Clannad | Q's Anime Review & Commentary P.4

Animation & Art direction | Presentation

While I was somewhat unimpressed initially watching it on TV, with a blu ray it really opened my eyes to how well rendered the series actually is. Though lacking slightly on that last amount of finite detail, Kyo Ani’s post production and digipaint methods we’re indefinitely ahead of their time on this one and while the character models are somewhat outdated compared to today's animations, something really has to be said about the level of consistency here. The anime has quite a diffused look thanks to post, and lighting is surprising very rendered for a turn of the century production, showcasing respectable dynamics and fine attention to the more gradient details. As the nuance of the shot is very deeply affected in how they actually composite and render each their frames, such as playing with the colour palette or the perceived focus of the shot to mimic a camera.

Mutsuo Shinohara
[Art Director]

However while a lot of the indoor environments and architecture were clearly rendered on PC regarding colour, a fair amount of the background composites are still beautifully done the traditional and practical way with regards to some of the oil and water painted backgrounds. As their visual department showcases an impressive amount of quality regarding the fine and clean line work, in addition to respectable lighting and very well rounded colour composition, as Kyo Ani has continued to become almost unrivalled in both their traditional & CG methods for rendering the most beautiful of background composites on a regular episode to episode basis. However having said that, it's clear that there was much better ahead, in that K On!! directed by their own Naoko Yamada was an extraordinarily well rendered anime, as it stands even today nearly a decade later as one of Kyo Ani's most perennial works.

Pictorial Aspects | Rendering, Composition & Design

Clannad has a soft and plush look colour wise that's easy on the eyes colour wise thanks to Kyo Ani's in house colour designer Akiyo Takeda & Art Director Mutsuo Shinohara. In that Clannad is largely based in the summer and spring time seasons that take place in a small town, so there's a clear abundance of the more daytime & evening scenes. In that Kyo Ani is famous for animating real life set locations in their productions, and Clannad is no exception being that it has many set locations derived from Mizuho Tokyo & other locations varying from Osaka to Tohuko. While they didn't really design many of their set locations, it still speaks wonders regarding Key's excellent selection and Kyo Ani's ability to capture the same atmosphere and environmental detail of the set locations they use, as it makes Clannad seem much more impressional and relatable, having to animate locations and architecture that actually exist for a purpose and need to function as so in real life.

With this we see a lot of the familiar soft tertiary tone's of the school, such as the light grey and beige wall interiors tinted with the greenery and such from the outdoors peeking from the windows of the early mornings, or perhaps during the evenings as we see the analogous hues of the sun setting across town. In that while it's evident that Clannad uses alot of real life references for it's set locations, as you can imagine people such as the art director, colour designer and the director of photography have a hand at of having to "hollywood" it up, regarding the nuance they try to capture regarding the pictorial aspects of each shot, even going so far as to Alter a few details and perhaps proportions of say how numerous and large the sakura trees are. Since the version we do see is quite a bit more idealistic depictions of these real life set locations, as opposed to being hyper realistic which of course it's these creative liberties that Art Director Mutsuo Shinohara can play with to set Clannad's tone.

As you can imagine since the original source material isn't the most diverse regarding it's setting nor is it really a thought provoking story with psychedelic elements, the patterns that are found regarding colour composition aren't generally an effect of creative decision, rather a byproduct of the common set locations often chosen for the story such as the classroom or it's hallways, the Furukawa residence or perhaps the natural greenery throughout town. While Clannad doesn't really need to be, having seen K On!! a year after, it's evident to me that the visual composites could have a finer sense of dynamic range in terms of lighting, seen also in a similar production such as the ever beautiful Hyouka anime. Don't get me wrong Mustsuo Shinohara shouldn't change the creative direction of the series, as It's really on point and on the same wavelength as the story is, however coming from an aesthetic angle, and how I believe it can suspend disbelief and offer a deeper sense of verisimilitude if done right, especially for an story that reconditions the importance of daily life and it's smallest details.

Though again Clannad is indefinitely quite more impressive than it's peers regarding the quality of rendering, truthfully only being a step or two behind comparatively speaking. Having been spoiled by well the future of what's to come for television animations in addition to film tier animations which dated before Clannad, the precedent of paramount productions from the likes of Miyazaki's Ghibli films or perhaps even television productions from Shinichiro Watanabe such as Samurai Champloo or Cowboy Bebop really set a very high standard of how visually compelling an anime could really be.

