju2025-12-30 00:22

Episode 10 was the most memorable.

Jazs19942025-12-30 00:23

The after of credits scene I forget where it was placed was just knowing a truck was going to hit you but you can't move

CommandNotFound2025-12-30 00:37

I also love Kanon, but for filling the hole, I would suggest playing the VN.

spark11182025-12-30 02:49

Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day is my #1 tearjerker anime.

Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 is imo highly underrated!

landragoran2025-12-30 03:02

*🎵Kimi to natsu no owari🎵*

And now I'm crying again

Routine_Hat_4832025-12-30 07:27

Angel beats also had me ugly crying every time I've rewatched it.

When Jun Maeda has a hit it tends to be a homerun.

timpkmn892025-12-29 23:21

Now you should go check out the rest of the author's works

Shot-Signature-73702025-12-29 23:24

Dam gotta check it out now

bro-dats-crazy2025-12-29 23:25

One of the 3 OG tearjerkers.

Clannad, AnoHana and Angel Beats.

There are a lot of drama anime out there but those 3 are leagues of their own during their time.

Railgun_8S2025-12-29 23:39

>Clannad, AnoHana and Angel Beats

The holy trinity of tearjerker animes from the 00s Anime Fan.

With Sunflower Fields, Baseball and "We found you" combined with Dango Daikazoku, Ichiban no Takaramono and secret base a generation was destroyed.

spark11182025-12-30 02:52

Dango Daikazoku is such a fun and cute song but THE TRAUMA that song has caused

meneldal22025-12-30 06:55

The fun part is the first time you watch Clannad the song really doesn't feel like much. But the second time it hits really different.

almisami2025-12-29 23:44

Add Dennou Coil as the big estranged lost child.

I've cried so much at the dinosaur episode and then cried even harder at the end.

IStealSwords2025-12-30 01:55

I can’t believe I finally met another person who has seen Dennou Coil. I thought I was alone

duncandun2025-12-30 03:20

It was popular when it came out

Reefer4life2025-12-29 23:45

Im currently trying to watch angel beats, im on episode 7 and i feel nothing. Is that gonna change? Im not attached to any of these characters yet. I also didn’t resonate with your lie in April or clannad either? I’d like to know what I’m missing or if it’s just not for me.

Sahtras19922025-12-30 00:41

might be that its just not a good time to go into those kinda shows.

i have to be in the right headspace to get into the drama/tragedy stuff. likewise i have to be in the mood for some comedy nonsense.

clannad didnt even make me cry, but it definitely moved something inside me, unsurprisingly. its a great show and you get really attached to these characters in the first season.

fruits basket did a good job for me tho, i ugly cried at several points throughout the show.

what i wanna say is at a different point in my life clannad mightve done more to me. maybe i should be happy it didnt do more to me after all.

Reefer4life2025-12-30 01:03

I’ve tried them so many times is the issue, Angel Beats specifically has been hard to get through as I’ve tried no less than 6 times to watch Clannad about 4, and Anohana did make me tear up but only at the realization and then the ending.

Fruits basket definitely got me, but idk I cry more at The Ancient Magus Bride or Frieren and the lessons it teaches through a magical world. I’m curious if I just dissociate from the “realer” feeling ones. It’s like I need to be in a world other than our earth to feel the emotions. I’m not sure what that’s a sign of. I also cry a lot at Iyashikei anime, which is like the good cry stuff.

Maybe I’m just desensitized to the real sad stuff and it no longer affects me in media. I’ve had some really hard times in my life that make me dissociate. I do feel pain when I watch things like Elfen Lied though? I’m not sure what that says about me as a person.

Edit: idk wtf I did for formatting sorry, on mobile.

Sahtras19922025-12-30 01:13

thats also one part for many people. clannad gets REAL, too real for some people. that mightve been the issue for me.

ancient magus brides first season also has a special place in my heart.

that scene when chise flies back home as a phoenix gets me crying every time. not the sad kinda cry, but one of relief? i dunno how to decribe that emotion even. also that dragon she meets early on. the vibe and themes definitely make it special for me.

i did like the second season, but it didnt come close to the first for me.

edit: on the count of "being too real", when a character is sick in one piece, eiichiro oda makes it some fictional illness because he thinks having an illness that exists in real life would be too heavy for whats basically a kids show.

