Clannad Recap – Episode 5

These recaps are still alive, how dare you question my ability to keep promises for even one second! I will recap the entire series! I will! *claps shoes*

Get ready to meet my new favourite cap and my new favourite OTP forever, this episodes a good’n.

         

         

The atmosphere is tense, the soundtrack is an edited version of ‘Town / The Flow of People’ (one of my favourite Clannad tracks, it means serious business).

4th cap of Fuuko is great, she’s still a kid, yet she hides her emotions so vigorously. She keeps a mask on at all time, but sometimes it slips, and we can all see the melancholy.

Nagisa and Tomoya decide to go and visit Fuuko’s sister, but Fuuko tells them she isn’t coming with them, she says “there is no point”.

         

As Nagisa and Tomoya stand by the traffic, they talk about the situation. Tomoya doesn’t believe that she is a ghost a phantom, she is human no matter how you look at her, but he thinks there must be some reason why she thinks she is Ibuki Fuuko, even if she isn’t.

         

         

Kouko turns out to be the woman that Tomoya met in the bakery last episode and it seems she has a good relationship with Nagisa. The two greet each other like old friends and Kouko asks if Nagisa and Tomoya are in a relationship, which of course results in an over-the-top panicky blushy “Oh gosh! No!” performance from Nagisa, I still love her, but when a character becomes far too easy to predict its not a good thing.

On another note, Japanese subtitles invading my beautiful caps again! *hiss*

         

         

To quickly change the conversation Nagisa congratulates Kouko on her engagement to her boyfriend.

Kouko’s face stiffens and she freezes, her fingers clutching the watering can. She asks them how they know about that as she has only told her younger sister by her hospital bed.

I know I’ve said this a million times and I should just cut it out now, but this is such a fantastic example of how KyoAni make every scene they do look extravagant, we get close ups of expressions, even little details like clutching her watering can in shock, its really well done and really engaging to watch.

Also Nagisa’s Hair x The Sunset forever. They are OTP.

          

Since Tomoya is the only one of the pair with a functioning brain (I just want to bash Nagisa tonight, okay?!?) he comes up with an excuse as Nagisa flutters about. He says that there have been rumours around the school and that it probably originates from people seeing the pair together.

         

         

         

Kouko sighs and looks up at the sky, an orb of light floats over the sunset and Kouko gazes at it. She tells the pair that she might not get married after all, she hasn’t decided whether to wait for her sister or pursue her own happiness.

The eye close ups, the floating light, the sunset, the angle that enlarges Kouko’s flowing dress, UGH. This has got to be the new most beautiful scene, I’m sorry end of episode one, this episode can take the MBS awards forever! until next time.

I love this because it is so real, its such a real dilemma, a dilemma that I think most of us can see ourselves in. If someone we truly loved got hurt and was in dire danger, and possibly could be hanging onto the edge of fate for many years to come, would it be easy to pursue our own happiness? What’s the alternative, drop everything? Drive ourselves crazy waiting to continue our lives?

What Kouko’s doing isn’t right but it is understandable.

The orb of light will be a recurring thing in this series, its meanings are at the very core of Clannads concept and it is a very important element, in season 2 they will be part of the plot, but for now they will hang around and you’ll have to figure out what they mean. They definitely mean a significant even is happening. But what is being represented here? Happiness? Sadness? Hope? Love?

         

         

In the park Tomoya says that they should have told Kouko everything, they should have told her that Fuuko is at school. Nagisa says that she feels like she shouldn’t say anything so carelessly. I can see both of their points, I’d say lying or withholding information in cases like this is always wrong, but Nagisa is right, telling Kouko that Fuuko is at school might not have done good for either of them, the situation is very delicate right now, that much they know, even if they don’t understand why.

The second shot is awesome, I just like how Nagisa and Tomoya or sitting parallel to those swings, like if they were propelled forwards on the screen they would be on them. Maybe it represents the childhood neither of them had? IDK.

         

         

After tearing up, Nagisa stands and announces that instead of crying she will help Fuuko with whatever she is trying to accomplish. I like the way she does this because its almost childish, she knows absolutely nothing about what is going on, why Fuuko is at school and in hospital at the same time, yet she somehow knows that Fuuko is the one who needs her help, and she blindingly decides that she will dedicate herself to helping her. Nagisa is full of good intentions, all she wants to do is make people happy and stop people from being sad, her decision, though childish, is genuine and good-hearted.

