Clannad (video game)

Clannad

Company type	Visual novel
Industry	Video games
Founded	April 28, 2004 (2004-04-28)
Founder	Key
Products	Visual novel

Clannad is a Japanese visual novel created by Key, originally launched on April 28, 2004, for Windows. In contrast to Key's previous works Kanon and Air, which were initially released as adult titles before being adapted for younger audiences, Clannad was developed from the outset as an all-ages experience. The game was later adapted for several platforms, including PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. An English-language Windows edition was made available on Steam by Sekai Project in 2015.

The storyline centers on Tomoya Okazaki, chronicling his journey from adolescence into adulthood, with a focus on his relationships with five principal heroines during his last year of high school and beyond. Gameplay revolves around player decisions that influence branching narrative paths. Upon its release, Clannad became the top-selling PC game in Japan and maintained a strong presence in national sales rankings thereafter. The franchise expanded with an adult-themed spin-off titled Tomoyo After: It's a Wonderful Life, released in November 2005, which focuses on the character Tomoyo Sakagami.

This franchise has grown to encompass multiple media adaptations, including four distinct manga series published by ASCII Media Works, Flex Comix, Fujimi Shobo, and Jive, alongside comic anthologies, light novels, art collections, audio dramas, and several music albums. An animated film produced by Toei Animation premiered in September 2007, followed by two anime television series and accompanying OVAs developed by Kyoto Animation between 2007 and 2009. These anime versions were licensed for North American distribution by Sentai Filmworks in 2009, where they garnered notable commercial success and critical praise internationally.

Gameplay

In Clannad, players take on the role of Tomoya Okazaki within a drama and romance visual novel framework. The gameplay primarily consists of reading through narrative text and dialogue while navigating a branching plotline that offers multiple endings. There are six main narrative routes, with five accessible from the start. Player decisions directly affect how the story unfolds.

At first, players engage with the scenarios of five heroines during the School Life story arc. Completing each heroine’s route rewards the player with an orb of light; gathering eight orbs unlocks the After Story arc. One orb disappears during the School Life arc but reappears in After Story. Collecting all 13 orbs is necessary to reach the true ending. Initially intended as usable items within gameplay, orbs were simplified to avoid complexity and maintain narrative immersion.

Setting and themes

The first portion of the narrative is set predominantly at Hikarizaka Private High School, featuring key locations such as Nagisa’s family-run bakery and Youhei Sunohara’s dormitory. Additionally, the story includes an Illusionary World inhabited by a young girl who later acquires a body constructed from discarded items, enabling interaction with the player. The latter half takes place within the same city following earlier events.

Central to the story is the theme of family, inspired by the Irish word "clann," meaning family. The main characters—Tomoya, Nagisa, and Kotomi—do not have siblings but their parental relationships play significant roles in their character development. Nagisa’s storyline highlights an idealized concept of family with an emphasis on mental consciousness. A recurring element in her arc is , a fictional children’s mascot. The growth of Tomoya and Nagisa exemplifies the theme of maturation into adulthood. The stories of Fuko and Kyou prominently feature sisterly relationships, while Tomoyo’s route focuses on her entire family dynamic.

Irish cultural references are woven throughout the work, including the opening theme "Mag Mell," which translates to "plain of joy" and connects to Irish mythology. The original game’s accompanying arrange album named Mabinogi contains remixed tracks and draws inspiration from medieval Welsh prose collections.

Primary Characters

Players take on the role of Tomoya Okazaki, the delinquent lead character in Clannad. Tomoya is candid and often blunt but demonstrates unwavering loyalty and selflessness toward his friends.

He encounters Nagisa Furukawa, the central female protagonist, a reserved girl battling an illness who struggles with social interaction and often motivates herself by quietly repeating the names of her favorite foods, such as anpan. Kyou Fujibayashi is an assertive and talented cook, known for hurling a dictionary when angered; however, she reveals a gentler nature when it comes to her twin sister, Ryou Fujibayashi.

Kotomi Ichinose is an intellectual prodigy ranked among the top 10 students nationally in examinations. She dedicates much of her time to the library, immersed in foreign language literature, yet lacks strong social skills and frequently disregards interruptions.

