The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya Review

Every so often you come across a film that virtually flawless in almost every way. It might not the best film ever, but there are no discernible flaws to be found, and the result is an amazing experience that has few equals, and The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is one of those films. In addition to all that, it is also my favorite Christmas film.

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is a sequel to The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya series. If you remember my review of the series, you would know that it is a wacky and fun sci-fi adventure comedy that I highly recommend if you want to watch something fun, and you can find my review for the series by clicking here. However, unlike the series, The Disappearance is a serious, character driven drama with elements of mystery and science fiction. 

Directed by: Tatsuya Ishihara 

Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama, Dramedy, Christmas,

Release Date: February 6, 2010

Running Time: 164 minutes (the longest anime film ever)

MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Tour de force of character development, Stunning animation, Retains some comedic moments, Perfect pacing, Strong emotional core, Nearly flawless, Makes "Endless Eight" important, Fantastic English dub, Superb soundtrack, Satisfying conclusion,

The Bad:

Plot: 10/10- For a movie that is 164 minutes, the same length as The Dark Knight Rises and The Hobbit, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya feels so amazingly short. How does it accomplish this amazing feat you may ask? With flawless pacing. 

There was never a dull moment throughout the entirety of the film, although some might find the beginning a tad slow. However, the pacing during those early scenes is brilliantly used to create the atmospheric setting and to set up the satisfying character moments. 

Nagaru Tanigawa’s original source material and Fumihiko Shimo’s screenwriting provides for one of the most flawlessly crafted pieces of fiction of ever put to screen. Even the time-travel element is adequately explained, without having to devote too much time to exposition. 

If I was forced at gunpoint to actually find a flaw with the film, the only that I could possibly surmise is that the ending was left slightly open-ended for further adventures, but at the same time, the ending provides more than enough character conclusion and allusion to what most likely happened that there is really no need for anything more.

Characterization: 10/10- While The Disappearance still retains some of the great comedic moments from the series, the film is more of a drama with elements of mystery and science fiction. Dramas are notoriously difficult to pull off effectively, because if you do not care about the characters, there is virtually nothing for the audience to attach to or enjoy. What makes Disappearance work, is that the characters have already been previously established in the series, which is mandatory viewing before watching the film, Therefore, it provides more time to development the characters.

In many ways The Disappearance is a lot like Serenity in the Firefly franchise in that you could watch the movie without watching the series but the emotional impact and character development is completely lost and you end up with a fun movie that is completely out of context.

With all that said, The Disappearance is Tour de force of characterization, at least of the two characters that the film focuses on, Kyon and Yuki Nagato. Despite Haruhi Suzumiya being the titular, she is not the focal point of the film thematically, although her character still drives the plot forward.

Yuki Nagato is given ample of character development, as the film is a character study of Yuki. The film uses the controversial, and partially infuriating, "Endless Eight" storyline to actually provide incredible depth to the character of Yuki, as well as being an important experience for the audience to truly understand the character’s struggle. 

Again, if I was forced at gunpoint to offer criticism about the characterization, it would be that the other three members of the SOS Brigade are not given much development, which is so incredibly insignificant of an issue that it never comes to mind while watching the film.

Acting: 9.8/10- Obviously, whichever dub you watched the series in is the suggested one to watch for the film. With that said, Crispin Freeman kills it yet again as Kyon, and Michelle Ruff should be given special praise for giving Yuki another layer of emotion and character through her superb performance.

Art Style: 9.9/10- Kyoto Animation takes their already high quality animation for the Haruhi Suzumiya and dials it up to over 9000! Seriously, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya contains some of the most beautiful and stunning work from any anime film. Even the more mundane scenes are crisp and incredibly high in quality. 

Soundtrack: 9.6/10- The score by Satoru Kōsaki and Ryuichi Takada ranges from lighthearted and fun to emotional and inspiring to absolutely freaking epic. Few scores manage to make the various genres work, and Disappearance is certainly a perfect example. Also the opening song from season one, "Bōken Desho Desho?" makes a more than welcome return.