Reefer4life2025-12-30 01:32

I just didn’t relate to the characters in Clannad, idk why?

Nevin! That’s the dragons name <3 I’m on a rewatch alongside reading the manga for the first time finally.
That feeling when she flies home on the phoenix is absolutely incredible and I think the emotion is so many wrapped in one it’s hard to pinpoint exactly which.

I do agree season 1 is better than 2 as far as that initial building goes however I do think it’ll pay off for what the author intends in the future.

I’ve watched season 1 so many times and each time feels like the first in a way. There are so few anime that I get that from.

8838z2025-12-30 00:19

Didn't you drop Air, gauu?

thepixelmurderer2025-12-30 01:20

And two of those with the same main writer, lol. Maeda really is amazing.

Ryboiii2025-12-30 01:49

Angel Beats doesn't hold up any more from my personal rewatch experience. It just feels so cheesy if you're older than a teenager. Little Busters on the other hand... that ones an OG

cHinzoo2025-12-30 03:40

Kanon bruh

SoCalThrowAway72025-12-30 04:27

Idk I at least can still rewatch the rocket chair episode and crack up at a grown ass man

mlcarson2025-12-30 08:00

I loved Angel Beats and I first saw it in my 50's. I didn't see see the revelations coming -- especially the ending so really enjoyed it. I still think it holds up well.

barnacle99992025-12-30 04:28

This list is missing White Album 2. Only anime that led me to read the original VN with crude and shitty machine translation tools back in the day.

Gabelschlecker2025-12-30 10:45

Add the ef duology into the mix. Not as well known, but a great addition.

MidnightChimp2025-12-29 23:26

I saw it and skipped on it because of the insanely huge eyes and drawing style

Particular-Crow-17992025-12-29 23:27

I'm a 38yo millennial and I missed the hype when this was popular

Should I watch it now?

1Pip1Der2025-12-29 23:31

Yes. Bring tissues.

enigma7x2025-12-29 23:58

It hits even harder now. Especially if you have moved forward in life. I recently got married and After Story absolutely crushed me

surChauffer2025-12-30 03:27

It crushed me when I was 13, I rewatched the flowerfield scene after having a kid and that was not a good idea but I did give my son a lot of hugs and kisses while bawling.

oxero2025-12-30 00:18

I watched it like 15-16 years ago, I'd say yes still.

I'm not a big romance anime fan, and the first season is a bit slow at first, but it gets really good. It's one of the most emotionally impactful stories in anime bar none and a masterpiece in its own right. It's incredibly hard to find anything that remotely touches even after all these years.

Particular-Crow-17992025-12-30 00:27

okay I'll watch the thing

sittingducks2025-12-30 00:38

The silliness of the first chunks of the first season is a completely different tone to the maturity of the themes they tackle and emotions they explore in the second season. I'd agree with the other posters that the story beats will land even harder as a millenial. I saw it for the first time when I was in college, and I still love it now.

Wolventec2025-12-30 00:28

supposedly playing the game is better, it's originally a visual novel like steins gate

NateRFB2025-12-30 01:14

I played the game (and loved it) before the anime aired and while there are some things I certainly like in the VN way more I think overall the anime just has so much better pacing. The VN is one of those cases where you have to complete all of the routes to get to the true ending and it's incredibly obtuse and tedious to do so. Some routes will also just feel so superfluous and feel like distractions that only vaguely fit and belong. Basically I would probably say read the VN if you are a huge VN fan already but otherwise the anime is going to be probably a better experience.

chum-guzzling-shark2025-12-30 01:26

Stop reading anything that can spoil it and just watch it. It starts as a normal show and I got a little bored here and there for the first season. But the 2nd season pay off is well worth it

Winter_Culture_14542025-12-29 23:31

Am I the only one who thought Clannad was the most boring anime ever existed? I watched both seasons because people were glazing it like crazy but it wasn't interesting at any point.

ThomasCro2025-12-29 23:32

I just can't get over the art style

Emergency-Boat2025-12-29 23:44

Ah the classic 2000s Key style, where everyone looks like a squirrel lol

De-Mattos2025-12-30 00:08

Eyes not big enough for you?