Tomoyo Sakagami, a physically strong and athletic transfer student in her second year, prefers using kicks during conflicts and shows little deference to upperclassmen like Tomoya. Tomoyo later becomes the main heroine in Key’s fifth title, Tomoyo After: It's a Wonderful Life.

The final heroine introduced is first-year student Fuko Ibuki, characterized by her energetic and childlike demeanor. She often carves starfish-shaped wooden presents alone and experiences ecstatic moments centered around her fascination with star motifs.

Storyline

Clannad follows Tomoya Okazaki, a disenchanted third-year high schooler. Following the death of his mother Atsuko, Tomoya’s father Naoyuki succumbs to alcohol abuse and gambling, resulting in a distant and strained relationship between father and son. An injury sustained during a confrontation with Naoyuki forces Tomoya to quit basketball, intensifying his isolation and leading him down a path of delinquency alongside his friend Youhei Sunohara.

The narrative commences on April 14, 2003, when Tomoya meets Nagisa Furukawa, who is repeating her final year due to health issues. Nagisa’s goal is to revive the defunct drama club, with Tomoya offering his support. Through this project, he forms connections with several other girls, assisting them in overcoming their personal difficulties.

After Story

The continuation covers seven years after the initial events. Tomoya and Nagisa marry and begin raising a family but encounter significant challenges, particularly concerning Nagisa’s illness. After giving birth to their daughter Ushio, Nagisa passes away, leaving Tomoya overwhelmed by grief and unable to care for their child. Nagisa’s parents, Akio and Sanae Furukawa, step in as guardians.

Five years later, Tomoya discovers from his grandmother Shino Okazaki that his father endured a traumatic history similar to his own struggles. This insight inspires Tomoya to take responsibility for Ushio’s upbringing and seek reconciliation with Naoyuki. Shortly after regaining stability, Ushio develops the same illness that afflicted Nagisa. Despite quitting work to provide full-time care and the family’s collective efforts, Ushio ultimately dies during a winter excursion.

Tomoya’s mental state is further explored through visions set in the Illusionary World (幻想世界), a desolate realm where he meets a girl capable of merging discarded objects into new creations. Together they construct a body for him and attempt to fashion another doll lacking a soul. As winter draws near in this dreamlike world, the girl becomes cold and motionless but informs Tomoya that he can alter destiny by gathering "lights"—emblems of happiness—throughout both story arcs. Collecting all these lights unlocks an alternative ending where Nagisa survives and lives with Tomoya and Ushio.

Development

Takahiro Baba from Visual Arts, the publisher overseeing Key, served as the executive producer for Clannad. The planning and majority of scenario writing were led by Jun Maeda, one of the three principal scenario writers alongside Kai and Yūichi Suzumoto, with support from Tōya Okano. Art direction and character design were managed by Itaru Hinoue, who received assistance on computer graphics from Miracle Mikipon, Mochisuke, Na-Ga, and Shinory. Background artwork was created by Torino. The soundtrack featured compositions by Maeda, Shinji Orito, and Magome Togoshi.

Following Key's earlier visual novel Air, Maeda felt he had fulfilled his creative intentions but recognized that player engagement was somewhat limited. With Clannad, his objective was to craft a more approachable and enjoyable narrative, highlighting profound human connections within the town and emphasizing themes of humanity. Maeda described the writing phase as exceeding his personal limits, referring to it as a "wall" he doubted he would surpass again. According to Suzumoto, the story expanded substantially during development, nearly doubling in length due to extended base scenarios and additional branching storylines.

There were concerns about potential overlap with Air, particularly regarding the length of Nagisa's storyline possibly overshadowing other characters' routes. Some proposed reducing disparities between character paths to avoid excessive focus on a single heroine; however, Maeda dismissed this idea, believing that varied scenarios would enrich players' overall experience. He also aimed to balance the After Story arc with the School Life arc to ensure neither section dominated, making both halves equally compelling and emotionally resonant.

In terms of length, Clannad ranks as Key's second most extensive work, trailing by approximately 4,000 words behind their 2008 release Little Busters! Ecstasy, as noted by Yūto Tonokawa.