Humor: 8.4/10- While not as humorous as the series, The Disappearance still retains some of the comedic gold that the series featured heavily.

Entertainment Value: 10/10- Even though some might find the film too slow for their taste, for those interested in character driven dramas with the lovable characters from the series, it is incredibly entertaining, especially seeing how the concept and characters are portrayed flawlessly.

Overall: 9.9/10- The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is truly a special work of fiction. From the unparalleled characterization to the stellar production value, it is one of the few nearly flawless films that I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing, and it is easily among my favorite films of all-time....

Closing comments: To experience this masterpiece of animation, viewing the series is mandatory, which unfortunately makes the viewing audience limited. However, if you want to experience one of the cornerstones of modern anime greatness, do yourself a favor and watch both the series and the film.

Recommended for: Anyone that watched the series, Otaku, Animation fans, Drama fans, Sci-Fi fans,

Unfortunately, the film is not available for legal streaming, and Blu-Rays, if you can find them, run for upwards of 100 US dollars!

Since only those that have seen the series have probably seen the Disappearance, I want to add another opinion of this masterwork from my favorite critic, GRArkada, aka Tristan Gallant. Of the reviews I have seen from him, which is 98% of them, this is the highest rating I have seen him give a film. Warning however, since his review does contain some mild spoilers.

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The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Review

Fun, entertaining, and endlessly enjoyable: that is the best description of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Rarely do I have such an enjoyable time watching a television series. Without knowing anything about the series, I randomly stumbled upon the entire series one day and started watching it. 

After watching several episodes, I later discovered that it is one of the most popular and highly regarded anime of this generation. Without giving too much away, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a fun high-school comedy drama with a twist that makes it rise above all other shows in the genre. It follows the adventures of the eccentric Haruhi Suzumiya, a girl that is interested in aliens, time-travelers, and Espers (people with extrasensory perception), and the member. If you want to have the maximum experience, watch the first two episodes before reading onward, although be aware, it is not intended for viewers younger than 14. Below is a playlist with the first few episodes in the correct order. Also, the series is unfortunately not available for legal streaming on any site in the United States, and DVDs are unfortunately rare as well.

What is revealed in the second episode is that Haruhi Suzumiya actually has the power to alter reality know to her will. However, Haruhi does not even realize that she has this power, therefore she believes herself to be a normal, albeit eccentric, human. Haruhi is easily bored because she finds everything that is not abnormal to be dull and disinterring, and she when Haruhi is bored, she has the potential to destroy the entire world, which is why the supporting cast of characters try to keep reality together by both making Haruhi happy and preventing her from learning the truth about her powers.

One important fact that any potential viewers should note is that the episodes originally aired out of order; however, watching the episodes in chronological order is generally the best way to watch the series. For whatever absurd reason the first official first episode shows the cheap movie the characters made for a school project and for those watching it as the first episode, it is incredibly confusing. What makes things even more confusing is that to watch the series in chronological order, you watch episodes from the two different seasons.

The Good: Lovable characters, Excellent animation, New take on old tropes, Meta-humor, All-Star English dub cast, Wacky and funny throughout, Original concept, Energetic soundtrack, Endlessly fun and entertaining, Superb opening and ending songs, Epic rock band scene, Intriguing mystery and concepts,

The Bad: "Endless Eight" story arc can be annoying at times,

Plot: 9.6/10- One key element of the plot’s success is how it takes familiar tropes, and then puts a twist on them to make it new and fresh. One episode might be a twist on a classic murder mystery, while another might be about the gang trying to prevent Haruhi from destroying the universe.
Another strong element is the execution of the concept. It also takes a concept that could easily blowup in the writers’ face if not handled well, and it makes it work, with just enough complexity. Depending on how much the viewer wants to analyze the series, it can either be a simple and fun story, or something more complex. Also, not spoil too much, there are various sci-if and fantasy concepts spread through the series, and if you are a fan of those genres, there is a lot of content that is likely to appeal to you.

