A Simple Explanation Of Clannad's Ending
Nagisa and Tomoya
Clannad is a show that deals with a variety of different themes. Towards the beginning of the series, Clannad takes on a “high school slice of life/gotta help them all” tone. Nearing the end of the show, it takes on a more “harsh reality/slice of life” tone. When referring to “Clannad,” I am including 'Clannad' (2007) and 'Clannad: After Story' (2008).
I’ll say it. The ending of Clannad can be a bit confusing. That’s why you’re here. You might be wondering about the girl and the robot, and how that all relates to Tomoya and Ushio. You may still have questions about the final sequence. Maybe, you didn’t even understand the concept behind the “light orbs.” What was the true ending?
Fear not friend, I will do my best to explain it in a very simplistic way.
First Thing To Know
Clannad is based off a visual novel. It’s a game where you—the player—are given the opportunity to spend time with different people (i.e. the characters in the anime). Everyone has a problem, and it’s your job to help them. The goal of the visual novel is to collect 13 light orbs. To simplify it even further, you must collect 13 light orbs in order to see the happy ending (the ending of the game).
Clannad for the Switch!
In the anime, these light orbs are seen at the ending of each arc. After Tomoya helps someone, he receives a light orb. As the mythology of Clannad goes, these orbs can grant wishes. For example, Misae uses a “light orb wish” on Katuski Shima, to love her forever. This wish is granted in the form of Misae finding and keeping a cat, which is assumed to be Shima.
This is all a part of the towns folklore. The town Clannad takes place in, is basically a character itself (more on that below).
This town revived Nagisa when she was on the verge of death. It’s revealed by Akio that he took Nagisa to an open field, and asked for a miracle. The town responded, and granted Nagisa’s life back. This caused her to become intertwined with the town itself.
Little Nagisa and Akio
Change is a common theme placed throughout the Clannad storyline. We have the field that becomes a hospital. The drama club building being torn down after they graduate. The new family restaurant that Nagisa works at.
The more the town changes, the more Nagisa’s life changes, and in turn, her health declines.
The Illusionary World
One of the more complex ideas posed by Clannad, is the “Illusionary World.” This is brought up by Kotomi, as her parents were studying the possibility of other worlds.
In the case of Clannad, this is a world where only a girl and robot exist. At the beginning of the anime, it’s assumed that the story between these two, is meant to be the source material of the drama club play. Nagisa plays “the last girl in the world,” and she creates a robot to keep her company. Mysteriously, the only two people who have heard of this story, are Nagisa and Tomoya.
The Girl and The Robot
This is because the Illusionary World isn’t bound by time. In fact, it’s not even a part of the world that Clannad takes place in. It’s a sort of afterlife. After Ushio dies, her “spirit” is transported to another existential plane. She loses her memory and begins life alone, in a world modeled after the one she knew as a child. In short, Nagisa and Tomoya can feel their daughter’s spirit from a distant world; and Nagisa decides to write a play about it.
Ushio builds a robot because of a memory she shares with Tomoya. Tomoya bought her a toy robot, and it was very precious to her. This is why the manifestation of Tomoya in the Illusionary World, is a robot.
Since Tomoya exists in the form of a robot in the Illusionary World, all of the orbs gained by the human Tomoya, are transported here for Ushio’s end goal and plan.
To simplify this even more, the Illusionary World was created by Ushio. Everything that happens here is because of Ushio’s real life experiences. From the creation of the robot, to the destruction of the world. Ushio made the Illusionary World to grant her dad, a wish.
The Ending Setup
Let’s also remember that Nagisa was tied to the town. Due to the fact that Ushio shares a similar illness to her mother, her existence is also tied to the town.
Tomoya hates the town. This is established in the opening scene of the anime. By helping everyone around him, his world opens up, and he begins to like the town. Then tragedy strikes, and his wife and daughter die. He begins feeling like life would have been better if he didn’t speak to Nagisa on that fateful day, at the beginning of the show.
The final orb obtained sets the ending into motion. Tomoya grants Ushio’s wish to “take a trip.” As she begins to die, she asks her father if they had made it to the flower field, and Tomoya tells her they did.
We all hate this scene
This then results in “Illusionary World Ushio” being able to grant Tomoya a wish. More accurately, a miracle.
Tomoya is faced with the same situation from the beginning of the show. It’s believed that this scene does not actually take place in a timeline, rather it is a decision Tomoya must make. What will he wish for?
Will he wish to never meet and speak with Nagisa on that day? Or will he choose to accept Nagisa regardless of the hurt that may await him in the future?
At first, he lets Nagisa pass him by, but then he comes to his senses, and he calls out to her. Nagisa—seemingly aware of everything that has happened—is glad that he chose to be with her. This scene is meant to be an illustration of the “idea” that Tomoya knows his heart’s desire.
The moment they share (the hugging) is meant to be a realization of Tomoya’s wish. He now knows what he wants; and Ushio grants this. More accurately, THE TOWN grants Tomoya’s wish. This is why Tomoya sees orbs throughout the town on the night Ushio was born.