         

Later on Nagisa, Fuuko and Tomoya are meeting outside the bakery. Nagisa has decided that Fuuko should live with them as she can’t keep sleeping at the school, Tomoya suggests that Fuuko use a fake last name since Nagisa’s parents are acquainted with Kouko.

I often wonder why Fuuko always clutches her star up to her chest instead of simply holding it by her side, even when she is just being casual, it’s almost like its her company, almost like the way she’s clutching it shows just how she is clutching onto this situation with her sister.

         

         

          

As expected Akio and Sanae are welcoming, but when it comes to the point where Fuuko has to come up with an alias, she uses the Furukawa’s neighbours name that she had previously seen outside.

Tomoya objects to this by punching Fuuko in the head, seriously Tomoya, child abuse is wrong, she’s only a little thing.

         

They manage to convince them that it is a coincidence and Fuuko is happily welcomed into the household.

         

         

As Tomoya returns to Sunohara’s apartment as per usual he is almost trampled by a group of sports kids (IDK what to call them) as they run out of the building, it turns out Misae was scolding them for peeping in the girls bathroom.

First of all, peeping in the girls bathroom? Wtf is up with that? That isn’t a common thing, that is like, messed up and you could get arrested O_O

I love Misae btw, she’s a really great character. I can’t wait to recap her arc in the beginning of season 2.

         

Sunohara walks in and for some reason Misae assaults him.

I’m not sure what to think of that attack position, is she crushing his head with her feet and ass?

         

In Sunohara’s room Tomoya explains that the theatre club is currently on hold, they’re too busy babysitting a ghost girl (“Not that I believe she’s a ghost”).

Tomoya says that it’s not just Fuuko he is worried about, he is doing this because he is worried about Nagisa too.

I love that throughout the series Nagisa is the one who pulls Tomoya into caring about people, they definitely change each other.

         

         

His next destination is the bakery, he walks in to find the entire family crafting wooden stars, Akio screams in pain as he cuts his fingers.

         

They hear a customer enter and Akio tells Tomoya to go tend the shop, Sanae says that this isn’t a thing he should be asking of his daughters friend.

“Ok, if Sanae-san says she loves me that much, it can’t be helped!!”

That made me lol, have these two ever had a conversation that has been fully received on both ends?

         

           

First cap =3 I love it when Fuuko is backlit by foliage =3

Tomoya says the floor looks like a starry sky and Fuuko asks why, he says “Well, they’re stars right?” and she replies “No, they’re starfish”.

And here comes my favourite Fuuko line so far, Tomoya is like “You’ve been carving Starfish all this time?!?” “Of course, Fuuko doesn’t understand why Fuuko would make stars, that doesn’t make any sense” “STARFISH MAKE EVEN LESS SENSE”. xD

         

         

When Nagisa enters the room Tomoya questions her on what she thinks these shapes are, she answers that she has always thought they were starfish.

Those 1st and 3rd caps are smexy, Nagisa does a way better job of the “Kawaiii dessssss” face than Fuuko does.

         

         

The next day Fuuko is continuing to hand out her starfish to the students, Nagisa and Tomoya approach her.

         

         

         

Tomoya asks if she is planning on talking to her sister personally, and Fuuko steps back, holding her “starfish” closer to her chest. She says she doesn’t know why but she thinks that her sister might not be able to hear her, and that’s why she’s at this school, because she can’t go home.

Sorry for the over-capping (I lie, I’m not sorry at all) but its just… Fuuko. She’s so full of hidden emotion in her little posture and frame, her face tries to hide her feelings and confusion, and she’s trying so hard. She has a strong will, she’s decided that as long as she can continue to work towards her goal without falling to pieces then everything will be alright.

         

         

Nagisa asks Fuuko what her sister calls her and Fuuko says “Fu-chan”, Nagisa decides to call her that from now. Tomoya smiles and asks if he can call her that now too and she cringes “That would be horrible!”.

I love how Fuuko rejects Tomoya all the time, because it isn’t even in a Tsundere way, it’s more like, in an affectionate but funny and self-aware way. Maybe I just don’t watch enough anime but as far as me, a non-otaku, knows, Fuuko is a very original character.

         

The next stop is Miyazawa Yukine’s fortress of solitude to attempt another starfish sale. Yukine is a pretty simple character, reading her route in the visual novel was literally like I was actually sitting and chilling out in a cafe, I’m not sure how I feel about her character or her storyline, I suppose we’ll see as I recap.