One controversial aspect of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is the "Endless Eight" eight episode story arc, but that is a topic that will be discuss more in detail this weekend in its own post.

Characterization: 9.4/10- Many of the characters in the series are intentionally stereotypes, which are then given a twist to make them different from the norm. Another key aspect of the cast is how funny and entertaining the interaction between the characters is throughout the series. Please note, that if you want to know as little as possible about the characters, skip this section, since it contains information revealed in the first three episodes.

Haruhi Suzumiya

Haruhi is unknowingly has the power to reshape and bend the universe to her will. How does did she receive this power or why is unknown, and do not expect to have your questions answered. As for the character herself, she is one energetic girl, although she does not reach the energy levels of a genki type character that bounces off the walls. Despite being the titular character, she is more of the central focus of the story, rather than being the main character. She is the only character not in on the fact that she controls the universe, but at the same time, she is a lot of fun to watch.

Kyon

Kyon is the true star of the series since the events take place mostly from his perspective. He does a lot of inner monologuing throughout the series, and his snarky wit and sarcastic quips as he complains about the absurdity that Haruhi puts him through is always entertaining. Being the main character, he does receive some solid development, and he is just a generally likable character.

Mikuru Asahina

Mikuru is the archetypal cute moe fanservice character. Actually, might as well be the definition of moe, at least pre-K-On! definition of moe. In anime terminology, moe (pronounced Moe-A) refers to a character that is considered cute and lovable, yet often attractive, although an exact definition does not exists. Other than the fact that Mikuru is a time-traveler from the future, what makes Mikuru different than other moe characters is that she directly referred as being moe to create some hilarious meta-humor. 

Yuki Nagato

Yuki is the quiet and emotionless Rei Ayanami type archetype, aka “soulless doll.” She is an artificially created entity created by aliens to monitor Haruhi. Yuki is given a lot of development in The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya film, and that is where the character shines the most, although she has her moments in the series as well. 

Itsuki Koizumi

Itsuki Koizumi is the archetypal bishounen male character and an Esper, aka someone that has Extrasensory perception or ESP. He is a suave type of guy, and his character is the most mysterious of the cast. 

Acting: 9.7/10- The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya features one of the best English dubs to date. Of course, the Japanese dub is as reliably strong as always, but the English features standout performances from voice actors like Crispin Freeman, Johnny Yong Bosch, and Wendee Lee, with Freeman really knocking it out of the park. Either way you go, there is no wrong answer. 

Art Style: 9.3/10- Haruhi was my introduction to Kyoto Animation, which is still among my favorite studios to this day.

All of the typical high school setting was executed with the usual high quality that you expect from KyoAni, and the first season was only their fourth full series! The only noteworthy flaw is the fanservice, and while not too over-the-top, with most of it being played for laughs, it is still present.

Soundtrack: 8.5/10- The series features several fun and energetic themes that perfectly compliment the setting of the series. However, one notable aspect of the soundtrack is the songs "God Knows" and "Lost My Music," which are featured in the famous rock band episode. There are two versions, one is the original Japanese and the other is sung by Wendee Lee, the voice of Haruhi, both of which are excellent.

Humor: 9.5/10- Even though The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is not always a humor filled comedy, since it is not a pure comedy anime, it is still often hilarious depending on the episode, and the humor is never misplaced as to undermine the dramatic elements.

Additionally, I am not sure if I have ever smiled so much while watching any series. It was so ridiculously fun and entertaining throughout for me personally.  

Opening/Ending: 9.8/10- All of the openings and endings of the series are memorable, but it is the first ending, "Hare Hare Yukai," and second opening, “Super Driver,” that standout the most. "Hare Hare Yukai" is notable for starting the trend of having characters dance in the ending credits, while “Super Drive” is incredibly fast pace and addictive.