Shadow_Everywhere2025-12-30 00:16

same reason I was never able to get myself to watch it 😅

Longjumping-Chef24202025-12-30 01:53

I was the in the same boat as you, but man. After sucking it up and watching it anyways, seeing people avoid this show because of the ART STYLE just makes me sad…

You’ll get used to it in a couple of episodes, please watch it!!!!!!

ciaza2025-12-30 04:36

If you watch nothing but it for about 5 episodes you'll be used to it. Just don't watch anything else as a contrast, lol

1Pip1Der2025-12-29 23:34

Allow me to offer you congratulations and condolences.

Now comes the hangover, where you begin to have shower thoughts about the supernatural shenanigans.

Few-Reality46572025-12-29 23:36

It’s peak fiction 🥹

Juliko19932025-12-29 23:37

If you're able to, buy the game for Clannad as well. It's on both Steam and the Switch.

norbagul2025-12-30 00:58

So expensive on the switch ... But so worth it. The cover of side stories made my partner and I go "oh no"

We are both CF, but Ushio's story still cuts us extremely deep.

AidenKarma2025-12-29 23:37

lowkey this is the deal with visual novels with good adaptations. Any VN with a good adaptation is bound for success. Makes me wish more of them got the Clannad/Steins gate treatment

-_Seth_-2025-12-29 23:54

There are almost none sadly. Clannad, Steins Gate and the Ufotable adaption of Fate UBW and HF are the only genuinely great VN adaptations that exist and for all of those I still slightly prefer the original actually.

thepixelmurderer2025-12-30 01:22

Kanon as well, it's very very rare that the majority opinion says that the anime adaptation is just flat out BETTER than the VN. Somehow Kanon managed that!

AidenKarma2025-12-30 01:44

wouldnt really say fate ubw adaptations are good only the animation is great at best its a 7/10 but yeah. man.. imagine a really good FMD Muramasa, Umineko, Fata Morgana or Muv Luv anime adaptation...

garfe2025-12-30 01:03

The problem is the number of actually good VN adaptations can be counted on one hand

EinzbernConsultation2025-12-30 01:11

I see your Umineko icon and I feel your pain

AidenKarma2025-12-30 01:44

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

happy-owls2025-12-30 04:04

Honestly, I feel that Gnosia has been given an incredible VN adaption so far this season.

AidenKarma2025-12-30 04:12

oh ive never read Gnosia, so i can't give my proper opinion on it but if so then that's amazing

happy-owls2025-12-30 04:21

Someone posted an article earlier this week in r/anime explaining that the game staff have been involved heavily in the show's production and they got the scriptwriter for Steins;Gate's adaption to write the script for Gnosia's adaption. Obviously, there are differences between the game and show, but it has personally been a joy to watch this season.

JJR19712025-12-29 23:38

Clannad wrecked me so hard I didn't touch Clannad: After Story until like TEN YEARS later. No joke.

PhantomTroupe262025-12-30 00:27

Literally me right now lol. I watched it back in 2016. Me and my girlfriend will be watching it together in January. It'll be her first time. I'm still not mentally prepared lol

Angel_zero2025-12-29 23:41

I rewatch it yearly by this time of the year, usually, and yeah, you're right.

Prophetic_Reaver2025-12-29 23:45

Peak anime. Im not a romance anime fan but I love clannad. Grabs the heart just right

Lyradni2025-12-29 23:45

Anime usually caters to what most audiences want to see, which is safe light-hearted, familiar, same old same old stuff that doesn’t usually challenge its boundaries. Especially so for romance anime. And they especially don’t get to a point where characters are actually in a relationship, which is such a shame for romance anime, and the romance genre in general. I’m glad this one took a dare.

Oregonrider20142025-12-29 23:46

I watched in high school i think in 2009?

As a teen I had to take a break when I started season 2. I was an emotional wreck. They held no punches with that shit and I was not ready as a teen. I got baited into watching school days a few months later.

It was a rough couple months lol

almisami2025-12-29 23:54

What's sadder:

Clannad After Story

or

Kotaro Lives Alone

Antares_de_la_Luz2025-12-29 23:59

Play the visual novel, you get multiple routes with everyone.