          

I do love how her face is in a constant state of ditz, and I kinda have a thing for long brown unkept hair on girls (<3 Hermione).

         

She accepts their offer and agrees to show up for the wedding.

         

         

         

Fuuko once again falls into starfish-stasis after being hugged by Nagisa, and Tomoya see’s an opportunity for a prank.

         

         

         

Ryou’s instructions are too tell Fuuko “I am Okazaki, I used to be a man” when she wakes up, and then explain “It falls off every now and again” after that just reply “I guess” to everything.

I have to feel sorry for Ryou, there is absolutely nothing she won’t do for others if her sister isn’t there to pull her out of it. She’s been sheltered by Onee-chan so much she’s never gained any sense of what is and isn’t right. In this instance she isn’t having fun and she isn’t “with the joke” she’s part of it, and she was casually exploited by Tomoya for a laugh. With a personality like hers she’s asking for others to use her.

I hate myself for never realising how amazing the WALLS look in this hallway! I mean, so blue, so shiny! How do you get walls to shine like that?! How?! TELL ME.

Her face is brilliantly done too, so puppyish <3

         

         

The way she drops her starfish in shock <3 So Trxd-ish!

The thing that made Tomoya’s laughing comical is that it was actually realistic, the “Just give me a minute, I’m dying here” hand wave is brilliant.

         

         

“This is amazing! Fuuko never knew such a thing could happen to people! Ah! Looking at it in reverse, is there a chance that one could attach itself to Fuuko?!”

“I guess”

“IT  COULD HAPPEN FUUKO IS UTTERLY SHOCKED!”

I’ve missed Clannad humour so much! The writing is brilliant on both the drama and comedy sides, and that can’t be said for many things. I know many people consider these scenes useless and unnecessary, and I admit when stuff like this gets too frequent in one episode I get irritated as well, but it serves a purpose. The thing Clannad does brilliantly is that it lets you get to know the characters as full people, not just drama devices, you see their regular lives, you see the regular things they go through and you see the funny things they go through, and it makes it a million times more emotional when you see the traumatic things they go through. Fuuko is probably the best example of this, it would have been hard to care at all if this storyline had just cut right to the chase.

Her hysteria really reminds me of myself (yes, I do see a bit of myself in every single character on this show) except I behave like this more when a new game or anime I like is announced.

         

Tomoya reappears and Fuuko is convinced the whole thing was a dream.

         

         

Yay! A new kyou entrance! It’s a Kyoutrance! <3

Fuuko see’s Ryou (who she believes to be Tomoya’s female form), Kyou and Tomoya and is in shock “Three Okazaki-san’s!”

         

         

         

Fuuko decides that the twins look amazing holding the starfish to their chests, and I agree.

When will someone hurry up and write a fanfiction where Fuuko is a photographer?

         

         

         

Nagisa says that they are both very beautiful so they look nice when they are stood together, Tomoya says that they are very different inside though, the younger one is a hamster and the older one is a gorilla. He receives a starfish in the face for this, which he deserves.

That’s something I don’t understand about Tomoya, although he seems inconsiderate most of the time he has a brilliant talent of seeing the good in people, Nagisa, Tomoyo, Misae, Kotomi, heck even Sunohara sometimes, he doesn’t judge and suddenly dismiss any of them because somehow no matter how strange they are he can see the good in them, but these twins seem to be the only exception. I’m not saying he hates either of them because I don’t think he does but he is extremely firm in his judgement on both of their personalities.

I think perhaps its because he seems himself in both of them, and so he is subconsciously rejecting them to an extent throughout the storyline, he refuses to get romantic with either of them, In Kyou he sees who he is scared to become and scared that other people view him as, devoted to protect the girl he loves and hurting others and himself in the process (which arguably is what he becomes in the end), and in Ryou he sees the sweet, kind and overly gentle girl that will destroy him and ultimately be his downfall. It’s very interesting in the light of after story.

         

         

         

As they continue walking down a hallway, hands full of starfish, Nagisa talks about how the gift giving is going very well as everyone is accepting them.