Non-Otaku Appeal: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is much an anime made for the Otaku audience. It features many references, many of which I did not even get on my initial viewing, and it is reliant on the audience’s familiarity of tropes. 

Entertainment Value: 9.9/10- With the exception of the “Endless Eight” story arc, Haruhi is just about the most fun anime ever made. Of course, entertainment is subjective, but to me, this is how you make a fun anime that still has substance.

Overall: 9.6/10- The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is made of pure fun and entertainment. Few other shows have so much energy along with such unique storylines, likable characters, and surprisingly intellectual plot elements. While not perfect due a few flaws, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a must-watch show for any and all anime fans. 

Closing comments: One year since watching it, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a very important anime for me as a fan of the medium. It opened the door to one of my favorite genres, the slice-of-life drama/comedy. Before this series, it was a genre that I generally ignored, which is one of the many reasons The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is one of my favorite anime.

Recommended for: Otaku, Comedy fans, Sci-Fi fans, High-School genre fans, 

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Free Review

Free, one of 2013's most popular anime and it is the anime that brought about "The Death of Anime!" Well, at least that is what some crazy people thought. 

Free, aka Free! Iwatobi Swim Club, is a short 12 episode series about some longtime friends in high school trying to bring back the swim club so that they can swim competitively again. If you have any prior knowledge of Free, you might be wondering: "Why the heck would you watch something like Free!?" And to that, I have three reasons: 1) two of my favorite anime critics, GRArkada and BakaShift, said it wasn't bad. 2) Free is popular, so why the heck not? And 3) due to its popularity, I should review it. So, is Free worth watching after all? Well, for the most part, it actually is. If you are not familiar with Free, it is known for being one of the first series to have a lot of female oriented fanservice (aka "man-service"). While there is some in the series, it is really more like a slice-of-life comedy with fun sports elements. 

The Good: Genuinely exciting sports aspect and racing, Stunning animation, Likable characters, Effective comedy throughout, Absurdly fun opening and ending songs, Humorous gender trope reversal, Surprisingly good character development, Gou is kawaii,

The Bad: A little too overly dramatic at times, Gets too ridiculous in the first few episodes, 

Plot: 6.9/10- Free's plot is simple and familiar, even if you are like me and have not seen any sports anime. The guys want to start a swim competitively, and some of the series is a like a typical underdog story, except the motivations for the characters are a little different.

Also, while I am not necessarily a fan of swimming as a sport, it is one of my favorite Olympic events, and I know more than enough about the sport to enjoy the aspects of the series that revolve around it. For the majority of the series, like most slice-of-life series, Free is very character driven without much apparent purpose except to win the tournament and rebuild the guys’ friendship with Rin, and considering what it is, that is not a bad thing. The only negative in plot is that when the series tries to be serious, it can be a tad overly dramatic.

Characterization: 8.3/10- One aspect that makes the characters in Free so much fun is how the typical gender tropes and stereotypes are reversed, and the characters are almost self-aware of this fact. For example, the five main characters, Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa, Rin, and Rei all have girly names and the series references this many times. If you are not familiar Japanese names, think of it as if some guys were named, Sue, Jenny, and Kat. On the other hand, the one of the only female cast members, Gou, has a more masculine name. Also, Nagisa often uses the honorific "chan" at the end of his friends' names, which is usually a suffix that is used for young women (there are other uses), and it is sometimes used for humor. Another aspect of the gender reversals is that tropes such as Tsundere are used for one of the male characters. Essentially, the series parodies gender archetypes, and if you are familiar with the female tropes that are often featured in ecchi series or many other anime, you will likely find the satire rather humorous. Also, I want to give the YouTuber BakaShift credit for noticing the gender switch in his review. I may have noticed it myself, but I watched his review before watching the series, so that may have influenced what I observed.

Haruka Nanase: Haruka is a strong and silent type character that loves the water more than anything else. He does not say a lot throughout the series, but he only wants to swim with his childhood friend, Rin, again. Also, Haruka will only swim freestyle, or as the series calls, "Free."

