Clannad ~After Story~ - Episode 24 (Completed)

It has to be said that Clannad isn't really something that can be summed up in a single episode, and thus with that in mind After Story's attempt to pull together forty-six episodes of plot in such a manner is probably a slightly ill-conceived concept. Needless to say, it's hugely rushed, and the attempt to pull it together as a monologue from Tomoya to Ushio starts to fall apart when he gets to "and then you died and so did I but we didn't really or did we?". It's nothing against After Story as a whole, it simply doesn't work in this particular form.


Speaking of that ending and how it has succeeded in confusing some, and seeing as I don't have a lot else to say about this particular instalment, here's a diagram (not drawn up by me, I hasten to add) of a Clannad "timeline" of sorts (click for the full-sized image):


Overall, I have to admit that in many ways I preferred the care-free schooldays of Clannad to the harsh realities of adult life that After Story frequently bombarded us with as far as sheer entertainment factor goes, but that's just me I suppose. Having said that, After Story did a very good job all in all of presenting the story that it had to work with, and really brought some beautiful and emotional poignancy to its hardest moments, which is well worth some kudos if you ask me. Even given my doubts about the projected ending, I was actually quite pleased to see it when it came about, which is probably about the best thumbs up I can give After Story really.