Fuuko suddenly see’s someone she recognises, it’s Mitsui, the only girl Fuuko talked to on her first day of school years ago. The way she spots her and does a little run shouting “Mitsui san…!” really breaks my heart knowing what is about to happen. As Mitsui questions what happened to Fuuko, Tomoya quickly puts his hand on her shoulder and gives her an alibi. He quickly fixes the situation, giving Fuuko the chance to talk to an old friend without having to worry about her past, its a very kind and loving thing for him to do.

I absolutely love what the animators are doing here, the environment is done extremely well, the camera angles are over the head which is creepy and unusual, the environment is dull, lit very dimly by the windows. There is no music, the environment effects are given a chance to take the stage right now.

         

         

         

         

         

Brb heart breaking.

After gaining the confidence from the success of her previous endeavours she jumps up to the first friend she ever made and offers her a starfish, there are no masks in this offer, no shields, Fuuko is naked and her heart is ready to be punctured. Even though she knows that she doesn’t mean nearly as much to her friend as she does to her she still gathers all the bravery in her little body and tries, and it fails. Mitsui rejects the starfish, saying she won’t be able to attend the ceremony because she is studying very hard and doesn’t want to lose any time.

“You wouldn’t understand, you’re still a freshman. Goodbye”

I hate that, it just sounded so callous. She refuses to make time for something that means so much to Fuuko and then passive aggressively leaves, treating Fuuko to the sight of the back of her head.

That effort meant a lot to Fu-chan, she stands paralyzed for a minute, face sunk, starfish fell to her side.

         

         

Back at the house Tomoya tells Fuuko to cheer up but Fuuko says that she isn’t sad or disappointed, which is a lie to them and herself, because she only talked to Mitsui once so she was glad she just remember her name. She then says she never attended any classes but would love too, and Tomoya jumps up, saying its time to call Kyou and Sunohara.

I love those random shoulder buttons, oh Japanese fashion <3 Looking weird for the sake of it since before Lady Gaga.

         

         

The next day as the gang walk through the school they notice students putting decorations up, Tomoya says that this is because they are preparing for the Founders Festival.

         

         

Fuuko is following them blindly as usual, then Tomoya and Nagisa enter a classroom to meet Kyou, Ryou and Sunohara. They do their greetings and Sunohara says he is only here because of Nagisa, it seems they have something planned.

That hallway seriously looks like something out of Tron.

         

         

         

“Fu-chan, class will begin soon” Nagisa says, imitating a teacher.

They have organised a fake lesson.

         

         

         

Sanae san is the teacher, as she walks in we see Fuuko and Nagisa share some silent words.

I love the cap of Nagisa turning around to Fuuko, she looks incredibly motherly in it, this is the first time we see this side to her and I’m sure she isn’t even aware of it herself.

Is this the first time we’ve seen Fuuko genuinely happy and content?

         

The class begins and Sanae instructs everyone to introduce themselves.

         

         

I know I say this about the characters so much that my statements have lost all meaning, but Fuuko is the cutest here she has ever been.

Nagisa adorably says that she is going to take the class seriously unlike Tomoya and Sunohara, and Tomoya decides that she should be class rep. Nagisa rejects the offer in a fluster and instead nominates Fuuko.

         

         

She introduces herself, still under the alias of ‘Isogai Fuuko’ and says that she likes starfish.

         

         

         

Sanae tells Fuuko to look around, everyone she sees is her classmate, her friend.

I don’t even have any in-depth analysis of this, none needed, you all see it. It’s simple and beautiful, a child's happiness, giving her the chance to live a life we all take for granted but she missed out on because of an accident.

I fucking love you Sanae, you knew exactly what you were doing here, you always know exactly what you’re doing, how to make people feel better, how to do exactly the right thing. That’s why I just don’t understand the running away / crying sequences.

         

And Fuuko’s smile makes the episode.

         

         

         

Once again a light is flying in the sky, it hovers outside the classroom for a second and Tomoya catches a glimpse of it.

“Ibuki Fuuko, she’s a little weird, but she’s a normal girl no matter how you look at her.”

So fitting with the way this episode ended, Fuuko doesn’t wear her true emotions on her sleeve, she doesn’t act like she cares about spending time with friends, but at the end of the day she is just like every other kid.

8/10

I feel like this episode had just the right amount of serious material and just the right amount of filler. This was definitely a major episode in terms of Fuuko’s character progression, and it is done very naturally, we start to see who Fuuko really is, but not because she has changed, because we see the sad lonely look in her eyes when she is rejected by a friend and we see the hope and love in her eyes when she attends her first class. Clannad magic.