Rin Matsuoka: When the four main characters were children, Rin went to study abroad in Australia so that he could train to be an Olympic swimmer. After he returns, he goes to a special school in Japan that specializes in swimming. While Rin receives the least screen time of the main characters because the series is more about the Iwatobi Swim Club trying to train so that they can compete against Rin's school, his character is well developed, particularly his friendship/rivalry with Haruka.

Makoto Tachibana: Makoto is Haruka's best friend, and he is the one that decides to start the swim club. He is more of a fun guy that is nice to others. Makoto is also easily frightened, which can be a tad annoying at times, but does provide some good humor. Makoto swims the backstroke in competition.

Nagisa Hazuki: Nagisa is the typical energetic little guy. Among the main cast, he probably receives the least development, but he is still a fun character to watch, except for the moments where he acts annoyingly juvenile. He swims the breaststroke.

Rei Ryūgazaki: Rei is odd man of sorts. Unlike the other four, who have been friends since childhood, Rei is new to swim club. While still physically adapt, he relies heavily on theory and logic. Of the main characters, he is probably my favorite, and he wears really cool glasses. Also, he swims the butterfly.

 Gou Matsuoka: Gou is Rin's younger sister. While she does not receive a lot of screen time, she is one of my favorite parts of the series. For one, she is one of the only normal sisters in anime that do not have some weird "onii-chan" complex. Aside from having one of my favorite character designs for female character that blends realism with moe perfectly, watching her "fangirl" about the guys in the series is often humorous. She actually reminds me of a lot of fangirls that I know.

Action: N/A- Of course Free is not an action series, however; the swimming tournaments are actually exciting to watch thanks to the brilliant animation. 

Acting: 7.5/10- While there are no standout amazing performances in Free's Japanese cast, everyone seems to do a fine job in their roles. In the very beginning of the series as well as the flashbacks later on, the voices for the younger versions of the characters are a little too far in the feminine tone to sound natural. As of now, there is no English dub of Free, and I have not heard of one in production.

Art Style: 9.8/10- Free's animation is the highlight of the series. As to be expected with Kyoto Animation, one of my favorite studios, most of the series looks freaking amazing in terms of quality for a slice-of-life series.
In fact, Free started out as a 30 second short to demonstrate how positively amazing Kyoto Animation's water animation looks, and since that short was so popular, the series was made. While the typical animation looks rather good, particularly the female character designs, the animation for the water and the tournament scenes are utterly fantastic! As for the female oriented "man-service," Free can go a little too overboard at times. During the first four episodes, there are a few scenes that are laughably absurd, but after that, the series tones it quite a bit. Fangirls are sure to be pleased, but it can be a little frustrating for some male viewers.

Soundtrack: 7.7/10- Free's soundtrack is surprisingly varied. The score can range from fun and lighthearted music for the comedic scenes to fast and exciting for the racing ones.

Humor: 8.1/10- While not laugh-out-loud funny most of the time, Free is often very humorous. Some of the humor lies with the fact that the character tropes have been reversed, which I explained in the Characterization section, whereas the other humor is more general slice-of-life comedy, and it works well.

Opening and Ending: 9.1/10- Aside from the absurdity of the opening and ending, both have fun and catchy songs with well executed animation. I listen to both the opening and ending quite often in fact. The ending’s animation actually tells a fun little story of sorts.

Non-Otaku Appeal: Honestly, Free is the type of series that anyone that does not mind subtitles can enjoy, although it not high enough in quality for me to recommend to a non-Otaku.

Entertainment Value: 7.8/10- Except for the moments that go overboard, Free is surprising entertaining in a slice-of-life comedy type way, as well as being genuinely exciting in the racing scenes. 