Release history

Announced in 2001 with an initial target release in 2002, Clannad experienced delays before launching on April 28, 2004, as a limited edition DVD for Windows PCs. This limited edition included the remix album Mabinogi. A standard edition followed on August 6, 2004. Originally released without voice acting, the game saw a full voice version titled Clannad Full Voice for Windows on February 29, 2008. This edition introduced voice acting for all characters except the protagonist Tomoya, added one new CG, and included support for Windows Vista. It was reissued within the Key 10th Memorial Box on July 31, 2009. An updated Clannad Memorial Edition compatible with Windows 7 was released on May 28, 2010.

Sekai Project handled the English localization for Windows via Steam, releasing it on November 23, 2015. The English translation was financed through a Kickstarter campaign launched in November 2014 that rapidly exceeded its US$140,000 goal and ultimately raised US$541,161. This success unlocked all stretch goals including translation of the Hikari Mimamoru Sakamichi de side stories. These side stories were later published as Clannad Side Stories on Steam on June 2, 2016.

The first console adaptation appeared on PlayStation 2 through Interchannel on February 23, 2006, followed by a "Best" edition re-release on July 30, 2009, and inclusion in the "Key 3-Part Work Premium Box," which bundled PS2 versions of Kanon and Air alongside Clannad. Prototype released an Xbox 360 version on August 28, 2008, a PlayStation Portable version in Japan on May 29, 2008, a PlayStation 3 edition on April 21, 2011, and a downloadable PS3 version via PlayStation Store on February 14, 2013.

Prototype also developed mobile versions: for FOMA phones launched November 26, 2007, SoftBank 3G phones released January 16, 2008, and Android devices made available September 18, 2012.

To commemorate its tenth anniversary, Prototype ported Clannad to PlayStation Vita on August 14, 2014. Additional ports include PlayStation 4 released June 14, 2018, and Nintendo Switch launched July 4, 2019, both featuring Japanese and English text options. The Switch edition also debuted digitally via Nintendo eShop on the same day. Limited Run Games provided a limited physical release of the Switch port in both standard and collector's editions between April and May of 2020.

Books and publications

On April 15, 2004, SoftBank Creative released a 39-page booklet titled pre-Clannad, which included artwork, character profiles, production notes, and conceptual illustrations. Later that year, on October 12, Enterbrain published a comprehensive 160-page visual fan book containing in-depth story analyses, computer-generated imagery, sheet music for the soundtrack themes, interviews with creators, original artwork by various illustrators, three new chapters of the Official Another Story, and production sketches.

Between September 2004 and October 2005, a sequence of 14 illustrated short stories expanding the Clannad universe was serialized in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Magazine. This series, entitled Official Another Story Clannad: Hikari Mimamoru Sakamichi de (Official Another Story Clannad 光見守る坂道で), comprised 13 chapters plus an additional bonus chapter. The narrative was penned by Key's scenario team with illustrations by GotoP. Subsequently, two more stories were incorporated into a collected volume of 103 pages published on November 25, 2005.

Starting January 2008, Prototype distributed this short story collection digitally via VisualArt's Motto service for SoftBank Mobile's 3G and FOMA handsets. Chapters were released on a weekly schedule, with SoftBank 3G editions following FOMA releases by three weeks. On August 28, 2008, the collection became available as downloadable content for the Xbox 360 edition of Clannad. Prototype later transformed it into a "visual sound novel" format for the PSP platform in two volumes released in June and July 2010; each volume contained eight chapters accompanied by original artwork from GotoP. The content was also offered as DLC for the PlayStation 3 version on July 6, 2011. Android users gained access to both volumes in November 2011 and April 2012 respectively. On May 20, 2021, Prototype ported the collection to the Nintendo Switch, featuring both Japanese and English text options.

Two separate anthology character novels based on Clannad, authored by various writers, were issued by Jive in September and December of 2004. Additionally, a short story series titled by Hiro Akizuki and Mutsuki Misaki commenced publication through Harvest in November 2008; its third installment appeared in October 2009. Harvest also released three volumes of Clannad SSS short story collections between June and August 2009, followed by the novels Clannad Mystery File in August and Clannad: Magic Hour in December 2010.