Also there's an spinoff VN with Tomoyo as protagonist

Delicious-Park-80092025-12-30 00:03

Now go watch Ano Hana and Angel Beats and complete the holy trinity of onion-cutting ninjas.

If you Survive...

drgnslyr912025-12-30 01:57

Oh damn…Geez, Anohana is insanely tragic.

clone692025-12-30 00:06

It's good, but I personally enjoyed Kanon more. Even if it didn't have an after story other than that Kazahana movie for the 2002 version.

...

I just realized it's about to be 20 years since I started watching weekly anime with the 2006 Kanon. Damn I'm old.

dialgatrack2025-12-30 00:11

you should watch the no game no life movie. It's a great tearjerker like clannad and it's basically a standalone because it's basically a prequal.

kurataki2025-12-30 00:11

I still to this day get emotional when I hear that Dango Dai Kazoku song. It’s the most emotional series I have ever seen.

SoCalThrowAway72025-12-30 04:24

I can play it on piano and do it randomly to make my wife tear up like a dick but it backfires and gets me choked up too

canadave_nyc2025-12-30 06:10

For me it's the opening theme sequence, starting with the view from the train with the sunset background and the theme music starting...it has a very weirdly emotional resonance with me. Dredges up everything I felt watching the series.

Komorebi_LJP2025-12-30 00:21

Clannad after story is really great, but the downside of it is that you have to watch regular Clannad, which isnt bad or anything but on its own its pretty generic.

[deleted]2025-12-30 00:27

[removed]

Jazs19942025-12-30 00:28

Okay, fuck the auto mod I'm done

Slydemon2025-12-30 00:35

Totally get you. My own way of dealing with emotional nukes like Clannad is to immediately dive into absolute slop isekai or something. Really helps me because I don't have to think or invest, but still makes me feel better.

SacaeGaming2025-12-30 00:40

If you think that was a trip, play the games.

All 3 were worth full price imo (I actually think there’s a 4th but I only own the 3 main ones)

Zealousideal_Ad76622025-12-30 00:52

I couldn't watch it seriously after seeing an edited version of Nagisa as a cockroach.

ripmyselfapart2025-12-30 00:57

Artwork.

Jazs19942025-12-30 00:57

[Clannad and after story] >!After they moved in together after graduating, I was praying for things not to repeat itself. Other than Ushio dying in his arms and nagisa dying right in front of him while he held Ushio. I fucking broke down at Ushio finally hugging Tomoya in that field of flowers after he just visited his grandparents and Sanae breaking down to her husband, finally grieving for losing their daughter as they had to take care of Ushio the whole time!<

Animatrix_Mak2025-12-30 03:21

Can't tell you how much I was pissed off at the authors for kicking me in the balls everytime and praying not to do it again and guess what, they fkin did it again and again.

Total depression 😭

BerserkerLord1012025-12-30 00:59

I love when there's clannad glaze. Peak

Ok-Concentrate87952025-12-30 01:00

Just a heads up. The Clannad visual novel is on the ps4 and ps5 to buy on the digital store in the US.

I read the vn years ago when it was fan translated and it was and is still my favorite vn. It got me to watch the show.

Zeallfnonex2025-12-30 01:46

It's also on Steam for that matter

Ok-Concentrate87952025-12-30 01:51

Only reason I said ps4 or ps5 is because its the 1 place I dont think people realize its on. If you go on pc you can just get it from any vn site you can find.

notokawaiiyo2025-12-30 01:06

You can experience the original Visual Novel in English to fill that emptiness!

Vii_Arious2025-12-30 01:09

Kanon and Air is made by the same author, so I recommend those.

CuntJab2025-12-30 01:12

I personally had a hard time getting through the first season. Hell, even the first half of After Story still had that forced tear-jerker feel for me, but once a certain death happened and set the second half in motion, I was locked tf in. I still haven’t cried as much as I did in Episode 18. Truly a masterclass of an episode.

Milked_Cows2025-12-30 01:17

I had never cried to a show or movie until Clannad. That shit broke me.