Overall: 7.3/10- Overall, Free is an enjoyable slice-of-life sports anime. Aside from the animation, there is nothing particularly exceptional, nor is there a lot wrong with it. The characters are likable, the humor works, and the swimming scenes are a lot of fun, so if you want to give it a shot, go for it. 

Closing comments: Season two of Free is airing today, and I will probably end up watching it, and maybe even reviewing it.

Recommended for: Slice-of-life fans, Comedy fans, Sports anime fans, Swimming fans, Kyoto Animation fans,

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Clannad Review

Clannad is a critically acclaimed comedy/drama series about the life of Tomoya Okazaki and how his actions affect the ones around him. Clannad is a series that several of my favorite critics, as well as a strong fanbase, highly recommended as one of the best series to date, and it did not disappoint in the slightest. 

For the most part, Clannad is a comedy, and an often hilarious one at that. Obviously humor is subject, but most viewers are sure to find at least something to enjoy in terms of the comedy. However, Clannad’s other side is a surprisingly effective drama with some undertones of well executed romance. 

Clannad's premise is rather simple; Tomoya Okazaki meets this shy fellow classmate named Nagisa Furukawa. Due to medical problems, she was held back a year in school, so she is retaking her senior semester. Nagisa wants to bring back the drama club and being the nice, but being the brutally honest, guy that Tomoya is, he helps her in doing so, which results in a series of great comedic and dramatic moments. 

To fully understand the series, allow me to provide the non-Otaku audience a crash-course in anime lingo. Clannad is contains heavy elements "moe." Moe, pronounced "mo-A," does not have a concrete definition. The word is generally associated with big eyes and generally cute character designs, as well as the often high pitch and cutesy sounding voices of a character. To some, the moe design can be off putting due to the unnatural nature of the eyes and other features. Clannad was my first fully moe series with The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya being the only other one with moe elements before hand, and while it was somewhat odd at first, I become rather fond of the style in Clannad. Clannad is the first true slice-of-life anime that I had watched, although I have seen many since, and Clannad essentially perfected the genre. Also, the high school settings for any kind of fiction is not my preferred setting since I usually cannot relate, in anime however; I actually enjoy it quite a bit if executed well.

The Good: Perfect balance of comedy and drama, Positive message, Mostly perfect use of humor, Incredibly lovable characters, Emotional roller coaster, Often hilarious, Effective soundtrack, Overall strong animation, Each character is provide ample development, Relatable characters, Perfect use of romantic undertones, Strong English dub, Certain parts have positively brilliant animation, Great OVAs,

The Bad:

Moe-Overload!

Plot: 9.1/10- Clannad's plot is effective at delivering situations that produce both humor and emotion. Each of the main characters is given an arch to fully develop said character. Some parts of the story and backstories of the character can be a little on the overly dramatic side for some, but considering that at those points I was so absurdly invested in the characters, it did not bother me. Whether it be the characters or the situation that they are in, Clannad is the type of story that will likely, in at least one aspect, relate to you and your life. While my life is vastly different than any of the characters in the story, especially since I never went a public high school, some of the aspects like family and friends are surprisingly relatable and it will make you think of your life, which is odd since that has never happened to me with any other work of fiction.

Anime, in general, is able to make romance much more entertaining than any other medium and Clannad is a shining example of it. Clannad's romance is used effectively in the story and is never a hindrance to the story in the slightest. When combined with After Story, Clannad has, quite possibly, the greatest romantic storyline of all-time. Also, know that while Clannad is usually grounded in reality, there are fantastical elements in the story.