Manga

The initial manga adaptation, Clannad Official Comic, illustrated by Juri Misaki, was serialized in Jive's Comic Rush magazine from May 2005 until April 2009. Jive compiled this series into eight tankōbon volumes published between November 7, 2005, and March 7, 2009. The second manga installment titled Official Another Story Clannad: Hikari Mimamoru Sakamichi de, illustrated by Rino Fujii, ran from June 21, 2007 to August 21, 2008 within Flex Comix's Comi Digi +. It consists of eleven chapters adapted from the short story collection. Broccoli released its first volume on February 21, 2008 in both limited and standard editions; the limited edition featured a notebook adorned with Tomoya’s school emblem. A promotional autograph event took place on March 2, 2008. The series concluded with a second volume issued on December 20, 2008.

A third manga series illustrated by Shaa began serialization in the August 2007 issue of ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Magazine. This run ended in July 2009 but continued in Dengeki G's Festival! Comic from October 26, 2009 through April 28, 2014. ASCII Media Works published five volumes under their Dengeki Comics label between February 27, 2008 and July 26, 2014.A fourth manga titled Clannad: Tomoyo Dearest, drawn by Yukiko Sumiyoshi, was serialized from February to August of 2008 in Fujimi Shobo’s Dragon Age Pure, focusing specifically on Tomoyo’s storyline from the visual novel. A single collected volume appeared on October 9, 2008.

Multiple anthology manga collections have been produced by various publishers featuring contributions from numerous artists. The earliest anthology series was released by Ohzora under Twin Heart Comics between June 2004 and April 2005 across five volumes. Jive published a standalone anthology entitled Clannad Comic Anthology: Another Symphony in January of 2005. Ichijinsha issued a two-volume anthology under their DNA Media Comics imprint in June and July of the same year plus a special edition volume in December of 2007. Enterbrain launched a four-panel comic anthology series named Magi-Cu 4-koma Clannad through their MC Comics line from February 25, 2008 to August 26, 2009 totaling ten volumes. Each anthology typically includes roughly twenty different contributors per volume.

Drama CDs

Two separate drama CD collections have been produced based on the Clannad franchise. Frontier Works created one set consisting of five CDs each spotlighting a different heroine—Nagisa, Kotomi, Fuko, Kyou, and Tomoyo. The first volume was released as a limited edition featuring an additional track on April 25, 2007; subsequent installments were issued monthly until August that year. Prototype produced another set comprising four CDs released monthly from July through October of the same year; these adaptations are based on the Official Another Story Clannad: Hikari Mimamoru Sakamichi de collection and feature cover art by GotoP. Both drama CD collections are accessible as downloadable content via Xbox Live and the PlayStation Store for Xbox360 and PS3 versions of Clannad, enhancing cross-platform engagement.

Film

Main article: Clannad (film)

At the Tokyo Anime Fair held in March of 2006, Toei Animation, known for producing adaptations such as the anime version of Kanon and the film adaptation of Air, announced plans for an animated feature film based on Clannad. Directed by Osamu Dezaki with screenplay written by Makoto Nakamura, the film premiered on September15, 2007. It presents a reinterpretation of the original narrative centered around protagonist Nagisa Furukawa. The movie was subsequently distributed on DVD across three editions—Collector’s, Special Edition, and Regular—on March7, 2008. Sentai Filmworks later licensed it for North America with English subtitles and dubbing released in March2011.

Anime series

On March15, 2007 BS-i revealed plans for an anime television adaptation following their broadcast of the second season of Key’s Kanon. Produced by Kyoto Animation under director Tatsuya Ishihara and scripted by Fumihiko Shimo, who also adapted Key’s previous works Air and Kanon, the series aired from October4 to March27 the following year consisting of twenty-three episodes out of twenty-four initially planned. Pony Canyon released these episodes across eight DVD compilations between December19 and July16; each disc included three episodes except for the final which contained an OVA set within an alternate universe featuring Tomoyo’s game route. A Blu-ray box set was issued on April30 2010.

Following episode twenty-three’s conclusion aired a teaser announcing a second season entitled Clannad After Story. Also produced by Kyoto Animation with returning staff and cast members covering twenty-four episodes focused on After Story arc aired between October3 and March26 the next year. These episodes were distributed across eight DVD volumes from December3 to July1; an OVA depicting an alternate universe where Tomoya dates Kyou was included with the final release. A Blu-ray box set featuring English subtitles came out April20 2011.

