Strategy for Comeback

Rating: 9/10

Just when you start to think, “Hey, it can’t get any better than this!”, it does. Clannad keeps getting better and better that I’m beginning to feel afraid of what’s to come. Afraid, but very damn excited. It’s a good thing, really. I just can’t wait for the widescreen DVD version of the series to hit the shelves.

Tomoya getting bombarded by his harem was hilarious, especially when even the usually quiet Kotomi and Ryou duo starts to get into the act and forces Tomoya to finish up the insane amount of food prepared for the lucky bastard. Well, Fuko was there as well, but her random appearance doesn’t really surprise me anymore nor does it add much effect to the atmosphere as it did the first time it happened.

I don’t get it, why can’t Tomoya just appreciate all the girls fussing over him for once. I, for one, would probably enjoy it much like how Sunohara would and let’s be honest here, most guys would LOVE to be in his place right about now. He just doesn’t know how to truly enjoy what he has.

I’ve heard many people saying that there won’t be a Kyou or Tomoyo arc, and I finally see the reason why. Looks like Tomoya is finally starting to realize a hidden feeling for Nagisa and the part where Nagisa was hit by the tennis ball? Priceless! That scene effectively killed any other arcs or pairings unless KyoAni decides to pull a big one over us. And chances are, if they did that, they would have hordes of fans marching down their hallways unleashing deadly flesh eating starfishes.

Looks like Tomoya’s defensive instinct for Nagisa is finally revealing itself…

I’m beginning to really love Clannad’s soundtracks, especially the one played during this entire scene and during the part where Tomoya and Kyou were locked together in the gym equipment storage.

And as much as I’m a big fan of Kyou and Tomoyo, I do think that Nagisa would be the best choice for Tomoya.

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A Room Without Anyone

Rating: 9/10

This is one heck of a funny episode. I had expected something more gloomy from the title, but damn, this episode is just too awesome.

I wouldn’t mind waking up to this everyday…

Honestly, I wouldn’t had minded waking up early for school if this is what I see first thing when I opened my eyes in the morning. It makes me cry thinking how Tomoya doesn’t really appreciate what Tomoyo is showing doing for him.

Just when you think Sunohara can’t get any lower, he did so by actually begging Tomoyo to let him touch her. I wonder what’s more pathetic, the fact that Sunohara actually begged, or the fact that he actually believed he would get to touch Tomoyo in a naughty-naughty way. Shame on you!

But the best part has got to be when Tomoya got locked in the gym equipment store room with Kyou. It was just too hilarious and the background music made it that much funnier. The conversation was too much to handle as well, with very suggestive lines from Kyou and Tomoya never seemed to “get it”.

“Please! Let me do it, I beg you!”

“But we’re not even seeing each other…”

“But I can’t take it any longer, I need it NOW!”

“See my sexy body and accept me, Kyou!”

“OMG! I never knew Tomoya was that HOT!”

“Please, be gentle…”

This could be the start of something very interesting indeed, and we may see Ryou getting betrayed by her very own sister… But don’t worry, Kyou. We’re rooting for you! XD

Now, if you’ll excuse me I need to go find myself a couple of 10 yen coins…

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3 on 3

Rating: 7/10

Kyou seems to have a SM fetish from the way she spoke to Sunohara. And she has her own fanclub! Where do I sign up? XD

No matter how well a basketball match scene is planned and animated, it would never satisfy you if you’ve watched Slam Dunk before. That said, the basketball match in this episode was actually pretty solid, although I still wonder if anyone could actually shoot the ball and score from Tomoya’s position as he was falling down.

Mei only lasted one episode and seems like the only reason for her to be there was to convince Tomoya to play, other than that, she really didn’t serve any other purpose in the storyline. But poor Sunohara must have felt left out as usual with Mei paying more attention to others.

I’m still not really sure why Sunohara came up with the basketball match. How is watching them play basketball and then win going to convince the choir club to abandon their hopes when one of their members had even dared to send threats to Nagisa?

3 points for the theater club, 10 points for Kyou in gym attire!

Actually, why can’t they just convince the choir group to join the theater club and they can start performing musicals. That way, Nagisa would be able to get her club together and act, while the choir girls gets to sing.

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A Problematic Matter

Rating: 7/10

Nagisa needs to be more firm (in more ways than one *grins*). Fuko needs to stop appearing for no reason. It was fun and reassuring when she first re-appeared, but she really needs to stop doing that once every few episodes.

I’m quite confused with what this episode is trying to achieve really. There’s just so much stuff going on all at once. At one point, it seemed as if we’ll get into Nagisa’s arc, then Sunohara started to have a somewhat significant role (not to mention his sister who suddenly appeared) and then there were hints of growing relationship between Tomoya and Tomoyo. Not to mention Kyou’s hint when Tomoya mentioned that he’s not dating anyone.

It could be KyoAni just hinting of things to come, although why they would waste an entire episode is beyond me. Unless of course, the series is planned to be longer than originally anticipated by most people.

It’s amazing how Tomoya can come up with lies after lies after lies on the spot with a straight face… I wonder if I can get some lessons from him. It would be a great skill to have 😀

I couldn’t resist… XD

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Theory of Everything

Rating: 8/10

I’ll have to admit, Kotomi’s arc was rather disappointing. Don’t get me wrong, it’s really good and very well executed, but it still pales in comparison with Fuko’s arc.

The buildup wasn’t as strong and solid, and while we do get more of Kyou, she never really did anything much and Nagisa was pretty much neglected the whole time. The whole arc was almost purely Tomoya – Kotomi only, with exceptions to the arc’s first episode.

It lacked the warmth and the strong emotions portrayed back in Fuko’s arc that had many ended up with a tear or two during the journey itself and turned Clannad into a sob-fest at the end.

At least now we know why Tomoya never made it for Kotomi’s birthday until after she set the envelope on fire. What really amazes me is how the suitcase containing Kotomi’s birthday present had survived all these years and had been passed along so many people across the globe.

They had only signed the letter with their initials, so other than the clue that the person the suitcase was meant for is Japanese, how had they managed to have the suitcase sent to the correct lab? Or rather, why hadn’t the people who had been playing “passing parcel” handed the suitcase to the authority? Surely they would have done a better, speedier job at locating Kotomi?

And for some strange reason I was convinced that Kotomi would suddenly disappear into thin air and later on revealed to be yet another spirit like Fuko. Must have been those fluffy looking light… things…

And while the message to pass the teddy bear along spoken in different languages sounded rather butchered (its good to be an Asian, you’re more likely to able to understand more languages 😀 ) I think KyoAni deserves to be praised for being able to pull it off in the first place.

I had expected the next episode to be the starting of either Kyou or Tomoyo’s arc, but looks like it would be something different altogether.

I was almost certain that Tomoya would confess to Kotomi right there and then…

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