Characterization: 10/10- Clannad's cast of characters is incredibly lovable! Sure, a few of the characters follow anime archetypes, but the story uses those archetypes to its advantage to progress each character's story. Each character has his or her own problem that he or she must overcome. While there are ecchi undertones, with most of the female cast has a crush on Tomoya, it is far from the ecchi genre in terms of execution. One important thing to know in advance is that in Japan, unless you are family or very close friends, you typically do not refer to someone by their first name, which is an important point in the story. Now for an in-depth look into each of the main characters.
Tomoya Okazaki: Tomoya is the main character of Clannad. He is a slacker in school, and ever since the death of his mother when he was a child, he has had a troubled relationship with his father. He is also brutally honest with his opinion and never sugar coats anything or flatters people. Despite his character flaws, Tomoya is a very nice and kind person that is willing to help people when they are in need, which makes him a very likable character and a surprising relatable one. While the fact almost everyone girl likes him and many of his other traits are not directly relatable to me, two things stand out; his self doubt and that he does not flatter people. He never seems to think of himself as good enough for anyone and he has to try and overcome this, which is what made him an enduring character to me. Also, he does not flatter people with empty compliments and he is often very honest with his opinion, even if it is not what people want to hear, which is surprisingly a lot like myself.
Nagisa Furukawa: Due to medical problems, Nagisa is a weak and frail girl that is retaking her senior year of high school. Despite being physically weak, she is strong in heart and her character is pretty much impossible to dislike. The only problem with her character is that she is somewhat sidelined in the middle portion of the story being relegated to a side character, but in the end, she is given the most development of the female cast. *Possible Spoiler* If it was not obvious enough from the poster and how the series sets it up Nagisa is the girl that will obviously end up with Tomoya in the end, which probably a good thing to prevent the dreaded "love triangle." *End Spoiler*
Youhei Sunohara: Sunohara is Tomoya's weird and wacky best friend. He provides most of the comedic relief in the series and almost all of it hits its mark with his scenes being positively hilarious.
Shino and Akio Furukawa: While not necessarily main characters, Nagisa's parents, Shino and Akio, also provide a lot of great humor. Despite being comic relief characters for a lot of the series, they are surprisingly well fleshed out and developed. They are a great example of a married couple, and a family done right in fiction, even if they are a little cartoony and over-the-top sometimes.

Acting: 9.3/10- Now, the sub and dub presents an interesting dilemma because it is entirely up to how you prefer your moe and drama. In general, the high pitch and cutesy Japanese voices for the female characters is usually my preference in ecchi and non-dramatic series. However, Clannad’s cutesy Japanese moe voice acting often detracts from the seriousness of the drama, especially later in the series. On the other hand, the English cast is able to make the dramatic scenes more believable and realistic. Also, if you dislike Japanese moe voices in general for being unnatural and odd, which is completely understandable, most definitely watch the English dub of Clannad; it will improve the experience.
As for the dub on its own right, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Luci Christian makes Nagisa ridiculously lovable as she captures the perfect amount of "moe-ness" in her performance. David Matranga as Tomoya is nearly flawless. While his best work lies in the second season, After Story, he pulls off the conflicted and troubled nature of the character perfectly. Greg Ayres is absurdly hilarious as Sunohara; no one else could have played the character better. As for the rest of the dub cast, everyone from Hilary Haag to Andrew Love is superb. Aside from my inability to take the Japanese dub as seriously, there is nothing inherently wrong with it if you happen to only watch subs.

Art Style: 9.0/10- Clannad's art style is a unique thing. Being that is done by Kyoto Animation, the studio behind one of personal favorites, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, the animation features many unique characteristics. Also, Clannad is Key adaptation, a company that makes the visual novels that the Clannad, Kanon 2006, and Air anime series are based on. As with most Key adaptations, the animation style is heavily moe. As explained in the beginning of the review, moe generally refers to the cute and large eyed models of the characters. Being that Clannad is the first Key adaptation that I have seen, the animations was new to me, and while not the most impressive, I actually liked the "moe-ness" of the animation. Some people do not like it, and while it does look kind of unnatural, it did not detract from the realistic drama (and the unrealistic drama).
For the most part, the characters look very consistent; however, when there are three female character with exactly the same hair color, I admitted got the characters confused on a couple of occasions early on in the series, granted two of them are twin sisters. In terms of fan-service, Clannad has very little to almost none, which is kind of rare for a high-school based comedy. While the animation is mostly the same in terms of quality, there are these scenes that take place about a girl and a robot that are usually at the beginning of some episodes, and while their true nature in the story is not clearly explained, the animation during those scenes is simply beautiful! Also know that, for the most part, the animation is subdued and consistent, however, during scenes of comedy, the animation turns unrealistic for comedic effect, like the above gif.

