Clannad (video game)

Lore & Background

Clannad was developed by Key and released on April 28, 2004, for Windows. It was the studio's first game designed for all ages, unlike its predecessors Kanon and Air. The game was later ported to multiple consoles including PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. An English version for Windows was released on Steam by Sekai Project in 2015.

The story revolves around Tomoya Okazaki, a high school student who dislikes his life after his mother died and his father became estranged due to alcoholism and neglect following a shoulder injury from a fight with thugs. He meets Nagisa Furukawa, a girl repeating her last year due to illness, and helps her reform the drama club. Along the way, he meets four other girls—Kyou Fujibayashi, Kotomi Ichinose, Tomoyo Sakagami, and Fuko Ibuki—and helps resolve their problems. In the After Story arc, Tomoya marries Nagisa, who later dies after giving birth to their daughter Ushio. Tomoya eventually reconciles with his father and raises Ushio, and in the true ending they live happily together.

Gameplay involves reading narrative and dialogue with branching plot lines and multiple endings. There are six main plotlines, with five initially available. Completing a character's scenario earns an orb of light; obtaining eight unlocks the After Story arc, and all 13 lights are needed for the true ending. Originally, lights were meant as usable items, but this was simplified to avoid detracting from the story.

Reader's Guide

Clannad is significant as a landmark visual novel that established Key's reputation for emotional, family-centered storytelling. It was the best-selling PC game in Japan at its release and charted in the national top 50 multiple times. The game spawned extensive media adaptations, including four manga adaptations, comic anthologies, light novels, art books, audio dramas, and music albums. An animated film by Toei Animation was released in September 2007, followed by two anime television series and two OVA episodes by Kyoto Animation produced between 2007 and 2009, all licensed by Sentai Filmworks and released in North America in 2009. The animated adaptations achieved high sales in Japan and critical acclaim abroad. Key later produced an adult spin-off titled Tomoyo After: It's a Wonderful Life in November 2005, expanding on the scenario of Tomoyo Sakagami. The game's themes emphasize the value of family, as reflected in its title, which main scenario writer Jun Maeda mistakenly believed meant 'clan' or 'family' in Irish. The game's opening theme 'Mag Mell' and the bundled arrange album Mabinogi reference Irish mythology and medieval Welsh prose, respectively.

Did You Know?

• Clannad was Key's first game specifically made for all ages, unlike their previous works Kanon and Air.
• The game's title was based on a mistaken belief by writer Jun Maeda that the Irish band name Clannad meant 'clan' or 'family'.
• The After Story arc is unlocked after obtaining eight orbs of light, and the true ending requires all 13 lights.