The town grants a miracle
Nagisa passed her connection to the town, to Ushio. Ushio granted her dad’s wish by collecting all the orbs in the Illusionary World. Ushio, the town, and the Illusionary World are all connected.
The Happy Ending
Tomoya wishes for a life with his family. Ushio/The Town grant him this wish.
After Tomoya and Nagisa share that moment under the sakura trees, we are shown what looks to be Tomoya crossing world lines. It is also possible that he went back in time, to the moment Ushio was born. Regardless of what actually happened, Tomoya is taken to an alternate version of the moment that ruined his life.
Instead of Nagisa dying post-childbirth; she instead lives, and gives birth to a healthy girl.
Tomoya’s wish comes true.
A happy end
*Queue emotional slideshow*
We get to see events of Tomoya’s adult life, except this time, Nagisa and Ushio are with him. We also get to see what the other members of the drama club have been up to after graduating. Kyou is still a teacher. Ryou becomes a nurse. Youhei works for what looks to be a taxi company. Kotomi is continuing her parents work in America.
More importantly, Nagisa and Tomoya get their moment. Tomoya is able to see his dream realized, and they live happily as a family of three.
That’s basically it.
The very last moment with Ushio sleeping under the tree is a nod to the visual novel. Upon obtaining all 13 orbs in the visual novel, the main menu displays a picture of “Illusionary World Ushio” sleeping under a tree.
The End.
An Even More Simple Explanation
If you’ve read up until this point and still don’t understand the ending of Clannad, don’t worry, I got you. Ready?
The town Clannad takes place in has folklore. Orbs of light appear when someone exudes hope and happiness. They typically appear at the end of an arc when a problem is solved. This town gives people the ability to make wishes, and see those wishes come true.
Nagisa got very sick as a child. She was on the verge of dying when her dad brought her to an open field, and prayed for a miracle to happen. The town granted his wish, but in return, the town became intertwined with Nagisa. This is why as the town changes, Nagisa’s life changes as well. Her sickness comes around the same time every year, when the town is cold. Winter.
This causes Nagisa to become separated from society. That is, until she meets Tomoya Okazaki. Together, they reform their school drama club, and make friends along the way. Somehow, there is a strange connection between Tomoya and Nagisa, but they can’t put their finger on it.
The drama club
Things start picking up when Nagisa graduates from high school. She moves in with Tomoya, and the two get married. Soon enough, Nagisa finds herself pregnant! Despite such good news, the pregnancy is really risky. Nagisa has always been in poor health ever since she was “brought back to life.”
Nagisa dies after giving birth to her daughter, Ushio. The connection Nagisa once had with the town, was passed on to her daughter.
Tomoya disappears from Ushio’s life for five years. It seems like his life is becoming similar to the one his father led; and he doesn’t like his dad very much. Sanae (Nagisa’s mom) devises a plan to ensure Tomoya faces his demons. She forces him to spend time with his daughter, and accept his father.
Reconciliation
To our satisfaction, Tomoya overcomes these challenges. He becomes a grateful son, and a better father. However, when all seems well, Ushio falls sick just like her mother did. Sadly, Ushio passes away.
In another world, Ushio lives as the only being alive. This Illusionary World is removed from the Clannad world, and is devoid of all space and time. It’s another world with another purpose. This is the strange connection that Nagisa and Tomoya have. Ushio created this world to collect light orbs, to grant a miracle for her father.
Once Tomoya comes to the realization that life is worth living with Nagisa (i.e. not hating the town) his wish comes true, and he is taken back to the night Nagisa died. However instead of her dying, she and Ushio lead happy and healthy lives.
That’s basically it.
What It Means
The Big Dango Family
Clannad is a slice of life anime. Many of the plot threads that fuel the story, are done so with the purpose of showing progress in Tomoya’s life. Helping his friends. Falling in love. Becoming an adult. Becoming a man. Becoming a husband. Maintaining a job. Dealing with loss. That’s what Clannad is.
Sprinkle in some fantasy plot line, and then we have our story. 'Clannad: After Story' is where the meat of this anime tale is. This is where we really see Tomoya progress as a character. In all honesty, the first season functions no differently than a run of the mill slice of life.
“We have to open the club, and make friends along the way. Oh yeah, and let’s fall in love too.”
As solid as the first season is, After Story completely dwarfs it when comparing “slice of life-ness.” This is Tomoya’s life. The good, bad, and ugly.
These aren’t larger than life characters, rather they are just regular people. They are fragile people. Nagisa is a sickly girl, and Tomoya is an uninspired boy. The thing that makes them special is the fact that they love each other.
The common theme of Clannad is familial love. Akio, Sanae, and Nagisa. Tomoya and his estranged father. The drama club. Our story just happens to center in on Nagisa and Tomoya’s family. The idea is: Love is unconditional, even if things change.
Even though Tomoya hated his dad, they never really lost their love; and they were able to reconcile their relationship.
Tomoya’s love for his family, and Ushio’s love for her father transcended worlds in order to find the optimal ending. That’s Clannad.