Soundtrack: 8.8/10- Clannad's is absolutely perfect at setting the tone of each scene. During the comedy scenes, the score is suitably upbeat and happy with some very catchy and fun tunes. On the other hand, when the series hits you with its dramatic scenes, the score is sad and is effective at inducing the correct emotion.

Humor: 9.5/10- Despite having fantastic scenes of drama and character development, Clannad is very much a comedy in many respects. Being that it is a comedy, some viewers might not find the humor effective, but to me, I was laughing throughout most of the comedy scenes, which is due in large to Sunohara's physical comedy as well as, and Shino and Akio's hilarious and wacky antics. Also, Tomoya's witty remarks are often humorous. Some viewers may not find the first half of the series to be as humorous, but I was never bored for a second throughout the entirety of the series. On a side note, while others might disagree, I believe the English dub to significantly increase the comedic effect of the series opposed to the Japanese dub. This is large thanks to Greg Ayres’ absolutely hilarious portrayal of Sunohara.

Opening and Ending: 8.7/10- As with many visual novel adaptations, the opening is well animated and features the names of all of the main female protagonists, which is helpful in remembering all of the characters’ names. The song is perfectly fitting of the series, but not the most memorable. The ending theme however, while not the best to actually listen to, is beyond perfect for the series and it is actually used in the series at important parts in the story for maximum effect. Watch the opening below.

Entertainment Value: 9.6/10- Clannad is the type of series that, largely thanks to the humor and lovable characters, never ceased to entertain me. It was my first true high school comedy/drama, and the genre has since become an almost guilty pleasure of mine, although Clannad is far from a guilty pleasure.

Non-Otaku Appeal: Whether or not a non-Otaku will enjoy Clannad heavily depends on his or her tolerance of the art style. Since even some Otaku dislike the style, many non-Otaku will likely find it far too unnatural for his or her taste. If the viewer can get past that one aspect, they will likely find a lot to enjoy in terms of comedy and drama.

Overall: 9.2/10- Overall, Clannad contains the perfect balance of comedy and drama, which is brilliantly combined with absurdly lovable characters and strong values that might actually make you reflect on your own life.

Closing comments: While Clannad is great, it is only a setup for the true reason Clannad is often hailed as the masterpiece of anime that it is, Clannad: After Story.

Note: Unlike most of the anime that I have reviewed thus far, Clannad does not contain any content that you would not see on network television like occasional mild profanity, which means I can recommend the series to basically anyone in his or her teens or older.

Recommended for: Everyone that does not mind the animation, Anime fans, Animation fans, Drama fans, Comedy fans, Slice-of-life fans, 

To read more of my anime reviews, you can click here.

For another opinion of Clannad, you can read Arvin Saints' review Clannad by clicking here, and you can read another review over on Otaku Style by clicking here. Both blogs are highly recommended to any anime fans. You can also check out a mini-review of Clannad by my friend Shena Tokala by clicking here.

Also, if you have reviewed this anime, leave a comment with a link to your review and I will post it here (providing it does not contain any explicit content).

Clannad: After Story in a Nutshell

If you are still on the fence about watching Clannad, watch a review from the guy that convinced me to watch the series in the first place, GRArkada. To avoid spoilers, stop watching the review around 4:10 in the video and skip to 18:20 to see his final verdict. Also note that his final verdict includes the second season After Story, while my review does not. My full review for After Story will be coming in the future. After watching all of GRArkada’s reviews, this is the highest score that I have seen him give anything, and while Clannad is not my number one favorite, I completely agree with his review. He also gives an excellent synopsis of the series if you want to know more. 

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