It really doesn't have much to do with technologic barriers as opposed to the sensibilities of the visual departments key directors/figures found in Photography, Art & Colour. Like K On! & say Hyouka, they both prove that it's very much possible to achieve the soft and inviting look, while having the balance between good range regarding contrast and dynamics in addition to the careful rendering of its accents, highlights and fine details. Being that I find the soft and diffused look that was achieved sort of sacrificed the amount vibrance the composites had regarding the saturation and texture, so in lesser important and day to day scenes it's somewhat common for Clannad to come off as a bit flat and monophonic in terms of how layered the composites are in depicting good lighting, spatiality and detail - Though I do understand that they are very much capable of Turning it up so to speak, as the blueprints and the core fundamental design is very much solid and intact.

In that texture wise Clannad can look somewhat broad & simplistic which is sometimes to it's benefit, but at other times the smaller gradients & pigmentation of colour can look too base and stock of images. However Kyo Ani's composites are none the less very consistent, having remarkably clean and uniform environments that's quite rare for a T.v animation of this era. Being that Kyo Ani clearly knew the exact scope of what they we're capable of sustaining from an episode to episode basis as a collective group, never biting off more they could chew. Though as a result they do take modest shortcuts where they can, as there's a fair bit of less developed negative space and very basic lighting techniques, which is absolutely more than acceptable for a series that's two seasons and having with 4 cours (48 episodes). Though a little less ambitious to the precedent set by others that came before it, as I would even point to Yuichi Terao's work on the Kara No Kyoukai series as the environmental detail he was able to establish from a scene to scene basis was truly breath taking.

Animation & Character Design |

Kazumi Ikeda
[Character Designer &]
[Chief Animation Director]

Itaru Inoue
[Original Key Character Designer]

A similar take can also be applied to the principle animation was well, in that if we're going to be entirely honest I never really dug the character designs found in most Bishoujo Manga or Moe Anime prior to K On! hitting the streets. In that I always sort of disliked the facial proportions and how unnecessarily busy supposedly Simplistic Characters would look, especially having to do with how hair used to be rendered - In ugly choppy inefficient individual potato wedges that we're supposed to mimic strands of hair!! Bleah!! (Though I do understand that Kyo Ani is actually making a very impressive comeback with that style, in how they now have the resources to animate the more intricate designs found in Free!, Hyouka & most recently Violet Evergarden). As I find the character design should always best reflect who the character was an how they'd behave or at least be complimentary to it, unless your trying to spin some Saitama angle off like in one punch man, then that's an entirely different story.

Though I am going on a little tangent here, being that I Do think that Itaru Hinoue and Kazumi Ikeda's designs very well reflect their respective characters quite well. As Itaru Hinoue's designs we're just scary and gave me the Heebeejeebeez, respectfully so Kyo Ani has done a fantastic job in tweaking the character models of Air, Kanon and now Clannad to seem far more Agreeable - Being that Kanon (2003) by Toei animation looked more like Space Invaders rather than the cute girls they tried to be?. Anyways Kazumi Ikesa's design's we're likeable and simplistic, not to mention far more efficient to actually animate, as he particularly simplified the colour gradients and selection to be more uniform and streamlined, opting to use softer tertiary and secondary hues. As he was able to not only preserve but enhance the integrity of the designs, cooling it off with busily designed hair and out of whack eye proportions from the originals.

Segment Conclusion -

Though pretty far off (Well not really) from the elegant and refined character designs from K On!, while respectable it's just that with the somewhat busier and idealistic design, I've always personally leaned towards the more well Human & realistic looking designs, that have a fine balance between elegant design & simplicity. Whereas Kyo Ani's designs are rather streamlined and bubbly in their idealism, though that has been slowly changing in recent years. While not entirely up my alley the designs are quite likeable and respectable, being that the principle animation is very consistent, and animated well from most angles & distances.

Despite not having a crazy amount of sakuga or high action animation sequences that are just loaded with frames on an episode to episode basis, where every transient movement is snappy and fluid. With of course the exception being the girl and the robot scene's, as they specifically turn it up with a denser frame rate and higher quality animation to clearly establish the distinct difference between the main story and itself, as the effect is surreal and serene which is kind of the point with it being the "Illusionary World" with the fantasia like music and all. And While Clannad also doesn't have the most beautiful designs, it's really how they choreograph and script their actors from the most ordinary & intimate moments, to the most wild & exaggerated of scenarios - As most of the character and charisma that's there to appreciate is not found between the lines or colours and rather in how they are actually used - That much is quite respectable.

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Article Contents - Comments Section

1. Plot & Narrative Aspects 
2. Character Analysis 
3. Production Aspects [A History Overlook | Cinematography] 
4. Animation & Art Direction
5. Voice Actor Choreography & Direction
6. Sound Direction | OST & Addendum