Other Key stories are pretty good as well. I loved Kanon and Air was pretty good as well. My controversial opinion is the Air movie is better than the show. I need to watch Summer Pockets but I’ve heard nothing but great things

littlepeachycupcake2025-12-30 01:25

Clannad was one of the first romance animes I ever watched years ago and honestly? It did sorts ruin other romance anime following on from it for very long time, especially with after story because yikes that got me bawling my eyes out multiple times.

thepixelmurderer2025-12-30 01:27

The thing that makes Clannad so special to me is that arguably its most cried-to scene isn't even a sad one, it's a happy one. That, and the amazing way the themes are woven in so intricately. It's written so so well. Maeda did some masterclass writing, and Clannad is among his strongest. Air will always be my favourite (the visual novel at least) but Clannad is super popular for good reason.

chum-guzzling-shark2025-12-30 01:27

First thing from daddy

czscoop2025-12-30 01:29

Stumbled upon this thread and immediately started welling up in public. Vouch for watch.

LegendaryZXT2025-12-30 01:29

Welcome to what being anime send felt like in 2009

TheUglyBarnaclee2025-12-30 01:44

Rewatched it recently, still good but idk i wouldn't say it's perfect now. S1 had alot of problems for me. Fuko's arc was way too long, by far the hardest part of the re-watch. It gets alot better after but man, that was like 10 of the 24 epsiodes. Nagisa and Tomoya are super cute tho, love them as a couple. After Story is alot more consistent I feel as well. The beginning of it is a bit slow but not too bad and there is one arc with Sunohara and his sister that is just....weird. Like bad weird when you watch it as an adult vs when I was like 10. Thankfully its like 2-3 epsiodes. Also the ending of After Story is kinda divisive for people. Imo i dont like it anymore, I wont say why cause spoilers but it just wasn't that good even tho yes you can make sense and reason it. Overall I'll still give the series an 8, childhood classic for me that is carried mostly by After Story. Has moments that STILL make cry, animation is beautiful, the OST is one of the best ever and the main romance is one of my favorites in anime

Longjumping-Chef24202025-12-30 01:49

I watched clannad 2 years ago and have still not seen anything that comes close. I’ve honestly slowed way down on the amount of media I consume in general cause to me there’s simply nothing that can top it

drgnslyr912025-12-30 01:55

Clannad: After Story is by far one of my most favorite romance animes. Kyoto Animation did an outstanding job with it.

Atmoslink2025-12-30 01:58

Honestly I was a bit disappointed in the ending. It was really touching up until the last few episodes, then it just kinda felt like character torture to me.

DirectionExact312025-12-30 02:08

I still haven’t bit this bullet. Maybe 2026 will be the year. I’m told the dango song is lethal.

wittgenda2025-12-30 02:17

Clannad is truly an incredibly, incredibly, incredibly touching work. Both the game and anime adaptations are exceptionally well-made. I also recommend that friends who love Clannad definitely try out Key's other two works: Air (Tori no Uta) and Kanon.

Waywardsteps2025-12-30 02:17

First full length anime I ever watched. Literally prevented me from taking the 9mm exit and made me strive to be a better family person. Changed my life.

ShunKoizumi2025-12-30 02:18

My only comment summarized in two words:

Absolute Cinema

Reasonable-Pair-1702025-12-30 02:45

I feel like I'm one of a few people who really liked season 1 too. I thought it was hilarious.

MrScandanavia2025-12-30 04:16

I liked season 1 even tho it was slow, but season 2 was super social

Twigling2025-12-30 10:37

I've never understood the criticism of season 1 - it's fun with some drama. On the other hand season 2 is drama with some fun.

arfayray2025-12-30 02:57

I watched it as a teenager, i cried

Rewatched it as a father, i bawled

ReyxDD2025-12-30 03:02

Watched it 15 years ago, still my favorite tearjerker anime. Nothing really gets close.

the-great-humberto2025-12-30 03:26

Yeah, After Story destroyed me pretty hard. I watched Clannad right after finishing Your Lie in April because I wanted to try replacing the pain with another pain. It just doubled it.

surChauffer2025-12-30 03:26

Hey all, I watched this during a dark time in my life and my brother and I connected heavily since we had a similar, if not worse, family dynamic to Tomoya.

No reconciling with my father but I have a family now and my wife had complications during birth and the nurses said it looked like I went through labor instead from the stress. Not a daughter but my son has the kanji 渚 Na (Nagisa) in his name both just because it fit but how much this show helped me break that cycle of generational trauma.