In North America licensing rights were acquired by Section23 Films through Sentai Filmworks in late-2008; ADV Films handled localization and distribution releasing half-season box sets starting March3 and May5 of 2009 respectively for first season followed by two halves of After Story beginning October20 and December8 that year. A complete collection featuring an English dub produced by Seraphim Digital reissued June15 2010; this dub premiered March25 on Anime Network cable channel. The English dub for After Story re-release appeared April19 2011; both series saw Blu-ray reissues November that year.

In UK/Ireland territories Manga Entertainment issued DVDs for first season August5 and After Story September9 of 2013 while Funimation UK released Blu-rays containing both seasons April26 2021.

The opening theme for season one is "Mag Mell" (cuckool mix 2007) performed by Eufonius, with "Dango Daikazoku" sung by Chata serving as ending theme. Season two features opening "Toki o Kizamu Uta" alongside ending "Torch", both performed by Lia.

Internet radio shows

An Internet radio program promoting the anime titled Nagisa to Sanae no Omae ni Rainbow (渚と早苗のおまえにレインボー) aired weekly from October5 2007 through October3 2008 totaling fifty-two episodes. Produced jointly by Onsen and Animate TV streams hosted voice actresses Mai Nakahara (Nagisa) and Kikuko Inoue (Sanae). Several other cast members appeared as guests throughout including Ryō Hirohashi and Atsuko Enomoto among others. Four two-disc CD sets compiling these broadcasts were released between June18 and February18.

A second Internet radio show supporting Clannad After Story, named Nagisa to Sanae to Akio no Omae ni Hyper Rainbow (渚と早苗と秋生のおまえにハイパーレインボー), aired twenty-six episodes from October10 08 through April10 09 featuring previous hosts plus Ryōtarō Okiayu (Akio Furukawa). Two two-disc CD compilations followed release dates February18 and May29.

Music

Main article: Music of Clannad

The visual novel includes four theme songs: one opening theme; two ending themes; one insert song. Opening theme is "Mag Mell" (メグメル, Megu Meru) performed by Eufonius. Ending themes include "-Kage Futatsu-" (-影二つ-, -Two Shadows-) and "Chiisana Tenohira" (小さなてのひら, Small Palms), both sung by Riya from Eufonius—the latter serving as After Story ending theme. Insert song "Ana" is performed by Lia. Six characters have unique background music motifs including all five heroines plus Yukine Miyazawa with notable tracks such as "Nagisa" (渚) and "Étude Pour les Petites Supercordes".

An image song album titled Sorarado featuring vocals by Riya was issued December 03 prior to game release; remix album Mabinogi bundled with original game launch April04 contains rearranged tracks. The official soundtrack arrived August04 encompassing three discs with fifty-six songs total followed later that year by vocal albums ‘‘Sorarado Append’’ (December) plus remix double-disc ‘‘-Memento-’’ also featuring Riya’s vocals (December). Piano arrangement album ‘‘Piano no Mori’’ combining tracks from both ‘‘Clannad’’ and ‘‘Tomoyo After’’ debuted December05 under Key Sounds Label.

For film adaptation Eufonius’ maxi single "Mag Mell (frequency⇒e Ver.)" appeared July07 including remixes alongside original pieces; image album ‘‘Yakusoku’’ followed August07 with songs sung by Lia plus background scores; official soundtrack issued November07—all produced under Frontier Works label.

Anime releases include single "Mag Mell / Dango Daikazoku" launched October07 containing opening/ending themes plus remix track sung by Riya; second season single "Toki o Kizamu Uta / Torch" featuring Lia’s vocals released November08; piano arrangement remix album followed December08—all distributed via Key Sounds Label.