MrScandanavia2025-12-30 04:17

That’s so sweet. It’s amazing how much media can impact our lives.

StrawHatlola2025-12-30 03:36

One of my all time favorites and I screamed seeing a post on here about it!!!

This show…just wow

I watched it as a high schooler and now often as an adult. Tomoya’s story and his experiences and the feeling of just despair and hope.

So good. Just so good.

Comfortable_Band93942025-12-30 03:47

Dang Daikazoku ❤️🍡

overnighttoast2025-12-30 03:48

I honestly and truly believe KEY put me through so much trauma in my formative years that i have ptsd from losing people that aren't even real.

Latter-Oil-2412025-12-30 04:12

The very first anime to make me cry a stream of tears, especially when the MC reunited with his daughter. The places allowed to cry part was the nail for me

SoCalThrowAway72025-12-30 04:21

Yeah the hand drop moment (IYKYK) kinda ruined my whole week in college. I cried like I hadn’t since I was a little kid and I had this like existential dread walking around and didn’t go back to finish it until later and then it punched me again.

Snipeye012025-12-30 04:26

Dango. Dango. Dango. Dango. Dango. Dango Family.

Nick_BOI2025-12-30 04:27

Another person added to the pile, welcome aboard.

If you want more from Key, I highly recommend the Visual Novels.

If you prefer to stick to anime, I would recommend Angel Beats, Little Busters, and Summer Pockets (the last of which aired earlier this year).

Playest_42472025-12-30 04:29

Moe going strong into 2026

eric2252025-12-30 04:42

Want to do it again? [https://store.steampowered.com/app/462990/Tomoyo\_After\_Its\_a\_Wonderful\_Life\_English\_Edition/](https://store.steampowered.com/app/462990/Tomoyo_After_Its_a_Wonderful_Life_English_Edition/)

AyamBakarVanilla2025-12-30 05:16

i remember the first time i watched this then i watched angel beats

double the emptiness

Creative_Captain11422025-12-30 05:24

I’ve always enjoyes romance as a genre in different artistic medium, but what makes Clannad after story special is that instead of feeling envy for fictional characters and how they found their soulmate, after story makes me feel despair and eventually hope as it portrays what it means to find real love in a realistic society and not an idealized one

Sifu_Si2025-12-30 05:24

I have Crunchyroll. It’s not there. Google shows nothing either. Where are we able to watch anime you guys keep bringing up?

EnvironmentalTry83822025-12-30 05:34

Love Clannad! Such a good anime, I’ve rewatched it multiple times 😭🫶

DirtyTacoKid2025-12-30 06:05

Based on some of the things you wrote you are the exact type of person Clannad is meant for.

After Story is absurdly good if it hits.

karweeyabee2025-12-30 06:14

Curveball, now play the game 'to the moon'.

Twigling2025-12-30 11:01

I think it's time to rewatch my Blu-ray set of this fine series.

BTW, if you haven't already seen it, do try 'Kanon' (the 2006 Kyoto Animation version, not the much shorter 2002 adaptation from Toei). Kanon is, for me, at least as good as Clannad, but in different ways - it does lack Clannad's seriously heavy gut punches but it's still sad with some fun aspects. https://myanimelist.net/anime/1530/Kanon_2006?q=kanon&cat=anime

Kyoto animation also adapted Air (https://myanimelist.net/anime/101/Air?q=air&cat=anime), as did Toei, but the latter adapted it as a heavily condensed movie - KyoAni's series unfortunately also condensed the story meaning it only had 12 episodes (it needed twice that) so the story doesn't come across as well as it could have. Nevertheless, it's still worth a watch, just don't expect Clannad or Kanon's levels of storytelling greatness from the anime. (Note: the main series is 12 episodes, then there's a recap episode for one story arc, and then a two part OVA).

Finally, for another excellent VN to anime adaptation, I'd highly recommend ef: A Tale of Memories followed by ef: A Tale of Melodies (note that they have nothing to do with Key's Clannad, Kanon or Air even though the art style of the character has similarities). The two ef seasons are very well adapted by Shaft who use their usual strong visuals to enhance the story even more.