Visual novel

The limited edition Windows version ranked atop Japan’s bishōjo game sales charts twice before dropping to forty-sixth later; original release peaked at fortieth while regular edition debuted at twenty-sixth then fell to thirty-seventh and forty-first positions subsequently. In total during calendar year04 original Windows version sold over one hundred thousand copies domestically. The Full Voice edition reached top-twenty national rankings early08 while PlayStation3 port sold approximately seven thousand units during one week in April11; cumulative console sales exceeded one hundred thirteen thousand units as of April11 rising to over one hundred twenty-two thousand copies reported in2019. PSP two-volume editions of ‘’Hikari Mimamoru Sakamichi de’’ sold close to twenty-nine thousand copies through end10 period. English Windows release debuted at number three on Steam charts outperforming titles like ‘’Call of Duty: Black Ops III’’ and ‘’Grand Theft Auto V’’.

In October07 ‘’Clannad’’ topped Dengeki G’s Magazine poll ranking top fifty bishōjo games gathering one hundred fourteen votes versus seventy-eight for runner-up title; PlayStation2 port earned Famitsu score twenty-six out of forty points overall that year. In08 it placed second most emotional game per Dengeki poll while Famitsu listed it fourth among tear-inducing games during2011 survey; Sony poll conducted2014 ranked ‘’Clannad’’ eighteenth most moving game surpassing books or films.

Italian publication Multiplayer.it rated Windows version at nine point two out ten praising it as “one of best visual novels ever created” citing rich dialogue trees branching narrative structure realistic characters portrayal while RPGFan scored it eighty-three percent commending extensive dialogue options emotionally charged storytelling particularly After Story arc though noting limited visuals some less engaging side routes necessary unlocking key scenarios.

Anime

All DVDs related to anime series or film consistently achieved strong sales performance: first limited edition DVD ranked third late December07 while subsequent limited editions second through fifth volumes debuted number one respectively; sixth volume placed fourth May08 followed again seventh/eighth volumes attaining top position during initial sales weeks respectively; third limited edition DVD ranked sixth among top anime DVDs sold December07-November08 period; Blu-ray box set reached third late April10 remaining within top fifteen following week; special edition film DVD debuted third before dropping tenth place next week.

For ‘’Clannad After Story’’, first limited edition DVD opened at second position selling over seventeen thousand copies first week followed by next three volumes debuting at number one exceeding sixteen thousand units each while fifth through seventh volumes topped charts selling above fourteen thousand copies apiece; final eighth volume placed second moving nearly twenty thousand units several volumes reappeared within top rankings weeks after initial release dates.

Critical reception showed mixed-to-positive reviews for initial season whereas ‘’After Story’’ received widespread acclaim: THEM Anime Reviews rated entire franchise four out five stars highlighting first season as Key’s most developed animation adaptation praising emotional depth second season; Theron Martin (Anime News Network) graded first season B+ citing heavy moe elements but acknowledged appeal fans gave second season A− applauding heartfelt storytelling thematic focus family values; Todd Douglass Jr., DVD Talk recommended ‘’After Story’’ highly emphasizing compelling emotional range memorable narrative arcs.

Legacy

In collaboration with Gamania Entertainment during08 several MMOGs including ‘’Hiten Online’’ & ‘’Holy Beast Online’’ featured ‘’Clannad’’ themed costumes plus pet boar Botan available to players above level twenty who could enter lotteries winning virtual/real merchandise such as netcash cards gameplay items.

ASCII Media Works partnered with Vridge releasing PlayStation2 visual novel ‘’Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu: Cosplay Hajimemashita’’ September08 incorporating cosplay appearances based on heroines from five popular light novel franchises plus three ‘’Clannad’’ characters allowing players to unlock exclusive CG images hear voice actresses reprising roles enhancing crossover appeal.

October08 saw Headlock launch ‘‘Ai Sp@ce’’, a virtual world integrating multiple franchises including ‘’Clannad’’, ‘’Shuffle!’’, & ‘’Da Capo II’’. Users create customizable avatars selecting heroine “chara-doll” companions residing together on franchise-specific islands connected via central Akihabara Island hub where chara-dolls develop unique personalities allowing purchase furniture clothing fostering interactive personalized experience spanning several game universes.

Characters originating from ‘’Clannad’’ also appear within Key’s crossover anime ‘‘Kaginado’’, which premiered2021 expanding franchise presence across multimedia platforms.

External links

• Official website for Key's Clannad
• Official anime site for Clannad
• Official anime page for Clannad After Story